Gu Jianli sensed something was off with the little girl’s emotions. She gently held Ji Xinglan’s small shoulders and pulled her slightly away from her embrace to check her expression.
Ji Xinglan immediately beamed with a bright and innocent smile.
“Mom said some relatives from my biological mother’s family came to visit. Brother is over there,” Ji Xinglan added somewhat guiltily, “I’ll see Lanlan in a bit too!”
Gu Jianli was taken aback.
Didn’t she say it was her biological mother? How did it become relatives from her biological mother’s family?
Could it be that the woman didn’t want to meet them as their biological mother? Gu Jianli was very surprised but could make some guesses upon reflection.
But their mother only met Xinglou, leaving Xinglan alone?
No wonder Ji Xinglan had come to her so early in the morning.
The little girl tried hard to smile, her pretty eyes curving into crescents, obedient to the extreme. However, the little grievances in those eyes couldn’t be hidden.
At five years old, she was already sensible. Moreover, Ji Xinglan was more sensitive and mature than other children her age.
“I bought some gifts for Lanlan yesterday. Would you like to see them?” Gu Jianli lovingly patted her head, changing the subject.
“Yes!” Ji Xinglan extended her small arms and affectionately hugged Gu Jianli’s neck, her whole little body nestling obediently in Gu Jianli’s embrace.
Gu Jianli patted her and carried her out of bed, heading to the east side room where she had placed some small trinkets bought for the two children.
Ji Xinglan picked up a red carp windmill, her tiny hand flicked it, and then she puffed out her soft cheeks and blew hard. The windmill began to spin, and the red carp painted on it seemed to swim.
Ji Xinglan smiled with her lips curled. She played with it for a while longer, then put the windmill down and hugged Gu Jianli’s neck again, pressing her soft little face against Gu Jianli’s neck, and softly called, “Mother…”
Gu Jianli, while straightening her clothes, softly responded with a “Hmm.”
“Mother…” Ji Xinglan called again in a small voice.
Gu Jianli patted her head, turned her face, and kissed her cheek, saying gently, “Mother loves Lanlan.”
Ji Xinglan blinked while lying in Gu Jianli’s arms and slowly said in a small voice, “Then Mother has to always love Lanlan…”
“Of course, I’ll always, always love Lanlan, always be Lanlan’s mother.”
Ji Xinglan’s small fingers nervously picked at the embroidery on Gu Jianli’s shoulder, thinking for a while before finally smiling.
“I bought some pretty fabrics yesterday, planning to make a beautiful pleated skirt for our Lanlan. You can choose the fabric you like.” Gu Jianli, holding Ji Xinglan, walked to the other side of the square table. With one hand holding the little girl in her arms, she used the other hand to lift the lids of the boxes containing fabrics one by one.
Ji Xinglan, hugging Gu Jianli’s neck, looked back at the soft pink fabrics and exclaimed, “Wow, so pretty!”
She quickly pointed to a few fabrics and said earnestly, “This one, this one, and this one… Mother will look so good in all of them!”
“I’m asking you to choose for yourself!” Gu Jianli pinched her little cheek.
Ji Xinglan smiled and said, “Lanlan is small, so Mother should make something for herself first. The leftover fabric will be enough for Lanlan!”
Looking into Ji Xinglan’s pure, innocent eyes, Gu Jianli suddenly felt a pang of sadness in her heart.
She gently kissed Ji Xinglan’s forehead, silently thinking, “Lanlan, not only have I never been a mother, but I also grew up without one. I don’t know how a mother should love her children. Many things in life are firsts, and being your mother is one of them. I will learn well—learn to love, protect, and teach you so that you never feel wronged again.”
Wen Jingshan had tossed and turned all night without sleep. Thinking that she would see Ji Xinglou at dawn made her pillow wet with tears. Whether her eyes were open or closed, the sight and sound of Ji Chong’s smile remained in front of her.
“Jingshan, I used to see my father’s concubines suffer terribly during pregnancy, making everyone look exhausted. When you first got pregnant with this child, I worried it would trouble you a lot. But it turned out to be a sensible one, not causing you any trouble. A good, filial child,” Ji Chong said, pressing his ear against her swollen belly with a smile. “So obedient, it must be a daughter, a sweet and soft girl.”
She smiled gently and said, “Doesn’t the prince wish for a legitimate son?”
“I love both. I will cherish both a son and a daughter. But if it’s a daughter, in a couple of years, when you’ve recovered, you’ll still need to give me a son. After all, it’s the royal family.” He thought for a moment and then reluctantly added, “Never mind, childbirth is hard for a woman. This time, let it be a son. Then you won’t have to suffer again, and I won’t have to worry again.”
She laughed and shook her head, “So the prince also has fears.”
She remembered vividly the last time she saw him.
As usual, he got up quietly, tucked her in, and lightly kissed her forehead. She suddenly woke up and looked at his eyes, gently pursing her lips.
“Did I wake you? There’s still time, sleep a bit more. I’ll bring you jujube pastries and tuckahoe cakes when I return today,” he said.
She gently held his hand and said, “Come back early.”
“Alright, I’ll come back as soon as I’m done. I still need to help you pick out new clothes for our child.”
Drowsily, she watched him leave through a gap in the bed curtain. She watched him step by step, feeling a sudden sense of reluctance. She watched him step out the threshold, and suddenly wanted to call him back.
But he was the crown prince, with many affairs to attend to. She shouldn’t disturb him.
She swallowed the call that was on the tip of her tongue.
