Repudiating a Good Wife Is Out of the Question

40. Stop the Thief

Translator: Sissy That Walk

Cao Mo was furious seeing Cao Le stealing from Liu Heng in a troubled situation like this.

Cao Mo cherished Liu Heng as a friend so much, he couldn’t help but scream out, “Stop the thief!”

Mammy Qin’s eyes sparkled when she heard Cao Mo’s voice.

“He’s over there, go grab him.” Mammy Qin brought people and marched to the window.

Cao Mo wasn’t afraid of them, he smiled and said, “Mammy, let’s do the right thing and catch the thief first, all right?”

Hearing the bustle outside, Liu Heng also walked to this direction, he told Cao Mo to watch out and climb down first when he saw Cao Mo sitting on the wall.

Cao Mo shook his head and said, “I’m not climbing down, don’t worry about me, Third Aunt. I just saw a thief sneaking out from your room carrying a black wooden box in his chest, hurry back and check what’s missing. Don’t worry about me, I’m fine.”

Liu Heng found this quite amusing, Cao Mo sitting on the wall and reminding him there was a thief in the yard, somehow he managed to keep a poker face and retorted Cao Mo, “Stop this nonsense and climb down, you should respect Mammy Qin and do what she told you.”

Cao Mo chuckled, “Don’t get me wrong, Third Aunt, I respect Mammy Qin a lot, it’s just I don’t want to get flogged. I will climb down the wall and apologize to Mammy Qin if she promises me there’s no flogging.”

Liu Heng shook his head resignedly and told Moqin to check on his stuff.

Moqin came back, looking anxious, “Third Lady, the Jade Ruyi in your dowry box is missing!”

Liu Heng’s Jade Ruyi was his family heirloom, his mother gave this to him when he married Xiao Yuzhen. Cao Le must have stolen his and used it as a counterfeit as a makeshift.

Liu Heng went to Cao Le’s room only to find no one was in the room.

… …

In Cunxi Hall.

Cao Le paid a visit to Dowager Xiao right after he stole the Ruyi from Liu Heng, Lady Lu and Xiao Jin were in Cunxi Hall as well when he arrived.

Cao Le greeted to Dowager Xiao and Lady Lu respectfully.

Lady Lu looked sideways, not even sparing Cao Le a look.

Cao Le took it lightly, he just presented Dowager Xiao the black wooden box, “Your Ladyship, please forgive me, I’m responsible for this farce. There’s some huge misunderstanding here, the Jade Ruyi that Second Master dropped wasn’t the one you rewarded me, the one you rewarded me is here in this black box. I’m returning it to you now, too many innocent are involved in this because of me, please punish me Your Ladyship.”

Dowager Xiao smiled, she asked Mammy Wang to support Cao Le to rise, and she took hold of Xiao Jin’s hand, then she held Cao Le’a hand and put his hand together with Xiao Jin’s, “What I care the most is whether you two are getting along, I’m rest assured now that you two are still on good terms.”

Xiao Jin lowered his head, avoiding any eye contact with Dowager Xiao or Cao Le, “Yes, grandma, I will treat him nicely.”

Cao Le also replied, “I will treat Second Master with great courtesy, please don’t worry about us, Your Ladyship.”

The two then glared at each other, the message it conveyed was ‘you are on thin ice, and that ice is creaking!’

But they changed the glare to smile when Dowager Xiao looked at them.

However, their interactions didn’t escape Dowager Xiao.

Dowager Xiao was curious about the Jade Ruyi Cao Le brought her, she knew this was by no means the one she awarded Cao Le, but there was a ‘Royal’ character on it.

Cao Le dared not to go back to Lotus House now that he had stolen Liu Heng’s stuff, he claimed he was feeling better and it was time to go back to his own home. Dowager Xiao didn’t ask him to stay longer, she arranged a fancy carriage loaded with presents for Cao Le.

To return to Cao Mo.

He was still sitting on the wall, negotiating with Mammy Qin.

“You are going to climb down sooner or later.” Mammy Qin gnashed her teeth.

Cao Mo crossed his leg in a casual way, “Mammy, I won’t climb down before I get the word that Dowager Xiao won’t flog me.”

“Her Ladyship has every reason to teach you a lesson, you have been causing trouble since day one you married into this family!”

Cao Mo replied, “Mammy, don’t get me wrong, I’m all for a good lesson. But twenty floggings aren’t just teaching me a lesson, that’s more like taking half of my life away. I admit I’m a spoiled child, no one has beaten me since I was a kid, no way I can take twenty floggings. Lady Lu promised my parents that I will receive love after I marry into this family, but what am I getting now! You can just ask my husband to repudiate me if I have done something horrible, don’t flog me!”

“Nonsense!” Xiao Yi walked in together with Xiao Yuzhen.

Mammy Qin made haste to defend herself on seeing Xiao Yi, she greeted them while defending herself, “It’s Her Ladyship Dowager Xiao asks me to fetch Young Madam back to her.”

Xiao Yi put on a meaningful smile and asked, “Fetching him back to see grandmother? In this way? Look at him, he is cornered on the wall!”

With that Xiao Yi looked at Cao Mo, “Mo, don’t be afraid, I’m here with you. I understand there’s a thief in Lotus House, but I know you, you have nothing to do with that thief.”

Xiao Yi blinked at Cao Mo, which left Cao Mo confused, ‘what are you up to now? Mammy Qin isn’t fetching me because she suspects me being a thief.’

Cao Mo explained, “It’s not like that, Yi. There’s some misunderstanding between me and grandma, she asked her servants to give me twenty floggings, that’s why I’m running away.”

Xiao Yi coaxed him, “Mo, it’s all right now, I’m here, you just climb down carefully I’ll protect you. It’s too dangerous sitting on the wall!”

Cao Mo pouted, “I highly doubt it.”

Xiao Yi didn’t give up, finally Cao Mo climbed down the wall.

Mammy Qin bowed to Xiao Yi and said, “Young Master, please understand I’m just acting on orders from Her Ladyship, I need to take Young Madam back to Cunxi Hall.”

“Mammy, I will visit mother in a little while. I demand an explanation from you now, who do you think you are, intruding into me and my wife’s room?” fumed Xiao Yuzhen.

“Third Master, please forgive me! I was acting on impulse! I was desperate to find Young Madam! Please forgive me!” Mammy Qin kowtowed to Xiao Yuzhen.

Xiao Yuzhen didn’t decide to let her go this easily, “That’s no excuse of being disrespectful to my wife.”