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

After Chi Yan left, only Mu Junyan and Gu Hua remained in the room.

Gu Hua lowered her head, her mind wandering.

She belatedly realized that Mu Junyan had already sent people to investigate her background and knew that she had been switched at birth.

So……

Did she waste her sleep last night?

Mu Junyan looked at her listless state, and it was no wonder; she had been exhausted last night.

Today, he learned that his miserable life was the result of someone's scheme. Even he would find it hard to accept, let alone such a fragile little girl.

"come over."

Gu Hua looked up blankly.

Seeing that he was looking at her, Gu Hua had no choice but to obediently stand up and walk in front of him: "What are your orders, Duke?"

Again with that polite tone, Mu Junyan's eyes darkened slightly. He grabbed her hand, pulled her into his arms, and made her sit sideways on his lap.

Gu Hua froze.

This...isn't it inappropriate to indulge in lewdness in broad daylight?

Besides, she wouldn't be in the mood for that even if she were facing a handsome man full of power.

Mu Junyan felt her waist stiffen as her whole body resisted his touch, and his sword-like eyebrows furrowed slightly.

Is she only obedient and docile when she needs something from him?

Does a woman feel differently when she voluntarily gives herself to a man versus when she is passively given herself to him?

Looking back, she was passive in all three instances.

He seems like a customer of prostitutes... This feeling is very unpleasant.

Gu Hua was suddenly pinched in the waist, making her hiss in pain. She turned to look at him, her eyes full of resentment, but she dared not speak her anger.

Her bright red eyes resembled those of a pitiful little white rabbit.

Mu Junyan's initial anger dissipated instantly.

The little girl has just suffered a severe emotional trauma; he shouldn't hold it against her.

He released his pinching hand and instead gently stroked her waist and back, much like stroking the fur of a cat with its fur standing on end.

Mu Junyan suddenly smiled.

Gu Hua was even angrier.

Do you treat her like a toy?

My previous goodwill and gratitude towards him have faded somewhat.

That's right, his relationship with her was nothing more than a transaction.

"Are you bored?"

Gu Hua didn't react to the abrupt and nonsensical remark.

Before she could answer, Mu Junyan continued, "If you're bored, help Zhou Zhilan manage the household affairs. You should learn something, lest you be useless after you get married."

A fulfilling life with things to do provides a sense of security, preventing one from having time to philander and cause trouble for their partner.

Gu Hua stared blankly at him.

He allowed himself to get married?

"Hmm. I'll give you the same monthly allowance as Mu An. Are you satisfied?"

The little girl is short of money; give her some silver coins so she won't get all excited when she sees someone giving her a banknote.

really……

Gu Hua's eyes lit up.

Ok?

what?

Is there still a monthly allowance?

Gu Hua perked up and asked in a soft, sweet voice, "Why do you still give me a monthly allowance when you're teaching me how to manage a household under Sister Zhou's guidance?"

"You put in the work, so of course you should get something in return."

That makes a lot of sense.

Gu Hua felt like she was holding it a little unsteadily.

"Then... how much is the son-in-law's monthly allowance?" Gu Hua couldn't help but ask.

"Fifty taels, I suppose."

"Fifty taels!"

That's what she earned after copying books for months.

Gu Hua's eyes widened in surprise.

It looks just like a hungry cat meowing at its owner and then getting excited to eat meat.

She is indeed kind of cute.

Mu Junyan couldn't resist gently pinching her delicate nose.

"Too much?"

Mu Junyan felt like teasing him again.

"...That's a bit much."

Gu Hua said against her will, feeling somewhat angry.

Who would complain about having too much money?

Thinking about it, it makes sense. She even copied his late wife's manuscripts for him, and she made him snacks and dishes.

It's only right that they take some money.

Otherwise, if she had to pay the 1,000 taels to replace the jade pendant, she would be penniless.

There are still many things that require money.

The key point is that she has never studied housekeeping, so if she can return to her mother's side in the future, she can help her mother share the burden.

A mother would surely like a daughter who is good at managing the household and is like a lady from a respectable family, right?

A sweet feeling welled up in Gu Hua's heart whenever she thought of her mother.

Soon, she will be someone who has a mother's love.

