Mingzhu felt uneasy, but not wanting Tang Zhuyun to worry as well, she went to the edge of the kang (heated brick bed) to check on the three little buns.
There was a small hole in the wall, Wuji used his thin fingers to try and pry it open.
Wuxian lay beside him watching, his eyebrows furrowed just like his brother's, as if he were very unhappy.
Guagua, on the other hand, lay there lazily playing with his feet, completely enjoying himself.
Mingzhu smiled and said, "Sister-in-law, have you noticed that those two brothers seem to have somewhat different personalities?"
Tang Zhuyun: "How could I not notice?"
Wuji was a lively and active person. Lying there, his little head would peek out and turn around. There was nothing he didn't worry about.
Wuxian remained much quieter, but he had some... obsessive-compulsive tendencies.
One day, a young maid came in to report something. A blade of grass was stuck to the sole of her shoe. When she left, the blade of grass fell to the ground and she didn't take it with her.
Wuxian cried so hard that even his own father came to the scene.
But no matter who came, it was no use; Wuxian just looked at the ground and cried.
Tang Zhuyun tried to lie down and look from his spot, but she saw neither a mouse nor anything scary, and she couldn't figure it out.
In the end, it was Xiu'er who discovered the grass leaves and took them away, and Wuxian's crying stopped abruptly.
Everyone was stunned.
Wuxian has a strong sense of rules, and breaking his rules will cause him obvious discomfort.
Unlike his brother, he was mostly silent, as if he were contemplating life.
In short, they are all ancestors.
Comparatively speaking, Guagua is the easiest to raise; he's clearly a carbon copy of Xiu'er, and Song Jingyang's genes have been weakened to the point of being negligible.
The little girl had a clear, crisp laugh and a loud cry; she was chubby and fair-skinned, clearly a child with an excellent temperament.
Tang Zhuyun was incredibly envious.
Mingzhu couldn't help but laugh after hearing her words: "Sister-in-law, have another daughter."
"I'm already pregnant with my daughter, I don't want any more," Tang Zhuyun said honestly.
Girls are sensitive and delicate, and since Yanran now knows she's not her biological daughter, she worries that she'll have a hard time balancing her feelings for both daughters.
A Yanran is enough.
"Sister-in-law is mistaken. Yanran might really need a sister."
Tang Zhuyun smiled and said, "Then let's leave it to fate."
Xiu'er returned quickly, but Yanran was nowhere to be seen.
"Yanran is still listening, but I couldn't stand it anymore, so I came back first," Xiu'er said angrily.
Tang Zhuyun could tell from her expression that something was wrong, and asked, "What's wrong?"
"This mother-in-law is no good," Xiu'er said first, even though she saw that Mingzhu's face was deathly pale.
It turns out that Lady Gao is quite formidable.
She was unaware of Mingzhu's existence, but she sensed the woman's thoughtfulness from the things her son brought back for her.
So she came straight from the capital.
"... Madam Gao interrogated Cui Run, asking if there was a maidservant by his side who was trying to seduce him."
"What did Cui Run say?" Tang Zhuyun asked.
"Cui Run knelt down and kept saying no. Later, Madam Gao hit him and brought up Cui Run's father and stuff, basically trying to get Cui Run to tell the truth..." Xiu'er scoffed.
This family is hopeless; I absolutely cannot marry into them!
Even if Cui Run were a celestial lord, he would resolutely refuse to have such a mother.
Mingzhu took a deep breath. "Sister-in-law, I'll go take a look."
"Are you out of your mind? What right do you have to go there!" Xiu'er stopped her, "Listen to me, wait! This matter needs to be handled by a man."
The days ahead are long; consider this a test for Cui Run.
A man who can't balance his relationship with his mother and wife should remain single.
Mingzhu slowly sat back down in her chair, her heart pounding with anxiety.
Seeing this, Tang Zhuyun sighed inwardly and said, "Let's wait and see what Cui Run's attitude is."
One cannot choose their parents. If Cui Run can understand this, then even if one point is deducted, he won't be eliminated.
--Of course, if it were her, she would probably back down.
However, Mingzhu is clearly not so easily willing to give up on Cui Run.
Mingzhu said, "Okay, I'll listen to my sister-in-law and Sister Xiu'er. I'll wait for Cui Run to come find me!"
