Untouchable Lovers

Chapter 180: Chapter 163: This Is Enough

After some explanations, Chu Yu let everyone understand she was completely alive, and this finally soothed those at the Princess Mansion who were panicking over the paranormal event of “daytime soul return.” Everyone went back to their homes and carried on with their tasks.

Those who stayed in the memorial hall were the few who were originally watching over the wake and Chu Yu with Xiao Bie, who had just come in.

The white banners that were blocking the door had been taken down by the servants, and in the center of the memorial hall, two black lacquered coffins lay isolated, now ignored by anyone. Watching the various mourning drapes scattered from east to west inside the hall, Chu Yu couldn’t help but laugh a little: How could she have anticipated that upon her return, she would be greeted by her own funeral?

This was indeed a novel experience.

Realizing the magnitude of their mistake, Huan Yuan and the others were each silent. Chu Yu also didn’t speak, quietly waiting for them to speak first.

It was hard to tell how much time had passed when Huan Yuan slowly said, “It’s good that you’re back.” His voice was rich and mellow, his gaze sincere and warm. Chu Yu felt a warmth in her heart and couldn’t help but smile slightly, “Yes, it’s good to be back.”

Xiao Bie stood nearest to the door, and farthest from Huan Yuan and the others. His eyes swept over the group dressed in coarse funeral hemp, his lips curling slightly in a cold smirk, “Cropped mourning, full mourning, heh.”

In ancient times, during funeral rites, there was a system called the ‘five degrees of mourning attire,’ used to signify the relationship and hierarchical status between relatives. These were divided into cropped mourning, full mourning, grand ceremony, lesser ceremony, and hemmed hemp.

Right now, what Huan Yuan was wearing was made of extremely coarse raw hemp, with stitches only at the sides and bottom, representing the most severe form of the five degree ceremonies, with a mourning period of three years—that is to say, he was observing three years of mourning.

Huan Yuan was naturally handsome as jade. Although he was wearing such coarse hemp clothes, the loosely draped hemp robe only enhanced his elegant posture. His face had thinned, his eyes held a subdued pain, but upon seeing Chu Yu, he seemed to regain vitality from his somberness.

Liu Se and Liu Sang, and others were dressed in mourning attires ranging from full mourning to grand ceremony, and the mourning periods for each were shorter than for cropped mourning, lasting only a year or a few months.

Although she hadn’t died and a funeral was conducted for her, which was somewhat laughable, Chu Yu could still feel their sentiment. Huan Yuan and the others had thought she was dead and were mourning her as family members.

… That was enough.

Gently closing her slightly warm eyes, Chu Yu told herself within her heart.

It was good to be back.

With those words, these people, it was enough. She had once thought she had lost her family, had no family, but here, these people dressed in coarse hemp for her, they were her family.

Yes, she had a family.

Never had she so clearly and distinctly understood this.

If not for the fact that too many people were currently watching her, instead of being alone, Chu Yu would probably have started crying right now.

No matter if she was Shan Yin’s Princess or if she was Chu Yu from a thousand years later, the fact that someone had done this much for her was enough to make her deeply grateful.

Chu Yu’s heart was stirred, and warmth filled her eyes, but her face remained as calm as still water. After blinking, she smiled and said, “Take all these away. I am still very much alive, there is no need for summoning. If we keep summoning, it will only bring people here.” She paused and then said, “Huan Yuan, come with me.”

She called Huan Yuan because, both in the past and now, Huan Yuan had been at the center of the Inner Garden of the Princess Mansion. Before she left, perhaps Huan Yuan had relied on the authority she had granted him, but from what she had just seen—the servants who were startled by her “returning to life” and rushed to report—the first to be informed was always Huan Yuan. Everyone’s actions were also directed by the looks in Huan Yuan’s eyes and his commands. Huan Yuan had truly become the backbone for these people, not just in name but in reality.

Thus, to understand the situation inside and outside the mansion, asking Huan Yuan should be the fastest way.

“Princess, don’t leave me behind,” Huan Yuan had not yet responded when Liu Sang rushed over, clutching Chu Yu’s hand tightly as if he would never let go.

Chu Yu tried to pull her hand away, but as soon as she exerted force, Liu Sang immediately started crying, “The Princess is too cruel! You ignored me for so long, then you disappeared for such a long time, I thought you had died. Now you’re back and you’re pushing me aside again…”

Liu Sang’s eyes were the worst among the crowd, swollen like walnuts and pitifully red. Overwhelmed by his crying, Chu Yu hurried to gently comfort him, “Aren’t I back now? Besides, I didn’t intentionally leave you out; I need to talk about serious matters with Brother Huan…”

Liu Sang interrupted her amidst sobs, “Liar, Princess, you’re a liar! You just think I’m too young to be of any help, that’s why you ignore me. I’m not young anymore, you can’t fool me!” His voice was hoarse from crying, a far cry from his usual crisp and slightly tender voice, now as if it had been scraped by sand, which made Chu Yu feel truly sorry.

Chu Yu sighed, patted Liu Sang’s hand that clung to her arm unwillingly, and said, “If you must, then come along.” It wasn’t anything too cruel or bloody or crucial; letting him listen shouldn’t be a problem.

Upon hearing what Chu Yu said, Liu Sang’s tears turned to laughter, though the tears were still on his little face, his eyes were nearly invisible from smiling.

Chu Yu glanced again at his swollen eyes and instructed You Lan to fetch a bowl of cold water and a wet towel to place in the room. While she talked with Huan Yuan, she wanted the little guy to cold compress his eyes, as it wasn’t good for them to remain so swollen.

As she was about to step outside, a figure silently approached her. Chu Yu thought it was Huan Yuan, but upon closer inspection, it was Amman. She couldn’t help but curiously ask, “Do you need something?”

From a distance in the dark, she couldn’t see clearly, but now up close, Chu Yu realized that this Kunlun slave boy also looked somewhat haggard. His amber eyes were rimmed with bloodshot lines, as if he hadn’t slept for many days.

Amman looked down at his toes for a while before slowly saying, “I want to go too.” His voice was soft, but his tone was very firm.

Chu Yu looked at Amman and sighed; this boy had been picked up by her, and she hadn’t spent much effort on him. His sincere concern made her feel somewhat ashamed, “Then come along.” Since she was already bringing along a cat-like Liu Sang, she didn’t mind an additional dog-like Amman.

Just as the four of them were about to leave the memorial hall, a voice called out from behind, “Hold on.”

Hearing that voice, Chu Yu paused her steps and slowly turned around. Hua Cuo had taken off the hemp garment he wore outside in the memorial hall, revealing his usual brilliant red clothing. He looked at Chu Yu anxiously and asked urgently, “Where is Rong Zhi?”

Hua Cuo had thought that Rong Zhi and Chu Yu had both died, and he was heartbroken. Although he felt little for Chu Yu, the mourning attire he wore was for Rong Zhi.

But now that Chu Yu had returned, not only had she come back, but she was unscathed from head to toe, without a single injury, which reignited boundless hope in Hua Cuo’s already cold heart: Did this mean that Rong Zhi, like her, was also safe and sound, alive and well?