Book Synopsis
Book Tags
Donation Rankings
Comment
0 Comments
You May Also Like
墨書 Inktalez
Qing Wu never expected to see Huo Yun'ai at this moment and place.
Recalling the circumstances of their parting, she was somewhat surprised and couldn't help but ask, "Aren't you going back?"
Huo Yun'ai slightly loosened his arms and pulled a chair beside him to sit down. He then brought the girl into his embrace, allowing her to sit comfortably in his lap. Only then did he softly respond with an "mm," saying, "I couldn't rest easy. I didn't leave."
At that time, he had merely chosen to stay due to a vague sense of unease that had arisen in his heart. He never expected that it would lead to such a result.
—Mu Hai had sent someone hidden in the shadows to quietly follow Zhenyuan Marquis and Grandfather and Grandson, learning about everything that had happened earlier at Liu Residence. He hurriedly reported this to Huo Yun'ai.
Huo Yun'ai understood Qing Wu, knowing she was a person who tended to overthink. Now, suddenly encountering family recognition, especially in front of the closest kin who had raised her for many years, the girl might find it difficult to face such a complex situation all at once.
Moreover, according to Mu Hai's report, the Wen Family Ancestors and Descendants had seen the blood-stained clothes that Qing Wu wore back then.
Since that was the case, Qing Wu must have seen them as well. Would she think of the terrifying situation at that time?
Would she be frightened enough to lose sleep like before?
Just thinking that she might spend the night awake brought him immense worry. He immediately sought a way to enter Liu Residence, wanting nothing more than to see her once and check if she was alright.
Qing Wu did not expect that he had been waiting outside Liu Residence all along.
No wonder his clothes were so cold.
It was just after the New Year, and the weather remained chilly. He didn't like using a heater in the car when he traveled, so staying outside like this must have been freezing...
She initially wanted to ask him if he was cold. But then she thought, even if she asked and he really was cold, he would surely hide it from her out of concern for her feelings.
She also wanted to ask how he could recklessly enter the estate. If discovered, given his status, it would cause trouble. But if he wasn't worried about her, why would he take such risks?
After pondering all this, she realized she already knew the answers to all her questions; there was no need to voice them.
In an instant, a mix of emotions surged within the girl.
If it were any other time, she would struggle to break free from his embrace. But at this moment, faced with the boy who cared for her so deeply, she found herself reluctant to do so.
Although she had appeared calm and composed in front of her family, she was actually quite anxious inside.
On one side was the bond of blood relations, and on the other was the nurturing affection of her closest kin. Confronted with both parties, she was filled with various worries and concerns.
Moreover, seeing the clothes she had worn back then brought a flood of memories.
She recalled the bloody scene from years ago, the terrifying circumstances that sent chills down her spine. It felt as if she had returned to that moment, surrounded by severed limbs and rivers of blood.
A cold fear lingered in Mingxin's heart, yet not wanting to worry her family, she gritted her teeth and maintained a facade of ease and laughter.
It was precisely because of these unspoken thoughts that she felt an overwhelming fatigue.
Under normal circumstances, she would quietly contemplate what to do next. Even if he asked her about it, she would smile and say it was nothing. Then, without him knowing, she would continue to ponder alone.
But at this moment, perhaps moved by the boy's extreme concern or perhaps too exhausted to keep fighting alone, she suddenly did not want to struggle anymore.
After hesitating for a long time, Qing Wu stopped resisting deliberately. Instead, she relaxed her body and leaned against Huo Yun'ai's shoulder, nestling into his embrace.
The Young Emperor stiffened suddenly. An immense joy spread through his heart.
—This was the first time she did not reject or resist his closeness.
After the joy subsided, Huo Yun'ai cherished her trust in him even more. He no longer pressed her about what was wrong; he simply held her tightly. He wanted to convey through his strength and embrace that he would always be by her side, allowing her to lean on him.
“What should you do?” The girl's voice slowly emerged, filled with hesitation and uncertainty. “Father, Mother, and my brothers treat me very well. But my grandfather has been searching for me for many years.”
She had already noticed her family's conflicting attitudes. She understood that her parents and brothers were not unreasonable; they just found it hard to accept such sudden developments.
However, she did not know how to comfort them.
"You don't have to worry about this matter." After some thought, Huo Yun'ai said, "They will handle it well and won't let you be concerned."
Such a well-behaved girl, who would have the heart to make her sad?
