ebookland Chapter 264 Xue Mansion
Chapter 264 Xue Mansion
Although Xu Sheng advised against it, Nian Yao still brought Xue Chenxi back to Qinzhou and took her to the Xue residence. She gave her name, and the steward, seemingly already aware of it, immediately took her to see General Xue and Madam Xue without a word.
The white-haired general and his still-charming wife overlapped with the tall, imposing general and elegant general's wife she remembered. These were her uncle and aunt, her dear elder relatives who had given her eighteen longevity locks, hoping she would live to be a hundred.
Holding the child, Nianyao's knees buckled, and she knelt before them, sobbing uncontrollably, unable to even utter the words "Uncle" and "Aunt."
Xue Longpan and Madam Xue were both surprised and delighted. Madam Xue stepped forward to help her up, speaking gently, "Nianyao, it's been so many years, you've grown so much, you're even taller than me now."
When I first met her, she was a mischievous and arrogant seven-year-old girl. When I saw her again, she was a twenty-year-old young woman, holding a child, composed and unassuming. How could one not sigh with emotion?
Madam Xue took the child and said to Xue Longpan, "Look, this child is so cute!"
A tiny, soft little girl was drooling and babbling in Madam Xue's arms, making Xue Longpan smile involuntarily: "Just like Yao'er when she was little."
"Yes, yes." Madam Xue also thought, "They really are a family. Nianyao, I heard from Yunting that you were pregnant with twins, a boy and a girl?"
The mention of Xue Yunting brought a pang of sorrow to Nianyao's heart. She forced a smile and said, "It was a misdiagnosis, just one."
Xue Longpan said, "As long as they are healthy, one or two doesn't matter. Come here, let your great-uncle give you a hug."
Madam Xue instructed, "Be careful, you mustn't fall."
Xue Longpan said, "Don't worry, did I hold my child less when he was little?"
Xue Longpan spoke with great bravado, but his movements were extremely cautious: "Little A Mao..."
Madam Xue smiled and said, "Nianyao, your uncle loves children very much. When your younger brother and sister were sick as children, he would hold them all night long whenever he was home."
It's been so many years since I've held a child, I'm definitely a bit rusty. We keep urging Yunting to get married soon, but he doesn't like this one, that one isn't suitable. It's driving us adults crazy!
Madam Xue pulled Nianyao inside, chattering away like an ordinary mother. It was this casual conversation that instantly bridged the gap between her and Nianyao.
Nianyao was wondering if Xue Yunting and Duan Mingzhu were completely unaware of their affair, or if they were pretending not to know. Such a significant event as Duan Mingzhu giving birth—hadn't anyone sent word to the Xue family?
The two sat down in the hall, and Madam Xue lowered her voice and asked, "Nianyao, I heard that Yunting has married someone else? And he even brought her to Chongming Island? How is that girl?"
Seeing Nianyao hesitate, Madam Xue added, "Marriage is a major event, and it doesn't count without the consent of parents and relatives. However, as long as he likes it, we won't object. We can always have another wedding. Your uncle may look serious, but he really loves the child."
A short, sharp pain is worse than a long, drawn-out one; keeping it a secret isn't going to solve anything. Nianyao took a deep breath, preparing to tell Xue Yunting everything: "Aunt..."
"Mother..." Xue Yunyao drawled, skipping over. She looked up and saw Nianyao, completely stunned: "You...how did you get here?"
"What do you mean 'you'? Call her 'sister'!" Madam Xue scolded, "Look at you, how old are you and you still can't be more mature. This is your sister Nianyao, didn't you see her when you went to Chongming Island last time? It's perfectly normal for a sister to bring her child to visit her uncle."
Xue Yunyao responded with an "oh," then hesitated, taking a step back and then a step forward, appearing quite troubled.
Madam Xue said to Nianyao, "Yunyao and Lexi went to Chongming Island a while ago, intending to see that girl. But when they came back after playing on the island for a while, they said they didn't see Yunting and sister-in-law. Where did they go?"
Xue Yunyao seemed a little nervous: "Sister, we didn't see brother and sister-in-law last time on Chongming Island, right?"
Nianyao said, "Yes, they really didn't see it. Yunting and the others weren't on Chongming Island at that time."
Xue Yunyao visibly breathed a sigh of relief.
Nianyao winked at Xue Yunyao: "Yunyao, you mentioned last time that something at the market... was really delicious, go buy me some."
Xue Yunyao agreed and ran off in a flash.
Nianyao said seriously, "Aunt, there's something I don't want to hide from you. Yunting... they're both gone."
"Gone?" Madam Xue repeated, "What do you mean? What do you mean by gone?"
Nianyao finished speaking in one breath: "His wife had a congenital illness and passed away two months ago. When he buried his wife in Mount Oulu, an avalanche occurred and she was buried under the snow that had been there for thousands of years."
"What?" Madam Xue frowned as if she didn't understand. Her mouth opened slightly as if she wanted to ask something, but she didn't say it.
Nianyao slowly shifted her gaze. There was a pot of bougainvillea by the window, its color a deep purple-red, and it was in full bloom.
Following Nianyao's gaze, Madam Xue said, "This bougainvillea was brought back by Yunting from Kunzhou. He said it's abundant there, but we don't have it here..."
Nianyao didn't dare look at Madam Xue. Madam Xue choked up as she spoke, "Isn't it beautiful? I raised it myself. He's been in the army most of the time and rarely comes back. I...sometimes when I miss him, I come to look at this flower..."
He's never liked communicating with us since he was little; he keeps everything bottled up inside. Qi Yang and Su Wuming know more about him than we, his parents, do. By the way, Nianyao, what did you say happened to him?
Nianyao glanced quickly at Madam Xue and then lowered her head again.
Madam Xue seemed to understand at this moment, and cried out in a hoarse voice, "Someone come here!"
The maids and servants waiting outside quickly entered: "Madam?"
Madam Xue, her eyes red, said, "Call the master over, now, quickly."
Xue Longpan came in with a smile, carrying the child: "This little one fell asleep. I was just about to put her on the bed when she woke up again. It seems she just likes me to hold her."
Madam Xue walked to Xue Longpan's side and grabbed his shoulder: "Longpan, Nianyao, she said..."
Xue Longpan asked curiously, "What happened? Nianyao, what did you say?"
Although Madam Xue has lived a life of luxury all these years, she has never been a weak woman confined to her chambers. Now her eyes are red and she looks like she is about to cry.
Nianyao, having decided to go all out, stood up and said in a deep voice, "Uncle, Yunting's wife had a congenital illness and passed away two months ago. When he buried her in Mount Oulu, she was caught in an avalanche and buried under the millennia-old snow, where she also died."
Xue Longpan's hand trembled, and Xue Chenxi almost fell. The little child felt the vibration in her sleep and burst into tears.
Nianyao quickly took Xue Chenxi from her arms. Looking at the child in her arms, she steeled her heart and decided to tell everyone about Xue Chenxi's situation.
To outsiders, she can act as if the child is her own, but Xue Longpan and Madam Xue are the child's biological grandparents, and they have the right to know. Besides, since she's already said it, she should say it all at once.
Just then, the steward came over: "Master, Madam, the Prince requests an audience."