The day after I married into the Yun family, my husband died.
Everyone said I was a widow who brought bad luck to my husband.
My step – son, Yun Jingxing, shouted that he would divorce me on behalf of his father.
But the next day, after falling off a horseback, he suddenly changed his tune.
1
My step – son, Yun Jingxing, had his head damaged. He was always talking nonsense: “What? Just because you’re wearing Ming – dynasty clothes, you think you’re people from the Ming dynasty? Hurry up and take off your clothes for me!”
I was stunned for a moment. There were a group of maids by the bedside. How could he ask them to take off their clothes?
Perhaps I was startled. I patted Yun Jingxing’s arm to comfort him: “Jingxing, you just had a fall. It’s nothing serious. The doctor said you’ll get better soon.”
After that, I wanted to pat his shoulder to show my comfort.
But Yun Jingxing dodged my touch, leaned back, and stared closely at my face.
After a long time, he snorted, turned around, and faced away from me. “All of you go down. Leave me alone for a while.”
Since he said so, it wasn’t appropriate to stay in his room any longer.
Moreover, I was his step – mother.
When I walked outside, I pulled aside the maid who usually served Yun Jingxing closely.
“The young master must have been frightened by falling off the horse. You keep an eye on him and tell me immediately if anything happens.”
The maid nodded. My dowry maid, Song Yu, and I walked towards Fengchun Courtyard where I lived.
“Madam, with Xing – brother’s fall, I think the Yun family has put aside the idea of divorcing you for now…”
“Still, we should be fully prepared. What if his mind becomes normal again someday? It’s still us who will suffer.”
After saying that, I let out a long sigh.
I waved the fan in my hand. Well, Xing’s misfortune might bring me some luck.
When we returned to Fengchun Courtyard, two people, one big and one small, were waiting in the main hall.
It was Yun Jing’an, Yun Jingxing’s younger brother, and the nanny who took care of him.
As soon as I stepped into the hall, a childish voice suddenly rang out: “You pushed Brother Xing off the horse! To stop him from divorcing you! You’re a vicious woman!”
I looked over and instinctively opened my mouth, looking at the child in front of me.
At this moment, his eyes were filled with hatred when he looked at me.
I quickly understood that someone was deliberately embarrassing me, using the child as a tool. I ignored the voice and walked straight to the Luohan bed and sat down.
“Madam…” The nanny next to Yun Jing’an spoke.
I picked up the teacup on the tea table and threw it at her. The sound of the cup shattering was clear.
“He’s just a child. Is this how you take care of him?”
The nanny’s expression changed, but there was no sign of fear. She wiped the water off her body.
“Madam, I’ve taken care of An -Xing since he was a child. Their mother died early. I have no children. I’ve been in the Yun family for over twenty years and treated An -Xing like my own son.”
Look, she was saying that she had more seniority than me and was closer to the Yun family.
“Take An Xing as your son? Who gave you the audacity! Even if you die here, remember that I’m the mistress and you’re a servant.”
“Since Madam dislikes this old servant, then you take care of him yourself!”
She turned her head to Jing’an, whose face had turned pale with fright, and said, “An -Xing, did you hear that? Madam thinks I’m old and wants to send me home. She doesn’t want me to be with you anymore!”
As soon as Jing’an heard this, he finally couldn’t hold back and burst into tears.
I rubbed my temples.
The nanny had a look of triumph on her face and looked at me sideways.
I could tell that Jing’an was more dependent on her.
“Yun Jing’an, come here!”
My voice was cold but irresistible. Yun Jing’an looked hesitant and walked towards me.
“Song Yu, find this nanny’s indenture and sell her off.”
2
As soon as I finished speaking, the child started crying again, and the nanny panicked.
She probably didn’t expect me to be so heartless, ignoring the child’s crying.
“Madam! I’m so old. Who would want to buy me? We’ve been in the Yun family for so many years without a husband or children… What are you doing…”
I stood up and ignored her, pulling Yun Jing’an towards the bedroom.
Jing’an kept crying, non – stop. I was tired just looking at him. But children would get tired of crying eventually. Song Yu coaxed him, and when he was tired from crying, he fell asleep.
In a blink of an eye, it was already dark.
Song Yu gently tapped my leg with her hand. I leaned against the pillow.
“Miss, what shall we do in the future?”
I didn’t know what to do either.
I married into the Yun family to perform a happy – bringing ceremony as a second wife. The Yun family was a prominent family in Bianjing City. My father – in – law was the grand tutor of the previous emperor.
Although the Yun family’s fortunes declined later, my family thought that a lean camel was still bigger than a horse, so they sold me into the family.
But I never expected that on the second day I married in, my sickly husband died.
Now, we were left as orphans and widows, and even the servants could boss us around.
Perhaps seeing me silent for a long time, Song Yu asked again, “What about Master’s funeral… What do you think we should do?”
This was indeed a difficult problem.
“Tomorrow I’ll ask Yun Jingxing and see what he thinks.”
Song Yu was stunned when she heard this. She looked at me in confusion, then smiled after a while. “Miss, you’re really smart.”
What kind of ideas could a child with a damaged head come up with?
He still had to listen to me.
But this process had to be gone through, otherwise he might use the excuse that he was the eldest son in the family and I didn’t know the etiquette to divorce me on behalf of his father.
The next day, after I told Yun Jingxing about the funeral, he sat cross – legged on the bed without moving.
I saw his eyes roll around and then land on me. “Little mom, you can decide this matter.”
His obedience made me feel at a loss for a moment. I had already prepared for his obstruction, but I didn’t expect his personality to change so much after falling off the horse.
I hesitated for a long time and then asked, “Little mom? What kind of address is this?”
He was also stunned by my question. “Well, what do you call it here? Mom? It’s weird. You’re not much older than me. I’ll just call you by your name. What’s your name?”
He really forgot a lot, not even remembering my name. “Chen Xihe, but… this is not in line with etiquette.”
Yun Jingxing didn’t care. He chewed on my name. “Chen, Xi, He.”
His eyes roamed freely on my face, and then he chuckled.
The flirtatiousness in his eyes, I don’t know which adult he learned it from. If it weren’t for his young age, it would surely make the maids around blush.
I changed the topic. “Last night, the questions you asked the maids… You could actually come and ask me.”
Yun Jingxing nodded, with no other emotions on his face. However, perhaps because I looked at him a few more times, there was a bit more impatience in his eyes. “I know, Chen Xihe. I’m sleepy and want to sleep now.”
After saying that, he lay down neatly.
