Yun Chu lingered at the Yun family residence for quite a while before rising to head to Prince Pingxi’s residence.

Her carriage had just stopped at the entrance of the prince’s residence when she saw the father and two sons walking out from the main gate. The two children, just like yesterday, rushed toward her one after the other.

Yun Chu hugged the children and raised her eyes to look at the man before her. “Has the prince’s residence cook recovered from his illness today?”

Chengxu: “…”

The head chef was perfectly fine, healthier than an old ox.

Chu Yi said without changing his expression, “I may have to trouble Miss Yun for this month.”

Yun Chu very much wanted to ask him where he had eaten lunch.

She also wanted to ask whether the prince’s residence really only had one cook—if the cook fell ill, would everyone just go drink the northwest wind?

But in the end, she didn’t speak.

She took the two children’s hands and boarded the carriage.

Chu Yi’s horse followed alongside the carriage, traveling together to Yulin Alley.

As soon as they got off the carriage, Chu Hongyu pulled his younger sister, wanting to go see the cats and rabbits. Just as he took a step, the crown of his head felt his father’s cold glare.

He suddenly remembered what his father had said to him in the carriage yesterday.

If he weren’t too young and still had to wait at least a dozen years before he could marry, he definitely wouldn’t help his father marry Mother.

Sigh, who told him he was still a child?

“Auntie Yun, my tummy is so hungry.” The little one rubbed his belly. “Is there fish to eat today?”

Yun Chu scraped his little nose. “Yesterday you said you wanted to eat fish, so I had someone catch the freshest fish to steam for you. I’ll pick out the bones for you later.”

“Picking out bones is too hard. Let’s leave that job to my father.” The little one immediately said, “Father, you should eat with us later and be in charge of picking out fish bones for me and Changsheng, okay?”

Chu Yi’s face showed an expression of “a child worth teaching,” and he nodded. “Alright.”

At this moment, Tingxue came to report that dinner was ready. The group of four walked toward the flower hall, and servants brought out the dishes one by one.

Changsheng pulled Yun Chu to sit down and nestled in Yun Chu’s embrace.

Chu Hongyu looked at Chu Yi. “Father, what are you standing there for? Sit down. You’re not going back on your word and don’t want to pick out fish bones for me and Changsheng, are you?”

Chu Yi spoke. “May I trouble Miss Yun to have someone bring over a table?”

Yun Chu looked around. This flower hall wasn’t very large—one table fit just right. Adding another would make it too crowded.

She raised her eyes. “If Your Highness doesn’t mind, let’s sit together.”

These words hit exactly what Chu Yi desired.

If there were outsiders here, he would be mindful of Yun Chu’s reputation.

But right now, inside the flower hall were all her loyal servants, and outside the flower hall were his attendants—all loyal people who naturally wouldn’t spread word of this improper matter.

Chu Yi sat down in the position farthest from Yun Chu.

He lowered his head and seriously began picking out fish bones.

Although he didn’t say a word, Yun Chu always felt somewhat uncomfortable.

This man’s presence was too powerful, making it impossible for her to ignore his existence.

She tried to focus all her attention on the two children. “Changsheng, no picky eating. Pumpkin is very delicious. Eat more so your body will get better.”

The little girl made a bitter face, pouting and refusing to eat.

Yun Chu could have no bottom line about other things—like holding her while feeding, like unconditionally coaxing and spoiling her—but on the matter of picky eating, she was quite firm.

The child was really too thin. Clearly over four years old, yet what difference was there from a three-year-old child?

At the prince’s residence, eating rich meat and fish every day but not eating much and getting indigestion had resulted in Changsheng having a very poor spleen and stomach. She needed careful nurturing to slowly recover…

“Be good, Changsheng. If you finish this pumpkin soup, I’ll give you a little gift.”

Chu Changsheng still didn’t want to eat.

She hated pumpkin the most and would rather not have the gift.

“Auntie Yun, I’ll eat it, let me eat it!” Chu Hongyu snatched the small bowl. “Changsheng, your brother is eating it now. Don’t cry and ask me for the gift later.”

Yun Chu smiled. “It’s a clay figurine I made with my own hands. Changsheng, are you sure you don’t want it?”

She took the clay figurine from Tingxue’s hands—it was a little girl in a pink dress, molded particularly beautifully.

Changsheng took one look and fell in love with it.

She quickly went to snatch the pumpkin soup from Chu Hongyu’s hands. “I… I’ll eat it…”

“I’m not giving it to you.” Chu Hongyu deliberately teased her. “This clay figurine is mine now.”

As he spoke, he pretended to start eating.

The little girl became anxious all at once and hurried to snatch it.

Chu Hongyu pretended to be overpowered, admitted defeat, and placed the pumpkin soup in front of his sister.

The little girl, afraid her brother would snatch it away again, didn’t need Yun Chu to feed her. She used the spoon to feed herself, and soon finished it all. Then she stretched out her hand, asking Yun Chu for the gift.

Yun Chu placed the clay figurine in her hand.

Chu Yi saw his daughter’s face filled with smiles, her eyes becoming bright and sparkling, shining even more than the stars in the night sky.

This Changsheng, full of vitality—it was the first time he had seen her like this.

What was Changsheng like before? At first, she couldn’t even drink milk. Later, when she could drink milk, she always had a blank expression.

Later still, when Brother Yu could call out to people, she still wouldn’t open her mouth. Before meeting Yun Chu, he never knew his daughter’s voice sounded so pleasant.

He discovered that Changsheng and Yun Chu really looked very similar.

Wait—

He remembered that when Chengxu went to investigate the Xie family matters, he told him that Yun Chu had also given birth to a pair of twins, but they died shortly after birth.

That pair of twins had been hastily disposed of by the Xie family. Later, the Yun family reburied the two children, making quite a big commotion.

Yun Chu’s children were born on that snowy night over four years ago…

And Brother Yu and Changsheng also appeared on a snowy night, on the road when he was returning to the capital…

Could it be?

When this thought surfaced in Chu Yi’s mind, he felt he had gone mad.

In order to let Yun Chu marry him with proper justification, he had actually given birth to such an absurd notion.

This kind of inconceivable thing simply couldn’t possibly happen.

He shook his head, driving this absurd idea from his mind.

Dinner quickly ended, and the happiest time of the day also concluded. Yun Chu saw the two children off as they left Yulin Alley by carriage.

Yun Chu confirmed the next day’s menu with the cook before rising to return to the Xie family.

This courtyard was very close to both the Yun family and Prince Pingxi’s residence, but some distance from the Xie family, requiring passage through the busiest streets.

Tingxue suddenly spoke. “Madam, this servant saw the Eldest Young Master.”

Yun Chu’s gaze passed through the carriage curtain and saw that on the main road where dusk was just falling, Xie Shi’an stood in the middle of the road, surrounded by a large group of people.

She even recognized several people in that group—the Young Lord of Marquis Boyuan’s residence, the Grand Secretary’s grandson… In short, they were all noble wastrels who could attend the Imperial Academy.

“Oh, isn’t this our Young Master Xie?”

“Young Master Xie is the descendant of a criminal minister, deceived the emperor, and even committed matricide, yet he could still come out of death row alive. Tsk tsk, he has some ability.”

“Hahaha, Young Master Xie has become a one-eyed dragon. Come, let me see if that eye is still there or not!”

Several wastrels reached out their hands and directly snatched away the gauze on his right eye, revealing the dark, hollow eye socket.

Seeing Xie Shi’an in such a wretched state, the group laughed even more happily.