Adopting the Male Lead

Only then did Liu Wan look at the baby boy in Mama Qing's arms.

He really did bear some resemblance to her husband, especially his nose and mouth, as though they had been carved from the same mold.

And at a glance, he was clearly several days older than her daughter.

Swallowing the hurt rising in her heart, she said, "Since his birth parents haven't been found, how can the Marquis's Residence adopt him without their parents' knowledge? If he learns the truth when he grows up, he may well come to hate us."

"The Marquis's Residence will have raised him. He won't resent the Marquis's Residence," the old madam blurted out.

So she really did know about this!

Liu Wan's heart shuddered violently. She had poured her heart and soul into managing the Marquis's Residence for five years, yet they had all kept her in the dark, intending to make her raise the child her husband had fathered with his mistress.

"Old Madam, the Marquis's Residence is a noble household. If any child of unknown origins can be adopted under the lady of the house's name, who knows how many people will abandon their children at the Marquis's Residence in the future? Everyone knows you have a kind heart and won't stand by without helping. What will become of the Marquis's Residence's bloodline then?"

The old madam choked on her words. "The nanny said that when this child was found, his clothes didn't look like those of a destitute family."

Liu Wan sneered inwardly. That mistress's child had never suffered a moment of hardship.

Yet her own daughter had nearly...

A horrifying conspiracy suddenly took shape in her mind, sending a chill down her spine. "If he isn't from a destitute family, his parents must be frantic. Why don't we take him to the authorities...?"

"Well..." The old madam had been caught in her own argument.

In her cradle, Xia Wanwan gave a little yawn, then began crying as she blew spit bubbles.

"Waa, waa..."

[You're so noisy, you bad people! Mother, waa, waa, I want milk...]

Liu Wan hurriedly picked the little one up and soothed her in her arms. "Old Madam, caring for this one alone is already a struggle for me. I only have enough milk for my own child."

Xia Wanwan finally stopped crying and looked at Liu Wan with tear-bright eyes.

"Wan'er, I'm thinking of your future." The old madam grew anxious. "You already have trouble bearing children. It took you five years to finally give birth to this girl. A girl is no use; she can't secure your position. Having this boy by your side would be good for you."

[You're the one who's no use! Your whole family is no use! Mother, don't listen to her. This old hag is wicked.]

[Mother, the reason you couldn't have a child for five years was that this old hag fell into the water just after you married into the family, and rescuing her left you with a lingering illness...]

Xia Wanwan spat up a little milk, blew a tiny snot bubble, and reached out to clutch her mother's collar, terrified that she would agree.

Liu Wan froze. That had indeed happened.

When the old madam fell into the water, Liu Wan had been the only one among the many daughters-in-law to jump in and save her. It had been late autumn, with bitter winds blowing.

After returning home, she had caught a chill and been bedridden, her body left frail. Her husband had used that as an excuse to neglect her for five years, which was why she had never become pregnant!

Three years ago, the old madam had chosen two adopted sons for her to raise. Liu Wan had known it was a sign of dissatisfaction with her. Now that she had finally managed to give birth, she was being humiliated like this.

She could not swallow this insult.

Liu Wan gave little Wanwan her pinky to play with.

"Now that you've explained it that way, Old Madam, I understand. But just three years ago, you had me adopt Zi Mu and Zi Xing, and even the younger of them was already three."

Yes, at the very least, a child ought to be three and willing to be adopted.

"Zi Mu and Zi Xing are adopted, after all," the old madam continued. "This child is only a few days old. Passing him off as your own would be better for you. If your husband takes a concubine someday and she gives him a son of his own, what will you do then?"

So the plan was to pass him off as her legitimate son.

Liu Wan quietly lowered her head. She could endure any grievance, but she would never keep a child meant to replace her daughter by her side.

[Mother, you mustn't raise that bad child. He'll get you and Grandpa's whole family killed, waa, waa...]

Her daughter's whimpers rang in her ears, and her little legs were already kicking up. Remembering how her daughter had nearly been switched at birth, Liu Wan's gaze hardened with resolve.

"Have you already chosen a concubine for Jin'an, Old Madam?" Liu Wan asked.

The old madam visibly stiffened, her gaze flickering. "No. You've only just given birth. How could I possibly arrange for him to take a concubine?"

Liu Wan sneered. "Then let him take one."

"Y-you, what do you mean?"

"Giving birth has left me weakened. I'm afraid I won't be able to attend to my husband for a year. Let him take a few concubines, and you can give this little boy to them to raise. He won't be ill-treated that way. It would also be good for the Marquis's Residence if those concubines bear more children and let its branches flourish."

Liu Wan smiled faintly.

The old madam stared blankly for a long time before stammering out her agreement.

She had never expected Liu Wan to prefer giving her husband concubines over taking this child in.

Why had Liu Wan changed?

A few more days passed.

Liu Wan was feeling better, and Pan Chun brought Zi Mu and Zi Xing to her room to see her.

Zi Xing came in first.

Zi Xing was lively and bold, smiling all the while, his eyes curved like crescent moons.

"Mother, may we see our little sister?"

Zi Xing blinked and asked curiously when he heard the baby girl giggling in her crib.

"Of course." Liu Wan happened to be about to change her clothes, so she told Pan Chun to watch the children and went into the inner room.

Once he had permission, Zi Xing leaned closer, but he was simply too small and the railing too high. He waved his little hands, nearly crying with frustration.

Pan Chun smiled and picked him up so he could see his little sister.

His little sister was so pretty-the prettiest child he had ever seen.

As Xia Wanwan was amusing herself by blowing bubbles, an adorable little boy suddenly appeared before her, and she stared.

[What an adorable little boy! I really want to squish him. Hehehe...]

Zi Xing burst into frightened tears and hid in Pan Chun's arms. "Waa, waa! There's a ghost here! Waa, waa!"

"There's no ghost. This is Madam's room. How could there be a ghost here? Don't cry, young master, don't cry." Pan Chun soothed him with a rueful smile.

Remembering that she was a tiny baby, Xia Wanwan could only bare her toothless pink gums and smile, babbling away.

[Don't cry. It's not time to cry yet.]

[You'll be much more pitiful later. You and the male lead will both fall for our little cousin, but you won't be able to beat him. He'll stab you to death right in front of her, and your blood will spray really, really far. That'll be a better time to cry. Hehehe...]