Chapter 6: The Original Host’s Consciousness, Meng Huan’s Biological Father’s Tearful History

Meng Huan had no choice but to go meet his relatives the next day. It was said that both parents would come together, but only Meng’s mother came this time. Meng’s father didn’t come.

His mother sighed with a worried look on her face, “Your sister fell ill again. Your father stayed up all night taking care of her without closing his eyes. Seeing how exhausted he was, I didn’t let him come.”

Meng Huan sat there not daring to speak, afraid of saying the wrong thing. But Meng’s mother’s attention was clearly not on him. Even after arriving at the Wen residence, her heart was still with her little daughter at home.

“These are some of your usual belongings that your concubine father asked me to bring. And this bracelet, it seems to be part of his dowry. He heard you were alright and entrusted me to bring it.”

As she spoke, Meng’s mother pointed to a bundle beside her, then took out a silver bracelet from her sleeve.

Holding it in her hand and seeing Meng Huan looking a bit dazed, she had no choice but to say, “Hurry and hold out your hand.”

Meng Huan hadn’t sorted out the relationship between father and concubine father. He hadn’t left the Wen residence for half a month. The servants would gossip in private behind his back. He only knew he was in a female-dominant society, but really knew very little beyond that.

Aren’t father and dad the same thing?

Seeing him not extending his hand, Meng’s mother pushed the bracelet into his hand herself. At the same time, she roughly glanced at Meng Huan’s palm, which was indeed as fair and delicate as jade, just as she had guessed before coming.

Men’s chastity powder was dotted on the marriage line of their palms. To know if he was pure now, one only needed to look at his palm to determine.

A hint of delight could be seen on her face as she let out a relieved sigh, “When Madam Wen’s guards first came to our door, I thought they had gotten it wrong. I never imagined my son would be so promising as to catch Madam Wen’s eye.”

Meng’s mother kept respectfully referring to Wen Zhaoyin as Madam Wen. Meng Huan couldn’t figure out the dad relationship earlier, but hearing this, he understood. Meng’s mother was quite pleased about him being involved with Wen Zhaoyin.

With just a slight gender reversal, in ancient times if an unmarried daughter went missing for half a month and was then found in the home of someone with power and influence, anyone could guess the twists and turns involved. Meng’s mother, as the birth mother, didn’t show the slightest concern. Instead of feeling distressed for her little daughter, she was just happy about climbing the social ladder.

Meng Huan secretly thought, if Meng’s mother knew that the Madam Wen she kept mentioning had once called her mother-in-law, would she immediately feel elated?

Not knowing her son had already been swapped out and had even mentally berated her, Meng’s mother pretended to reproach him, “Look at you. Since you entered the Wen residence, why didn’t you send a message home? Do you know how worried your mother was?”

Meng Huan didn’t want to talk to her anymore. He couldn’t pretend to discuss family affection with a stranger. If she had been sincere towards the original host, he would have been willing to listen a bit. But Meng’s mother’s words were so fake. It seemed she wasn’t good to the original host usually either. In that case, there was no need to continue.

“We’ve met now. I think that’s enough for today.” He stood up, not even wanting to call her mother.

“Huan’er…” Meng’s mother hurriedly called out when she saw him about to leave, but his steps didn’t slow down at all.

She racked her brain and recalled that this unfavored son seemed to have a childhood name given by her concubine. She heard he was quite fond of that childhood name. What was it again?

“Ling, Lingyi!”

Meng Huan was very unfamiliar with this name, but still instinctively turned his head when called. This feeling was like a conditioned reflex of this body…

He hadn’t encountered this kind of situation before and felt somewhat doubtful and uncertain. Just as he was about to ask Meng’s mother who Lingyi was and why it attracted him so much, Wen Zhaoyin walked in from outside.

As soon as she entered, the atmosphere of the entire room changed. In any case, Meng Huan could feel that Meng’s mother was now extremely nervous.

“Lingyi, that’s Huan Huan’s childhood name, right?”

“Ah, yes, yes it is. It’s the name his concubine father gave him. It’s not elegant enough for the grand hall. If Madam Wen finds it unpleasant to the ear, just forget it after hearing it.”

Meng’s mother was a bit nervous, nervously spitting out a long string of words in rapid succession. She didn’t know whether to stand or sit in place.

Wen Zhaoyin had seen many situations like this and her expression didn’t change much. She sat down in the main seat herself and then gestured for Pei Lan to help Meng’s mother sit back down.

She picked up a teacup and said while half drinking, half not, “I actually think the name Lingyi is very well chosen. Huan Huan’s biological father must be a very learned man, right?”

Father, concubine father, biological father…

Meng Huan stood in place, feeling like he had solved a system of equations.

Meng’s mother’s body stiffened even more. “Ah, ah, is that so? Lingyi’s biological father does indeed quite like to read.”

She remembered there was a year when the court reformed to allow men to also take the imperial exams. The rule was abolished after a few years. Those men had still vowed never to marry and made a fuss a few times.

Then the government office issued a decree that the men causing trouble had to marry within three months. If they didn’t marry, they would be thrown in jail along with their parents.

At that time, seeing that Meng Huan’s biological father had a dignified appearance and not minding that he was too bookish to the point of making a spectacle of himself, she married him as a way to quickly resolve the issue.

It was quite novel at first, but later, that man, despite being a concubine, would always criticize her shortcomings. He also didn’t know how to act coquettishly to please her. Not long after Meng Huan was born, she began neglecting him.

If talking about being learned, she was just a small merchant. The principal husband was also a man of roughly the same background. Meng Huan’s dad was indeed the most educated.

Wen Zhaoyin didn’t continue this topic further. Picking up the teacup, she took a small sip and said, “Have some tea.”

Meng’s mother obediently quickly drank a mouthful. She was indeed thirsty from nervousness. After finishing the tea, she finally stated the purpose of this visit.

“M-Madam Wen, Lingyi’s sister has a congenital deficiency. She was being sustained with medicine before, but recently her condition has worsened. I’m just a minor merchant without much capability. I can’t afford the rare medicine the physician mentioned…”

“I beg you, I beg you for the sake of Lingyi, please save his sister!”

She came under the pretense of visiting her son, but was actually using her son’s name to beg his wife to help, not even afraid of affecting their relationship.

Wen Zhaoyin revealed a smile, her gaze falling on Meng Huan’s face. Compared to his birth family, she felt her side had a bit more human touch.

“Is the girl also born from Meng Huan’s biological father?” If it was his full sister, she would definitely help. If they didn’t share a father… whether to help or not would depend on the specific situation.

Meng’s mother paused, the smile on her face a bit stiff. “Even if they don’t share a father, Lingyi has always doted on his sister.”

Meng Huan saw Wen Zhaoyin look towards him and knew she was asking for his opinion. If he spoke up and said to help, she probably wouldn’t refuse.

But he didn’t want to help. Subjectively he didn’t want to, and the original host’s body was also instinctively resisting. He could feel a sadness that didn’t belong to him circling around.

He walked two steps forward. “Your daughter’s illness didn’t develop in just a day or two. If I hadn’t entered the Wen family, who else could you have gone to beg?”