Just as Tong Aning was sighing, an unexpected change occurred.
A dark figure darted out, saw the child, and took him into its arms.
The middle-aged man hurriedly grabbed the child, angrily shouting, "Who are you? How dare you snatch my child in the street?"
The dark figure held on tightly, refusing to let go. "What do you mean, 'your child'? This is my child."
"Shangguan, Shangguan, help! Someone is trying to steal my child!"
Xue Lin and Tong Aning were not far apart. Sichen had already passed by when he skillfully struck the shadowy figure's arm, causing the figure to lose strength. The child was then tightly embraced by the middle-aged man.
The middle-aged man gently comforted him, "It's alright, it's alright, Daddy's here."
The boy bit his lip as he watched this scene, wishing his father could treat him like this.
The middle-aged man sensed the boy's gaze and said fiercely, "What are you looking at? Your brother was almost kidnapped just now, why didn't you come and help me?"
The middle-aged man raised his hand, about to slap the boy.
" Sichen!"
Sichen grabbed the middle-aged man's hand, "Oh ho, you dare to hit someone in front of our young master?"
The middle-aged man cried out in pain, "I won't do it again, I won't do it again."
Sichen went to check on Xue Lin, Xue Lin nodded. Only then did he release the middle-aged man. Seeing that he had calmed down, Xue Lin began interrogating the shadowy figure.
Xue Lin asked, "Why did you snatch someone else's child for no reason?"
The shadowy figure cried out, "My lord, I'm innocent! This is clearly my child!"
Middle-aged man. "Have you lost your mind?"
"Who are you calling insane?"
Seeing that the two were about to start arguing again, Sichen slammed the sword at his waist onto the ground, looked at one of them, and said sternly, "Go ahead and argue, why aren't you arguing anymore?"
The middle-aged man and the shadowy figure cowered in fear; they dared not argue any longer. What if this man accidentally plunged his sword into their bodies?
Tong Aning looked on with great curiosity.
[ Xixi, could this man really be that child's biological father?]
[no.]
[Tsk tsk tsk, and he still spoke with such certainty?]
No sooner had Tong Aning finished speaking than another man in green appeared.
He also said the child was his.
Besides the three of them, two more arrived later.
[My goodness, five fathers! A real father vs. a fake father! So the question is, who is the real dad?]
"It was me, his own mother told me."
"Bullshit! His mother clearly said this is my child."
The middle-aged man told them all to get lost, saying, "Damn it, she's my wife now! You bunch of bandits, don't you dare ruin my wife and child's reputation here."
"Oh," said the man in green, who was a neighbor of the middle-aged man, "You still have a reputation, huh? Everyone knows you chased your wife away, and now you're tormenting your own child here."
The middle-aged man was furious, shouting, "He's not my child! He's a bastard!"
The boy's face turned deathly pale. He defended himself, "Father, I'm really not a bastard."
"Still dare to talk back?" The middle-aged man was so angry his chest ached. "If you weren't a bastard, how could you be so disobedient and unfilial?"
Tong Aning couldn't stand it anymore, "This is what you call being disobedient and unfilial! You're not a good father yourself, and you blame your child for being unfilial?"
The middle-aged man stammered, "You are a daughter of an official; I will not argue with you."
"Hey, you..."
"He is not."
Suddenly, a somewhat weak but firm female voice rang out.
Tong Aning and Xue Lin turned around. Behind them stood two people, presumably a mistress and her servant. They both carried luggage, as if they had just arrived in the capital after a long journey.
Tong Aning asked the young lady who had spoken earlier, "Why did you say he wasn't?"
The maid helped her mistress forward, and Mu Yao said to the middle-aged man, "Haven't you noticed? The child you treat as your own doesn't look like you at all, but this boy you always dislike, in fact, resembles you in his features."
Upon hearing this, Tong Aning looked closely and remarked, "They really do look somewhat alike."
The middle-aged man simply didn't believe it, saying, "How could that be?"
But in reality, he had already begun to waver.
Mu Yao continued, "Your child has the same birthmark on his neck as this man in black, which shows—"
Before Mu Yao could finish speaking, the middle-aged man rushed up to the man in black and examined the birthmark on his neck.
The shadowy figure was extremely smug. "How about it? Happy with the son you've raised for me all these years?"
"You..."
The middle-aged man raised his fist to strike, and Danqing quickly pulled Mu Yao back.
[You've observed very carefully.]
Danqing: "Miss, what's that sound...?"
Mu Yao gestured for her to be quiet, Danqing obediently shut up.
Tong Aning looked at Mu Yao, her eyes crinkling with a smile, "This young lady, you are truly amazing."
Mu Yao smiled faintly and said modestly, "I was just saying that casually."
Tong Aning asked Xue Lin, "What do we do now?"
Xue Lin: "Except for this child and this young man, take everyone else back to the Jingzhao Prefecture."
"Yes."
" Qi'er."
The boy turned around, tears welling up before he could speak, "Mother."
He threw himself into his mother's arms and burst into tears, as if to vent all the grievances he had suffered these past few days.
The woman patted the boy's back, and as she listened to his cries, her eyes reddened. " Qi'er, don't be afraid, Mother has come back for you."
