Chapter 178: Father

He looked as if he’d seen a ghost, utterly shocked, convinced that something was terribly wrong with his perception. He abruptly turned to leave, nearly bumping into Gu Huaizhi.

Luo Cheng grabbed Gu Huaizhi’s arm in a frenzy. “It’s over! I’ve gone blind! I must be hallucinating!”

He couldn’t believe what he had just seen!

His master only ever acted like this in front of Qi Min.

At that moment, it was as if Luo Cheng had been struck by lightning. He stared blankly at Gu Huaizhi, a terrifying thought crossing his mind.

Had the master finally gone mad? Was he treating Su Wan as a replacement?

Luo Cheng’s face filled with fear.

“What nonsense are you thinking?” Gu Huaizhi, having seen through his thoughts, coldly remarked, “If godfather finds out, he’ll twist your head off.”

A chill ran down Luo Cheng’s neck. Nervously, he turned back to see Su Wan furrowing her brows tightly, as if she was about to get angry.

A sudden realization struck Luo Cheng like a bolt of lightning, and he instantly recalled Su Wan’s instructions from earlier: If he refuses to eat, tell me, and I’ll pack my things and come to live at the Regent’s residence.

Suddenly, it dawned on him that the Regent might have deliberately lied to get Su Wan to move in.

Knowing that he had misunderstood the situation earlier, and wanting to make amends, Luo Cheng quickly stepped forward and said, “Mrs. Gu, the master didn’t even stay in the medicinal bath for two full quarters of an hour—he got out after just one. Didn’t you say before that if the master didn’t behave, you’d pack your things and move in to personally supervise him?”

Luo Cheng received a look of approval from the Regent, which made his heart tremble with fear, feeling weak at the knees.

Su Wan’s eyes flickered as she instantly understood the Regent’s implication—he was subtly suggesting that she move into the Regent’s residence.

If she weren’t already married, she wouldn’t have minded moving in.

“I’m married. It’s not appropriate,” Su Wan decisively refused.

The Regent then turned his gaze directly toward Gu Huaizhi.

But Su Wan quickly interjected, “You are not allowed to order him to move in. His true identity hasn’t been revealed to the public. If we both move in, rumors will spread that I’m seeking wealth, clinging to the Regent’s adopted son, and abandoning my farmer husband. My reputation would be ruined.”

She didn’t particularly care about her reputation, but her words were effective.

Sure enough, the Regent no longer pressed the issue, though his gaze toward Gu Huaizhi grew increasingly hostile.

Previously, he had been very pleased with Gu Huaizhi, thinking him excellent in every way—a perfect match for Su Wan.

Especially since Gu Huaizhi was his adopted son, and Su Wan was Qi Min’s daughter, their union, in a certain sense, would have fulfilled the Regent’s long-held regrets.

But now, with the situation taking an unexpected turn and Su Wan becoming his daughter, the Regent, now looking at his son-in-law, felt deeply dissatisfied.

The Regent couldn’t help but regret how hastily he had arranged the marriage back then.

Father and daughter had just acknowledged each other, yet he didn’t even have the chance to enjoy the happiness of living under the same roof with her.

“Zhao’er, when I arranged your marriage to Tingyuan, I didn’t ask for your opinion. If you’re unhappy with this marriage, your father will resolve it for you.”

As the Regent said this, his mind quickly scanned through the eligible young talents of the Great Zhou Kingdom, but none seemed worthy enough for his daughter.

Father?

Father!!

Luo Cheng was utterly stunned.

What had he missed?

He turned blankly to look at Gu Huaizhi.

Gu Huaizhi’s eyelids lifted slightly, his dark eyes fixed on Su Wan, waiting for her response.

If she dared to agree, he would use the terms she had promised him, making her take back each and every word.

Su Wan stared at the Regent in shock, instinctively turning her head to look at Gu Huaizhi. The cold intensity in his eyes gave her the unsettling feeling that if she nodded, Gu Huaizhi would harshly deal with her.

