When Chu Yu returned to the Wei residence, it was during the heaviest part of the rain and wind. Liu Xueyang had composed herself and was sitting in the main hall waiting for her.
Liu Xueyang hadn’t alerted anyone else; she didn’t dare make this matter too public. After calming down, she finally decided that she needed to have a proper talk with Chu Yu.
She had Gui Mama prepare tea and snacks and sipped tea while waiting for Chu Yu. In recent years, her health had been declining, and she rarely stayed up late like this anymore.
She had never been a particularly strong-willed person in her life, always meekly hiding behind others. When Wei Zhong was alive, he protected her. After Wei Zhong’s death, Chu Yu supported the family. Although she had experienced storms in her life, it was the first time such a great tempest had struck her directly.
By the time Chu Yu entered, Liu Xueyang had calmed down considerably. She raised her head and quietly observed the woman approaching with an umbrella from the end of the long corridor.
Chu Yu was no longer the 15-year-old bride who had first married into the family. She had grown tall, with clear eyes and white teeth, her features beautiful – at the prime of a woman’s beauty in life.
Her expression was open, with no trace of vulgarity in her features. From a man’s perspective, she was truly a respectable beauty.
Liu Xueyang silently watched as Chu Yu closed her umbrella and came before her, respectfully bowing and saying, “Mother-in-law.”
There was no one else in the main hall. Liu Xueyang controlled her emotions, lowered her gaze, and said somewhat tiredly, “Sit down first.”
Chu Yu responded and sat down gracefully as if she knew nothing. However, Liu Xueyang was well aware that after Chu Yu had taken root in the Wei family for so many years, how could she not know about such a big commotion?
She knew, yet still acted this way, simply because she didn’t care.
Liu Xueyang looked up at her and smiled bitterly, “I searched your room. You know about this, don’t you?”
“I do.”
“Then facing me, don’t you have anything to say?”
Chu Yu didn’t speak. She quietly gazed at Liu Xueyang. After a moment, she asked instead, “Shouldn’t I be the one asking you that? Don’t you have anything you want to ask?”
Liu Xueyang took a deep breath. She picked up a wooden box from beside her, which contained Chu Yu’s treasured possessions. Liu Xueyang’s hand trembled slightly as she said with difficulty, “These things…” She raised her eyes, which were now moist, “Shouldn’t you explain them to me?”
Chu Yu was taken aback, not expecting Liu Xueyang’s search to be so thorough that even these old items had been found.
Seeing Chu Yu’s silence, Liu Xueyang thought she was afraid to speak and said directly, “I’ll ask you just one thing: do you and Little Seven have an affair?”
Chu Yu met Liu Xueyang’s gaze without flinching and calmly replied, “Yes.”
Liu Xueyang’s breathing quickened. She clenched her fists and said in a trembling voice, “When did it start? Was it when A Jun… A Jun…”
She couldn’t finish her sentence, but tears fell first. Chu Yu was stunned for a moment, then suddenly realized what she was thinking and hurriedly said, “I only learned that Wei Yun liked me when he returned to Huajing last time! When I married Wei Shizi, I was pure and innocent, with no improper relationship with Wei Yun! Those letters were written by Wei Yun on behalf of his brother back then. I treasured them only because they were among the few things Wei Shizi left for me. Madam Liu,” Chu Yu’s voice deepened, “It’s true that Wei Yun and I have feelings for each other, but if Wei Jun were still alive, I would never have allowed this to happen. Our feelings may be unacceptable to society, but they are not as sordid and shameful as you think.”
Her form of address had unconsciously changed to “Madam Liu.” However, Liu Xueyang didn’t notice this. Hearing these words, she only secretly breathed a sigh of relief in her heart. She looked up at Chu Yu, her eyes filled with worry, and said hoarsely, “Since you also know that society doesn’t accept this, why don’t you stop it?”
Liu Xueyang’s face showed fatigue. She lowered her head to look at the box, her eyes downcast: “A Yu, you’ve always been more sensible than Little Seven. Little Seven may seem clever, but he’s still just a child. Although you’re only a year older than him, I understand in my heart that you’re much more mature than he is.”
As she spoke, Liu Xueyang looked up at her, her eyes filled with genuine concern: “There are some paths that you only understand when you’ve grown up, when you’ve walked a long way in life and seen a lot. You realize which paths shouldn’t be taken. Back then, I entrusted the Wei family entirely to you because I valued your character. How could you now join him in such reckless behavior?”
Chu Yu didn’t speak. She understood what Liu Xueyang was saying.