No matter how mature he pretended to be, he was still a child. I picked up the quilt, covered him, and then left.
“Last night, Xing kept asking the maids about his age, name, etc. He was like a fool… I don’t know what those maids said…”
Song Yu followed me.
“Anyway, he’s easier to deal with now. It seems that… he can understand reason.”
I was surprised by his change.
Did falling off a horse make him more sensible?
Song Yu was happy about his change in attitude, but I felt that something was wrong.
I couldn’t say exactly what was wrong.
As soon as the news of the funeral spread, relatives of the Yun family, near and far, came.
As soon as they entered the door, everyone looked at me with eyes full of pity.
I could understand. I was young, had lost my husband, and had a difficult – to – get – along – with step – son.
How could a young woman support this family?
Just as everyone gathered in the ancestral hall, a handsome young man walked up to me.
“Madam of the Yun family, this is an IOU for three thousand taels of silver that Brother Yun borrowed from me before. Please take a look. If possible…”
The person speaking was Jiang Zhouxing, a graceful young master. When he entered, he introduced himself as a friend of my husband before his death.
As soon as he said this, everyone in the room fell silent.
I took the IOU and took a look. There was indeed the Yun family’s seal and my husband’s signature.
The butler came over, took a look, and whispered to me, “Madam, Master’s medicine was expensive during his illness, and the whole family needed to be maintained…”
It was like a bolt from the blue. Not only did I become a widow after marrying into the Yun family,
but I also owed three thousand taels of silver in debt?
3
People in front of the ancestral hall were chattering, talking about the Yun family’s affairs one by one.
“This is too tragic. Her husband died, she has to raise two children, and she’s in debt up to her neck…”
“I think she might as well not be a Yun family’s daughter – in – law and go back to her parents’ home.”
I held the IOU, not knowing what to do. Everyone was looking at me.
“… Chen Xihe!”
A childish voice came from the crowd. I turned my head and finally found the speaker, Yun Jingxing.
He stood in the crowd, a small figure, with a bit of confusion and helplessness in his eyes.
He ran up to me and tugged at my sleeve. “Chen Xihe.”
I looked down and met his eyes. His eyes were not the innocent fear of a child. I had seen Yun Jing’an’s eyes when he suddenly lost the nanny who took care of him. Yun Jingxing was different from him.
These were eyes that feigned pity after some thought.
I knew this, but I still held his hand.
I looked up at Jiang Zhouxing. “Young Master Jiang, I will pay this debt, but I need some time.”
My words were firm, and everyone present fell silent.
4
It wasn’t that I was virtuous and willing to sacrifice myself for my husband’s family.
It was because my parents’ home was also in a mess. If I went back, my father and mother might marry me off to someone else.
Since the Yun family had no master, then I was the master of the Yun family. Paying off the debt was more comfortable than getting married again.
“Song Yu, bring me the Yun family’s account book. I remember there are two or three shops, one rouge shop, and two bookstores, right?”
Song Yu handed me the account book.
I calculated that if I sold the Yun family’s mansion, the rouge shop, and one bookstore, I could probably scrape together one thousand five hundred taels.
Keep one bookstore for living and it can also generate extra income.
However… the living expenses for the four of us, me, Song Yu, and the two children, would be a bit tight.
But it didn’t matter. I knew some needlework, could do some hard labor in the fields, and could also earn money by helping others wash clothes.
As soon as the news of selling the Yun family’s ancestral house came out, the servants of the Yun family wailed and cried.
“I’ve worked for the Yun family all my life. Now that the tree has fallen, the monkeys scatter. You’re driving us away now. Sure enough, a woman can’t be in charge.”
I watched them cry coldly. “Since you have such deep feelings for the Yun family, why not stay? We can go out and do hard labor together to support the two young masters’ studies.”
As soon as I said this, they all left with their tails between their legs after receiving the money, without saying a word.
After sending off the servants, I used the money from the sale to pay back the debt.
Jiang Zhouxing looked at the white – flowered silver, then at me. “Madam Chen, this money can be paid back slowly. I’m not in a hurry.”
“It’s one thing that you’re not in a hurry, but it’s another thing for me to decide whether to pay back and when to pay back.”
I pushed the silver towards him. “For now, I’ll give you this much. The rest, I’ll pay back slowly.”
Jiang Zhouxing smiled. “It’s okay… but how can you two… women, pay it back?”
I was stunned for a moment. “Women can do a lot of things. I may not be able to read and write, but I can do laundry and cooking. As long as I’m alive, I will definitely pay you back.”
Jiang Zhouxing quickly shook his head. “That’s not what I meant. I was thinking… my family has farmland and is currently short of help. I wonder if Madam Chen, would you like to go?”
I was a bit surprised and delighted. “Sure!”
Jiang Zhouxing looked at my delighted face and also laughed.
This piece of land was on the outskirts of Bianjing, with a ready – made farmhouse. It was convenient for both living and earning money.
That night, I explained the situation to Jingxing and Jing’an.
The two little guys had become much more obedient because of the great changes in the Yun family. After I told them about the future plan.
Jing’an nodded naively.
But Yun Jingxing didn’t. He frowned and looked at me, his eyes full of suspicion.
“Chen Xihe, is that Jiang guy reliable? Don’t get sold without even knowing it.”
He had a point. I had already been cheated by the Yun family and couldn’t trust others easily.
I rubbed his head. “Are you worried that I’ll be cheated, or that I won’t be able to support you if I’m cheated?”
Yun Jingxing turned his head away and pouted. “My body is too small. No one will hire me to work. When I grow up in the future, I won’t let you down.”
I didn’t have high hopes for the future, but at this moment, I felt a bit comforted. I was planting a seed, and when it grew into a big tree, it would shelter me from the wind and rain.
The next day, we packed our things, hired a carriage, and headed for the outskirts.
The farmhouse was better than I expected. The people farming there were gentle – tempered and didn’t reject our arrival.
5
Farm work was different from the usual needlework. It required farming, timely seeding, and soil turning.
It was hard, but also very happy.
My hands, which were once delicate, became rough, with calluses on my fingers. But life was getting better and better.
“Miss, the crops are growing well this year. We can definitely sell a lot of money at the end of the year!”
Song Yu happily counted the money. I looked at her and smiled, feeling much warmer in my heart.
“By the way, we need to prepare the money for Xing to go to school. Jing’an should also go to a private school. It’s a pity that there aren’t any good teachers nearby.”
I mentioned this, thinking about how to find a good place for Yun Jingxing to study. Unexpectedly, the door curtain rang.
