Chapter 48: Xiao Yunjing goes to Capital City

Chapter 48: Chapter 48: Xiao Yunjing goes to Capital City

With improved mental well-being, Ms. Wu no longer cried easily. Gu Qingli was relieved that her oversensitive nature seemed to have been somewhat mended.

Gu Qingli was very comforted.

Her family had overcome misfortune and found happiness, and she was genuinely happy for them.

The noon meal was very rich and consisted of all Gu Qingli’s favorite dishes: stir-fried bamboo shoots with cured meat, steamed radish with cured rabbit, and stewed cabbage with cured pork.

Gu Qingli loved Ms. Wu’s cooking, as it was fragrant and suited her taste. She even ate a bit too much.

After finishing her meal, Gu Qingli walked around the courtyard to aid digestion. “Haha, Elder Sister, look at you!” Dashuang teased, laughing.

“Don’t laugh at me; you should see your own belly,” Gu Qingli replied, playfully patting Dashuang’s round belly.

“I can’t help it, Mom’s cooking is too delicious! I can’t control myself,” Dashuang said, spreading his hands with a comically serious, helpless expression.

“PFFT!” Gu Qingli couldn’t help but laugh at Dashuang’s antics. She grabbed his hand, and they continued walking around the courtyard together.

The four people sitting in the house all watched the siblings’ playful behavior in the courtyard with smiles on their faces.

Suddenly, Ms. Wu felt a profound sense of peace and contentment.

This was the life she had always yearned for.

She could manage the household, her husband cherished her, and her children were sensible and filial.

Now that everything she had ever wanted was right before her, an intense desire to protect this life surged within her.

Li’er had said that motherhood brings strength, that crying solved no problems, and weakness only gave others a chance to bully you.

From now on, I must become stronger and protect what belongs to me,

she resolved.

Gu Dalin was also deeply moved. The earth-shattering changes of the past few months had completely altered his perspective.

This was what a real life should be.

In the past, he had truly wasted his life.

Xiaoshuang also watched them play.

He actually wanted to join in, but then he thought, wouldn’t that be too childish?

Xiao Yunjing had never seen Gu Qingli so happy and playful.

He hadn’t expected Li’er to have such a childlike, innocent side.

He just watched, captivated.

Because she ate too much at noon, Gu Qingli skipped dinner. After waiting for Xiao Yunjing to finish his meal, they went home.

“Li’er, take these back with you,” Ms. Wu said as they were about to leave, handing Gu Qingli a prepared return gift.

Gu Qingli saw they were all preserved goods—cured chicken, cured rabbit, cured meat. She frowned. “Mom, you keep these. You don’t have much at home. What if guests come and you have nothing to offer?”

They didn’t have much left themselves; if she took these, what would they have?

“But your mother-in-law sent so many things over…”

“Mom, please listen to Li’er. My mother won’t say anything,” Xiao Yunjing chimed in, also pushing the items back.

When they came, his mother had specifically told them not to bring anything back.

Gu Qingli nodded in agreement.

“Well, how can I accept this then?” Ms. Wu fretted.

She understood the principle of maintaining good relations among relatives through mutual giving.

Just as Ms. Wu was at a loss, Gu Dalin spoke up to smooth things over. “Wife, let’s listen to the children.”

“Alright then.” Ms. Wu looked at Gu Dalin and, having no other choice, put the items away.

The two boys didn’t say anything this time.

There really wasn’t much left at home, and it was only the second day of the New Year, not a suitable time for hunting or slaughtering animals.

They walked Gu Qingli and Xiao Yunjing out of the courtyard before heading back inside.

The sky wasn’t completely dark yet; some light remained. Xiao Yunjing held Gu Qingli’s hand as they walked.

Halfway there, Ms. Jiang came out to meet them, carrying a horse lantern. “Is that Third and Li’er?”

“Mother, it’s us. Please be careful,” Xiao Yunjing immediately replied.

As they drew closer, Xiao Yunjing took the horse lantern and said, “Mother, why did you come out? You could have asked Eldest Brother or Xiao Han to come.”

“You rascal! Wasn’t Mother worried about you?” Ms. Jiang said, giving Xiao Yunjing a light slap on the shoulder.

Gu Qingli covered her mouth and chuckled. “Thank you, Mother!”

“See? My daughter-in-law is still the most considerate one,” Ms. Jiang said.

“Yes, yes, Mother is right. Your son needs to learn from Li’er,” Xiao Yunjing agreed, his heart filled with warmth. He held the lantern to light the path, letting the two of them walk ahead.

Once back home, Gu Qingli prepared everything Xiao Yunjing would need for his trip the next day, packing it all into a bundle. Only then did she fetch water, wash up, and get onto the kang.

In the main house, Mr. Xiao listened to Xiao Yunjing’s words in silence. After a long moment, he looked up at Xiao Yunjing and said, “If you want to go to the Capital City, Father won’t stop you. But you must promise me not to reveal your whereabouts.”

Xiao Yunjing nodded.

Even if Father hadn’t said it, he knew what to do. However, these words were quite similar to what Father had told him when he went to join the army in his previous life: ’Father won’t stop you from joining the army, but you must not reveal your identity.’

He had even made him wear a mask.

At that time, he had always believed their family were fugitives, so he had complied with Father’s wishes and always wore the mask. This continued until he was once severely injured, and his subordinate removed the mask, revealing his true appearance.

Later, when he saw that nothing untoward happened, he stopped wearing it.

Right up until his death.

The father and son spoke for a while longer before Xiao Yunjing returned.

“Have you spoken with Father and the others?” Gu Qingli asked.

“Yes. It’s only for about ten days. There’s not much to do during this time anyway, so I’ll go and return quickly,” he said, pulling Gu Qingli into his embrace.

“Then you must be careful.” Gu Qingli had considered going with him, but then she thought about it.

She had no martial arts skills, and she couldn’t help; she’d only be a burden. Besides, she would definitely go to the Capital City in the future, so there was no need to rush this time.

So, she decided against it.

“Alright,” he agreed.

They spent another night in passionate entanglement before finally falling asleep.

「The next day.」

When Gu Qingli woke up, Xiao Yunjing was not there. She looked at the spot where the bundle had been; it was gone.

After breakfast, Gu Qingli was about to return to her room to enter the Space when Ms. Jiang called out to her, “Third’s wife, we’re going to the Village Chief’s house later to pay New Year respects. Are you going?”

“I’m not going, Mother. You all go ahead,” Gu Qingli said, shaking her head.

“Alright then. There’s leftover food from lunch; you can just heat it up yourself.” Ms. Jiang noticed Gu Qingli seemed a bit listless, likely due to the little one in her belly, so she didn’t press her to go.

Gu Qingli returned to her room, bolted the door, and with a flash, entered the Space.

Breathing the air in the Space, Gu Qingli felt much better.

Xiao Yunjing had really worn her out last night, and this morning, every part of her body felt uncomfortable.

She had planted some rice, corn, wheat, sweet potatoes, and various vegetables in the Space. She hadn’t planted these before, but after coming here and facing a lack of food, she had planted a bit of each.

After harvesting a wave of each type of crop, she planted another batch. In about ten days, they would be ready for another harvest.

For now, these couldn’t be taken out yet, so she stored them in the Space.

She would only take them out to eat after she figured out how to husk the grains and mill the wheat into flour.

Currently, she only added some Spiritual spring water to the household water vat, allowing everyone in the family to benefit from it.

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