Chapter 283

Chapter 283 Xie Run's smile carried a hint of playfulness, which eased the tension that had been weighing on Prince Jing's nerves. Prince Jing chuckled lightly. "Go on, I won't be angry." Xie Run studied Prince Jing as she spoke: "I used to think Your Highness led a carefree and leisurely life—either out drinking and chatting with friends, or returning to the residence to enjoy warmth and comfort..." Prince Jing raised an eyebrow. "From the sound of it, you make me out to be some idle, good-for-nothing playboy?" Xie Run blinked innocently and took the opportunity to lean into Prince Jing's embrace. "How could that be? That was my ignorance." "Your Highness did say you wouldn't be angry!" Prince Jing smiled. "Continue!" Xie Run continued: "It wasn't until that night that I realized Your Highness is the sky of this residence, and also its anchor." "As long as Your Highness is here, we concubines need not worry about the swords and arrows outside, nor about the safety of the residence." "In the places we cannot see, Your Highness has shielded us from countless storms, allowing me to have this place to call home." A surge of pride swelled in Prince Jing's chest at the praise. He held Xie Run's hand. "Take good care of your health. We still have a long future ahead." Hearing this, Xie Run's eyes curved with a smile. After soothing Prince Jing, Xie Run went to see her son. Standing to the side, she said to Zihu: "It's only been a few days, but I feel like he's grown so much. Though when I really think about it, nothing much has changed." Just as she finished speaking, Taotao stumbled toward Xie Run, reaching out both hands and calling out, "Mother!" "Come, let Mother hold you." Xie Run crouched down to pick him up, but Zihu cautioned from the side, "Mistress, you've been ill for days—you may not have much strength..." Before she could finish, Xie Run had already picked up Taotao and tumbled to the ground with him. Mother and son stared at each other. Before Xie Run could say anything, Taotao burst into delighted laughter, then stood up and threw himself into Xie Run's arms. Xie Run: "..." This ungrateful little thing! Zihu helped Xie Run to her feet, while Taotao clung to Xie Run's leg, calling out "Mother" persistently. It softened Xie Run's heart completely. "I've never seen you this clingy before. What's gotten into you? Turned into a little barnacle?" "Unfortunately, Mother doesn't have the strength to hold you right now." Xie Run thought to herself that she'd need to eat two extra bowls of rice at dinner, or she'd have no energy at all. As mother and son chatted and laughed, Xie Run turned her head and saw Prince Jing standing behind the beaded curtain. There seemed to be warmth in his eyes, yet also a complexity that Xie Run couldn't quite read. Only after Zihu picked Taotao up and set him on the couch to play did Prince Jing push aside the curtain and enter. "Your Highness..." Xie Run had barely spoken when she heard Prince Jing say in a deep voice, "Third Brother is gone." Xie Run's breath caught, and she instinctively grasped Prince Jing's hand. "Your Highness... please accept my condolences." Prince Jing gripped her hand in return, with such force that he nearly crushed her bones. He was silent for a long moment before saying, "You are good. And you've raised the child well!" Xie Run lowered her eyes, appearing gentle and obedient. After a moment, she said, "Why don't you go play with Taotao for a while?" "He hasn't played with you in a long time." Prince Jing gave a slight nod but didn't move. Ever since learning to walk, Taotao didn't like staying on the couch. When Zihu set him down on it, he struggled to climb off. He had become quite adept at getting down, and once on the floor, he walked toward Xie Run. Probably not expecting a pair of legs to suddenly appear before him, he tilted his head back, trying hard to see Prince Jing's face. Because of his posture, he was top-heavy and nearly toppled backward. Prince Jing instinctively reached out to steady him, and the next moment, he heard Taotao call out in a crisp, clear voice: "Father!" The sound was filled with joy, like a sparrow on a spring branch. Hearing that call of "Father," Prince Jing's face immediately broke into a broad smile, and he scooped Taotao up with one arm. "Come, Father will take you to play!" Taotao kicked his legs excitedly in all directions, leaving two footprints on Prince Jing's robes. Prince Jing didn't mind at all. Zihu looked at Xie Run in bewilderment. "Mistress, this..." "Just follow along. Let His Highness have some joy." Though the Third Young Master had been born premature, he had been raised well. Prince Jing often visited to see him and shared a genuine father-son bond with the boy. Now that he was suddenly gone, Prince Jing must be hurting inside. Letting Taotao play with him might help ease some of that pain. Though Xie Run found the idea somewhat far-fetched, human nature was what it was. She asked the person beside her, "Is Side Consort Fang still kneeling in the front courtyard?" The person who had been gathering information nodded. "Mistress, this servant thinks it's going to rain soon." Xie Run also looked up at the sky. "Spring brings much rain, and it's been falling on and off these past few days... I wonder if this rain might win Fang Yuan'er a bit of Prince Jing's pity." Xie Run didn't know exactly how Wan Linlang had died. But she was certain that the two of them had been scheming against each other in Qiangwu. Now that Wan Linlang was dead, it seemed Fang Yuan'er had come out on top. But what had actually happened remained unknown. There were likely many details Xie Run didn't know about in between. That day, the rain came fast and hard. Prince Jing had only been playing outside with Taotao for a short while when raindrops the size of beans came pouring down. They ran quickly, barely avoiding being soaked through by the rain. The more it rained, the happier Taotao became, clapping his little hands together, his laughter filling the corridor. Hearing this, Prince Jing couldn't help but laugh heartily as well. Only Dantao and Xiaoshu on the side looked worried, afraid that Taotao might catch a chill and fall ill. They wanted to suggest changing Taotao's clothes but didn't dare. It was Xie Run who stepped forward and felt Taotao's collar, confirming he was fine, before chiding gently, "Your Highness only cared about shielding Taotao, not even noticing that you're soaked yourself." Prince Jing was in high spirits. "This boy has a good temperament. One day I'll take him to the palace to meet the Imperial Father!" Xie Run felt nothing at this, only urging Prince Jing, "Your Highness, please go inside and change your clothes first." "There are already two people sick in the residence. Your Highness shouldn't add to that number." Hearing this, Prince Jing carried Taotao inside. Xie Run instructed, "Go prepare hot water and help His Highness change." Prince Jing was overflowing with paternal affection today, even bringing Taotao along for his bath. The father and son had a wonderful time, but it was the attendants serving them who suffered. Xie Run wasn't one to meddle in everything; as long as nothing major happened, she let them be. The maidservants, however, had their eyes wide open, afraid that something might go wrong. Xiaoshu quietly slipped in and whispered in her ear, "Mistress, I've sent someone to inquire. Side Consort Fang is still kneeling in the front courtyard." "A plea for sympathy?" Xie Run's face showed little expression upon hearing this. She raised her eyes toward where Prince Jing and Taotao were, and suddenly found it all quite ironic. Fang Yuan'er had just lost her son, and now she had to kneel in the heavy rain, begging Prince Jing, hoping only for a shred of his pity. Yet Prince Jing had run off to Spring Mountain Courtyard to enjoy family bliss with another son. Xie Run and Fang Yuan'er could be considered enemies. Now that Fang Yuan'er had met such a miserable end, Xie Run, as her enemy and a beneficiary of her downfall, should have been happy. But was she happy? Xie Run couldn't feel happiness—she just felt... hollow. Quite hollow.