Chapter 64

An’an’s wide-eyed amazement made him look exactly like a frog at the bottom of a well who had never seen the world. When the Duke of Liu saw his little grandson, a wave of pride surged within his chest.

He strode quickly to his daughter’s side and stood before her, clearing his throat and deliberately adopting an air of casual indifference as he asked:

“An’an, this is your home now. Do you like it?”

“Waaah~”

The name plaque of the Duke’s Residence had been inscribed personally by the late emperor. In the bottom right corner was even the emperor’s private seal. It was made of the finest wood, and just hanging there gave off an aura that compelled reverence.

Compared to the Tang family’s plaque, this one was leagues better.

Satisfaction flashed in An’an’s little eyes. He happily waved his hands in the air, not the slightest bit uncomfortable in this unfamiliar setting. He even patted his little hands in joy.

Seeing him like this, Liu Nüluo’s unease eased a little. After all, this was the Duke’s Residence where she had grown up. Every blade of grass and tree brought a familiar comfort, making her briefly set aside the unhappiness she had carried with her.

By this time, the Duke had already taken his little grandson into his arms. Their family didn’t care for old-fashioned rules about only holding grandsons, not sons. When his children were young, he had held them all, so his posture now was practiced and natural.

An’an didn’t cry or fuss in his arms. He simply looked around curiously with his bright little eyes.

The courtyard of the Duke’s Residence was far more beautiful than the Tang household’s. Seasonal flowers of every kind were blooming in vibrant competition. An’an couldn’t take it all in at once.

Eventually, his eyes grew tired from the constant sights, and he simply closed them and snuggled into his grandfather’s chest, as if worried his self-control might not hold.

“Your mother is still recuperating. Go visit her.”

The Duke knew there were things his daughter couldn’t say to him, so he took the initiative to suggest she go check on her mother. Then, holding his grandson, he turned and left.

Once he made sure his daughter wasn’t following, he carefully glanced down at An’an, worried the little one might cry. But unexpectedly, An’an still looked quite excited.

“Ya~ Waaah ya~”

The Duke carried An’an into his study, called the steward inside, and instructed him to send invitations to several old friends, inviting them to admire a rare manuscript he had recently discovered.

“But Master, that rare book…”

The steward honestly couldn’t recall when his master had found a new manuscript. The Duke glared at him while covering his grandson’s eyes.

“Just go!”

The steward didn’t dare speak further and quickly cupped his hands in acknowledgment before hurrying off.

The Duke picked up a little rattle drum and gently shook it. He watched as An’an’s gaze followed the rhythm, eyes darting everywhere. The more he played, the more entertained he became.

He still remembered last time, that old man from the Qin family had invited him over under the pretense of sharing a rare and unfinished chess manual. He had even brought fine wine along, only for the old man to spend the whole time showing off his three-year-old granddaughter.

That soft, fragrant, exquisitely carved little girl had left him quite envious.

Now that he finally had a grandson of his own, how could he not show off in front of those old fools?

An’an babbled in his own little language, and the Duke tirelessly responded to him each time.

After a while, An’an reached out and tugged at his beard. The Duke dodged slightly and then gently held the small hand in his palm, softly scolding:

“No tugging! That’s rude!”

Even his own sons had never been allowed to act so recklessly.

An’an shrank back, pouting and falling silent. The red tinge on his fair skin stood out vividly—he looked so aggrieved.

“Fine, fine, tug away if you must.”

The Duke closed his eyes in resignation. An’an immediately burst into laughter, and although the Duke was so angry he blew out his beard and widened his eyes, he dared not pull away—worried that big tears would fall at any moment.

…

Meanwhile, Liu Nüluo went to see her mother. The Duchess was still recuperating at home. When the maid reported that the young lady had returned, she thought she had misheard. But when she saw a familiar silhouette through the window, she was so excited that she sat upright.

“Is it really Nüluo who’s come back?”

“It is, Madam!”

The old lady had the maid help her up. After changing into a fresh outfit, she came out and held Liu Nüluo’s slightly cold hands, softly saying:

“You look thinner than before. Have things not been going well for you lately?”

“Mother.”

Just that one line of concern from her mother brought tears to Liu Nüluo’s eyes. Her expression seemed to confirm the old lady’s suspicions. Her face grew serious as she sternly asked:

“Did Tang Yun mistreat you?”

