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

Yingxia looked at her master holding the little master and hesitated in her heart.

Logically speaking, a servant like her shouldn't interfere in her master's affairs, but the Prime Minister was completely unaware of the suffering her master had endured over the years, let alone expected her to feel sorry for him.

The master keeps everything to himself, always trying to solve everything on his own, never showing weakness.

Little did she know that the more she acted this way, the less attention the Prime Minister would pay to her, and the more he would ignore her.

Even when she was still a young lady, the mistress kept exchanging letters with the prime minister. They didn't even have any tokens of love like hairpins or jade pendants. Even if she only received one handwritten letter from him, the mistress would be happy for several days!

The thought of her master's past devotion not being taken seriously made Yingxia feel suffocated. After much hesitation, she finally told her master about the curse.

Huo Ting stared at the thin figure squatting on the ground, comforting the child, his brows furrowed deeply, and asked in a hoarse voice:

"What did you say?"

"If the curse isn't lifted, she... won't live much longer?"

Yingxia's eyes were filled with tears, and she didn't make a sound.

Fortunately, the two women were standing far away, so Qiao Wan didn't hear what they were saying and was focused on A Ning.

She smiled gently, raised her hand and pinched Aning's cheek, "Alright, alright, our Aning is only four years old. It's perfectly normal that she doesn't remember who's in Master's lineage. Just ask Master."

Ah Ning pursed her lips and whispered, "But Ah Ning doesn't know where Master is, and doesn't know how to contact Master."

Qiao Wan choked for a moment, "Does A-Ning have any senior or junior martial uncles or anything like that?"

Ah Ning shook her head: "I don't know."

In this way, even if they knew that the mysterious person was a direct disciple of Master Aning's lineage, they could not continue the investigation, and all the clues were exhausted here.

Qiao Wan took a deep breath, feeling particularly sorry for A Ning's guilty expression. She hugged her tightly, "It's okay, A Ning. Even if this lead is broken, there will be other leads."

"Mother is still perfectly fine, isn't she? We will definitely find that person and have him lift the curse."

Aning sniffed, then rallied herself and said earnestly, "Mother, Aning will definitely not let anything happen to you!"

Huo Ting left at some point.

Qiao Wan then took Aning to find Yao Yao and Qiao Qiao for lunch.

After the three children finished eating, they played with stones in the yard. As they played, Yao Yao and Qiao Qiao stopped crying for their mother.

Qiao Wan sat by the door, embroidering while watching the children play.

A short while later, someone came from outside to report.

"Madam, Prince Yong'an has arrived."

Prince Yong'an?

Father?

For a moment, Qiao Wan was lost in thought, and the sharp needle pierced her fingertip. A bead of bright red blood immediately welled up, staining the fabric beneath it a small red patch...

When Qiao Wan arrived at the front hall, Prince Yong'an, Xie Jiyuan, was playing chess with Huo Ting.

Xie Jiyuan placed a black piece in the upper right corner, looking at the opponent with great interest.

Huo Ting placed the white piece back into the cup, cupped his hands and smiled, "It's been many years. Father-in-law, your chess skills are still as superb as ever. This junior is humbled and admits defeat."

Xie Jiyuan laughed twice, picked up his hot tea and took a small sip, saying seemingly casually:

"I heard that Wan'er has been bedridden for the past few years?"

Huo Ting's expression stiffened for a moment, then he said as usual:

"Since the accident four years ago, Wanwan has been ill and has not recovered. Over the years, I have sought out famous doctors all over the country to treat her, but she has not gotten better."

"However, Wanwan's health has improved a few days ago. At least her complexion is rosy, she smiles more, and she is no longer unable to get out of bed like before."

After saying that, Huo Ting was stunned.

He never deliberately cared about Qiao Wan, and asking a famous doctor to treat her was just a matter of giving an order.

How could he be so aware of Qiao Wan's changes, and even blurt it out without thinking...?

