The temperamental white moonlight is back, and the entire Marquis's family obediently calls him

Hearing his daughter's question, Zhou Ningchuan's expression softened.

His wife's image appeared in his mind.

"She loves you very much."

Lu Mingzhao really wanted a daughter.

Because she was her parents' only daughter, she very much hoped to pass on her martial arts skills to her.

When Zhou Shili was pregnant, Lu Mingzhao was overjoyed.

It turned out to be a son.

Later, when he was pregnant with Zhou Shixu, Lu Mingzhao was disappointed once again.

Finally, during his third pregnancy, Zhou Ningchuan received a letter from Lu Mingzhao's family.

The doctor said that this baby would definitely be a girl, and Lu Mingzhao was very happy, his words filled with anticipation for a daughter.

By the end, the person writing the letter on behalf of the writer had almost forgotten how to write the word "daughter" and nearly misspelled it.

Lu Mingzhao also drew a little girl with braided pigtails at the end of the letter.

Zhou Ningchuan still keeps that letter.

He got up, found the letter, and handed it to his daughter.

Zhou Ming'an never expected that his father would be able to find letters from fourteen years ago.

Her gaze fell on the last comical little girl, and the corners of her mouth unconsciously turned up slightly.

Perhaps what my father said was true.

She, Zhou Ming'an, had a real mother, and her mother truly loved her.

At least before she was born.

……

She handed the letter back. Although the current situation could not be changed, for some reason, the letter calmed her down considerably.

She got up to leave, but then her father called her back.

"There's something else I want to ask you."

Zhou Ningchuan paused, then asked in a deep voice, "Was it really your second brother who killed the bandits that day?"

"..."

A moment later, Zhou Ming'an walked out of the study and found Chu Yuan'er standing guard outside the door.

She had composed herself, but her eyes were still red.

"Aunt Chu."

Before she could speak, Chu Yuan'er took her hand and said softly, "Miss, you were too impulsive today. I could hear you shouting at your father from outside the door."

"It worried me for quite a while."

Zhou Ming'an smiled and said, "Thank you, Aunt Chu. Father didn't blame me, but..."

She actually felt somewhat guilty.

After all, Aunt Chu had been so good to her and always thought of her best interests, yet she hadn't spoken up for Aunt Chu just now.

She couldn't help but recall how, when her mother arranged a marriage for her, she protested and refused, and her mother pointed at her nose and called her an ingrate.

Isn't it also ungrateful of her not to speak up for Aunt Chu?

"I understand what you're thinking, young lady. Please don't take it to heart."

Unexpectedly, Chu Yuan'er comforted her instead, making Zhou Ming'an feel even more guilty.

Chu Yuan'er took her hand and walked out while whispering, "To be honest, I injured my abdomen a few years ago and am no longer suitable for having children."

"After realizing that I had no chance to have children, I only had you and your brother in my heart. I have long regarded you as my own children."

"What you said in the study today terrified me. You are her own daughter, how could she be so heartless as to hire someone to harm you? And seeing you cry broke my heart."

"Although the Marquis has been good to me, my current status is awkward. I want to be good to you and protect you on the surface, but I don't have the right to do so."

Chu Yuan'er tucked a stray hair behind Zhou Ming'an's ear, her eyes full of tenderness: "However, I still want you to know that even if the old lady doesn't love you, Aunt Chu will always love you."

"You'll always be the best girl in my eyes."

Zhou Ming'an stared at her blankly, feeling the long-lost maternal love, his eyes gradually welling up with tears.

She had no idea that so many things had happened to Aunt Chu.

Aunt Chu is unable to have children and treats them as her own, but they worry that Aunt Chu's attitude will change drastically like Madam Wang's.

That's simply judging a gentleman by the standards of a petty person!

"I don't ask for much right now. I just hope you and your brother are alright. If she still bullies you, just come to me. Your father still protects me. At most, she'll just scold me a few times, but she won't dare to really hurt me."

