Chapter 66: Settling Down

Chapter 66: Staying

Zhou Yan returned quickly, carrying two hens and a piece of streaky pork with a good balance of fat and lean meat.

A Yuan had been crying in Hui Gu's arms for a long time, her eyes swollen from the tears.

Hui Gu gently patted her back and stood up, her usually stern voice softening with tenderness, "You must be hungry after being away for so long. I'll go cook for you."

"Auntie, let me help you with that."

A Yuan wiped her tears and stood up as well.

Although she was a guest, she felt it was improper to just eat and stay without helping out, especially since Hui Gu was her elder.

However, as soon as she stood up, Hui Gu gently pushed her back down, "That's enough, just talk with A Yan, no need to trouble yourself."

Hui Gu, being a quick and decisive person, immediately took the ingredients and went into the kitchen.

The room was now left with only A Yuan and Zhou Yan.

It had been less than six months since they last saw each other. Back then, A Yuan was radiant and charming, but now, though still beautiful, she looked somewhat worn out.

Zhou Yan stood in front of her, his eyes fixed on her face, "Did Wei Xun treat you badly?"

A Yuan lowered her head, her hands clenched tightly, and she shook her head, 'No.'

"Then why?" Zhou Yan insisted.

"... Brother Yan, I'm with child."

A Yuan was silent for a long time, finding it hard to speak.

"Pregnant... that explains it."

Zhou Yan, having grown up in the Spring Smoke Pavilion and served as an official in the capital for over half a year, knew the rules of aristocratic families.

Before the main wife enters the household, concubines are not supposed to get pregnant. A Yuan had crossed the line.

"Does Wei Xun know about this?"

He had seen Wei Xun's obsessive love for A Yuan. How could that man let A Yuan leave?

A Yuan smiled bitterly and shook her head, 'The young master is already wed.'

He had a wife, someone to spend his life with.

And she was just an insignificant concubine.

Wei Xun might be sad for a while, but given his nature, he would soon forget her.

A Yuan's heart ached, but she was content just to have escaped.

Zhou Yan, seeing her desolate state, couldn't bring himself to ask more.

"Since you've come home, stay. Mother has been lonely, and your return is just in time."

Hui Gu had left the Spring Smoke Pavilion a few years back. Having spent decades there, watching hundreds of thin horses come and go, she had become somewhat numb.

A Yuan was the last group she had taken care of, and the one she had the deepest feelings for.

A Yuan nodded with red eyes, "Okay."

...

Aunt Hui worked quickly and soon prepared three dishes and a soup.

Braised fish, Dongpo pork (a classic Chinese braised pork dish), stir-fried lotus pond vegetables, and a pot of rich chicken soup.

"It's been years; I don't know if your tastes have changed. If you don't like it, I can make something else for you."

Since A Yuan returned home, Aunt Hui had been smiling more.

A Yuan stopped her from working further, stood up, and hugged her aunt's arm, resting her face affectionately on her shoulder.

"I like everything Aunt Hui makes."

"You..."

Aunt Hui gently pinched her cheek, a hint of nostalgia flashing in her eyes.

"You've always been so well-behaved; even if you didn't like something, you'd eat it all. Back in the brothel, the old women would deliberately give you a hard time, not giving you food, but you never made a fuss. I couldn't bear it, so I had Zhou Yan bring you food. Sometimes the food was cold, but even you still ate it all..."

A Yuan had endured great suffering in the first half of her life. It's hard to say how much more hardship she would have endured if it weren't for her beauty.

But that same beauty also led to her current predicament.

Both teacher and student had tears in their eyes again, and Zhou Yan quickly spoke up, "Mother, let A Yuan eat. She's pregnant, after all."

"Pregnant? This..."

Aunt Hui was both happy and worried. She had never married, and though Zhou Yan called her 'Mother,' he was only her adopted son.

Even so, raising Zhou Yan had already drained all her energy.

A Yuan had escaped from the Marquis's household with nothing. How hard would it be to raise a child in the future?

Aunt Hui's worries were written all over her face. A Yuan, sensing her concern, tightly held her hand.

"Aunt Hui, I'm not afraid. I have skills to support us, and with you and Brother Yan, we won't go hungry, right?"

Her words made Aunt Hui laugh through her tears, "Yes, yes, with me and Zhou Yan here, we won't let you suffer. Come, let's eat."

That night, the three of them felt as if they were still in the Spring Smoke Brothel, as if they had never been apart.

Zhou Yan occasionally served A Yuan food, his gaze soft and loving.

A Yuan settled down in the Zhou household. Her pregnancy was still early and not yet showing. Aunt Hui told the neighbors that she was a distant niece who had lost her parents and come to seek refuge.

A Yuan was beautiful and had a sweet smile, and the neighbors quickly took a liking to her.

Soon, she became friends with everyone.

One day, as she and Aunt Hui returned from buying groceries, A Yuan noticed that Aunt Hui's sleeves were worn and frayed. She finally voiced the question that had been on her mind for days.

"Aunt Hui, your embroidery is so good. Have you ever thought of making a living from it?"

Although the Zhou household had its own house, it was quite poor.

Madam Wei, the elderly lady who was a few years older than Aunt Hui, had a group of maids and servants to attend to her, but Aunt Hui had to do everything herself.

By all rights, with her embroidery skills and Zhou Yan's abilities, they shouldn't be living like this.

Hui Gu's expression stiffened, a flash of pain in her eyes, and she lowered her head to hide it, saying, "I can't be bothered with those things. Life may be hard now, but we're managing..."

"Mother hurt her hand."

Just then, Zhou Yan came in from outside, interrupting Hui Gu.

"A Yan!"

Hui Gu spoke urgently, "Why are you bringing this up with A Yuan? It's all behind us."

Zhou Yan pressed his lips together, and both mother and son wore uneasy expressions.

A Yuan had a feeling that Hui Gu had been through something, but no matter how she pressed, Hui Gu wouldn't say.

After dinner, Hui Gu pulled Zhou Yan aside into the inner room, her already stern face turned even colder.

"Let's not bring up my hand injury again. A Yuan's finally back; let's not weigh her down with these worries."

Zhou Yan remained silent for a long time before nodding, "I'm just worried those people might come back and find A Yuan..."

"It's okay. We're out of that awful place now, and A Yuan has her deed of sale. Even if the authorities come, they can't take her away. The only thing we need to worry about now is Wei Xun discovering A Yuan is still alive."

Both mother and son were weighed down by their own worries. To put it bluntly, A Yuan was a runaway slave, and if her master found out, she would be taken back.

Hui Gu, heartbroken by A Yuan's situation, couldn't stand the thought of her suffering in that grand estate again. She suddenly said to Zhou Yan,

"You've known A Yuan since you were kids, and you care for her. Now that A Yuan is pregnant, the child in her belly needs a legitimate identity to avoid future gossip. Before her pregnancy starts to show, why don't you two get married?"

These two children grew up under her care, and their bond was deeper than that of biological siblings. If they could marry, Hui Gu could rest in peace after her death.

Zhou Yan was naturally willing to marry A Yuan.

He had searched for A Yuan for five years, hoping for this day.

But A Yuan was unwilling.

She placed her hand on her belly, her charming almond eyes showing a hint of stubbornness.

"Auntie, I want to support it on my own. I want to establish a household as a woman."

Her heart had already been claimed by someone else. Zhou Yan was so good, and she didn't want to hold him back.