Liu Nüluo nodded slightly. She truly couldn’t understand why Tang Yun ignored his own flesh and blood, An’an, and insisted on letting that little beggar he brought home use An’an’s things first—like the spot at the academy, for example.

“Mother, back when I hadn’t conceived yet, I once brought up the idea of adopting that child with my husband. But he said the child wasn’t an orphan, and adopting him would be inappropriate.”

The Duchess listened patiently and nodded gently. If things were indeed as Tang Yun claimed, it really wasn’t quite proper.

If the boy’s birth parents came looking one day and made a scene, it would be a disgrace for everyone involved.

Adoption should either have the biological parents’ consent, or only be considered if the child had no parents and no support.

“So I thought, why not let Tang Jun serve as An’an’s attendant? But my husband insisted it would be demeaning for him. Then he said, if I couldn’t agree to that, he would just take the child as his adopted son alone.”

At this point, Liu Nüluo could no longer hold back her tears. The Duchess slammed the table in anger.

“What nonsense is this? Does he plan to divorce you? Or is he using this matter to pressure you into agreeing?”

In her heart, the Duchess suspected the latter. She knew her daughter’s personality well—if things dragged on long enough, she might eventually agree just to keep the peace.

Being An’an’s attendant—how was that degrading for a beggar who couldn’t even get enough to eat on the streets?

“I had a huge fight with him. When I tried to leave, he even had people block my way.”

“Nüluo, I’m afraid this matter isn’t as simple as you think.”

“Mother, I had the servants look into it. Before my husband and I met, he didn’t have any close female companions or confidantes. And Nanny also said that the child bears no resemblance to my husband.”

Liu Nüluo had already ordered a thorough investigation, and everything had come back clean. But it was precisely because nothing suspicious was found that she felt even more disheartened and cold.

“Go and check every woman who has interacted with him since childhood. Cross-check until we know whose child it really is.”

Who says a man has to father a child before he’ll agree to raise one? The Lady of the Duke’s Manor had seen plenty of men over the years, who, due to youthful attachments, were perfectly willing to step up and play father. Perhaps Tang Yun was one of them.

Although Liu Nüluo had been raised somewhat sheltered, she understood the basic principles. She gave a slight nod in agreement.

The Lady of the Duke’s Manor took her hand and gently patted the back of it, her gaze tinged with a touch of heartache.

“Nüluo, have you considered—if that child truly is an illegitimate one fathered by Tang Jun, what will you do?”

This question made Liu Nüluo’s thoughts spiral into chaos. She and her husband had always had a harmonious relationship. Now, with An’an in the picture, her emotional ties had only deepened.

But if it really were as her mother suspected, she couldn’t simply swallow the grievance and pretend nothing had happened.

“Mother… I don’t know.”

The Lady of the Duke’s Manor knew well her daughter’s indecisive nature. She also understood that no matter what others said, something like this could only be resolved once Liu Nüluo hardened her heart. After taking a sip of tea to moisten her throat, she continued,

“This matter ultimately depends on you. If you wish to keep living with him, then act as if you know nothing and make use of his guilt toward you.”

She had taught Liu Nüluo from a young age: no matter what the matter is, if you’re not prepared to confront it head-on, then it’s best not to stir up trouble. Better to use it to deepen his guilt—that would be more advantageous.

People’s hearts are indeed hard to gauge, but when handled well, they can bring unexpected insight.

Liu Nüluo understood all of this in theory, but the mere thought of compromising herself felt like a fishbone stuck in her throat—unable to swallow, unable to spit out, unbearably uncomfortable.

Seeing how conflicted she was, the Lady of the Duke’s Manor didn’t press further and gently shifted the topic.

“Forget it. You’ve only just returned. Go get some rest. What about An’an?”

“Father just took him. Mother, you should rest too.”

The old lady gave a faint hum of acknowledgment and watched her daughter’s figure disappear from view. Only after a long pause did she sigh and shake her head.

She had once hoped to keep her daughter close by her side for a lifetime. From the day Nüluo married, she had never dared to expect lifelong love between her and her husband.

Men are generally fickle in affection. In the capital, those seemingly harmonious couples were often just women swallowing their bitterness and forcing a smile.

