Started as a thatched house and ended up as a female figure

The soles of Cheng Wan's boots tapped on the bluestone slabs with rapid and dense sounds. His hands unconsciously wrinkled his cuffs until the dark figure came into his sight, and then his fingertips suddenly loosened their grip.

"Ah Wan, we are back."

Gu Yan smiled, his eye sockets slightly sunken, his eyelashes cast tiny shadows under his eyes, but his pupils looked even darker, like black jade frozen in a deep pool. The heroic spirit that was honed on the battlefield in the past has now turned into a sickly look.

Cheng Wan's gaze was like being attracted by a magnet, fixed on Gu Yan. She had many questions to ask.

Why are you back?

How is your recovery going?

After all the hard travel, have your injuries gotten worse?

......

Thousands of words finally came down to three words: "I'm back."

Gu Yan's Adam's apple rolled violently, making a dry swallowing sound, and the heat surging in his eyes almost burned the person in front of him.

Thin.

Lost weight again.

Is it because the injuries on your body haven’t healed yet?

Still didn’t eat well?

Is the food prepared by the chef in your house not to your liking?

I have dark circles under my eyes.

He must have stayed up late studying for the imperial examination.

......

Gu Yan wanted to call Cheng Wan's nickname again, but found that the tip of his tongue felt heavy as if it was frozen, and only his fingertips trembled uncontrollably.

"Yes, we are back."

Cheng Wan and Gu Yan's eyes met in the air, and the two of them looked at each other quietly and greedily, until a childish voice of "Wanwan" broke the evening breeze and opened up this space.

"Late night!"

Gu Yu, who was taken by Shao Qing to pee, let go of Shao Qing's hand the moment he saw Cheng Wan, and ran towards Cheng Wan on his short legs.

Cheng Wan curved his eyebrows, half squatted down and opened his arms, watching Gu Yu smash into his arms like a small cannonball.

The baby buried his soft face with a milky scent in Cheng Wan's neck, calling out "Wanwan", "Wanwan" over and over again... as if he wanted to express his longing for Cheng Wan through the sound of "Wanwan".

Cheng Wan hugged Gu Yu's small body, and suddenly felt a sour feeling on the tip of his nose.

"Let me see, have you lost weight?"

The little kid finally stopped calling "Wanwan". Cheng Wan blinked twice quickly, holding back the moisture in her eyes, and let go of Gu Yu to carefully observe the little kid's condition.

The little face is white, tender and chubby, the pair of big eyes are bright and there is a sense of comfort and happiness between the brows.

Cheng Wan lowered his gaze.

The little belly is back.

Cheng Wan reached out and gently scratched the tip of Gu Yu's nose, and said with a smile: "Sui Sui takes good care of herself, that's great!"

Gu Yu raised his chubby little chin, his arm still around Cheng Wan's neck: "I remember everything you said to me before you left. I eat well and sleep well every day! I also supervise my uncle and uncle Shaoqing to eat well!"

Cheng Wan glanced at Gu Yan and Shao Qing, who had smiles on their faces, then lowered his head and gave Gu Yu a hard kiss on the cheek.

“We are so awesome!”

Gu Yu chuckled, revealing his neat and white teeth.

Old Mrs. Lin and others who had already arrived nearby but didn't want to disturb the gathering atmosphere saw that it was almost time, so they gathered around.

For Old Lady Lin and others, there is only one issue that they are most concerned about.

Gu Yan's body.

"I'm really fine now." Gu Yan supported Old Lady Lin, his eyes and eyebrows were gentle: "If it weren't for the imperial physician's permission, I wouldn't be able to come back. Grandma, uncle, aunt, don't worry too much."

How can you not worry?

My own child was injured so badly that his life was even on the line.

Especially since the injury was inflicted on another child of his own.

Unless Gu Yan's body recovers completely, it will be impossible for Old Lady Lin and others to completely let go.