“No need. I won’t go to school. I can’t even recognize a few characters… I’m just not cut out for studying.”
Saying this, Yun Jingxing sat down beside me. He picked up the tea from the coffee table and took a sip. “Chen Xihe, you can use this money for Jing’an. I’ve studied for three years and still haven’t made much progress. Maybe…”
I frowned. Jingxing was already fifteen this year, an age when he could take the imperial examinations. But he was still idle.
However, it was strange. After he fell off the horse that year, he became more mature in handling things, but he knew nothing about life. He had forgotten all his previous knowledge, and the characters he wrote were always missing something.
His behavior was also becoming more and more unorthodox. He never called me “mother” and would persuade me to go out and make friends more, saying that staying at home would make me stupid.
Coming back to my senses, I frowned. “Nonsense. A man should be indomitable and pass the imperial examinations. If you become an official, it will be easier to pay off the family’s debt.”
Yun Jingxing held the teacup, his eyes on me, squinting slightly.
The young man had grown up. With sharp eyes, a straight nose, he looked imposing at anyone. Gone was the pitiful look of pulling at my clothes. He had a bit of the indomitable spirit of a man.
I stared at him for two seconds. Suddenly, Jingxing smiled, put the teacup aside, and motioned to Song Yu with his chin. “You go out. I want to talk to Chen Xihe.”
Song Yu didn’t like Jingxing’s overbearing manner. She rolled her eyes and walked out of the room.
After the door was closed and Song Yu’s footsteps disappeared, Jingxing spoke.
“Chen Xihe, I want to ask you, have you been very tired from paying off the debt these years?”
I thought for a while and nodded. “Indeed, I’m tired.”
He smiled and then asked another question, this time with a sharp edge, straight to the point: “Then, by sending me to school, do you have a man outside? Do you want to remarry?”
6
The sound of the tea cup shattering was clear. Song Yu rushed in immediately.
I was really furious with Yun Jingxing. My fingers were still trembling. “Get out, get out, get out!”
Yun Jingxing had a slap mark on his face. He stared at me, his eyes full of disdain. He snorted, stood up, and walked out before Song Yu ran in.
“Miss, over the years, haven’t you treated him well? You feed him and clothe him. It’s true that… he doesn’t have a servant now and has to do everything by himself, but you’ve never treated him badly! Haven’t you given him a home to settle down in?”
“What about him! The older he gets, the more unruly he becomes. He pulls the hands of other girls, climbs into the windows of unmarried girls. You’re always cleaning up his mess!”
I touched my chest. I was so angry that my chest felt stuffy, as if a mouthful of old blood was about to surge up.
In these five years, I thought we would support each other, and he would be an obedient child. But I was wrong.
He doesn’t submit to discipline, always has his own set of arguments, and his behavior is always against the norm.
He scolds me for being old – fashioned. I’m not much older than him, but he says I’m like an old lady.
I listened to his advice and went out, but then he worried that I would leave with other men and abandon them brothers.
In our interactions, there are more conflicts than harmony.
“Don’t be angry…” Song Yu brought a new tea cup and poured me a cup of tea.
The tea fragrance filled the air.
Drinking the tea, my heart gradually calmed down.
Life has to go on. After that, Jingxing will get married and have children, and we will still live together. I can only hope that he can shift his attention from opposing me to his wife.
Just endure it a little longer, I told myself.
7
As fate would have it, a heavy rainstorm came, lasting for three days and three nights, drowning the crops.
Song Yu and I stood in the field, looking at the fields in a mess.
It was over. This year’s harvest would be bad. There would be no food and no money.
When I got back, I had a gloomy face all the time. Jing’an didn’t even dare to speak loudly.
Jingxing acted as if nothing had happened. After having a meal, he left the dining table.
After the rain stopped, we planted the fields again, hoping that this time there would be no mishaps.
But unexpectedly, a drought followed. For two months, there was not a single drop of rain. The plants in the fields died, and the ground cracked into gaps.
It was like a man – eating monster.
Jiang Zhouxing came at this time. At the end of each month, he would come. I would give him the money and settle the accounts. Not a single cent could be missing.
In five years, he didn’t seem to have changed much. The immaculate young master from five years ago was now even more elegant.
“Why are you here?”
He smiled, fanning himself with a paper fan. Seeing me pour water for him, he quickly waved his hand. “No need, no need. I just came to see you… The drought, the lack of rain, it’s something beyond our control. The court also attaches great importance to it and is thinking of solutions. Don’t worry too much about the money…”
I nodded and sat on the round chair, sighing.
“But the money still has to be paid back. Since the fields didn’t yield a good harvest, I can still…”
“Madam Chen,” he patted my shoulder, “don’t worry. I didn’t come here to talk to you about the money this time.”
Jiang Zhouxing paused, then smiled. “I came to give you an invitation.” He took out a red invitation from his pocket.
“I’m getting married next month. I invite you to come. When Brother Yun was alive, we were good friends. Now that he’s gone, you’re my friend.”
I took his invitation and smiled, licking my lips. “This is great news. Congratulations!”
He smiled calmly. “Here’s the thing. I’m getting married, and I have a batch of clothes to make. There aren’t enough hands. I remembered that you said you’re good at needlework. Could you help me? I’ll pay you.”
I opened my mouth, blushing. “There’s no need. You’ve taken good care of me. If you’re willing, I can help, but I don’t need the money.”
Jiang Zhouxing turned his head to look at me. He stared at me quietly.
For a moment, I felt a little nervous.
Suddenly, he laughed. “Madam Chen, why are you blushing?”
8
“You’re teasing me, Young Master Jiang. It’s so hot that my face naturally turns red.”
Hearing my words, he nodded thoughtfully, his eyes full of smiles.
“Then I’ll have to trouble Madam Chen.”
After saying that, he stood up, and I saw him to the door.
In the evening, after having a meal, Jiang Zhouxing sent a carriage to pick me up.
When I arrived at their courtyard house, I followed the servant in. It was a large courtyard with red walls and green tiles.
I touched the fabric of the clothes. The texture was very good. Usually, I would sew clothes for Jingxing and Jing’an. I had the skills, but facing such expensive fabric, I felt a little nervous for a moment.
“Don’t worry. Young Master Jiang has told us that there’s plenty of fabric. Don’t be afraid of ruining the embroidery.”
The embroiderer told me, pulling me and smiling.
I got busy from evening until morning.
“Young Master Jiang said that you can rest here. Daytime is the best time for needlework. It’s too tiring for your eyes at night. You’d better rest.”