When her daughter married into the Tang family, because Tang Yun’s background was too low and he had both her husband and eldest son to suppress him, she had thought Liu Nüluo might at least live comfortably.

But in the end, even so, happiness and fulfillment still evaded her.

Liu Nüluo’s courtyard in the Duke’s Manor had always been kept just as she’d left it. The servants who had attended her before marriage often came to clean and maintain it—it looked just as it did when she was still unmarried.

Now elderly, Duke Liu no longer needed to attend court. Back in the days of the imperial succession struggle, the fact that he had chosen the current emperor showed that his judgment and strategy were both formidable.

He was keenly aware that if he remained in court, the emperor would never dare to heavily favor his eldest son. But by voluntarily stepping back, he stayed in the emperor’s good graces and was often invited to the palace for a game of chess.

Life, once dull and monotonous, became much livelier with a little grandson around. An’an was especially lively and energetic—just the right balance to bring out the best in both generations.

Duke Liu noticed that An’an loved looking at the flowers in the courtyard, so he had the steward find and relocate the best-blooming ones to the places where he often brought An’an to play.

With such meticulous love and attention from his grandfather, An’an grew increasingly attached to him. Duke Liu had successfully become the second most important person in An’an’s heart.

The first, of course, was his mother—no one could ever take that place.

Liu Shi’an felt that each day now was filled with joy. His mother had not died in childbirth, his grandmother wasn’t bedridden in grief, and his grandfather wasn’t the frail, declining old man from his memories.

Sometimes, Duke Liu liked to tease his little grandson. If An’an didn’t like what was said, he’d pretend not to understand—his serious little face and innocent expression were irresistibly adorable.

The only time things went badly was when anyone brought up sending him back home. Say even a couple of words, and he would start crying—loudly, pitifully, for a full half hour without stopping.

Duke Liu had no experience the first time he joked about it, and after that, he never brought it up again. From then on, no matter where he went, he always carried An’an with him.

One day, Duke Liu invited Duke Li over to visit. Duke Li had brought some fine tea recently delivered by his youngest son from Jiangnan to the capital. His main purpose, however, was to catch a glimpse of a one-of-a-kind rare book.

Now that they were both retired, there were only a few such pastimes left to pass the time.

Knowing that Duke Liu was notoriously stingy, Duke Li prepared a gift for his visit. No matter how miserly he might be, he couldn’t possibly make it too obvious in the face of such courtesy.

After the tea was presented, a maid came to serve, but Duke Li waved her off and told her to hurry and fetch Duke Liu. There was no need to stand on ceremony—he had no interest in pleasantries and just wanted to see that rare book.

“Yes, sir.”

The maid gave a bow and went to call the Duke. Just as she stepped out, she saw Duke Liu approaching with little An’an in his arms, his face glowing with joy.

After just over a month, little An’an’s features were already very refined—especially his big, round eyes, which darted about playfully. Held in Duke Liu’s arms, he looked like a chubby good-luck charm.

Seeing this scene, Duke Li frowned. His own little granddaughter had been taken to Jiangnan when his son left to take up office, and he was currently lonely and bored at home. That was why he had rushed over as soon as he heard the news.

“The rare book—where is it?”

“Brother Li, don’t you agree that that rare book is worth its weight in gold?”

“Of course.”

Duke Liu sat down opposite him with his little grandson and deliberately leaned forward, showing An’an off proudly.

“Look—doesn’t this look like something worth ten thousand gold pieces?”

The Marquis of Li, whose little granddaughter had just been taken away by her parents, didn’t want to speak to him. Enraged, he suddenly stood up, flung his sleeves, clasped his hands behind his back, and stormed off. As he walked away, he muttered angrily:

“Who cares about seeing your precious Wan Jin! It’s not like my family doesn’t have one.”

“Don’t go—are you really leaving?”

When the Marquis of Li heard the voice of the Marquis of Liu, he quickened his pace even more. The Marquis of Liu had no choice but to hold his little grandson’s hand and raise his voice from the window:

“I’ll pick a good day next time, and let you have a proper look at our An’an!”

“This time I forgot the meeting gift, but I’m generous—I’ll let it slide. But next time, don’t you dare forget it.”

