Chapter 222: Reunion (Part 1)
Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations
Liu Sanniang quickly avoided his gaze. Her heart beat faster, and it felt like she had survived a disaster.
After eating the noodles, Chu Yan sent Liu Sanniang back to her room to rest.
Liu Sanniang slept very well that night. After absorbing Lu Ranran’s power, in the future, her power would erupt when her emotions were extreme.
Liu Sanniang used her power to create a beautiful dream for Su Qiong.
The pain Su Qiong suffered was no less than the pain Sun Yarou had suffered at that time. A warm and beautiful dream could soothe and heal her wounded heart.
Su Qiong changed her clothes and stayed by Lu Run’s side. The child had a high fever and fell asleep after drinking the medicine. Su Qiong sat on the edge of the bed and stared at Lu Run without blinking, afraid that he would disappear in the blink of an eye.
Lu Run was thin. Su Qiong’s eyes turned red as she thought about it. She grabbed Lu Run’s hand and kissed it. After being on tenterhooks for so many days, she finally had time to relax, and gradually fell asleep beside Lu Run.
Su Qiong had a dream. In the dream, she was looking at the account book in the study. From time to time, she would hear the sound of someone reading.
After looking at the account book for a while, she stood up and walked out. In the pavilion in the courtyard, a young man in a white brocade robe looked at her and smiled warmly. “Mother, did my reading disturb you?”
Su Qiong walked over and shook her head. “No, I just wanted to come out to see you.”
The young man held Su Qiong’s arm, his smiling eyes dazzling. He kept talking, making Su Qiong feel warm in her heart.
She just wanted to hear him talk about his life. The young man seemed to know what was on her mind, so he kept on describing things about his life to her.
When the maidservants came over and saw this scene, they left silently without disturbing them.
While dreaming, Su Qiong smiled, and so did Lu Run.
When Su Qiong woke up, she grabbed Lu Run’s hand and looked at him gently. “Lu Run, can you forgive me?”
Lu Run opened his eyes and smiled at Su Qiong. “Mother, do you already know everything?”
Su Qiong’s eyes turned red. “You…”
Su Qiong’s heart tightened. Lu Run had long known that he was not Concubine Yun’s biological son. When did he find out? Why didn’t he say anything?
Lu Run smiled. “Mother, can I call you mother now?”
Su Qiong nodded repeatedly with tears in her eyes.
Lu Run continued. “Four years ago, on the night of Second Sister’s birthday, I saw Concubine Yun and Second Sister in the garden. Second Sister addressed her as Mother and asked her how long she would have to wait. At that time, I was extremely afraid. I didn’t know if Second Sister mistook her for you, or if I heard it wrong. It was only when Concubine Yun called Second Sister as Daughter and told her to act as weakly as possible that I realized that I wasn’t Concubine Yun’s son.”
“At that time, I understood that the reason why Concubine Yun didn’t like me was that I wasn’t her son. I understood that it wasn’t an accident that I fell ill so many times. Ever since then, I couldn’t sleep well at night. Many times, I saw Concubine Yun enter my room. She pushed open the window and let the cold winter wind blow at me. Many times, she held the knife, raised it, hesitated, and put it down.”
“I didn’t dare move. I had to wait for her to leave and quietly close the window. I waited until dawn before opening it again. I knew that if I wasn’t careful, I would die.”
Lu Run said calmly as if he was telling someone else’s story.
Su Qiong wanted to ask why he didn’t tell her.
However, she couldn’t bring herself to ask it because she knew that even if Lu Run told her about it back then, she wouldn’t have believed it. Instead, it would get him killed by Concubine Yun.
He was already bearing so much at such a young age.
Su Qiong did not dare to look into Lu Run’s eyes. She lowered her head. “I’m sorry, Lu Run. I’m sorry.”
Lu Run smiled. “Mother, I don’t blame you.”
Su Qiong sobbed.
Lu Run added. “Mother, if you feel that you owe something to me, then spend more time with Eldest Sister and me in the future. Eldest Sister isn’t happy either. I once saw Second Sister pouring water for Eldest Sister, but when Eldest Sister was about to take it, Second Sister deliberately spilled the water on her body. This way, you’ll scold Eldest Sister.”
Lu Ranran had done little tricks like that many times.
Su Qiong felt terrible when she thought of how she had been scolding Lu Qingqing over the years.
She thought that Lu Ranran was innocent, but she was not innocent at all. She had long known her identity, but still pretended to be weak. She and her mother, Concubine Yun, were extremely wicked.
Su Qiong was choked with emotions as she apologized. “Lu Run, I’m sorry.”
She was sorry. Apologizing didn’t really mean much, but other than that, she didn’t know what else she could say.
Lu Run smiled. “I have never blamed you. I know that you were also deceived and were living in the dark. In the past few years, I have been very happy to be able to come to the main courtyard to read books.”
Su Qiong closed her eyes with tears streaming down her face. She did not like Lu Shiming’s concubines, so she naturally could not like his illegitimate children. She was just pretending to be nice to Lu Run.
Of course, Lu Run knew that, but at the same time, he looked forward to the day when he could reunite with his mother even if that day might never come.
This time, his fever was very strange. When Concubine Yun took him away, he had a bad feeling. When he was thrown into the abandoned well, his mouth was gagged and his hands were tied. He was very afraid.
It was raining, and the water in the abandoned well gradually reached his mouth. He could feel death approaching, but he did not want to give up. He tried his best to stand on his tiptoes and raise his head. As long as the water was not above his head, he still had hope.
When the voice looking for him drew closer, he felt even more hopeful. After the lid was finally removed, he saw the bright torch light and Su Qiong’s worried expression. He opened his mouth and called out softly with a smile. “Mother.”