RWWAI 8

Chapter 8: I Couldn't Care Less What People Think!

I admit it! Wanting to look at handsome men is understandable, but placing someone under house arrest just to look at them is indeed a bit excessive.

So my proposal did have some elements of being "forced by circumstances".

Anyone who has read plenty of historical romance knows that placing a concubine-born son under the name of the legal wife is a highly efficient method of "gilding" his status.

Of course, from Qin Miaomiao's perspective, it might feel somewhat humiliating.

But does Qin Miaomiao care?

I'm guessing she doesn't.

After all, no matter whose past-life memories you look at, she never once argued or fought for the status of a primary wife.

Perhaps, much like Qi Lu, Qin Miaomiao had long been brainwashed by the background of this era, never feeling that she—a village girl by birth—was qualified to contend with Liang Jingjing for the position of the head wife.

What she truly cared about was never her own social status, but rather the future of her child.

For women of that era, the only thing that could never suffer even the slightest grievance was their child.

That being the case, a nominal legitimate birth and a legitimate birth born directly to the legal wife still had a gap in the eyes of the world.

If what Qi Lu wanted was for Qin Miaomiao's child not to be treated as inferior to others, wouldn't it be even more effective to directly claim the child was born to Liang Jingjing?

The real Qi Lu never dared to think this way simply because he didn't know Liang Jingjing would be replaced by someone else.

Now, there was no need to worry about that, right?

And if we were going to pull off a monstrous lie like "swapping mothers," the actual person handling it—Doctor Zhou—naturally had to be kept under tight watch to prevent any leaks.

Isn't that perfectly reasonable and logical?

Alright, I know it's a bit far-fetched.

But if Doctor Zhou had been even slightly uglier, I wouldn't have made such a suggestion.

Yet as I've said before, this time, I am living strictly for myself!

Far-fetched or not, I couldn't care less what other people think!

At that moment, Luo Fan asked:

"Hold on, wasn't the original Qi Lu's intention not to mistreat Qin Miaomiao? But you're directly snatching her child away now! Isn't that even more cruel than being born of a concubine?"

With a confident toss of my head, I replied:

"You just go and tell her. I guarantee you, she'll agree."

Luo Fan asked in bewilderment:

"Huh?"

I explained:

"She gets to raise her own kid just the same; as for whether she wants to let the child know the truth in the future, that's entirely up to her."

Luo Fan scratched his head in half-doubt.

A moment later, as if a sudden thought had struck him, he said:

"Wait! She's already three months pregnant, but I've barely been back here for less than a month—the timeline for a fake pregnancy doesn't match up!"

Waving my hand dismissively, I said:

"Just claim I had a premature birth, or push the baby's birth date forward by a few months—there are plenty of ways. Don't sweat these minor details!"

Seeing me speak with such unshakeable righteousness, Luo Fan could only nod with a face full of confusion.

As for Qin Miaomiao, exactly as I had anticipated, not only did she accept the proposal, but she even looked somewhat pleasantly surprised.

That very evening, in an unprecedented move, Qin Miaomiao took the initiative to seek me out.

Upon confirming that my "fake birth mother" plan genuinely had no intention of screwing her over, she actually dropped to her knees on the floor with a soft thud.

"This concubine knows she has wronged Madam and originally dared not harbor any further extravagant hopes. For Madam to not only hold no grudge, but to willingly make such provisions for this concubine and her unborn child... this act of grace is something this concubine shall never forget as long as I live,"

Qin Miaomiao sobbed tearfully.

Seeing her act with such raw emotion, I felt a bit awkward teasing her, so I casually brushed it off:

"There's no need to make such a grand bow. No matter whose womb the child springs from, when all is said and done, aren't they still Qi Lu's flesh and blood?"

I truly didn't care because I wasn't the real Liang Jingjing, so I had no idea that these words, sounding in Qin Miaomiao's ears, would be enough to completely alter the subsequent trajectory of the story.

All I knew was that the other major player in this grand scheme—Doctor Zhou—was effortlessly dragged into the commandant's estate by Luo Fan a few days later.

In an era where not everyone was treated as equals, a commandant held far more clout than a mere physician.

Never mind offering a handsome sum of money to invite him into the estate for "house arrest"; even if they had tied him up with hemp ropes and dragged him over for a beating three times a day, I doubt anyone would have dared utter a single complaint.

And upon laying eyes on Doctor Zhou's drop-dead gorgeous visage, Luo Fan seemed to finally see right through my somewhat sleazy, selfish motives.

Under Luo Fan's look of utter disdain, I slowly walked toward Doctor Zhou and threatened in a chilling tone:

"Doctor Zhou is a sensible man, so I shouldn't need to waste my breath explaining the rules. Everything you've seen and heard within the commandant's estate today shall be buried in your stomach once you step outside these gates. If a single word leaks to the outside world... My Lord has his own methods to ensure you never have to speak another word for the rest of your life."

Doctor Zhou glanced among the three of us—the "Qi Lu," Qin Miaomiao, and me—standing in the guest quarters.

Even if he couldn't guess what villainous scheme I was cooking up next, he knew it definitely wasn't anything good.

So he dropped frantically to his knees and wailed:

"Spare my life, My Lord! This humble one would never dare blab!"

I broke into a wicked grin and stepped forward.

Pressing a single finger beneath Doctor Zhou's chin, I gently lifted up his delicately handsome face.

Under Doctor Zhou's terrified gaze and Luo Fan's disgusted glare, I murmured:

"Rest assured, Doctor Zhou, I have no intention of making things difficult for you. Once 'my child' is safely brought into this world, I will naturally let you leave the estate safe and sound."

Anyone who manages to become a doctor has at least a modicum of brains, and Doctor Zhou caught on instantly.

During the subsequent medical consultations, although his fingers were pressing against Qin Miaomiao's pulse, every single word he spoke was directed straight at me.

"Madam's... pulse remains quite stable, showing signs of three months' gestation, and there are currently no irregularities. Daily life should prioritize plenty of rest without overexertion, and one must also avoid extreme emotional swings of great joy or anger, as excessive worry can impair the spirit. The diet should be mild and light, eaten in small, frequent meals, and you must strictly refrain from taking tonic herbs on your own accord,"

Doctor Zhou reported with professional precision.

Because I was thoroughly satisfied with both his professional service attitude and his facial features, my mood improved instantly.

But the moment Doctor Zhou finished his checkup and was temporarily settled by Luo Fan into the side courtyard, my good mood evaporated just as fast.

Because Luo Fan, that absolute piece of work, actually had the audacity to come settle scores with me.

"Hey! Transmigration is one thing, but don't go crossing any lines! Doctor Zhou is a married man with a family!"

he roared at me like a suddenly rabid Chihuahua.

I snapped back irritably:

"I know, I know! From now on I'll just look and not touch, alright?!"

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