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

The couple took their seats, with Gu Hua and Jin Kui standing behind Gu Wanru respectively.

The servants filed in, carrying exquisite dishes.

Zhou Chunyu personally poured wine for the three of them.

"I heard your second sister has arrived at your residence? Where is she?" Mu Junyan asked casually.

Gu Wanru was secretly delighted. Her father didn't even remember Gu Hua's face, which meant he hadn't taken a liking to her.

He smiled apologetically and said, "Father, please forgive me. My half-sister is the daughter of my aunt and doesn't know much about etiquette."

He turned to look at Gu Hua: "What are you standing there for? Hurry up and pay your respects to the master, or you'll embarrass the Gu family."

Mu Junyan raised his gaze slightly and looked at Gu Hua, who was looking down. He couldn't see her face, only her black hair.

Gu Hua composed herself, lowered her head, and stepped forward to kneel down.

She said in a cautious yet cool voice, "Gu Hua greets the Duke."

The voice was completely different from the seductive moans of last night.

Mu Junyan began to doubt his own judgment. Was it really just one person?

"Get up."

Mu Junyan's gaze fell on her hands, which were wrapped in a handkerchief.

"Is the medicine ready?"

Gu Hua was surprised that he would ask such a question. She subconsciously looked up and met his dark, deep eyes, which felt like sharp blades piercing her heart and making her pause.

Startled, she lowered her head and replied tremblingly, "I...I've used it. Thank you for the medicine, my lord."

His face betrayed no emotion, nor did it reveal any hint of the ambiguous feelings that followed their intimacy.

His gaze was like that of a god looking down upon all living beings, indifferent and detached.

Gu Hua felt extremely uneasy.

Gu Wanru's smile froze.

This is tantamount to Father admitting that he has given the medicine.

Mu An's gaze toward Gu Wanru darkened again.

“We’re all family, sit down.” Mu Junyan looked at Gu Hua.

Gu Hua looked at Gu Wanru with timid eyes.

From childhood to adulthood, she never had the right to sit at the dinner table with her older sister.

Gu Wanru hated her expression of being completely manipulated; wasn't this blatantly making her father think she was bullying her?

"Jin Kui, bring over a square stool."

Gu Wanru suppressed her anger and gave Gu Hua a wary look: "Why don't you come and sit down? You always look like you're not good enough for a proper meeting."

Gu Hua obediently stepped forward, bowed and curtsied: "Thank you for the seat, Duke, and thank you for the kindness of my sister and son-in-law."

Fang Wu was very short, and Gu Hua was already petite, so when she sat down, she was half a head shorter than Gu Wanru.

She didn't mind at all, gently shifting half of her bottom, sitting upright, still with her head down, facing the rice bowl in front of her.

He sneered inwardly.

Her own sister humiliated her younger sister in front of her husband's family, and she thought she had gained face?

How stupid.

No wonder she couldn't control her husband; all she knew was to use beautiful women to win his heart.

How many beauties could satisfy a man as ruthless as Mu An?

It's just something you play with for a few months and then abandon, to go looking for new thrills.

My elder sister's husband is quite the womanizer; I wonder if my legitimate sister knows about it?

Ignoring the petty thoughts among women, Mu Junyan raised his wine glass to Mu An and said, "I went to war on the second day of your marriage. Consider this a belated congratulation. I wish you both a long and happy marriage."

After saying that, he started doing it himself.

Mu An and Gu Wanru quickly raised their cups, said auspicious words, and drank.

Gu Hua nervously picked up her wine glass, unsure whether to agree or disagree, since the toast was for the couple.

While hesitating, he overheard Mu Junyan and his wife Mu An chatting about everyday matters.

No one paid attention to her, and she breathed a sigh of relief, slowly putting down her wine glass.

Mu Junyan didn't pick up his chopsticks, so she didn't dare to move either. She could only sit there blankly with her head down, her mind wandering to other things.

Mu Junyan is twenty-eight years old this year, while Mu An is eighteen. The two are only ten years apart in age, so why does Mu Junyan want to mark him as his legitimate son?

In her past life, she had never inquired about the father and son.

Now, if you want to win Mu Junyan's favor, you have to figure out the relationships between the people in the Duke's mansion and understand Mu Junyan's preferences.

Mu Junyan's gaze inadvertently fell on Gu Hua.

The young girl was humble and cautious, and seemed naive as if she had never seen the world before. She was a completely different person from the woman who had tried so hard to seduce him last night.

If I hadn't recognized her face, I really wouldn't have recognized her.

