Yun Chu Ling

Chapter 266: New Year's Eve Vigil

It was customary to stay up late on New Year's Eve.

Yun Chu and Chu Yi left the palace separately, entered through the gates of two different courtyards, then met in Yun Chu's Warm Pavilion.

"Mother!"

The two children ran in, kicked off their shoes, and threw themselves into Yun Chu's embrace.

"Wasn't I especially wonderful!"

Chu Hongyu looked like he was begging for praise.

Yun Chu pressed the pre-prepared snow pack against his swollen eyes and chuckled helplessly: "Yu Ge'er was wonderful, Changsheng was wonderful too, but please don't cry like this in the future."

Their eyes were so swollen from crying, and they'd likely be even more swollen by tomorrow.

She carefully used the snow pack to reduce the swelling around both children's eyes.

When she was nearly done, she took two large Red Envelopes from her sleeve and handed them over: "This is the lucky money from your mother, wishing both of you peace and safety year after year."

"Thank you, Mother!"

The two little ones spoke in unison, happily accepting the lucky money.

By the time they returned from the palace, it was already quite late. Before the zi hour arrived, the children's eyelids grew heavy, and they fell asleep leaning against Yun Chu.

Yun Chu looked at Chu Yi sitting nearby and said softly: "Let's carry the children back to their room."

Chu Yi nodded. Each carrying a child, with Yun Chu leading the way and Chu Yi following behind, they walked one after another into Yun Chu's bedroom.

This was Chu Yi's second time here.

The first time was when Yun Chu's mother suddenly visited, forcing him to enter Yun Chu's bedchamber, where he only dared to glance briefly around.

This time... he originally didn't dare to look too closely, but found he had overthought it.

Because the bedroom was completely different from before.

The table was covered with children's snacks, the bed held the children's dolls, the blankets and pillows were those the children were accustomed to using, and the dressing table held a pellet drum and slingshot...

This was no longer a young woman's bedchamber.

It was clearly a bedroom for a mother and her children.

For some reason, at that moment, Chu Yi felt an indescribable ache in his heart.

The children hadn't just brought Yun Chu happiness and joy.

It seemed they had also made her lose her original self, transforming her from an individual into a mother.

Of course, she probably welcomed this change.

But... life shouldn't only consist of the happiness brought by children.

Chu Yi silently watched as Yun Chu carefully tucked the children in and drew the bed curtains.

He said quietly: "Yu Ge'er is already five years old. He should have his own separate courtyard."

Yun Chu parted her lips.

Having just been reunited with the children, that feeling of regaining what was lost made her particularly indulgent toward them, and she was willing to spoil and pamper them unconditionally.

But she also understood clearly that the children would eventually grow up.

She replied slowly: "Alright. Then let's wait until winter passes before having Yu Ge'er move to his own courtyard."

Perhaps the room was too cramped, but Yun Chu inexplicably felt somewhat warm.

When she looked up, she met a pair of intensely burning eyes, making her heart suddenly skip a beat.

Before she could avert her gaze, Chu Yi was the first to turn his head away, covering his mouth with his fist as he said: "Let's go outside to talk."

In such a confined space, he always found himself having inexplicable thoughts.

He told himself he couldn't be presumptuous with her again.

Five years ago, taking her at the wrong time had been a fatal mistake.

Now, he would soon be able to marry her properly.

He wanted to give her the most perfect wedding night, to help her forget the pain brought by that night five years ago...

The two of them walked out of the inner chamber.The candle sputtered and crackled, its sound particularly distinct in the silent night.

Yun Chu looked up at the man before her.

In the past, she might have been concerned about the propriety between men and women, but now that their marriage was settled, the person before her was the one with whom she would spend the rest of her life—they were family.

She curved her lips into a smile and said, "When I was a child, I used to stay up all night with my parents and elder brother to observe the New Year's Eve vigil. What about you? Have you ever done that?"

