TMBIABHL: Chapter 49

 Glossary

·Ye Chutang (叶初棠): Female protagonist. Heir to an ancient medical family.

·Little Five / Xiao Wu (小五): The youngest Ye sister, approximately 4 years old.

·Xu Fengchi (徐凤池): The Left Vice Censor-in-Chief in the capital. A close friend of Ye Chutang's father.

·Xu Rongqing (徐容卿): Xu Fengchi's son. A childhood friend of the Ye siblings.

·Ye Heng (叶恆): Ye Chutang's second uncle. Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review.

·Lady Gao (高氏): Ye Heng's wife.

·Ye Shixian (叶诗娴): Ye Mingze's elder sister, daughter of Ye Heng.

·Ye Jingyan (叶璟言): Third Brother. Also called A-Yan.

·Ye Yunfeng (叶云风): Fourth Brother. Also called A-Feng.

---

Chapter 49: Mute

Night fell. In the capital in May, the evening breeze already carried threads of warmth.

The brothers Ye Jingyan and Ye Yunfeng stayed in their elder brother's old room, while Ye Chutang took Little Five back to her original quarters.

Her room hadn't been touched. After the servants cleaned it, it was exactly the same as before.

Ye Chutang hung a small sachet by the bedhead, a light herbal scent drifting from it.

Little Five looked around for a while, then sat obediently on the bed, took out her money pouch, and counted its contents once more before finally breaking into a happy smile.

—Fourth Brother said the capital was expensive, with everything costing a fortune. She was already prepared to take out the pocket money she had saved! But after a whole day, she hadn't spent a single tael of silver!

Seeing this, Ye Chutang pinched her little cheek.

"Little Five, do you like it here?"

Little Five tilted her head, thinking for a moment, then shook her head, then nodded.

—She didn't like the people she met today, and she didn't like living in the same place as them. But she could tell Big Sister cared a lot about this place. When Big Sister went to Eldest Brother's room today, she was lost in thought for quite a while.

Also, Third Brother and Fourth Brother clearly felt the same way as Big Sister.

Since they cared, then she cared too!

The corners of Ye Chutang's lips curved up. "Don't worry. This will always be our home. No one can take it away."

Little Five was somewhat confused but nodded vigorously.

—Whatever Big Sister said, she believed!

...

A full moon hung high, casting its clear, bright light.

Xu Residence.

Xu Fengchi, who was handling documents at his desk, looked at the letter in his hand and let out a long sigh.

"She actually… actually really came back!"

Previously, he had repeatedly urged Ye Chutang not to return to the capital, assuring her that he would handle matters here.

But she had come back anyway, and she had acted first and reported later. This letter had clearly been deliberately delayed until today.

By the time he saw it, they were already in the capital, and had even gone directly back to the Ye Residence!

(read @cherrybombbertranslations.blogspot)

"Someone probably won't be able to sleep tonight…"

Xu Fengchi murmured softly.

His gaze swept over the letter again. Ye Chutang had briefly described the events in Jiangling in a few simple lines, yet it wasn't hard to imagine the twists and turns involved.

She was just a seventeen-year-old girl, with no one to rely on there, dragged into that trouble, yet she managed to emerge unscathed in the end… Even he was deeply astonished.

It seemed too many things had happened in these three years, honing even her in the process.

Xu Fengchi thought for a moment, held the letter over a candle flame to burn it, then called someone in.

"Prepare a gift. I'll take it to the Ye Residence in a couple of days."

The attendant was somewhat surprised. "Master, you're going personally?"

Xu Fengchi served in the Censorate. He was of an upright and aloof character, rarely interacting excessively with other court officials.

Ye Heng was a slick, experienced man who formed cliques, precisely the type of person Xu Fengchi most disliked.

Why this sudden change—

Just as Xu Fengchi was about to nod, hurried footsteps suddenly sounded from outside.

A tall, slender youth in indigo brocade robes ran in.

Elegant and handsome, with a rare scholarly air between his brows, gentle as jade.

"Father!"

He spoke, his voice still carrying a hint of excited breathlessness.

Xu Fengchi was taken aback. "Rongqing, what is it?"

Xu Rongqing barely managed to suppress the turmoil in his heart, yet his tone still betrayed his urgency.

"I heard Chutang and the others aren't dead?! And that they returned to the capital today!?"

Xu Fengchi understood. He nodded. "That's right."

