Forced to be a concubine? I turned around and married the scumbag's father.

Gu Hua was forced to tilt her head back, her mind becoming increasingly confused.

Why ask her when you're so angry?

If he doesn't help, what other options does she have?

Why does everyone have to pressure and bully her?

She felt like she was going to die and couldn't control herself at all.

Her soft, sweet voice rang out faster than reason: "I want a kiss... I want you... please..."

Gu Hua's mind was buzzing, but she clearly heard what she said, and regret began to torment her again.

With her shamelessness, it's impossible for Mu Junyan to take her to heart.

"it is good."

Mu Junyan's tone seemed to convey pleasure, low and magnetic.

For Gu Hua, it was like drinking a large cup of sweet spring water, refreshing and sweet.

Mu Junyan suddenly leaned down, and she nervously closed her eyes, her cherry-red lips slightly parted, ready to face the storm.

Suddenly, a sharp pain shot through my fingertips.

The familiar pain made her open her eyes abruptly, and when she saw her bloodied fingertips, she shivered all over.

"No...don't prick my nails, it hurts so much...I...I'll be good...please..."

Gu Hua's face was filled with tears, her delicate body trembled, and she tried hard to pull her hand back from the prick.

Before her eyes flickered the狰狞 faces of Aunt Pei and Gu Wanru. They pierced her fingernails one by one with thin needles, until they were bloody and mangled. They still wouldn't let her go, so they tied both of her hands to the armrests of the chair until all ten of her fingers were covered with needles.

They didn't care what kind of needle it was—a tiny embroidery needle, a slightly thicker sewing needle, or a coarse needle for sewing quilts.

When we run out of needles, we'll use hairpins...

The mother and daughter watched her pitiful cries and laughed heartily.

Mu Junyan hadn't expected her to struggle so fiercely. Remembering the suffering she had endured, he knew she was confused and thought she was being tortured again.

Before Physician Sun and Shen Li could devise an antidote, he could only use this method to help her bleed and cool down.

So he sat on the bed, lifted her horizontally onto his lap, and wrapped his arms around her from behind.

She softened her voice and coaxed, "I'm not pricking you, I'm just drawing blood. I'm not pricking your nails, I'm just drawing blood from the acupoints on your fingertips. You'll feel better after I draw a little blood."

Gu Hua felt safe and secure as she was enveloped in warmth.

Calm down, I looked at my bleeding fingers through the mist.

He truly is a gentleman.

He did not take advantage of her vulnerability to bully her.

Mu Junyan felt the little woman in his arms quiet down and whispered in her ear, "Can you bear it?"

Gu Hua curled up in his arms like a frightened kitten, obediently nodding and whispering, "Yes, I can."

Mu Junyan really wanted to kiss her rosy cheeks.

Suppressing his desires and concentrating his energy, he grasped Gu Hua's fingertips, gently rotated the needle tip to pierce her fingertip, drawing blood.

The person in his arms let out a soft moan and gasped.

Mu Junyan tried to be as gentle as possible, but if he was too gentle, he wouldn't be able to squeeze out enough blood, and it would be ineffective.

He quickly switched hands, hardened his heart, and continued to stab. When he saw beads of blood flowing out, he pulled out and continued stabbing.

Each stab felt like it was piercing Mu Junyan himself, making him gasp for breath along with the little woman.

Mu Junyan has killed countless people without ever blinking an eye, but he never expected that he would be so careful when pricking a little woman's finger, feeling a pang of heartache with each prick.

He almost laughed at himself for being so dramatic.

They heard footsteps approaching from afar, followed by Zhou Zhilan's voice.

Mu Junyan breathed a sigh of relief, glanced at Gu Hua whose eyes were brimming with tears, and said in a low voice, "Physician Sun and Shen Li have arrived. They must have a solution."

Gu Hua breathed a sigh of relief, turned her head slightly, and looked at the handsome face so close to her, her heart in turmoil.

Mu Junyan put Gu Hua into the quilt, walked to the window, and opened it: "Let them in."

Zhou Zhilan turned around upon hearing the sound, looking surprised.

Huh, they're dressed so neatly... Could it be that nothing happened?

Physician Sun rushed in carrying his medicine chest. Shen Li carried a food box, put it down, and went to the bath room to prepare a medicinal bath for Gu Hua.

Gu Hua was feeling much better. The physician from the Sun family took her pulse for a while and then inserted silver needles into several acupoints.

Then he took out a bowl of medicine from the food box: "Miss, drink the medicine and then take a medicinal bath for half an hour, and you will be fine."