"Why don't you go to Huai'an or something, recover from your injuries in that county town and come back?

Look at how pale your face is. You must have suffered a lot along the way, right?

Have you brought all your medicines?

"And the imperial physician? Did the imperial physician who was responsible for treating your injury come with you?"

Old Mrs. Lin touched Gu Yan's protruding wrist bone, her eyes full of heartache and anxiety.

Old Mrs. Lin's question was also what Wang and others, and even Cheng Wan wanted to ask.

Gu Yan looked around at the people standing here, chuckled, and said in a hoarse voice: "Sui Sui misses home, and I miss home too."

I miss home...

Old Mrs. Lin couldn't hold back her tears, and they streamed down her cheeks.

And sobbing sounds of different tones were heard in the hall.

Cheng Wan buried her face in Gu Yu's neck, tears silently flowing out of her eyes.

"I miss home..." Old Lady Lin patted Gu Yan's arm and sobbed, "You've been away from home for a long time, how can you not miss home? It's better to go home. This time when you go home, you won't leave, okay?"

Gu Yan nodded obediently, his voice trembling: "I'm not leaving, grandma, I'm not leaving."

"Good! Good! Good!"

Old Mrs. Lin held Gu Yan's hand and said "OK" three times in a row.

After saying that, Old Lady Lin seemed to suddenly remember something, turned her head and shouted, "Tell the kitchen staff to prepare it quickly, we will have a reunion dinner tonight!"

After giving instructions to the servants, Old Lady Lin turned her head and looked at Xu Zhinian: "Niannian, please stay at home for dinner tonight. I'll have someone bring your parents and your younger brother over as well."

Xu Zhinian naturally responded.

It was already dark, and the gilded animal-head candlesticks in the Cheng Mansion's dining room were burning brightly. The exquisite dishes on the table were emitting a variety of aromas. As Old Lady Lin sat down at the top, Cheng Wan and others took their seats one after another.

Old Mrs. Lin didn't pick up her chopsticks. She looked at this person, then that person, and finally glanced at the people at the table.

"Okay." Old Mrs. Lin said "Okay" again.

Cheng Wan keenly noticed that Mrs. Lin's eyes were red again.

"Eat, eat!"

After saying that, Old Mrs. Lin smiled and started to eat with her chopsticks. The smile in her wrinkles was filled with satisfaction and relief.

Cheng Wan lowered his eyes.

After going through so much, they can still sit together and have a reunion dinner.

very nice.

Gu Yu's small wooden chair was beside Cheng Wan. The kid stared at the golden shortbread on the table and drooled. But when he saw Cheng Wan adding lotus seeds to Gu Yan's bowl, he followed suit and scooped out a candied red date with a spoon, tremblingly putting it to Cheng Wan's mouth: "Eat it, Wan Wan!"

Cheng Wan opened her mouth with a smile, but out of the corner of her eye she saw Gu Yan fiddling with the ginseng slices in the bowl with a celadon spoon, his knuckles a sickly pale blue.

These hands that used to be able to hold a bow and a sword, now seem too weak to even hold a key.

Cheng Wan bit down on the candied red date, the sweetness spread on the tip of his tongue, but it was not as strong as the sourness in his eyes.

When Gu Yu saw her eat it, he contentedly swung his little feet to reach for the biscuits, and his little belly rubbed against the edge of the table, making a rustling sound.

Old Lady Lin added a spoonful of yam and pork ribs soup to Gu Yan's bowl and said, "Drink more hot soup to warm your stomach."

Wang then picked up a piece of steamed sea bass with chopsticks, having already picked out all the bones: "This fish is fresh, try it."

Gu Yan lowered his eyes and looked at the mountain of dishes in the bowl, the celadon spoon drawing tiny ripples on the soup.

He suddenly reached out and held Cheng Wan's hand as she tried to add more lotus seeds: "Ah Wan," Gu Yan called softly, his voice as hoarse as warm water: "Don't bother, eat some yourself."