Pack!

Gu Hua's stomach suddenly rumbled a few times, and she hurriedly and awkwardly pressed her stomach.

Her eldest sister hadn't let her have lunch, and she'd just been arguing with her son-in-law, so she was starving.

Mu Junyan picked up his chopsticks and said calmly, "Eat your food."

Mu An and Gu Wanru served Mu Junyan food and wine with great care, saying words of concern for his health.

Mu Junyan spoke calmly, answering every question concisely and to the point.

He didn't forget to remind Gu Wanru to take good care of herself during her pregnancy. Gu Wanru was overjoyed and proud, as she was carrying the future Duke of Yong.

The family of three is very happy.

Only Gu Hua seemed like an outsider, her mind preoccupied with only the plate of stir-fried lily bulbs, lotus seeds, and lotus root slices in front of her.

"I've heard that Wanru is a famous talented woman in the capital," Mu Junyan blurted out.

Gu Wanru's eyes were filled with panic: "My daughter-in-law is dull-witted and does not deserve the title of a talented woman."

"My elder sister's poems are indeed excellent, and she naturally deserves the title of a talented woman. In particular, the three poems she composed at the Empress's flower-viewing banquet amazed the nobles present. As a result, my elder sister received a reward from the Empress and was praised by everyone as a talented woman."

Gu Hua, who had been acting like a saw-mouthed gourd, suddenly spoke up.

Her soft, sweet voice made both men in the room turn to look at her.

Gu Hua lowered her head, continued to pick up the snow-white lotus seeds, and chewed them slowly with her lips pursed.

It was as if she hadn't spoken just now.

Mu Junyan's gaze fell on her delicate lips, which were not rouged and were gently moving, with a natural pink hue.

Immediately, the image of his lips, which had been sucked until they were red last night, flashed into my mind...

A surge of heat rushed up to my head.

He quickly looked away, picked up his glass, and took a swig.

Mu Junyan was a little annoyed with himself.

He felt an inappropriate, instinctive desire that he had to suppress!

Gu Wanru glared at her and said, "Sister, don't talk nonsense. Don't make Father laugh at you."

To impress his father, Mu An smiled and said, "I know Wanru is quite talented. Why don't you have Wanru write down three poems and ask your father for some pointers?"

Gu Wanru's face turned pale.

She covered her face with a handkerchief and said coquettishly, "My lord, how dare I display my meager talents in front of Father? Besides, we are having dinner with Father right now, so perhaps..."

"Zhou Chunyu, prepare pen and ink," Mu Junyan said slowly.

Soon, Zhou Chunyu had a small table brought up and set out writing brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones.

Gu Wanru glared fiercely at Gu Hua.

Gu Hua put down her chopsticks and looked at Gu Wanru considerately, saying, "Eldest sister is going to drink with the lord, so why don't I write it for her? I can recite all of your poems by heart."

Although Gu Wanru was angry, this was the only solution she had at the moment: "Okay."

"You can write?" Mu Junyan looked at her.

Gu Wanru answered quickly: "My younger sister studied with me in a bookstore for two years and can write some characters, but she doesn't write them very well, so please don't laugh at her, Father."

Mu Junyan raised an eyebrow: "Then please have Second Madam Gu write it down and let me see."

"Yes."

Gu Hua silently encouraged herself, walked to the edge of the stage, picked up her brush, and calmly began to write.

Gu Wanru stared intently at Gu Hua, her gaze filled with a desire to pierce her with a thousand holes.

The small desk was right next to Mu Junyan, and he could see Gu Hua's writing clearly just by turning his head.

He held the pen upright, wrote smoothly, and produced elegant characters.

Unexpectedly, the illegitimate daughter of the Gu family had such beautiful calligraphy skills.

Mu Junyan's gaze fell on the exposed section of her snow-white wrist.

This little hand was very naughty yesterday.

His eyes darkened slightly: "Second Madam Gu's handwriting is quite good."

The tone became several degrees lower and hoarse.

Zhou Chunyu's eyes darted around. He had followed his master for almost twenty years and had never praised any woman.

The lord has really taken a liking to this little girl!

He then smiled and said, "The Gu family is a family of scholars and officials. Old Master Gu was the Grand Academician of the Hanlin Academy, and the head of the Gu family was a third-ranked scholar. Naturally, the young ladies of the Gu family are all talented."

Mu An's expression remained unmoved.

Gu Wanru's hands, gripping the chopsticks, were bulging with veins, and she almost broke the chopsticks.

That little slut is showing off by stepping on her!