I Think My Daughter Has Regressed (7 Chapters Left to Complete) - Chapter 8
After exchanging a nod with Ariel, the marchioness courteously excused herself for a moment.
“It’s just that I’d like to go hunting with my brother-in-law again after so long, but he won’t give his consent. Now that the war is over, Lady Ariel, I was hoping you might help me persuade him.”
“…My schedule is quite full, so it might be difficult, but I’ll ask him once.”
Ariel gave a vague nod and then fell silent, as if urging her to leave quickly.
Immediately plunged into heavy silence, Ariel blinked and stared at Bruno, but he didn’t budge from his seat; instead, he gave a gentle smile and twirled his champagne glass between his fingers.
“By the way, I heard there was a bit of a quarrel between Lucy and Derek.”
A quarrel?
Ariel tilted her head slightly in confusion.
“As you know, Derek is alone and doesn’t quite understand how to deal with his younger sister.”
“…I see. But this is the first I’ve heard of any quarrel between Lucy and Derek—could there have been something I don’t know about?”
“They say you were also present—at my brother’s victory banquet.”
This time, Bruno tilted his head in puzzlement.
His expression clearly implied that since Ariel had been there, she couldn’t possibly be unaware.
“Oh, well—it’s true there was a bit of commotion yesterday, but fortunately, they didn’t actually fight.”
“Derek ran out of the hall in tears, yet you say they didn’t fight?”
“It seems Derek grew frustrated with himself during their play. Lucy was very worried about him.”
At Ariel’s words, Bruno chuckled softly.
“I suppose I was being too roundabout.”
He took a sip of champagne and continued, still smiling.
“It wasn’t so much a fight as Lucy failing to treat Derek well. Being mocked by Lucy in front of so many people must have deeply wounded Derek.”
Ariel slowly blinked.
Though his face still bore a smile, the corners of his mouth had stiffened. Ariel, choosing her words carefully, simply met Bruno’s gaze.
As the awkward silence stretched, Bruno quickly broke the stillness.
“What I meant to say isn’t about assigning blame. I was merely thinking it might help if we arranged a gathering for the children, who’ve both had their feelings hurt. The children could play at the ducal residence, while my brother and I enjoy a light hunt behind the estate.”
“I see. I’ll check my schedule once I return to the ducal residence and send you a letter.”
“I’ll await your favorable reply.”
Bruno gave a slight bow and walked away.
*
After the award ceremony, Ariel returned to the manor and loosened Damian’s tie.
Today, Damian’s gaze clung persistently to Ariel’s face.
Ariel looked up at him with a slightly flustered expression.
“Damian, is something bothering you? Or are you uncomfortable about something?”
“…No.”
Damian shook his head.
Ariel, with the tie resting on her wrist, tilted her head and looked at him, puzzled by his ambiguous reply.
“…I was thinking of having dinner with Lucy tonight.”
“F-f-fam… dinn… dinn… er?”
Ariel stammered out the words slowly and stared at Damian with wide, surprised eyes.
Unlike her, Damian remained expressionless as usual, unfastening the cufflinks on his sleeves.
As he shrugged off his waistcoat, Damian paused mid-motion upon seeing Ariel frozen in place and let out a quiet chuckle.
He undid the top two buttons of his shirt and stepped one pace closer to her.
His golden hair flowed softly, framing his profile.
“Since you keep watching, shall we have dinner together in the bedroom tonight?”
“…No!”
Ariel flinched and shook her head vigorously.
“No. Go get ready quickly—that’s an order.”
She averted her gaze slightly and then broke into a bright smile.
Still holding Damian’s tie on her wrist, she promptly walked away.
The door clicked open, and after taking a few steps, Ariel turned back.
Damian, still unbuttoning his shirt, looked up toward her.
“…Damian, thank you.”
Her radiant smile and trembling eyelashes were soon directed at Damian.
Having spoken such sweet words, Ariel immediately hurried down the corridor.
Damian’s eyes followed Ariel’s retreating figure, but only the softly clicking shut door remained in place.
“Must dinner really come first?”
Damian rolled his eyes thoughtfully through the air, then quickly gave in.
He wanted to see Ariel’s cheerful face for just a little longer—her eyes always brimmed with tears once they were in the bedroom.
*
“Butler.”
Ariel called for the butler.
“Damian will be joining us for dinner today—please inform the kitchen to set his place as well.”
At Ariel’s words, the butler’s eyes widened in surprise.
Noticing his pleasant astonishment, Ariel gave a gentle nod and quickly headed toward Lucy’s room.
Damian usually dined alone—most often in his bedroom or on the outdoor terrace.
Partly to enjoy complete rest, and partly because his mealtimes rarely aligned with ordinary hours.
“Lucy, Father will be joining us for dinner tonight.”
“Father will?”
Lucy, who had been putting away her book, looked up in startled surprise.