Initially, she had always resisted these feelings, precisely because of what Liu Xueyang said – when you’ve walked a long way in life, you know which paths are particularly difficult to tread.
But now that she had stepped onto this path, she had no intention of turning back. So she smiled slightly and said, “I’ve thought about everything Madam Liu is saying. When Wei Yun first told me, I didn’t agree, thinking exactly like this.”
“But,” Chu Yu chuckled lightly, “Feelings are something that can’t be stopped. I’ve seen all that Wei Yun has done for me. He likes me, I like him, so why can’t we be together? What’s wrong with that?”
“You mean,” Liu Xueyang breathed heavily, “that he’s been pestering you?”
Chu Yu’s expression turned a bit cold. She picked up her teacup and said calmly, “I allowed him to pursue me.”
“Preposterous!” Liu Xueyang could no longer control herself. She suddenly stood up and raised her voice, “Do you not understand Wei Yun’s current status and your own? You’re in the midst of a great undertaking, and what do talented people in this world value most? It’s reputation! You criticize Zhao Yue for being shameless, but if this matter of yours gets out, what would that be? An affair between uncle and sister-in-law… Even if I believe that your feelings developed years after A Jun’s death, what about others? In this world, rumors spread faster than anything,” Liu Xueyang’s voice trembled, “Chu Yu, do you still care about your reputation?”
Hearing this, Chu Yu laughed lightly, “Madam Liu,” Chu Yu poured tea into her cup calmly, “I’m willing to give up my life for him, what do I care about reputation?”
“What about him?” Liu Xueyang clenched her fists, “My son Wei Yun has lived his entire life without a single blemish. The Wei family has always been known as a noble and pure lineage. Do you want to disgrace him, upon the entire Wei family, because of you alone?!”
“You may not care, but do you think he doesn’t care? Do you think the Wei family doesn’t care?!”
Chu Yu didn’t speak. Her hand tightened on the teacup. After a long while, she drank the tea in one gulp, raised her head, and said calmly, “That’s why I haven’t said anything, have I?”
Liu Xueyang was stunned. She saw Chu Yu stand up and say calmly, “I know that we’re in the midst of a great undertaking. I know Wei Yun needs his reputation. I also know that the Wei family can’t tolerate this matter. So, from beginning to end, I haven’t asked for anything, haven’t said anything, have I?”
Chu Yu’s words melted into the rain. There wasn’t a trace of complaint in her expression as she said gently, “Madam Liu, you’re right that Little Seven and I are different. He wants a relationship and is willing to defy the world for it, regardless of the consequences. But when I want a relationship, how could I bear to let him face such widespread condemnation? So whatever he wants, I give. If he wants my response, I give him my response. If he wants us to love each other like a normal couple, I try my best to give him that love. But I’ve never asked for anything. I didn’t ask for the formal marriage proposal, I didn’t ask for a lifelong commitment, and I didn’t ask to make our relationship public.”
“What you worry about is also what I worry about. My feelings for Little Seven may not compare to your deep maternal love, but I always wish for his well-being.”
“A Yu…” Listening to Chu Yu’s calm words, Liu Xueyang’s throat choked up. Tears fell as she grasped Chu Yu’s hand and said hoarsely, “A relationship that requires such sacrifice, why bother? Why not choose a different path, a different person? Wouldn’t that be better?”
Chu Yu didn’t speak. She smiled silently, “Madam, which person would guarantee a smooth sailing relationship? Every relationship has its obstacles. Wei Yun has never been willing to give up, so how could I casually give up?”
“Then you…” Liu Xueyang looked up blankly, “What do you intend to do?”
Chu Yu didn’t speak. She looked down at this woman, and Liu Xueyang seemed to understand something. She suddenly stepped back and anxiously said, “I will never agree to your marriage with Little Seven!”
Chu Yu smiled silently. She sighed and said gently, “If you don’t agree, so be it.”
As she spoke, she looked at the sky, returned to her seat, and poured herself some tea.
Liu Xueyang stared blankly as she did all this, then watched as she raised the tea and said gently, “Mother-in-law, this last cup of tea, I offer to you.”
“What… what do you mean?”
Liu Xueyang’s hand trembled slightly. Chu Yu smiled lightly, “Five years ago when Wei Yun wrote the divorce letter on behalf of his brother, I was no longer the young mistress of the Wei family.”
As she mentioned this distant past event, Liu Xueyang’s mind went blank for a moment. She vaguely remembered that back then, Chu Yu seemed to have already received a divorce letter written by Wei Yun himself.