Gu Hua obediently took the bowl. A bitter, strange smell wafted from it. She frowned slightly, her eyes red, and drank it all in small sips.

Shen Li brought Donghua and Dongqing in.

"Master, the medicine is ready."

"You all help the girl up. Keep an eye on the water temperature; it shouldn't be too cold."

"Yes."

Donghua and Dongqing helped Gu Hua up and saw that she was soaked to the bone, with her clothes and pants sticking to her body.

Physician Sun quickly bowed his head and left.

Mu Junyan also turned around and followed Physician Sun out, speaking to him in a low voice.

"Are you sure it's from the brothel?"

"Yes."

The physician from the Sun family glanced at him and whispered, "Aunt Yao also admitted it, saying that Aunt Yin asked her for it, but she didn't say anything else."

Mu Junyan's face darkened.

How dare they resort to such despicable tactics in the Duke's mansion!

"Go and find out the truth," Mu Junyan ordered, turning his head.

Akabane vanished in a flash from the shadows.

"Zhilan, go and call your brother to come over together."

Zhou Zhilan agreed and went.

After taking a bath, Gu Hua felt weak and listless. She was helped out of the bathhouse by Dong Hua and Dong Qing.

Looking up, I saw Mu Junyan standing under the ginkgo tree in the courtyard, looking up at the tree full of yellow leaves.

Its stature has increased, and it stands proudly.

Turning around at the sound, the girl's long, black hair was soaking wet, cascading down and soaking her newly changed white undergarment.

Her thin inner garment revealed her exquisite figure, attracting attention.

"Come inside quickly, lest you catch a cold."

Gu Hua had so much to say, but couldn't bring herself to say it.

Blushing, she lowered her head and went into the room, burrowing under the covers, but couldn't help looking out the window.

A tall, slender man appeared beside Mu Junyan.

Akabane?

Gu Hua doesn't seem to have ever seen him face to face.

Mu Junyan seemed to notice her gaze and looked over.

Gu Hua quickly lowered her head.

She must have been incredibly embarrassed just now.

Hearing the steady footsteps leave, Gu Hua looked up again, only to find that Mu Junyan and Chi Yu were already gone.

Gu Hua was restless, feeling that she owed someone something.

"I'm going to the kitchen." She threw back the covers and was about to get out of bed.

Donghua and Dongqing were so frightened that they quickly held her down.

"The young lady has just suffered a great ordeal; she needs to rest well."

Gu Hua blushed. What kind of suffering is that?

It was all because of my own greed that I fell into this trap.

"It's nothing, I'm not sick, I'm fine now." Gu Hua stubbornly got out of bed.

The two maids had no choice but to help her change her clothes.

Shen Li brought in a bowl of herbal medicine and frowned upon seeing this: "What are you doing?"

"I'm going to make some snacks. I promised Steward Zhou that I would make some snacks for the master as a late-night treat."

Gu Hua looked timidly at Shen Li, who had a cold face, like a child who had done something wrong.

Shen Li stared at her intently, then suddenly sighed and softened her tone: "It's all my fault. My medical skills are not good enough, and I failed to detect the problem."

Gu Hua quickly took the medicine from her hand and drank it all in one gulp.

He quickly reassured her, "It's okay, you've never seen such filthy stuff before."

Shen Li glanced at her: "Idiot."

Gu Hua grabbed her hand and pleaded, "Good Dr. Shen, the medicine worked so well, I'm fine now, can I go make some desserts?"

Shen Li let out a soft "Eh!" and brushed her hand away: "Go away, go away."

Gu Hua smiled broadly and tried to walk quickly by lifting her skirt, but her legs gave way and she almost knelt on the ground.

Donghua, quick-witted and agile, scooped it up in one go.

Gu Hua smiled awkwardly at Shen Li: "I'll walk slowly."

Shen Li looked disgusted: "I don't know what she's thinking, she doesn't cherish herself at all."

Gu Hua was busy in the kitchen when Zhou Zhilan rushed over.

He pulled her out of the kitchen and whispered in her ear.

Gu Hua looked surprised: "Yinzhi said she wanted to please the young master and asked Yaoyao for it?"

"Yes. The master wants to impose a fine, and the young mistress is crying and begging."

Gu Hua thought for a moment. The pastries were all shaped and ready to be steamed and baked.

"Wait for me."

Gu Hua returned to the kitchen and asked the cook to steam or bake for her. The cook knew that this second Miss Gu's status in the mansion was growing day by day, so she smiled and agreed.

Gu Hua pulled Zhou Zhilan along, saying, "Let's go take a look."