As soon as the Duke of Yan softened, Qin Fang was able to leave home smoothly. After thinking about it, Qin Fang thought that Bai Shui must be with Su Yunkai, so he headed over to the Su residence.
Su Yunkai had just learned about the huge sums of money that the marquis possessed. Now restless, Su Yunkai could no longer pretend to be ill. This case had to be solved.
Su Yunkai guessed that the emperor might already know that he was only pretending to be ill. Based on the emperor’s trust in the Su family, Su Yunkai guessed that the emperor would not immediately order him to take office. After all, the Marquis of Pingxi’s influence had greatly expanded in the past two years and Su Yunkai’s transferral was swift. The emperor would still notice but turn a blind eye.
It was getting late outside. Su Yunkai waited until dusk before turning off the lights and getting ready to go outside.
He walked from the corridor to the front door, wondering whether he should go to the yamen or the Ministry of Justice. He didn’t know where the body was now. It was said that it had been at the ministry earlier, but who knew if it had been sent to the yamen since? Su Yunkai wanted to see if there would be any clues left on the corpse. Bai Shui was talented at martial arts, but she wasn’t very good at these kinds of things. If he didn’t take a look, he would not be at ease.
However, Su Yunkai was also not good at conducting autopsies. If only Ming Yue were here.
“Brother Su.”
He really should stop thinking so hard. He was starting to hallucinate and hear things.
“Brother Su.”
Su Yunkai suddenly stopped. He had already passed the front hall. He turned back and doubtfully peered back inside. The person standing in the hall and walking towards him was Ming Yue. He was surprised. “Ming Yue?”
Ming Yue walked forward a couple of steps and stopped before him, half a yard away. Now certain that it was indeed Ming Yue, Su Yunkai felt even more surprised. He stepped forward, took her hand, and looked her up and down. Seeing that she had no wounds, he was relieved. “What’s the matter? Why are you here? “
“I’m fine.” Ming Yue quickly pulled her hand back. “Don’t let your parents see. It’s not proper.”
Seeing that she was really fine, he didn’t continue to hold her hand. “Why did you come?” He suddenly thought of something, coughed gently, and said softly, “Did you miss me?”
Ming Yue blushed, “Nonsense.”
“Oh-oh. So you didn’t miss me.”
Ming Yue pursed her lips, then smiled. “I d-did, a lot.”
Su Yunkai also grinned. He looked into her eyes and said, “I also wanted to see you. I’ve been wondering if you are living well and eating well.”
Ming Yue looked down at the tips of her shoes, saying quietly, “It’s all good. It’s just that I can’t see you.” She looked up again. “Still, even if I really wanted to, I wouldn’t have come here all of a sudden on a whim. I understand that it isn’t proper.”
Su Yunkai was curious. “Then why have you come?”
“Your parents.”
“My parents?” Su Yunkai echoed.
“Yes. I thought they were tricking me, but you and your father look so alike so I believed them. After I got on the carriage, they brought me to a teahouse and asked about my family background. They also asked me for my name and brought me here. They even gave me some snacks. The tea was quite good.”
Hearing the last sentence, Su Yunkai finally laughed wryly. “Your heart is really big.”
Ming Yue’s eyes dimmed. “I couldn’t have yelled. Some words…maybe it’s time to finally say them.”
Su Yunkai knew that she was still thinking about her background as a coroner in contrast to his own background. He had been born to a family of officials. His upbringing had been filled with books. He hadn’t expected Ming Yue to dwell so long on these matters. He had never thought that their difference in status would be a concern. “My parents are reasonable people. Don’t be afraid.”
Ming Yue smiled. “I’m not afraid. It’s not as if I’m going to get swallowed alive.”
Su Yunkai smiled back and touched her head gently. The ancients used to say that each day without meeting was like three autumns. Now, he understood the meaning of the saying. He really wanted to hold her and comfort her.
He also wanted to ask more, but he saw that someone was standing at the entrance. Su Yunkai suppressed his words and said nothing. A moment later, the butler walked over and said respectfully, “Young master, dinner is ready.”
Su Yunkai said, “I will send Miss Ming Yue home first.”
The butler smiled, “Master and madam said that they would like to invite Miss Ming to dine with them.”
Ming Yue looked up at him a little uneasily. Su Yunkai comforted her with his eyes. “No matter what my parents say later, don’t leave. We will discuss things properly and I will send you back afterwards.” Seeing that Ming Yue was still frowning, Su Yunkai lightly tapped his finger between her eyebrows. “You will eventually have to see them. You’re not ugly, are you?”
Ming Yue laughed, looking at him. Seeing the butler in her peripheral vision, she swallowed what she was about to say.
The Su family had a special dining hall for guests, but the housekeeper didn’t take the usual route there. Su Yunkai was confused. It wasn’t until they had passed the front yard and turned left at the corridor that he understood. The Su family was sparsely populated, so they usually only ate two or three dishes. Normally, when the family ate together, they wouldn’t be in the main hall, which would seem empty and desolate. Instead, they dined in the small room that Madam Su had especially turned into an eating area by adding an additional square table.
