Chapter 242 A piercing pain stabs in my heart.
Yao Qingling had long heard that Xiao'er privately called Zhan Xingzhuo "father".
She did feel a little upset at the time, but she quickly let it go, saying it was only a matter of time.
Hearing "Father" with my own ears now still makes me feel a little sad, but perhaps I was mentally prepared. This time, the sadness is not as bad as eating a spoiled bun.
It was just a tiny bit disgusting.
Upon hearing that soft, sweet "Father," Zhan Xingzhuo's body stiffened slightly.
He glanced at Yao Qingling out of the corner of his eye, subconsciously watching her reaction.
But Yao Qingling had already turned around, and with the help of her maid, she stepped onto the horse's saddle, clearly about to leave.
How could she not react? How could she not care?
Zhan Xingzhuo thought that Yao Qingling was just suppressing her jealousy.
He smiled at Xiao'er and held the child in his arms.
Zhou Zhining was the last to come down. Zhan Xingzhuo held Xiao'er in one arm and reached out to Zhou Zhining with the other. She took his hand and gracefully stepped down the stool.
"Yao Qingling, are you eating here too?" Zhou Zhining asked Yao Qingling, standing next to Zhan Xingzhuo.
Qingling was already standing on the carriage platform, about to enter the carriage, but upon hearing this, she could only come out to appease her.
Her high position gave the impression that she was looking down on them.
"How dare you! You don't even come down to pay your respects to our adults!" Zhiyun rebuked Yao Qingling loudly.
Qingling is neither an official's wife nor has a prince as her father.
She was just an orphan with no one to rely on.
Qingling raised an eyebrow helplessly.
There's a famous saying: "The people can't fight against the officials."
Even if the man in front of her was once her husband.
Qing Ling didn't look at Zhan Xingzhuo, but looked at Zhou Zhining.
She simply wanted to flaunt her superiority and her nobility.
Even if she was a government slave, as long as that man loved her, she was the noble Miss Zhou.
Xia Chan clenched her fists. Although she was angry, she couldn't cause trouble at this time. She thought to herself, "Luckily, Lou Yue didn't come out today, otherwise, with her quick tongue, we probably would have already started arguing."
Yao Qingling turned around, got off the carriage, walked up to Zhan Xingzhuo, and bowed to him according to custom.
Zhou Zhining couldn't help but curl her lips into a smile.
I love watching Yao Qingling's unruly nature being trampled underfoot.
Zhan Xingzhuo held Xiao'er in his arms, with Zhou Zhining beside him and Yao Qingling kneeling in greeting opposite him.
If he doesn't speak, Yao Qingling will have to stay in that position until she loses her balance and falls, at which point he can accuse her of being impolite.
Zhan Xingzhuo was determined to put Yao Qingling to a test, and seeing Yao Qingling bend his knees and stoop before his eyes did not make him happy.
Qingling lowered her eyes, maintaining a steady posture while bowing.
Did they think she would lose her balance?
That's wrong.
She was weak after giving birth, so Lin Shiyuan instructed Nie Yun to help her improve her physical strength. Yao Qingling practiced for half an hour every morning and evening, starting with the most basic horse stance.
Back then, Yao Qingling complained that her legs were sore, but now they're just right.
Seeing that she didn't bow with a submissive manner, Zhan Xingzhuo, who hadn't felt happy before, suddenly felt happy again.
Her bending over and stooping reminded him of her obedient and docile past, making him nostalgic and heartbroken. Yet, he also remembered that it was only because she had let go, which made him unhappy.
His joy at this moment stemmed from seeing Yao Qingling's stubbornness once again.
The fact that she's going against him shows that she still cares, doesn't it?
Zhan Xingzhuo's lips curled up slightly, but he still put on a cold and indifferent look: "Get up."
Yao Qingling stood up, her lips moving as if she wanted to say something, but the words died in her throat.
If you don't see eye to eye, even half a sentence is too much.
Saying anything would only deepen the entanglement between the two, so they should remain silent.
She said calmly, "Is there anything else, sir? If not, I should go back now."
Zhan Xingzhuo glanced back at the restaurant and asked, "You're eating here? Alone?"
He remembered the rumor that Yao Qingling had met with eight matchmakers. Could it be that she had really been set up with a man here?
Yao Qingling pursed her lips and remained silent.
Where she eats and who she meets are her private matters, and she has the right not to say.
