Yunchu’s Vengeance - Chapter 65

Chapter 65 - A Complete Family

Yunchu and the two children frolicked and played in the inner chamber.

Ever since her rebirth, her heart had never felt so full, much like a teacup brimming with spring water, its fragrance overflowing and leaving her unable to get enough no matter how deeply she inhaled.

She kept wondering: if those two children back then had not died prematurely, would they have grown to be this tall...

Tingshuang stood outside, hearing the sounds of laughter and joy drifting from within the room, and the corners of her mouth curved into a smile as well. How she wished that Madam could remain this joyful always.

Before long, Tingfeng walked over from the outside: "The Second Young Master is about to leave for the estate. Should we request Madam to make an appearance to see him off?"

Tingshuang hesitated for a moment, then shook her head: "Just say that Madam has a headache and is feeling unwell."

If the Little Marquis and the Little Princess had not appeared, Madam would certainly have gone to send him off so that no one could find the slightest fault.

Yet Madam had stated that she only permitted the Little Marquis and the Little Princess to stay at the Xie residence for two days. Calculating it, that was a mere twenty-four double-hours; with time so fleeting, how could she waste it on the Second Young Master?

Yunchu's heart and mind were completely occupied by the two children before her, and she had not even given a passing thought to Xie Shiwei, who was about to be sent away.

"Changsheng, your eyes are truly beautiful, and you look so lovely when you smile." She looked at the two children in front of her. "Yuge'er, you and Changsheng sit together, and Mother will paint a portrait for you both."

Chu Hongyu hugged Chu Changsheng, and the two children sat obediently on the couch, opening their dark, glossy eyes like a pair of New Year poster blessing dolls, except that both children were rather on the thin side.

Yunchu thought to herself that if the children were raised by her side, she would definitely feed them until they were round and plump.

While talking to the children, she set to work on her painting. Although she had not been diligent in her martial arts studies in her youth, she had never skipped a single class in her books, and her paintings and calligraphy frequently won praise from her tutors.

In less half an hour, two lifelike little dolls appeared upon the drawing paper.

"Oh, this is so pretty." Chu Hongyu tilted his head and said, "But someone is still missing from the painting."

Yunchu asked, "Who is missing?"

"Mother is missing." Chu Hongyu pulled Chu Changsheng up. "Changsheng, you paint Mother, and draw the three of us together."

Little Sister could not speak and disliked being around people. Whenever she stayed by herself, she loved to draw on paper. Their father had once invited tutors specifically to teach Little Sister how to paint—dozens of people were hired, and in the end, only a single female tutor could barely communicate with Little Sister. Little Sister learned extremely quickly and painted everything exceptionally well...

Chu Changsheng picked up the writing brush and began to paint with great swiftness.

With just a few sparse strokes, she sketched the figure of a woman right beside the little girl.

Chu Hongyu curled his lips in minor dissatisfaction; Little Sister was truly too much, actually drawing Mother right next to herself when he was the one who had found Mother first...

Chu Changsheng continued painting. Once the woman's figure was outlined, she began to draw the skirt and gown. With a few dots and dabs of ink, they transformed into blooming plum blossoms, and the gown was finished in a flash. Then she meticulously painted the hair bun, and finally, everything was completed, leaving behind only a face—a blank face devoid of facial features.

Chu Hongyu lowered his voice: "The person Little Sister loves to draw most is Mother, but we have never laid eyes on our real mother, so every time she paints Mother, she never draws the face..."

Yunchu felt her heart constrict.

Having never set eyes on their birth mother, yet harboring such a persistent obsession to paint her—the two children's longing for their mother went without saying.

She spoke in a gentle tone: "Yuge'er, might I make so bold as to ask why your mother is not by your side?"

"Father said Mother died in a difficult labor when we were born." Chu Hongyu hung his head low. "When Changsheng and I were just born, we were only the size of an adult's palm, so very light, and we almost died too. It was Father who took Changsheng and me to find a divine physician to renew our lives so that we survived. I got better around the age of one, and Little Sister underwent medical treatments all the way until she was three, only slowly getting better this past year..."