He believed that both parties would coordinate properly. It just needed some time.
"How do you know they can handle it?" Qing Wu, buried in his embrace, spoke with a muffled voice, sounding quite helpless. "Even elders find it difficult to deal with such matters. Moreover, I have to go to the palace tomorrow for duty and cannot..."
At this point, she suddenly lifted her head, looking hopefully at the Young Emperor, her eyes sparkling. "Why don't you grant me a few days off? Let me discuss this with my family at home?"
Huo Yun'ai shook his head gently.
Seeing the girl's expression dim instantly, he explained, "Actually, if you're not there, they will find it easier to speak up. If you are present, out of consideration for your feelings, many things might be difficult to address openly."
After hearing Huo Yun'ai's explanation, Qing Wu thought it over and realized it was indeed the case, so she nodded in agreement.
Huo Yun'ai stayed with Qing Wu for a while longer and talked about the joyful events from the Lantern Festival Market earlier. As he watched her gradually let go of her worries and a smile appeared on her face, he felt somewhat relieved. Noticing that it was getting late, he bid her farewell and quietly left.
The next day was the sixteenth day of the first month.
As in previous years on this day, everyone at Liu Residence got up early.
Qing Wu tidied herself up and went to her parents' room to pay her respects.
Seeing her appear with a bright smile, Liu Fangyi and the He Family obviously breathed a sigh of relief.
As usual, after chatting with Qing Wu for a while, the He Family handed her a purse and said, "You've grown another year older. I hope our daughter stays healthy and safe in the future."
"You always say these same few words every year," Liu Fangyi added as she also gave Qing Wu a purse. "Father wishes our Qing Wu to be beautiful in the future and to grow even taller."
Hearing his last remark, the He Family shot him a playful glare before turning to Qing Wu and saying, "Our daughter is already doing great as she is. Your brother should be at Flower Hall by now; hurry over. If you're late, they might leave."
The three brothers are now searching for a new school in the capital. The New Year has passed, and naturally, they need to go early to learn according to the school's opening hours.
The He Family saw that the time was almost up and worried that Qing Wu would be late and miss out, so they hurriedly sent her off.
Sure enough, when Qing Wu arrived, Liu Anfeng was shouting about going to the West Courtyard to find his sister. Just as he was about to rush out, Qing Wu arrived.
Each of the brothers gave her a birthday gift and exchanged a few auspicious words before leaving together.
Qing Wu then turned back and had breakfast with her parents.
Unlike usual, this morning they prepared long noodles—Longevity Noodles. They were cooked in chicken broth that had been simmering for several hours, mixed with sauce, and topped with minced meat, making it very fragrant and rich.
Seeing this made Qing Wu's appetite grow. Just as she was about to pick up her chopsticks, a servant came to report that guests had arrived at the house, asking to see the Master and Mistress as well as the young lady.
No one expected that such an early visitor would be Wen Qingyue.
After receiving permission, Wen Qingyue came to pay respects to Liu Fangyi and the He Family. Without beating around the bush, he directly stated his purpose with a smile: "I heard today is your sister's birthday? I specifically came to deliver birthday gifts. My grandfather originally planned to come along, but he stayed up too late celebrating yesterday and hasn't gotten up yet. I was afraid of missing your sister's time to enter the palace, so I came alone first."
Liu Fangyi and the He Family were surprised that the Wen Family valued their chosen birthday date for Qing Wu so much that they chose this day to congratulate them. They quickly invited Qing Wu over to meet him.
After their meeting yesterday, there was somewhat of an awkwardness between the two families. Facing the Heir Apparent of the Marquisate, even Liu Fangyi found it hard to find the right words.
After receiving the gift from Wen Qingyue, Qing Wu understood that there were some questions her parents might not want to ask directly, so she asked him: "May I know what my original name was? And what was my original birthday?"
"How coincidental! You were originally called Qing Wu, which sounds similar to your current name. The name 'Qing Wu' is very good; let's stick with it. As for your birthday, it is also close to now; it is on the second day of February." Wen Qingyue took a cup of tea offered by Red Peony and continued: "However, your age is incorrect. You need to add another year."
With that, he put aside his usual refined demeanor and smiled mischievously at the girl. "You look thin and seem younger than you are. In fact, you were already six years old back then."
