Chapter 50

Chapter 50

Lu Yu met Lin Shuyun's gaze, filled with disappointment and shock. He lowered his eyes, concealing his emotions, and words squeezed out from his throat with difficulty.

"Grandmother, you must be mistaken. They..."

"They... they are not my... children."

Old Lady Shen squinted. "Could I be mistaken...? How could they not be your children? This little boy looks exactly like you did when you were young..."

"And Nuo Nuo? My dear daughter, tell me, isn't Mother right...?" Old Lady Shen smiled, beckoning towards the empty space in the parlor.

Lin Shuyun's pupils contracted sharply as she stared blankly at the vacant center of the parlor. If she remembered correctly, Lu Yu's biological mother was named Shen Nuo, but she had passed away over a decade ago. Old Lady Shen was likely confused; her earlier words were probably just the ramblings of a muddled mind. Lin Shuyun felt a twinge of guilt, realizing she had wrongly blamed Lu Yu. She slowly raised her eyes to look at the man sitting across from her.

As if sensing her gaze, Lu Yu set down his teacup and looked at her.

Lin Shuyun quickly averted her eyes, pursed her lips tightly, and anxiously twisted her silk handkerchief.

On the other side,

The vision of "Shen Nuo" seemed to whisper something to Old Lady Shen, whose laughter smoothed the wrinkles at the corners of her eyes. She repeatedly agreed, "Yu'er, did you hear that? Your mother says they are your children." With that, she waved the two children over with a smile, "Little ones, come here. Let your grandmother take a good look at you."

Zhang'er didn’t understand what Old Lady Shen was saying. He hid fearfully behind Lin Shuyun, looking up and asking softly, "Mother?"

Seeing Old Lady Shen’s aged and weathered face, Lin Shuyun felt a swirl of emotions, and tears began to fall uncontrollably. No one could resist the passage of time, but perhaps it was better to be confused—to no longer have to face the cruelty of reality. In her delusions, her only daughter was still by her side.

"Why haven’t the little ones come over yet?"

Old Lady Shen’s frail voice interrupted Lin Shuyun’s thoughts.

She tightly held Zhang'er’s small hand and gently placed her right hand on her daughter’s shoulder, bending down slightly to speak softly, "Grandmother is confused, but she is very happy to see you. Let me take you to her so she can get a good look."

Zhang'er nodded eagerly.

"Wonderful, wonderful. Yu'er’s children are already so big."

Old Lady Shen couldn't stop looking at the two children, her clouded, old eyes filled with joy. She hurriedly called out, "Que'er, bring my pair of jade rabbits for the children to play with."

The maid Que'er said loudly into Old Lady Shen’s ear, "Madam, these are treasures bestowed upon you by the late emperor."

Old Lady Shen frowned and scolded, "What treasures? They’re just trinkets! Let the children play with them."

"Are you hungry? Would you like some snacks? Grandmother will have someone prepare them for you."

Zhang'er politely shook his head, and Ying Ying followed her brother’s example.

Just as Old Lady Shen was about to say something else, a wave of dizziness washed over her forehead. She rubbed her aching temples.

Lin Shuyun quickly asked, "Are you feeling unwell?"

Old Lady Shen frowned weakly and said, "It’s nothing, just an old ailment."

As soon as she finished speaking, she realized the person speaking to her wasn’t her maid. She looked up at the veiled woman, with the two children holding her hands tightly.

Old Lady Shen suddenly understood, "You... you must be Yu'er’s wife."

Wife?

Lin Shuyun clenched her fingers, remaining silent for a long time before finally forcing out a difficult reply, "You’re right. I am... I am... Lu Yu’s wife."

The moment her words fell, Lu Yu’s fingers, which were holding the teacup, paused slightly, and a flicker of happiness flashed in his eyes.

Old Lady Shen, however, was overjoyed. Her gnarled, tree-bark-like hand rubbed against Lin Shuyun’s hand as she slipped off a jade twisted bracelet from her wrist. "Please don’t refuse an old lady’s gift. Consider this a welcome gift."

"Thank you..." Lin Shuyun paused for a moment before slowly adding, "Thank you, Grandmother."

Lu Yu suddenly looked up, a slight smile curling at the corners of his lips.

Later, Zhang'er and Ying Ying’s playful chatter delighted Old Lady Shen, and it wasn’t until she could no longer keep her eyes open, tired and drowsy, that they finally left the parlor.

The parlor instantly fell into silence.

Lin Shuyun was also feeling weary and prepared to take the children back to the prince’s residence when Lu Yu suddenly stood up and walked over to them.

Lin Shuyun frowned, about to speak, but Lu Yu didn’t even glance her way.

Instead, he bent down to eye level with the children, holding two silk handkerchiefs folded into rabbits in his palm.

"Wow! Little bunnies!"

Ying Ying took the rabbits from Lu Yu’s hand and joyfully held them up to Lin Shuyun. "They look just like the ones you make, Mom!"

Lin Shuyun’s heart sank, feeling as though Lu Yu was trying to take the children from her. Her expression darkened, but she couldn’t show it in front of the children. She put on a cheerful voice and said, "I think... they’re not quite as good as the ones Mother folds."

Zhang'er nodded in agreement. "Mom’s are the best!"

"Of course... your mother was also my teacher."

Lu Yu’s voice was low, tinged with a hint of laughter. He continued, "Zhang'er and Ying Ying, would you like to see the courtyard where you’ll be staying?... I put in a swing for you."

The children’s eyes widened with excitement, and they both turned to Lin Shuyun with pleading looks.

"Mother, let’s go see~"

"Swing! Swing!"

Only then did Lin Shuyun realize that Lu Yu had outsmarted her. This was clearly a case of "capture the leader first, and the followers will fall in line." With the children pleading, she had no choice but to agree.