Overwhelmed by guilt once again, Zhou Ming'an felt utterly ashamed to face Aunt Chu.

Chu Yuan'er sighed: "I won't say anything else. You should go back now. Your father... perhaps to save face for his wife, doesn't want me to have much contact with you."

Zhou Ming'an was taken aback.

Seeing Aunt Chu turn to leave, she suddenly tugged at Aunt Chu's sleeve and whispered, "Aunt Chu, Father asked me to go and fetch Second Brother. Do you... want to come with me?"

She smiled and said, "If Father asks, I'll just say that I took Aunt Chu with me."

"Second Brother must also really want to see Aunt Chu."

Chu Yuan'er nodded, moved.

When the two arrived at the west courtyard, Zhou Shixu was practicing martial arts.

Lu Mingzhao taught him a set of sword techniques, which looked quite impressive when he practiced them.

Even someone who hasn't learned the basics can still perform beautifully.

After practicing for only a few days, he realized something was wrong.

These moves are pretty, but they're only pretty; they're superficial and don't have any real destructive power. They're not real "moves" at all.

He refused to believe in superstition and practiced again and again, thinking that if anyone wanted to see him practice swordsmanship at the banquet, he would have to perform it beautifully and flawlessly.

What if someone notices?

While he was practicing, he suddenly heard the servant say that Aunt Chu and his sister had arrived, so he quickly sheathed his sword.

Looking up, I saw that both of their eyes were red, clearly indicating that they had just been crying.

However, neither of them intended to explain to him why he was crying.

The younger sister relayed a message from their father and then left.

Aunt Chu stayed behind, intending to accompany him to Hesong Courtyard to see his father.

Zhou Shixu seemed to have grasped at a straw and hurriedly asked Aunt Chu why his father had suddenly called him over.

Chu Yuan'er looked troubled, and after a while, she seemed to give in and said helplessly, "I heard... you want to ask about the time you beat someone up in the street a while ago."

Zhou Shixu's heart skipped a beat.

broken!

"Why are you suddenly asking this? Father didn't ask yesterday! And...and my older brother already punished me, he locked me up for several days!"

Chu Yuan'er shook her head: "I don't know about that."

Zhou Shixu clasped his hands together and pleaded repeatedly, "Aunt Chu, if Father hits me, please beg for my life!"

You're the best!

Chu Yuan'er smiled indulgently: "Alright, alright, I'll plead for you."

Before Zhou Shixu could even relax, Chu Yuan'er said, "It seems there's also the matter of An'an encountering danger a few days ago..."

Chu Yuan'er looked over with a smile in her eyes: "It's only been seven years, and Shi Xu has become so amazing. At sixteen, he was able to kill three vicious bandits."

"It seems the Marquis has a worthy successor."

Zhou Shixu's smile was somewhat stiff.

"Yes, yes."

"As the saying goes, 'A scholar should be looked at with new eyes after three days' absence,' surely I haven't made any progress at all?"

Chu Yuan'er then asked, "But regarding the seasons, which school of martial arts did you study under?"

Zhou Shixu opened his mouth.

Which door? How did he know!

His mother didn't tell him which school or style of martial arts it was!

"I... actually learned it from my older brother."

Fortunately, Zhou Shixu was quick-witted. As he spoke, he gave an awkward laugh, "Aunt Chu, please don't tell anyone. My brother is low-key and doesn't want people to know that he knows martial arts."

Zhou Shixu felt apologetic in his heart: I'm sorry, brother, I can only use you as an excuse.

"I see." Chu Yuan'er smiled and withdrew her gaze, then asked casually, "But does your father know that you two brothers know martial arts?"

"I wonder if he'll be happy."

Zhou Shixu blurted out, "Father will understand."

He barely thought about it.

After all, he could reveal his mother's secret to his father.

Once his father finds out why his mother taught him martial arts, he will understand.

However, Chu Yuan'er, who was standing to the side, saw through his determination and confidence.

Chu Yuan'er's eyes darkened, and she chuckled softly.

"Is that so...?"