At this moment, all the womenfolk in the hall had noticed Huo Changyuan was coming. Even a few female cousins from Xu family also crowded in front of the windows, wanting to watch the excitement outside. They came late and didn’t see Huo Changyuan hugging his wife, but seeing Cheng Yumo wearing Huo Changyuan’s cloak was enough. Xu Nianchun and the others covered their mouths and giggled. Their face was brimming with playful excitement mixed with shyness.
Cheng Min came from behind and said with a smile: “Alright, we all know that you young couple’s relationship is very good. Now, come in quickly. Mother has long been waiting.”
Huo Changyuan was relieved and quickly walked towards the hall. Seeing the momentum, Cheng Yuanjing also walked in the opposite direction. Seeing this, Huo Changyuan asked strangely: “Where is he going?”
A servant girl replied from the side: “Ninth Master is going to find Eldest Miss.”
Huo Changyuan was taken aback: “Eldest Miss is not here?”
Huo Changyuan couldn’t tell what he was feeling at this moment. There seemed to be disappointment and anger. What was Cheng family doing? Everyone gathered around happily for the New Year, but Cheng Yujin was not here?
At this moment, Huo Changyuan even felt an impulse to go out and find Cheng Yujin. However, he was surrounded by the Cheng family’s people and couldn’t move around. The scene in the yard had long been narrated vividly to the Old Madam inside by a servant, and now all the womenfolk looked at Huo Changyuan with teasing and approving gaze. While Huo Changyuan was trapped, Cheng Yuanjing was already leaving.
Ruan-shi was extremely proud. Their second branch was now raising on the tide, and she didn’t shy away from this fact. Seeing a new bracelet on her daughter’s wrist, Ruan-shi deliberately asked with a loud voice: “Mo’er, where is your mutton fat jade bracelet? It was given by your grandmother. Why did you take it off?”
Cheng Yumo’s voice rang among the bustle: “Marquis gave me this pair of bracelets for my birthday. I cannot bear wasting Marquis’s wish, so I replace grandmother’s bracelet with these.”
So the bracelets were given by Huo Changyuan. Another burst of exclamation came from the womenfolks, with some envy and admiration. Cheng Yuanjing’s ears were very sharp. He was about to walk out of the courtyard’s gate when he heard Cheng Yumo’s words and immediately stopped: “What did you say?”
Cheng Yumo saw Cheng Yuanjing stopped and talked to her from across the courtyard. She was taken aback. Seeing that Cheng Yuanjing was staring at her, Cheng Yumo was sure that Cheng Yuanjing was indeed talking to her. A bit nervously, Cheng Yumo answered: “It was about my birthday a few days ago. The Marquis gave me a birthday gift…”
Cheng Yuanjing’s eyes became colder. He didn’t mishear it. Cheng Yumo was indeed talking about her birthday.
Cheng Yumo and Cheng Yujin were twins. Cheng Yumo celebrated her birthday. What about Cheng Yujin?
Cheng Yuanjing’s expression turned dark, “When?”
“Ah? Oh, Ninth Uncle means my birthday? It’s the 20th of the twelfth month.”
At this moment, Cheng Yujin, the person whose absence turned Shou’an Hall upside down, was sitting in a small pavilion by the flower garden, brewing tea and chatting with Lin Qingyuan.
She had no idea how much uproar was caused by her disappearance, let alone knowing that Cheng Yuanjing had returned. With a gentle smile on her face, Cheng Yujin’s eyes secretly sized up Lin Qingyuan.
From a closer distance, Lin Qingyuan’s facial features were even more good-looking. Cheng Yujin became even more satisfied, and the smile on her face became more sincere.
Lin Qingyuan was chatting about the book he was currently reading. When he raised his head and met Cheng Yujin’s eyes, his voice stopped momentarily.
Eldest miss Cheng was polite and elegant as usual, but why did he feel that her eyes were a bit wrong?
It was like…an old farmer smiling kindly at the pigs that had been fattened before the winter, or a mother watching the son she had worked hard to raise finally passed the imperial examination.
Lin Qingyuan was shocked by his own assumptions and felt goosebumps.
Just at this time, the water was finally boiled. Cheng Yujin stretched out her slender wrist, skillfully skimmed the foam from the tea, and poured in another batch of unboiled water. When preparing tea, one had to be calm, serene, and elegant. This set of actions were performed perfectly by Cheng Yujin, which was indescribably pleasing to the eye.
Cheng Yujin’s white and slender hands seemed to emit a charm. Lin Qingyuan’s eyes couldn’t help but fell on her wrists, unable to extricate. Cheng Yujin’s hands moved dexterously as she spoke: “Brother Lin’s knowledge is very profound. Yujin is enlightened. Brother Lin is so smart, yet very hardworking. You are still not relaxing even during the New Year.”
Cheng Yujin’s voice finally pulled Lin Qingyuan out from the state of mysterious haze. He returned to his sense and realizing that he was staring intently at a girl’s hand. Lin Qingyuan felt extremely embarrassed. He lowered his head and coughed awkwardly. His ears turned red. He said: “Eldest Miss Cheng overpraises. Official leave is limited. There is not enough time for me to go back to my hometown, so I can only stay in the capital and spend time reading. On the first days of New Year, all my colleagues have a family reunion at their own homes. I cannot find a discussion partner, so I want to try my luck and come to Jingxing. Unfortunately, he is also absent.”
“Ninth Uncle is going out to visit friends, but he will be back in a few days.” Cheng Yujin didn’t care about the situation outside. She smiled sweetly, luring her prey in. “If Brother Lin is in a hurry, you might as well leave a message with me. When Ninth Uncle returns, I will send someone to Lin Manor to give you a call.”
Translator’s note:
Closing the net!!!
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