Seeing a smile appear on her beautiful face, Mu Junyan smiled back.

So it turns out, it's so easy to coax a little girl; fulfilling her small wishes brings a smile to her face.

Mu Junyan reached out and touched her hair: "Little girl, what other wishes do you have?"

Gu Hua's eyes sparkled.

Her wish was to gain freedom and become a useful person like Manager Qiu.

But when a man asks you what your wishes are, does he want to help you fulfill them?

of course not.

He wants to know what your ambitions are.

Gu Huaxing's eyes narrowed slightly with a hint of reproach: "I want to live a good life. To have enough to eat and wear, and to have someone who cares for me."

Look, such a small wish shows that she has no ambition.

A woman without ambition is the only safe thing to have by your side.

Mu Junyan looked at the beautiful young girl.

That's really pitiful.

"As long as I'm here, I will satisfy you."

Gu Hua's heart skipped a beat, and her watery eyes stared at him.

However, he was going to die in three months.

Overwhelmed with sorrow, she couldn't help but snuggle into his arms and whisper, "Your Excellency, may you live to be a hundred years old."

"Silly boy."

Mu Junyan's heart softened at her coaxing. He touched her face and gently placed his fingertip on her lips.

Both of them suddenly developed a fever.

Gu Hua quickly stood up, her face flushed, and whispered, "Would the Duke like some snacks?"

Mu Junyan smiled at her and said, "It's getting dark, time for dinner. After dinner, we'll rest well."

Gu Hua's face turned even redder.

Are you coming again tonight?

Just thinking about it sends chills down my spine, and the pain all over my body returns.

"Then...then I'll go back to my room for dinner. Tonight...the Duke should rest early."

Seeing her about to run away, Mu Junyan grabbed her arm and became serious again: "Gu Wanru, what do you want from her?"

Gu Hua turned around and said without thinking, "I don't want her to escape punishment so easily. Divorcing her and letting her return to the Gu family to continue to bully others would be too lenient on her."

Mu Junyan raised an eyebrow: "I didn't realize you were so ruthless."

She was even more ruthless when she killed herself.

Gu Hua lowered her head: "It's not that I'm heartless, but you reap what you sow."

Mu Junyan narrowed his eyes slightly: "Come here, let me see if you are just as ruthless and cold-hearted towards me."

"Your Excellency, it's time for dinner."

Gu Hua felt as if her hand had been burned. She struggled to break free, lifted her skirt, and fled faster than a rabbit with small, quick steps.

Mu Junyan: "..."

He's not a pervert.

Compared to his age, the little girl was indeed quite young, and...

He clenched his fist and touched the bulging muscles in his arm.

Having fought for years, his muscles had long since hardened to the point of being as hard as steel; without going to the battlefield, he had nowhere to release his full power.

The little girl is delicate and frail; she really won't be able to handle it.

Sigh, should we raise it a bit bigger?

Mu Junyan quickly dismissed the idea and chuckled self-deprecatingly.

He himself doesn't know how many days he will live.

After finishing her dinner, Gu Hua was troubled and worried that Mu Junyan would come looking for her. Her mind was also filled with the shocking news she had learned today, as well as the matter of Pei Yi's winter clothing and military supplies. Her mind was in a complete mess. As soon as her heavy head hit the pillow, she fell asleep without realizing it.

And she slept very soundly.

The next day, I was woken up by a chattering noise.

"Winter Flower?"

"Hey."

Donghua entered in response, followed by Zhou Zhilan.

"Oh dear, from today onwards, you can no longer sleep in."

As Zhou Zhilan spoke with a smile, she personally went to the wardrobe to pick out a proper ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress) for her.

"The lord has decreed that from today onwards, you will be the second female head steward of the manor."

Gu Hua's eyes widened: "No, no, no, I'm learning from my older sister."

Zhou Zhilan pulled her up: "Same here. Get up and wash up. After breakfast, I'll take you on a tour of the place. There's another important task: we two will be hosting the banquet for the old lady's 50th birthday."

Donghua and Dongqing brought in a pile of toiletries with smiles, and Gu Hua stared blankly as they arranged them.

She became the head of the Duke's school so easily?

She couldn't believe it.