Chapter 68: The Xie Estate Receives Guests (Part 1)

  "Mmm!" Yao Cunhui nodded vigorously, her nose souring as tears finally fell uncontrollably. She bit her lip tightly, trembling lightly, struggling to hold back the loud sniffling sounds.

  Tears of sadness fell on his chest, he seemed to feel something, his arm slightly relaxed and lowered his head to look at her face. She stubbornly buried her head in it and refused to lift it up, and tightly wrapped her arms around his waist.

  Shen Que let out a soft sigh, gently patted her back with one hand, and held her even tighter.

  Time seemed to have stopped, the dim lamp swayed gently, the quiet ravens in the house were silent, the two figures embracing each other, stretched long and long under the lamplight, occasionally swaying slightly with the candlelight.

  "It's getting late, you should head back. The weather in the Western Regions is not good, you must take care of your body. No matter what time it is, no matter what you're facing, you have to think of me, think that there's still someone like me waiting for you and missing you." After a moment, Yao Cun Hui gently let go of him, looked up with a smile, her snow-white face filled with a warm and gentle smile, yet also revealing deep longing.

  "I will, you too, take good care!" With the beautiful face in front of him, Shen Ke's heart was filled with a mix of bitter and sweet emotions. It was his first time experiencing such conflicting yet harmonious feelings.

  Yao Cunhui's lips moved, but in the end she didn't say anything else. She just smiled faintly at him. She didn't dare to speak again, fearing that as soon as she opened her mouth, it would be a sob. She couldn't become his psychological burden; she wanted him to leave with peace of mind and return safely.

  Shen Qingsong opened it, and from his body he pulled out an object tied with a red string, which was a copper plate about two fingers wide. On top of it were carved patterns and words. Perhaps due to the long passage of time, the copper plate had become somewhat blackened due to oxidation.

  "This is the amulet my nanny got for me when I was little, it can ward off evil and bring peace. It's the most precious thing to me. Hui'er, on the days when I'm not around, let it accompany you!" Shen Ke grasped the small copper piece tightly, his eyes becoming warm and nostalgic as he smiled at Yao Cunhui, carefully hanging the amulet around her neck.

  Yao Cun Hui obediently accepted it, touched the peaceful token that carried his body temperature, and smiled lightly: "It's really good, just like you're by my side!"

  "Haha!" Shen Ke also laughed, his eyebrows and eyes curved, his low mood suddenly relaxed a lot. He lowered his head and gently kissed her forehead, reluctant to part with her: "Hui'er, I should go back! Take care!"

  "Smooth sailing!" Yao Cunhui's heart sank to the bottom at this moment, blinked her eyes, and forced a smile.

  Shen Ke nodded, gazing deeply at her for the last time, his eyes fixed on her as he took a few steps back, then suddenly turned around. Yao Cun Hui's eyes flashed, and before she knew it, there was no one in front of her anymore.

  "Sink..." Her lips moved slightly, suddenly panicked, stumbled forward a few steps, stunned, staring fixedly at the place where he disappeared, her body swayed, and tears finally fell uncontrollably.

  He's gone, and this time he's really gone!

  Three years, three years later, can things really be as they were? She didn't know and didn't dare think about it!

  "Miss, miss! What's wrong!" Mrs. Rong rushed in and saw her crying silently with her head on the table, her face covered in tears, and was shocked.

  "Rong Ma!" Yao Cunhui turned around and hugged her waist, burying his head in her bosom, sobbing: "He's gone, he's gone! Rong Ma!"

  "Are you leaving?" Mrs. Rong gently patted and comforted her, stunned for a moment, then exclaimed: "Is it time to go on an expedition? Miss, don't cry, don't cry! Young Master Shen will definitely come back safely, he definitely will!"

  "Uh-huh!" Yao Cunhui nodded, but tears flowed even more, her slender shoulders trembled slightly, and her suppressed sobs sounded mournful and clear.

  "Miss..." Yong's mother didn't know what to say to comfort her, silently patting her back in silent consolation.

  She didn't actually approve of Miss's private interactions with Young Master Shen, but Young Master Shen had saved Miss after all. If it weren't for Young Master Shen, Miss would have been crippled! Later on, he helped Miss many times again, and when interacting with Miss, his words and actions were also very proper and respectful towards her. She could see that he genuinely liked Miss, and Miss felt the same way about him, so she gradually accepted him. But unexpectedly, he was going to go to war in the Western Regions! On the battlefield, no one can predict what will happen tomorrow, if by any chance...

  Rong's mother felt a chill in her heart and didn't dare think about it anymore! Hopefully, Miss won't be so unlucky!

  Yao Cunhui accompanied him out of the city under the banner of going horseback riding to clear his mind and exercise his muscles.

  Standing on the high mountain top, far away on the official road, people were winding and stretching, banners and flags were waving in the wind, deeply piercing her eyes.

  She stared with wide eyes, gazing steadily ahead as tears streamed down her face. She knew that his figure was among them, the place where her heart belonged.

  You must come back, you must!

  On the way back to the city in the carriage, Yao Shizan opened a pair of big black eyes and looked at her sister from time to time, with a contradictory expression of wanting to speak but stopping herself, and there was concern and worry hidden in her clear eyes.

  "Zan'er, what's wrong?" Yao Cunhui raised an eyebrow and glanced at Yao Shizan's expression, asking with a surprised smile.

  "Second sister," Yao Shizan shifted her body closer to her and gently tugged on her sleeve, saying: "Is second sister unhappy? Did Zan do something wrong? Second sister, don't be sad, okay?"

