The Rise of Xueyue

"Is Auntie Huabing coming as well?!" Yu Chenjiang eagerly added on. He liked the gentle aunt of his who always came with large chests of toys and presents for him.

"Yes, she will," Li Xueyue responded.

She couldn't help but smile at the thought of Li Chenyang and Ning Huabing. She had always known the latter was deeply in love with Li Chenyang. She was just surprised the feelings were finally reciprocated. Supposedly, they had a dramatic love story in Wuyi whilst she was occupied with her life as an Empress.

Something about Ning Huabing growing tired of the chase, so she accepted the hand of a suitor her father arranged, only for Li Chenyang to suddenly become the chaser, deeply pursuing her after realizing all of her efforts to pursue him.

Or so, Li Wenmin had dramatically told her during his last visit. Li Chenyang would not divulge a single detail and Ning Huabing had been either distracted by the Yu children or her own daughter.

"And what about Auntie Xingfei?" Yu Chenjiang shouted, as he nearly fell out of his father's arms because he had been moving around too much.

Li Xueyue's smile widened. She could not believe the twist of events in Li Wenmin's life. When she found out he had gotten married, she was dumbstruck. It was as if the rugs were yanked from underneath her. It wasn't that she had expected him to never get married, but she didn't think his wife would be so similar to him!

"She's the only one with an appetite as big as you, Mama! And she always brings us the best snacks from Wuyi!" Yu Minqi added on, also wanting to know if Auntie Xingfei was coming.

Li Xueyue laughed. Her children had an appetite as big as hers. It was something that surprised Yu Zhen. When she was pregnant with her children, she inhaled food like it was water. Maybe that was how her children grew so tall and strong.

"Auntie Xingfei will definitely be there," Li Xueyue chuckled. She could still remember her days in Wuyi, when she was residing within the Li Manor.

At that time, the family was having a meal, when Li Wenmin had brought up the story of a soldier who challenged him to an eating competition. It was with pure skill that she had beat the gluttonous Li Wenmin. Everyone thought she was a male, until she finally took off her helmet the next day, revealing a beautiful woman underneath.

Li Xueyue was surprised to hear of their love story, which was quite adorable in her eyes. At that time, Liu Xingfei wanted nothing to do with the General, but eventually, through his persistence, she had fallen in love with Li Wenmin.

"What are you thinking about, Sunshine?" Yu Zhen mused. His gaze briefly flickered from his daughter who had wandered towards one of the flower bushes, and then back to his wife who had a fond smile on her face.

"Just how interesting life plays out before us," Li Xueyue said with a sigh. "If someone had told me a decade ago, I would live such a pleasant life, where all of my loved ones are happy, then I would not believe them."

Li Xueyue turned her face towards him. "But now that I have witnessed it with my eyes, I have finally found a life worth living."

"Oh? And what is that life?"

"The one with you, Xiao Qi, Xiao Jiang, Mother, Father, Chenyang, and Wenmin," Li Xueyue answered with resolute.

"Are you certain?"

Li Xueyue laughed a bit. She placed a hand upon her large belly. "And the Little Dumpling."

Yu Zhen grinned at her. With each day, his love for her grew. "Indeed, my beloved wife. Indeed."

- - - - -

"Uncle Wenmin!" Yu Chenjiang dashed towards his favorite uncle whilst forgetting all the rules of etiquette. No amount of fancy clothes and accessories could contain his enthusiasm towards his family.

Yu Chenjiang and Minqi were surrounded by many people from their father's side, but relatives from their mother's side were rare. They had solemnly met their maternal grandparents only a few times, for the rulers of Wuyi were always occupied with their country.

"There's my favorite nephew!" Li Wenmin hollered out, instantly reaching down and scooping the boy into his arms. He loudly laughed whilst squeezing his nephew close to him.

"But I'm your only nephew," Yu Chenjiang managed to say amidst the tight embrace.

"I know," Li Wenmin snickered whilst pulling back to squeeze the boy's plump cheeks.

Li Wenmin still could not get over the fact that both children closely resembled Yu Zhen. He wished they all resembled his Xiao Yue instead. Fortunately, they had their mother's personality, especially Yu Minqi who had shown interest in horseback riding and archery.

"Uncle Chenyang, where's my hug?" Yu Minqi asked whilst lifting her arms up.

Li Chenyang fondly smiled upon the child. He bent down and carried her with one arm, but struggled, thus, wrapped two around her. She grinned in delight, her little legs swinging in the air.

"And my presents?" she eagerly asked.

Li Chenyang gently laughed at this. "You're quite spoiled, Ah-Qi."

Yu Minqi only giggled in response. She buried her face onto his shoulders, only to hear the familiar voice of her aunt.

"You should greet me as well, Xiao Qi. I'm the one with presents," Ning Huabing mused. Sometimes, she couldn't fathom how far she had come.

Ning Huabing didn't think she would ever be standing on foreign soil more times than she could count. But it happened frequently for six years now, whenever Li Chenyang planned to come to Hanjian for "alliance matters."

"Auntie Huabing, I was saving the best for last," Yu Minqi eagerly said. She pushed away from Li Chenyang, reaching forward for a hug, not realizing how dangerous it was.

"Ah-Qi, don't rush, you'll fall!" Li Chenyang sternly scolded whilst quickly passing her towards his newly-wedded wife.

Ning Huabing patiently smiled in response and helped Yu Minqi to the ground, instead of carrying her. The little Princess pouted in response, peering up at her looking lost and confused.

Ning Huabing placed a hesitant hand on her stomach. "I'm afraid it might hurt your cousin…"

Yu Minqi tilted her head in confusion. She concluded that her Auntie Huabing was going through the same thing as her mother. Thus, she did not complain and instead, widened her eyes and batted her lashes.

"Will you still hug me?" Yu Minqi innocently asked, reaching up for just a hug. She heard her uncle's laughter, as Auntie Huabing went through a slight dilemma. Eventually, Auntie Huabing leaned down and gave the young child an endearing hug.

"You can't fall for it every time, Bingbing," Li Chenyang deadpanned with an amused smile. "She does it so she can be the first to see the presents."

Ning Huabing lifted her head a bit and wryly smiled up at him. "How can I not hug her? She's so adorable, Chenyang."

Li Chenyang snorted. He still couldn't fathom how easily trickable his wife was. Sometimes, he still couldn't fathom the history they had. It was strange how life worked.

The first time they had a conversation was in the Spring Tournament from years ago, where he showed dissatisfaction towards her. And now, he was happily married to Ning Huabing, with a child on the way.

"I can already tell what type of doting mother you will become," Li Chenyang added on. Unbeknownst to him, a large smile had settled on his face whilst thinking about her as a mother. Without a doubt, Ning Huabing would make a great one.

Just then, he heard a familiar voice in the distance, one that always brought him joy.

"Chen-ge! Wen-ge!"

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