Chapter 118: Celebrating the Winter Solstice Together

Chapter 118: Celebrating the Winter Solstice Together

Lu Mingzhao opened the carriage window and poked his head out.

With a gentle sniff, he felt the worms in his stomach stirring again.

"I wonder if Xie Sui has thought to prepare extra food for the Winter Solstice."

Lu Mingzhao clicked his tongue, finding it quite a bold thought.

Neither the renowned scholar Shu Dacai nor the trusted eunuch Bǐngbǐ Dàitài seemed like the type who would roll up their sleeves to cook.

Lu Yao bared his teeth, his expression indescribable. "You might as well not get your hopes up too high."

With Xie Sui's ever-changing eyebrows and eyes, he really didn't seem the kind to be handy or skilled.

Lu Yao suggested, "It's getting late. Why don't we take Xie Sui and Huaiqian home for dinner? The Winter Solstice is a major festival, and it would be nice to have the whole family gathered together, warm and lively."

The corners of Lu Mingzhao's mouth twitched. "Can my elder brother-in-law still go to his sister-in-law's parents' house for the reunion dinner on the Winter Solstice?"

"Isn't that a bit too much?"

Lu Yao shrugged. "Who can blame him for being alone? It's just one more set of chopsticks."

"Or, you and Xie Yan could find him another wife?"

Lu Mingzhao shook his head hastily. "He likes being alone."

Marriage is about forming alliances, not creating enmity.

He stroked his chin, pondering, and said softly, "Am I going back to my mother's house too often, and always with the whole family in tow?"

Lu Yao shot Lu Mingzhao a glance. "If you can eat and take things when we gather around the stove for tea, why can’t you bring the family when you go home?"

"You know Mother’s thoughts. The more often you visit, the more at ease she feels."

"Neither Brother nor I have taken wives yet; no one will mind."

Lu Mingzhao poked Xie Yan’s stiff arm. "What about your thoughts, Ayan?"

"Your family is my family," Xie Yan replied without a hint of reluctance.

Xie Yan could see clearly that the entire Lu family genuinely welcomed him and the children.

Lu Mingzhao said, "Then let’s go."

"I’ll bring some meat, eggs, and vegetables."

Lu Yao smiled. "You and Xie Yan send over so much stuff every few days that we can’t even finish it all. Mother has remarked more than once how fortunate we are it’s winter, as the cold weather keeps things from spoiling."

Lu Mingzhao lifted her chin and tilted her head back, but before she could speak, the back of her head collided forcefully with the carriage window frame, producing a dull thud.

Sigh~

She sucked in a sharp breath of pain.

Before Xie Yan could react, Lu Mingzhao’s eyes had welled up with tears.

"Lean over, let me see."

Xie Yan gently rubbed the bump on the back of Lu Mingchao's head caused by the collision.

Lu Mingchao choked up, her voice thick with emotion, "It's not that I'm being overly sensitive and want to cry, it's just that the pain made the tears come out uncontrollably."

Soon, Lu Mingchao could barely feel the pain.

"What were you going to say earlier?" Lu Yao asked with a light laugh, seeing that Lu Mingchao's expression had relaxed again.

Without hesitation, Lu Mingchao replied, "I was going to say you’re becoming more down-to-earth."

"When I first met you, it was like seeing an immortal from an ancient ink painting, cold, distant, and unapproachable."

"That coldness is reserved for outsiders. If you don't believe me, ask Xie Yan," Lu Yao said earnestly.

He was simply aloof and detached, but Xie Yan would actually kill someone if needed.

Lu Mingchao's gaze shifted to Xie Yan, who then said, "There’s a clear line between insiders and outsiders."

"I've heard a saying, 'Love grows deeper because of its distinctions,'" Lu Mingchao said with a radiant smile.

The carriage pulled up outside the Lu family’s gate. Lu Mingchao waved to Yunniang through the window, shouting, "Mom, I’m heading home to grab a few things, I’ll be right back."

