Too Cute to Arrest, Too Pitiful to Ignore

The carriage accident wasn't just an embarrassment to Shang Qing Ye—it was an excuse.

An excuse to hunt the girl down.

Yao Yao dangled in Su Mi's arms as they dashed through the streets, her tiny legs kicking uselessly in the air. 

This is getting ridiculous...she is tired of running.

Well—no..

Su Mi was tired of running.

Yao Yao, on the other hand, was tired of being carried around like a sack of rice.

As Su Mi ducked into a narrow alley, pressing them both against the shadowed walls, she exhaled sharply, panting from exhaustion.

The guards weren't too far behind, their hurried footsteps and muffled voices echoing down the cobblestone streets. Yao Yao leaned forward, peeking out from the hidden alley, her pink bright eyes observing them carefully sharply.

Then, very softly, she whispered—

"Su Mi, put me down."

"W-what..?" 

"Just trust me," Yao Yao whispered, slipping out of the alley before Su Mi could stop her.

"Wa—WAIT!"

Yao Yao sprinted straight toward the guards, her tiny arms flailing dramatically as she wailed at the top of her lungs.

"Waaaaaaahhh! MOOOOOOTHEEEEEER!"

The guards froze mid-step.

....

They had expected a chase.

They had expected resistance.

They had not expected a small child to throw herself at their feet, sobbing uncontrollably.

"I missed my dearest, sweetest mother so much!" she hiccuped. "I just wanted to see her! But she doesn't want meeeeee!"

Silent fell. 

People turned to stare.

A few merchants gasped audibly, while the guards exchanged worried glances.

One of them cleared his throat. "Uh… who exactly is your mother?"

Yao Yao sniffled loudly.

"I am just a poor, abandoned child from the Shang family!" she sobbed harder, clutching her tiny hands to her chest. "I have suffered so much! But all I wanted… all I wanted..was to see my family again!"

The crowd whispered furiously.

"An abandoned child?"

"Did Lady Shang abandon her?"

"I heard noble families do that sometimes…"

The guards looked at each other, visibly uncomfortable.

One of them coughed awkwardly. "Well..Lady Shang is currently residing in the city's manor residence."

Yao Yao sniffled even louder.

"So she really doesn't want me? Am I..really abandoned..?"

She tilted her head up, her big pink eyes shimmering with unshed tears.

One of the younger guards flinched.

Another one stared at her, his eyes trembling.

And then—

He bent down, his lips quivered and his eyes widening as emotion overtook him.

"What… what a poor child," he whispered, his voice thick with sudden sympathy. He had completely forgotten that just moments ago, he had been chasing this very child through the streets for causing absolute chaos.

Hah! Yao Yao smirked to herself. As expected, no one could bring themselves to harm a weak, fragile, and utterly adorable five-year-old like her.

The guard sniffled, his fingers clenched into a fist over his heart.

"To think… all she just wanted was to see her mother!" tears welled up in his eyes.

His older superior groaned. "Oh, for god's sake..pull yourself together!"

But it was too late.

The emotional guard was already crying while another guard rubbed his eyes discreetly.

One of the older ones sighed in frustration. "What do we do now? We can't just—arrest her! If she is really the child of Shang family..."

"She's just a kid who wish to see her family!" one of them mumbled.

And just like that— the guards had no idea what to do.

Yao Yao hid her smirk behind her trembling lips, her shoulders subtly shaking as if on the verge of tears. She hadn't spent forty years in Sales in her past life without learning how to act.

She peeked over her shoulder at Su Mi, who was watching from a distance, her face buried in her hands.

Yao Yao broke into another dramatic sob.

"I—I only wanted a chance to see her! Is that too much to ask?"

The young guard practically fell to his knees.

"I CAN'T TAKE IT!" he wailed.

His superior pinched the bridge of his nose. "Fine! Fine! We'll take you to Lady Shang's manor!"

Yao Yao beamed through her fake tears.

"Really?! You're all so kind!"

Just like that, Yao Yao was on her way to meet her 'Mother' and she didn't even have to run this time.

Meanwhile, back at the manor, Shang Qing Ye was expecting for a report on the search. Instead, she received something else entirely.

A servant entered the grand hall, trembling, "My lady… the girl…"

Shang Qing Ye raised a brow, "What about her?"

The servant hesitated before finally speaking, "…She has surrendered herself."

A slow, cold smile emerged on her face as she murmured softly, "Bring her in."