After Tian Yu's dawdling, the three of them finally lay down on one bed. Tang Yuan was in the middle, Tian Yu was against the wall, and Zhao Moyan was on the outermost side. The bed, which wasn't very big to begin with, felt a bit cramped with the three of them, so they all slept close together. Tang Yuan was the happiest, looking at Zhao Moyan and then at Tian Yu, refusing to sleep. Tian Yu told him to rest, but Tang Yuan said, "Mommy, can you sing me a song? I haven't heard Mommy sing in so long."
"Mommy is a little tired today, can I sing for you another day?"
"No, you often sing to Uncle Chen when he can't sleep, right? I want to hear it too," Tangyuan insisted. Although Zhao Moyan already knew this, he still felt very uncomfortable.
"Okay, okay, I'll sing for you, just close your eyes first." Tian Yu quickly agreed when he mentioned Chen Chong, wondering what was wrong with Tang Yuan today. She patted Tang Yuan's head to make him lie down properly before starting, and after thinking for a moment, Tian Yu began to hum softly:
Outside the long pavilion, along the ancient road, the fragrant grass stretches to the horizon.
Evening breeze caresses willows, flute music fades, setting sun beyond mountains.
At the ends of the earth, my close friends have mostly scattered.
A pot of turbid wine exhausts the remaining joy; tonight, parting dreams are cold.
A thousand threads of affection, a cup of wine, the sound of a parting flute urging us on.
When will you return, my friend?
Do not linger when you come.
...
After Tangyuan fell asleep, Tianyu stopped and sat up to look at Zhao Moyan. Zhao Moyan had also closed his eyes. Tianyu then gently lay down. Perhaps because she had taken a nap during the day, she couldn't fall asleep. She felt very uncomfortable thinking about the dream she had during the day, but she didn't have any news about Chen Chong. She didn't dare to move around for fear of waking Tangyuan and Zhao Moyan. She could only sigh and silently tell herself that it was just a dream and nothing would happen.
Zhao Moyan closed his eyes but couldn't fall asleep. He heard Tian Yu sigh and knew she wasn't asleep either, but he didn't make a sound, just listened quietly, wondering who she was singing this song for? Was she still thinking about Chen Chong? Thousands upon thousands of times he told himself not to have negative emotions, that it was his fault, but he still couldn't help feeling jealous and angry. With Tian Yu right beside him, he didn't know how to calm himself down, so he could only pretend to be asleep and listen to her breathing until Tian Yu finally fell into a deep sleep in the middle of the night.
The next day, just as dawn broke, Tangyuan woke up first. He quietly climbed out of bed, removed the blanket from Tian Yu, and covered Tian Yu with Zhao Moyan's blanket before leaving, satisfied. After he left, Zhao Moyan opened his eyes, a smile playing on his lips. He thought to himself, "He's truly his son." He glanced at Tian Yu, who was still asleep inside, and then moved closer, smiling as he closed his eyes again.
Tian Yu thought it was Tangyuan, so she reached out and hugged it tightly, patted its back, and continued to sleep. But she felt something was wrong. She touched it and suddenly opened her eyes. She sat up and saw Zhao Moyan. Tian Yu really wanted to find a crack in the ground to crawl into. Zhao Moyan looked at her without saying anything. Tian Yu scratched her hair awkwardly and stammered, "Good morning... Where did Tang... Tangyuan go?"
"You're awake now, you've gone out to play. Do you want to go back to sleep?" Zhao Moyan asked, looking at the spot Tian Yu had touched.
"No need, I'll go check on Tangyuan." Tian Yu waved her hand, quickly getting up to leave, but in her haste, she tripped on her skirt and ended up on top of Zhao Moyan. Zhao Moyan frowned. Tian Yu looked at Zhao Moyan beneath her, thinking she had hurt him, and quickly tried to roll off the bed. But Zhao Moyan grabbed her, and they both rolled off the bed, this time on the bottom. Zhao Moyan reached out to protect her head. Their disheveled hair and open collars allowed the morning sunlight to stream in, making everything seem hazy and beautiful. Looking at Zhao Moyan so close to her, Tian Yu was somewhat lost in thought, marveling at how handsome a man could be. Zhao Moyan didn't want to let go of the beauty beneath him either. Others couldn't see Tian Yu's beauty, but he could, and he knew what an interesting woman she was. He gazed at Tian Yu with deep affection, making her increasingly nervous.
Fortunately, Tangyuan's sudden intrusion brought the two back to their senses. Tian Yu felt her heart was about to jump out of her chest, and she quickly ran out, not daring to look at Zhao Moyan again, feeling scared of her own thoughts.
"Daddy, what's wrong with Mommy? Why are her cheeks so red? Is she sick?" Tangyuan asked curiously as Tianyu ran out.
"I'm not sick," Zhao Moyan said, somewhat displeased.
"Daddy's face is also very red. What's wrong with you? It's so strange!" Tangyuan asked, puzzled.
"It's too hot!"
"Oh, how did you all fall off the bed?"
“Your mother is a restless sleeper and rolled down the stairs.”
"Hmm! Mother is indeed a restless sleeper. How did Father fall off the bed too?"
"Your mother dragged me out of bed," Zhao Moyan said without batting an eye, and Tangyuan nodded in agreement.
Tian Yu ran outside and splashed cold water on her face, feeling like she must be crazy to have feelings for Zhao Moyan! After calming down, she comforted herself, thinking it was normal. He was so handsome, it would be strange if any woman wasn't attracted to him. She must have been too close just now; she would just keep her distance next time.
So Tian Yu was nowhere to be seen at the breakfast table. The seat between Zhao Moyan and Tangyuan was empty. Tangyuan asked curiously, "Grandma, where's Mom? Why didn't she come to eat?"
"Oh! Your mother is having breakfast with the children from the other courtyard. She said she has something she wants to talk to them about."
Tangyuan nodded, looked at Zhao Moyan, and said, "Daddy, let's go find Mommy!"
"Okay!" Zhao Mo put down his chopsticks and pulled Tangyuan to the other courtyard. The others at the table were left staring at each other.
In the secluded courtyard, Tian Yu, trying to avoid Zhao Moyan, was having breakfast with several orphans. She thought it was much more comfortable here; she could eat however she wanted and chat and laugh with them, without the usual rules of not speaking while eating or sleeping. Just as she was enjoying her meal, Tangyuan's cry brought her back to reality. Tian Yu turned around and was so startled that she dropped the steamed bun in her mouth. Zhao Moyan, who was standing next to her, caught it with a smile and said, "Thank you!" He then unceremoniously stuffed it into his own mouth and sat down in the seat the children had offered. Looking at Zhao Moyan and Tangyuan beside her, especially at Zhao Moyan happily eating the bun that had fallen from his mouth, Tian Yu remembered the scene in the carriage and this morning. Her face flushed instantly, and she stammered, "You...how did you get here? And that was...my steamed bun!"
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