Chapter 29: Why Did the Black Bear Only Chase Him?

Li Yuan tilted his head to glance at the bailiff, who was still fumbling for the keys. Fearful that his mother would be mauled to death by the black bear, Li Yuan was on the verge of charging forward in a desperate frenzy.

However, the frail-looking Lin Siyan gripped his arm tightly, shaking her head with tears in her eyes. "Brother Yuan, if something happens to you, what will become of our mother and child?"

Lin Siyan knew all too well that Li Yuan’s protection was a double-edged sword; it had already drawn the jealousy and hatred of the other two branches of the Li family. Since Li Yuan had given his own food to her, if he were to meet his end, they would surely bully her to death in no time.

Therefore, he could not go.

"You little harlot! I thought so highly of you, you ungrateful wretch! Third son, hurry and save Mother! You can marry many women, but you only have one mother!" the Old Madam Li screamed at the top of her lungs.

Lin Siyan kept her head low. She was accustomed to feigning fragility and remaining silent, usually letting others play the villain, so it was rare for her to be the one casting the role this time.

"Eldest, Second, Rongrong, hurry and save Mother!"

Yet, no one dared to move. Li Rongrong, possessing a shred of conscience, shoved Lin Siyan aside. "Third Brother, what are you standing there for? Go! You aren't really going to abandon our mother for this woman, are you?"

Li Mumu stole a glance at her deadbeat father. It seemed he really was the type to choose a wife over his own mother. But he didn't want to tarnish his reputation by doing so.

The bailiffs held blades, but they lacked the nerve to confront the massive black bear. The beast had stood on its hind legs, towering to a height that forced even grown men to crane their necks to look up at it, and none of them dared to approach.

In the original story, Li Yuan had kicked his youngest son toward the bear to distract it. Although Li Yunjue eventually survived, his face was mauled by the creature. Years later, Li Yuan was actually lauded as a "filial son" for the feat of sacrificing his own child to save his mother. When Li Mumu read that, she had cursed aloud. Why didn't he use himself as bait?

However, due to the changes in the plot, the four siblings were not by Li Yuan's side, and he couldn't reach any of them, which was why he remained at a stalemate.

Someone shouted to throw torches.

Li Mumu scoffed. It was true that beasts feared fire, but a black bear of this size did not possess the kind of terror toward flames that would make it turn and flee as people imagined. Sure enough, as burning sticks were hurled at the bear, it did not retreat; instead, the provocation sent the beast into a frenzy.

It opened its jaws and lunged at Old Madam Li. Even without considering the power of that bite, the single swipe it had dealt to her back moments ago had already caused the old woman to vomit blood and lie motionless.

***

As expected, the Gu family’s hearts softened again. Li Mumu heard her uncles discussing how to save someone whose life was in danger.

Li Mumu sighed. Kindness was not a fault, but being kind to the Li family was a sickness. It needed to be cured.

In truth, despite Li Mumu’s current appearance as a child, she didn't fear the black bear at all; a single dose of anesthetic would have been enough to subdue it. She hadn't intended to intervene, but the words of Lin Siyan and Old Madam Li changed her mind.

Old Madam Li was silent; Li Mumu figured she wasn't dead yet. If she died, Lin Siyan would lose her greatest nemesis, and that wouldn't be any fun.

Taking advantage of the moment when no one was paying attention, Li Mumu intentionally stepped out from the Gu family’s protective circle.

When Li Yuan saw her, he suddenly had an idea. The moment his shackles were unlocked, he grabbed Li Mumu and threw her toward the bear.

The Gu family had been preparing to act, but upon seeing Li Yuan’s actions, they were all paralyzed with shock.

"Mumu!" Gu Yuru abandoned all caution and rushed forward, desperate to snatch her child back.

Li Yuan hurried to lift his unconscious mother, but strangely, even as Li Mumu neared the bear, the beast acted as if she weren't there, charging straight toward Li Yuan instead.

Watching the scene, Li Mumu wanted to ask her deadbeat father: "Is it a surprise? Is it unexpected?"

Gu Yuru scooped up Li Mumu and scrambled back to her family, stroking her hair gently and kissing her cheeks. "Mumu, you scared Mother to death!"

"Li Yuan is truly a piece of trash," Master Gu Jian cursed.

Under normal circumstances, Old Madam Gu would have glared at him for using such foul language, but this time, she joined in. "Even tigers don't eat their own cubs. Li Yuan is worse than a beast."

"And to think we were actually considering saving his mother. I, Gu Mingyu, swear that from now on, whether the Li family lives or dies has nothing to do with me."

Li Mumu felt triumphant. See? Healing people is simple—you just have to let them see the true nature of the Li family.

"Argh!" Li Yuan let out a muffled groan. Even without shackles or leg irons, fighting a massive, sturdy black bear was no easy feat.

***

"Are you not going to help?"

Li Yuan had once been a man who could command hundreds with a single call, but now, the Li family was so terrified they wished they could run two miles away, and the Gu family just stood by, watching.

Seeing Li Yuan losing the upper hand, Lin Siyan panicked. "Gu Yuru! Are you not going to order your people to help? He is the father of your children!"

Gu Yuru gave her a cold, scathing look. "I really didn't know there was a father who would throw his own daughter to a bear. A father like that is better off dead."

Lin Siyan glared at Gu Yuru with hatred, then turned to beg Li Sheng and Li Ye for help, but both men were huddled together in terror.

"You... Officers, others can die if they must, but if Brother Yuan dies, you will have a lot to answer for!" Lin Siyan shouted. "Help him! Brother Yuan’s wrongful conviction is only temporary. If he is cleared of these charges in the future, you will all be the heroes who saved him!"

"Ah... Hiss..." Li Yuan was swiped by the black bear again, his clothes shredded and his body covered in blood.

"Hurry! Brother Yuan cannot die!" Lin Siyan shrieked.

The Gu family remained indifferent. Zhang Xiang, however, seemed to have realized something from Lin Siyan’s words. Regardless of whether Li Yuan could make a comeback, he was a high-profile prisoner; if something happened to him on the road, it would be difficult for them to justify.

If it were just an old woman, it wouldn't matter—she might not have survived the journey to the place of exile anyway.

Li Yuan was not without skill, and with the help of others, they finally managed to drive the black bear away, though not without sustaining heavy injuries.

Li Mumu watched the bear’s claw, which had been slashed, and swallowed. What a pity.

When Li Yuan walked over, the air was filled with such a thick, metallic scent of blood that it completely masked the honey Li Mumu had secretly smeared on him. Otherwise, why would the black bear have fixated on him alone?

"Brother Yuan! Wuu wuu, you scared me to death!" Lin Siyan threw herself into his arms, sobbing.

Li Yuan glared hatefully at the Gu family, especially Gu Yuru, as if it were a grave sin not to have saved him.

However, this time, Gu Yuru did not show weakness. Instead, she glared right back, exuding the regal aura she had once held as a lady of the Duke’s mansion.