Chapter 288: Chapter 288: The Meaning of Home Is Where the Soul Belongs
Just then, Nan Tai Madam arrived belatedly.
"Zhi."
She chided, "I looked all around for you, thought you had run off into the wild again."
As she spoke, it seemed she just noticed Cui Rong, and a gleam of sharpness flashed in Nan Tai Madam’s eyes, "Didn’t your grandmother come? I was hoping to see her during this opportunity. She, too, keeps every little thing to heart and still blames me. Her tolerance is indeed too shallow."
Cui Rong stared at the bracelet that was not suitable for her to wear.
"My grandmother couldn’t care less about you."
Nan Tai Madam was choked up, "What’s gotten into you, child?"
Shen Hua: "She probably wants to buy a residence next to Nan Residence, I guess."
Quickly, Nan Tai Madam, with a somber face, led Nanzhi away.
Wei Yingying also joined in.
A few girls sat in a secluded corner, and although quieter compared to the lively game of pitching pots, without secretly competing and chatting with each other, they relaxed and time passed by quickly.
Until an accident occurred at the hunting ground.
Mr. Wei, covered in filth, was carried back by the guards. He cried out in pain all the way, with blood dripping down from beneath his robes. The mask on his face had fallen off at some point, revealing his dreadful, pus-covered face, completely exposed to everyone.
All around, there were sounds of sharp intakes of breath.
"Who is this?"
"I didn’t know a person could look like this."
Xie Xun also returned.
Xie Xun ordered the soldiers: "Find the following Imperial Physician and go to Young Master Wei’s tent."
"Yes."
"What? Mr. Wei?"
"I remember him being quite handsome. Has he swapped heads?"
Mrs. Wei was utterly distraught. She hurried forward, asking tremulously, "What happened?"
Seeing something was amiss, the Governor’s wife approached Yan Mi without changing her expression. She pulled her mouth into a cold smirk. Anger was evident on her face.
Is this what they call pollen allergy? It must be completely disfiguring.
Yet, Yan Mi looked composed as if she did not care at all about how disfigured Xiheng looked.
Xie Xun: "Mr. Wei fell into a trap that the official had ordered to be set previously. Mr. Wei must have been focused on hunting. In an unguarded moment, both he and his horse fell into it."
"The injuries must be severe."
Even the usually mild Xie Xun was suppressing his fury.
He had just found a rabbit burrow; inside were more than ten rabbits, all newborns, not even the size of a palm.
Yangyang would definitely like them.
Xiheng didn’t fall into the hole early, nor late, but just at this critical moment.
He just wanted to hold the rabbits, and intended for Cui Yun to rescue them, but Cui Yun rode away without even glancing sideways.
The Governor’s wife was like a fishbone stuck in her throat.
Who wouldn’t know about that trap! Inside the trap were all animal clamps, a whim of the official.
Xiheng was foolish beyond measure.
Mrs. Wei was terrified, her complexion pale. She could no longer concern herself with anything else.
She didn’t know where Xiheng was injured. But she hoped it wasn’t that place, otherwise it would be beyond redemption.
Watching a crowd walk away, Shen Hua rested her chin on her hand.
She spoke with noble and cool detachment, "This spring hunt has truly been spectacular."
Wei Yingying’s face was drawn with worry: "If something really happens to him, it’s Sister Yan who will suffer."
No sooner had she spoken than a scream was heard. It came from the nearby Princess Tent.
Wei Yingying puzzled, "What now?"
Shen Hua continued to rest her chin, playfully lifted a pinkie finger, lost in thought for a moment.
"Don’t you think Mr. Wei and the Fifth Princess are quite a match for each other?"
"What?"
Shen Hua slapped the table.
"It’s settled!"
As night deepened, both lunch and dinner were resolved at Half Moon Lake, one meal was grilled fish by Xie Xun, and the other was pheasant.
