That Blind Bear of a Father of Mine

Wei's pregnancy had been precarious. Just one month in, she had felt a dragging pressure in her lower abdomen and occasionally spotted blood.

By the second month, the spotting had stopped. She had thought the pregnancy was finally stable, only for the physician to tell her the fetus had already died in her womb and had to be expelled as soon as possible.

How could the precious child she had been carrying simply be gone?

Wei puzzled over it endlessly. Perhaps something had been wrong with the cup of chrysanthemum tea she had drunk at Min's place last month. The more she thought about it, the more suspicious it seemed, and the more certain she became that Min had a hand in this. You wanted me to miscarry, didn't you? Then I'll do it right in your courtyard!

After speaking, Wei waited for Min to fly into a rage. But even after a long wait, Min's expression remained calm. Only the corners of her mouth seemed to twitch, so faintly that Wei could not tell whether it was from anger.

Meanwhile, Jian Ruonan was also sizing Wei up.

[Wow, what a fake little innocent!]

[Huh? She isn't even that pretty?]

[Wasn't Wei supposed to be showered with affection? I thought she'd be some fresh, otherworldly beauty!]

[This is it?!]

[She isn't even one-thousandth as beautiful as my birth mother!!]

[My mother is elegant, gracious, dignified, and gorgeous. Is my father a blind bear? He has such a beautiful wife and ignores her for this fake little innocent?!]

Min: "..."

Seeing that Min had still not reacted, Wei dropped to her knees with a thud. "Sister, I know I was wrong. I am willing to accept punishment."

[Oh, is this a household power struggle? Has the scheming already begun?]

[It doesn't look particularly sophisticated.]

Jian Ruonan picked up her teacup and held her breath, focusing intently on Wei's and Min's every move.

[My first time watching juicy drama unfold in person! Boohoo, I'm so excited!!]

The system: [Ruonan, rein in that delighted smile. Careful, you'll break character.]

She had almost forgotten that she had been maintaining the image of a delicate, harmless little flower in front of Min.

Jian Ruonan immediately sat up straight, her eyes clear and guilelessly vacant.

Min: "..." It was already too late.

Fortunately, Min's usual composure kept Jian Ruonan's inner voice from rattling her. "Please go back, Sister. It was only a cat."

As soon as Min finished speaking, an older servant stepped forward to help Wei up.

"Show her out!"

Two servants who handled heavy chores took Wei by either arm and escorted her out of Westglow Garden.

"Madam is going out today. Concubine Wei, don't come back again. Stay in your own courtyard!"

With that, they slammed the gate shut, as though shutting out the plague.

Wei: "..."

After Wei was sent away, the eldest legitimate daughter, Jian Xilu, arrived.

"Mother, weren't you going to a banquet at the duke's residence? Why have you come back?"

Jian Xilu bore a strong resemblance to Min. She wore a pale pink, mist-light blouse, and her finely proportioned features formed an exquisitely beautiful face. She had inherited all of Min's bearing, an effortless elegance and dignity.

Seeing Jian Ruonan dressed in clothes she herself had worn when she was younger, Jian Xilu studied her curiously for a moment before looking away. "Mother, this young sister looks very familiar."

Min introduced the two sisters to each other, but concealed Jian Ruonan's identity.

Jian Ruonan gazed at her sister, unable to keep the delight from rippling through her eyes.

[Th-this... is my own full sister?]

[She's far too beautiful!!!]

[Beautiful big sister, let me snuggle up to you!!]

[Sister, you're killing me!!]

Jian Xilu froze. This young sister was so amusing. She was about to speak when she noticed that Jian Ruonan had not opened her mouth. Was that ventriloquism?

Yet Mother and the maids around them seemed not to have heard anything.

Jian Xilu was startled-had she heard Jian Ruonan's thoughts?!

Jian Xilu looked toward her mother, whose expression remained unchanged.

Could she be the only one who could hear them?!

Jian Xilu had recently read a storybook about ghosts and spirits. Although she was a little frightened, the sight of Jian Ruonan's face, so similar to her mother's, stirred an affection that overcame her fear, and she calmly sat down to one side.

Min covertly watched her eldest daughter's expression. Seeing no change, she assumed her eldest could not hear her youngest's thoughts.

That was just as well. She would shoulder all the worries herself.

