Yan Xue, the servant girl, startled by the intensity of her gaze, froze, finding the lady's eyes as terrifying as the King of Hell demanding a life, staring at her with a chilling murderous intent. This left Yan Xue stunned, standing there, unable to respond for quite a while.
In this moment of daze, Ji Ruyan paid no attention to her confusion and sprinted towards the Huahao Courtyard. Finally, she arrived at her father's bedroom.
Without hesitation, she shouted loudly, "Father! Mother has had a hemorrhage after giving birth, you must come and save her! Father! Please get up!"
She called out, one cry after another, without stopping.
The dim room finally lit up, yet it took quite some time before anyone came out.
Ji Ruyan, heartbroken, stared at the room, continuing to call out, "Father, won't you please save Mother? Father, your daughter is begging you!"
At that moment, the tightly closed wooden door creaked open.
Inside stood a woman with a protruding belly, of average looks but with a pair of shrewd, sharp eyes, "Who is this wild girl screaming here? Get out, stop bothering me and disturbing the master's rest! Yan Xue! Yan Xue! Where the hell are you!"
Maternal Aunt Qi, with her round waist, bellowed with strong breath for her servant.
Yan Xue, who'd been dazed outside, finally snapped back to reality and hurried into the inner courtyard, breathless as she responded, "Maternal Aunt Qi, I am here!"
"Where the hell were you just now? Get this wild girl out of here at once! If you wake the master up, take care of your own skin!"
Maternal Aunt Qi gave Yan Xue a sideways glance, scolding her bitterly.
"Yes, yes, I will take the young lady away right now."
Quickly bowing, Yan Xue nodded, not even minding the heavy rain, and reached out to pull Ji Ruyan away from the Huahao Courtyard.
But Ji Ruyan wouldn't comply!
Her mother was still in the courtyard waiting to be saved, how could her father sleep so soundly?
Although Yan Xue was pulling her by the collar to lead her away, she shouted unwillingly.
"Father! How can you sleep so peacefully, Mother bore children for you, she has just given birth to my sister, and now she's hemorrhaging after childbirth. Are you going to ignore Mother's safety? Don't you fear retribution?"
The childish voice was now screaming with heart-wrenching pain.
But as luck would have it, just as she was raising her voice, a clap of thunder boomed from the gloomy sky, drowning out her pleas completely.
Whether it was the sudden thunder that frightened her, Maternal Aunt Qi's waters broke suddenly, and a warm fluid flowed down her thigh roots. She felt utterly drained, clutching her belly as she groaned in pain.
The serving girls inside hastened out, even waking up Ji Dongming, who had just fallen asleep.
"Master! It's bad!"
"Maternal Aunt Qi's water has broken, it looks like she's going into labor!"
A deep, furious voice erupted immediately, "What? Then fetch the midwife quickly! Hurry! Yuqi, don't be afraid, the midwife will be here soon, I'm here with you, don't worry!"
Upon hearing that voice, Ji Ruyan's heart, once filled with hope, was instantly washed away into oblivion by the rain!
Father!
He had been awake all along!
He had heard her pleas, he had heard clearly his wife's dying state, yet he still chose not to show his face, not intending to save her, actually sending Maternal Aunt Qi out instead.
Ha! Is this man truly my biological father?