The Marquis of Li stumbled in anger, his puffed beard and glaring eyes clearly declaring that he wouldn’t be setting foot here again for at least half a year.

The Marquis of Liu, having successfully sent him off in a rage, felt thoroughly refreshed. He looked down at little An’an blinking in confusion in his arms, then reached out and gently tapped his nose.

“Grandpa is stockpiling treasures for you, you know.”

Back when those old friends of his had grandchildren, they didn’t hesitate to collect meeting gifts from him. His own descendants had been few and far between—it had always felt like a losing deal. But now he had An’an.

“Waaah~”

An’an opened his mouth wide, joy flickering in his eyes. The Marquis of Liu lowered his head and gently rubbed the side of his face with his beard, successfully transforming the little one, who had just been grinning ear to ear, into a grumpy little old man.

After playing with An’an for quite a while, the Marquis of Liu finally noticed the gift that the old Li had left on the table. He went over to open it—turned out to be a packet of fine tea.

He called the maid waiting at the door and told her to take the tea downstairs and brew a pot for him to try.

Old Li had been so furious he forgot to take the gift with him—just like last time when he brought fine wine and left it behind. Finally, the Marquis of Liu had thoroughly vented his frustration.

While waiting for the tea, the Marquis of Liu held An’an’s little hand and began explaining things to him.

“Next time someone upsets you, just do what Grandpa does—get your revenge quietly, got it?”

“Yaa~”

“Yes, just like that. We can’t do it openly—doing it openly leaves you vulnerable. We’ve got to be sneaky and do it behind their backs.”

In the system space, 250 watched the Marquis of Liu’s child-rearing method, and its data began to distort slightly.

That’s the proper, upright child it worked so hard to raise!!!

An’an lay there, eyes wide and full of wonder, as if he had accidentally opened the door to an entirely new world.

When the tea was finally brought over, the Marquis of Liu leaned in to smell the fragrance before sipping, looking thoroughly pleased.

Beside him, An’an saw his grandfather’s expression and grew anxious. His little hands clenched into fists, his mouth opened wide, as if to say he wanted a taste too.

The Marquis of Liu noticed, but pretended not to. The tea was far too hot—he wouldn’t dare let An’an drink it.

When An’an realized his grandpa hadn’t noticed what he wanted, he furiously pounded the bed with his tiny fists.

After the Marquis of Liu finished the tea and turned to admire his adorable and obedient grandson, An’an, still holding a grudge over the tea incident, deliberately shut his eyes and pretended to be fast asleep.

No matter what Grandpa said, he wouldn’t open them.

……

Liu Nüluo stayed at the Marquis’s estate for three days. During that time, Tang Yun came by to apologize seven times. Each time, he didn’t even catch a glimpse of Liu Nüluo’s face—the gatekeepers turned him away with the excuse that the young lady wasn’t home.

Previously, whenever Tang Yun came looking for Liu Nüluo, even if she wasn’t in, he’d still be respectfully invited in for tea.

Now it was obvious. Even the servants of the Liu family were making things difficult for him. He didn’t believe for a second that this wasn’t being done with the master’s tacit approval.

Tang Yun knew for sure that Liu Nüluo had told the Marquis and Marchioness about what happened. But even so, he came only to ask Liu Nüluo to come home—he had no intention of compromising on that issue.

A servant, no matter how nicely spoken of, was still just a servant.

They were both human—why should An’an sit high above while Jun’er had to serve at his feet, always beneath him?

Liu Nüluo had no idea Tang Yun had come by to see her. Ever since she returned home, her sister-in-law had enthusiastically invited her to do needlework together, making little clothes for An’an.

Ordinarily, Liu Nüluo didn’t enjoy such tasks. But the thought of those tiny clothes on An’an made her take a sudden interest.

Her sister-in-law was quite skilled with needlework, and the Marchioness even brought out a trove of things from storage, including pelts the eldest son had brought back from hunting.

Autumn was approaching, and the weather would soon grow colder—now was the perfect time to start preparing thick clothes.

Under her mother-in-law’s instruction, the sister-in-law spent all day teaching Liu Nüluo new patterns. Naturally a bit childlike herself, Liu Nüluo took to it like a child discovering something new and fun.

If not for the nanny stopping her, she would’ve kept sewing even through the night.

