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The moonlight was exceptionally bright that night, and two large lanterns hung at the second gate, casting a warm glow on the faces of the two little boys. They danced, punched the air, kicked their legs, and laughed gleefully.
Chu Hanyan shed tears again, this time out of excitement. She touched one brother, then the other, and exclaimed, “Really, my brother is so cute and handsome, even prettier than Hanyan. Hanyan likes…”
Dabao also wanted to see his brother but hesitated to leave his mother. He held Chen Feng’s hand and walked to the side of the carriage. Upon seeing his brother, he was delighted, released his mother’s hand, and reached out to play with his brother. Siyu grabbed his finger and tried to put it in his mouth, which brought laughter to both.
After playing with the children, Li Xuan finally had the chance to exchange a few words with his older siblings and nephew.
Upon entering the main courtyard, Chen Ming, Mrs. Wang, and Chu Lingxuan were waiting in the hall for them.
After some heartfelt conversations, they proceeded to the west wing for dinner. Following the meal, Chen Ming’s family returned to their own quarters, Chu Lingqi’s family was escorted to the Chrysanthemum Courtyard to rest, and Li Xuan and his attendants headed to the west wing.
Dabao and Chu Hanyan, however, refused to return to their quarters and clung to Chen Feng, insisting, “Today, we want to sleep with Mother and our brother.”
Chen Feng understood their earnest desire and agreed, saying, “Alright, we’ll sleep together tonight.”
She looked up to offer Chu Lingxuan a comforting smile, but to her surprise, he was smiling back, showing no signs of annoyance.
After everyone freshened up, they settled onto the large bed. Instead of telling stories, they shared their feelings of longing, with Chen Feng and Dabao expressing their affection in a sentimental manner, occasionally playing with Siyu and Siming. The younger brothers, accustomed to the Golden Swallow’s playfulness, laughed joyfully as they were entertained by their older siblings.
Chu Lingxuan proposed, “Once things settle down, let’s visit the Yingshuan Monastery so Mother can see them. The children have grown so much, and Mother hasn’t met them yet.”
Chen Feng nodded, fed the young boys, changed a diaper, and tucked them into bed. She then carried the sleepy Chu Hanyan to their bed to sleep, while Dabao joined Chu Lingxuan in bed.
As the little girl’s soft snores filled the room, Chen Feng still tossed and turned, unable to fall asleep. Hearing faint movements ahead, Chu Lingxuan quietly got out of bed, walked towards Feng, and reached out to pull Chen Feng.
Chen Feng smiled silently and followed him out of the bedroom to the eastern room.
The bright moonlight seeped through the small window, casting a soft glow inside, revealing an empty kang. Normally, the maid on night duty would sleep here.
Understanding Chu Lingxuan’s arrangement, Chen Feng shot him a playful glance before burying herself in his embrace. His familiar clean scent filled her nostrils, warming her to the point where her eyes felt a little teary. It had been so long, and she missed him dearly.
Chu Lingxuan smiled and lifted Chen Feng onto the kang, then laid beside her. Their movements were light to avoid waking the children. Despite feeling a bit restrained, Chu Lingxuan couldn’t help it, being affectionate with his wife at this moment was already quite a luxury.
After they finished, they embraced each other on the kang. Chen Feng whispered to him about the Third Master’s journey to north.
Chu Lingxuan responded, “I already know. Master Wuzhi set off for Liaozhou yesterday. I’ve also sent two guards to assist him, ensuring his horses are taken care of at the relay stations to reach Liaozhou as quickly as possible.” He kissed her earlobe and added softly, “We’ve made extensive preparations, and with the miraculous medicine he carries, there shouldn’t be any major issues. These are matters for men to worry about, don’t overthink it. Just focus on living happily with the children. Everything I do is not just out of loyalty to the Emperor but also to ensure your happiness and that of our children.”
Master Wuzhi immediately received the news and headed to the epidemic area. Chen Feng glanced at Chu Lingxuan, and in the haze, his stern features softened. He, his father, and the Third Master were perhaps even more formidable than she had imagined.
Finally able to ease her anxious heart, Chen Feng slept until dawn.
She opened her eyes to see Dabao standing at the bedside, looking at her cheerfully. Seeing her awake, he whispered softly, “Mother, it’s great to wake up and see you in the morning.”
Chen Feng smiled at him and then at the blushing face of Chu Hanyan beside her, as well as the two little boys on the small bed. Her heart softened like water. Chu Lingxuan was right, those were concerns for men, and she should focus on living happily with her children.
Chen Feng dressed quietly, took Dabao to the washroom, and then headed to the western room. Breakfast was already laid out on the table.
Chu Lingxuan returned from his morning training, and the group enjoyed breakfast together.
Chen Feng accompanied the children to the gate. Zhui Feng’s family, as usual, was waiting there to escort the young masters to school.
As Dabao walked a short distance, he turned back, smiled at Chen Feng, waved, and she waved back, smiling.
Chu Lingxuan also paused to look back. In the morning light, his wife appeared like a fairy, accompanied by the two sleeping children and Hanyan. He was determined to keep them safe.
Watching them disappear behind the magnolia trees, Chen Feng returned to the courtyard.
She then organized the items brought from the capital. First, she set aside gifts for the two children, Chen Ming’s family, and the pets, before arranging gifts for relatives and friends. There were presents for the Fu family, Qin family, Liu family, as well as gifts for the First and Third Branch of Chen, and items from Chen Yu for the Third Branch.
After finishing, Chen Feng saw Qiqi and Gray fly in. She took out pine nuts as treats for them and replaced their silver rings with new ones. She chuckled, “You two have been great companions to the young masters. Thank you.”
The two little creatures were delighted, thanking her in unison, “Thank you, Mother.”
The servants chuckled, remarking, “These two are quite the clever birds.”
Shortly after, Mrs. Wang and Chen Ming arrived.
Chen Feng presented them with food, fabrics, and jewelry. There was a colorful array of items, worth quite a sum.
She then unveiled gifts for the First and Third Branches – two bags of snacks from the capital, two pieces of silk, as well as a separate package of treats and a pair of silver bangles for grandma Chen. These gifts were more modest compared to the previous ones.
Seeing the slightly surprised expressions on Mrs. Wang and Chen Ming’s faces, Chen Feng explained, “Take these gifts to your parents’ homes and have them collect them from there. Uncle and the Third Ucle are relatives, so these gifts are enough. I used to think they needed more support when they were struggling. Now that their days are better, extravagant gifts would do them a disservice…”