After the old master had left, the gang did not seem as interested in the game anymore. Mu Feichi stood up and pulled Yun Xi along with him. He turned and nodded his head courteously to Madam Ye, who had brought some fruits into the room.
“We’ll head back to our residence at the Plum Blossom Garden. Good night and see you tomorrow!”
“Sure. Have a good rest!”
The couple walked out of the main manor of the family mansion. Mu Feichi guided Yun Xi to a side court of the Ye family mansion where the tranquil Plum Blossom Garden was. The plum trees were in full bloom at this time of year. The blushing red, powder pink, and pale-yellow flowers lined every branch of the trees, and there was a faint scent of sweetness that lingered in the garden.
“Are you cold?” Mu Feichi looked down at the girl he held with one arm over her shoulder. The chilling temperature made him change his mind about taking a short walk outside. “Let’s head in. We’re staying here for tonight.”
“Sounds good!” Yun Xi tapped her nose. It was almost frozen from the cold. Due to its proximity to the sea, the temperature in Y City had dropped lower than that in Jingdu. Sometimes the cold can get a little hard to bear.
Stepping into the courtyard of the house, Yun Xi turned to give her surroundings a look. The plum blossoms appeared dream-like under the dim light; they looked like a layer of thick snow that covered the branches of the trees.
“Is this place reserved for guests?” The plants and flowers in the garden were well-trimmed. It seemed like this place was kept clean and neat. It did not seem like a place for guests only.
“My mom stayed here before she got married. Grandpa only had one daughter. The Ye family always had more sons, but they treasured their daughters as much, if not more. Every daughter is the pride of the family. Xin Xin is an example.”
Yun Xi nodded. There was no doubt that Ye Shenxin was the treasure of the family. Everyone in the family doted on her.
“My mom died young, and Commander Mu brought me onto the battlefield with him. Grandpa cared deeply for me, but he could never forget Commander Mu, so the Ye and Mu families had not had many interactions since then. I can only return to the Ye family every holiday, and I stay here every time I do.”
The heater had been turned on once they entered the room. Their freezing bodies were greeted with a wave of much-welcomed warmth as they closed the door behind them.
As the two stood by the door, Yun Xi glanced at Mu Feichi, who had taken out a new pair of wool slippers from the shoe cabinet. He bent down and placed the pair beside Yun Xi’s feet. The simple act had left Yun Xi utterly moved.
The girl did not move, so he gave Yun Xi a light pat. “What are you waiting for? Aren’t you cold?”
Still caught up in the moment, she shook her head and took a breath to swallow her emotions. “Don’t spoil me so much. I can’t take it, you know. If your mom were still here, she might think I’m spoiled.”
“It’s my choice to treat the woman I love well. What’s wrong with that?” He smiled and patted Yun Xi’s calf to signal her to put the slippers on. “Come on, put them on. I don’t feel like I’ve been mistreated.”
Yun Xi bit her lip. Something in Mu Feichi’s expression told her that he was determined to do what he wanted to do, so she obliged. Yun Xi carefully lifted her feet and let Mu Feichi change her outdoor shoes to the wool slippers.
“My heart’s aching, you know, Mu Three Years Old. I feel bad for you.”
She meant what she said. She had grown up without her parents by her side, and Mu Feichi was no different because of his absent father. They had grown up without love, and he had lived a much more cruel life than she had, yet he had become a gentle and caring individual who loved wholeheartedly and kindly. Yun Xi could give all she had, and it would never return the same amount of love Mu Feichi had given her.
“Mhm…” Once the shoes had been changed, Mu Feichi stood up and ruffled Yun Xi’s hair out of habit. “If your heart is aching because of me, let’s resolve this ache.”
He turned his body and casually picked up Yun Xi from the ground. Yun Xi’s eyes widened, and she immediately fastened her grip around his neck and clipped her legs against Mu Feichi’s waist.
“Wait! I can walk on my own!”
“Don’t you feel bad for me?” Mu Feichi held on to the small of Yun Xi’s back. The man chuckled and whispered into the nape of her neck, “There is something you can do about that…”