Seeing Lucy’s reaction, Ariel nodded firmly.
“Yes! It’s wonderful to eat together as a family, isn’t it?”
“Really? Hehehehehe.”
Startled by Lucy’s sudden laughter, Ariel flinched.
“Lucy…?”
She blinked, staring at Lucy’s sly smile.
It looked exactly like Damian’s. Was this what father and daughter resemblance meant? How could their laughter be so identical?
But for a little girl to laugh like that…
Oh dear, what am I even thinking?
If this is truly Lucy’s genuine laugh, I should encourage her. I nearly taught her something harmful.
But if she laughs like this even after debuting in society, she’ll surely become the subject of gossip…
Ariel fell into deep contemplation. What would truly be best for Lucy?
“…Lucy, I love you no matter what you look like.”
At Ariel’s suddenly solemn declaration, Lucy tilted her head in confusion.
Ariel swallowed hard and gently placed her hands on Lucy’s shoulders.
Being mocked and becoming the talk of others would be twice as painful emotionally.
“When you laugh, don’t widen your eyes like that.”
“…Huh?”
“Of course, there’s nothing wrong with you laughing that way, Lucy. You should laugh however you like! At home, you can laugh however you want. But once you enter society, other children might whisper behind your back.”
“Oh, I understand, Mother.”
Lucy nodded quickly and offered a very pretty smile.
She gently lifted the corners of her mouth and softened the angle of her eyes as she smiled.
“Is this how I should smile?”
Seeing Lucy so quickly mold her expression, Ariel felt a touch of sadness.
…So it’s come to this after all.
Noticing Ariel’s expression hadn’t brightened despite her smile, Lucy instead squeezed her mother’s hand tightly.
“Mother.”
“…Yes?”
“I just want you to be happy. Truly, that’s all I want. So please don’t be sad. Whether I smile like this or like that, I’m happy. And even if someone gossips about me in society—so what? I’m the Duke of Genova’s daughter, after all.”
Seeing Lucy’s proud face, Ariel pulled her daughter into a tight embrace.
“That’s right. No matter what anyone says, you are the Duke of Genova’s daughter. Of course.”
“…Yes. I… I am… the Duke of Genova’s daughter.”
Ariel thought she detected a slight tremor in her daughter’s voice, but when she looked at Lucy’s face again, she saw only a sweet, lovely child—so she dismissed it as her own imagination.
*
Not long after, when Ariel saw Damian arrive, she smiled as if she owned the whole world.
How long had she dreamed of a warm family dinner?
“Father, what whim made you sit at the dinner table today?”
Yet as soon as she took her seat, Lucy’s sharp words struck Damian.
Just moments ago, Lucy had seemed delighted to hear about dining with Damian…
Ariel, bewildered by Lucy’s sudden shift in attitude, anxiously glanced between father and daughter.
Damian’s eyebrow twitched.
“Normally it’s just you and Mother eating together—what wind blew you here today?”
“Lucy.”
Ariel called her daughter’s name sternly.
But Lucy’s eyes, fixed on Ariel, held an unyielding determination.
“Did you know too, Mother? That Father doesn’t love you.”
“…What do you mean, Lucy?”
At Ariel’s question, Lucy sharply turned her head toward Damian.
“Her Imperial Majesty the Empress said that when His Imperial Highness the Crown Prince returned victorious from war, he gave the Empress a grand gift.”
Damian’s expression darkened.
Though his narrow eyes remained unchanged, he leaned his upper body toward the table, signaling he was willing to listen.
“A gift?”
At Damian’s prompting question, Lucy gave a firm nod.
“Yes! She said that gift truly showed how deeply His Imperial Majesty loved the Empress. Father, you also received a gift from His Imperial Majesty the Emperor—it showed how much the Empire loves you.”
Oh no.
Ariel bit her lower lip briefly, her expression flashing with realization.
Apparently, Her Imperial Majesty had referred to Damian’s award ceremony as a measure of love.
She must have meant to express how dearly the Imperial family valued Duke Genova—but Lucy had clearly interpreted it differently.
“Lucy, that ‘measure of love’ isn’t quite—”
“Butler.”
Damian interrupted Ariel and rang the bell. Before Ariel could react, the butler stood beside Damian.
“Deliver all the gifts I received today under Ariel’s name.”
Ariel gasped in surprise and quickly called out to Damian.
“Damian, those gifts are presents from His Imperial Majesty—they belong to the Imperial family—”
This time, Lucy cut off Ariel’s words.
“It’s fine! We can say it’s to honor Mother for protecting the House of Genova on behalf of the Imperial family. Her Imperial Majesty the Empress will be very pleased—after all, that’s exactly the reason she herself received her gift from His Imperial Majesty, right?”
Having her words interrupted twice in a row, Ariel could only gape silently.
Damian nodded decisively, bringing the matter to a close.
“That sounds reasonable.”
For some reason, father and daughter looked exactly alike.
