Chapter 16 : My lady, sleep now. Good night

Seeing that things at home had settled down, Huo Tan also relaxed.

Lin Xiu Gu glanced at her eldest son and, seeing his tired face, started to shoo everyone away “Alright, it’s getting late. Go do whatever you need to do.Huo Tan, stay. I have something to say to you.”

Huo Chengpu and Huo Chenzhang had grown up together. Although there were some awkward moments today, they were still children at heart. They exchanged a glance, and Huo Chenzhang took the initiative to reach out to Huo Chengpu “Ah Pu, let’s go. I’ll take you to have some fun.”

The two youngsters left together.

Huo Xinliu remained seated, not immediately following them out.

Huo Xinzhi looked up at her mother and younger brother and sister-in-law before saying, “Mother, I have something to do tomorrow afternoon, so I’ll take care of the household chores when I return.”

Although Huo Xinzhi lived at home in widowhood, she was not idle. She occasionally went out, either to find some work or just to wander around the streets.

Lin Xiu Gu only wanted her to be happy, so she didn’t inquire about her whereabouts and simply said, “Alright, you take care of what you need to. The chores can wait.”

Huo Xinzhi nodded, stood up, patted Huo Xinliu on the shoulder, and led her dazed sister out.

Only Lin Xiu Gu and her son and daughter-in-law remained in the main room.

She stood up and looked at Huo Tan, who had also risen.

At some point, Huo Tan had replaced his father and become the new head of the family.

His character was steady, wise, capable, brave, and resourceful.

Lin Xiu Gu felt very reassured handing the family over to him.

Thinking of this, Lin Xiu Gu felt a bit embarrassed and said, “Ninth Brother, how did I do today?”

Huo Tan smiled and asked her to sit down: “Mother, you were truly impressive. You even surprised me.”

Cui Yunzhao also said, “Mother, your guidance is a blessing to the family.”

Lin Xiu Gu felt even more embarrassed at this praise.

“Oh dear, you’re too kind.”

“When Huo Tan told me in the afternoon, I was still a bit skeptical. Although the twelfth son is usually quiet, there’s no reason he wouldn’t speak up if he was being mistreated.”

At this point, Lin Xiu Gu suddenly sighed.

She was over forty this year, but years of hardship and toil had already left their mark at the corners of her eyes.

She usually greeted people with a smile and was full of energy, so others rarely sensed that she was gradually aging.

She was no longer young.

She was no longer as busy as she was when she was young, nor was she as capable of running the household alone when her husband was promoted.

Now that the children are growing up one by one, she has unknowingly aged.

“Mother is still too careless,” Lin Xiu Gu said as she looked at Cui Yunzhao, expressing her sincere gratitude.

“Thank you, daughter-in-law.”

Cui Yunzhao was touched. Today, she had received thanks from the intelligent Huo Chengpu, and now from Lin Xiu Gu as well. It moved her heart.

The Huo family had always treated her politely. Even in her past life, when she and Huo Tan divorced, the Huo family members had never shown her a cold face.

But she had been too young before and had not noticed many details.

Cui Yunzhao pressed her lips together and smiled, “Mother, we are all family. There’s no need for such formalities.”

Lin Xiu Gu’s eyes brightened suddenly.

She was somewhat plump and had a round face, the typical look of a kind neighbor aunt. But her eyes were very beautiful. Especially those round almond eyes, which seemed to smile even before she spoke, giving off a warm and cheerful vibe.

“Indeed, my daughter-in-law is a member of the Cui family, her words are truly pleasing.”

Seeing his mother and My lady getting along so well and leaving him aside, Huo Tan couldn’t help but clear his throat.

“Mother.”

Lin Xiu Gu immediately turned her attention back to her son, her eyes filled with confusion as if asking what he needed.

Lin Xiu Gu could be very meticulous when she paid attention, but she could also be quite careless at times.

Huo Tan had long grown accustomed to this.

He asked, “Mother, you mentioned earlier that you had something to say. What is it?”

Lin Xiu Gu’s smile paused slightly. She looked up at her son, who had grown taller than her. At some point, he had become a towering figure.

Lin Xiu Gu suddenly stood on her tiptoes and reached up to pat Huo Tan’s head. “Ninth Brother, you’ve done very well. You’ve done exceptionally well.”

Huo Tan was stunned.

Beside him, Cui Yunzhao watched the harmonious scene quietly.

Lin Xiu Gu gently patted her son’s head, her eyes filled with clear affection.

“You’ve worked very hard outside. This family now relies entirely on you. Because of you, your siblings have the life they have today.”

It was strange, Cui Yunzhao didn’t find Lin Xiu Gu’s voice overwhelming at all.

“So, Ninth Brother, if your younger brothers make mistakes, it’s because your sister and I were not attentive enough. It’s unrelated to you.”

Lin Xiu Gu softly told him, “Therefore, I will be more attentive and careful with your brothers’ matters.”

“Ninth Brother, you’re married now. You can relax and enjoy your own life.”

Huo Tan stood there unmoving.

Even though Cui Yunzhao was not familiar with Lin Xiu Gu in her past life and had become a family member in this life, she was still somewhat touched.

