Yunchu’s Vengeance - Chapter 142
Chapter 142 - Sending You a Bouquet of Flowers
Night had fallen.
Countless stars twinkled in the sky, a vast expanse of starlight that made one's heart feel equally open and expansive.
Yun Chu sat in the courtyard, the moonlight casting a silvery glow over her shoulders.
At this moment, her mood was tranquil, requiring no thought or scheming, no calculations or darkness—just sitting quietly to admire the moon and the stars was enough.
Outside the small courtyard, Chu Hongyu and Chu Changsheng were whispering to each other, the two little tykes taking advantage of the moonlight to step right into the flower beds.
The elderly matron felt her head ache so much it seemed to split: "Little ancestors, don't run so deep inside. There are snakes at night, be careful..."
Chu Hongyu cared about no such thing. He pulled his sister along to pick many, many flowers of various colors, then had the elderly matron tie them together with a cord.
Clasping the bound bouquet in his arms, he scurried over to the courtyard where Chu Yi was staying.
This courtyard directly adjoined Yun Chu's, separated only by a tall courtyard wall in between.
"Prince Father!"
Chu Yi, who was in the midst of reviewing official documents, raised his head and watched his son and daughter run inside.
He put down his writing brush and picked up the little girl to set her on his lap. "Changsheng, say 'Daddy'."
Instead of calling out to him, Chu Changsheng forcefully shoved that large bouquet of flowers directly into his arms, saying in a soft, childish murmur, "Give, give... Mom..."
Chu Yi failed to understand, having no idea what she meant.
"Prince Father, Auntie Yun really likes flowers, oh." Chu Hongyu said with a cheeky grin, "Will you take these flowers and give them to Auntie Yun, alright?"
Chu Yi frowned. "Nonsense."
"Prince Father, just go and give them, please!" Chu Hongyu shook his arm. "Auntie Yun is the one who taught younger sister how to call you Daddy. Shouldn't you show some gratitude to Auntie Yun?"
Chu Yi: "..."
Gratitude was indeed in order, but what kind of gratitude was giving flowers?
In the world of adults, interests came first; a mere bouquet of flowers was far too light.
Seeing that Chu Yi remained silent, the little fellow instantly flipped his attitude: "Prince Father, you're going too far! You won't even agree to this tiny request. Hmph, from now on Changsheng is never calling you Daddy again! Changsheng, let's go!"
"Wait." Chu Yi pinched the bridge of his nose. "Leave the flowers."
Chu Hongyu snorted through his nose in disdain. "I don't want you to deliver them anymore. I'll go look for Uncle Chengxu!"
Chengxu was the son of Estate Master Cheng and also Chu Yi's most capable personal guard. He was only twenty years old, right in the prime of his youth and vigor.
Chu Yi stood up directly, took the bouquet from Chu Hongyu's hands, strode outward, and quickly reached the entrance of Yun Chu's courtyard.
Once there, his footsteps came to a sudden halt.
Because of her, Changsheng had finally started learning to speak. He had originally intended to gift estates, shops, gold, silver, or jade... yet he had never once thought of giving flowers.
Illuminated by the moonlight and starlight, this nameless bouquet of flowers was brilliant and beautiful, yet still fell short of matching her appearance.
He had no idea how he was supposed to present this bouquet.
"Prince Father, if you don't want to give it, then don't!" Chu Hongyu said, akimbo with his small hands on his hips. "It'll be the same if I ask Uncle Chengxu to give it!"
Chengxu, standing out in the dark night: "..."
Did this matter have anything to do with him? Could he not just quietly be an invisible person?
Yun Chu, sitting in the courtyard, heard Chu Hongyu's voice and called out loudly, "Yu-ge'er, what are you doing at the door? Come inside with Changsheng."
She found it rather strange that the two little ones hadn't come over to pester her.
"Auntie Yun, I have a little matter to take care of, I'll come back in a bit!"
Chu Hongyu gave his old father a hearty shove, grabbed his sister, and turned to run away.
Chu Yi finally crossed the courtyard entrance, rounded the wall, and walked inside. Tingshuang and Jiuer, who were keeping watch there, bowed and greeted, "Greetings, My Lord."
Yun Chu had been lounging casually in a rattan chair, but upon hearing the two maids announce his arrival, she immediately stood up from the chair and offered a slight curtsy. "My Lord."
Raising her gaze, she saw the man standing before her holding a massive armful of flowers.
