Yongxuan had also recently witnessed Fu Yuxing rush back from the border in a frenzy upon learning of Shen Nian's death. The usually aloof and refined man was in a sorry state that day.
At Shen Nian's funeral, he was heartbroken and got completely drunk. Only then did he learn of Fu Yuxing's feelings for Shen Nian from the drunken man.
"daughter?"
In a daze, Ertai looked at the little dumpling crying loudly in front of him, its fair nose and cheeks flushed red from crying. His voice was somewhat hoarse.
"Yes, daughter, your daughter, you make a decision today, Xi'er, do you want her or not? If you don't want her, give her to me or Yuxing!"
Yongxuan couldn't stand Ertai's appearance, so he kicked Ertai and said sternly.
Xi'er's current state is not acceptable; she needs to be taken care of.
How could they feel at ease with Ertai in his current state?
They could understand that Ertai cared about Niannian, and they could also understand that he couldn't help Xi'er or get over Niannian's passing. Even they hadn't accepted the fact that Niannian had left them, had they?
But Xi'er had to make a decision.
Ertai didn't say who would take care of Xi'er, so she just stayed in the Vice Minister's residence, relying solely on the maids and servants for care. This was not good for Xi'er's growth.
Niannian only has one daughter, and they would never let Xi'er have a bad life.
Xi'er will be everyone's darling, their princess.
They knew that Nian'er's departure would be a huge blow to Ertai, but they never expected that Ertai would even abandon his daughter.
After being kicked by Yongxuan, Ertai instinctively tried to fall into the cradle, but seeing the person crying with a flushed face so close to him, Ertai instinctively reached out and grabbed the railings on both sides of the cradle, preventing himself from falling.
Qing'er, Xinrong, and Yongxuan, who were standing nearby, all breathed a sigh of relief when they saw Ertai's subconscious action.
"Make a decision, give it to Yuxing or give it to me."
Yongxuan raised his hand and forcefully pulled Ertai up, his voice cold and hard.
They dared not give the child to the Empress Dowager and the Empress Dowager, who had just lost Niannian and would only be more heartbroken to see the child. Fu Lun's parents were also greatly affected and unable to take good care of the child.
Only they can take care of it.
The child, staring blankly at the view above, stopped crying for a moment.
"Give it to... Yuxing..."
After being forcibly lifted up, Ertai sobered up considerably. He looked down at the little dumpling staring blankly at him in the cradle, his eyes filled with a mixture of confusion and indifference.
The Prince Rui's residence is too close to the Vice Minister's residence, while the Fucha residence is farther away.
Moreover, he believed that Yuxing would take good care of Xi'er.
Having made this decision, Ertai broke free from Yongxuan's restraints, ignoring the baby crying loudly behind him again, and stumbled out of the room.
She packed her bags as quickly as possible, left the capital, and traveled all over the country, stepping into the world that Chen Nian had never been to.
He will only return once a year, on the anniversary of Shen Nian's death, which is also Shen Xi's birthday.
After that day, we will leave again.
...
Three years have passed.
Ertai stopped in Qijiang Town, where he had previously stayed with Shen Nian. He stood in the room where the two of them had stayed, leaning against the window, looking at the scenery outside. His expression was cold and his eyes were devoid of any emotion. A wine pot was placed on the windowsill.
"A message has arrived! A message has arrived!"
The quiet atmosphere was broken by the sound of birds.
The person who was lost in thought looked up and saw a carrier pigeon perched on the windowsill, with something tied to its leg.
Ertai raised his hand, picked up the wine jar, finished the last of the wine, and then reached for the item on the carrier pigeon. He opened it and found only one sentence on it.
[The anniversary of Niannian's death is approaching.]
Looking at the words on the paper, Ertai gave a bitter smile.
Three years have passed in the blink of an eye.
He picked up the paper, went back to his room, and burned it to ashes by candlelight.
He picked up his pre-packed bundle, went downstairs, mounted his horse, and rode towards the capital under the moonlight.
...
"I'm back."
Ertai, having just returned to the mansion under the moonlight, refused the servants' advances and went to the ancestral hall. Just as he arrived at the entrance, he ran into Fu Yuxing, who had come out from inside and had been staying in the ancestral hall with Shenxi for a long time before returning to the Fu mansion.
Fu Yuxing and Ertai looked at each other, and in the end, it was Fu Yuxing who spoke first.
"Um."
Ertai responded lightly and took a step towards the ancestral hall. He glanced indifferently at the child in Fu Yuxing's arms, but quickly looked away.
It's clear that the child is being well taken care of.
"Xi'er, what did your godfather teach you? Call him Ama."
As Ertai approached, Fu Yuxing looked down at the person in his arms and gently coaxed him.
Fu Yuxing took the child back to his residence and cared for her like his own daughter. He took good care of her, but whenever he had time, he would take Shen Xi back to the Vice Minister's residence to familiarize her with the environment.
He knew that Shenxi was only temporarily in his care, and that Ertai would take her back once he recovered.
Worried that Shen Xi might be unfamiliar with the Vice Minister's residence and might resist it, or be afraid of unfamiliar environments, Fu Yuxing would take Shen Xi to the Vice Minister's residence to familiarize herself with it whenever he had time.
“Father—”
Seeing the person approaching step by step, Shen Xi was somewhat bewildered, but she still subconsciously called out.
For the past three years, Ertai has been away from home, only returning once a year on the anniversary of Shen Xi's death. Even when he does return, he rarely has any contact with Shen Xi.
It could also be said that they deliberately avoided seeing each other, or rather—dared not see each other.
Therefore, Shenxi was unfamiliar with Ertai.
Hearing the childish voice calling out, Ertai was somewhat taken aback.
"You've always made her call you 'godfather'?"
Ertai stopped in his tracks, raised his eyes, and calmly looked at Fu Yuxing in front of him.
He rarely paid attention to his children, but he never expected that Fu Yuxing would have his children address him in this way.
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