Chapter 1 Widowhood
The night is as dark as ink and everything is quiet.
Hidden in an attic deep in the bamboo forest of the imperial palace, lights are dim, silhouettes overlap, and sounds that seem to be weeping but not crying are heard continuously.
Yun Wan was forced onto the narrow soft couch, her head felt dizzy and her face was slightly flushed.
The man's strong arms were placed across his waist, his posture was powerful, and the aura of an adult male enveloped his entire body.
The hem of his clothes fell loosely to the ground, and the moon white and black gold were entangled in a mess.
The scene inside the house is reflected on the lattice bamboo windows. The late autumn night wind gradually rises, accompanied by the rustling sound of bamboo forest, and everything disappears into the surroundings.
Yun Wan's eyes were hot and tears were overflowing from the corners of her eyes. Her eyes were half-covered, her face was gentle, and she could see the lower half of the man's sharp and indifferent face in the hazy state.
Suddenly, half asleep and half awake, the man stopped moving, and a clear question suddenly rang in his ears:
"What's your name? Which palace are you from?"
Yun Wan's heart suddenly sank when he was caught off guard and bumped into the dark and deep phoenix eyes.
Wow——
Everything in front of her eyes shattered like a mirror, turning into countless cold rays that pierced her eyebrows. Yun Wan waved her hand to block them and then woke up in shock.
........
Yun Wan suddenly sat up from the bed, sweating profusely and her face pale. The feeling of suffocation in her dream almost made her unable to breathe.
Fortunately, the scene before her was familiar. She covered her chest and breathed a sigh of relief, and the fear lingering in her heart gradually dissipated.
Suddenly, a hint of blue appeared in his eyes, it was a handkerchief.
Turning her head to face the owner of the handkerchief, Yun Wan instantly curved her lips and revealed a gentle smile: "A Sui is here."
The boy named "A Sui" had his hair styled like a pigtail, commonly known as a "two-ball bun". He was leaning on the edge of the bed, revealing a tender and delicate face. His watery eyes looked at Yun Wan, full of worry:
"Mother, did you have a nightmare?"
His voice is babyish, but his articulation is clear.
He held the handkerchief, stood on tiptoe and took the initiative to wipe the sweat off his mother's face.
Yun Wan lowered her head and accepted his thoughtful gesture, then took the handkerchief from his chubby little hand and casually wiped the sweat from her forehead.
Hearing this, she rubbed her son's head and soothed him softly, "It's okay, don't worry, Ah Sui. Mom is fine."
It was just a dream.
Even though she had been having this dream for five years.
Since her husband passed away and her son Asui was born, Yun Wan gradually forgot about this dream as he grew up. But for some reason, it has started to happen again recently.
Her brows knitted slightly, then she met her son's clear eyes. She relaxed her brows, suppressed the strange feeling in her heart, and changed the subject, asking softly, "Why did you come to my place so early today? Are you hungry?"
As a mother, Yun Wan knew her son's daily routine very well. After getting up in the morning, Asui had to read for half an hour before coming to see her.
By this time she had finished washing and dressing, and the mother and son would sit opposite each other and have breakfast together.
Ah Sui blinked, a hint of doubt on his face: "Mother, it's already noon, it's not too early."
!
Yun Wan was stunned for a moment, and subconsciously looked towards the window. She found that the sunlight outside was bright, without a trace of mist. It was noon.
After calculating, Yun Wan woke up an hour and a half later than usual!
Ah Sui straightened his knees, put his hands in his pockets and said, "Mother was sleeping soundly, so I didn't wake you up."
In other words, he has always been by her side.
Yun Wan's heart was filled with tenderness and warmth. She immediately bent down and took Asui into her arms, kissing his smooth forehead: "My dear son, you are so thoughtful!"
Although he was only four years old, Asui, who was already sensible, was both happy and shy about his mother's closeness. He struggled slightly and then followed Yun away.
She touched his bun and then caressed his chubby cheek until her son's face turned red like a boiled shrimp, and then Yun Wan let him go.
Thinking of today's important business, she called the servant outside and said to Ah Sui, "Go wait outside for a while. When Ah Niang finishes washing up, I'll take you to Grandmother."
Asui nodded obediently, and before leaving, he did not forget to take the blue handkerchief, folded it neatly, and put it carefully into his sleeve.
This is a handkerchief embroidered by his mother for him, he can't throw it away.
The servants brought hot water, and Yun Wan simply washed up and changed into a light-colored flowing cloud dress. Her personal maid Yueya then bund her hair up and inserted two plain hairpins into it, making her look like a typical widow.
"Ma'am, everything is ready."
The voice of the maid Yuejian was heard. She lifted the curtain and came in from outside, holding a palm-sized brocade box in her hand.
Yun Wan nodded and motioned her to put it on the table beside her.
In less than two quarters of an hour, Yun Wan got up and led Asui to the old lady's yard in a hurry.
Cixin Hall.
After entering the courtyard gate, passing through the corridor, and stepping into the main hall, Yun Wan suddenly stopped, leaned sideways and lowered her head, and asked her son in a low voice: "Do you still remember what mother told you yesterday?"
Ah Sui held her hand and nodded seriously: "I have remembered everything that my mother told me."
"good."
Yun Wan rubbed his head, then took him by the hand and walked into the main hall and into the main house.
Inside the room, carved huanghuali wood tables and chairs were neatly arranged, thin brocade quilts were piled on the sandalwood couch, and smoke was curling from the auspicious animal incense burner on the low table.
Old Madam Lu was over sixty years old, with her hair covered with silver hair. She wore a headband and a stone-brown brocade dress. She sat upright on the couch, closed her eyes and listened to the maid beside her reciting scriptures, and the Buddhist beads in her hand turned up and down.
Hearing footsteps at the door, she slowly opened her eyes, her eyes tilted and her gaze sharp.
Yun Wan released Asui's hand and bowed, "Daughter-in-law greets mother."
She was dressed in a snow-gray plain dress, and her figure was light and graceful. The jade ring hanging on her belt swayed slightly with her movements, like rippling green waves.
It was clearly an ordinary body blessing ceremony, but Yun Wan performed it with more grace and elegance than others. She was as beautiful as a painting and did not look like a widow at all.
Madam Lu's cloudy eyes flashed with displeasure, and her expression was cold: "Why are you so late today?"
Yun Wan lowered her eyes and said, "My daughter-in-law got up a little late this morning. I hope mother will forgive me."
Upon hearing this, Madam Lu's face instantly fell, displeasure evident on her aged face. "It's understandable for a three-year-old to be sleepy, but you're already a mother, how could you make such a mistake? If you don't want to serve an old woman like me, then just don't come anymore and save yourself the trouble of making excuses like this."
These words were extremely harsh. If they were to be spread out, others would think that Yun Wan, as a daughter-in-law, was irresponsible and did not serve her mother-in-law well enough.
The maid who was chanting scriptures at the side stopped talking and couldn't help but look sideways.
Yun Wan remained calm, her expression cold as she said, "My mother taught me that."
After being married to the Lu family for seven years and having lived with her mother-in-law for many years, Yun Wan had already figured out her temperament and did not argue with her at this moment.
If you really take the old lady's words seriously and don't come to pay your respects in the future, you will be the one who suffers in the future.
Typical 'I'm really not coming, you're unhappy again.'
She had heard countless such words in the past seven years, especially since her husband passed away five years ago, when her mother-in-law became increasingly critical of her.
The cloud goes in one ear and out the other.
Madam Lu frowned and slammed the table, scolding, "What's your attitude?"
Yun Wan: "A widow's attitude."
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