Now that the children were nearly ten months old, plump and tenderly rosy, they were so adorable. Yun Jinnian looked at them and hooked his lips into a slight smile.
He asked gently, "Are these Xiaoliu and Xiaoqi?"
"Answering Fourth Miss, indeed they are Xiaoliu and Xiaoqi!" Aunt Lian could hardly hide her excitement.
In the past, she didn’t think being a concubine was bad, but only now did she realize, what’s good about it?
She had no idea what the outside world was like, confined as she was; not allowed out of the main gate nor the second gate. How good could life be for the children she raised?
One day, when she moved to the outer court, if she had no one to rely on, it wouldn’t be just her future at stake, but even her life might be in danger.
Therefore, learning that Yun Jinnian had returned, she mustered the courage to bring the children to the garden. She was indeed in luck to have encountered Yun Jinnian.
She said to the children with a smile, "Xiaoliu, Xiaoqi, this is your fourth sister. Say ’fourth sister’ quickly!"
The two children, only ten months old, could not yet say ’sister’ and simply blew bubbles at Yun Jinnian.
Yun Jinnian found this rather charming and stepped forward to take one of the children’s little hands, "Is this Xiaoliu or Xiaoqi? Do they have names yet?"
"Fourth Miss, this is Xiaoqi. Second Master has named him Yun Mu, ’Mu’ as in harmony, and Xiaoliu is called Yun He!"
"The names are very nice!"
Harmony, the meaning is nice.
Yun Jinnian played with them for a while and wanted to hold them, but knowing they were Aunt Lian’s treasured babies, she refrained; if she happened to drop them, she couldn’t clear her name even by jumping into the Yellow River, so she dismissed the thought.
"Aunt Lian, the sun is scorching now, and the children’s skin is delicate. Take Xiaoliu and Xiaoqi back to avoid sunburn!" Yun Jinnian spoke tenderly and withdrew her hand.
Aunt Lian hurriedly agreed, relieved, and just as she came to her senses, Yun Jinnian had walked far away with Hemei and Henuan.
Aunt Lian pursed her lips, "Let’s go back!"
Looking at her two plump, fair sons, Aunt Lian used to hate the idea of them leaving her side. Now, if Mrs. Han was willing to take the children to raise them, no matter how reluctant she was, Aunt Lian was willing.
As Yun Jinnian walked away, she looked at her own hand.
"Miss, do you like children?" Hemei asked.
Hemei smiled foolishly.
Thinking that in a few years Yun Jinnian would have her own children, she was filled with anticipation.
Yet Yun Jinnian turned to ask Hemei, "What do you think about me adopting a child from outside to raise?"
Hemei and Henuan were taken aback.
That idea was not good at all
No matter how well you raise someone else’s child, they won’t be as close to you as your own; better not to raise one at all.
Seeing that Hemei and Henuan’s expressions had changed, Yun Jinnian said, "I was just saying."
She really was just speaking hypothetically.
Having reached Aunt Cui’s courtyard and after reporting in, Yun Jinnian entered the room. Aunt Cui’s complexion looked very poor, as if gravely ill, her pale face with eyes closed.
How had Aunt Cui become after only a few days?
Yun Jinnian sat by the bed, took Aunt Cui’s hand to feel her pulse and was extremely astonished.
Aunt Cui, sensing someone calling her, slowly opened her eyes and looked at Yun Jinnian, "Is that you, Fourth Miss?"
Upon hearing this, Aunt Cui slowly and gently smiled, "Fourth Miss, may I ask a favor of you?"
"Aunt Cui, please feel free to tell me!"
Yun Jinnian felt a bit heartbroken.
Her memory of Aunt Cui was not profound, the only thing she distinctly remembered was that winter when Aunt Cui had stayed with her all night, changing the cloth on her forehead and wiping her body repeatedly, calling her ’Fourth Miss’.
She beseeched her to hold on.