popshots Chapter 998 - 957: Little Concubine, Little Overlord (2)
Chapter 998 - 957: Little Concubine, Little Overlord (2)
Sienna Johnson said, "Curly really put her heart into learning this to wish Grandma a happy birthday. I’ve never seen her work this hard on anything before."
"Yeah, she wanted to cheer me up and even made Kathryn keep it from me. I only found out today.
The other day when I walked by, I saw a little girl on the stage singing opera, and I was thinking, whose kid is that, how come she looks so much like our Curly?"
"..."
"This little George sings well too." the old lady praised.
"Who’s little George?" Grandma Carter asked.
Adrian Desmond replied, "My friend’s son."
Grandma Carter gossiped, "So he’s from Abyanabad?"
"Yes."
"I think this little George looks quite good. When he grows up, he’ll definitely be another handsome young man. Old sister, why don’t you hurry up and reserve him."
The old lady laughed cheerfully. "That girl has a mind of her own. I wouldn’t dare make decisions for her."
"It’s good for a girl to have a strong personality. After she gets married, she won’t get pushed around by a man."
Sienna Johnson said worriedly, "Grandma Carter, how is it good for a girl to be too strong? I’m still worrying now, what kind of man will be able to stand her temper in the future."
"That’s where you don’t get it. ... Men? No matter how old they are, they’re just kids, full of stinky little flaws, they like pretty women and like to keep a beauty hidden away in a gilded cage... If a woman isn’t fierce, how is she supposed to keep them in line?"
Grandma Carter’s personality was extremely domineering. Her husband had been henpecked by her his whole life and didn’t have an opinion of his own. Sienna certainly didn’t want Curly to find a Husband like that.
Between husband and wife, it shouldn’t be East Wind crushing West Wind, but peaceful coexistence, sweet and loving.
Emperor: Alas! Think of me, Emperor!
I could pull up mountains and my aura covered the world, but the times turned against me and my steed would not go. My steed will not go, what can I do? My dear Concubine, my dear Concubine, what am I to do with you?
Concubine: My lord sings so heroically and sorrowfully, it brings tears to the eyes. Allow your concubine to sing and dance for you once, to help you ease your worries, how about it?
Emperor: Alas! Sorry to trouble my concubine!
Concubine: Then your concubine will make a fool of herself!
I urge my lord to drink and listen to my song, I dance to dispel your sorrow and gloom. Qin’s tyrant broke River Hill, and heroes rose from all sides in arms. Since ancient times, the saying never lied: success and failure, rise and fall, are but in an instant. Ease your mind, drink, and sit within this jeweled tent.
Curly had always been learning dance, and Adrian had also taught her martial arts, so this sword dance was extremely vivid and lifelike, winning thunderous applause from the whole hall.
Adrian leaned over and whispered beside her, "I remember your ’Dance of Colorful Feathers’ is really good. Tonight, can you dance a piece just for me?"
"Okay."
Adrian’s hand trembled slightly. He hadn’t expected her to agree so readily. Sienna had been infuriated by Dan Taylor’s business, and he’d thought Sienna would give him the cold shoulder for several more days.
Emperor: Concubine! Hurry and follow me as I cut my way out of this siege!
Concubine: My lord! How could your concubine bear to drag you down? So be it!
Emperor: Ah!
Concubine: I am willing to take the treasured sword at your waist and cut my own throat before you,
The Han troops have taken our lands, the songs of Chu are on all sides.
Emperor: Oh no! Concubine:
The lord’s heroic spirit is spent,
Emperor: (spoken aside) This one!
Concubine: How could your lowly concubine still live on?
The concubine lays the sword across her neck, draws it across her throat, and falls. The Overlord takes the Concubine into his arms.
The play ends, and the house erupts in applause!
Adrian said, "What the hell is this Overlord? Didn’t die on the battlefield, and actually killed himself? Coward!"
"If it were Sixth Master, what would he do?"
"Run back, raise more troops, and fight his way back again!"
Sheehan had fallen asleep in Sienna’s arms. After holding him for a long time, Sienna’s arm had gone a bit numb, so she handed Sheehan to Adrian.
"That’s why they say personality determines fate!"
"..."
"With Emperor’s kind of personality, he was destined to fail."
Adrian suddenly thought of Night Owl. Night Owl was no Emperor, he wouldn’t be taken out that easily. Night Owl’s death had come far too easily.
To die so easily left Adrian with a constant sense that it wasn’t real.
Adrian suddenly gripped Sienna’s hand tightly. No matter what, he would protect Sienna and protect the children. No one was going to destroy everything he’d finally managed to gain!
His thigh suddenly felt hot, interrupting Adrian’s train of thought. He looked down and found that Sheehan had peed, and... peed all over his pants.
"You didn’t hold him over the potty?"
"Huh?"
One look at Sienna’s expression and Adrian knew she hadn’t held him over the potty.
"Every hour you have to hold him over the potty once," Adrian said.
"I didn’t."
"So he peed all over my pants."
Sienna said carelessly, "This is called little boy’s urine, it’s precious. We use little boy’s urine to boil eggs and eat them."
Adrian had already witnessed how perverse Orienta food could be. "Who the hell is that perverted that they eat eggs boiled in urine? I’m not eating that, for sure."
"If you won’t eat, then have some soup."
Soup? Urine?!
What kind of country is Orienta!
...
Backstage, little George had been so immersed in the role that his face was streaked with tears. Even after the curtain call, he still couldn’t come out of the tragedy of Concubine’s death.
Curly was completely baffled. She hadn’t bullied him.
"George, why are you crying?"
"Because you died."
"I’m alive and well."
"Just now, you died."
George was hiding in a corner backstage. If you weren’t paying attention, you simply wouldn’t notice him.
When he cried, there was no sound; he just let the tears fall silently. He looked as pitiful as could be.
"It was all fake. See? I’m alive and well."
George looked at Curly, who still had her makeup on, and started crying again. Curly drew her sword and pointed it at him, threatening, "If you keep crying, I’ll hit you with this sword, okay?"
"Wuuuuu..."
Curly: ...
"If you keep crying, I won’t talk to you anymore."
Only then did George, eyes red, force himself to hold back his tears. Curly grabbed his hand and said, "Come on, let’s go take off the makeup. You look like a big tabby cat right now."
"Curly, I’ll protect you. I won’t let anyone hurt you."
"Why do I need you to protect me? I can protect myself!"
"I’m still going to protect you."
"Ugh, you’re so annoying. Do what you want."
...
At night, after the guests had all left, the tired Johnson Family members each went back to their rooms to rest.
Every night before going to sleep, Sheehan had to take a bath.
The little guy Sheehan was quite sly. He knew taking a bath felt good. If you didn’t bathe him, he would cry right on the dot when the time came, more punctual than an alarm clock.
"You two watch Baby Sheehan, I’m going to take a call." Adrian said to Curly.
"Dad, don’t worry. I won’t let the Little Monster drown."
Adrian: ...
"Curly, how did Baby Sheehan hurt his arm?" George, squatting by the tub, suddenly noticed the wound on Baby Sheehan’s arm.
"Where?"
"Here." George pointed it out to Curly.
Curly took a careful look and realized there really was a wound. A baby’s skin is so tender that after soaking in water, the injury looked even more obvious.
"Scratched by a fingernail? But everyone has already cut their nails."
Pauline Briggs used to get her nails done, but ever since she had to take care of Baby Sheehan, not just Pauline—everyone consciously kept their nails cut very short. It shouldn’t be possible to hurt Baby Sheehan.
"Dad, look, the Little Monster’s hurt."