Chapter 1

Chapter 1: The Sucker Stepdad

“Are you saying you are pregnant with Jun Yan’s child?”

The suddenly raised voice echoed through the wide, empty hall, showing how shaken the Host was inside, and also jolting awake the girl who had been daydreaming in the corner.

Du An Rao glanced at the woman sitting on the sofa. She wore a white dress, her long hair fell over her shoulders, her figure was slim, her lowered eyes shimmered with tears, and her cheeks were a little red. She looked like a small white flower swaying in the wind, so delicate and pitiful.

But the moment she thought of the true face hidden under that weak look, Du An Rao’s eyelid could not help but twitch hard.

A few days ago, when Du An Rao was kicked out of the sect by her Master, she accidentally learned that she was actually the Du Family’s real daughter, who had been lost outside for more than ten years.

On the way home with Father Du and Mother Du, they ran into a small accident. When she woke up again, there was an Inner Library in her head.

At first, Du An Rao did not really care about it, until she ran into Bai Xiu Qing at home today.

“Aunt Yao, I know this news might be a bit sudden for you.” Bai Xiu Qing said softly, “On the fifth of last month, I had just come back from overseas. I passed through City C, and the night I checked into the hotel, I happened to run into Brother Jun Yan. He had been drinking, and there was no one around to take care of him. I was worried, so I followed him over. I never thought…”

“This whole thing was an accident, so you can’t blame Brother Jun Yan. I was planning to keep it inside my stomach and never say a word. But two days ago I suddenly felt unwell, so I went to the hospital. Only then did I find out that I was already carrying a child.”

When she said this, the woman’s eyes grew even redder: “It doesn’t matter if I don’t have a proper status, but the child… he can’t grow up without a father.”

[Sure, a child shouldn’t be without a Papa. But you also can’t just grab any man and call him Papa. You are in such a rush to find the kid a dad. Have you even asked the child’s real father yet?]

“Wh…”

The sudden sound pulled Mother Du’s thoughts back. She turned her head and met her husband’s equally shocked gaze.

The two of them looked at each other, then, without meaning to, both turned to look at the little daughter they had just brought home, who was standing not far away.

Seeing them suddenly look over, Du An Rao was also confused: “What is it?”

“…Nothing.” Mother Du forced down the doubts in her heart and turned back to Bai Xiu Qing as she asked: “You are saying that on the night you met at the hotel, the two of you had already…”

Bai Xiu Qing’s face showed shy embarrassment: “Mm, it has already been more than a month.”

[She lies without even thinking about it. Her belly is already that big and she says it has only been a little over one month. It has to be at least more than three months!]

Father Du and Mother Du both fell silent. They were now sure it was not just their imagination. That really had been their little daughter’s voice.

But the situation right now did not allow them to think too much. Because of Du An Rao’s “reminder,” their eyes both landed at once on Bai Xiu Qing’s stomach.

Bai Xiu Qing’s whole body went stiff. She quickly, almost without thinking, pushed the test report she had prepared in advance in front of the two of them.

They picked it up and looked. It really did say a little more than one month.

Du An Rao also quietly leaned over to take a peek and was unimpressed.

[These days even people can be fake, let alone a test report. If I remember right, the imaging doctor at Third Hospital is one of Bai Xiu Qing’s simps. Because he helped cover for her, Bai Xiu Qing could dodge her later prenatal checkups again and again and trick Brother into willingly becoming her sucker stepdad.]

Father Du’s hand shook. He almost splashed the tea in his hand right onto Bai Xiu Qing’s face.

Mother Du’s eyes opened wide in shock. After a moment, she finally calmed down a bit and said slowly: “This report is too simple. A lot of the information is vague. It would be better to run another check. Have Old Li get the car ready. We will all go to First Hospital together.”

When she heard Mother Du say they were going to First Hospital instead of Third Hospital, Bai Xiu Qing’s heart suddenly sank, and the expression on her face almost cracked.

“Go to First Hospital? Why not Third Hospital? I remember Uncle Du seems to have shares in Third Hospital. It’s closer and more convenient.”

Du An Rao was also surprised by Mother Du’s decision, then her eyes lit up.

[First Hospital is great. At First Hospital, there is no one who will help her fake a report. As long as they run the tests, they can prove Brother is innocent.]

Mother Du became even more certain of her own idea when she heard Bai Xiu Qing’s words: “The OB-GYN department at Third Hospital is not as authoritative as the one at First Hospital. That settles it. I’ll have someone make the arrangements right away.”

“Aunt Yao! There’s really no need to bother. I already did all the needed tests yesterday. The doctor said the baby and I are both fine…”

Before she could finish, Mother Du cut her off: “This is your first pregnancy. You have no experience, so of course there will be things you miss. And we don’t even know if the doctor who checked you is reliable.”

“Your Uncle Du may not have shares in First Hospital, but the two hospitals have always worked together. He knows the doctors there. He will definitely find the most authoritative OB-GYN to give you a very thorough examination.”

Father Du nodded at once in agreement: “Mm. I’ll call the director of First Hospital right now.”

Seeing how pale Bai Xiu Qing’s face had become, Du An Rao knew she was panicking. But she also knew Bai Xiu Qing had come prepared today and would not give up so easily.

Sure enough, the next second she heard Bai Xiu Qing speak in a hurt, angry tone: “Aunt Yao, Uncle, do you not believe what I just told you? Otherwise, why would you keep asking me again and again about the child?”

Mother Du froze. In her heart she was thinking that this was a matter of a human life. What was wrong with confirming things a few more times? But when she heard Bai Xiu Qing say it like that, it suddenly sounded like she herself was the one being unreasonable.

“You… you are insulting me. I am a clean, innocent girl. How could I joke about something like this?”

Hearing this righteous defense, Du An Rao almost laughed.

[You really aren’t joking about this. You just want to make my Brother raise another man’s child.]

Father Du and Mother Du were silent again.

Bai Xiu Qing did not know how complicated their feelings were and kept up her act: “I know that as an orphan with no father, no mother, no power, and no status, I am not worthy of Brother Jun Yan. But the child is innocent. After my parents died, I dreamed every day of having a blood relative. Now he has finally appeared. No matter what, I will never give him up. If you don’t want him, I will.”

As she spoke, she stood up, as if she were about to leave: “I was rude today. Just pretend I never came. From now on, this child will only be mine. He will have nothing to do with your Du Family.”

Mother Du was completely thrown off by this sudden speech and was at a loss for words for a moment.

Father Du, however, had already softened when he heard her mention her Parents.

Du An Rao saw through Bai Xiu Qing’s little trick at a glance and clicked her tongue inwardly.

[What a move, retreating in order to advance. What a move, turning things around to blame them. Saying again and again that you have no parents and no power, and then slapping on a big label of “bullying an orphan girl.” Isn’t this the classic scam of “I am weak, so I must be right”?]

Father Du and Mother Du: “…” It really did kind of sound like that.

[But really, if your parents knew that overseas you willingly became the mistress of the man who killed your father and even had his child, then came back here to find the son of your father’s good brother to take over and make his whole family raise your father’s killer’s child… If they knew, they would probably want to crawl out of their graves right now and strangle you with their own hands.]