  Her mind buzzed for a moment, Yao Cun Hui's tears almost burst out, she blinked quickly to hold back, calmed down her emotions, and smiled: "Second sister is not in a bad mood, Zan'er is very well-behaved, and didn't do anything wrong!"

  "Really?" Yao Shizan was clearly skeptical.

  "Of course it's true!" Yao Cunhui smiled and affectionately rubbed his little head, laughing: "Why would Second Sister deceive Zan'er?"

  "Ah! That's good!" Yao Shizan's eyes sparkled, and she beamed with a bright smile: "I want Second Sister to be happy and carefree. When I grow up, I'll protect Second Sister, and no one will be able to bully her!"

  "Alright, alright, Second Sister can wait for Zan'er to grow up!" Yao Cunhui chuckled and felt warmth in her heart. She still had Zan'er, she still had Big Sister, she still had Rong Ma, she had to be strong, she had to work hard to protect herself, to protect all the loved ones who cared about her, and to wait for his return!

  In his past life, he returned safely, and this life will be the same! The difference is that in this life, she is waiting for him!

  Back at the Yao residence, Yao Cun Hui first sent Yao Shi Zan back to Ming Feng Xuan, handed over Li Xiang and Qin Xiang, and then returned to Luo Mei Yuan.

  "Second Miss is back!" Mother Rong came forward with a smile: "Second Miss must be exhausted? I'll have someone hurry to the kitchen to boil water, and you can take a good hot bath! The lady's side has sent someone to say that we're all having dinner together at the main house tonight, it's Master's orders!"

  "What does Dad mean?" Yao Cunhui's footsteps paused, and he asked, "Is there something going on?" In his impression, except for festivals and the 1st and 15th of every month, they rarely had dinner together as a family on ordinary days. Sometimes even on the 1st and 15th, they would eat separately.

  Rong's mother shook her head: "There must be something, but I don't know what it is. I heard Fourth Aunt say," Rong's mother lowered her voice: "Fourth Aunt said that looking at Madame and Qiao Mama's expressions, they seem to be very happy, I wonder if it has anything to do with this."

  Ma was very happy? That's certainly not good news for her! Yao Cunhui smiled and said, "Don't worry about it now, we'll know everything by tonight!"

  I'm afraid Ma will secretly play some trick, since he's been invited to dinner and announced it, and Father is also there, I suppose there are still ways to deal with him.

  "Miss Two is right!" Mrs. Rong also smiled and ordered someone to arrange for Yao Cunhui to take a bath without mentioning it.

  Around the time for dinner, Yao Cunhui went to Mingfeng Hall to pick up Yao Shizan, and the two siblings walked towards Zhengyuan together, with Honglian, Lixiang and others following behind.

  Before long, the four sisters and Ma Fang all arrived. Everyone sat with Mrs. Ma and chatted about trivial matters. The fourth aunt stood behind Mrs. Ma with her hands down, her posture straight, her face calm and gentle, occasionally serving tea and handing things to Mrs. Ma, very obedient and well-behaved.

  Yao Cunmei didn't say much, and she didn't even glance at Yao Cunhui out of the corner of her eye. The grudge between the two had been building up for a long time!

  Old Master Yao returned soon after, wearing a dark-colored jade buckle and a long gown made of Ning silk that fit him perfectly. With his recent good fortune in both family and career, he looked even more spirited than usual, with a rosy glow on his face. As soon as he sat down, he smiled and called over Yao Shizan to come and hug him, chatting warmly with Yao Cunhui and her sisters for quite some time.

  Ma ordered the meal to be served, and everyone came to the dining hall and sat down one by one.

  Fourth Aunt stood beside Old Master Yao and Madam Ma, serving dishes and waiting on them. Old Master Yao inadvertently turned his head, raised an eyebrow, and glanced at her, seeing that she seemed to have not noticed his gaze. He thought for a moment, then turned back without saying anything. Madam Ma's face immediately darkened by two shades, and following the direction of his gaze, she glanced at Fourth Aunt, who was completely unaware of what had happened, before her expression returned to normal, secretly thinking "good riddance".

  They neither speak while eating nor talk while sleeping. The rules of the Yao family were also like this. At the dinner table, except for Old Master Yao occasionally adding dishes for Yao Shi Zan and asking him a few questions, everyone else was silent, quietly eating their food.

  "Father and Mother called us sisters over to eat, but what's the reason?" After dinner, sitting in the flower hall drinking tea, Yao Cun Jia smiled and asked.

  Old Master Yao and Madam Ma exchanged a glance, chuckled, and with a sweep of their eyes, fixed on Yao Cun Jia with a smile: "Of course there's a reason, it has to do with you! In the next few days, Mrs. Xie from the Xie family will come to our mansion to discuss your engagement with the eldest young master of the Xie family! You can see how much Mrs. Xie values this marriage, Cun Jia, you're truly blessed!"

  “…Aunt—want to come to our house in the capital?” Yao Cun Jia's face turned hot, and he was stunned. The two families were separated by a thousand miles, one in the capital and the other in Jiangning, which made it indeed troublesome to communicate about this marriage matter. However, according to reason, the Xie family could just send an experienced steward, two experienced old ladies, and there would be no need for Mrs. Xie to come personally, which seemed inexplicable.

  Yao Cun Jia and Yao Cun Hui exchanged a surreptitious glance, seeing unexpectedness in each other's eyes.

  Yao Cunhui's palms tightened, and her body trembled slightly. She suddenly remembered that in her previous life, someone from the Xie family had also come, but it wasn't Madame Xie, rather the steward and wet nurse of the Xie household.

  Ma's family must have something to do with her!