At first, Liu Nüluo did feel a bit heartbroken and regretted making such a fuss with Tang Yun. But as time passed, she gradually forgot about it and seemed to return to the carefree days before she was married.

Another half month passed, and Tang Yun could no longer hold back. He came in person to try and make amends.

This time, he finally made it through the gates of the Marquis’s estate and was led by a servant to the back courtyard. Liu Nüluo was there, sewing winter clothes for An’an.

She was working with a bright red fabric, lined with the finest rabbit fur. Just imagining how adorable An’an would look wearing it made her smile as she stitched.

Today, the nanny hadn’t even done her hair in the typical married woman’s bun—it fell loosely around her shoulders. Her light green dress made her delicate features look even more refined and youthful.

Tang Yun stood outside the courtyard watching the scene and suddenly felt like something had slipped out of his control. A surge of unease hit him, and he hurriedly stepped inside.

“Wife, I admit I mishandled things last time. Could you, for the sake of the past, forgive me this once?”

If he were honest with himself, they’d gotten along quite well as husband and wife—this was the first real fight they’d had.

Liu Nüluo looked up at the familiar voice, and upon seeing Tang Yun, put the half-finished garment to the side. The smile on her face faded considerably.

“So what do you plan to do now?”

“Madam… let’s discuss this properly once we return home, shall we? After all, it’s not a trivial matter. It’s unlikely we’ll come up with a suitable solution in a short time.”

Tang Yun had not brought up the matter precisely because he could not find an appropriate resolution. He could not bear to let Jun’er serve as a attendant, yet it also wasn’t proper to keep Lady Liu at her maternal home indefinitely.

In recent days, when he attended court, quite a few people had come up to him with veiled mockery and ridicule, making Tang Yun finally realize what the title “Duke Liu’s Residence” truly signified.

Ever since he entered court as an official, he had always enjoyed the care and support of Duke Liu’s eldest son. Now that support was gone, and he had come to experience the cold indifference of officialdom.

“No.”

Normally gentle and easygoing, Liu Nüluo was uncharacteristically resolute on this matter. If Tang Yun could not give her a satisfactory answer, she would not return to the residence with him.

If those things had belonged solely to Tang Yun, she would have endured her discomfort in silence. But that was not the case. Whether it was the spot at the academy or the things Tang Yun had given to Tang Jun, they had all been prepared by her father and brother for her child.

Tang Jun’s existence had, in a very real sense, infringed upon An’an’s interests. No mother could tolerate such a thing happening right under her nose.

“Madam, I remember you used to be so gentle and lovely. How is it that now you’re so petty over trivial matters? It’s just one more pair of chopsticks at the table, yet look at how far this has escalated.”

“Do you even know how many people out there are laughing at me?”

Liu Nüluo, with her mild temper, flushed bright red from anger but couldn’t find the words to refute him. She even began to doubt herself, wondering if she really had gone too far.

Just then, her sister-in-law from the Liu family happened to emerge from inside the room with some fabric in her arms. She stood there with a half-smile, staring at Tang Yun, and it was unclear how long she had been listening.

“Oh, how generous Lord Tang is. We little women can only feel ashamed in comparison.”

“Since Lord Tang is so kind-hearted, if you head west from our gate, the alley to the right is full of little beggars. I do hope Lord Tang will bring them all home too.”

As she spoke, she sat down beside Liu Nüluo, gently patting the back of her hand and feigning a tone of playful scolding.

“Just look at you—how could Lord Tang be in the wrong? He only wants to give every little beggar in the world a home.”

“Just one more pair of chopsticks at the table—don’t be stingy now.”

“I trust that, as a court official, Lord Tang would never stoop to using his wife’s dowry for such matters. That would be most undignified.”

She spoke fluently without pause, leaving Tang Yun no opening to interrupt. His complexion turned from pale to green, looking thoroughly embarrassed.

Indeed, most household expenses had come from Liu Nüluo’s dowry. His modest salary was barely enough for his own needs, let alone to support a wife and child.

From her entire speech, Tang Yun managed to find just one point he could respond to.

“Madam, rest assured, I promise I won’t bring home every beggar. Just Jun’er, all right?”

Tang Yun thought she was upset solely because of this issue and tried to appease her with this concession.

