Chapter 603: Chapter 6023: Lantern Festival

Shen Yanchuan hadn’t expected her to say such a thing. A smile touched his phoenix eyes.

"Then I’ll just take that as a compliment."

Ye Chutang: "..."

’So much for having a normal conversation with this man. He always manages to twist things his way.’

Ye Chutang fell into deep thought.

Although it was certain for now that news of King Yan Nan’s trouble hadn’t reached the Capital City, the event had still happened. Sooner or later, it would have to be dealt with.

Every day of delay would only make things more troublesome.

But for now, there was nothing they could do except wait for word from them.

One could only imagine that in the days to come, Princess Qingyang would be too worried to eat or sleep.

The carriage turned a corner, and Ye Chutang heard a commotion outside.

She looked out and saw Xiao Wu sitting on the steps in front of the Ye Mansion. The moment she spotted the Dingbei Marquis Mansion’s carriage, she leaped up joyfully and started running toward them, her short legs pumping.

The accompanying maidservant hurriedly followed, shouting as she ran, "Young Miss! Slow down! Be careful not to fall!"

But Xiao Wu paid her no mind.

She had trudged through ice and snow, sinking deep with one step and shallow with the next, and had almost been buried in it several times. This flat bluestone path was nothing in comparison.

Though she was small, she ran very fast. Her movements were light and agile, and in the blink of an eye, she was hopping and skipping right up to the carriage.

Lian Zhou immediately stopped the carriage to avoid injuring her.

As they drew near, Ye Chutang noticed that Xiao Wu’s cheeks and nose were red. She had no idea how long the girl had been waiting in the cold wind, and her heart ached for her instantly.

"Didn’t I tell you? Big Sis was just stepping out and would be right back. Why were you waiting at the door? If you catch a cold, you’ll get sick and have to take medicine again."

Ye Chutang cupped Xiao Wu’s cold little cheeks with her warm hands, her tone holding a faint reprimand.

But Xiao Wu wasn’t afraid. She just looked up, grinned at her, and burrowed into her arms like a little rascal.

’I just missed Big Sis!’

After Ye Chutang had decided to go to the Dingbei Marquis Mansion with Princess Qingyang, she had told a drowsy Xiao Wu that she needed to go out for a bit but would be back soon.

There were maids and servants at home, and with Lu Yu and the others secretly standing guard, Xiao Wu was safe enough.

Xiao Wu actually knew she had something important to do. After all, she had seen Princess Qingyang many times, but never looking so flustered.

So Xiao Wu had obediently nodded and snuggled back under the covers to continue sleeping.

But in truth, after Ye Chutang left, she had gotten up, waited in her room for a while, and then had breakfast.

After waiting for a long time, Ye Chutang still hadn’t returned.

So she had simply gone to the entrance, where she would be able to see Ye Chutang the moment she returned.

Who could stay angry while holding such a cuddly, soft Little Bun? Besides, Ye Chutang already doted on her, so now she couldn’t even bring herself to utter a word of criticism.

Xiao Wu tilted her head and gave Shen Yanchuan a big smile.

’The Young Master brought Big Sis home again!’

Shen Yanchuan smiled back.

"Your big sis is right. The Lantern Festival is the day after tomorrow. If you catch a cold today, you’ll miss all the excitement."

Xiao Wu’s eyes went wide. ’How could I have almost forgotten about that!’

She quickly looked at Ye Chutang.

’Big Sis, I’m fine! I can still go out and play!’

Ye Chutang: "..."

’She pays no mind to the cold, but she won’t miss out on a second of fun.’

She tapped Xiao Wu’s bright red nose.

"Don’t worry. As long as you don’t get sick, I’ll definitely take you out."

Only then did Xiao Wu relax. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Lian Zhou and remembered his earlier descriptions of all the lively festivities of the Lantern Festival. She grew even more excited, wishing the festival was today.

Ye Chutang joked, "I always thought it was your fourth brother who loved taking you everywhere to play, but from the looks of it, your playful spirit is a match for his."

Lian Zhou averted his gaze and rubbed his nose.

Ahem.

’It’s not like I was lying to a kid. The Lantern Festival in the Capital City... really is that exciting!’

’Wouldn’t it be a shame not to experience it?’

Shen Yanchuan raised an eyebrow, looked at Xiao Wu, and said with a smile, "It’s a child’s nature. What’s the fun in being cooped up in the house all day?"

Having found someone to back her up, Xiao Wu immediately nodded frantically.

Ye Chutang turned and silently shot him a look.

Shen Yanchuan felt a sudden, inexplicable chill.

But when he saw the little figure behind Ye Chutang secretly give him a thumbs-up, he smiled to himself and helped find another excuse.

"Didn’t you also say that Xiao Wu planned to pick out a gift for Xie Anbai? It’s a rare opportunity, so it’s always good to browse around a bit."

Ye Chutang paused.

’Didn’t Shen Yanchuan say he left the city last night to see Xie Anbai off? Why is he saying this now...’

A realization suddenly dawned on her.

’Could it be... Xie Anbai is coming back soon? Or... maybe he never planned on leaving in the first place?’

Whichever was the case, since Shen Yanchuan had said so, it was more than likely true.

She pondered for a moment and decided it was indeed a good suggestion.

"That’s true. Second Young Master Xie has been pampered since he was a child; what kind of treasures hasn’t he seen? Finding an interesting little trinket to give him might please him more."

Shen Yanchuan didn’t think that was a problem.

"Don’t worry, he’s not a picky person. A heartfelt gift from Xiao Wu is so precious—he’ll be happy with whatever she gives him."

That might be so, but thinking about how difficult his life had been recently, Ye Chutang still decided to choose very carefully when the time came.

Then, another thought occurred to her.

"We can also ask Princess Qingyang to come along. The more the merrier."

With King Yan Nan’s fate unknown, Princess Qingyang must be extremely worried. And yet, it was something she couldn’t talk about with anyone else, so she had to bottle it all up.

If this continued, she would probably get sick from the stress, even if she wasn’t ill to begin with.

It would be better to use the Lantern Festival as a chance to bring her out, take her mind off things, and distract her a little.

If things went smoothly, they should receive a reply from Long City after the festival.

Xiao Wu blinked and nodded in eager agreement.

Shen Yanchuan naturally knew why Ye Chutang was suggesting this and gave a slight nod.

...

「Two days later, the Lantern Festival.」

The deep night sky unfolded, with only a bright, clear moon hanging high above. Its silver, sand-like radiance poured down, silently scattering across the rooftops and bluestone streets.

The shops lining both sides of the street had hung up lanterns. All sorts of hawkers’ cries rose and fell, mingling with the laughter from the crowd and creating an incredibly lively atmosphere.

And amid this crowded, bustling sea of people, one group in particular stood out.

The woman on the left was in a red dress, her long hair tied back neatly. A long black whip hung at her waist. Her face was pretty yet dashing, and her entire demeanor was one of sharp, carefree confidence.

The woman on the right was dressed in Haitang-colored brocade, a white fox-fur cloak draped over her shoulders. Her dark hair was coiled up, held only by a white jade hairpin inserted at an angle. Her eyes were dark and clear, which only accentuated her snow-like skin, and she had a gentle, graceful elegance.

Little Bun, dressed in a goose-yellow padded jacket with her hair in two round knots, ran and skipped about. Her small face shifted between joy and wonder, looking utterly adorable.

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