After all, he said he would come back early today.
Ji Chong turned and closed the door, looking at her from a distance and smiling gently. As the carved wooden doors slowly closed, that one glance became their last.
Wen Jingshan still remembered those carved doors, adorned with auspicious clouds and paired birds representing marital harmony, reflecting a full moon of reunion between the water patterns.
“Knock, knock, knock—” Xiaohe gently knocked on the door outside.
“Madam, are you awake?”
Wen Jingshan opened her tear-filled eyes, realizing that it was already daylight.
The night had passed, and despite her worries and anxieties, she felt a strange calm settle over her heart. She got up and called for Xiaohe to assist her, carefully washing and dressing.
Not meeting as his biological mother was Wen Jingshan’s own decision.
“Knowing that he’s well is enough. I can’t disturb his life. Just say… just say that I’m a relative from his biological mother’s family, his aunt…”
Last night, before going to sleep, Ji Xinglou had told his sister that he would go to find Gu Jianli early in the morning to ask for gifts. But this morning, while his sister was allowed to find Gu Jianli, he was stopped and told to meet some relatives instead?
How annoying!
Wen Jingshan nervously stepped into the room, her hand holding the cane trembling slightly. She paused at the doorway, looking at Ji Xinglou, who was swinging his little legs while sitting on the chair.
In just an instant, her eyes reddened. She struggled to suppress the tears welling up and the lump in her throat.
“Aunt? What aunt?” Ji Xinglou impatiently glanced at her, “My aunt is well and staying at the royal residence!”
Wen Jingshan was taken aback.
“Xinglou, come here,” Ji Wujing spoke.
Ji Xinglou glanced at Ji Wujing, feeling a bit guilty as he jumped off the chair and reluctantly walked over. He didn’t look at Wen Jingshan, standing in front of Ji Wujing, and asked, “Is Gu Jianli awake? I want to find her! I don’t want to deal with this cripple!”
Ji Wujing’s face darkened, “Control your bad temper and speak properly!”
Ji Xinglou’s eyes darted around, and suddenly he started running, brushing past Wen Jingshan and dashing out. Wen Jingshan, with her impaired leg, stumbled, but Xiaohe caught her just in time.
“Xinglou,” Ji Wujing’s face grew even more stern.
Ji Xinglou turned his head and gave Wen Jingshan a peculiar look, but he only paused for a moment before continuing to run towards the front yard.
Ji Xinglou ran like the wind to Gu Jianli’s room.
Gu Jianli was sitting on a Luohan bed with Ji Xinglan, a small chessboard between them. Gu Jianli was teaching Ji Xinglan how to play chess.
“Brother?” Ji Xinglan turned to look at him.
Ji Xinglou rushed over angrily, jumped onto the Luohan bed, and messed up the chessboard. Black and white chess pieces scattered everywhere with a crisp sound.
Ji Xinglou glared at Gu Jianli and shouted, “Gu Jianli! I hate you!”
Gu Jianli was taken aback. What was wrong with this child?
Before Gu Jianli could say anything, Ji Wujing had already walked in quickly. He grabbed Ji Xinglou by the back of his collar and lifted him up, turning to walk out.
Ji Xinglou struggled desperately, shouting loudly, “I don’t want to see that cripple! I don’t want any biological mother aunt! My mother is right here!”
Gu Jianli came to her senses and quickly got up, not even wearing shoes, and ran barefoot to catch up, holding onto Ji Xinglou’s body. She said urgently, “Don’t carry Xinglou like that, you’re choking his neck red!”
Gu Jianli finally noticed the shadows and the barely restrained anger in Ji Wujing’s eyes.
She gently placed her hand on Ji Wujing’s wrist, patting it softly, and tentatively tried to take Ji Xinglou from his arms. However, Ji Wujing didn’t let go.
Ji Xinglan also climbed down from the Luohan bed, took Gu Jianli’s shoes, and quietly placed them in front of her.
Looking into Ji Wujing’s eyes, Gu Jianli saw the confusion behind his anger. She spoke gently, with a few notes of tenderness, “Don’t be like this. Let me talk to him. I’ll speak with him properly.”
Ji Wujing glanced down at the shoes Ji Xinglan had placed in front of him and finally released his grip.
Gu Jianli breathed a sigh of relief and took Ji Xinglou into her arms. Ji Xinglou glared at her and huffed coldly, but he still wrapped his arms around her neck. Ji Xinglou was taller and heavier than Ji Xinglan, making it a bit difficult for Gu Jianli to hold him.
She slipped on her shoes and carried Ji Xinglou back to the Luohan bed, asking gently, “Are you hungry?”
Ji Xinglou turned his head away angrily, refusing to respond.
Gu Jianli called for Jixia to bring the small bow and arrow set she had bought for Ji Xinglou the previous day. Ji Xinglou had wanted it for a long time, but Gu Jianli had previously thought it too dangerous and had not given it to him.
“Madam?” Xiaohe tugged on Wen Jingshan’s sleeve with concern.
Standing outside the door, Wen Jingshan came back to her senses.
She had seen everything that had happened inside the room.
Did it hurt?
Not really.
Wen Jingshan smiled gently and said softly, “His Highness told me that he was very mischievous when he was young. I never believed him, but now I do.”
Full of life and energy—how wonderful.
Despite the destruction of her family, the torment of illness, and the hardships she endured, she continued to live, sustained by the faint hope of seeing him again. As long as he was well, she felt she could hold on.