Chapter 202: Golden Treasure Returns Home

On this day, Chen Feng had Chu Hanyan and the Luo siblings from the Luo family brought to Luyuan.

At present, seven-year-old Luo Mei had officially become the secondary maid for young miss Chu, seemingly serving as the first or accompanying maid. This was considered a significant position that many maids had struggled for years to attain. Yet, she had secured it at such a young age.

The weather was excellent that day, with a slightly chilly breeze but warm sunshine.

Chen Feng led the children to play in the courtyard, engaging in a game of “eagle catching chicks.” Chen Dabao played the eagle, Chen Feng played the mother hen, with Hanyan following behind, and the Luo siblings and several maids. This game had become a favorite among the children.

However, due to Hanyan’s limited agility, Chen Dabao would soon catch the chick.

After a while, Chen Feng stopped to wipe the sweat off of Hanyan. The little girl’s face was flushed, with a thin layer of sweat on her nose and forehead. After wiping her sweat, she placed a piece of cloth on her back to absorb the moisture.

Later, she wiped the sweat off Dabao as well. Dabao waved his arms and said, “Boys aren’t as delicate as girls.”

Suddenly, Dabao noticed several groups of swallows appearing at the southern end of the sky, flying towards them. Pointing to the south, he exclaimed, “Look, swallows!”

Hanyan also noticed and both children jumped and shouted loudly, “Golden Treasure, Golden Treasure… we’re here… home is here…”

Then, Luo Ming Cheng joined in the shouting. The clear voices of the children echoed over Luyuan.

The swallows arrived above them but didn’t linger, swiftly flying north, disappearing into the blue sky and white clouds.

Dabao and Hanyan were extremely disappointed and upset. Dabao held onto Chen Feng’s waist and said, “Mother, what if Golden Treasure forgets the way home?”

Hanyan, upon hearing this, got scared and teary-eyed, clutching Chen Feng’s sleeve and choking out, “Hanyan likes Golden Treasure, likes the bird that smiles…”

At that moment, three birds appeared in the sky, descending in three graceful arcs. They were accompanied by a series of “cawing” sounds and delightful chirping.

The sound was so familiar, but how?

The two children followed the sound and saw a little swallow swiftly flying down. It first perched on Dabao’s lapel, chirping a few times, its black and yellow feathers shimmering in the sunlight.

Dabao exclaimed, “Golden Treasure, it’s really Golden Treasure.” He excitedly grabbed it, causing the golden swallow to roll its eyes in response.

The golden swallow finally freed itself from Dabao’s grasp and landed on Hanyan’s little jacket, smiling up at her.

“The bird is smiling, Golden Treasure is smiling.” Chu Hanyan excitedly said.

Chen Feng deliberately bent down to look at the golden swallow and said, “Oh, it really is Golden Treasure. Welcome home, Golden Treasure.”

Upon hearing this, the golden swallow flew to Chen Feng’s lapel, smiling at her.

Just then, they heard the sound of Zhui Feng, who was slower as it was running on the ground.

At noon, the children had the liveliest meal. The three birds and two dogs were incredibly noisy. Dabao and Hanyan were so excited that they didn’t even want to take a nap. It took Chen Feng a while to finally get the two little ones to rest.

After the Golden Swallow returned, it released the two larks and ten bullfinches it had brought back earlier, as they would follow it and not get lost. They only needed to be put back in their cages at night.

The Golden Swallow quietly told Chen Feng, “Have more birdcages made. Many little brothers and sisters want to follow me.”

It was more of a command than a request, so Chen Feng had to send someone to the carpenter’s to make twenty birdcages.

As this month didn’t have a thirtieth, Chu Lingxuan had the twenty-ninth off. He returned on the twenty-eighth. He arrived at Tangyuan earlier today, so the gatekeeper mentioned that the young miss had been playing at Luyuan these past few days and even slept there at night.

After bathing at home, Chu Lingxuan went to Luyuan, accompanied by two carriages.

Before they entered, they heard the sound of singing, which turned out to be Hanyan’s voice.

“Little swallow, dressed in floral attire, comes here every spring…”

The soft, gentle voice, though not perfectly pitched, was loud, and the words were correct. Mixed with the girl’s singing was the murmuring of a swallow and Feng’s encouraging voice, “Wow, very good, just like your auntie.”

Chu Lingxuan smiled. Even if the girl truly sang well, she should still be modest.

When Shanzhi opened the door, the little girl, sitting under the tree, saw her father return and ran over to him like a little swallow. She said, “Daddy, Daddy, Golden Treasure has come back, Golden Treasure is home.”

Her voice was loud, and her words flowed together, but her speech was slightly slower than that of a normal child.

Seeing his cheerful and normal daughter, Chu Lingxuan’s mood also brightened. The suppressed irritation in his heart dissipated with the wind. He lifted his running daughter and laughed, saying, “It’s good that it’s back. Yanyan now has another playmate.”

Mrs. Wang, Chen Feng, and others were seated under the tree and stood up when Chu Lingxuan arrived.

The golden swallow also excitedly called out, “Mommy, Daddy is back, Daddy Chu is back.”

At first, Chen Feng was startled, but seeing others acting normally, she realized that only she could understand the “bird language.” She glared at the bird fiercely. He is little Yan’s daddy, what daddy?

Dabao also ran up to Chu Lingxuan, calling out, “Uncle Chu.”

Chu Lingxuan put Hanyan down and unexpectedly lifted Dabao into the air, swinging him a few times, causing Dabao to squeal with excitement.

After Dabao came down, Hanyan proudly said to him, “My daddy… isn’t he great?” Now she had also learned many of Feng’s expressions.

Dabao, giving two thumbs up, said, “Yeah, really great.”

Their moods infected everyone in the courtyard, and they all began to smile.

Later, Chu Lingxuan greeted Mrs. Wang and Chen Feng, addressing the latter as “Miss Chen.”

Chen Feng smiled and said, “Mr. Chu, please have a meal here. I’ll go to the kitchen to prepare.”

Chu Lingxuan nodded and then said, “I’ve brought some things for Fengyuan, specifically for Yanyan to play with in the future. It’s in the carriage outside.”

Mrs. Wang said, “A’Feng and Mr. Chu, go ahead and get busy. I’ll take the folks, Mu and Zeng to cook.”

Chen Feng followed Chu Lingxuan outside, and Dabao and the other kids followed as well.

When they reached Fengyuan with the carriage, they saw two servants unloading many items. There was a rosewood and jade large screen, six pairs of colorful glazed vases in various sizes, a gilded enamel incense burner, ten glass palace lanterns, and some delicate blue and white porcelain tea cups and dishes.