" Sanniang, Sanniang, I was wrong, it's all my fault." The middle-aged man rushed to the woman and the boy, pleading, "Give me a chance, I promise I'll treat you and your son well."
The woman said coldly, "No need."
" Sanniang, why won't you give me a chance?"
"I've given you so many chances. You said you wouldn't gamble anymore, you said you wouldn't hit us anymore, but what's the use?"
The woman was determined to take the boy away, and the middle-aged man watched them go, tears of regret streaming down his face.
What's the use of regretting it now?
Giving this kind of scumbag repeated chances is tantamount to condoning him!
Mu Yao looked at Tong Aning; this girl seemed to be a sensible person.
Xue Ruyun asked, " Aning, are you ready? If you don't go back soon, your mother will worry."
"They're here, they're here."
Tong Aning bid farewell to Xue Lin and the girl Mu Yao, whom she had just met that day, and ran to the carriage, looking up at Xue Ruyun.
"Alright, hurry up and get on."
"Miss, Miss, what's wrong? Don't scare me, Miss!"
Hearing that it sounded like Mu Yao's maid's voice, Tong Aning ran back.
Mu Yao, who had been perfectly fine just moments before, suddenly closed her eyes and fainted.
Danqing was almost in tears. Tong Aning picked up Mu Yao and said, "Let's go to my carriage."
"Okay, okay." Danqing quickly followed.
Sichen exclaimed in shock, "Your Highness, Miss Tong is incredibly strong!"
Xue Lin said, "She's always been like this."
Human life was at stake, so Xue Lin quickly followed.
A Shu lifted the carriage curtain for Tong Aning, Tong Aning then lowered him. She said, "Master, please take a look, what's wrong with her?"
After saying that, she explained to Danqing, "My master is a doctor, so don't worry."
"Good."
Danqing was now completely disoriented, his mind blank, only able to stare at Mu Yao.
Tong Aning took out a handkerchief to wipe the sweat from her face and poured herself a cup of tea.
Xue Ruyun asked, "Is your daughter always in poor health?"
Danqing said nervously, "Yes, yes."
"It's nothing, she's just a little weak. Don't worry, just let her get some rest."
"Thank you, doctor, thank you, doctor, but this..." Danqing hesitated.
Tong Aning asked, "You're from out of town, aren't you? Haven't you found an inn yet?"
Danqing nodded.
Tong Aning smiled and said, "That's perfect, let's go to my place."
"How could this be...?"
"Why not? You must be tired. Have a cup of tea."
Tong Aning handed Danqing a cup of tea and poured another cup for Xue Ruyun.
Afterwards, she went to Xue Lin, who was waiting outside, and explained the situation. After Xue Lin and Sichen left, Tong Aning told A Shu to hurry back to the mansion.
When Tong Aning returned to the manor, Su Zhouyue and the others were indeed very worried.
"You silly girl, why are you only coming now... Where did this girl come from?"
Su Zhouyue looked at the person Tong Aning was holding in her arms, and was momentarily bewildered.
" A Shu, why don't you explain this to your mother and the others?"
"Yes, miss."
Tong Aning temporarily placed Mu Yao in the room next to hers.
"I thank Miss Tong in return."
Tong Aning helped Danqing up. "It's nothing. If you need anything, you can ask Yingtao. Yingtao, have the kitchen send over some food."
"Yes, miss."
Hot water was also brought along with the food.
Danqing wrung out a handkerchief and wiped her young mistress's face. She had seen it when she entered the manor; this was the Marquis Yongning's Residence... She should wait for her mistress to wake up and then tell them herself.
*
Mu Yao slept soundly and didn't wake up until dawn the next day.
Danqing fell asleep right beside her bed. When Mu Yao woke up, she helped her up. "Miss, we're in the Marquis Yongning's Residence now."
Danqing specifically emphasized the four characters "Marquis Yongning's Residence ".
Mu Yao paused, then touched her bosom; the letter was still with her.
Danqing said, "Miss, that Miss Tong from yesterday is the fourth young lady of the Marquis's mansion."
When Mu Yao heard that her surname was Tong, she thought it was just a coincidence.
" Danqing, help me comb my hair."
"Yes."
After washing up, Danqing opened the door. The sunlight was a bit too bright for Mu Yao, so she raised her hand to shield her eyes. Then she heard laughter coming from the courtyard.
"Of course! I was incredibly strong yesterday, Second Sister, please believe me."
"You only need to hold Fifth Sister, why do you need to hold me too?"
"Mother, my second sister doesn't want to, can I carry you instead?"
"No, Mother doesn't want to either."
"Snort."
Tong Aning turned her head and saw Mu Yao. Her eyes lit up. "Miss Mu, you're awake."
Mu Yao hadn't seen such a scene in a long time, and she felt a pang of envy. She said, "Yes, I apologize for disturbing you yesterday."
Su Zhouyue walked over, "It was just a small favor, you don't need to worry about it."
This must be Su Zhouyue.
Mu Yao took the letter out of her bosom and handed it to Su Zhouyue.
Tong Aning and Tong Yi'an approached Su Zhouyue.
[This is actually a letter from my third brother?]