The maid of the Jiang Mansion said this to me. I didn’t refuse. Jiang Zhouxing had provided me with so much, which was already very good. I naturally shouldn’t be fussy.
I slept for a while, woke up at noon, and started working again.
The servants were busy decorating the courtyard. The wedding date was approaching.
I was just curious about what kind of woman could marry Young Master Jiang.
9
One day, in the afternoon, I took a nap.
When I woke up, I was shocked to find Jiang Zhouxing sitting on the chair beside me, smiling.
“You’re awake?”
Before I could come to my senses, he brought a plate of grapes and put them in front of me. “These are grapes from Yangzhou. Try them. Are they sweet?”
I was stunned for a moment, took the grapes from his hand, and put them in my mouth. They were sweet, with a bit of sour – sweet taste.
“I heard from them that the clothes are sewn, right?”
I nodded.
“Let me take a look.”
I stood up to get the clothes. There was the bride’s Xiuhe dress and the groom’s clothes.
Jiang Zhouxing held the clothes, looking at them from left to right, his hand against his chin. “I feel like there’s something wrong with the bride’s dress. Come and take a look.”
Men don’t understand clothes, especially women’s clothes. I told him, “This is how the dress is. Here…”
After explaining a few words, Jiang Zhouxing still didn’t understand. He pointed at the clothes. “Well, why don’t you put it on for me to see.”
Helpless, I had to put on the bride’s clothes for Jiang Zhouxing to see.
He stared at me without moving, his eyes with hidden emotions.
I immediately unbuttoned the clothes and accidentally broke one button.
Jiang Zhouxing smiled, his expression calm. He looked down at the button in my hand. “Then I’ll have to trouble Madam Chen to sew the bride’s dress properly before you leave.”
The day I originally planned to leave was postponed again and again.
The clothes I made, when taken to the bride to see, were always returned, saying that this part was not right and that part was not right.
I was worried about the children at home. I trusted Song Yu to take care of them, but I still felt uneasy after not seeing them for a long time.
With such delays, it was almost Jiang Zhouxing’s wedding date.
The candlelight flickered in the night.
“Madam Chen, look here. This thread shouldn’t be sewn like this…”
I watched as the embroiderer’s needle shuttled back and forth on the clothes.
“If we change the peony on the collar, it should be okay…”
Suddenly, the candlelight flickered violently, as if struggling to jump off the candle.
Before we could react, the door was kicked open.
“Bang——”
Yun Jingxing stepped in, storming into the room. “Chen Xihe!”
Both the embroiderer and I were stunned. Behind Jingxing, Song Yu looked extremely flustered.
“Miss, she thought you were going to marry Young Master Jiang!”
10
“I’m really sorry, Young Master Jiang. Yun Jingxing is not sensible. He acts rudely…”
I stood in front of Jiang Zhouxing. He was sitting by the Luohan bed, fanning himself with a fan, with two maids standing beside him.
“It’s okay. A son missing his mother is a natural thing…” He glanced at Yun Jingxing behind me. “However, the door is broken and needs to be repaired. The cost will be deducted from your wages.”
As soon as Jiang Zhouxing finished speaking, Yun Jingxing laughed, sneering continuously.
“Young Master Jiang, since ancient times, it’s about paying back debts. I’ve never heard of using people to pay off debts.”
I tugged at Yun Jingxing’s hem, but he shook me off.
“Master Yun, what do you mean by that?” Jiang Zhouxing closed his fan, looking at him in confusion.
“Jiang Zhouxing, you spread rumors around my house, saying that you’re going to marry a widow. What’s going on? Chen Xihe is mine. Stay away from her!”
As soon as he finished speaking, the room fell into a deathly silence. You could hear a pin drop.
Jiang Zhouxing’s face became increasingly gloomy, while Yun Jingxing had a cold smile on his lips.
“Slap——”
I pulled Yun Jingxing over and slapped him. “How dare you be so presumptuous in the Jiang family!”
Yun Jingxing stared at me steadily. After a long while, he raised his chin and turned to walk out of the hall.
I saw his red – rimmed eyes.
“I’m sorry, Young Master Jiang. I’m not good at teaching my son. Please be magnanimous and don’t bother with him…”
Jiang Zhouxing stood up, walked to me, and let out a sigh. “I won’t do anything to him… But you, aren’t you going to wait until I get married and have the wedding ceremony before leaving?”
Hearing this, my body stiffened. Looking at his hand which was so close, I nodded, looking up at him. “Thank you, Young Master Jiang, for helping me through the difficult times…”
After getting the money I earned, our group left the Jiang family.
On the way, Yun Jingxing didn’t say a word. He sat outside the carriage with a straight face.
Yun Jing’an chattered with me, telling me what happened in the few days after I left, very enthusiastically.
But Yun Jingxing, sitting on the bench, hid most of his face in the shadow.
The money I earned from the Jiang Mansion was enough for us to survive for a while and get through this difficult period. But not long after, I heard that the Jiang family’s wedding was called off and the bride ran away.
I felt sorry for Young Master Jiang, while Yun Jingxing always said something sarcastic.
“If I hadn’t arrived in time, the bride wouldn’t have been able to run away.”
More than a month later, after dinner one evening, Jingxing didn’t leave for a long time.
When there was no one else around, he picked up the wine cup, took a sip, and put down the cup.
He stared at me steadily. “Chen Xihe, I’ve decided to join the army.”
I was a bit surprised.
Yes, there had been a long – term drought, no food. The Huns were the same. Without food, they could only come south to rob and harass the common people.
But Yun Jingxing shouldn’t be the kind of person to sacrifice himself for the country. I guessed he was just being angry with me because of what happened with Young Master Jiang.
“Jingxing… I went to the Jiang Mansion because…”
I wanted to explain to him, but he shook his head, looking at me. “Chen Xihe, it’s my fault.”
The wind blew, and the light and shadow on his face flashed, giving him the outline of an adult man.
“The harvest was bad, and you had to support the family, so you had to go to the Jiang Mansion to work. It’s my fault. If I could take on the responsibility, you wouldn’t have been deceived by that Jiang guy.”
He wouldn’t listen to me anymore.
Yun Jingxing was determined to join the army. But the battlefield was a place that devoured people. One carelessness and it would be a one – way trip.
Defending the country is a great righteousness. I understand, but he, he was my Jingxing.
The Jingxing I had scolded for so many years and accompanied each other with for so many years, the one who promised to take care of me when I was old.
The night before he left, I knelt in the ancestral hall, praying for him, hoping that he would be safe and come back.
A snicker came from behind.
“Chen Xihe, you’re so superstitious.”
