You're the one who wants to marry a mistress, and I'm marrying someone else, yet you still

Although Lin Qing didn't win much overall—after all, gambling dens don't let you win too much, as they have to support their customers—it's impossible for you to win a lot and leave the gambling den safely. However, Shen Yanzhi clearly lost much more.

In the final round, he lost all his chips.

Shen Yanzhi's face turned pale. He wanted to refute, but found himself speechless.

His hands trembled as he tried to snatch back his silver, but the shopkeeper's men ruthlessly blocked him.

"Young master, a bet is a bet! If you're not satisfied, you can come back tomorrow."

The subordinate had long since lost his initial fawning and obsequious demeanor; he even shoved Shen Yanzhi, nearly causing him to fall.

Lin Qing chuckled, looking like she was enjoying the show. "Oh, young master, why are you still not satisfied with your loss? Do you want to take it back? Stealing money is illegal."

At this moment, Shen Yanzhi was about to lose control of his anger.

"I only lost one round! I am the young master of the Yong'an Marquis's mansion. I have plenty of money. Do you dare to gamble with me again tomorrow? I will definitely make you lose everything!"

Shen Yanzhi said through gritted teeth, his eyes filled with resentment and unwillingness.

"Oh? Why should I? I don't even know you."

Lin Qing smiled dismissively.

As she turned to leave, Shen Yanzhi chased after her.

"You're afraid to bet with me, aren't you? Heh, because you're afraid of losing to me."

Shen Yanzhi forced himself to put on a smug look.

Having lost his money, he was clearly less confident, especially since he was only an eight or nine-year-old child. Although Lin Qing was dressed as a boy and was a bit thin, in his eyes, she was a man much taller than him.

Lin Qing remained outwardly calm, but inwardly he was overjoyed; the kid had fallen for it.

"Afraid of losing? Heh, how could I be afraid of losing to a child like you? You just said you're the young master of the Yong'an Marquis's mansion? I heard that the second young master of the Yong'an Marquis and Princess Yongchang divorced, and the Shen family even took Princess Yongchang's dowry. The Yong'an Marquis is just an empty shell now."

Lin Qing watched with great interest as Shen Yanzhi's face grew darker and darker, but still showed no sign of stopping.

"Furthermore, I have also heard that the Marquis of Yong'an has two sons. One was adopted by the eldest son, who was unconscious at the time, when Princess Yongchang was still in the Marquis's mansion. The other is the illegitimate child born to the Second Young Master Shen and his mistress. May I ask which one you are?"

Lin Qing pretended to be unaware and asked.

She wanted to see how Shen Yanzhi would respond. Wanwan was just too good-natured, which was why she was bullied by this kind of person. If it were Shen Nian'an, whom she had married, and he dared to give her his illegitimate son, she would make a huge mess of the Shen family.

Shen Yanzhi's face instantly turned ashen, his hands clenched into fists, his knuckles turning white from the force, clearly having been hit where it hurt by Lin Qing's words.

Because he was the illegitimate son born to that mistress, he had clearly gotten rid of that identity, yet it was all destroyed.

His eyes widened, his lips trembled slightly, as if he wanted to refute, but couldn't find the right words.

The air around them seemed to freeze, and everyone else in the gambling den was drawn to the sudden argument.

"You...you're talking nonsense!"

Shen Yanzhi finally managed to squeeze out a sentence, his voice trembling with anger, "I am the legitimate young master of the Yong'an Marquis's mansion, how dare you insult me ​​like this!"

At this moment, Shen Yanzhi truly wished he were Xie Wanru's son. If he were Xie Wanru's son, he wouldn't have to suffer this humiliation.

Why... isn't he Xie Wanru's son?

Lin Qing smiled slightly, a sly glint in her eyes. She slowly approached Shen Yanzhi and said in a low voice, "Whether it's true or not, you know in your heart. However, I don't mind playing along with you, but the bet has to be changed. If you lose, you have to agree to one condition."

"As for what it is, I'll tell you after you lose. But don't worry, it's not a harsh condition; it's something you can do."

A hint of hesitation flashed in Shen Yanzhi's eyes, but it was quickly replaced by the fervor characteristic of a gambler.

"Fine! I agree! But if you lose, you must apologize to me in public and admit that you framed the Yong'an Marquis's mansion! You were outspoken!"

Lin Qing nodded, a confident smile playing on his lips: "Deal. We'll come back here at this time tomorrow and settle things once and for all."

After saying that, Lin Qing turned and left, leaving Shen Yanzhi with a face full of resentment and helplessness. His identity was known to the whole world because of that farce.

To this day, he still can't understand why his father and the others were so foolish as to do such disgusting things in Xie Wanru's bed.

He had already been adopted by Xie Wanru, and when he grew up, he would be the rightful young master of the Yong'an Marquis's mansion and the grandson of the Xie family. His future was clearly bright.

"It's all because of Fu Rou!"

Shen Yanzhi suddenly felt a sense of hatred for this name and this person.

After an unknown amount of time, Shen Yanzhi returned to the Shen residence from the gambling den, feeling utterly dejected. However, the back door was locked, and no one answered his knocks. He could only lean against the corner outside the door and doze off.

In the end... he actually slept at the doorway all night.

The next morning, just as dawn was breaking, the servants of the mansion went out to buy groceries and saw a person huddled at the door.

"Where did this beggar come from, sleeping here..."

The servants muttered among themselves, and when they got closer, they were startled to see that it was Shen Yanzhi. They quickly woke him up.

Shen Yanzhi groggily opened his eyes, feeling a splitting headache and extreme cold. He rubbed his eyes and looked around at the familiar surroundings, only then realizing that he had actually spent the night outside the mansion gates.

"Young master, why are you sleeping here? Come in and warm up." The servants quickly helped Shen Yanzhi up, wondering to themselves what had happened last night, but dared not ask any questions.

Although this person is from a concubine's family, he is still the master, and it is not something that servants like them can criticize.

Shen Yanzhi staggered into the mansion and sneaked back to his room.

He knew in his heart that he absolutely could not lose the bet he made with Lin Qing last night, otherwise his reputation for life would be completely ruined.

Back in her room, Shen Yanzhi quickly washed up and changed into clean clothes before feeling more refreshed.

But he was too sleepy, so he took out a book to pretend to sleep, and soon fell asleep again.

Shen Yanzhi went to Plum Garden as soon as he woke up. He now lives in the North Garden with Old Madam Shen and rarely sees Fu Rou anymore.

However, it wasn't that he missed his birth mother; rather, he had spent all the money Xie Wanru had given him before she left. If he asked Old Madam Shen for money, she would definitely become suspicious and probably keep a close watch on him.

However, Fu Rou had just entered the manor and was only paid fifty taels of silver a month, which was not enough to bribe the servants. When Shen Yanzhi asked for one hundred taels, she was immediately in a dilemma.