Lin Xiu Gu indeed couldn’t read a single word and lacked worldly knowledge, but she was a good mother.

Her heart for her children was genuine.

Huo Tan stood with his back to Cui Yunzhao, so she couldn’t see his expression.

He must be very touched as well, Cui Yunzhao thought.

At this moment, Huo Tan seemed to come back to his senses, responded quietly, and then sincerely praised, “Mother, you did very well today, even better than before.”

Lin Xiu Gu grinned with pleasure. She responded and nudged Huo Tan gently, “Go back and rest. It’s getting late.”

Huo Tan nodded.

He turned to look at Cui Yunzhao, whose eyes met his deep, penetrating gaze. At that moment, his eyes seemed exceptionally bright. The room was well-lit, and the stars outside were brilliant, but Huo Tan’s eyes seemed to shine even more brightly than the moon in the sky.

Seeing the emotional look on Cui Yunzhao’s face and feeling a touch of his own emotions stir, Huo Tan nodded to her, his voice unexpectedly soft.

“Let’s go. We’ll head home.”

Cui Yunzhao didn’t say much more. She simply said goodbye to Lin Xiu Gu and walked side by side with Huo Tan.

The way back was initially very quiet.

When they reached the moon gate, Cui Yunzhao suddenly spoke, “I envy you a little.”

Huo Tan, being perceptive, didn’t ask why. He simply said, “Is it because of Mother?”

Cui Yunzhao looked up at the twinkling stars.

The evening breeze was cool, reddening her delicate cheeks.

“Yes, it’s because of Mother.”

“When I was thirteen, my parents passed away one after the other,” Cui Yunzhao’s voice was calmer than Huo Tan had imagined. “Five years have passed, and I can barely remember my mother’s face.”

Her voice drifted gently, slowly fading into the quiet of the winter night.

“What was my mother like?”

Although it had been five years since her parents passed away, for her, who had lived through or was living through it again, it felt as though it had been a millennium.

Fifteen years.

Almost half of the life she had once lived.

Huo Tan quietly looked at her profile, at her reddened cheeks, and at her eyes that were slightly tinged with red.

For a moment, it seemed as if his heart was tightly clenched as well.

The evening breeze grew stronger and colder.

Huo Tan, feeling the chill in the wind, slowly reached out and took Cui Yunzhao’s icy hand.

“My lady, it’s cold tonight. Let’s go back.”

Cui Yunzhao suddenly looked away.

She blinked to refocus her thoughts and then heard Huo Tan’s steady voice.

“Your parents might have become stars in the sky, lighting your way home and warming each of your nights.”

“They have never left you.”

Cui Yunzhao felt a lump in her throat, not because of Huo Tan’s words, but because she genuinely missed her parents.

Huo Tan continued, “If your parents were still alive, we probably wouldn’t be married.”

This statement was somewhat unexpected, but Huo Tan did not give her a chance to ponder. He took her hand and led her back to their bedroom.

As he lifted the embroidered cotton curtain, a wave of warmth greeted them.

The room was filled with honey oranges from Boling, exuding a subtle, sweet fragrance.

Everything in the room was arranged according to Cui Yunzhao’s preferences, Huo Tan had never questioned any of it.

The scene in the room was both familiar and unfamiliar, but the unchanged aroma of fruit continued to accompany Cui Yunzhao.

She sighed, “Yes, if my father and mother were still here, I definitely wouldn’t have married you.”

Huo Tan smiled, letting her sit down, and then stood firmly in front of her like a wall.

“So, seeing me so heroic, don’t you think it makes you feel a bit less sad?”

Cui Yunzhao: “…”

Cui Yunzhao almost laughed at his shamelessness.

She glared at him and said, “Hurry up and wash up. It’s getting late.”

“I’m tired.”

Huo Tan looked at her expression again, saw that she was not as sad as before, and said, “As you command!”

The couple went their separate ways to wash up and soon settled down. As the curtain fell and darkness enveloped them, Cui Yunzhao suddenly felt a sense of security.

In this new life, if others’ fates could be changed, then hers could be too. She only needed to work hard to clear away all obstacles.

Thinking this, Cui Yunzhao felt drowsy and was about to fall into a deep sleep. But Huo Tan spoke up. “My lady, I’m not joking with you.”

Huo Tan’s voice was steady and deep, like aged wine with an intoxicating effect. Not in front of her mother.

The slightly shy young man was not the strong and dependable older brother in front of his younger sibling. At this moment, Huo Tan was simply Cui Yunzhao’s husband.

The two of them lay under the embroidered quilts side by side on the dark canopy bed, warm and comfortable.

Huo Tan didn’t look at Cui Yunzhao, he just spoke seriously to her “My lady, since you’ve married me and we’ve become a family, I will treat you well.”

“I hope you will always be safe and happy, with a constant smile. I hope your future life will be no different from when your parents were here.”

“I also hope that no one will ever make you feel wronged again.”

“My lady, is that alright?”

Cui Yunzhao hurriedly closed her eyes.

Huo Tan waited but didn’t receive an answer from Cui Yunzhao.

Yet, he wasn’t anxious.

Cui Yunzhao heard Huo Tan’s low chuckle. His deep voice seemed to whisper near her ear “My lady, sleep now. Good night.”