Chapter 182: A Bold Speculation

Juanjuan clutched her father’s clothes tightly, cautiously glancing in the direction of the woman again.

To her surprise, the woman was still watching her. Or rather, it was no longer a normal gaze but a fixed stare. In her one remaining clear eye, there was a hint of confusion.

Suddenly, a hand covered her view.

“Let’s go over here,” her father’s voice came from beside her. Juanjuan felt her father quickly move a few steps, changing their position.

Bai Tian had also noticed the strange, deranged woman. Though he felt a bit uneasy, he maintained his composure. With so many people watching, and holding his little daughter, he couldn’t afford to lose face now.

Looking down at the little one peeking out from his large coat, Bai Tian thought, 【This truly is the fearlessness of a newborn calf¹. In such a stormy environment, encountering someone like that, even I feel a bit scared. Yet, this little one dares to push aside the coat to take a look. Impressive.】

Hearing her father praise her bravery, Juanjuan instinctively wanted to peek at the woman again.

Just as she did, the woman suddenly charged at them like a madwoman. The wind blowing through the dilapidated temple tossed her tangled hair, and the unclouded eye shone with a terrifying light, filled with urgency and longing.

But her target wasn’t Juanjuan, it was…

“Ahhh… don’t come near me!”

Bai Yunqi watched the lunatic rush over and instinctively wanted to raise his hand and use his Spiritual Power against her. After all, in his original world, during training missions, he often encountered such sudden, chaotic situations. Raising a hand to deal with it was second nature.

But rationality told him he couldn’t do that. If he did, he’d be in big trouble.

Fortunately, Mu Zhaoyuan reacted quickly, pulling Bai Yunqi behind her and swiftly subduing the woman.

Bai Yunqi breathed a sigh of relief, raising his hand to calm his racing heart. He had been truly frightened, almost slapping the woman to death.

The sudden incident made everyone in the temple vigilant.

“Keep an eye on your people,” Mu Zhaoyuan said, pushing the woman back.

Prince Wen’s subordinates, the Mu Family Army, didn’t want to get involved with them. The two silent men tied the woman up again, nodding to Mu Zhaoyuan in thanks.

The deranged woman stared intently at Bai Yunqi, her throat emitting hoarse, discordant growls.

Thus, the Bai family watched as a formidable figure, capable of taking on several opponents, cowered behind Jiang Dai.

“Mom… she’s so scary…” Bai Yunqi clutched his mother’s clothes, his voice full of fear and dependence, his little gestures perfectly capturing the emotion.

Jiang Dai’s mouth twitched slightly, but she continued to comfort her eldest son, internally critiquing, 【No wonder I never doubted Bai Goudan later. This act, this practiced cowardice, is just too authentic.】

Bai Yunxing watched his eldest brother in silence. 【Eldest Brother truly… sometimes shows no signs of being a reincarnated soul.】

Bai Yun’an, however, scoffed internally. 【This fits his character perfectly, a genuine display.】

Bai Tian, holding Juanjuan, happily watched the drama unfold. 【Watching from this perspective, seeing a big shot pretend to be weak and then reveal their true strength², is truly satisfying!】

【But who is that woman? How can she precisely target my eldest son?】

Because of the woman’s sudden actions, the two men’s gazes also subtly shifted to Bai Yunqi, as if trying to discern something from him.

But before they could look too long, Mu Zhaoyuan raised an eyebrow at them, her gaze a clear warning.

The madwoman continued to struggle, her throat emitting discordant sounds. The scene was bizarre, leaving everyone uneasy without knowing why.

Juanjuan moved closer to her mother, clutching her eldest brother’s clothes, afraid he might be attacked again.

Bai Yunqi absentmindedly patted his sister’s head, pondering why the woman had rushed at him.

【Could it be because…】

Juanjuan held her breath. Did Eldest Brother know the reason? Even the smartest, most cunning third brother hadn’t figured it out yet.

【Is it because I’m too handsome?】

【But at just over eight years old, no matter how handsome, it shouldn’t excite an old woman with graying hair this much!】

Juanjuan: ??

At a time like this, Eldest Brother was wondering if it was because he was too handsome?

Jiang Dai’s gaze fell on her eldest son’s face. Though still young, he was indeed very handsome, with a righteous and grand demeanor typical of a northern man.

This face…

【Compared to Da Mao and Ermao who resemble Bai Tian, and Juanjuan who takes after me, Goudan’s face doesn’t quite resemble either of us, nor the Bai family on Bai Tian’s side. Is it possible that Goudan resembles someone from the original host’s maternal family?】

Juanjuan: ?

Someone from Mom’s family, like Grandma’s side?

The more Jiang Dai thought about it, the brighter her eyes became, convinced it was possible. Isn’t this how novels are written? The heroine, without parents and with amnesia, is picked up by someone, indicating a noble identity, often accompanied by a mysterious old servant saying, “She looks so much like…”

Not long ago, she boldly speculated that the whole family might have been swapped during the Ox Cart incident, possibly a Group Transmigration³. And wasn’t she right?

【If not for those three clever sons being so guarded back then, we might have…】

【Actually, it’s better this way. If we’d been honest too soon, Bai Tian and I might not have been able to interact with the three children like this.】

Jiang Dai discreetly moved closer to Bai Tian, whispering her speculation in his ear.

Her voice was so soft, even Bai Yunxing nearby couldn’t hear it over the rain.

However, there were two people present who weren’t quite normal.

Bai Yunqi listened to his mother’s words, raising an eyebrow, surprised by the possibility.

Looking again at the madwoman and the two men, Bai Yunqi quietly asked his second brother, enclosing them in a Soundproof Barrier.

“Brother, who are those two men? Do you know? I’ve isolated the sound, so you can speak freely.”

Being part of the Mu Family Army, if Mu Zhaoyuan knew, then his second brother should too.

“They should be Prince Wen’s Secret Guards,” Bai Yunxing replied, anticipating his eldest brother’s next question about Prince Wen. “Prince Wen is the current emperor’s younger brother, frail and lame, but his influence is formidable, a hidden blade of the royal family.”

Bai Yunqi: “Then why are these two capturing a crazy, blind, and mute woman?”

Bai Yunxing shook his head, indicating he didn’t know.

Bai Yunqi lowered his voice, creating a mysterious atmosphere.

“Do you think this woman might know me? Or perhaps, does my current appearance resemble someone from her memories?”

Bai Yunxing looked at his eldest brother, still somewhat puzzled, but he sensed that his brother’s next words might be significant.

Translator’s Notes