Little did he know, it was precisely because of this special, excessive affection that Liu Nüluo felt resentment. She couldn’t understand why he would treat a child he picked up off the street better than he did their own.

“No. Either let him serve as An’an’s attendant, or do as I say—I’ll have my mother find him a family to adopt him.”

Liu Nüluo was firm on this matter. Eventually, even Tang Yun started to lose patience and asked irritably,

“Why is it that you simply cannot accept Jun’er?”

His words made Liu Nüluo tremble with anger. Her sister-in-law, unable to watch any longer, stepped in front of her and sneered coldly.

“Tolerance? I’ve heard of legitimate wives needing to accept concubines and illegitimate children, but never that one must accept a stranger into the home.”

“This is a matter between my wife and me. I don’t need your interference.”

That was a clear insult, telling her to mind her own business. Yet Liu Nüluo’s sister-in-law wasn’t offended. Instead, she smiled as she replied,

“As the saying goes, an elder sister-in-law is like a mother. I watched Nüluo grow up. What harm is there in speaking a few words to defend her?”

“Besides, who do you think you are, daring to act so arrogantly in front of me?”

Putting aside her connection to Liu Nüluo, her birth father was a second-rank official, her husband a third-rank official, and she herself held a noble title. Tang Yun was in no position to offend her.

“You… you’re simply being unreasonable.”

Unable to win the argument, Tang Yun could only throw his sleeves and storm off. Liu Nüluo watched his departing back, a trace of disappointment in her eyes.

He couldn’t even show respect to her elder sister-in-law… All the sweet words about loving her—how much of it was even true?

Once he was far enough away, her sister-in-law gently patted her back. In her opinion, with a man like that, it was better to just divorce early.

Her words were sincere. When she married into the family, Nüluo had been the most adorable and obedient little girl. At the time, her husband had been posted to Jiangbei, and she had stayed behind due to her pregnancy. She spent every day with Nüluo.

They weren’t sisters by blood, but they were closer than real sisters.

“My guess is that the child is either his illegitimate son or the child of some woman he can’t forget. If he’s willing to become the boy’s father, how can you expect him to truly care for An’an?”

The first possibility made Liu Nüluo feel disgusted. The second left a lump in her throat just the same.

“Enough, let’s not talk about these upsetting things. Come look at this fabric I just picked out. An’an has fair skin—this will suit him perfectly.”

Her sister-in-law did indeed have good taste. If she trimmed the edges with rabbit fur, she could already picture how it would look on An’an. Liu Nüluo couldn’t help but curve her lips into a smile.

“It’s lovely. Sister-in-law always has the best eye.”

No one dislikes praise. Her sister-in-law laughed as well, clearly pleased by the compliment. Neither of them lingered on what had just happened.

Liu Nüluo’s stance was unmistakably clear—if Tang Yun refused to compromise over that child, then divorce… truly was a matter to seriously consider.

If she had to spend her entire life endlessly arguing with Tang Yun over this matter, just thinking about it made her feel tormented.

At dusk, when the Duke of Liu returned home from taking An’an out to show him off, he heard the servants mention that Tang Yun had come by. Both the old man and the little one simultaneously pulled long faces.

“What did he come for?”

“Your servant does not know, only that the Young Master-in-law and the Eldest Young Madam had an argument.”

“Tell the gatekeepers that if he comes again, there’s no need to let him in.”

The Duke of Liu had been so angry at first that he didn’t realize An’an was still there. After he finished speaking, he quickly looked down to check on him.

After all, that was his biological father—some things were not appropriate to say in front of the child.

But to his surprise, the little fellow didn’t show even a hint of defense or affection. On the contrary, he clapped his hands happily.

“Yiya~ Waaah~”

At that moment, the Duke of Liu couldn’t help recalling how his daughter had once mentioned that every time Tang Yun appeared before An’an, the child would cry terribly and couldn’t be comforted no matter what.

“An’an doesn’t like that daddy either?”

An’an didn’t dare answer, but he slapped his little hands enthusiastically, so much so that they began to go numb.

Seeing that man suffer made him happy! Seeing Grandpa dislike that man made him even happier!

The Duke of Liu carried him back to his daughter’s quarters. After spending the day out and about, the little fellow stretched his arms out in joy the moment he saw his mother. Liu Nüluo picked him up and reached for a cloth tiger doll on the table, stitched together from fabric scraps.