The butler was clearly heading there.
Su Yunkai thought about the fact that his parents had just brought Ming Yue to a restaurant for tea. They had questioned her there. Now, given where they were heading, Su Yunkai had a feeling that his parents approved of their relationship.
He held back the rising flame in his heart. He was almost in disbelief; it couldn’t have been so smooth. Even if they were really willing to let Ming Yue be their daughter-in-law, it was strange that they were having dinner together. It was even more strange that they had brought her home.
Even though he was clever, he couldn’t figure it out.
The place where the housekeeper stopped was indeed the small room. Standing at the door, Su Yunkai could already smell the food. Looking inside, there were many dishes on the table. Not even his father’s birthday had been celebrated so lavishly.
Ming Yue was also scared. Was it a farewell dinner?
Seeing that the two had arrived but were both hesitating at the door, Madam Su smiled. “Come in.”
Su Yunkai reacted first, turning to the side to let Ming Yue go forward first. He followed behind her and greeted his parents.
“Sit down first. Your father has gone to get the wine.”
“Wine? Father never drinks.”
“He’s happy today. There is an important matter, so he must get wine.” Madam Su told Ming Yue to sit down. After she sat, Madam Su asked, “Are you hungry? Eat first if you are hungry.”
Ming Yue was overwhelmed by the unexpected favor. “I’m not hungry. I am very full from the restaurant earlier.”
“You didn’t eat much. You were scared by your Uncle Su.” Madam Su turned to say to her son, “Your father, sometimes I don’t know what to do with him. He has a cold, stone face all day. No wonder you were scared to tears by him often when you were younger.”
Su Yunkai paused, sneaking a glance at Ming Yue. “Scared…to tears?”
“Yes. He locked you in the study when you were one or two years old. You weren’t allowed to eat unless you recited a book a day. Back then, I went to deliver food to you secretly every day. Your father said that my pampering would bring you to failure. What a stubborn old man!”
The past was too far away and Su Yunkai couldn’t remember any of it.
Ming Yue smiled. “Even though Uncle Su criticized you for secretly delivering the food, he never actually intended to stop you. Otherwise, he would’ve sealed the door and window when he found out what you were doing.”
Madam Su also smiled. “He has a mouth of knives but a heart of tofu. Alas, he always maintains a straight face. All children cry when they see him.”
Someone outside the door coughed. Su Gu entered with a bottle of wine in hand. As soon as all three rose to their feet, Su Gu said, “Sit down.” He set the wine aside and did not open it. Instead, he picked up the chopsticks and said, “Eat.”
Ming Yue, who was still waiting for her “sentence,” was a moment too late to grab the chopsticks. Madam Su and Su Yunkai simultaneously reached out to help her.
Madam Su smiled and withdrew her hand, so Su Yunkai picked the chopsticks up and gave them to Ming Yue.
No one spoke at the table. Ming Yue ate in a panic. In her head, large words kept on circling around: farewell dinner farewell dinner farewell dinner. This was her final dinner with Su Yunkai. They had to separate. Still, she kept eating. She knew she would be crying later.
She was so distracted that she didn’t notice the broken bones while she ate. When she swallowed, her throat got scratched. She stopped moving her chopsticks and tried to swallow. Her face did not look good.
Su Yunkai paused and asked, “What’s the matter?”
Ming Yue pinched her throat. Su Gu looked up and called to the servant at the door, “Quickly! Bring in the tea.”
Su Yunkai stood and grabbed the tea, giving it to Ming Yue to drink. Ming Yue slowly swallowed and finally washed the broken bones down. She felt a little more comfortable.
Madam Su said, “What are you doing, eating in such a hurry?”
Ming Yue nodded in agreement and picked up her chopsticks. She found that all the food she had ingested earlier was tasteless. She was silent for a moment and then replied in a soft voice, “I’m afraid.”
Madam Su asked quickly, “Afraid of what?”
Ming Yue set the chopsticks down lightly and said, “Afraid that this…is my last dinner with Brother Su. I am afraid that we will have to separate.”
Madam Su looked at her husband. Both of them were at a loss.
After a moment of silence, Su Gu said, “My wife was not entirely right earlier. Not all children are afraid of me. One child, when she saw me, didn’t cry. Instead, she smiled.”
Madam Su’s eyes were suddenly wet. Her tone changed as she spoke. “Yes… The child saw you and stood at the door watching. You gave a candied fruit to her, but she didn’t accept it. Still, she thanked you and continued smiling at you. At the time, I thought that it was dreadful how such a good girl had lost her parents. I didn’t know what to do…” She patted at her tears with a handkerchief, but the tears welled up again. She looked at Ming Yue with guilt and compassion. “In the blink of an eye, so many years have passed. You’ve grown up so well and into such a lovely young woman. We’ve been thinking about you for fourteen years. Now, we can finally be at ease.”
Su Yunkai didn’t understand. Neither did Ming Yue. Su Gu removed the stopper in the bottle of wine and poured its contents on the ground. “This wine is for your parents, Miss Ming.”
.
A Hint of Spring 