These flowers looked somewhat familiar; they appeared to be the very same ones growing in the flower beds by the courtyard entrance. Did the Prince of Pingxi really go out picking flowers in the dead of night?
"Yu-ge'er said you like flowers," Chu Yi forced himself to speak.
Once the words were out, what followed seemed far less difficult to utter.
"Thank you for being willing to stay at the estate for the sake of the two children, and thank you for your patience in teaching them. Meeting you is the greatest fortune of these two children's lives. Please accept this bouquet, Madam Xie, and may all your wishes be fulfilled."
Yun Chu raised her hand and accepted the flowers. As the captivating floral fragrance drifted into her nose, the night seemed all the more beautiful.
Her brows and eyes curved into smiles. "I also wish the Prince smooth sailing in all things."
Chu Yi gazed into her crescent-moon eyes, where the clear depths mirrored shimmering motes of moonlight and starlight, causing his heartbeat to inexplicably skip a beat.
The seed that had sprouted within his heart—having just pushed out two tender little leaves—under the gaze of those eyes, grew in a mere moment into a towering tree with lush foliage, almost bursting straight through his chest.
Just at that moment, countless fireflies took flight into the sky.
Amidst the woods, among the foliage, and upon both of their shoulders, the fireflies trailed tiny glowing lanterns as they darted to and fro.
"How beautiful," Yun Chu couldn't help sighing. "The last time I saw fireflies was when I was a child, following my father to fish in the outskirts. My father couldn't manage to catch a single fish, and before we knew it, the sky had grown dark. When we wanted to return, we lost our way, and I was so frightened I started crying... To coax me, my father caught a whole bunch of fireflies."
As she spoke, she couldn't help smiling.
That night, accompanied by fireflies, she and her father had crossed most of a mountain ridge yet still failed to find the path down, until finally her eldest brother came to pick them up and bring them home.
The exhaustion and panic of that night had long since been forgotten, but the fireflies in her memories grew brighter and more precious with the passage of time.
It had been a unique night.
She saw in the distance that Yu-ge'er and Changsheng were chasing fireflies... This, too, was a unique night.
Chu Yi turned his head to look at her and spoke involuntarily, "The last time I saw fireflies was about five years ago, when I returned to the capital accompanying your father from a military campaign. Just as we were nearing the capital, we spotted some. Your father said he wanted to catch them and bring them back to you as a congratulatory gift for your marriage. However, it was early spring and there were too many fireflies missing, so the matter was dropped... The day your father and I arrived in the capital happened to be the day of your wedding. Your father didn't even go to the palace first to report on his duties; instead, he brought me back to your Yun family, and I had the fortune of drinking a cup of your bridal departure wine."
At the mention of events from her wedding day, the smile on Yun Chu's face abruptly vanished.
Her life had been thoroughly ruined starting from that very night...
Chu Yi keenly sensed the shift in her mood and immediately changed the subject. "Madam Xie gifted a longevity lock to Yu-ge'er and Changsheng, so I have also had my attendants prepare a modest gift in return for Madam Xie, hoping you will not decline it."
Just as Yun Chu was pondering a reason to refuse, she saw Chengxu, the attendant by Chu Yi's side, walk over bearing a tray. Atop it rested a piece of jade as large as an adult's palm.
This was uncarved raw jade, the reddish stone emitting a translucent glow under the moonlight.
"This is nothing presentable," Chu Yi said. "Much like a stubborn stone by the roadside or a flower in the woods, it merely represents my gratitude to Madam Xie. Please accept it, Madam."
"Auntie Yun, you must accept it!"
Chu Hongyu and Chu Changsheng materialized from goodness knows where. The two of them joined forces to lift that red stone and stuffed it straight into Yun Chu's arms.
Things had reached this point, and Yun Chu knew that if she were to refuse any further, she would truly be acting overly coy. With a smile, she said, "Then I shall take this jade and carve a pendant each for Yu-ge'er and Changsheng, alright?"
Chu Hongyu pouted. "No way! This is something Prince Father gave to you, how can you give it to me and younger sister?"
Chu Yi felt a surge of gratification; this rascal had finally shown some sense for once.
"We should make three pendants! One for me, one for younger sister, and one for Auntie Yun!" Chu Hongyu flashed his white teeth in a grin. "If there's any left over, we can make one for Prince Father, too."
Chu Yi: "..."
He truly thanked this kid; he was only fit to use the leftovers.