Her sister-in-law had deliberately chosen brightly colored materials. The patchwork tiger, vibrant and multicolored, was incredibly appealing to a child An’an’s age.

She had experience with children and knew exactly what they liked at this stage.

An’an’s eyes were glued to the cloth tiger; he couldn’t look away.

“Waaah~”

He waved his arms, trying to grab the toy. Liu Nüluo didn’t tease him and simply handed it over.

While An’an was focused on playing with the cloth tiger, the Duke of Liu brought up Tang Yun’s visit earlier that day.

“Father, he insisted on adopting that beggar as his sworn son, and even took up the spot you secured for An’an to attend school.”

The Duke of Liu had just lifted his teacup for a sip when he heard this and immediately set it down with a thud. His gaze toward his daughter shifted subtly.

“He said to give it to that beggar, and you actually did?”

That wasn’t just any academy. The teacher there was the current Emperor’s Grand Tutor. Most of the students were sons of princes—without connections, you couldn’t even get in!

Only direct male descendants of the Duke of Liu’s household were allowed to attend. No matter how you looked at it, Liu Nüluo’s son shouldn’t have qualified.

If not for the Duke’s personal relationship with the tutor and the rare books he offered in exchange, they never would’ve secured a place.

“Father, at the time… I was planning to adopt that beggar as my sworn son.”

Back then, Tang Yun had strongly opposed the idea. His every word implied it was inappropriate. But now, he insisted on officially recognizing the boy as his adopted son.

He said they couldn’t adopt Tang Jun as their son, yet he used every single resource that should’ve been reserved for Liu Nüluo’s child. That was what upset Liu Nüluo the most.

When An’an grew up, she couldn’t go around begging favors for him.

The Duke of Liu didn’t know what to say. The more he thought about it, the more irritated he became. He sighed and reached for his tea to calm down. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw An’an rubbing the cloth tiger against his chubby cheek, looking completely content, and his anger eased a little.

“You, you…”

She was his own daughter, after all. The Duke of Liu didn’t know how to scold her. He finished his tea and returned to his own courtyard.

After dinner that night, Liu Nüluo sat on the soft couch holding An’an in her arms. An’an, in turn, clutched the cloth tiger tightly with both hands—it was obvious just how much he adored it.

“Yaa~ Yiya ah waah~”

Listening to her son’s babbling, Liu Nüluo’s thoughts began to drift. She helped tidy An’an’s clothes.

Now that the room was quiet, just the two of them, and since An’an couldn’t speak and probably didn’t understand, she spoke her thoughts aloud.

“An’an, do you think I should divorce your father?”

Her mother and father had both said before: reconciliation is easy, returning to how things were is hard. Even if Tang Yun gave in and compromised this time, this matter would remain a thorn between them.

Every so often, it would poke and hurt.

Her mother had also taught her: if you don’t actually plan to separate, then don’t stir up a fight. But things had already come this far, and Liu Nüluo didn’t know what to do next.

An’an was still so young, yet he couldn’t receive even a shred of affection from his father. It wasn’t impossible that Tang Yun might hold her child responsible for what happened with Tang Jun.

Even though An’an was innocent and hadn’t done anything at all.

Her parents said that if she wanted a divorce, she could return home. Her brother doted on her, and her sister-in-law was kind and generous. There was no need to worry about going back.

But after all these years of feelings, Liu Nüluo couldn’t quite let go.

While his mother was murmuring to herself, An’an was lost in playing with his cloth tiger. But soon, he vaguely picked up on her meaning, and his eyes grew wider and wider.

Seeing his mother so hesitant and uncertain, An’an suddenly tossed aside the cloth tiger he had just been treating like a treasure. He began clapping urgently, desperate to sit up and speak to his mother.

“Yiya, ya waah ah!”

“Hmm?”

The child’s voice drew Liu Nüluo’s attention back to him. She held him a little tighter.

“An’an, you’re this worked up? You don’t want Mother to divorce your father?”

The little fellow who had just been putting all his strength into protesting suddenly seemed to run out of energy after hearing that. Liu Nüluo felt his weight grow heavier in her arms. An’an gave her arm a tiny punch in frustration.

Then he sighed, stretched out his legs, and shut his eyes.