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Yunchu’s Vengeance - Chapter 141

Chapter 141 - Changsheng Spoke

Yun Chu soaked in the hot spring for a little while before she began to feel a warmth spreading through her body. Looking down, she noticed that the red rashes had indeed faded significantly.


She stood up, sat on a rock by the edge of the pool, and smiled as she said, "Changsheng, look, there are so many flowers over there. Auntie would like one red flower, three blue flowers, and five yellow flowers. Can you help me pick them?"


"I'll go, I'll go!" Chu Hongyu was eager to run over.


Yun Chu shook her head at him.


Changsheng wasn't unable to speak; rather, she refused to communicate with the outside world due to some unknown reason.


The physician could only heal her physical body, but it was difficult to erase her resistance toward the outside world.


Since she was able to step into Changsheng's world, perhaps she could lead the little girl out of that tiny, isolated realm.


The little girl paused in her movements, glanced at her, and took some time to comprehend the meaning of the words before walking along the hot spring edge to the opposite side.


That side was blooming with flowers of various colors. The little girl searched around, found the colors Yun Chu wanted, picked them, counted them, and then walked back to hand them to Yun Chu.


"Wow, Changsheng, you're amazing!" Yun Chu picked her up and placed her on her lap. "Auntie loves this so much. Thank you, Changsheng!"


The little girl pressed her lips together and smiled shyly.


"Changsheng, look, this is a red flower. Red—" Yun Chu taught her how to move her mouth. "Say it with Auntie, red..."


The little girl's lips parted, but no sound came out.


Yun Chu thought that perhaps the pronunciation was too difficult; infants learning to speak usually started with terms like mother and father.


Changing her approach, she patiently said, "Come, Changsheng, say it with Auntie, Daddy—"


"Auntie, I'll teach younger sister." Chu Hongyu crawled over, pointed at Yun Chu, and said, "Changsheng, look, Mom—this is our mom."


Yun Chu was about to correct him.


It had taken a lot of effort to finally get Yu-ge'er to change his address to Auntie; she couldn't let him lead the little girl astray right from the start.


Before she had a chance to speak, she heard a soft, delicate voice: "Mom..."


This voice was soft and sweet, just like a honey drop rolled in milk, melting anyone's heart.


Yun Chu's face was full of disbelief. "Changsheng, was that you speaking just now?"


"Yes, yes, yes! It's younger sister's voice!" Chu Hongyu's face was filled with pleasant surprise. "Quick, Changsheng, say it again!"


The little girl looked at the two people in front of her, both gazing at her with hopeful expressions. Her eyes curved into crescents as she smiled, and this time she clearly spoke: "Mom."


"Goodness, younger sister really can talk!" Chu Hongyu leaped three feet into the air and dashed rapidly out of the hot spring area. "Prince Father, Prince Father! Younger sister can speak! Come quickly, younger sister can really speak!"


The matrons guarding the entrance were all in utter disbelief. The little commandery princess could actually speak now?


Without waiting to verify the truth of it, they immediately turned and went to fetch Chu Yi.


By the time Chu Yi arrived, Yun Chu had already dressed the little girl in a new set of clothes. With a beaming smile, Yun Chu said, "Changsheng, call out to your Prince Father..."


"Daddy—"


The little girl called out timidly.


Just a moment ago, Yu-ge'er had taught her to call out for Mom, and Yun Chu had taught her to call out for Dad.


Chu Yi's heart hammered violently against his ribs, and his hands trembled slightly. He extended both arms. "Changsheng, come, Daddy will hold you."


The little girl hugged Yun Chu's neck and refused to let go.


Yun Chu said softly, "Changsheng, that is your father, the one who has always cherished and protected you. He is the person in this world who loves you the most."


The little girl raised her head, slowly turned to look at Chu Yi, and only then cautiously extended her own hands.


The expression on Chu Yi's face melted like an iceberg, bursting into a vibrant bloom of a hundred flowers in an instant. He scooped his daughter into his arms, his voice softening to the extreme. "Changsheng, call me Daddy one more time, alright?"


Chu Changsheng whispered, "Daddy."


"Prince Father, look, younger sister really can talk!" Chu Hongyu hopped about excitedly like a monkey. "Younger sister doesn't just know how to call for Daddy; she knows how to call for Mom too! Changsheng, hurry up and say it for Prince Father to hear!"


Chu Changsheng obediently looked at Yun Chu and sweetly called out, "Mom!"


Hearing a "Daddy" and a "Mom" called out back-to-back gave Yun Chu a rather strange feeling.


Standing alongside these three father and son figures of the Prince of Pingxi's Estate, that strange feeling became exceptionally distinct... It felt almost like a family of four...


She hurriedly chased this absurd thought out of her mind and spoke up, "My Lord, it's getting late, so I'll be heading back first."


"Auntie, don't go!" Chu Hongyu grabbed tightly onto her leg. "Changsheng has her acupuncture treatment tomorrow, and every session takes half an hour. Auntie, won't you stay and keep Changsheng company?"


Yun Chu's heart softened.


She discovered that she simply had no way to resist these two children.


"Changsheng, hurry and ask Auntie to stay!" Chu Hongyu quickly called out to his younger sister for help.


The time today had been far too short; the happiness that belonged to him had only just begun, and everything was about to end.


How much he wished he could live here carefree in this estate, together with his mother, his younger sister, and—reluctantly adding—his father...


Chu Changsheng slid down from Chu Yi's arms and tugged at Yun Chu's sleeve. "Mom... Mom..."


She repeated only this single word over and over again, her large eyes filled with eager anticipation, hoping Yun Chu would not leave and wishing Yun Chu could stay with her.


Yun Chu tilted her head slightly. "Tingfeng, go back to the Xie residence and tell them that there are still some matters at the estate that need to be dealt with, and that I won't be returning tonight."


Tingfeng nodded and set off back to the city together with the carriage driver.


When she returned to the Xie residence, it was already dusk. Tingfeng walked toward the courtyard where Xie Jingyu resided, where a maid was currently decocting medicine in the courtyard while Tingyu was attending to him inside the inner rooms.


Seeing Tingyu diligently serving Xie Jingyu his meal, a flash of mockery crossed Tingfeng's eyes. However, lowering her head to conceal the emotions in her gaze, she stated, "Master, the Madam's business at the estate has not yet been fully settled, so she will only be able to return tomorrow."


Tingyu's hand paused mid-motion. "Are the matters at the Madam's estate really that busy?"


As far as she knew, the Madam's dowry properties were all managed by Uncle Chen, who simply submitted the account books for the Madam's review every quarter. The Madam rarely went to the estates in person to handle affairs, so how could it possibly be busy enough to warrant not returning even at night?


"Concubine Yu doesn't manage a dowry, so naturally you wouldn't know how busy the Madam is." Tingfeng lowered her eyelids. "Master, this maid must return to the estate to attend to the Madam, so I will take my leave."


She kept her head lowered as she walked out.


Tingyu fed Xie Jingyu another bite of food and remarked with apparent casualness, "With the Master fallen this ill, how does the Madam still have the leisure of mind to handle matters outside... Just now, Tingfeng didn't even bother to ask about the Master's condition..."


Xie Jingyu's expression turned gloomy.


That's right. He was sick to the point of being unable to get out of bed, requiring someone to help him even just to eat, yet Yun Chu was staying away overnight simply for the sake of some trivial business.


If the silver she earned was used for the Xie family, he wouldn't say anything, but right now, she didn't even care about Ping-jie'er's dowry. Everywhere inside and outside the Xie mansion that needed silver, she turned a blind eye to it... What was the point of her earning so much money?

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