Chapter 65: A Complete Family
Yun Chu was playing with the two children in the inner chamber.
Since her rebirth, her heart had never felt so full—like a teacup brimming with clear water, its fragrance overflowing, impossible to get enough of.
She had often wondered: if those two children hadn’t died young, would they have been about this age now…
Ting Shuang stood outside, hearing the laughter and cheerful voices from the room, a smile unconsciously gracing her lips. How she wished her mistress could always be this joyful.
Before long, Ting Feng approached from outside: “The Second Young Master is about to leave for the estate. Should we ask the mistress to see him off?”
Ting Shuang hesitated for a moment, then shook her head. “Just say the mistress has a headache and isn’t feeling well.”
If the Young Son and Little Commandery Princess hadn’t been here, the mistress would certainly have gone to bid him farewell, leaving no room for criticism.
But the mistress had said that the Young Son and Little Commandery Princess were only allowed to stay at the Xie residence for two days—a mere twenty-four hours in total. Time was so fleeting; how could they waste it on the Second Young Master?
Yun Chu’s entire being was consumed by the two children before her; she hadn’t given a single thought to Xie Shiwei, who was about to be sent away.
“Changsheng, your eyes are so beautiful, and your smile is lovely too,” she said, gazing at the two children. “Yu Ge’er, sit with Changsheng. Mother will draw your portrait.”
Chu Hongyu held Chu Changsheng close as the two children obediently sat on the couch, their dark, bright eyes wide open, resembling the lucky children from New Year paintings—though both were a bit too thin.
Yun Chu thought to herself, if only the children had been raised by her, she would have made sure they were plump and healthy.
While chatting with the children, she began to paint. Though she had never been diligent in martial arts as a child, she had never missed a single lesson in her studies. Her painting and calligraphy had often earned praise from her tutors.
In less than half an hour, two lifelike children appeared on the paper.
“Wow, it’s so pretty,” Chu Hongyu said, tilting his head. “But there’s still one person missing in the painting.”
Yun Chu asked, “Who’s missing?”
“Mother, of course,” Chu Hongyu replied, pulling Chu Changsheng up. “Changsheng, you draw Mother. Let’s have the three of us together in the painting.”
His younger sister couldn’t speak and didn’t like being around people. Whenever she was alone, she enjoyed drawing. Their father had hired dozens of tutors specifically to teach her painting, but only one female tutor had managed to communicate with her somewhat. Changsheng learned quickly and excelled at drawing anything…
Chu Changsheng picked up the brush and began painting swiftly.
With just a few strokes, she sketched the outline of a woman next to the little girl in the painting.
Chu Hongyu pouted. His sister was being unfair—she had drawn Mother right beside herself, even though he was the one who had found Mother first…
Chu Changsheng continued painting. After outlining the woman’s figure, she started on the dress. A few dots and strokes of ink transformed into clusters of plum blossoms. The dress was quickly finished, followed by careful attention to the hairstyle. When everything was done, only the face remained—a blank space without any features.
Chu Hongyu whispered, “The person Changsheng loves to draw most is Mother, but we’ve never seen what our real mother looks like. So, every time she draws Mother, she leaves the face blank…”
Yun Chu’s heart clenched.
To never have met their birth mother, yet to persist in drawing her—the children’s longing for their mother needed no words.She spoke softly, "Yu Ge'er, may I ask why your mother isn't with you?"
"Father said Mother died from difficult labor when giving birth to us," Chu Hongyu hung his head low. "When Changsheng and I were born, we were only as big as an adult's palm, very tiny and light. We almost died too. It was Father who took us to find a miracle doctor to save our lives. I recovered when I was about one year old, but my sister needed treatment until she was three. She only started getting better this year..."
"It's all in the past now, all in the past," Yun Chu drew both children into her embrace. "You've suffered before, but from now on, your lives will be sweet."
"Yes, yes!" Chu Hongyu lifted his head, his eyes sparkling. "We've met you, Mother. You'll love us just like our birth mother did, won't you?"
Yun Chu nodded firmly.
Chu Changsheng struggled out of her embrace, picked up a paintbrush, and began drawing the woman's facial features stroke by stroke with extreme care.
While painting, the little girl occasionally glanced at Yun Chu. When she finished, Chu Hongyu couldn't help exclaiming, "Wow, Changsheng, you've drawn her exactly like Mother!"
Yun Chu looked and indeed—the facial features, contours, every smile and frown—even someone unfamiliar with her would recognize it was her.
Just as she was about to pick up the painting for a closer look, the little girl stopped her and continued painting with her brush.
Three strokes later, a tall, imposing man stood by her side. A few more strokes, and the man's face emerged. Yun Chu recognized him immediately—it was Prince Pingxi, Chu Yi.
"Changsheng, why did you draw Father?" Chu Hongyu's small face wrinkled like a bitter melon. "I hate Father the most. I wish he'd never come back."
Yun Chu covered his mouth. "Don't talk nonsense! If your father never returns, that means he died at the hands of mountain bandits. It would also mean countless common people would suffer, and you and Changsheng would no longer have your father's protection."
While she was speaking to Chu Hongyu, the little girl had completed the man's full figure.
The man stood heroic and vigorous.
The woman appeared graceful and gentle.
The boy looked vibrant and energetic.
The girl seemed exquisitely delicate like carved jade.
The four figures on the paper appeared so lifelike, like a complete family.
Just as the three—one adult and two children—were admiring the painting, Ting Shuang's voice came from outside the door: "Madam, the servants just brought news that Prince Pingxi has turned back and returned to the Prince of Pacifying the West Manor."
Before her words faded, Ting Feng ran in from the outer courtyard: "Madam, A Mao says Prince Pingxi has discovered the Young Son and Little Commandery Princess are missing and is conducting a city-wide search with his men."
Yun Chu jolted upright.
If Prince Pingxi discovered the two children were with her, she could never clear her name even if she jumped into the Yellow River.
She hurriedly said, "Yu Ge'er, Changsheng, both of you get dressed quickly. I'll have Qiutong take you out. Ting Feng, tell A Mao to meet you at the south side gate of the Xie residence."
Chu Hongyu's face turned pale with fear. When Father got angry, he was done for, and all the servants attending him would suffer too.
This time he had even implicated Changsheng.
He quickly jumped down from the couch, straightened his clothes, and followed behind Qiutong with Chu Changsheng.
Yun Chu and Ting Shuang walked ahead, but just as they were about to leave the courtyard, voices of matrons paying respects came from the courtyard entrance: "Greetings to Concubine Yu, greetings to Third Young Master."Soon after, Ting Yu and Xie Shiyun entered Sheng Residence.
Qiutong and Ting Shuang stood closer together, discreetly shielding the child behind them.
"I heard just now that Madam has a headache, so I specially brought some soup for Madam," Ting Yu said, holding a tray. "Since Madam isn't feeling well, why not rest properly? If there's anything, you can instruct me to handle it."
"There is indeed something I'd like to ask you," Yun Chu said. "Come with me inside."
Ting Yu's heart leaped with joy. After being neglected by Madam for so long, she was finally being given a chance. She immediately took Xie Shiyun's hand and happily followed Yun Chu inside.
Qiutong and Ting Shuang slowly stepped aside. Once Ting Yu and Xie Shiyun had entered, the two of them immediately picked up the child beside them and left Sheng Residence.
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