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Yunchu’s Vengeance - Chapter 223

Chapter 223 - A Joyful Day


"I'm so happy, I have a maternal grandmother now!"

"I have an uncle and an aunt too!"

"Hehehe, what a joyful day this is!"

Chu Hongyu was practically floating on air with delight, unable to even settle down and eat properly as he pranced in circles around the group.

"I say, you brat, can't you just sit properly?!" Yun Zhenjiang puffed out his cheeks and said, "Are you going to eat or what?"

He felt deeply displeased in his heart.

His aunt, his father, his mother, and his grandmother were all hovering around these two kids.

They kept pulling out all kinds of gifts, too.

He was completely ignored.

Unpleased—he was extremely unpleased!

"Jiang'er, how can you speak to Hong'er like that?" Liu Qianqian patted her son's head. "You are their older cousin now, so act more sensible."

"Hee-hee-hee, older cousin! I have an older cousin now too!" Chu Hongyu gave Yun Zhenjiang an excited, sudden hug, then went to gently feel Liu Qianqian's belly. "I'm going to have a younger female cousin soon, too... Wow, Aunt, little cousin moved! She moved! She kicked my hand..."

Chu Changsheng leaned in curiously. Though she did not speak, her pair of dark eyes was filled with yearning.

Liu Qianqian held the little girl's hand and placed it on her pregnant belly: "Changsheng, feel your little cousin more often, so that when she is born, she will grow up to be as pretty as you."

The tiny, soft hand rested on the pregnant belly, caressing it gently before a smile bloomed on her face.

Lady Lin smiled along with them.

The boulder that had weighed on her chest for so many years had finally been lifted; what more could she possibly ask for?

The icy lines of Chu Yi's brows smoothed out.

Every angle of his sharp, cold features was filled with tenderness.

So it turned out that when surrounded by real family, Changsheng truly would step out from her own small world.

He believed Changsheng would surely get better and better.

The meal concluded amidst the giggling, playful antics of Chu Hongyu and Yun Zhenjiang.

Lady Lin felt that this hotpot was simply divine. If there were another opportunity in the future, she would definitely come here to eat again.

"Maternal Grandmother, come over here with me so we can whisper secrets..." Chu Hongyu pulled Lady Lin's hand, his round eyes open wide as he asked, "Why is it that Changsheng and I get to have an uncle, aunt, and maternal grandmother now? Is it because Mother is going to marry my Father?"

Lady Lin promptly covered his mouth: "Nonsense."

The little fellow pried her hand away and said earnestly, "Maternal Grandmother, I'm not speaking nonsense! My Father said he wants to marry Mother as his Princess Consort. Now that the Yun family has recognized Changsheng and me, treating us so well and giving us so many meeting gifts, doesn't that mean you agree with this marriage too?"

Lady Lin: "..."

Discussing such a matter with a brat who was not even five years old—she simply had no idea how to talk to him.

Nor could she explain that his father had a beloved and had even fallen out with Concubine Yin for her sake; saying all that would be entirely beyond the child's understanding anyway.

"Ah well, Maternal Grandmother is getting old, so you definitely don't understand these things," Chu Hongyu sighed. "It will surely take Maternal Grandfather returning to the capital before Father and Mother can truly get married."

Lady Lin: "..."

She didn't understand?

Yes, yes, yes—she was the one who didn't understand!

"Maternal Grandmother, I've prepared a gift for you too, you know!" Chu Hongyu held Lady Lin's hand, leading her toward the rear.

Lady Lin followed him across a veranda, through a doorway, around a long corridor, and through another arched entryway. Then—

Her brows furrowed.

Why did the courtyard in front of her look identical to Chu'er's courtyard?

Just as she was pondering, she was pulled into the room by the little fellow. Stepping inside, even the furnishings were identical, and the teacups on the table shared the exact same pattern.

Parting the bead curtain to step into the inner chamber, even the scent lingering in the room was identical.

Immediately after, Lady Lin spotted clothes belonging to Yun Chu.

Her eyes nearly popped out of her head: "Chu... Chu'er's clothes... h-how could they be in the Prince's..."

"This is Mother's room! If her clothes aren't here, where else would they be?" Chu Hongyu blinked. "Oh, I forgot to tell Maternal Grandmother! The wall between Father's new house and Mother's new house has been knocked through! From now on, Changsheng and I can go wherever we want!"

"What?!"

Lady Lin was greatly shocked.

She turned around and walked outside,

catching sight of that arched entryway.

This side was Chu'er's inner courtyard.

Walking through led directly to Prince Pingxi's residence.

Good heavens!

What difference was there between this and living in the same courtyard?

A lone man and a lone woman... Though there were two extra kids, if word got out, it would be impossible to explain away.

To say nothing of the fact that Prince Pingxi had a beloved at his side. If a scandal broke out, it would be immensely disadvantageous to Chu'er.

While Lady Lin stood frozen in place, Chu Yi walked over to the other side of the arched doorway.

"Madam Yun."

He nodded in greeting, without a single shred of airs as a royal prince.

Suppressing her shock, Lady Lin took a moment to compose herself before saying, "Your Highness, whose idea was this arched doorway?"

"It was my idea," Chu Yi answered directly. "Miss Yun is the birth mother of the two children. Having missed out on over four years together, mother and children all wish to spend more time with one another. No matter what excuse is used, there is no way to legitimately let the two children remain at Miss Yun's side indefinitely, which is why I resorted to this lesser of two evils. Rest assured, Madam Yun—without Miss Yun's permission, I shall not cross this arched doorway."

Lady Lin held back time and again, but ultimately could not refrain from speaking: "Your Highness can guarantee that you will not cross the arched doorway, but can you guarantee that your beloved will do the same?"

Chu Yi's voice was clear and resonant: "There is no other beloved."

"Then did Your Highness not move houses precisely for the sake of your beloved?" Lady Lin could not help pressing further.

"Allow me to tell Madam Yun a story." Separated by the arched doorway, Chu Yi said in a clear, carrying voice, "In ancient times, there was a man who wanted to open a window in his house because the scenery outside was too beautiful. Yet he knew full well his family would never agree. Thus, one day when the entire family was present, he proposed tearing down the house to rebuild it from scratch. His family naturally refused. At that moment, when he proposed opening a window instead, his family agreed without a second thought."

He had always been a man of few words, yet before Madam Yun, he did not dare be concise; everything that needed to be said, he would state clearly.

"I do have a beloved, but she is not the beloved of popular rumor," he said word by word. "I shall use my utmost sincerity to marry Miss Yun as my formal wife."

It was as though a bolt of thunder had struck the top of Lady Lin's head.

She stood dazed in her spot, completely at a loss for how to react.

Only after remaining dazed for quite a while did she speak up: "Is Your Highness doing this solely for the sake of the two children?"

"No." Chu Yi looked off into the distance. "It is because I have two children that I dare to let my true feelings see the light of day."

Lady Lin's lips parted, but she said no more.

Regarding Chu'er's lifelong happiness, she had been mistaken once before and had no right to speak. Maintaining silence was the greatest form of respect.

"With Miss Yun caring for the children, I am very much at ease," Chu Yi spoke up once more. "Next, I shall request an imperial decree to head to the southern border in search of General Yun."

"There is no need."

A voice came from behind.

It was Yun Chu walking over.

She had already been standing there for a while, having heard most of what Chu Yi said to her mother.

When a man went to such lengths for her, was her heart moved?

Naturally, there was a touch of emotion.

Marrying this man for the sake of the children was indeed not a bad choice.

Yet it was still merely for the sake of the children.

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