The mysterious milk group, hands on hips, is being fought over by five dads who are going crazy over

"Qiao Wan!"

Huo Ting shouted a stern rebuke, then remained silent for a while before waving his hand to dismiss the crowd.

He put his hands behind his back and said in a deep voice, "I will allow you to stay with her for three days."

"But Qiao Wan, what's coming will come in three days. My decision will not change."

Having said that, he turned and left.

Qiao Wan didn't have time to argue with him; she was busy looking the little one in her arms up and down.

His fingers traced Ah Ning's fair and rosy cheeks, stroked her thin clothes patched countless times, and finally landed on her small, icy hands.

Her eyes were red and swollen, but she couldn't utter a single word...

Ah Ning looked up at her, blinked, and asked curiously.

"Pretty auntie, are you Aning's mother?"

Hearing the crisp, clear voice say "Mother," Qiao Wan's eyes welled up with tears, which streamed down her face uncontrollably.

She nodded with difficulty, choking back tears as she hugged the tiny child.

"It's Mother, it's Aning's Mother."

"Ah Ning... all these years, it's your mother's fault, it's your mother's fault for letting you down..."

Is the beautiful aunt in front of her really the mother she has been longing for day and night?

Ah Ning's head was spinning, and her grape-like eyes were sparkling.

Just say that Mother didn't abandon Aning; Mother had her reasons!

The chubby kid next door can no longer laugh at her for not having a mother!

My mother's hug is so warm, just like my grandmother's.

The difference was that my mother smelled a little bitter, as if she had been soaking in a medicine jar for a very long time.

"Wait a minute." Ah Ning suddenly remembered something and gently pushed her away.

Qiao Wan was somewhat stunned and explained helplessly.

"Ah Ning, Mother knows she is unforgivable."

"Mother just... just wanted to hug you..."

Ah Ning was focused on rummaging through the small purse and didn't hear what she said clearly.

My mind was filled with my grandmother's advice: When you arrive at the Prime Minister's residence, be sweet-talking to everyone you meet.

Soon, she took out a candied date and carefully placed it in her mother's hand, her little face flushed, and she stuttered, which was rare for her.

"These, these are the candied dates that Ah Ning saved up for many days and traded with the chubby boy next door. They're so sweet!"

These are just ordinary candied dates, the kind that wouldn't even be served at the Prime Minister's residence!

Her own daughter has to work hard for many days to exchange for just a few!

Her own flesh and blood! How much suffering has she endured all these years...?

At this moment, an unprecedented sense of guilt and remorse gripped her. Qiao Wan felt her heart trembling with pain, and she couldn't hold back her tears any longer.

"Madam," the maid said, her eyes red, "it's cold outside, please take Miss inside first."

"Yes, yes, let's go inside first." Qiao Wan casually wiped away her tears a couple of times, took Aning's thin hand and walked into the courtyard. "Mother is so happy that she forgot that Aning is still young and can't stand the cold."

Qiao Wan's courtyard was very remote, and it was noticeably more dilapidated than the buildings and scenery she had seen since entering the mansion.

Aning followed her into the inner room, looking at her mother with her big, bright eyes, without sitting down.

Grandma said that if she sat down without her mother's permission, it would be against the rules and her mother would dislike her.

Seeing the child standing upright at the door, Qiao Wan felt a pang of sadness. She personally pulled the child to sit on the soft couch and then instructed the maid:

"Go, add some charcoal, and make the charcoal brazier burn brighter so it's warm."

After saying that, Qiao Wan covered her mouth again and coughed muffledly until her back bent over.

Ah Ning closed her eyes, then opened them again, and saw a thick mass of black mist gathered on her mother's forehead.

Her eyes widened slightly.

No wonder my mother, who clearly has the face of someone destined for wealth, honor, and longevity, is so sickly.

Ah Ning pursed her lips, and like patting her grandmother's back, she stood on tiptoe and reached out her hand to gently pat her mother's back.

Qiao Wan stopped coughing, her heart melting completely. She ruffled the girl's hair and said, "Our Aning... is so sensible..."

My mother praised me!

Ah Ning blushed and blinked her big eyes, asking again:

"Mother, is there any water?"

Qiao Wan gave a signal, and the maidservant promptly poured a glass of water and handed it to her.

"Miss, this is ginger water that Madam personally brewed for you to ward off the cold. It has honey in it, so it's not bitter at all."