I turned my head and saw Yun Jingxing leaning against the pillar of the ancestral hall, a smile on his lips.
It was the first time I saw him smile so easily.
“The battlefield is a place that eats people without spitting out bones. Do you know that?”
Yun Jingxing nodded, walked to me, and knelt down too. Looking at the memorial tablets in the ancestral hall, he sighed.
“If I die, I die. Dying for the country is also glorious… And they will give money, right? Give money to buy my life.”
I slapped him hard. “Nonsense! Take back your words!” I quickly clasped my hands and closed my eyes, saying.
He laughed out loud.
Suddenly, there was a puff of hot air by my ear, and the voice was very small, almost a whisper. “Chen Xihe, if I die, you’ll be sad, right?”
My back straightened, and my breath caught.
After the hot air disappeared, I opened my eyes.
“Jingxing, you’re my family. How could I bear to let you go to your death?”
He nodded, with a smile on his lips, looking at me seriously. “Chen Xihe, I’m your family…”
He leaned closer, his lips almost touching my cheek. It was too close, and my heart started beating wildly.
“What kind of family am I to you? Eating together? Living together? Or… the kind that can sleep together?”
He started being unruly again. When he was a child, he climbed into the windows of unmarried girls, wanting to “make friends” with them. When he grew up, he always ignored the differences between men and women, playing with my hair, wanting to paint my nails…
Recently, he became even more blatant.
I knew it was wrong, but he wouldn’t listen to me, and I didn’t dare to tell Song Yu.
Yun Jingxing chuckled, picked up my hand, and wrote stroke by stroke in my palm:
“Wait for me to come back.”
11
I was worried about Jingxing.
When he left, no one knew. It was as if he had never existed in this family.
Only very occasionally, when Jing’an and I sat under the grape tree, he would ask me, “When will brother come back?”
I shook my head. “The court is in urgent need of people. I also hope your brother will come back safely.”
After the drought, the money we could pay back was not much. And Young Master Jiang never came to see me again.
I didn’t believe what Jingxing said that Young Master Jiang was trying to deceive me into marrying him. I thought maybe because he lost his bride, the whole Bianjing was laughing at the Jiang family.
He was in a bad mood and didn’t want to go out.
The only thing that made me happy was that Jing’an was good at studying.
But the private – school teacher said that now Jing’an needed a better teacher, and he couldn’t teach him anymore.
“Mom, it’s okay. I can help with the work at home now. After a while, when we have some spare money, I can go back to study.”
I shook my head. “That won’t do. You’re going to take the imperial examinations. You can’t afford to delay.”
He smiled. Jing’an had grown up a bit. Although he wasn’t as aggressive as Jingxing, he was very straightforward. “No way. Before brother left, he told me not to let you work too hard.”
I smiled, sewing clothes in my hands.
“Just like when we held father’s funeral, brother cornered me in the room and said that you were the only one in the world we could rely on. I didn’t believe him, and he threatened me with his fists.”
The thread stopped. I was a bit surprised and turned to look at him. “Is that why you became so obedient to me later?”
Jing’an smiled gently. “Of course. Brother was so fierce at that time.”
I turned back to continue sewing, shaking my head with a smile. Then I heard him say.
“I may seem young and in need of care… But I think the one who really can’t leave you is brother.”
12
When I finally paid back the last of the money I owed to Jiang Zhouxing, he rode a horse to my house.
We hadn’t seen each other for a long time. He had become much thinner and seemed more distant.
“Madam Chen, I’ll take this money. So, what are your plans for the future? Are you going to continue staying here?”
He took a sip of tea, and his lips were chapped.
“For now, I don’t have any specific plans. I just want to continue working for you here… Of course, if you mind, we can move away.”
Jiang Zhouxing shook his head, placed his hand on his knee, and let out a long sigh.
Outside, the sun was shining brightly, cicadas were chirping noisily, and the willow trees were swaying in the wind.
“It’s been almost two years. I didn’t come to see you, and you didn’t come to see me either?”
His voice was so soft that it seemed like an illusion. I turned my head to look at Jiang Zhouxing.
He was smiling bitterly, shaking his head. He turned his body slightly and said, “My bride ran away, and I was in a bad mood. Didn’t you even think of coming to comfort me?”
I didn’t know what to say. At that time, I was busy with Jingxing’s departure for the army and completely forgot about this.
By the time I remembered, it was already too late. A belated comfort was as good as none.
“I’m sorry. At that time… Xing was going to war, and I… I forgot about it.”
Jiang Zhouxing sighed. “You always put the two children first. When are you going to think about yourself?”
I lowered my head and didn’t speak.
I knew what Jiang Zhouxing was thinking, but I couldn’t respond.
I didn’t want to marry someone else and be under their control. Although it was tiring and I might be bullied while raising the two children, I felt free. I thought I had been influenced by Jingxing and became a bit rebellious against the traditional role of women.
We were silent for a long time.
Jiang Zhouxing showed no sign of leaving. He was our benefactor, and I couldn’t drive him away.
I invited him to have dinner. As the night fell deeper.
Jiang Zhouxing took a sip of wine, looking quite satisfied. He squinted his eyes and said, “It’s so late. I might as well not leave.”
So he slept in Jingxing’s room.
The next day, Jiang Zhouxing rode away on his horse.
Song Yu stood beside me, shaking her head helplessly. “Young Master Jiang has some ulterior motives.”
I didn’t pay much attention.
After that, things got strange. Relying on my shyness and the fact that he was my benefactor, Jiang Zhouxing came to see me almost every two or three days.
For nearly half a year, he came to my place to eat and drink.
As the saying goes, a widow’s door attracts gossip. Soon, rumors about Jiang Zhouxing and me spread.
13
“Young Master Jiang, have you heard about some things that have been going on recently…”
Jiang Zhouxing placed a chess piece, asking casually, “What things?”
“About… about me and you.”
Jiang Zhouxing raised his eyelids to look at me. “What about it?”
My face turned red and then pale. I didn’t know how to say it. Jiang Zhouxing just looked at me. Finally, he put down the chess piece and smiled with his lips pressed together.
“Don’t you like me?”
“Aren’t you tired of being alone?”
“I like you.”
These three sentences were like three sharp blades, stabbing straight at me.
“I…”
I thought of the young man who went to the Jiang family to take me home. He stood in front of me to protect me.
If I got married, would he resent me…?
I couldn’t say what was on my mind.
Jiang Zhouxing covered the tea cup and said casually, “I know you have difficulties. You have to figure it out for yourself.”
“I’ve waited for you for a long time. I can wait a little longer.”
