Clumsy Beast, Keep Your Paws Off Chapter 577: Parents’ Arrival

A heavy atmosphere filled An Mo’s modest dwelling.

Standing before Su Mingxuan and Wang Mulan, Han Jue frantically searched his mind for any plausible excuse, a bead of cold sweat trickling down his back. He offered a strained smile and spoke with measured caution.

"Tribe Leader, Lan Lan is genuinely well. She merely drifted off to sleep after a brief period of wakefulness. Would it not be best for you to return home for now? I shall personally inform you the instant she awakens. You cannot possibly remain here indefinitely."

Before Su Mingxuan could voice a response, Wang Mulan immediately shook her head, her lovely features etched with yearning and concern.

"No, I shall wait. Why don't I go and be with her? I truly wish to see my daughter's face," she murmured, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears.

Su Mingxuan gently clasped his mate’s hand and gave a slight nod. "Very well. Let us go see Lan Lan."

Han Jue’s spirits plummeted. His future suddenly appeared shrouded in utter darkness.

He absolutely could not permit the Tribe Leader and the Priestess to enter that house at this precise moment.

Hu Yan was still inside with Su Qinglan! He had no idea if Xuan Long had succeeded in intervening or if the situation inside was still unfolding.

'That wretched snake! Did he even convey the warning to Hu Yan? How much time has elapsed? It's nearly noon!' Han Jue thought with growing desperation.

He felt an overwhelming urge to rush back and administer a thorough thrashing to both of them.

Shi Feng, observing the tense exchange, promptly presented freshly prepared food, placing it upon the table.

"Perhaps you would care to eat something first?" Shi Feng inquired kindly. "You have been anxiously awaiting Lan Lan’s recovery."

Wang Mulan shook her head once more, her fingers twisting together in apprehension.

"Can you not permit us to see her? Even just for a moment? We simply wish to glimpse her from a distance. I give you my word, I shall not disturb her rest," she pleaded.

Her voice quivered slightly. As a mother, her heart ached with profound worry for her beloved daughter.

Han Jue observed her pained expression, and his own heart felt a sharp, painful twist.

He did not wish to obstruct her, yet he also could not bear the thought of them stumbling upon the current scene. He was caught in an unbearable predicament, suffering the most.

This was entirely the doing of Hu Yan and Xuan Long! Yet he would inevitably be the one held accountable for failing to safeguard Su Qinglan.

He felt like a complete failure as a partner – both to Su Qinglan and in upholding the promise made to her father.

Just as Han Jue was steeling himself to speak again, Lan Shun, who had remained conspicuously silent until this point, finally stood. His keen eyes narrowed slightly, as if detecting an underlying issue.

"We shall go," he declared with firm resolve. "We merely wish to take a single look at Qinglan."

He took Wang Mulan’s hand and began to advance towards the entrance.

Han Jue erupted in panic, employing every conceivable tactic to impede their progress... His throat grew parched as he fabricated one excuse after another, but the couple remained unmoved.

They exited An Mo’s residence with expressions of unwavering determination.

At that precise juncture, a bright and instantly recognizable voice resounded clearly from a short distance away.

"Mother! Father!"

The entire group froze instantaneously.

Su Qinglan came sprinting towards them at full tilt, her long hair streaming behind her, her face radiant with sheer joy and vibrant energy.

Hu Yan and Xuan Long followed close on her heels, struggling to match her pace.

"Lan Lan!" Wang Mulan’s eyes widened dramatically. Tears instantly welled as she unfurled her arms.

Su Qinglan plunged directly into her mother’s embrace, holding her with fierce intensity.

"I am here... I apologize for causing you such worry," she whispered, her voice imbued with profound warmth.

Han Jue remained rooted to the spot, feeling as though an immense burden had been expunged from his chest. He released a long, tremulous sigh.

Thank goodness.

Had they arrived even a few minutes earlier... he dared not contemplate the potential repercussions.

Wang Mulan found herself utterly unable to stem the flow of tears that instantly filled her eyes the moment Su Qinglan surged towards her without hesitation and clung to her with all her might.

Her entire frame trembled uncontrollably as she held her daughter close, akin to fearing that a momentary relaxation of her grip would cause this precious moment to vanish like a fleeting dream.

She had envisioned this very scene countless times throughout the intervening years, yet upon its actual occurrence, she felt completely submerged by an overwhelming tide of emotion.

During their initial encounter, her daughter’s gaze had met hers with palpable rejection and an unsettling distance.

Although Wang Mulan understood the underlying reasons, that specific pain had persisted, deeply embedded within her heart like an unremovable thorn.

But now, feeling Su Qinglan’s firm clasp and hearing her call with such palpable longing and dependence, Wang Mulan abruptly felt as though all those years of endured suffering had finally yielded their reward.

This was her daughter.

Her very firstborn child.

The child who had bestowed upon her the title of mother in this existence.

How could she possibly not cherish her?

How could she not treasure her with every fiber of her being for the remainder of her life?

The missed years, the moments unobserved, the milestones unseen – these all crashed into Wang Mulan’s heart, threatening to shatter her composure. Every regret coalesced, pushing her emotions to the brink of collapse.

Her hands quaked as she cupped Su Qinglan’s face, drawing her into another fervent embrace. Tears streamed unchecked down her cheeks, her face buried in her daughter’s hair, inhaling her scent with a desperate intensity, as if to etch the reality of the moment into her soul.

"My daughter..." Her voice cracked, a raw tremor laced with profound guilt, fierce love, and utter disbelief.

"I've finally found you..."

Beside them, Su Mingxuan stood immobile, a statue witnessing the profound reunion of mother and daughter. His eyes instantly welled up, a tidal wave of emotions surging within him, stealing his breath.

For years, he had convinced himself he was their shield.

Yet, in the end, the two females he cherished above his own existence had borne the brunt of the suffering.

His beloved mate.

And his daughter.

Reflecting on the cascade of events, a crushing weight of guilt descended upon Su Mingxuan. Su Qinglan had endured immense hardship due to that woman’s machinations, while Wang Mulan had silently weathered years of heartache and separation by his side. He had been utterly blind, foolishly placing trust in the wrong person, inadvertently inflicting pain upon those closest to him.

Self-loathing consumed Su Mingxuan in that instant.

But as he gazed upon Wang Mulan, tears flowing freely, holding Su Qinglan with fierce tenderness, his heart ached with a pain so profound it threatened to break him.

These two women...

They were the anchors of his life.

The very reason he would readily sacrifice all.

Unconsciously, he stepped forward, encircling both mother and daughter in a powerful embrace. His large hands trembled subtly as he pulled them closer, as if to shield them from the world’s harshness, eternally.

His eyes had become entirely red, tears gathering, defying his every effort to hold them back.

He yearned to weep.

He truly, deeply wanted to cry.

Yet, concurrently, an overwhelming, indescribable happiness filled his chest.

For after all the trials they had faced...

His mate and daughter were finally home, back within his arms.