Zhan Xingzhuo stared at her, as if he wouldn't let her leave until she spoke.
But Xiao'er was lively and active, and he couldn't stand such a long silence.
He hugged Zhan Xingzhuo's neck and swung his legs: "Daddy, Xiao'er is hungry. Xiao'er wants to eat steamed lamb."
Zhou Zhining observed the two people's every move.
Although they hadn't exchanged many words, she was the person who understood Zhan Xingzhuo the most.
Even though he didn't say anything, she could sense his restraint. His gaze on Yao Qingling seemed to be fixed on her!
Zhou Zhining secretly clenched her fingers and smiled slightly as she spoke: "Xiao'er was sick a few days ago and didn't want anyone but Brother Xingzhuo. Brother Xingzhuo has doted on him since he was born and spoiled him rotten. Now that he's recovered, he wants Brother Xingzhuo to come to Xiangyuan with him for dinner."
Yao Qingling remained calm and composed, as if listening to someone else's idle chatter.
But I felt a piercing pain in my heart.
How could she not know?
She witnessed firsthand how Zhan Xingzhuo held that kitten-sized child, his eyes filled with joy and his face radiating love.
Xiao'er fell ill, so he took him back to the mansion and took care of him personally, even sleeping next to him at night.
He personally handled everything from feeding medicine to changing diapers.
Yao Qingling pinched her palm with her hand hidden in her sleeve.
However, she quickly came to terms with it.
Since the father is leaving and the son is staying, why should we care about his care?
The wet nurse was very devoted, He Yin was an excellent doctor, and Lin Shiyuan loved Zhao'er very much. Everyone in Mulan Courtyard, Huibafang, and the manor only recognized Zhao'er as their young master. Yao Qingling would give him even more and better things.
Zhao'er doesn't need Zhan Xingzhuo's personal care; he doesn't deserve it.
Yao Qingling smiled slightly, but remained silent with her lips closed.
Zhou Zhining felt as if she were holding the sharpest needle and stabbing the other person's softest spot. She expected to see Yao Qingling with red eyes, looking aggrieved and hurt, but what she saw in front of her gave her the feeling that her sharpest needle had pierced a hard shield.
Zhou Zhining then said, "By the way, Qingling, your child... is he three months old now? Newborns are weak, so you have to be especially careful. They can catch a cold from even the slightest breeze. But if you overdress them, they can get a fever. You really have to treat them like precious gems, afraid they might melt in your mouth or fall in your arms."
“When Xiao’er was first born, he was always sick, and I couldn’t do anything about it. When he cried, I could only cry along with him. Fortunately, I had Xingzhuo, and everything he did was the best.”
As she spoke, she looked at Zhan Xingzhuo with tender eyes.
Zhan Xingzhuo's expression was not pleasant; he even clenched his fists.
Zhou Zhining's words provoked Yao Qingling, but they also reminded him of his neglect of Zhao'er and the unfairness he had shown her.
As the child's biological father, he did nothing for him, not even a hug.
Qing Ling smiled calmly, looked at Xiao'er, and said softly, "Doesn't this child call everyone 'Daddy'?"
"Miss Zhou keeps calling him Brother Xingzhuo, is she giving her child to Minister Zhan for adoption?"
Zhou Zhining's expression changed, and she opened her mouth, but couldn't find the words to shut up.
According to the laws of the Li Dynasty, officials and slaves could not marry; they could only be roommates or concubines.
Concubines were no different from servants and could even be sold or given away.
The children of servants are naturally servants as well.
Even if Zhan Xingzhuo wanted to adopt Xiao'er, he would still need to find a member of the Zhan clan and give Xiao'er a new identity before the adoption ceremony could be performed.
Yao Qingling, having struck at the snake's vital point, suppressed a laugh.
Zhan Xingzhuo glanced at her and said in a deep voice, "Zhao'er didn't come out with you?"
Yao Qingling thought he was talking nonsense. She said, "The child has a wet nurse to take care of him, a female doctor to look after him, and guards to protect him. I am very relieved."
As she spoke, she glanced at Xiao'er.
It was as if Zhan Xingzhuo's concern was superfluous.
Yao Qingling has always been a pragmatist.
Zhao'er was born weak, but thanks to He Yin's daily pediatric massage, she has become strong.
Unlike them, who outwardly appear to care about and worry about their children, but in reality use them to their own advantage and deliberately disgust people.
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