The matter had already spread. There was no need to deny it.

Xu Rongqing's hanging heart finally settled. His brow relaxed, revealing a genuine smile.

"That's wonderful… that's wonderful! I thought they had also—"

The fact that Xu Fengchi had been in contact with Ye Chutang had never been told to anyone else, not even his own son.

(read @cherrybombbertranslations.blogspot)

He and Ye Zheng had been sworn brothers who shared everything. The two families had been very close back then, and the children had been familiar with each other since young. It was normal for Rongqing to react this way.

Thinking this, Xu Fengchi's expression softened considerably. He asked with a smile, "It's also a matter of their great fortune that they managed to survive. I'm going to the Ye residence the day after tomorrow. It's been a long time since you've seen them. Would you like to come along?"

...

That night, some were happy, some were worried.

Ye Chutang, however, held Little Five and managed to get a rare good night's sleep.

They had been traveling for a month. Although the pace wasn't rushed, it was still tiring. Now they could finally lie down and rest properly.

In her memory, apart from the initial period fleeing south with A-Yan, A-Feng, and Little Five, she had never been this tired.

It was only when a maid came knocking that Ye Chutang woke up.

"Young Miss, time to get up. The Master and Madam are waiting for you!"

Only then did Ye Chutang lazily open her eyes. Little Five was lying in her arms, blinking her large, dark grape-like eyes, bright and shiny.

"Awake so early?" The moment Ye Chutang spoke, Little Five's stomach let out a loud gurgle.

Ye Chutang: "……" So she was woken up by hunger.

Little Five instantly flushed red, burying her face in Ye Chutang's embrace in embarrassment.

Ye Chutang sat up, pressing her fingers to her temples.

"Little Five, these past few years following your big sister, you've really had a hard time."

Not to mention the constant moving since childhood, she often couldn't eat on time because of her.

Little Five hurriedly shook her head.

—Not at all! Big Sister raised Third Brother, Fourth Brother, and her all by herself. That's already so hard!

Ye Chutang scooped her up to wash up and change clothes.

Last night, Ye Heng had originally wanted to hold a welcoming feast for them, but Ye Chutang had refused.

Returning to one's own home—why make it so troublesome?

In the end, Ye Heng could only have the servants bring the food to their rooms. They ate simply, using the excuse that they were too tired from their journey on the first day and would talk more tomorrow.

(read @cherrybombbertranslations.blogspot)

Well, that was today.

After getting ready, she finally took Little Five's hand and went out.

"Come on, Big Sister will take you to eat."

...

Over on this side, Ye Heng, Lady Gao, and Ye Shixian had been waiting for a long time.

The dining table was set with a lavish breakfast, servants standing by attentively, yet no one had touched their chopsticks.

Lady Gao grew impatient and couldn't help saying, "What is the matter with these people? Do they have any sense of etiquette at all? What time is it already, and they still don't know to get up! Do they expect us to wait for them here forever!?"

Ye Heng shot her a displeased look. "They're just junior family members. Why be so particular!"

The servants were still around. Couldn't she watch her words!?

Lady Gao, seeing his look, grew even more dissatisfied and gave a cold laugh. "Those who know would say they're juniors. Those who don't would think they're honored guests! What junior dares to keep their elders waiting like this?"

At that moment, a clear, clean young woman's voice suddenly came from outside. "Why would Aunt say such a thing?"

Everyone in the room looked up together and saw Ye Chutang walking in, holding Little Five's hand.

She wore no makeup, yet was still captivating, a faint smile resting on her lips.

"The journey was tiring. Now that we're finally back in our own home, we thought we could sleep a little longer. Who knew Uncle and Aunt would be waiting here so early."

Ye Heng hurriedly smoothed things over. "More rest is only natural. Please, sit!"

Lady Gao finally snapped out of it, forcing her gaze away from Ye Chutang's face, the handkerchief in her hand clenched tight.

This Ye Chutang—after just three years apart, she had grown into this?

This—

Ye Chutang looked at Lady Gao. "We didn't get to see you yesterday, Aunt. Please don't mind. A-Yan, A-Feng, Little Five, come greet your Aunt."

Although the brothers disliked it, they still offered greetings.

"Aunt."

Little Five blinked but made no sound.

Lady Gao's eyes widened slightly in surprise. "Why is this child a mute?"

As her words fell, the air in the room instantly froze.

(End of Chapter)

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