Ah Ning's eyes lit up, and she gulped down the water in her cup, letting out a satisfied sigh in her heart.

So sweet!

It's even sweeter than the sweet potato porridge my grandma used to make!

"I'd like another glass of water."

Qiao Wanxin softened and ordered, "Go pour it out."

Ah Ning took the water, then turned her back, took out a talisman from her small pouch, lit it, and put it into the water to dissolve.

When it was turned back, the water in the glass looked as black as if it had been stained with ink.

Qiao Wan was somewhat stunned: "Ah Ning, what's this...?"

Ah Ning's eyes were as bright as grapes, and her voice was sweet and childlike.

"Mother, drink it, and your cough will stop."

As soon as he finished speaking, a graceful and elegant woman, adorned with jewels, walked in.

She is very beautiful, but she doesn't look as kind as her mother.

Ah Ning stared at her without blinking.

To everyone's surprise, the woman pointed at her and gestured to her attendants behind her:

"Arrest this little jinx!"

Qiao Wan immediately stepped in front of the child, staring coldly at her.

"Su Xiaoyin! A-Ning just returned to the manor, what are you doing?"

Su Xiaoyin smiled, but the smile didn't reach her eyes. "Sister, have you forgotten that the Prime Minister agreed to bring this little jinx back precisely for the sacrificial ceremony three days later?"

"Since she's going to stand in for Qiaoqiao at the altar, she naturally needs to familiarize herself with Qiaoqiao's mannerisms beforehand, lest she slip up and implicate the entire Prime Minister's residence."

"Can you bear the blame for this, sister?"

"Absurd!" Qiao Wan retorted sharply, her blood rushing to her head, and she coughed violently, covering her mouth.

When the hand was removed again, there were specks of blood on the handkerchief...

Qiao Wan put away the handkerchief and breathed a sigh of relief when she saw that Xiao Aning hadn't noticed her coughing up blood.

When she looked up at Su Xiaoyin again, she displayed the full dignity of a matriarch.

"The sacrificial ceremony has not yet begun, but the Prime Minister has already granted A-Ning permission to stay in my courtyard for the next few days."

"Take your men and get out."

Seeing Qiao Wan's protectiveness, Su Xiaoyin's face fell. "She has to go today, whether she likes it or not!"

"The Prime Minister said that after the old lady's birthday banquet next month, he will hand over the reins of the household to me. From now on, this vast Marquis's mansion will be under my control. Today, I'm just taking this little girl away; who dares to stop me?"

As she spoke, she stretched out her hand, adorned with blood-red nail polish, and pointed to the dark, murky water on the table.

"Besides, this little jinx tried to poison you the moment she arrived, and you're still protecting her?"

Upon hearing this, A-Ning nervously pursed her lips, staring intently at her mother, and whispered, "Mother, A-Ning didn't poison her."

Seeing that her mother hadn't spoken for a long time, she lowered her head again, her little hands nervously clutching the small purse at her waist.

The chubby boy next door had said long ago that his mother wouldn't like her and would never believe her.

She hung her round head, her face flushed, when she suddenly realized that the water glass on the table next to her was gone!

Ah Ning looked up and saw her mother pick up the water glass and drink it all!

This water tastes terrible. She gave it to her grandmother once, and the grandmother kept saying it was bitter, but her mother didn't even flinch!

Mother...you're so amazing!

She stared blankly up at her mother, then heard her say:

"A-Ning is my child, I believe in her!"

Ah Ning loosened her grip on the purse, her eyes burning as if covered by a veil, making it difficult to see her mother's face clearly.

"You..." Su Xiaoyin was furious, a malicious glint in her eyes, "Who wants to see you two being all lovey-dovey?"

"Granny Li! Take that little jinx away from me!"

Aning was unhappy.

She's not a jinx!

Seeing that Granny Li was about to grab her, A-Ning warned her fiercely in a cute but mischievous way:

"Touching me will bring you bad luck."

Granny Li chuckled, then snorted twice, "Who are you trying to scare with a little kid?"

But the moment her hand touched the little child's collar, she was sent flying by an inexplicable force!

Granny Li was sent flying several meters away, crashing hard into the door panel, wincing in pain.

But ignoring her own pain, she pointed with a terrified expression at the little baby standing in front of her, hands on hips—

"Y-youkai..."

"A monster!"