Chapter 9: What? There's an Even Bigger Scandal?

“Mother, what will you eat? You’ll get hungry if you don’t eat!” Li Mumu saw the troubled look on her mother’s face, but to help her escape this misery, she had to harden her heart and let her give up hope early.

Li Yuan frowned, irritated by their fussing, and impatiently said, “Why don’t you just send your mother to get some more? She’s your grandfather’s daughter; there’s no way she’d be left without food.”

Li Mumu’s mouth opened wide. “Then will Father give your delicious food to Mumu too?”

Li Yuan was momentarily stunned by the little girl’s question. He looked at the naive child in disbelief. Somehow, he found himself softened by this silly girl.

“I... I don’t have any? But if I do... I’ll give it to you,” Li Yuan said reluctantly. “What kind of parent wouldn’t care for their child?”

After speaking, he deliberately glanced at Gu Yuru, as if those words were meant for her.

However, Li Mumu was not going to let it go so easily. “If Father gives the food to Aunt Lin’s unborn baby, then is Father the father of Aunt Lin’s baby?”

As soon as she finished speaking, Li Yuan’s expression changed drastically, and Gu Yuru looked sharply in that direction.

She was no fool. Hearing her daughter say that, a ridiculous and terrifying thought flashed through her mind.

Lin Siyuan, who had been sitting nearby listening, clenched her fists and stood up, walking over.

“Brother Yuan!” she called softly, her autumn-like eyes filled with hope.

As a woman, she naturally hoped Li Yuan would acknowledge her identity.

But Li Yuan was no fool either. Although both the Li and Gu families had been exiled, it was clear that the Gu family’s situation was much better. They had plenty of good things.

Now, if he caused trouble with the Gu family, it would only bring trouble upon himself.

“Mumu, don’t say nonsense,” Li Yuan said, putting on a bluff and looking at Gu Yuru. He lowered his voice, “What did you tell the child? Doesn’t she know that Siyuan’s identity is a secret?”

Li Mumu saw Lin Siyuan’s face stiffen, but she quickly replaced it with a smile. If she wasn’t a bit cunning, she wouldn’t have been able to mesmerize her scoundrel father into abandoning his wife and children.

“Madam, Brother Yuan just feels sorry for me. This bun... I won’t eat it. I’m originally just a poor girl. I can’t compare to someone who’s been raised in luxury like you. I’m satisfied just to have something to eat,” Lin Siyuan said as she looked down at her belly.

“My husband saved Brother Yuan because he knew he was a great hero. It was his duty, but Brother Yuan is a good man, holding onto old feelings...”

Li Mumu almost applauded. If she hadn’t read the novel, she would have thought it was true.

There was no way Li Yuan would let another man touch his woman. In other words, he wouldn’t want a woman who had been with someone else. In fact, that deputy general was just a figurehead arranged by Li Yuan to maintain appearances with his mistress.

In the novel, that deputy was said to have died in battle, but now that seemed questionable.

Lin Siyuan’s words stirred Li Yuan’s pity deeply. His gaze toward Gu Yuru grew even harsher, as if she were a criminal.

---

“You’re pregnant; you should eat better, or you won’t be able to endure the journey,” Li Mumu said, unable to stop her mother in time, she saw her foolish mother hand the buns to the scoundrel father and the mistress. She wanted to stop her but then reconsidered and withdrew her hand.

Li Yuan breathed a sigh of relief. “Yuru, I knew you were the most sensible.”

“Look, big brother, second brother, and Rongrong haven’t eaten yet. You should go get some more...”

Li Yuan’s expression softened considerably, almost as if he were bestowing a favor. His eyes toward Gu Yuru grew gentler.

However, Gu Yuru’s gaze was ice-cold. “They haven’t eaten? If you have the face, go ask for it yourself. I don’t have the face to.”

With that, she took her daughter’s hand and moved aside.

Li Yun Chao hurried over with his two younger brothers. Seeing the situation was unfavorable, they each held up a bun in front of Gu Yuru.

“Mother, I’m full. You can have mine,” Li Yun Chao said obediently.

Gu Yuru shook her head. “You all eat it yourselves. Mother has no choice, but you don’t owe her anything.”

Li Mumu’s heart skipped. “Mother owes whom? Owes what?”

Gu Yuru gently held her daughter on her lap, swallowing the bitterness in her heart, and shook her head with a smile.

She was still Li Yuan’s wife, and the daughter-in-law of the Li family. She couldn’t make things too harsh.

Li Mumu, watching her mother’s endurance, guessed that her mother was disappointed with the scoundrel father, but not enough to think of divorce.

No matter, she would push a little more.

Li Yuan naturally had no face to see his in-laws. He should have gone with Gu Yuru earlier.

Only two buns existed, but there were so many people in the Li family.

“Third brother, why don’t I have a bun?” Li Rong, the youngest daughter, was spoiled and used to having all the best things. Naturally, this was no exception.

“Yeah, third brother, what about ours?” Li Shengyu, the eldest, complained.

Zhao and Sun also clamored, especially Sun, “Third brother, your own nephews haven’t eaten yet. Why should other children matter?”

Li Mumu smirked slightly. That was why she retracted her hand from stopping her mother from giving the buns. However, it seemed that Second Aunt and the others didn’t know whose child was in Lin Siyuan’s womb.

That made things interesting.

---

Li Yuan frowned. “Rongrong, you’re young. Mother loves you most. Do you want to snatch her food?”

Li Rong snorted coldly. “When did I say I wanted to snatch Mother’s food?”

Lin Siyuan, who had eaten half her bun, though cold, tasted much better than what the jailers had given her. She frowned at Li Rong’s words.

But she never liked to act on her own.

She just looked helplessly at Li Yuan, biting her lip like a pitiful little white rabbit.

Li Yuan hated seeing her like that. “Rongrong, Siyuan is pregnant. Why compete with her? It’s just a morsel of food.”

Li Rong snorted. “Sounds nice, just a morsel? I just heard, this is all we’re eating today. Why give it to her? So what if she’s got a kid? Who hasn’t...”

Before she could finish, Old Madam Li covered her mouth and glared at her fiercely.

Li Mumu took a deep breath. Could it be that her little aunt was also secretly pregnant?

Li Yuan frowned and looked toward Gu Yuru. But seeing her eating a simple cornbread, he no longer had the face to ask her to go to her family for more.

Li Mumu glanced at her mother. No wonder she refused to eat earlier. Part of it was concern for the child, and part was likely to silence Li Yuan.

It seemed her mother’s love-struck foolishness was not beyond saving.

Li Yuan was also annoyed by the crowd, throwing out a bitter remark, “Eat or don’t eat, starve if you want.”

He hadn’t eaten either but looking at the food, he really had no appetite.

Li Mumu was in no hurry, planning to prepare a proper meal for her mother and brothers tonight.

Unexpectedly, someone suddenly jumped out from behind her.

“Silly... Mumu, there’s a pond over there. I’ll take you fishing, okay?”

Li Mumu smiled brightly at the mischievous Li Yun Zhe. “Sure!”

The children didn’t wander far, and the adults were too hungry to bother. The jailers turned a blind eye.

But suddenly, a scream rang out: “Ah! Snake... snake, help!”