Upon hearing this, Liu Fangyi laughed heartily. After being glared at by the He Family, he restrained himself a bit but couldn't help saying: "Back then I often thought our girl always looked thin but had wisdom beyond her peers. It must be a mistake in counting days. None of them have raised children before; their eyes are just not sharp."
He straightened his back proudly and said to the He Family beside him: "See? It turns out our girl just miscalculated her age by one year."
Wen Qingyue smiled and said, "What does it matter if I was a year off? For me, the most important thing is that Qingwu now has two birthdays to celebrate, and that is wonderful."
Hearing this, the He Family suddenly paused, somewhat incredulously saying, "Does the Heir Apparent mean..."
"Last night, my grandfather passed away. This visit of my sister to the Liu Family is an excellent opportunity. She will naturally celebrate her original birthday, and the birthday set by Liu Residence must also be celebrated. It just means that this Girl," he looked at Qing Wu with a gentle expression and a deep smile on his lips, "will receive double the blessings from now on."
Liu Fangyi and the He Family never expected that what was considered "changeable at any time" by Wu Family regarding the birthday set by Liu Residence for Qing Wu would be seen as extremely precious and something that must be preserved in the eyes of Zhenyuan Marquis Mansion.
The couple had various concerns yesterday, fearing that Zhenyuan Marquis Mansion would disregard the relationship between Liu Family and Qing Wu and want to take her away. Now seeing Zhenyuan Marquis Mansion's attitude, they knew all their worries were unnecessary.
Even with their noble status, Wen Family respected Liu Family greatly.
Qing Wu also breathed a sigh of relief.
She had previously been unfamiliar with the Marquisate and felt anxious seeing Wen Qingyue act so assertively. However, she did not expect that both the Marquis and Wen Qingyue were such people who valued emotions and relationships.
Thinking back on past events, Wen Qingyue must have wanted to get close to her quickly, which led to his actions. Ultimately, he still cared for her. Putting aside past prejudices and looking at this brother again gave her a different feeling in her heart.
Perhaps they were not that close yet, but she felt very relaxed around him.
"Is it just double blessings? I won't agree," Qing Wu said to Wen Qingyue. "You have given me fewer gifts over the years. From now on, you must give me double to make up for it."
What Wen Qingyue feared most was that Qing Wu would not consider him family.
In the past, when she treated him so coldly and distantly, every time he thought of it, he felt a pang of sadness in his heart.
Now seeing her playfully make such a request, he was not unhappy; instead, he was very pleased. He immediately said, "Double is naturally no problem. If you don't mind, eight or ten portions are also fine."
Seeing that everything had been settled, Wen Qingyue was about to take his leave when he heard the He Family hesitantly ask, "May I ask if the Heir Apparent has had breakfast? We prepared birthday noodles for Qing Wu today, and there is plenty left. If you are not busy, why not join us?"
"Of course I will eat my sister's birthday noodles," Wen Qingyue said as he withdrew his footstep. "Then thank you very much, Aunt."
The He Family busily said, "No need for formalities," and had someone prepare more noodles and quickly stir-fry two dishes.
Liu Fangyi and Wen Qingyue were dining outside, while she and Qing Wu were eating in the inner room.
Seeing that it was almost time, Qing Wu needed to leave quickly; otherwise, she would miss her duty in the palace.
Wen Qingyue wanted to personally escort her sister over, and Liu Fangyi and the He Family did not stand on ceremony, smiling as they watched the two leave.
Qing Wu got into the carriage, while Wen Qingyue rode beside it on horseback.
Accompanied by the sound of hooves on the ground and the carriage rolling, the two chatted casually through the carriage wall. Until they reached the palace gate, Wen Qingyue had to part ways. He gently called out to Qing Wu, asking if she could get down for a few words.
After receiving Qing Wu's consent, the Refined Young Man dismounted and personally lifted the carriage curtain to help her down. They walked a dozen steps to the side. Stopping in a place within sight of the servants by the carriage but where their conversation couldn't be overheard, he finally spoke.
"February Chuyi is your birthday. According to grandfather's wishes, he wants to hold a grand banquet to celebrate." This would also let people in the capital know that she was a young lady of their Zhenyuan Marquis Mansion and should not be underestimated.
"However, that day my sister needs to be on duty. I wonder if it is possible to ask His Majesty for a leave? If His Majesty does not grant it, my sister need not worry. Grandfather will go to the palace to meet with the Emperor and personally request it."
Comment 0 Comment Count