The Young Master Becomes a Wife Chapter 74 Part 1

Chapter 74: Hopes and Wishes

Xie Huan immediately stopped his movements, signaled Mu Chongyan to be silent, and then called out loudly to the person outside.

The voice that came from outside was familiar to Xie Huan, it was a young maid specially arranged by Yan Jingshu to serve him. The maid had heard movement inside the room, knew Xie Huan was awake, and had come to deliver water for washing and other items.

Xie Huan had Mu Chongyan hide in the inner room, then opened the door himself to let the maid enter. After Xie Huan finished washing, he saw the young maid out, and then an older woman arrived carrying a large food box with breakfast.

Xie Huan didn't pay much attention at first, but when the woman took the breakfast items out of the food box and arranged them on the table, including two sets of bowls and chopsticks, he was momentarily stunned.

While he was still processing this, the woman quietly withdrew. Mu Chongyan came out from the inner room, raised an eyebrow at the two sets of bowls and chopsticks on the table, and the corners of his mouth twitched as if he wanted to smile, but he held it back upon seeing Xie Huan's expression.

Seeing that the situation had already developed to this point, Xie Huan no longer insisted on urging Mu Chongyan to leave immediately. He allowed Mu Chongyan to lead him by the hand to sit at the table, accepted the chopsticks pressed into his hand, and mechanically ate a breakfast that was utterly tasteless, as if he were chewing wax.

After the meal, Mu Chongyan no longer had any reason to stay, nor did he dare to. He left quickly. Xie Huan sat motionless in his chair for a long time before finally getting up and walking towards Yan Jingshu's courtyard.

Yan Jingshu was somewhat surprised by Xie Huan's visit, and then, thinking of something, his own expression became somewhat unnatural. He eventually dismissed all the servants waiting on them, seeming like he had something to say.

Seeing this, Xie Huan grew increasingly nervous.

Yan Jingshu poured tea for Xie Huan. He wanted to ask how Xie Huan had slept and if he felt any discomfort from the hangover, but recalling the maid's report from the previous night, he felt it might imply something else and wasn't appropriate to ask, so he swallowed the words. Having failed to voice his intended opening, he found himself momentarily at a loss for how to begin what followed.

Unusually, father and son sat opposite each other in simultaneous silence.

"Dad…"

"Shu'er…"

A short while later, they both spoke at the same time. Yan Jingshu, being the junior, stopped and gestured for Xie Huan to speak first, but Xie Huan said, "You go first."

Meeting Xie Huan's gentle gaze, Yan Jingshu pressed his lips together. His previously hesitant and conflicted heart suddenly settled. After a moment of silence, he looked up at Xie Huan and slowly spoke the words in his heart, "Dad, I hope you can be happy. If you have someone you care for, no matter who that person is, be it the Prince of Chuxiang, another man, woman, or shuang'er, I have no objections. As long as you like them, I will be happy for you too."

"Shu'er…" Upon hearing this, Xie Huan knew Yan Jingshu had indeed misunderstood that something had happened between him and Mu Chongyan last night. He wanted to explain, but looking into Yan Jingshu's eyes that seemed to see through everything, he opened his mouth only to find his throat blocked as if by something, unable to speak.

He wanted to say he was happier now than he had ever been in his life, that he had no intention of finding anyone else, and that he only wished to watch over Yan Jingshu and their family, living a quiet life for the rest of his days. But seeing the full hope and wish in Yan Jingshu's smiling eyes, these words could not be spoken.

The events of last night seemed to need no further explanation. After a long silence, Xie Huan curved the corners of his mouth slightly, his eyes glistening with moisture, his voice clear and soft as he said to Yan Jingshu, "Dad understands."

Yan Jingshu was, after all, the junior. If he hadn't been afraid that Xie Huan might hold back due to consideration for him, he wouldn't have rashly said those things. Now that he had finally said them, it felt like a heavy burden had been lifted from his heart.

Xie Huan still had to go to the Commandery Prince of Rui's residence to teach the imperial grandson, so he didn't stay for very long afterwards. He got up and left not long after.

After personally seeing Xie Huan off and watching the carriage carrying Xie Huan depart into the distance, Yan Jingshu returned to his room and let out a long, deep sigh.

Heaven knew how much he had wanted to rush over last night when the young maid reported that the Prince of Chuxiang was in Xie Huan's room, to drive that scoundrel out of their home. But when Jiang Chenghan accompanied him to the entrance of the small courtyard where Xie Huan lived, he stopped.

Along the way, the slightly cool night breeze of mid-autumn slowly extinguished the anger in his heart, allowing him to gradually calm down.

With reason restored, Yan Jingshu understood in his heart that this was ultimately a matter between Xie Huan and Mu Chongyan. Moreover, if he were to barge in directly, the one who would be most embarrassed would be Xie Huan.

Thinking this, he could no longer move his feet forward. In the end, he did not go in but turned around and went back. However, even so, he asked Jiang Chenghan to have someone keep an eye on Xie Huan's courtyard and inform him immediately if Mu Chongyan left.

As it turned out, he waited late into the night yesterday but never received news of Mu Chongyan's departure. He finally couldn't stay awake any longer and fell asleep. When he woke up the next day, Jiang Chenghan informed him that Mu Chongyan had stayed in Xie Huan's room the entire night and had never left.

Aside from being shocked, Yan Jingshu also suddenly understood that Xie Huan's feelings towards Mu Chongyan were not as indifferent as he himself had claimed—at the very least, he wasn't particularly resistant. Otherwise, he definitely could have driven him out rather than letting him stay in his room overnight.

Although he hadn't lived with Xie Huan when he was young, their years of correspondence had still made them very close, especially after Xie Huan turned out to be his biological father. While he was overjoyed that his uncle was his biological father and that he wasn't despised by his parents, he also felt great heartache for the hardships Xie Huan had endured over the years.

Especially when he saw Xie Huan alone and solitary, Yan Jingshu sincerely hoped that Xie Huan could have a considerate person by his side, so that his future days could be comfortable and happy, even if that person was Mu Chongyan.

However, although he had been mentally prepared for this, he hadn't expected the day to come so quickly. And Mu Chongyan was different from Xie Huan—asking him to call Mu Chongyan 'Father' was something he truly found difficult to say for the time being.