"It is all in the past, all in the past now." Yunchu gathered the two children into her embrace. "You suffered hardships before, so all the days ahead will be sweet."

"Yes, indeed!" Chu Hongyu raised his head, his two eyes shining brightly. "We met Mother, and you will surely love us just like our birth mother, won't you?"

Yunchu nodded with firm resolve.

Chu Changsheng struggled out of her embrace, picked up the paintbrush, and began to draw the facial features for that woman, stroke by meticulous stroke, with the utmost concentration.

As she painted, the little girl would glance at Yunchu from time to time. When she finished, Chu Hongyu could not help exclaiming in wonder: "Oh! Changsheng, you drew her to look exactly like Mother."

Yunchu took a look, and indeed, wasn't it true? The facial contours, every expression and smile—even someone unfamiliar with her would know at a single glance that it was her.

Just as she was about to pick up the artwork to appreciate it properly, the little girl wouldn't allow it, picking up the paintbrush to resume painting.

With three strokes, a tall, stalwart figure of a man stood beside her, and with a few more strokes, the man's facial features emerged. Yunchu recognized him at a single glance: this was the Prince of Pingxi, Chu Yi.

"Changsheng, why did you go and draw Father?" Chu Hongyu's little face puckered into a bitter melon expression. "I hate Father the most. It would be best if he never came back for the rest of his life."

Yunchu covered his mouth: "Nonsense. If your father never came back for the rest of his life, it would mean he perished at the hands of mountain bandits, which in turn would mean countless commoners suffering disaster, and furthermore, that neither you nor Changsheng would have a father to protect you anymore."

While she was speaking with Chu Hongyu, the little girl had already drawn the man's complete physique.

The man looked dashing and full of heroic vigor.

The woman appeared graceful and gentle.

The boy beamed with high spirits.

The girl was carved of jade and sculpted of pink.

The four of them on the drawing paper looked completely lifelike, resembling a truly complete family.

Just as the one adult and two children were admiring the artwork, Tingshuang's voice rang out from outside the door: "Madam, a servant just went out and brought back news saying that the Prince of Pingxi went and returned, and has already re-entered the Prince of Pingxi's Estate."

The moment her voice trailed off, Tingfeng came running over from the outer courtyard: "Madam, Amao says the Prince of Pingxi discovered that the Little Marquis and the Little Princess are missing, and is currently leading men to search the entire city."

Yunchu sat up straight with a start.

If the Prince of Pingxi discovered the two children were right here with her, she wouldn't be able to wash herself clean even if she jumped into the Yellow River.

She hurriedly said, "Yuge'er, Changsheng, the two of you hurry and put on your clothes properly. I'll have Qiutong escort you out. Tingfeng, go tell Amao to rendezvous at the Xie estate's southern side gate."

Chu Hongyu turned pale with fright; once Father flew into a rage, he would be completely done for, and the attendants serving by his side would suffer the same fate as well.

This time he had even dragged Changsheng down with him.

With swift movements, he hopped down from the couch, straightened his clothes, and followed right behind Qiutong alongside Chu Changsheng.

Yunchu and Tingshuang walked in the lead, and just as they were about to step out of the courtyard, the voice of an old servant woman offering greetings rang out by the courtyard entrance: "Greetings to Concubine Yu, greetings to the Third Young Master."

Immediately following that, Tingyu and Xie Shiyun walked into Sheng Residence.

Qiutong and Tingshuang stepped close together, unostentatiously blocking the children behind them.

"Hearing just now that Madam had a headache, this concubine specially came to bring Madam some soup." Tingyu held a tray in her hands. "Since Madam is not feeling well, why are you not resting properly? If there are any matters, you can simply command this concubine to handle them."

"There is indeed a matter I wish to ask you about," Yunchu spoke up. "Accompany me inside."

Tingyu felt a surge of joy in her heart. Madam had given her the cold shoulder for so long, and finally she was willing to grant her an opportunity. She immediately took Xie Shiyun by the hand and followed happily behind Yunchu as they walked inside.

Qiutong and Tingshuang slowly shifted sideways, and the moment Tingyu and Xie Shiyun went in, the two of them scooped up the children beside them and walked briskly out of Sheng Residence.