Chapter 12 Father

The more Lu Qingqing resisted, the more discomfort the man felt in his heart.

He spoke coldly, “Take her away!”

But Lu Qingqing continued to struggle. Her eyes were red as she looked at Shen Jin. “If anything happens to Manman, I will never forgive you for the rest of my life!”

“That would be best.” Shen Jin waved his hand, and Lu Qingqing was thrown into the woodshed.

The moment the door was locked, Lu Qingqing felt as if the whole world had plunged into darkness. She leaned against the wall, listening to the footsteps pacing back and forth outside.

All she could think about was Manman. She cried until her tears were dry, sitting on the floor for the entire night.

When night fell, a mouse that had snuck in from who knows where caught her attention.

They scurried around her feet and finally disappeared through a hole.

Lu Qingqing fell into deep thought.

…

In the rear courtyard of the General’s Residence, Jiang Jiuyue had specially prepared a soup and carried it to the study to find Shen Jin. The man was in the midst of a fit of anger, scolding a deputy general not far away.

“Leave. Go and accept your punishment.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Ah Jin, don’t be so angry.” Jiang Jiuyue set the bowl down. “I made this specially for you—it’ll help clear your heat and calm your fire.”

“Just leave it there.” Shen Jin’s gaze darkened, then softened. He didn’t drink it, and Jiang Jiuyue’s eyes flickered uneasily.

“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have done it. Lu Qingqing begged me… She said her daughter was in trouble, and I was too soft-hearted.” Jiang Jiuyue anxiously apologized, pleading for Shen Jin’s forgiveness.

The man took her hand gently and said, “I don’t blame you. It’s all that woman’s fault.”

“Ah Jin, if you no longer care for her, let her go. She’s a mother now—it’s natural for her to worry about her child.” Jiang Jiuyue fanned the flames in Shen Jin’s heart, knowing exactly where his deepest pain lay.

The man’s face grew even darker. The Lu Qingqing who had once vowed to stay with him forever in their youth had borne a lovely daughter for another man.

He had seen Manman once from afar, cradled in a nursemaid’s arms—so endearing, her features so much like Lu Qingqing’s.

Something soft within Shen Jin was stirred.

“Don’t mention her. Yueyue, if you’re tired, go and rest. When I’m done here, I’ll take you into the city tomorrow.”

“All right.”

Jiang Jiuyue did not wish to provoke Shen Jin further. She knew Lu Qingqing was the indelible mark on his heart, and it would take time to erase her.

She was in no hurry—time was on her side.

Night deepened.

The entire residence was unnervingly quiet, yet the Marquis’s estate bustled with frantic activity. People rushed in and out, their faces filled with panic.

At last, Xie Zhiyun scooped Manman into his arms and hurried to the pharmacy. In the dark hours before dawn, Xie Zhiyun kicked open the door, startling the physician at Jishi Hall, who immediately recognized him as the young marquis.

“Doctor, please, look at my daughter. Save her, I beg you!” Xie Zhiyun was frantic. In his arms, Manman’s breathing was rapid, her cheeks flushed, and tiny, dense rashes covered her body.

It looked terrifying. The doctors at the residence were helpless, and Xie Zhiyun could not believe his healthy daughter had suddenly fallen so ill.

The physician’s brow furrowed deeply. “Did she eat anything unusual? The symptoms came on so fiercely.”

“No, she didn’t.” Xie Zhiyun had no idea what the child ate each day; he was simply afraid.

Though Manman was not his own daughter, he had cared for her all these years. Lu Qingqing did not allow the girl to call him father, but Xie Zhiyun often played with Manman.

Manman spoke little, making only the occasional cooing sound. Yet whenever a sound resembling “Daddy” slipped out, it left the young marquis beside himself with joy.

“Let me have a look first.” The physician examined Manman carefully, his expression growing grave.

Xie Zhiyun panicked. “Manman will be all right, won’t she?”

“Hush, Young Marquis, please follow me.” The doctor was exceedingly cautious. He brought them to the sickroom, locked the door, and instructed his apprentice to stand guard.

The whole process was conducted with utmost seriousness. The physician looked at Xie Zhiyun and said, “The young lady has been poisoned. This is an unusual toxin, rarely seen—how could a child come to be afflicted with it?”

His words were vague, but Xie Zhiyun understood the implication—someone wanted the child dead.

But why would anyone target a child like Manman?

“Can… can she be cured?” Xie Zhiyun no longer cared who had done this; he only wanted Manman to recover.

“She can be cured, but Young Marquis, you must keep this secret. If Jishi Hall is implicated, there will be endless trouble.”

“Yes, yes.” Xie Zhiyun agreed at once, leaving the girl in the doctor’s care. After all, this was the most renowned pharmacy in the capital, and their skills were exceptional.

By dawn, Manman’s condition had improved slightly. She climbed out of bed, unsteadily making her way into the courtyard.

Xie Zhiyun, exhausted from a sleepless night, had already fallen asleep.

Manman clung to the door, her small head peering at a stern-faced man nearby.

Suddenly, she opened her mouth and called out in a sweet, childish voice, “Daddy.”