Jinyi Spring

Feng Chuchen smiled and said, "Chuchen."

Xiao Wan was slightly taken aback, his eyes somewhat dazed, "Transcendent...? Floating away from the mortal world, untouched by dust... dust..."

She murmured the words a few times, then suddenly felt a pang in her heart, as if something deep within her stirred gently. The two words seemed to drift from a very distant place, veiled by a thin mist, indistinct yet strangely familiar.

"A good name. But why does this name sound so familiar, as if I've called it a million times?"

Feng Chuchen smiled. Her mother could not only dream of her past life, but also of fragments of memories from it. Those memories were like fragments, scattered deep within the dream world. Occasionally, a piece would surface, feeling familiar, yet she couldn't explain why.

Shui Chuchen was the name her mother gave her in her previous life, hoping that her daughter would float away from the world and remain untouched by worldly dust.

Grandpa said he didn't really like the name. While it has a poetic feel, it's too ethereal, and he's worried the child might not be able to handle it…

But my mother was very stubborn and just thought this name was good.

Feng Chuchen held her hand and smiled, “It’s the ‘Chu’ from ‘first bloom’ and the ‘Chen’ from ‘morning light’. My aunt said that when she found me, it was just as the morning light was just beginning to bloom, and the sun and moon were shining together, which was a good omen. So she named me that.”

To be fair, she also prefers the name "Chuchen".

“Chenchen, Chenchen! I see…” Xiao Wan nodded. “This name has a good meaning. Dr. Feng is very thoughtful. Alas, such a good person, yet we never had the chance to meet him.”

Her hand unconsciously touched the small red mole between her daughter's eyebrows, her fingertips gently caressing it, her gaze as tender as spring water under the sunlight.

"The day before I gave birth to you, I had a very strange dream," she said softly, her gaze drifting away, as if looking into a very, very distant place.

“I was wearing a strangely patterned floral dress and holding a little baby. The baby was so beautiful, and here,” she pointed to the mole, “it had a bright red cinnabar mole, and it was smiling at me, a smile that melted my heart.”

She paused, her voice lowering, "Just before I woke up, I had that dream again. In the dream, I didn't know what happened, but I couldn't go on living... But I couldn't bear to leave Chenchen. After hesitating for a long time, I still put the child in the crib and jumped off the high platform. As soon as I jumped, I regretted it. My daughter is so young, without her own mother, how can she go on living..."

As she spoke, tears fell again, dripping onto the pillow.

Feng Chuchen held her hand tightly, buried her head in the crook of her neck, and tears streamed down her face.

The mother came here, and she herself traveled through a thousand years; it was a two-way journey between mother and daughter.

She smiled and said, "I survived, and I've come here to find my mother."

Xiao Wan hugged his daughter tightly, resting his chin on the top of her head, his voice choked with emotion.

"Yes, it must be God taking pity on me, letting me see you in my dreams, remember your face, remember the mole on your face... so that the first time I saw you, I knew—this is my daughter. It's true, that little you, you have some of your current features."

The candlelight flickered, the light from the small window shone brightly, and the low murmurs inside continued until midnight.

Even on a cold winter night, I don't feel cold anymore.

The next day at the beginning of the morning, Feng Chuchen woke up as usual.

The candlestick was still lit.

She glanced contentedly at her sleeping mother; the tears and laughter of the previous night were more than all she had experienced in her past and present lives combined.

She quietly got up, dressed, and blew out the candle.

Stepping out of the bedroom, the antibiotics family and Ah Xuan were no longer there.

They should go into the mountains. They don't feel comfortable here because they can't shout and run freely.

Stepping out of the main house, a biting wind swept in, chilling to the bone. Only a few stars twinkled in the sky.

The night before the people is often the darkest.

Feng Chuchen looked towards the direction of Beijing.

I wonder how things are in the capital, and whether everything is going smoothly?
When Xiao Wan woke up, they gave her medicine, acupuncture, and massage.

Xiao Wan's mood had finally calmed down, and he had only just noticed Feng Chuchen's unusually high body temperature.

"Chenchen, are you not feeling well? Why are you so cold? It's not good for a young lady to be cold."

Feng Chuchen smiled and said, "Don't worry, Mother, I'm not sick. Ever since I learned how to use the magic acupuncture, my body temperature has been a little lower than normal, it's nothing to worry about."

She repeated Master Yu Hui's predictions again.

After listening, Xiao Hao's expression became serious. "Master Yu Hui is an enlightened monk, and his words cannot be wrong. He said that you should be paired with a person of extreme yang, so you must be a person of extreme yang."

She suddenly remembered something, and her eyes lit up. "Ming Shanyue is an extremely yang person. His name was given by Master Yuhui to balance his 'yang'. He also said that his destiny is extremely yang and he needs to be paired with an extremely yin woman to be complete."

Xiao Wan smiled gently, her eyes filled with anticipation and satisfaction. "You two are destined for each other. Is there really such a mysterious thing in the world? Shan Yue's character is impeccable, and the elders of the Ming family are kind and honest people. I'm at ease knowing you're marrying him."

Feng Chuchen didn't mince words and readily admitted, "Yes, Brother Ming told me that Master Yuhui personally told him that I am his destined one."

Xiao Wan was even more delighted, "It's all thanks to Shan Yue's grandmother being the Princess of Changning. If it weren't for that status, given Empress Dowager Xue's temperament, this marriage would probably have been a huge mess."

She had heard Feng Chuchen mention his suspicions about Empress Dowager Xue, and with so many things connected, she already understood about 70-80% of it.

That old lady wasn't as kind as she seemed.

He had always praised her, yet she was wicked. He had cursed Dr. Cai for over a decade, yet she was the benefactor of the mother and daughter.

Her gaze fell on her daughter's pale, almost bloodless face. She reached out and grasped her cold hand, saying with heartache, "These magic needles must be taking a toll on your body. Getting married sooner and uniting yin and yang will help you recover."

She thought for a moment and then said, "I will tell Shanyue or the elders of the Ming family when I see them."

Feng Chuchen nodded, not shy at all, "I don't want to stay in the palace for long either. Once I leave the palace, I can take my younger brother with me."

When the child was mentioned, Xiao Wan's eyes softened. "I really want to meet that child."

Feng Chuchen smiled and said, "There will always be a chance."

The two then started chatting about everyday things.

Feng Chuchen's childhood was lighthearted and carefree, with occasional moments of sadness. She would also talk about Prince Qin, praising his handsome looks, talent, and filial piety, and how he and Princess Qin now lived a harmonious life together.

Then there's Xiao Wan's past at her maternal home, the doting love of her parents and brothers, and the happy times she spent with the three Ming brothers and the four Shangguan siblings when she was young.

There was no specific mention of Ming Changqing, but whenever the Ming brothers were mentioned, the light in Xiao Wan's eyes would always shine brighter.

She didn't mention the heavy past she had experienced after marrying into the palace, only briefly mentioning Empress Dowager Xue's character. Neither the Emperor nor Consort Xue brought it up, unwilling to spoil their good mood.

Both of them knew that such warm moments together were rare and must be cherished. (End of Chapter)