Reborn as a concubine's daughter and entering a noble family: Xie Lang, don't be too seduc

When Hawthorne entered the study, Xie Hou had already been waiting there for quite some time.

Hearing the approaching footsteps, I stopped writing and put the pen aside.

He got up to greet her as she entered. "Why are you up so early? Didn't you sleep well last night?"

Huo Sanghua was taken aback. Seeing that Xie Hou had been busy in the study for quite some time, she had initially thought she was late and worried about being scolded. "You've rested well."

"Sit down." Xie Hou led her to sit down to the side. The aroma of food wafted from a food box on the small table.

After Sang Hua sat down, Xie Hou opened the food box and took out several plates of exquisitely crafted pastries—

He gestured for her to try it.

Although Huo Sanghua was somewhat puzzled by Xie Hou's actions, she had no choice but to accept Xie Hou's warm invitation. She gently picked up a peach-shaped pastry, put it to her mouth, and took a small bite... "Delicious."

Hearing her say it was delicious, Xie Hou breathed a sigh of relief, "Try some other things."

"..." Huo Sanghua felt a pang of guilt, glancing furtively at Wu Tong, utterly bewildered by the stark difference in the attitudes Xie Hou and the old lady had towards her. "My Lord..."

The moment the words "Lord Marquis" left his lips, Xie Hou's gaze, which he raised, revealed a palpable sadness.

Realizing she had misspoke, Hawthorne quickly corrected herself, saying, "Father-in-law."

"Sigh!" Xie Hou's expression changed immediately, and he looked much happier. "Try it, it still tastes the same as before. I think you'll like it."

"Did my father-in-law ask me to come over early this morning just so I could try some pastries?" Huo Sanghua mustered her courage and asked the question that had been bothering her.

I just can't figure it out. Lord Xie should be a very busy person, so why would he have the leisure to just let her come over and have some snacks?

"What else is there?" Xie Hou asked in return.

"...My father-in-law summoned me here, perhaps... he also wants to tell me about the rules of the family?" Huo Sanghua thought about it and felt that this idea was more reliable, otherwise why would Marquis Xie summon her so early in the morning?

She had been married to Xie Lin for some time now, and she counted the days, wondering when she could finally leave this place.

Time is naturally clear...

Having been married for so long, how could I not be nervous when I met this dignified Marquis of Anding for the first time yesterday?

When the topic turned to the family rules, Xie Hou waved his hand and said, "There aren't that many rules in the family. You've just married in, so take your time. Don't take it too seriously. You don't need to be so restrained all the time. Just be comfortable."

Hawthorne's jaw nearly dropped to the floor.

"Sang Hua, I summoned you here simply to tell you one thing: I am very happy that you can marry Lin'er and become a member of the Xie family." Xie Hou said earnestly and sincerely, looking at Sang Hua with a loving expression as if looking at the orphan of an old friend. "In the blink of an eye, you've grown so much. Don't worry, you can live happily in the Xie family from now on. No matter what happens, the Xie family will protect you. We will never let you suffer the slightest grievance again!"

"Why?" Huo Sanghua still didn't understand why Xie Hou was acting this way.

“...Your father is my closest friend.” Xie Hou gave a reason in a daze, but after hesitating for a moment, he added, “Actually, your mother... to me is like a sister, and your maternal grandfather is my master. He raised me and taught me skills. He is like a father to me.”

Mother? Maternal grandfather?

Seeing that Sang Hua still didn't understand, Xie Hou patiently explained, "Your grandfather was a very virtuous and prestigious man. When he was young, he studied Taoist arts and military strategy under Master Li Gu. Later, after his father passed away, he had to go down the mountain to carry on his father's unfinished wish and lead troops to fight and protect the territory. Later, he took in some disciples and imparted all his knowledge to them, hoping that these disciples could continue to protect the great land like him."

"Disciple? Then you... are also my grandfather's disciple?"

Perhaps it was because of Xie Hou's overly kind attitude that Huo Sanghua felt comfortable and, as usual, mustered up his courage to ask.

She had never heard anything about her mother's family and was very curious.

"Yes." Xie Hou admitted, his smile becoming even more benevolent. "Your maternal grandfather had many disciples, spread all over the world. Not to mention me, even that Huo... even your father was one of his disciples."

Huo Sanghua looked at Xie Hou, who had almost let something slip, with particular concern.

That last sentence was clearly meant to refer to "that General Huo" in front of her, not "your father."

Clearly, Marquis Xie also knew about her background and was well aware that General Huo was not her real father.

“Father-in-law,” Hawthorne called softly, “you’re not talking about my birth mother, Aunt Chun, are you?”

"Aunt Chun? What Aunt Chun?" Xie Hou was stumped by the question, then vaguely remembered something and was about to explain...

"I am not General Huo's daughter, am I?" Huo Sanghua asked, seizing the opportunity.

But this stumped Lord Xie.

"...Actually, I vaguely remember some of his appearance. He was very good to me and loved me dearly, but... he didn't give me the impression of a father loving his daughter. The Huo family didn't like me. I thought it was because of Aunt Chun, but later I realized that wasn't the case." Huo Sanghua was young at the time, but she could sense that the Huo family never treated her as General Huo's daughter.

Especially Mrs. Huo.

Her nominal stepmother!

"They all say my birth mother was Aunt Chun, a woman my father kept outside the marriage. She gave birth to me and died in childbirth. But I clearly remember that's not the case. I have some impression of Aunt Chun; I remember calling her that. If she died in childbirth, how could I have called her 'mother'? But everyone in the Huo family knows she did die in childbirth. So I think... she must have died in childbirth, but not because of giving birth to me. The fact that I remember calling her that means we had contact..."

Hawthorne calculated.

When she arrived at Aunt Chun's side, Aunt Chun should already be pregnant.

She was at least one year old at that time.

Aunt Chun could not be her biological mother. The reason she had an impression of Aunt Chun in her subconscious was because Aunt Chun had taken care of her and lived with her for a period of time during that period.

Later, Aunt Chun had a difficult childbirth.

She was then sent back to the Huo family by General Huo...

If the Huo family can accept a woman who was kept by General Huo as a concubine, why can't they openly reveal her background?

Therefore, she shouldn't be General Huo's daughter...

For reasons unknown, she was taken back by General Huo and placed in the care of his pregnant concubine, Consort Chun. This is how Consort Chun and she gained some recollection of living together. However, she was too young at the time and doesn't remember what Consort Chun looked like.

I don't remember what happened...

But she remembered calling someone "little girl" once!

If she was the daughter born during Aunt Chun's difficult childbirth... how could she possibly retain such memories?!

So, who exactly is she?!

Just now, when Xie Hou spoke so kindly about her mother and maternal grandfather, who exactly was she referring to?!