CHAPTER 245: CHAPTER 244: CLICKS OF AMAZEMENT

Although Sun Wu Ye’s illness had improved, he felt as if he had aged significantly.

Every night when Sun Wu Ye slept, he dreamed of his two daughters and his grandchildren. Sun Daji’s wife said that Sun Wu Ye was being haunted by spirits.

Just recently, to fend off mosquitoes, they had hung some mugwort on the carriage. It had since dried, and Sun Daji’s wife decided to burn it during their lunch break, allowing the smoke to drift around Sun Wu Ye.

As she burned the mugwort, she muttered under her breath, the gist being a request for Sun Wu Ye’s daughters not to haunt him and to bless him with a long life.

The smoke made Sun Wu Ye cough frequently, his eyes tearing up uncontrollably.

Since she arrived here, Yu Xiaolian had come to believe in ghosts and gods. Given that Sun Wu Ye had dreamt of his daughters every day for over ten days, she also found the situation quite eerie.

"Grandpa Wu, there’s a large temple in Luocheng. My mother set up memorial tablets there for Brother Kuang and my maternal grandpa. Perhaps we could set up ones for your two daughters as well when we get to Luocheng?"

Sun Wu Ye lifted his wrinkled hand to wipe his tears. He couldn’t tell if they were from the smoke or from sadness that he couldn’t control.

Memorial tablets are only set up for those who have passed. Setting one for the living is considered unlucky.

Though he wished in his heart that his two daughters were alive, Sun Wu Ye wasn’t certain. To what extent was he unsure?

His thoughts were complex; he pondered whether his daughters were deliberately abandoned by their husbands. Had they starved to death with no one to claim their bodies? Were they unable to rest in peace?

Sun Wu Ye had considered all these things while lying down idly.

Regarding Yu Xiaolian’s suggestion about the memorial tablets, Sun Wu Ye thought there was no rush. He decided to wait until they settled in Luocheng, then look for people to gather more information.

Sun Wu Ye constantly worried about his two daughters, which led Sun Erlin to think about his daughters, too. However, Sun Erlin did not worry to the point of becoming ill like Sun Wu Ye.

The group eventually reached Luocheng after much difficulty. By then, it was the end of September in the lunar calendar, and the weather had turned very cold. Yu Xiaolian paid the entry fee to the city, and the group walked to Xiangyang Lane with small snowflakes falling but smiles on their faces.

Yu Xiaolian knocked on the door, and Gao Qiao opened it for her, exclaiming, "Ah, the girl has returned!"

Gao Qiao was excited, "This morning, Madam still said to the old woman that you wouldn’t be back for another month, but here you are at noon. You’ve lost so much weight, my dear."

Feeling good after two months of travel, Yu Xiaolian finally let out a sigh of relief.

The Sun Family knew that Yu Changhe’s family had become wealthy through business, but they were amazed by the extent of their wealth as they looked around the Yu Family’s large courtyard.

Sun Daji’s wife clicked her tongue in amazement, "Wow, this big courtyard is truly impressive!"

Yu Xiaolian smiled but remained silent; they had only seen this one courtyard, and there were three more connected behind it.

Yu Xiaolian led the Sun Family into the main hall, and though spacious and bright, it immediately felt crowded and cramped after everyone entered.

Mrs. Sun handed her two children to Granny Gao’s care and, supporting her own mother, hurried to the hall.

"Old Five, Old Four..." cried Mrs. Sun as tears fell before she even spoke.

Only a few from their generation remained, and Mrs. Sun was very emotional, having thought they would never meet again in this lifetime yet now seeing each other once more.

"Sister-in-law!" Sun Wu Ye and Sun Si Ye led the way in kneeling before the grandmother.

Others followed suit, covering the ground as they knelt.

"Sister-in-law, it’s all thanks to you sending Lian’er to greet us. Otherwise, we..." Sun Wu Ye and Sun Si Ye began sobbing uncontrollably.

Mrs. Sun helped her two brothers up, brushing away the snowflakes from their clothes with her hands.

Choking on her words, Mrs. Sun said, "After your elder brother passed, it was just us, a widow and orphans. It was all thanks to your support. Now that we’re okay, we can’t just stand by and watch you suffer."

Hearing her words, Sun Si Ye and his wife lowered their heads in shame. Speaking of support, it was mostly Old Five who helped, not them.

Leaving them to reminisce, Yu Xiaolian took Su Jingchen to Su Jingyue’s room.

"Jingyue is likely at the academy and should be back by the afternoon. It’s almost time. You rest for now, and I’ll have someone bring you hot water."

Su Jingchen set his bundled belongings on the floor. The bundle was covered in dirt and hadn’t been washed in days, so he couldn’t place it on his brother’s bed.

After Yu Xiaolian left, Su Jingchen looked around the bright, clean room and felt grateful to Yu Xiaolian and her family once more.

If not for them, Jingyue might still be in danger.

Yu Xiaolian had not only saved his father’s life but also his and his brother’s. Su Jingchen felt a mix of emotions. He felt that Yu Xiaolian lacked nothing, leaving him unsure of how to repay her.

Yu Xiaolian instructed Gao Qiao to get Zhao Sanyan and heat some water. She also called Sun Feixue and Sun Dongxue to help care for Yu Yiqian and Yu Zixuan, freeing Granny Gao so she could cook.

Returning to the hall, she saw Sun Erji’s wife holding Sun Manjiao tightly, crying and kissing her.

Sun Manjiao had been nurtured at the Yu Family for two months, gaining some weight and becoming fairer. She cried along with her mother, telling her about the kindness she received from Madam Sun.

Sun Erji’s wife had already knelt once before Madam Sun, and in a moment of excitement, she rushed to kneel again.

After kneeling, Sun Erji’s wife also had Sun Manjiao kneel, leaving Madam Sun overwhelmed.

Yu Xiaolian approached Madam Sun, asking, "Mother, where is my father?"

In the flurry of activity, it took Madam Sun a moment to notice her daughter, whom she immediately embraced, "Lian’er, you’ve endured so much."

Yu Xiaolian allowed herself to be held by Madam Sun.

Once she had had enough, Madam Sun said, "Your father and uncle have returned to Taohua Village. The houses there are finished, with most things furnished. Your father and uncle went to clear the land today.

Lian’er, you’ve gotten thinner, and you’ve endured so much on this journey, which has burdened my heart...

Ah, where are your brothers? Didn’t they come back with you?"

Finally realizing, Madam Sun saw that only her daughter had returned, and the Li Family brothers were nowhere in sight.

Yu Xiaolian replied, "It’s a long story. I’ll explain everything tonight.

Mother, have you prepared enough bedding for everyone who’s arrived?"

Madam Sun smiled, "Knowing they were coming, we’ve spent the past two months sewing, making sixty new bedding sets. Everything is ready, so don’t worry.

However, over the past two months, the earnings from Taotao Residence have been used up in spending, and there’s not much left in the house."

Yu Xiaolian nodded and pulled her mother into the courtyard, advising, "Mother, not everyone can live in Xiangyang Lane. We should first..."

Before Yu Xiaolian could finish, Madam Sun replied, "Your father and I have already discussed it. We’ll have them move to Taohua Village with us; the houses there are large enough to accommodate everyone."