Chu Yu sighed, “I stayed with the Wei family back then because it was in turmoil. The Wei family, being such a heroic lineage, I couldn’t bear to see it humiliated. At that time, I thought that when the Wei family rose again, it would be time for Chu Yu to leave. Wei Yun and I shouldn’t be considered an improper relationship between uncle and sister-in-law, but rather an informal union without matchmakers. Although it may seem immoral in your eyes, we haven’t interfered with anyone else. I like him and am willing to be with him. I don’t feel that this relationship has wronged anyone. To say something that might upset you,” Chu Yu looked up at her, her eyes filled with a smile, “In my heart, there are no rituals, only principles. In my actions, I only ask if I’m harming others. If this relationship hasn’t harmed anyone, what wrong have I done?”
Her gaze was clear and bright. Liu Xueyang felt some wavering in her heart and then heard Chu Yu say, “Having come this far, I have no regrets. But now, it’s time for me to leave.”
“A Yu, you can’t!” Liu Xueyang reacted, but after calling out these words, she didn’t know what Chu Yu couldn’t do.
She had grown accustomed to the Wei family with Chu Yu in it. She didn’t know what the Wei family would be like without Chu Yu.
But Chu Yu seemed to know what Liu Xueyang was thinking. She smiled and said, “Most of the household affairs are now managed by Second Madam. I’ve also arranged most of the external interactions. The family accounts have been sorted out. Although Chu Yu is leaving, it won’t have much impact on the Wei family. You can rest assured, Mother-in-law.”
“That’s not what I meant…” Liu Xueyang burst into tears, “In your heart, do you think this is what I’m worried about now?”
Chu Yu looked up at the woman who couldn’t stop crying. She sighed lightly, but she clearly understood that Liu Xueyang did have feelings for her. However, these feelings were incomparable to those of Wei Yun.
No matter how good she thought Chu Yu was, Chu Yu was ultimately an outsider, an outsider who might harm her child. Unless she completely gave up Wei Yun, the conflict between Liu Xueyang and her could not be reconciled.
She did indeed like Wei Yun, but besides love, there was much more in her heart. She liked Wei Yun as a person, but she didn’t like the Wei family.
Back then, she stubbornly stayed by Gu Chusheng’s side because she felt that Gu Chusheng couldn’t live without her at that time. But now, she didn’t feel that Wei Yun couldn’t live without her.
So she didn’t say anything. She raised her cup, drank the tea in one gulp, and then said, “Madam Liu, take care.”
With that, she stood up, collected the wooden box from the table, and turned to leave. Liu Xueyang watched as the woman picked up her umbrella and left, suddenly calling out, “A Yu!”
Chu Yu stopped in her tracks. She turned around and saw Liu Xueyang in the room, trembling as she respectfully knelt. She placed her hands in front of her, bowed deeply to Chu Yu, and said hoarsely, “For all these years, the Wei family thanks you.”
Chu Yu was stunned for a moment. After a while, she laughed lightly.
“When I gave, I never thought about repayment. If I had wanted repayment, I probably wouldn’t have given in the first place.”
After saying this, she suddenly seemed to remember something, “Also, Madam Liu,” she said with a smile, “Next time, at any time, don’t casually touch other people’s things.”
Liu Xueyang hadn’t expected Chu Yu to say such a thing. Chu Yu didn’t say more, turned around, and went to her room.
Meanwhile, Wei Yun was on his way to the Wei residence.
The heavy rain poured down in the night. Wei Xia anxiously said, “Your Highness, you’re still injured. Please rest!”
“No need,” he called out, “We’re almost there.”
“Your Highness,” Wei Xia followed beside him, the rain mixed with wind striking his face painfully. He couldn’t understand, “Why are you in such a hurry? Doctor Shen said your injury needs rest.”
“It’s fine,” Wei Yun’s voice was calm, “Once we’re home, it’ll be alright.”
“Your Highness,” Wei Xia sighed, “What exactly are you after?”
Wei Yun didn’t speak. He pressed his lips together.
After a moment, he finally couldn’t hold back. He raised his head, his eyes filled with a smile. The uncontainable emotion poured out from his beautiful eyes. His smile carried warmth in the wind and rain as he loudly answered Wei Xia.
“I miss her!”
Wei Xia was slightly stunned, looking at the young man with a boyish air, hearing him laugh and repeat once more, “I want to see her, I can’t wait any longer!”
Those words were straightforward, just like his feelings.
As always, direct and sincere.