Chapter 271: Chapter 271: I’m Feeling Some Type of Way!
He and Wen Yiran became husband and wife, but he had to admit that a deep abyss had already formed between them.
These six years, had been too long.
He caressed Wen Yiran’s face. He gently said.
"Do you know what I was thinking about on my way here?"
Wen Yiran hastily averted her eyes.
"I was wondering if you would be angry. The you of today, probably wouldn’t be."
"But I was not willing to let go, so I thought about seeing Yaoyao first, hoping it would make you angry."
This emotion was contradictory.
Wen Yiran took a step back and accidentally knocked over the teacup on the tea table.
With a ’bang’, the tea splashed and the tea set shattered.
"Xuan Chen."
Xuan Chen’s heart trembled, and his fingertips stiffened.
The room was filled with fragrance, which had a calming effect.
Wen Yiran slowly met Xuan Chen’s eyes, she still remembered that day, in the private room of the teahouse, Xuan Chen sat opposite her with restraint, sipping the tea which was bitter but had a sweet aftertaste.
Initially, neither of them spoke, Xuan Chen looked at her, and she timidly held her teacup.
It was hard to say how much time had passed.
His hoarse voice came from within the private room.
—I already have a daughter.
—Wen Yiran.
His smile was forced, looking at the familiar eyebrows and eyes. He handed over the decision-making power along with his sincerity into her hands.
She could grasp it, or she could throw it to the ground and trample on it.
—Knowing that I’m not worthy of you, but I can’t bear it, so I have to act despicably once, I want to ask, do you still want me like this?"
But at this moment, seeing Wen Yiran not speaking, Xuan Chen became scared, even his mind was in complete disarray, his voice trembling: "Do you regret it?"
"No."
Wen Yiran rubbed her fingers.
"I’m just very ashamed."
She bit her lower lip: "Before seeing Yaoyao, I thought about treating her well, buying her exquisite jewelry, beautiful clothes, I thought about not making you uncomfortable, thinking about being a good Xuan Family’s wife."
"But Xuan Chen, this is too hard."
"She is standing right in front of me alive, she can cry and laugh, she’s not a decoration, only then did I realize how superficial my previous thoughts were. Jewelry and clothes are just external things, you need to nurture her, it’s not enough just to add clothes when it’s cold, a son should not be spoiled, a daughter should not be separated from her mother. I need to take good care of her, gradually teach her right from wrong, I must lead by example to earn her trust."
"But I have never been a mother."
Moreover, Xuanyao is not her own daughter, she must be extremely careful in everything she does, considering the consequences.
Xuan Chen sighed, his fingertips twitching with heartache.
He embraced her in his arms, gently stroking her back.
"It is I who should be ashamed."
"Ah Ran, you don’t have to be so sensible."
He, ah.
Deeply immersed in emotions.
Not afraid of the world laughing at him.
As a father, his love for Xuanyao is undiminished. It was so before and it will be so in the future.
Xuanyao is very important to him, more than himself, but Wen Yiran is his life.
"I’ve troubled you. Leave the rest to me."
————
Outside the house, by the stone table.
The wheelchair was fully equipped, Shen Hua listlessly pulled out a paper bag from the side pocket, which contained jerky made by Yicui.
She glumly bit into it.
She still did not forget to ask Qiao Si.
"Do you want some, cousin-in-law?"
"You should eat less jerky, don’t ruin your proper meal."
Shen Hua: "Oh."
She politely responded very well, then... she pulled out some candied fruits.
Until, she heard the sound of the tea set falling inside the house.
Shen Hua’s ears pricked up, and she could not care about eating anymore.
"Did they start fighting?"
But no other sound came from inside the house.
Shen Hua stretched her neck, looking worried, but her tone was excited: "No, I have to stop it."
"I’m quite good at breaking up fights."
"As long as I’m here, no one can lift the roof off my sister-in-law’s room!"
Yicui listened attentively: ...
Her Madam has always been one to discourage unity rather than encourage it.
Yicui still remembers the time Shen Hua went out and bumped into a crying girl, got to know her situation a bit and spoke candidly:
—"She even hit you, why would you still want to be with someone like that? Elders tell you to endure, but why don’t they take the blows for you instead?"
—"She didn’t hit me, just scolded me a few times."
—"Scolding you is not acceptable either, who isn’t born of a father and raised by a mother? What gives him the right to be above you?"
—"But, it was my fault, he scolded me because I made a mistake. Indeed, it is my fault,"
—"So, why doesn’t he reflect and see if he provoked you, which led you to mistakenly transgress?"
—"Is... is that so?"
—"It’d be great if you could realize that it’s clearly his fault, yet he turns around and blames you. How could you want a man like that?"
Good job, a marriage that had just been arranged was messed up by her intervention.
Yet, that girl was infinitely grateful to her.
Everywhere she’d express how she nearly fell into a hole of tigers and wolves because she couldn’t judge people clearly.
Yicui watched as Shen Hua lifted her skirt, attempted to stand on one foot, and hop away, only to be held down by someone coming from behind.
Shen Hua was utterly annoyed.
She turned her head to face Cui Yun’s indifferent expression.
"Are your legs better?"
"No."
Cui Yun rebuked, "Then what are you thrashing about for?"
Shen Hua was baffled for a moment, then her brows furrowed. The girl experienced a moment of incredulity, followed by a surge of indignation.
Before she could lash out, she heard Cui Yun speak again.
"If you accidentally fall and aggravate your old injuries, do you not want to go to the spring hunt anymore?"
The spring hunt is an event hosted by the Imperial Family, and Marquis Yangling Mansion is on the list half a month from now.
Shen Hua widened her eyes: "You’re taking me?"
Over the years, the girl had seen all the things that money could buy. However, due to weak health and elders’ restrictions, she hardly ever went out.
Even though she owns several hot springs properties, Shen Hua has never visited them.
How could she not be thrilled?
Cui Yun’s expression relaxed: "The family members of the mansion can all go together, the round trip plus three days of the hunt, it amounts to seven days. I thought you would like to go."
Shen Hua’s eyes and brows beamed, and she graciously nodded her head.
She turned to ask Qiao Si.
"Is my cousin-in-law going?"
Qiao Si was not surprised about Cui Yun taking Shen Hua to the spring hunt.
She spoke gently: "Both my mother-in-law and I dislike the bustle, but Rong asks about it every month."
Speaking of which, she recalled an incident.
"Before the New Year, Rong got into a conflict with Nan Tai Madam’s granddaughter. The Nan Family might also need to attend the spring hunt this time."
"What was the conflict about?"
Qiao Si reluctantly said.
"Nan Tai Madam’s granddaughter wore the same colored dress as Rong."
"The little girl from Nan Residence came to play with Rong, yet she domineeringly forced her to take off the dress."
"When you go back this time, make sure to keep an eye on her for your sister-in-law."
Shen Hua didn’t decline: "With me around, cousin-in-law can rest assured."
Cui Yun smirked: "When she and Rong are together, the situation might just get worse."
Shen Hua glared at him.
Cui Yun: "Disagree?"
Shen Hua angrily: "I am upset!"
Cui Yun looked at Shen Hua: "If you had been there at the time, how would you have handled it?"
Shen Hua scornfully.
"Nan Tai Madam? Never heard of her."
"That little girl wore the same dress and flaunted it in front of a little ghost, obviously asking for it."
Shen Hua: "What’s there for me to handle?"
The girl forcefully poked the stone table with her hand: "She! Deserved! It!"