novelraw Chapter 215 Mother
Chapter 215 Mother
Su Wuli gently grasped his hand, and Yu Chen immediately grasped it back.
"Later, my father fell seriously ill. The imperial physician said it was an incurable epidemic. I knelt outside the palace all night, begging God to return my father, but God did not hear me."
He paused as he spoke.
Su Wuli looked at him and saw the moisture in the corner of his eye condense there, slowly gathering into a drop, and then trickling down the bridge of his nose.
It dripped down.
He cried.
Su Wuli felt as if her heart was being squeezed tightly; she couldn't imagine how scared he must have been at that moment.
I raised my hand and touched that tear, feeling its temperature.
"I haven't used any of the things my father taught me."
His lips twitched slightly as he chuckled self-deprecatingly.
"In other people's eyes, I am now the King of Hell, a ruthless killer who has done all sorts of evil deeds. If my father saw this, he would probably regret giving me that name."
Su Wuli shook her head, "No, that won't happen."
Tears streamed down her face. She first wiped away the tear on his face, then wiped the one on her own.
It won't get clean; the more you wipe, the more there is.
She tried to force a smile, "The osmanthus cake your mother makes must be delicious."
"I've forgotten what it tastes like..." Yu Chen replied, a hint of annoyance on his face.
His arms tightened around her waist.
Su Wuli sat up straight, placed her hands on the back of his head, and pressed his head into the crook of her neck.
The man's forehead was pressed against her collarbone, his nose against her neck, and his breath was on her skin, a little rapid.
She held his head in her arms, gently pressing it with her fingers.
Yu Chen's body visibly stiffened for a moment.
For a moment, it seemed like he wasn't used to this posture.
But he didn't move or struggle.
Su Wuli could feel his eyelashes brushing against her neck.
It's itchy.
Yu Chen suddenly spoke up, "The year Father Emperor fell seriously ill, the silk from Jiangnan was not delivered."
His voice came muffled from the crook of her neck.
"My mother said it's alright. She still has several clothes she hasn't worn yet. I know she's afraid that my father will feel bad if he hears about it."
Su Wuli paused her hand that was stroking the back of the man's head.
His hair was stiff, unlike hers.
"On the day Father passed away, Mother sat by his bedside, holding his hand without saying a word. When I reached out to pull her up, her hand was cold. She said..."
"Chen'er, from now on you will only have your mother."
His voice trailed off.
Su Wuli didn't say anything, she just hugged him.
"Later, my mother also passed away."
As soon as he finished speaking, it suddenly got dark outside the window.
The clouds blocked the sun, and the wind blew in through the window, causing the pages on the desk to flip.
Su Wuli looked up at the window; the leaves were rustling in the wind.
A raindrop hits the windowpane, followed by another.
It's raining.
The raindrops were small, pattering softly on the leaves.
Su Wuli parted her lips slightly and recited a nursery rhyme.
"Thunder God, Thunder God, don't rush, walk slowly among the clouds. Little Chen'er, he sleeps lightly, don't disturb his sweet dreams. Thunder God, Thunder God, don't panic, it's alright when the sky brightens. Little Chen'er, in your dreams, Mother is watching over you by the window. Thunder God, go far away, the rain stops, dawn breaks..."
The man held her waist, his fingers suddenly tightening around the side of her clothes.
Su Wuli felt his shoulders trembling, though it wasn't noticeable unless you looked closely.
Hold his head in my arms, press my face against the top of his head, and close my eyes.
She continued reading, her voice broken and intermittent, unable to recall some words, but she kept going.
His hand moved from her waist to her waist and wrapped around her waist, pulling her into his arms.
Su Wuli pressed her face against the top of his head, tears welling up in her eyes and dripping onto his hair.
The rain was getting heavier and heavier, hitting the windowsill.
She held him, and he held her; neither of them moved in the sound of the rain.
Until Yu Chen's breathing gradually calmed down.
Su Wuli didn't know if he was crying, she only felt his eyelashes brush against her neck, and they were wet.
I don't know how much time passed, but the sound of rain gradually subsided.
All she knew was that she was exhausted from crying, her eyes were dry, and it hurt to blink.
"Ah Chen," she called out.
"Hmm?" His voice was still muffled against her neck, slightly hoarse.
"I want to go see my mother," Su Wuli asked tentatively.
Yu Chen lifted his head from the crook of her neck, his eyes still red.
But there were no more tears.
The slight dampness in the corner of her eye had dried, leaving only a faint trace that was barely noticeable unless you looked closely.
His gaze lingered on her face for a moment.
Su Wuli took a deep breath and smiled at him.
"I'm your girlfriend. Where I'm from, a girlfriend is expected to meet her boyfriend's mother."
She paused, then added, "Although it's a bit late."
Yu Chen stared at him, a hint of unreadable emotion flashing in his eyes.
After a moment, he nodded slightly, "Okay."
He put Su Wuli off his lap, stood up, and took her hand.
His palms were still a little wet; it was hard to tell if it was sweat or tears.
She didn't ask any questions, and then followed him outside.
The corridor outside is very long.
The rain hadn't stopped, and the air was full of moisture.
Water droplets still clung to the pillars, falling one after another and splashing water.
Su Wuli held his hand as she walked beside him.
The two crossed the courtyard and turned into a narrower alley.
There is a door at the end of the alley.
He pushed open the door and led her inside.
The room was dimly lit, with the windows closed and only a little light coming through the crack in the door.
Su Wuli stood at the doorway, and only after her eyes adjusted to the dim light could she see what was inside the room.
Directly opposite the door is an offering table with a memorial tablet on it and a portrait hanging next to it.
The woman in the portrait is wearing a light purple dress and is sitting in a pavilion.
Her eyebrows and eyes were beautiful, her lips were slightly curved, and her smile was very gentle.
Su Wuli stood in front of the portrait for a long time.
"Mother..." Her voice wasn't loud, but it was clearly audible in the quiet ancestral hall.
"My name is Su Wuli, and I am your son's...girlfriend."
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