It's not easy to fall in love. If Cui Run says he needs her to get through this difficult time, she's willing.
However, the prerequisite is that Cui Run must have the right attitude.
Mingzhu never expected that she would wait for so many days.
Cui Run acted as if she had no connection with him at all, and never came looking for her again.
Mingzhu's heart grew colder and colder.
Some things are like quicksand; the more you try to hold on, the less you can hold onto them.
She finally realized that this relationship was likely doomed to Wuji.
While heartbroken, she also waited for Cui Run to give her an explanation.
She didn't believe it; she was blind and had misjudged the person.
On the ninth day after Lady Gao's arrival, Cui Run came looking for Mingzhu.
That day happened to be the Little New Year, and the mansion was bustling with activity. The sound of firecrackers could be heard from time to time outside, and the mansion was also filled with noise.
At the banquet, Mingzhu met Lady Gao for the first time.
Lady Gao was very polite to all the masters in the mansion, including Mingzhu.
She had a smile on her face, even a hint of humility, and was not as assertive as Xiu'er and Yanran had described.
Cui Run had a maid deliver a note to Mingzhu, inviting her out.
It was probably at this time that having a large group of people served as a cover, allowing Lady Gao to relax his guard.
"Mingzhu," Cui Run began with difficulty.
The lanterns swayed gently under the eaves, a beautiful woman stood beside him, and firecrackers crackled, yet his heart sank to the bottom.
Mingzhu responded softly, "Yes, I'm here."
She's been having a lot of wild thoughts lately, imagining countless scenarios of the two of them meeting again.
She imagined Cui Run begging her to humble herself and bow to the Lady Gao; she imagined Cui Run explaining his predicament and asking her to stand by him; she even imagined Cui Run was a fool, always telling her to give in...
But to her utter surprise, Cui Run immediately proposed a complete break.
He said, "Mingzhu, I've thought it over carefully. We're actually not a good match. Let's just call it quits."
"Forget it?" Mingzhu laughed, a desolate laugh, her dark eyes filled with indescribable complexity. "Cui Run, did you ever truly love me?"
If you truly like someone, how could you bear to say "Never mind"?
Cui Run lowered his head and remained silent, his fists clenched tightly in his sleeves.
He likes her, how could he not like her?
Winning her favor was the happiest thing in his life.
Mingzhu then asked her second question, "Cui Run, are you sure you don't want to give me an explanation?"
Cui Run said with difficulty, "It's just that our social status doesn't match, and I feel inferior."
She's already suffered so much; she shouldn't have to suffer anymore for the rest of her life.
He once thought he could give her happiness, but he underestimated his mother's control over him.
From the moment his mother traveled thousands of miles to appear before him, Cui Run heard the sound of a love string snapping.
He knew he was no longer worthy.
He could not sever ties with his mother, who had suffered so much for him.
However, her mother's strong desire for control would make Mingzhu's later life uneasy.
Cui Run was reluctant to part with it.
Mingzhu deserves someone better.
Even though his heart was breaking, he couldn't bear to drag her into the abyss.
His mother's control suffocated him, but he had nowhere to escape.
He once thought he could change reality; love also filled him with fantasies about the future.
But his mother's arrival told him that everything was still at the starting point.
Mingzhu, a short, sharp pain is better than a long, drawn-out one.
She was like the most dazzling firework, leaving the most beautiful scene in his life, yet he couldn't hold onto her.
Mingzhu, Cui Run, in this life, I will only love you.
Because of love, we are reluctant to part.
Cui Run shed tears.
Mingzhu stared into his eyes, her own eyes also blurry with tears.
She asked her third question, "Cui Run, once I turn away, there will be no possibility between us, regardless of your reasons or anything else. Are you sure?"
She had already tried to abandon her pride and back down, but all she got in return was his withdrawal.
Love remains, but it's no longer sustainable.
Cui Run said, "Mingzhu, I wish you find another good husband in the future..."
He choked up and couldn't continue.
Mingzhu nodded. "Alright. Then I wish you all the best in your future studies, that you will win the heart of a beautiful woman, and achieve great success."
I can only compromise for you, but I cannot abandon all my dignity.
Mingzhu turned away, tears falling.
Step by step, I descended the stairs.
--Cui Run, I really did think about spending my whole life with you.