Chapter Sixty-Five: Does Being a Prince Make You the Law?

"Su Jingluo, what are you talking about?" Xiao Jingxuan's face was so clouded it looked about to pour.

"Change what?" he asked through clenched teeth, her words sounding utterly rebellious and beyond all reason.

Uh-oh. Su Jingluo scratched her head awkwardly, her modern mindset getting the better of her, causing her to blurt out whatever was on her mind.

"Hehe, don't take it seriously. I was just saying—when you educate a child, you should encourage them to be open-minded," she said, her face all smiles, trying to appease him.

"Rein it in. You're a little too open-minded," Xiao Jingxuan replied, but seeing her smile, he found it hard to stay angry.

"If you keep teaching the child like this, he'll be nothing but trouble—always twisting logic and causing harm. If you don't know how to teach him, let me do it," Xiao Jingxuan said, feeling that if Su Jingluo continued like this, not only would their hearts grow apart, but even their family would split, and at this rate the child would be changing fathers at the drop of a hat.

Trying to steal my child? Su Jingluo instantly felt surrounded by malice and conspiracy.

"So I can't teach him well, and I don't understand reason? You think you're better—favoring your concubine and neglecting your wife is reasonable? Cavorting with Lin Wanwan is reasonable? Just because you're a prince, do your actions become law?" Su Jingluo had intended to let matters rest, but who could have guessed Xiao Jingxuan would provoke her further, reigniting the conflict.

"You—" He was at a loss for words, overwhelmed by her sharp tongue. All he could do was point and stammer "you, you, you," before turning on his heel and storming off.

Only when Xiao Jingxuan had left did Yunbai dare to emerge from behind Su Jingluo.

"Kneel," Su Jingluo said, rubbing her aching head as she sat in a chair.

Yunbai, quick to learn the rules, dropped to his knees with a thud.

"Do you know why I'm making you kneel?" Su Jingluo's mouth was dry and her head throbbed. She picked up her teacup and took a sip.

"I know," Yunbai answered, lowering his head. The fierce, rebellious look he had worn moments ago was gone, replaced by a delicate, pitiful appearance.

"Why?"

"Because I'm petty. If something is taken from me, I just want to take something else in return—even change fathers in the future," Yunbai said in a low, dejected voice.

Pfft—Su Jingluo nearly spat out her tea, coughing violently. Of all the things she tried to teach him, this was the only line he remembered—the one she'd carelessly thrown out in anger.

"That's not the right understanding, Yunbai. Try again," she said, her head about to split.

"I don't really want to change, but I also don't want to make do," Yunbai continued, still fixated on the idea of replacing his father.

Su Jingluo couldn't fathom why this notion had affected Yunbai so deeply, or why a child so young would already see Lin Wanwan as a threat to their family.

"Yunbai, you like your father, don't you?" Su Jingluo suddenly realized that Yunbai might truly care about Xiao Jingxuan.

"I don't," Yunbai blurted out, then hesitated and added, "I guess he's all right."

Su Jingluo knelt down, her gaze fixed intently on Yunbai's eyes, waiting for a genuine answer.

"I like him a little, I suppose. But seeing him with Lin Wanwan makes me so angry. I don't want to deal with that bad father anymore." Suddenly, a film of tears shimmered in Yunbai's eyes. He bit his lip, stubbornly refusing to let them fall.

"Yunbai, if you like someone, say so. If you care, show it. Let your father know you like him," Su Jingluo said earnestly. This child clearly had some emotional struggles—unable to express his feelings properly, he would act out just to get attention.

"But I'm afraid he doesn't like me," Yunbai whispered after a long silence.