I Became the Eye Candy: Four Bigshots Claimed to be My Dad?

"Don’t be so anxious," Mrs. Wang said, restraining him.

"How can I not be anxious? That little bitch must have gone to tell my older brother! If he finds out, I’m a dead man!" Xiang Mingli shoved Mrs. Wang aside.

"If you leave, what will happen to Zhenzhu and Si Yan?" Mrs. Wang asked, getting to her feet.

Xiang Mingli froze. At the thought of his son and daughter, his nose tingled with the urge to cry.

"You have no skills. Once you leave the General’s Manor, our children’s future will be ruined." Mrs. Wang knew Xiang Mingli all too well. She had married into the family for the prestige of the General’s Manor in the first place.

He was addicted to gambling. The General’s Manor was wealthy, and even when he lost all his money, the Old Madam would cover for him. As a result, the children lived a life of luxury.

If they left the General’s Manor, Xiang Mingli would never quit gambling. Without money, he wouldn’t hesitate to sell her and their two children.

Selling one’s wife and daughter to a gambling den was a common occurrence!

"Then... then... Mother, you’re the Old Madam of the Xiang family. Please, let Si Yan and Zhenzhu stay with you. Please," Xiang Mingli dropped to his knees and begged.

Old Madam Xiang hugged her son and burst into tears. "My son! Mother can’t bear to let you go."

"Mother, it’s for the best that Si Yan and Zhenzhu stay with you. Xiang Minghou doesn’t have a son... Perhaps there’s still a chance for things to turn around in the future."

"I know, I know," his mother said.

Wincing in pain, Xiang Mingli got to his feet and called to Mrs. Wang. "I have another house in the south of the city. Let’s go there for now. We can figure out our next move once things have calmed down."

"I have to go too?" Mrs. Wang asked in surprise.

"You’re my wife. If you don’t go, who will take care of me?" Xiang Mingli chided.

At his words, Mrs. Wang lowered her head.

"Go on. I have some private savings here. Take it all with you." The old madam turned and pulled a bundle from the very bottom of a cabinet. It was filled with gold, silver, and other small valuables.

Xiang Mingli snatched it. "Thank you, Mother. Please keep a close eye on Si Yan and Zhenzhu."

Old Madam Xiang nodded. "Go out the back. You probably won’t be able to get through the front gate."

Mrs. Wang supported Xiang Mingli as he limped, step by painful step, out the door.

At the main gate of the General’s Manor, Old Man Gu had set up a table and chair and was sitting outside. A pot of tea sat on the table, and a steward stood behind him.

"It all happened in a flash! I grabbed the knife just as it was about to hurt the little lass..." Old Man Gu gestured wildly with his hands, narrating the events with great relish.

After listening for some time, the crowd pieced together the whole story and began clamoring for those women to be thrown out of the Capital City.

Amidst the crowd, the members of the Gu family looked on in utter confusion. Since when had their Old Master become the Old Master of the Xiang family?

He kept saying "our General’s Manor" this and "our General’s Manor" that.

’Just a few days ago, the Old Master was writing his will, and now he’s here holding court for the Xiang family,’ they thought. ’What kind of spell does the Xiang family have over him?’

At the back of the crowd, the Zhan family had also heard the rumors. Old Master Zhan, his wife, and Zhan Chi had come to the General’s Manor at once, but they hadn’t expected such a huge crowd and couldn’t squeeze through.

From a distance, they could only make out the figures at the manor’s gate, faintly recognizing Old Man Gu.

"Why is Old Man Gu always at the Xiang family’s house?" Zhan Yi wondered aloud.

"Old Man Gu and the Xiang family were never this close before," Mrs. Zhan added, equally confused.

Zhan Chi, however, knew what was going on. ’Old Man Gu has even run over to put on a show for the Xiang family. He found out about this so early... don’t tell me he’s living there now?’

"How is the Great General doing now?"

"Drag that vicious harpy out and parade her through the streets!"

"Parade her! Parade her! Parade her!"

The noisy crowd began to shout in unison.

"Everyone, please! The General is still unconscious! Let’s have some quiet!" Old Man Gu waved his hands, signaling for the crowd to settle down.

The noise from the crowd gradually died down, until finally, it was quiet.

"The wicked will get their just deserts. Everyone, please be patient..."

"The second branch of the Xiang family is coming out the back door! Everyone, hurry!"

Before Old Man Gu could finish, someone in the distance shouted. Upon hearing this, the crowd rushed toward the back gate.