CHAPTER 87: THE KIDS ARE MINE!?

Eight years ago, Mo Ying was 17 years of age. He had just returned from the north when his father had sent him undercover to spy on some rebels disguised as bandits.

He had followed them into a brothel, pretending he was a guest there... He eavesdropped on their conversation.

They had caught on real quick, and one of the courtesans who was serving him had poisoned his wine with some aphrodisiac.

If that wasn’t enough, they went after him. He ran away and hid from them in a forest, but the drug had already kicked in hard.

That was when he found a woman who seemed as though she was being pursued as well.

She was carrying a bundle and was passing through the forest when she met him.

Just as she had gone closer, he pulled her in, and the rest was history.

After he had slept with her, he woke up the next morning to find her already gone.

He did regret it and tried finding her, but he didn’t know how she looked. It was dark, but he remembered her soft skin... very, very soft skin.

---

"Mo Dan?!" Mo Ying immediately dropped the jar of alcohol as he stared at Fuhan in disbelief.

Nodding, Fuhan confirmed his words. "I was just as surprised as you, Young Master. Who would have known Mo Dan is the name of Lin Xu’s ex-husband, which means..."

"The kids are mine..." Mo Ying completed the statement as Fuhan nodded.

Mo Ying’s breath caught in his throat. The words hung heavy in the air, almost too unreal to grasp.

"The kids..." he repeated quietly, his voice trembling with disbelief. "Mine?"

"Young Master, after so much thought, everything matches. Lin Xu’s marriage with Mo Dan wasn’t even a marriage in the first place. They married but were never together. And according to the Wu villagers, Lin Xu had given birth just 8 months after getting married to Mo Dan, which could either mean she had an early delivery or she was pregnant before marriage."

He continued, "It was eight years ago, and the triplets are eight years of age, and let’s not forget the birthmark we had seen on Mo Yuen, a birthmark similar to yours... If he isn’t your child, then what other explanation is there?"

Mo Ying immediately became sober as he stood up and walked towards Fuhan, placing his hands on Fuhan’s shoulder.

"D-do you think Lin Xu knows? Do you think she recognized me or ever knew that the kids were mine?"

"I’m not sure about that, Young Master. It happened a long time ago. She probably doesn’t remember how you looked. You were much younger back then."

Mo Ying removed his hands as he turned around, staggering back to his bench.

He sank slowly back onto the bench, his expression distant.

"She doesn’t remember me... just like I didn’t remember her," he whispered, staring blankly at the half-empty wine jar in his hands. "All this time, I thought fate was playing tricks on me. Turns out, it was just reminding me of my sins."

Fuhan bowed his head slightly. "Young Master, you didn’t know. That night wasn’t your fault."

Mo Ying gave a short, hollow laugh. "Not my fault? I ruined a woman’s life without even knowing her name. She must have hated the man who did that to her. And now, to find out she’s been raising my children alone for eight years..." His voice cracked slightly, his fingers curling into fists. "Tell me, Fuhan, what kind of man does that make me?"

Fuhan hesitated, his tone low but steady. "A man who was young and lost. But also one who still has the chance to make things right."

Mo Ying tilted his head back. "Make things right..." he murmured. "And what if she despises me when she learns the truth? What if the face she sees now only reminds her of that night?"

Fuhan stepped closer, his voice gentle but firm. "Then you bear her hatred, Young Master. But at least she will finally know the truth, and the children will know their real father."

Mo Ying was silent for a long time.

"I have to do all I can to get power, Fuhan. That is the only way I can protect Lin Xu and my children... For now, I want her to stay at Wu Village, somewhere safe, and when the time is right, I’ll come for them."

Fuhan nodded. "I understand, Young Master... I’ll send three guards to keep an eye on them at Wu Village. If anything happens or they are in danger or even bullied, they will help, and we will be notified."

"Hmmm."

Standing up, Mo Ying made his way into his room. "Soon, Lin Xu, soon."

---

Six months later,

"Why did you put that there? I already said it should go upstairs," Lin Xu said to one of her staff as she walked around hastily.

She was dressed in a dark green hanfu with orange robes over her shoulders. Her hair was neatly made with nice wavy curls, which gave her a mature and beautiful look.

She had a book in her hands, walking from one place to another. This was the second shop she had opened in just six months.

Today was its opening ceremony, so she had to make sure everything was going well.

"Ma’am, where should I place these bottles? The storage at the back is full?" Mianmian asked.

"You can keep it on the shelf for now. Carpenter Gu will be here soon... just hang on."

Lin Xu was tired; she had been working all morning.

The entire shop was full of workers and staff moving around.

Finally taking her seat, she collapsed on the chair as Yan Mei laughed.

"Look at you. You are sweating so much... hahahaha!"

Lin Xu gave her a tired glare, fanning herself with the book in her hand. "Laugh all you want, Yan Mei. When your turn comes to open your own shop, I’ll sit back and drink tea while you run around like a headless chicken."

Yan Mei giggled, sitting beside her. "Hmph, I doubt I’ll ever be as hardworking as you. Two shops in just half a year—are you sure you’re not secretly trying to build an empire?"

Zu Shi walked in at that moment with a tray of tea and set it down in front of them. "If she is, I’d happily work under her. At least Lin Xu treats people like humans, unlike that awful Madam Rong down the street."

Lin Xu smiled faintly, her exhaustion softening into calm. "Please, don’t make me laugh right now. My back feels like it’s been carrying a mountain all day." She reached for the teacup, took a sip, and sighed contentedly. "Ah... finally, something good today."

Just then, the shop doors opened, and a middle-aged man walked in.

"Look, it’s Old Man Fu... he’s here for the daily news," Yan Mei said, taking a sip of tea.

"Daily news? What daily news?"

"As a running shop, we need someone who can inform us of different events occurring... so we can render our services," Lin Xu responded as she waved her hands toward Old Man Fu.

"Old Man Fu! Here! We are over here!" she called out. The shop was way bigger than the first one, so it was quite hard to find someone.

Old Man Fu turned his head toward the direction of Lin Xu’s voice, his wrinkled face brightening into a smile as he shuffled toward them with a bundle of scrolls tucked under his arm.

"Ah, Shopkeeper Lin! I almost thought I’d gone to the wrong place," he chuckled, wiping the sweat off his brow. "Your new shop is so big, I nearly got lost trying to find the front counter!"

Everyone laughed as Lin Xu stood to greet him. "You flatter me, Old Man Fu. It’s not that big; you’re just not used to walking this much."

He grinned, adjusting the strap of his satchel. "Well, well, look at you, little Lin Xu. Not too long ago, you were just the shy widow from Wu Village, and now you’re the proud owner of two shops. The heavens surely favor the hardworking!"

"Hardworking and stubborn," Yan Mei added playfully.

Lin Xu rolled her eyes but smiled anyway. "Alright, alright, enough teasing. Old Man Fu, what do you have for us today?"

Old Man Fu cleared his throat and laid a few scrolls and handwritten sheets on the counter. "Let’s see... There’s word from the capital... The Emperor is delighted and very happy, you see... the entire capital is getting ready to attend a huge party at the General’s Residence."

He said, his words causing the three women to glance at each other, Lin xu’s expression immediately changing.

Standing up, Zu Shi asked curious, "General’s Residence? Why is there a huge party? What happened?"

Smiling widely, Old Man Fu broke the news, "You aren’t aware? The new general’s wife has just been found pregnant!"