“I won’t force you.”
After he left, I was distracted.
I thought I could hold on, but as soon as he spoke, my perseverance shattered like the thin ice in spring.
Two voices were in my head. One said, agree to him. You can live a good life and no longer have to endure hardship.
The other said, Jingxing will be unhappy. You can’t let him come back and find no home.
I couldn’t give him an answer. Young Master Jiang was a nice person, suave and elegant.
It was a good marriage. Half of the girls in the city would envy me. A person who had helped me so much, I should have been attracted to him.
But I couldn’t sleep all night.
14
I didn’t fall asleep until early morning.
In my dream, a young man in white stood in front of me.
“Chen Xihe——”
As he approached, Yun Jingxing’s eyes were wide open, looking at me angrily.
“Didn’t we agree that you’d wait for me to come back? Why are you marrying him!”
Following Yun Jingxing’s finger, I saw Jiang Zhouxing beside me wearing a red wedding gown.
And I myself was also wearing a red dress.
Then, Yun Jingxing tore off my red veil, grabbed my hand, and said, “In this life, you can only be mine!”
The scene spun around. The sound of horses’ hooves rang out.
I was trapped in his arms, sitting on a horse, and the horse was galloping.
“Chen Xihe, why are you marrying him? What’s wrong with me compared to him?”
“Tell me, what’s wrong with me compared to him?”
I suddenly opened my eyes.
The sound of horses’ hooves still echoed in my ears.
My heart was still pounding. Why… why did I have such a dream! It was really out of the ordinary.
Just then, Song Yu rushed in.
“Miss! Wake up! Wake up! Xing is back!”
My furrowed brows relaxed because of her words. “What? Xing is back?”
“Yes!”
I didn’t have time to get dressed properly. I rushed out. Before I took a few steps.
There stood a tall, handsome, tanned young man in bright clothes, riding a spirited horse.
This was my Xing!
He walked closer and hugged me. “Chen Xihe, I’m back.”
15
I was so happy that I couldn’t stop smiling. I kept mumbling, “It’s good that you’re back… It’s good that you’re back safely…”
My hands were caressing his face.
In three years, my Xing was no longer a willful teenager. He had become a man!
“Chen Xihe, this time I was rewarded for repelling the Huns. The emperor gave me an official position and a lot of money. We can use it to pay off the debt. And I’ll get a monthly salary from now on. You don’t have to work so hard anymore!”
As he spoke, he opened his bag, and there was real gold and silver inside.
He had really grown up. I patted his hand. “The money has already been paid off. We can keep this money.”
There was a light in Jingxing’s eyes. “Chen Xihe, it’s my turn to support this family. You can relax and don’t go out to do hard labor anymore.”
I nodded. A big stone in my heart finally fell.
The joy of Jingxing’s return overshadowed my worries about Jiang Zhouxing’s proposal. Looking at Jingxing playing with Jing’an in the courtyard, I suddenly thought that it would be nice to live like this for a lifetime.
16
But who can keep a young man from growing up?
Many people came to inquire about his marriage. Indeed, Jingxing was eighteen years old and it was time for him to get married.
He could have gotten married at fifteen, but at that time, there wasn’t much money at home. No one would come to propose marriage, and no one would even look at us directly.
Now, he had brought back a lot of money, and the court had given him a position. Getting married and having children should be on the agenda.
I planned to find a time to talk to Jingxing about this.
However… when I thought about finding a match for him, I felt a bit sad. I thought it was probably the pain of seeing the son I raised grow up and belong to someone else. After all, he would eventually start his own family.
After Jingxing came back, besides his daily training, he would stay at home with me, watching me do needlework.
One day, he brought back a little dog. The puppy was so cute.
It was running around my feet.
“Chen Xihe, this house is too small. The emperor has bestowed a big house on me in Bianjing. When shall we go and live there?”
He was teasing the dog as he spoke.
“Anytime is fine, but…”
I thought of Jiang Zhouxing. “What about Young Master Jiang…”
“It’s been three years. Is he still pestering you? I heard from Jing’an that he comes to see you every day, deliberately letting the neighbors know that he likes you, right?”
I was at a loss for words. “Don’t talk nonsense.”
He smiled. “We’re all men. I know what he’s up to.”
Since we were on this topic, I thought for a moment. “So, what kind of girl do you like? I can help you find a good – family girl.”
Hearing this, Yun Jingxing put down the dog in his hand, straightened up, and looked at me with a serious face. “I’m not worthy of a good – family girl. Chen Xihe, I just want to live like this for the rest of my life.”
This was really nonsense. I sighed and threw aside the clothes in my hand.
“Chen Xihe, what kind of man do you like? After all these years, haven’t you liked anyone?”
17
Have I liked anyone?
I had never thought about this before. I didn’t have the time to think about it either.
But this question lingered in my heart. In the middle of the night, I actually dreamed of Jingxing’s face.
In the dream, he asked me, “Who do you like?”
His fingers were twirling my hair, in an ambiguous posture.
When I woke up, a huge sense of guilt overwhelmed me. I was ashamed of my thoughts. But soon, someone came to propose marriage for Jingxing.
It was the daughter of a princess. She was well – educated and especially liked Jingxing.
The girl came to my house. She thought the house was a bit small. I explained to her, “It’s okay. After you get married, you can move to a big house. I won’t live with you. It’s fine for me to live here alone.”
In the evening, when Jingxing came back from training and heard about the proposed marriage, I told him, “This marriage is a good one. The princess is a reasonable person, and her family likes you very much, Xing…”
Jingxing put down his chopsticks and took a couple of sips of wine.
Then he stared at me intently, his eyes red, just like the night before he went to war.
He took a few steps forward and trapped me beside the dressing table.
The hot air from his breath hit my face.
“Chen Xihe, what do you mean! Do you really think of me as your son to bully?”
18
I fled in a hurry.
When Jingxing was a child, he fell off a horse and damaged his head. He looked up at me with a small face, asking me what my name was.
Later, he walked out from the crowd and held my hand. I witnessed his growth from then until he left for the army.
I understood what he meant, but I felt ashamed.
Although we had no blood relationship, his father died as soon as I married into his family. But I was still his step – mother in name. How could he behave like this!
I knew he was unruly on weekdays, but if our relationship got involved like this, it would be improper!
In a mix of guilt and shame, I fell asleep.
Suddenly, a loud thunderclap woke me up.
Then the door was gently pushed open.
19
A black shadow sat beside me. I was so startled that I broke out in a cold sweat.
“Chen Xihe, I’m scared.”
