Sweet Wife in My Arms

After getting chased out, Lu Jin watched his mouth and watched enviously as Ye Shuyun carried his grandsons, one on each hand. She forbade him from helping, and denied all his attempts at small talk.

Granny Ye guided the two children, who stumbled along, into the washroom and shut the door. All Lu Jin could do was stare and watch, feeling lonely and unwanted.

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How could they treat him like this, when he rarely comes home?!

Old Master Lu walked out of the room with his great-granddaughter sitting in his arms. He was in fine feather; he had been teaching Xunxun how to read. The little girl was just too small, too precious, and too adorable!

Lu Jin rubbed his hands together.

“Dad…”

Before he could finish his sentence or take a good look at Xunxun, Old Master Lu had carried her off into the room.

“Let’s ignore that idiot, alright, Xunxun? Great-grandpa will play with you,” cooed Old Master Lu blithely.

Lu Jin: “…”

Soon, Ye Shuyun emerged with his grandsons, one in each hand. Lu Jin rushed forward to give her a hand.

But neither of the twins paid him any attention.

“Good job, sweeties! Let’s ignore that idiot and let him play with himself,” encouraged Ye Shuyun.

Lu Jin felt so out of place he could have died.

At night, when Lu Yi came back from work, Ye Shuyun brought Xunxun out of the room. Xunxun stretched out her arms expectantly, waiting for her father to lift her into his arms.

Lu Yi obliged and stroked her dainty face. He Yibin told him that Xunxun might develop a fever after getting vaccinated, and that would be normal. But Xunxun wasn’t as healthy as other children, so he couldn’t help but worry.

One day had passed since then, and thankfully the little girl appeared to be healthy and energetic.

“Good girl,” praised Lu Yi as he lifted Xunxun up and put her on his lap. “Be brave, alright? Be brave like Mama.”

Xunxun blinked and beamed. Two sweet dimples formed on her cheeks; she wasn’t usually this generous with her smiles.

“You should smile more. Look at how cute you are right now,” said Lu Yi, giving Xunxun’s cheeks a slight pinch. “Don’t be like me and your brothers. A child shouldn’t be so gloomy.”

As soon as he touched Xunxun’s face, Ye Shuyun pulled her back and began examining her granddaughter’s tender cheeks.

“Don’t pinch her! You’ll hurt her!”

Xunxun was a girl; no harm could come to her pretty face.

Ye Shuyun prized her daughter’s dainty face that looked so much like her mother. She would be beautiful when she grows up. How could she not when her mother was the best actress in the world? Thank goodness the girl looked like her mother and not her father. Ye Shuyun might cry if she inherited her father’s manly looks.

Before long, Xunxun was rubbing her eyes sleepily, so Ye Shuyun let the nannies tuck her in. Once Xunxun sleeps, the other two would sleep as well.

That was good, since she had something to discuss with Lu Yi.

“Lu Yi. I want to ask you something,” she said as she sat down beside him.

 Lu Yi gave her his attention. These days, he seemed to have grown more taciturn and less smiley. His own children weren’t scared of him, which was good, but other children might cry in his gloomy presence.

Ye Shuyun sighed. “It has been almost a year since Huanhuan’s disappearing, hasn’t it?”

“Yes,” replied Lu Yi coolly. “Nearly a year indeed. The weather then was similar to the weather now. Another winter has passed, and spring is coming soon.”

Ye Shuyun found the rest of the words hard to say, for she knew they would stab into her son’s heart like daggers.

“Your Aunt Wang wants to set you up on a blind date. She’s a nice girl, and from the military too…”

She didn’t go on, but Lu Yi understood.

He had heard these lines countless times before meeting Yan Huan.

But was this the right time to say it?

“I can see what you are getting at, Mom,” said Lu Yi. He wasn’t stupid; he knew what she wanted him to do, but the answer was no, and he wished she would stop mentioning it. “I won’t remarry, Mom. Three children is enough for me.”

Yes. Three children was enough. Even without them, he wouldn’t have remarried anyway. A stepmother would only make him drift apart from his own children. Besides, he won’t allow any woman to hurt their children.

“But…” Ye Shuyun sighed again. “You are still so young. Are you sure about this?”

“I am,” said Lu Yi. He looked out of the window at the city lights coming to life in the reposeful night.

“Mom. The thought of marrying another woman has not, and will never cross my mind. It’s only been a year, Mom. Have you forgotten about everything?” he winced. His heart, liver and all that made up him was starting to hurt. “Did she ever think about marrying another man when I was lost in the flood?”

Ye Shuyun had no replies.

Yan Huan never did. Back then, she had tried convincing Yan Huan to remarry, just like now, but Yan Huan never consented. If Lu Yi never came back, Yan Huan would probably have spent the rest of her life alone, reminiscing about her times with Lu Yi, until the day she draws her last breath.

If Yan Huan had caved in and remarried, Lu Yi’s life would have been changed forever, and the three poor children would never have come to life.

Ye Shuyun seemed to understand something; between the two of them, there was no room for one more, and too much pain for one less.

And so she gave up. Forget it, let him decide for himself. She still had her grandchildren to take care of. The children were constantly growing and changing. She didn’t have to think about anything else; her duty was to protect these children.

After Ye Shuyun left, Lu Yi stood up and walked to the French window. He peeled the curtain open and gazed absently at the starry sky.

Countless stars adorned the brilliant night sky. Sea City hasn’t seen a sky this bright in a long time.