Greetings, Ninth Uncle

Chapter 140: Death (II)

“What did you say?” Cheng Yujin glared. “Which part of Mingqian is fat? They are just growing up.”

“I was wrong.” Li Chengjing put the two ‘growing’ children on the couch and let them play alone. When he turned around, he saw the item Cheng Yujin had just retrieved from a box and asked, “What is that?”

Cheng Yujin sat on the side of the couch, held Li Chengjing’s hand, and tied the five-colored silk threads around his wrist.

“I remember it was on the day of the Dragon Boat Festival that I first learned about Ninth Uncle’s birthday. At that time, I had no time to prepare a gift, so I had no choice but to give you the five-colored silk thread I personally weaved. They say your birthday is ominous, but I don’t believe it.” Cheng Yujin tied a knot, then raised her head and said with a smile, “Alright. With this, Ninth Uncle will live until one hundred. Happy and blessed.”

The light was gentle, adding a soft layer inside the room. Li Chengjing looked at the smiling beauty in front of her and suddenly reminisced about the year he first met Cheng Yujin. The girl had just learned about his birthday, which fell on the Dragon Boat Festival. After a moment of surprise, she put a five-colored silk thread on his wrist, saying that the fifth month was just a month when many poisonous insects started to become active and had nothing to do with bad luck.

At the time, Li Chengjing could see that the thread was very exquisitely made. Since Cheng Yujin personally carried it with her, it must be the thing she originally made for herself.

Because the topic of the birthday came out abruptly, Cheng Yujin was totally unprepared, so she had no choice but to take out the thing she was carrying at the time. Unexpectedly, the five-colored thread became a red thread of marriage. Cheng Yujin not only gave him her blessing, but also herself.

Today was the re-enactment of a past scene, but the relationship between the two protagonists had totally changed. The Cheng Yujin at the time was still Li Chengjing’s niece in name, but she was now his wife, the mother of their two children.

Li Chengjing didn’t want to let go of Cheng Yujin’s hand. He grabbed her slender wrist and asked, “What about you and the little ones?”

“I’ve put it for them.” Cheng Yujin pointed, and sure enough, both Mingyue and Mingqian had a thin silk thread on their ankle.

Li Chengjing asked again, “What about yours? I remember you don’t like to wear it on your hand, so are you just carrying the thread with you?”

Cheng Yujin gave Li Chengjing a glance, but remained silent. Seeing this, he smiled: “Do you want me to find it?”

Facing Li Chengjing’s meaningful smile, Cheng Yujin had no choice but to take out the thread herself, “It’s too childish. I’m an adult now. Others will laugh if they see me wearing this on my hand.”

“You are still young. Why do you always sound so old-fashioned?” Li Chengjing took the thread and tied it around Cheng Yujin’s wrist. “You are indeed a child, so it’s just right for you to be childish.”

Cheng Yujin quickly retorted, “Your Highness is not that much older than me, right? Why do you always treat me like a child?”

Li Chengjing nodded seriously: “You are right. Maybe because I have been your uncle for too long, I cannot help but treat you as a younger generation.”

Cheng Yujin smiled angrily and was about to hit him, but Li Chengjing caught the incoming fist with ease. He took Cheng Yujin’s hand closer, admiring her slender wrist under the gentle light. The five-colored silk threads contrasted against her fair skin, lovely and gorgeous. “‘Beauty is like jade.’ Sure enough, the ancestors know better.”

Cheng Yujin tried to get free but failed twice. Li Chengjing’s eyes followed the outline of the slender hand, going upward until his gaze met the face of the beauty. Cheng Yujin was very meticulous during her post-partum recovery. Her waist and limbs were back to their original size, but her breasts and buttocks had grown in size. Her skin, which originally was already very fair, now had an additional softness of being a mother. Under the lantern, she was like fine porcelain, shining brightly with a charmful beauty.

Li Chengjing moved his hand and hugged Cheng Yujin’s waist. At the beginning of the pregnancy, both of them were very cautious and didn’t dare to take any risk, so they naturally had never done it even once. Later, Li Chengjing was sent to Jiangnan for several months, and Cheng Yujin gave birth not long after his return. Cheng Yujin’s delivery was not too smooth. Li Chengjing was afraid of hurting Cheng Yujin’s health and thus was very cautious in everything. It was not until three months later that the two carefully tried to do it once.

But it was at this time that the Yang family’s turmoil began. With things happened one after another, Li Chengjing was too busy, so they hadn’t done it again.

It had been too long. Today’s mood was perfect, and Li Chengjing was moved. He sighed helplessly, “Yujin — beautiful jade. You really live up to this name. A beautiful jade is flawless. If days in the future are like today, then I have nothing to ask for.”

Cheng Yujin was a little embarrassed, but seeing Li Chengjing’s serious look, she couldn’t help laughing, “If you want, just say so. Why do you have to find such a glorious reason to justify yourself?”

Li Chengjing also chuckled and pulled her closer: “Maybe I have been wearing this crown prince’s facade for so long it has become my habit.”

Li Chengjing was about to call the wetnurses to take Li Mingqian and Li Mingyue away when hurried footsteps suddenly sounded outside. The next moment, Liu Yi’s voice rang, “Your Highness, there is an urgent report.”

Cheng Yujin and Li Chengjing looked at each other: “What’s the matter?”

“Empress Dowager has passed away.”