I let out a sigh of relief. It was Jingxing, but then I became nervous again.
“This is becoming more and more improper. What are you doing in my room!”
Jingxing became even more brazen. He climbed onto my bed. I tried to push him away, but he had really grown up. He was as immovable as a mountain.
“Chen Xihe, you know what? In the three years I was in the army, the most terrifying nightmare I had was not dying, but dreaming that when I came home, you had married someone else. I dreamed that you didn’t want me anymore.”
He hugged me tightly, his arms like pincers. I struggled, kicked him, but he didn’t let go.
“Chen Xihe, I missed you. Did you miss me? On the battlefield, several times I was about to die. But I thought that you were waiting for me at home. I thought that if I died, you would belong to someone else. So I gritted my teeth and got up. And then, when I came back, I heard that you were going to marry that Jiang guy…”
His voice was trembling and on the verge of crying. My struggling hands gradually stopped, and I hugged his back, patting it gently.
“Chen Xihe, can’t you like me?”
Suddenly, I met his eyes. His eyes were shining in the dark.
Before I could answer, his kisses came down like a storm.
While kissing me, he said, “What did I do wrong? You didn’t abandon me during those tough times. Why, now that life is getting better, you want to give me away?”
It was a passionate night, with thunder rumbling.
At dawn, Jingxing was lying on me, with several red marks on his bare back.
“Chen Xihe, do you want me?”
I pushed him away. “Stop talking. Let’s just pretend that nothing happened last night…”
Before I could finish, he leaned over and covered my mouth with his. “If you don’t want me, I won’t let you out of this room.”
20
I don’t know how long I stayed in the room. Besides not allowing me to go out, Jingxing met all my requests.
He brought the cooked food to me.
He washed my dirty clothes.
Every day, he would ask me whether I wanted him or not.
I always remained silent. I was afraid that if I answered, what I said would ruin him.
He had just achieved success and made contributions. How could he bear the stigma of being involved with me?
21
“This is a family – heirloom amber jade, a token of love. Chen Xihe, I give it to you.”
I held the jade. It was beautiful, crystal – clear. I put it in my palm. It was warm, still carrying Jingxing’s body temperature.
I didn’t answer, but I really liked this jade. After living a hard life for so long, could I secretly accept this little bit of sweetness?
Seeing that I accepted the jade, Jingxing was very happy and finally let me go for a walk in the courtyard.
When I went out of the room, Jing’an was surprised to see me. “Brother said you were sick and only he could take care of you. He wouldn’t let me in. He’s really too much.”
I smiled but didn’t say anything.
Our relationship was hidden. No one knew about it.
Sometimes, Jing’an would be curious. “Why does brother sleep in mother’s room every night?”
Song Yu looked at me, then at Jingxing, and said nothing.
When I was walking in the courtyard, Song Yu took my hand and said seriously, “Miss, you’re being foolish…”
I smiled bitterly and shook my head. I had been following the rules all my life, but finally, I was led astray by him.
Life went on like this. In front of others, Jingxing was my son, but in private, he would secretly hold my hand.
“I heard that a famous Western – Region painter has come to Bianjing. Xihe, do you want to invite him to paint a portrait for you?”
I didn’t pay much attention, combing the dog’s fur.
Jingxing wanted to give me all the good things in the world, but there were so many good things. How could he give them all?
But he really managed to find the painter. The painter had just come out of the palace and was pulled by him to our remote farmhouse.
That day, the weather was beautiful. I sat by the window, and the painter sat opposite me.
Jingxing stood behind the painter, smiling. The little dog was lying on the ground, sticking out its tongue, looking bored.
I was also getting tired of sitting.
For some reason, Jingxing picked up the dog and made it make a smiling face. I couldn’t help but laugh out loud.
22
The painting was delivered a month later. Jingxing got it and looked at it for a long time without saying a word.
I thought the painting was too ugly. When I walked over to take a look.
It was much more beautiful than I was in person, but Jingxing had a frown on his face.
“What’s wrong?”
He shook his head.
In the evening, he let out a long sigh and turned to me. “The painter didn’t paint well. I’ll learn to paint and paint a portrait for you, okay?”
I smiled and said yes.
But he was always half – hearted about it.
Every time I caught him slacking off, he always made excuses. But he never stopped practicing painting.
He said that his biggest wish was to paint a portrait of me.
23
Peaceful days are always short – lived. The Huns and the Jurchens joined forces to attack southward, and Jingxing had to go north to fight again.
“Chen Xihe, you have to take good care of yourself. Don’t wrong yourself. There’s enough money…”
He kept reminding me.
“By the way, the house is ready. You can move in first. It’ll be more convenient for Jing’an to study…”
He was giving instructions one by one. The once – irresponsible young man could now support a sky for me.
But I felt something was wrong. I was scared. I had a premonition that if he left this time, he might not come back.
“Chen Xihe, don’t be nervous. I’ll come back. We’re going to live a lifetime together.”
His smile was sincere, and his kiss was gentle.
24
Jingxing left again, and we moved to Bianjing.
Before we left, Jiang Zhouxing came to pick me up. He stared at me for a long time.
“I’m sorry,” I said to him.
There was a bit of desolation in his eyes. He shook his head. “Let’s go. I’ll take you to your new home.”
The war in the northwest was intense, and my heart was filled with anxiety.
The two sides had comparable military strength, and it was hard to tell who would win.
The good news came before the New Year. Jingxing won.
I was very happy, but the messenger’s face looked strange.
“The general… fell off his horse. He…”
These words were like a sharp sword, piercing through my body.
25
Jingxing came back, but my Jingxing died on the battlefield.
26
“Mom, what are you thinking about while looking at me?”
Yun Jingxing looked at me, his eyes full of curiosity.
I shook my head. Song Yu poured me a glass of wine.
He didn’t look at me like this before. His eyes used to be full of love. He didn’t call me like this either. He only called me “Chen Xihe.”
Jingxing came back, but I knew that my Jingxing didn’t come back.
He wasn’t the one, not the Jingxing who would call me “Chen Xihe” with a smile, not the Jingxing who would secretly kiss my cheek in the middle of the night, afraid that I would run away.
But I wasn’t greedy. He didn’t die, and he didn’t lose any limbs…
The Yun Jingxing in front of me didn’t know our story.
Inside the familiar body was a strange soul.
27
“Miss, don’t frown. You’re still so young…”
Song Yu tried to persuade me at the side. I shook my head.
“I can’t help it. I can’t control myself…”
She helped me untie my hair, and my long hair fell over my shoulders. I thought of Jingxing again.