With Cui Yun absent, Cui Rong freely frolicked, probably exhausted she quickly fell asleep in Yingwu’s arms. After settling her, the girls washed up but did not rest. She stepped out of the tent with a worried, pale beautiful face, checking the sky, then turned back.
Shen Hua was anxious.
Cui Yun did not fall prey to a trap, did he?
Under Yingwu’s expressionless gaze, she went out of the tent again. Standing on tiptoes, she looked around in all directions, and then walked back dejectedly.
She repeated this three times.
She put on a mink coat and dashed into the twilight, heading directly to Cui Yun’s tent.
The interior of the tent was cold and empty. Yingwu lit a candle.
————
Insects chirped incessantly, and Cui Yun, bringing with him a chill, returned under the moonlight. He stood outside the tent, looking at the dim light inside.
The girl wrapped herself tightly, sitting on a round stool, occasionally swinging her feet.
Perhaps tired from sitting, she leaned over the desk in distress.
Cui Yun walked in slowly.
Upon hearing the noise, Shen Hua quickly lifted her head and ran up to greet him: "You’re finally back?"
"I heard that there are fierce beasts roaming the hunting grounds. Everyone else returned at dusk, but why did cousin stay so late?"
"Don’t get close." Cui Yun stopped her.
Shen Hua was somewhat displeased: "Why not?"
Cui Yun, who had entered deep into the forest, replied indifferently: "I have the blood of wild beasts on me. It might not smell good."
"What’s up with you, cousin? As if I would despise you."
After saying this, Shen Hua honestly stepped back several paces.
Cui Yun: ...
At that moment, Ying Yi brought in some water.
Cui Yun carefully washed his hands, changing the water three times before stopping. He was just about to start speaking: "About the matter with the Fifth Princess—"
He was interrupted.
"She is surrounded by servants, she wouldn’t have gotten hurt, merely frightened."
"She harmed me first."
"Even if she knows I released the snake, nobody saw it. It’s just slander. Since she’s guilty, she dare not do anything to me."
Cui Yun narrowed his eyes: "Oh, so you’re justified?"
"Why do you want to talk about another girl in the middle of the night? Do you pity her?"
Cui Yun paused the motion of wiping his hands. After a long while, his voice softened.
"I got a good haul this time, a white fox fur coat, a scarf, hand warmers. I’ll go again tomorrow, the blanket in your room also needs replacing."
Hearing this, Shen Hua lowered her head, rubbing her fingers uneasily.
"I didn’t say that you must fulfill your promise."
"Furs can always be obtained again another time. But if something happened to you—"
"Forget it, I won’t speak of such unlucky things. You mustn’t go again tomorrow, Mr. Wei has already been sent down the mountain to recover during the day. And the Third Prince also got hurt by a wild animal in the stomach."
Despite saying this, the joy in Shen Hua’s eyes couldn’t fool anyone.
She turned her back to Cui Yun, smoothing her curled lip with her fingertips, before finally turning around.
"Have you had your evening meal?"
"I specifically saved half a chicken for you. I was worried it would get cold, so I put it on a rack over the charcoal to keep warm. Do you want to eat it now, cousin?"
Listening to her soft words, Cui Yun felt an unprecedented clarity in his heart.
He seemed to finally understand, the meaning of making a home is where the soul belongs.
It’s not about casually finding someone to make do.
It’s about having someone waiting for you at home no matter how late you return.
Seeing that he did not respond, Shen Hua, feeling a bit cold, brought her hands to her mouth to breathe some warmth into them.
"Are there any for those little ghosts? Or is it just for me alone?"
Cui Yun saw the loosely hung Jade Pendant at her waist and immediately stooped down to tighten it, but just at that moment, the girl leaned in and looked up.
Her soft lips brushed directly over the man’s chin.
Shen Hua’s eyes flickered with shock.
Cui Yun also froze.
He came to his senses and held the girl’s chill-ridden hands: "It’s only for you."
Suddenly, he laughed leisurely and spoke humanely: "I should indeed be biased towards you."