Chu Yi sat down on the couch, took a sip of tea, and slowly replied, "The palace banquet on New Year's Eve always ended before midnight. We princes would then observe the vigil with our respective mothers... Later, after coming of age and being enfeoffed as princes, we moved out of the palace and no longer observed the vigil."

Yun Chu looked up. "Do you know why we observe the vigil?"

Chu Yi vaguely remembered that his tutor had explained it when he was very young, but he hadn't considered it important and had forgotten.

He leisurely said, "Then, Chu'er, tell me about it."

"It is said that in ancient times, there was a fierce monster called Nian..."

Yun Chu's voice flowed like a gentle stream, slowly seeping into Chu Yi's heart.

Outside, snow began to fall.

Glistening snowflakes drifted down one by one.

Suddenly, fireworks bloomed in the sky.

Colors of all shades flickered in Yun Chu's eyes.

She was watching the fireworks.

And he was watching her.

The night passed quietly.

Perhaps out of habit, even after staying up most of the night, Yun Chu woke up at her usual time.

As it was the New Year, she gave herself a break and didn't need to get up for martial arts practice.

However, the two children had to go to the palace that day to pay New Year's respects to their elders.

Yun Chu gently woke the two children, dressed them, helped them wash up, applied windproof oil to their faces, and then sent them to the other side of the gate.

"Chu'er, Happy New Year!"

Chu Yi looked at her with a beaming smile and presented her with a New Year's gift.

Yun Chu opened it to find a pair of exquisitely crafted earrings.

"Happy New Year to you too," Yun Chu said as she accepted the gift. "Thank you for the present. I love it."

"Father, is it only a gift for Mother? What about mine? And Changsheng's?" Chu Hongyu stretched out his hand. "We want gifts too!"

Chu Yi coughed lightly. "Here is the key to the treasury. Pick whatever you like."

The little boy immediately turned to Yun Chu. "Mother, what do you like? I'll pick it for you."

The little girl chimed in, "My gift... I'll give it to Mother too."

Chu Yi: "..."

"Alright, it's getting late. Hurry and go to the palace."

Yun Chu chuckled and waved goodbye to the children.

At the start of the new year, she gave red envelopes to the servants in the courtyard and granted them leave. Then, she prepared gifts to pay New Year's visits to the Yun family.

Just as she was about to leave, she noticed a figure slowly approaching the entrance of the alley outside the gate.

Even from a distance, she recognized him—it was Xie Shi'an.

Xie Shi'an had come to see her not just once or twice, almost to the point of pestering her.

Initially, she had only wanted to coexist peacefully with Xie Shi'an, keeping to their own paths and avoiding any further grudges in this lifetime.

But Xie Shi'an clearly did not share the same sentiment.

"Mother."

As she was lost in thought, Xie Shi'an had already approached and bowed to her.

"Your son is here to wish you a prosperous New Year."

Yun Chu pressed her lips together. "Do you think it's still appropriate for you to call me Mother?"Xie Shi'an gave a bitter smile: "I heard that last night, the Emperor intended to bestow marriage upon Mother and Prince Pingxi. Mother is about to become the Princess Consort of the Pacifying West, about to become another man's wife. I truly... should no longer address you as Mother like this... I just never expected that less than half a year after Father's passing, while his remains are still warm, Mother would already remarry..."

Yun Chu smiled: "An Ge'er, are you blaming me for this?"

Xie Shi'an lowered his head: "I wouldn't dare."

"How could you possibly not dare?" Yun Chu shook her head. "I intended to remain a widow for your father my entire life, but it was you who drove me out of the Xie family. It was you who forced me to leave the Xie household, making me transition from a widow to a divorced woman... And now, with this imperial marriage decree, regardless of who the other party is, it goes against my wishes... Hah, why am I even telling you this? No, you wouldn't understand. You understand nothing. You're just as selfish as your father Xie Jingyu - both of you are cold-blooded monsters..."

Xie Shi'an's fingers suddenly clenched tight.

This was the first time he had ever heard someone call him selfish, call him cold-blooded.

Moreover, the person saying these words was the respected and beloved legal mother he had always looked up to...