Upon hearing that they were going to the Lu family for the Winter Solstice, Shu Yuan was instantly filled with anxiety. He finally removed his tattered hat and sat seriously in front of the bronze mirror, carefully shaping his eyebrows, applying makeup, and powdering his face.

Celebrating the festival with a large family!

And sitting down to eat together!

He felt both excited and nervous.

After entering the palace and undergoing the purification ritual, during every festive palace banquet, he had to stand by the side of the former emperor, bowing and sampling the food to ensure it was safe, arranging the dishes, and personally serving wine.

After the palace banquet ended, the moonlight had already softly settled on the willow branches.

After the former emperor drank, he had to first attend to the emperor’s bath and ensure he was settled for the night before he could finally have some of the food left over from the banquet.

Year after year, festival after festival.

Everyone said it was the former emperor’s way of honoring him.

After the former emperor's sudden death, he faked his death and wandered aimlessly, relying on a group of hidden guards who had been trained from childhood to only kill.

Forget celebrating festivals; it was more like the festivals passed them by.

"How do I look?" Shu Yuan turned his head, nervously looking at Lu Mingchao and Xie Yan.

Lu Mingchao: ...

Xie Yan: ...

Lu Mingchao and Xie Yan wore identical expressions of speechlessness.

Shu Yuan had gone from one extreme to the other, his thick eyebrows the size of a thumb had turned into thin, long, and light eyebrows, somewhat resembling willow leaves, but his face was also smeared black.

Lu Mingchao sighed, "Why not wash your face, wear a veil, and go bare-faced? If you meet villagers on the way, just say you accidentally ate something wrong and have a rash on your face that can't be exposed to the wind."

"As for my family, we're all tied together by nine generations, they're trustworthy. Even Xiao Xin wouldn't gossip outside."

Lu Xiaoxin is really well-behaved.

Shu Yuan's eyes sparkled briefly before fading.

"Lu Yao, being a scholar and well-read, might suspect who I really am."

Shu Yuan still values the camaraderie they built while teaming up to beat people in sacks.

Once, deep gratitude was betrayed, and life and death parted teacher from friend.

Now, lucky to have made a new friend across ages, he just hopes it lasts much longer.

Lu Mingchao raised an eyebrow, "Relax, my second brother isn’t your typical rule-follower."

"He might even get so excited he’ll warm up some wine and be amazed to meet someone famous across Daqian before even leaving Changxi Village."

"So, just chill."

Hearing this, Shu Yuan cheerfully washed his face, donned a veil, and urged, "Let’s get going then."

He was eager to celebrate the festival and enjoy the reunion dinner.

Xie Jingyi rubbed her eyes sleepily, "Uncle, you look nice."

Shu Yuan bent down, wrapped his long arm around Xie Jingyi, and said, "Sanbao’s got good taste."

By now, Shu Yuan had also learned who Xie Ru'an and Xie Jingyi were.

Ru'an's mother got what she deserved.

Jingyi's mother... What a tragedy.

When the Xie family fell, their eldest daughter was cast out by her husband, living a wretched life, but she gave everything to protect baby Jingyi.

By the time Xie Yan heard the news and rushed back to the capital, it was too late.

Xie Jingyi’s had her share of bad luck, but she’s also been fortunate.

Too young to recall the hardships, she clings to the little joys in life.

Xie Huaiqian watched Shu Yuan, whose emotions were plain to see, with mixed feelings.

He resented Shu Yuan’s happiness but couldn’t help feeling sad.

His parents had explained things to him, and he knew Shu Yuan was in a tough spot.

But hearing so much about his birth mother’s tragic death made it hard for him to stay calm.

"Come on, let’s go," Lu Mingchao said, ruffling Xie Huaiqian’s hair, "Huaiqian, try to see people, things, and the world with clarity and an open mind."

Full of affection, yet troubled by indifference.