Now that Jian Xilu was here and Ruonan had eaten her fill, perhaps she would reveal something about Xilu.

Sure enough, Jian Ruonan's thoughts became lively again.

[My own sister! My beautiful sister, how could you be engaged to that scumbag Gao Yang?]

According to the plot, her sister was gentle, virtuous, and gracious. Her unhappy marriage existed to highlight the heroine's perfect love. It was utterly unfair. Why should a scumbag destroy the lifelong happiness of such a beautiful, fairy-like sister?

How hateful!!

As Jian Ruonan listened to the system dish out juicy revelations, she felt indignant on her sister's behalf.

Min: ??

Jian Xilu: ??

Gao Yang was the Duke of Ping's second son, and the duke was a trusted confidant of the reigning emperor. Although a second son could not inherit the title, Gao Yang was well versed in the classics and already held a post in the Golden Guards at a young age. His prospects were boundless.

The duke and the Duke's Madam were deeply devoted to each other and strict in raising their children. Gao Yang kept himself respectable and did not even have a bedchamber maid.

Min had spent a long time assessing potential matches before choosing this family for Xilu.

[Gao Yang really doesn't have a bedchamber maid, but he has three mistresses tucked away outside.]

Min: "..."

Jian Xilu: "..."

Min took a deep breath. Don't panic. They're only mistresses. They can be sent away beforehand.

What young man never made mistakes? She had watched Gao Yang grow up. He was handsome and possessed first-rate talent.

Perhaps he had merely been led astray for a time. He only needed to be set right.

[All three mistresses are pregnant. My sister will become the mother of three brats the moment she marries him.]

Min: !!

Jian Xilu: Furious! I knew that smooth-talking pretty boy was no good!

Min rubbed her brow.

No, she had to have someone investigate. This concerned Xilu's lifelong happiness. Did the Duchess of Ping know?

[The Duke's Madam had known about it for ages. Even knowing, she'd kept one eye open and the other shut. They were the duke's flesh and blood, after all. Would she let them wander outside, left to live or die on their own?]

[The whole family has already discussed it. They're just waiting for my sister to marry in. Once the raw rice has been cooked and there's no turning back, they'll bring all three mistresses home.]

[The duchess said the little children are innocent, so my sister will just have to suffer the injustice.]

Min: "..."

[Why should she?!]

[My sister is so beautiful and skilled in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting. Three-legged toads might be hard to find, but two-legged men are everywhere. What's she waiting for? Break off the engagement!]

[Does someone like my sister really need to worry that she won't find a husband?!]

This younger sister was so free-spirited. Jian Xilu liked her immensely.

Jian Xilu's gaze filled with curiosity and joy as she looked at Ruonan. It seemed being able to read minds was not a bad thing after all.

Jian Xilu moved over and affectionately linked her arm through Ruonan's.

Jian Ruonan: !!

Snuggles with big sister.

Min felt nothing but a headache.

Where was Ruonan getting this information?

Was it true or false?

But the matter concerning Wei was probably true.

She had to investigate Xilu's marriage thoroughly.

While Min was pondering this, the sound of an argument suddenly came from outside.

"Was it you who killed my mother's Snowball?!" a bright, youthful voice demanded.

Jian Chuxue had appeared!

Who knew who had gone to tip her off? Upon learning that Concubine Wei had poisoned Snowball, Jian Chuxue immediately charged toward the gates of Westglow Garden with her maid, only to run straight into Concubine Wei.

Disregarding her status as a legitimate young lady, Jian Chuxue grabbed Concubine Wei and made a furious, desperate scene.

Concubine Wei had been fretting over how to find an excuse to fall. Jian Chuxue's arrival was like finding a pillow just as she grew sleepy. During their tussle, Jian Chuxue "accidentally" pushed Concubine Wei to the ground.

By the time Min heard the commotion and hurried over, Concubine Wei was already on the ground, clutching her belly with both hands in agony.

[A pig-brained teammate! A pig-brained teammate!]

[It's not a godlike opponent you should fear, but a pig-brained teammate. Mother won't get out of this unscathed now!]

Min's brows knitted tightly. She was about to have Wei carried away when a handsome middle-aged man of around forty strode in, dusty from his journey.

[Ah, that blind bear of a father of mine is finally here!]

Jian Zhang: ?!

Who was speaking?!