Xie Jiyuan stroked his beard: "It's good that you're feeling better."

"By the way, don't tell her that I came here today."

Huo Ting snapped out of his daze, suppressing the strange feeling in his heart, and asked, "Why?"

"Father-in-law, you and Wanwan haven't seen each other for a long time. Before, Wanwan was bedridden and couldn't visit the Prince's residence. Now that you've come in person, why don't we all sit down and have a meal together?"

Xie Jiyuan shook his head without hesitation. "No need. I'm not here for her, but to discuss something with you."

Upon hearing this, Huo Ting ordered his men to remove the chessboard, while he pondered to himself.

Five years ago, when he went to the Prince of Yong'an's mansion to fetch his bride, Xie Jiyuan severed his father-daughter relationship with Qiao Wan on the spot and declared that he would never acknowledge him as his son-in-law.

In the past five years, the two families had never visited each other. Now that Xie Jiyuan had come to visit during the Spring Festival, he thought it was for Qiao Wan.

But it turns out...

The image of Qiao Wan saying she wanted a divorce from him a few days ago flashed before his eyes, and Huo Ting couldn't help but sneer.

Qiao Wan's relationship with the Yong'an Prince's Mansion remains tense. If she were to divorce him, she would have nowhere to go with her child, and making a living would be a problem. How could she possibly bear to leave him?

It was just a ploy to get him to give her more attention by bringing up divorce.

He has indeed been somewhat cold towards her these past few years, but he can make it up to her later.

Thinking this, the strange feeling that had been lingering in his mind these past few days because of Qiao Wan's unusual behavior dissipated somewhat, and Huo Ting raised his cup to offer tea.

"Father-in-law, this is Biluochun tea picked in the first spring. It's fresh and delicate. Please try it."

Outside, Qiao Wan stared down at her toes, standing there for an unknown amount of time, before gently taking a step and leaving.

Since her father had said he didn't want her to know he had come today, she would pretend she didn't know.

Yingxia stayed by her side the whole time. Seeing that her steps were unsteady and her fingernails were digging deeply into her palms, she said worriedly:

"Master, you..."

"I'm fine," Qiao Wan replied quickly, without the slightest hesitation, and her pace quickened.

She didn't understand. Since her father had already told Aning all the misunderstandings from back then, he naturally understood that Aning would definitely tell her as well. Logically speaking, the father and daughter should have reconciled.

She thought so too until today.

He was the one who forcibly severed his father-daughter relationship with her back then, but in the days since the misunderstanding was cleared up, he has not only never come to look for her, but he hasn't even sent her a single letter.

Now that he has finally arrived, he is going to keep it a secret from her!

Does he still really care about his daughter?

My head hurts so much, and my head feels dizzy.

Qiao Wan didn't want to think about these things anymore and quickly returned to Biyou Courtyard.

But as soon as I stepped into the yard, I heard several children talking all at once:

Ah Ning: "Mommy's back!"

Qiaoqiao: "Auntie! My sister remembered! She remembered the scar on the man in black's hand!"

Upon hearing this, Qiao Wan's heart tightened. She quickly knelt down in front of Yao Yao, supporting her shoulders, and asked in a somewhat urgent tone:

"Yaoyao, tell Auntie, what kind of scar is that?"

Yao Yao nodded obediently in response:

"The scar is on my left wrist, it looks like it was burned, it's a bit black and charred."

"Oh right! That scar even has a shape! Like a butterfly!"

boom--!

Qiao Wan suddenly collapsed to the ground, as if struck by lightning, leaving her frozen in place, speechless for a long time...

In my memory, my father once shielded my mother from the branding iron of a bandit.

When the red-hot iron was branded onto his left wrist, the skin sizzled and smoked, but the father only groaned and held his mother even tighter.

She was there at the time, and although she was young, she will never forget that butterfly-shaped branding iron in her life...!