Chu Yi made a round of the prince’s mansion.

He found several items that women liked in the storeroom, wrapped them up and brought them along, then returned to Yulin Lane.

After walking through the gate of the new residence, the tail behind him finally disappeared.

He walked straight to the back courtyard, approaching the gateway, and before getting close, he heard the cheerful laughter of a boy and girl.

“Father Prince is back!”

Chu Hongyu called out happily, then pulled Chu Yi from the other side of the gateway over.

“Father Prince, come quick and look!”

The little one tugged Chu Yi into the warm flower hall.

Yun Chu’s face turned green: “Yu’er, can’t you keep a secret for your mother?”

But she saw the little boy blink his big eyes and say: “But it’s really so funny. I just wanted to know whether Father Prince, who especially doesn’t like to laugh, would also find it funny.”

Yun Chu: “…”

But she didn’t find it funny at all.

Chu Yi’s curiosity was completely piqued: “Yu’er, what exactly is so funny?”

Chu Hongyu kicked off his shoes, climbed onto the warm soft couch, took out the basket Yun Chu had hidden behind her, reached in and pulled out a sachet: “Hahaha, Father Prince look, this is the auspicious cloud sachet Mother embroidered. Where are the auspicious clouds? It looks more like two big buns.”

Chu Changsheng chimed in: “Buns, big meat buns…”

Chu Hongyu saw the corners of Chu Yi’s lips curve into a smile.

He immediately called out: “Changsheng, look quick, Father Prince is also laughing. Hahaha, Father Prince also finds it very funny.”

Yun Chu: “…”

She had no face left to show.

This was truly too embarrassing.

She snatched away the sachet, picked up scissors, preparing to cut it to pieces.

A hand reached over and took the sachet before she could cut it, speaking: “I laughed just now because I think this sachet is embroidered very well, not because it looks like buns.”

It was because he guessed this was the sachet Yun Chu was preparing to give him.

Although the shape of those auspicious clouds was a bit strange, since she embroidered it with her own hands, it was the best sachet in the world.

“Father Prince, you’re just trying to comfort Mother, right?” Chu Hongyu suddenly felt he had been very naughty and quickly hugged Yun Chu. “I’m sorry Mother, actually… actually if you look carefully at this sachet, it still looks pretty good.”

Yun Chu quickly hid the sachet away and changed the subject: “The kitchen has prepared the evening meal. Has Your Highness eaten? Would you like to stay and join us?”

Chu Yi naturally couldn’t ask for more.

The servants brought up the hot food.

The flower hall already had charcoal burning, and with the addition of hot food, it was extremely warm.

Tingxue also brought up the fruit wine Yun Chu had brewed for fun earlier and placed it before the two of them.

“This wine is good.” Chu Yi picked up the wine cup and smelled it. “If left for some more days, the wine fragrance will be even richer.”

Yun Chu smiled and said: “First time brewing wine, it indeed lacks a bit of flavor. Your Highness should drink less. When spring comes, I’ll brew some peach blossom wine for Your Highness to taste.”

The little girl suddenly grasped the wine cup: “I, I want to drink.”

“Children can’t drink wine.” Yun Chu quickly took the wine cup away. “This osmanthus-scented goat milk is good, you drink this.”

The little girl wasn’t particularly stubborn and immediately hugged the goat milk to drink.

Four people at one table, two children drinking goat milk, two adults drinking fruit wine—the atmosphere was quite harmonious.

“It’s snowing!” Chu Hongyu looked outside and shouted excitedly. “Father Prince, Mother, can my sister and I go out to play in the snow?”

Chu Changsheng’s eyes also held anticipation.

Chengxu immediately said: “Your Highness and Miss Yun can rest assured. With Tingxue and me watching, we won’t let the two young masters get cold or frozen.”

Chu Hongyu put on his shoes and ran out. The little girl quickly followed her brother’s steps.

Chengxu gave Tingxue a look, and the two followed closely behind.

In the flower hall, only Yun Chu and Chu Yi remained.

Chu Yi held the fruit wine in his hand, tilting his head back. He didn’t know if he had drunk five or six cups—he only knew his head felt somewhat dizzy.

He looked at the woman sitting opposite him. She wore loose, comfortable home clothing, her black hair loosely tied up. She leaned back in her chair at an angle. This casual, languid feeling gave rise to an extremely dangerous thought in him.

She had drunk wine, and her lips were stained crimson by the fruit wine. His Adam’s apple rolled heavily.

Feeling the man’s intense gaze, Yun Chu felt uncomfortable all over.

She realized she had gradually been ignoring the boundaries between men and women. Although this courtyard was filled inside and out with loyal servants, they still couldn’t be too unrestrained.

She gathered her clothing and stood up: “Your Highness, please take your time. I’ll go out and check on the two children.”

“Yun Chu.”

Chu Yi called out.

Having just drunk wine, his voice held some hoarseness, carrying a strange power.

Making Yun Chu’s heart suddenly constrict.

Her steps paused, and she turned to look at the man sitting at the dining table.

His black eyes were like an unfathomably deep pool, a great suction force pulling her in.

She couldn’t look away.

Chu Yi also stood up and walked to her side.

As he approached, Yun Chu smelled the strong fragrance of fruit wine.

She was somewhat astonished—exactly how much wine had this man drunk to carry such heavy wine vapors?

Chu Yi also wasn’t clear how much he had drunk.

Clearly it was fruit wine no different from water, yet he felt as if he were drunk.

Otherwise, how could he be this bold?

Otherwise, how would he dare stand before her at such close distance?

Otherwise, how would he dare speak words without boundaries…

“Yun Chu, I want to tell you that I want to marry you as my wife.”

The man’s voice struck directly at her eardrums, reaching the deepest part of her heart.

Yun Chu’s fingers felt somewhat numb.

She knew what she would hear next, but she seemed nailed in place, completely unable to move.

“I want to marry you, not because you are the biological mother of the two children, but because I love you.”

The three words “I love you” were like magic, making her heartbeat pound violently, as if about to burst through her throat.

She felt somewhat unsteady on her feet and reached out to support herself on the table.

Chu Yi took the opportunity to hold her wrist, his other hand picking up the wine pot on the table and tilting his head back to drink most of it…

He set down the wine pot, his courage seemingly growing even greater.

Then he grasped Yun Chu’s shoulders with one hand.

His other hand cupped the back of Yun Chu’s head, his entire body pressing down.

Yun Chu was completely shocked.

She had already guessed what he was going to do.

She should have pushed him away forcefully.

But somehow, her hands and feet lost their strength.

Her entire body went soft.

The face before her eyes drew closer and closer.

When only inches remained, the man finally stopped.

“I’m sorry, I, I…”

Chu Yi seemed to suddenly sober up and abruptly released Yun Chu.

But he forgot that Yun Chu had been standing almost entirely supported by him. As soon as he let go, Yun Chu fell straight toward the ground.

He quickly embraced Yun Chu’s waist and held her as he sat on the couch.

“I, I’ll go now.”

Chu Yi didn’t dare stay any longer. He was afraid—afraid of losing control.

He turned and fled.

Yun Chu sat on the couch, picked up cold tea and drank a mouthful, her turbulent emotions gradually settling down.

Originally when interacting with this man, she had considered marrying him—for the children’s sake, willing to become a wife once more.

But at this moment, she discovered it seemed not entirely for the children’s sake.