“There’s nothing to be dissatisfied with. Huaizhi treats me very well, and his family also treats me well,” Su Wan said helplessly. “Your judgment was spot on, and you didn’t entrust me to the wrong person.”

With the conversation at this point, the Regent couldn’t say much more.

Su Wan shifted the topic and began to question him, “Are you planning to go to Xiliang?”

“Uh…” The Regent glanced at Gu Huaizhi with a somewhat weakened presence and replied, “It has to be me.”

Su Wan let out a cold laugh.

The Regent pinched the bridge of his nose, speaking helplessly, “There’s no one in the royal family capable. Other nations are sending royal family members, and if Great Zhou only sends an envoy, while Xiliang invites all four nations to discuss an alliance, it would make us seem indifferent, which wouldn’t be favorable for the alliance.”

“Have you ever been afraid of something like this?” Su Wan wasn’t buying his grand-sounding excuse. “You could send one of your trusted ministers along with a prince to Xiliang, wouldn’t that give enough face?”

The Regent had no response to that.

Su Wan continued glaring at him. “You should weigh your own health. Don’t go dying right after I finally acknowledge my heritage.”

“I won’t,” the Regent replied, his gaze deep as he looked towards the loquat tree. “Father is going to Xiliang for an old matter as well.”

“You absolutely must go?”

“Yes.”

“Then I’ll go with you.”

“Zhao’er?” A flash of surprise crossed the Regent’s eyes, and he immediately rejected the idea. “The journey to Xiliang’s capital is long and arduous. You’ll suffer—there’s no need for you to accompany me.”

Su Wan’s tone was firm. “Either you stay in Great Zhou and properly take care of your health while I stay at the Regent’s residence until you’re fully recovered, or I go with you to Xiliang. You can refuse, but I won’t acknowledge you as my father anymore.”

“Two choices.”

The Regent was silent for a long time, realizing that Su Wan was genuinely angry.

His gaze deepened. “Aren’t you worried that once you go, you may not return?”

Su Wan was indifferent. “She’s already abandoned me, so why would she go to the trouble of keeping me there?”

The Regent felt a sharp pain in his chest and instinctively pulled Su Wan into his arms. “No, she wouldn’t abandon you. There must be another reason.”

Su Wan remained silent.

The more she acted like this, the more guilty the Regent felt. Finally, he relented and said, “Zhao’er, you’ll go with Father.”

Su Wan wrapped her arms around the Regent and, in a muffled voice, said, “Father, I don’t want to lose you right after acknowledging you. You have to stay healthy and stand behind me.”

“I’ve heard that children with parents can be very willful, because no matter what they do, their parents always have their back.”

“I want to try what it feels like to be willful.”

The Regent’s eyes were bloodshot as he pressed her head against his chest with a large hand. It felt as though an invisible hand gripped his heart, squeezing it painfully, sending the ache throughout his entire body.

“You can be as willful as you want. Father will take care of everything.”

He gently rubbed her head, his touch filled with comfort and reassurance.

Su Wan nodded firmly.

After a long while, Su Wan pulled away from his embrace, her eyes red, looking very much like a little rabbit’s.

The Regent’s gaze softened as he looked at the dumbfounded Luo Cheng and said, “Zhao’er is now a lady of the Regent’s residence. You are to show her the same respect you show me and follow her orders.”

“Understood! I will inform the brothers in the residence!” Luo Cheng responded with a serious expression.

The Regent nodded in satisfaction. “Prepare the courtyard next to mine and clean it thoroughly. Zhao’er will be staying there before we leave together for Xiliang.”

“Yes, sir!” Luo Cheng immediately went off to instruct the others to prepare the courtyard.

The Regent then turned his gaze to Gu Huaizhi, finding him displeasing in every way. He must have accumulated blessings for eight lifetimes to be fortunate enough to marry my precious daughter in this one.

“You,” the Regent said, pointing at him, “go to the study. I have something to discuss with you!”