At this moment, the door was knocked gently. I was startled and stood up to open the door.
That’s how he used to come to me.
But when I opened the door and saw the way Jingxing looked at me, the fire in my heart was extinguished.
“Mother, do you know if I have a piece of amber jade? That is…”
I nodded. “Wait, I’ll get it for you.”
When I handed the jade to him, I even smiled and said, “You were afraid of losing it, so you put it with me.”
“Thank you, mother, for keeping it for me.”
28
Soon, Jingxing brought the girl he liked to the house.
He presented betrothal gifts and set the wedding date. I helped him arrange the wedding.
During that time, I was afraid to sleep. As soon as I fell asleep, I would think of him – the Yun Jingxing who called me Chen Xihe with a smile and had a mischievous look in his eyes.
But he was gone forever. The smile that once belonged to me, the warmth that once belonged to me, all vanished into thin air.
I couldn’t even catch a trace of it.
“Mom, please have some tea…”
Coming back to my senses, a pair of newly – weds were kneeling in front of me, looking at me.
I quickly took the tea from the bride’s hand and took a sip. It was very hot.
After the wedding, Yun Jing’an followed me. Perhaps because I was too preoccupied, I missed a step on the stairs.
When I woke up again, Jing’an was sitting by my bed. He looked at me, his eyes full of worry.
“Mom, take some medicine. Have a good rest. You’ll get better soon.”
I turned my head to the side.
But Jing’an didn’t give up. He said a lot of things.
None of them were what I wanted to hear.
After a long silence, Jing’an said:
“Mom, if brother were here, he would definitely want you to live well.”
**Postscript 1**
The Yun family is a century – old family with twenty – six generations. Every year on the fifth day of the tenth lunar month, they go to Lingyin Temple to worship their ancestors.
This time, the ancestor – worship coincided with the Yun family’s centennial anniversary. More than two hundred descendants of the Yun family rushed back from all over the world. The most famous among them was the eldest son of the Yun family, Yun Xixing.
Yun Xixing was wearing a simple white shirt and black trousers, standing straight beside the old master of the Yun family, with an aloof and indifferent expression.
On the way to the worship, someone was telling the younger generation about the history of the Yun family.
“Our Yun family, going back in time, was a military general who fought against the Huns during the Ming dynasty!”
Yun Xixing listened and quickened his pace. He had heard such words so many times that his ears were almost calloused. He felt inexplicably annoyed and went into the bathroom first to hide.
He splashed water on his face and unbuttoned two buttons on his chest.
The water wet the black hair on his forehead, and the usually unapproachable Yun Xixing became a bit more sexy.
The screen of the mobile phone placed on the sink lit up. He shook his hair, picked up the phone, and answered the call.
“Mr. Yun, are you coming to Yuese tonight?”
Yun Xixing replied with an “en” sound. He turned around and walked out while talking. “Who else is going?”
The person on the other side laughed. “Mr. Yun, we have everything you want.”
The tone was not serious, and any man could understand what it meant.
“Okay, wait for me.”
After the banquet, Yun Xixing took a plane to send his grandfather back to the mansion in Beijing.
The old master of the Yun family lived alone in the Beijing mansion. Outside, it had gray walls and a gray roof, while the interior style was quite different.
It was both antique and showed the prosperity of modern times.
Just a few steps inside, Yun Xixing noticed the painting in the pavilion.
The woman in the painting was as beautiful as a flower, with skin as smooth as congealed fat, and there was a red mole on her chest.
“This painting was airlifted back from the UK by the old master. It’s a genuine Ming – dynasty painting. The figure in the painting is the wife of the Yun family, Yun Chenshi.”
The butler standing beside him said this. Yun Xixing stopped, relaxed his posture, and stood in front of the painting in a casual manner, looking at it carefully for a while.
“I haven’t seen this person in the family tree.” Then he burst out laughing. He turned to the butler and said, “Tsk, she must be a concubine. Judging from her appearance, she looks like a plaything. How could someone with such an improper look be the wife of the Yun family?”
After saying that, he lifted his feet and left. The butler looked at his back, shook his head, and bowed slightly to the painting.
Not long after, Yun Xixing, dressed in a different outfit, came to the underground garage.
The big lights in the garage lit up as Yun Xixing walked. As soon as the lights were on, all kinds of strange cars around him appeared, like beasts ready to pounce.
Yun Xixing picked the most low – key car, which meant that the model was relatively normal compared to the others.
But no one expected that Yun Xixing had a car accident.
The car rolled over on the highway. Fortunately, he was not seriously injured, but he fell into a coma.
Because of this car accident, he lay in the hospital for two months.
When he woke up again, Yun Xixing was like a different person. He was silent.
When others asked him what was wrong, he couldn’t say a word.
The once – playful and dissolute Yun Xixing stayed in the Yun family’s old mansion.
He seemed to have gone crazy. When his family urged him to get married, he refused.
In the Yun family’s old mansion, the thing he did most every day was to look at the painting and paint.
People outside said he was possessed.
Some also said he was haunted by a fox spirit because he only painted women.
That mysterious woman.
**Postscript 2**
The younger generations of the Yun family all knew Yun Xixing, Grandpa Yun.
He was a strange person in the Yun family.
First, he changed the Yun family tree, changing Yun Chenshi to Chen Xihe.
Then, he only painted women.
He guarded a painting and didn’t get married.
One day, several younger generations went to the museum to see an exhibition with Yun Xixing.
For some reason, the younger generations saw Yun Xixing stop.
Grandpa Yun stared at a piece of amber jade for a long time without moving.
The younger generation looked at the introduction and read it out: “The token of love given to his beloved wife, Yun Liushi, by General Yun Jingxing.”
Amber jade.
As soon as the words were spoken, for some unknown reason, Grandpa Yun squatted down and cried like a child in front of the amber jade, attracting everyone’s attention.
“Grandpa, shall we take you home?”
Yun Xixing shook his head and called the driver to take him home.
Not long after, the younger generations received the sad news of his death.
The funeral was simple, but he requested that the painting be buried with him.
When sorting out his belongings, several younger generations saw Yun Xixing’s paintings.
It could be seen that the paintings were of a woman.
By accident, someone saw a sentence written on the back of the most beautiful painting: “Chen Xihe, are you doing well?”
The people looked at each other, not knowing what had happened.
Then, a voice broke the silence: “Look, I’ve found his suicide note…”
That was what Yun Xixing wrote before his death, written in pencil –
“I’ve searched through all the historical records, but I can’t find a single trace of you.”
– The End –