Realizing something was amiss, Ariel immediately turned to her husband.
“Damian, it’s wonderful that you respect Lucy’s opinion, but you know yourself—it was about the gift His Imperial Majesty gave the Empress. Even the Imperial family would never—”
“Since my daughter gave such good advice, I should give her a gift too. Is there anything you’d like?”
Ariel suddenly felt utterly isolated at the dinner table.
She looked at Damian, who had ignored her entirely—his gaze was already fixed on Lucy.
Despite her words being cut off midway, Lucy didn’t seem to mind at all; she beamed brightly at her father.
“A little brother! A little brother!”
Damian gave a satisfied nod and turned his eyes toward Ariel.
“If I’m to pray all night for that, I’ll need to eat well tonight, Ariel.”
Male lead Asks for a Divorce Every Day
It’s not often you come across a plot like this in the female-dominant genre — make sure to check it out!
This is a novel I’m planning to reread as well.
The male lead is strong, skilled in martial arts, and not the usual fragile type you often see in matriarchal novels.
Meanwhile, the female lead is a scientist—rational and logical. Even when she falls for the male lead, she doesn’t let her emotions cloud her decisions.
If you push through the first few chapters, you’ll gradually find the story really intriguing.
It has a mix of mystery, detective elements, and romance.
The author’s writing style is like crafting a puzzle—except they deliberately leave out a few pieces, making it hard to predict what happens next, yet keeping you hooked.
In the end, everything will come together and be explained.
One-sentence summary: Wife, stop playing with beakers and look at me!
In a laboratory accident, research scientist Zhu Wansheng accidentally travels to a matriarchal world. The original owner of the body is an eighteen-year-old only daughter of a wealthy rouge merchant, already married with a handsome young man.
Zhu Wansheng grins: Nice! She always said she was heaven’s favorite granddaughter. After a life of toil in her previous life, she can enjoy blessings in this one.
However, her joy lasts no more than three seconds as bad news arrives: the original owner’s family is about to go bankrupt, and her husband wants a divorce.
Even worse, she’s stuck with a research system full of restrictions.
Zhu Wansheng: ? Is this the destiny of a research dog?
——
Faced with this mess, Zhu Wansheng pours herself a bowl of wine to drown her sorrows. In her drunken haze, her husband arrives.
His figure is imposing, holding a long sword, with a dignified air that captivates Zhu Wansheng.
Gu Yingqing, however, looks at the alcohol-reeking Zhu Wansheng with undisguised disgust and coldly asks, “Divorce or not?” The intoxicated Zhu Wansheng mumbles vaguely, “I think… it’s not… it’s not… impossible!”
——
The next day, after sobering up, Zhu Wansheng is full of energy, rolling up her sleeves ready to make a big move. As for yesterday? She has no memory of it.
Zhu Wansheng is ambitious; a research dog fears nothing!
Upgrading rouge, extracting fragrances, producing perfumes, researching lipsticks… all shall bow to the power of modern technology!
The original owner’s dying rouge shop is revitalized. Her mother is pleased and with a wave of her hand, passes on the family business to her. As she takes control and her experimental results gain popularity, it’s the pinnacle of her life…
——
But there are always those who can’t stand to see her doing well. Jealousy, scheming, assassination attempts – they want nothing less than her life.
The person who has always kept his distance from her suddenly holds her tightly in his arms, eyes full of concern.
She is unharmed, but he falls into a pool of blood…
Zhu Wansheng feels guilty, “I can grant you one wish.”
Gu Yingqing tentatively circles his arms around her, carefully resting his head in the crook of her neck, pleading softly, “I regret it. Can we not divorce?”
Zhu Wansheng: ? When did I agree to a divorce?
[Small Theater]
The newly developed rouge is beautifully packaged, and Zhu Wansheng is eager to try it.
Gu Yingqing suddenly appears: “My lady, may I apply it for you?”
Cool fingertips lightly brush her lips. His Adam’s apple bobs as he leans in for a light bite.
Zhu Wansheng: ?
Gu Yingqing: It smells so good, I wanted to taste it…
On a warm spring day, Zhu Wansheng tries a new perfume: “Spring Night.” Gu Yingqing corners her against a wall.
Warm breath lingers on her neck.
“My lady, from now on, may I test the fragrances for you?”
[Humorous female scientist vs scheming live-in son-in-law male lead]
[Touch the gear icon in the bottom right corner of the screen to move to the next chapter if you want.]
I see that Lucy is guiding her tutor to discover the truth and realize that he is being manipulated.
Poor Ariel, I know her daughter Lucy would have ways to resolve that situation peacefully, but she went to extremes 😅 Poor mother, I imagine the next episode will show the anguish she’s carrying in that situation, especially since Lucy is under Ariel’s care.
What a fascinating novel! The title suggests that Lucy might be a regressor, but from my point of view, she behaves like a gifted child. How curious!