The Mute Wife Who Brings Prosperity-Chapter 553 - 520: Is There Someone You Especially Want to See? (Part 1)
"I’m fine, just want to be alone for a while."
Yuanbao looked out the window, replying without any expression, leaving Ye Rong completely puzzled, "Are you actually sick or not?"
Yuanbao leaned his head against the back of the chair, closed his eyes, seemingly tired and unwilling to say more.
Ye Rong stood up, reached out, and touched his forehead.
Yuanbao: "What are you doing?"
Ye Rong looked at him with concern, "Could it be that there’s really something wrong with your mind?"
Not hearing from Yuanbao, he frowned and asked, "Or did something shock you?"
Without needing a mirror, Yuanbao knew he hadn’t been in a good state recently. He sighed, "If Miss Ye truly came to see me, please ask Third Young Master Ye to let her know that I’m unable to receive visitors."
"Hey!" Ye Rong’s frown deepened, "You’re really not pretending?"
Yuanbao’s response was still silence, and the room fell into an unusual quiet once more.
Ye Rong, helpless, got up and pushed the door open to leave.
Duan Yan, who was anxiously waiting outside, rushed in as soon as Ye Rong came out, fearing that he might be too late and the young master would do something foolish.
Ye Rong walked straight to his sister.
Ye Ling asked him, "How is he?"
"I don’t know how to put it." Ye Rong said, "His condition is indeed as the doctor said, very bad."
"So what did he talk to you about?" Ye Ling pursued eagerly.
"It was just me talking the whole time. He remained silent except for occasionally saying a word or two, and even then they were irrelevant." Seeing Ye Ling’s eagerness, Ye Rong conveyed Yuanbao’s message, "Little Yuanbao also asked me to tell you, he’s not in a position to see guests."
After speaking, Ye Rong carefully observed his sister’s reaction.
Ye Ling said, "It’s fine if he can’t see me. I came here today anyway because his cousin invited me."
Ye Ling’s words reminded Ye Rong of another matter, and he immediately turned his attention to the nearby Yun Cai.
Yun Cai invited Ye Ling with a gesture, planning to take her to the inner courtyard.
Ye Rong found it inconvenient to follow, so he returned to Yuanbao’s room.
Accustomed to Yuanbao’s casual demeanor, Ye Rong felt indescribably awkward seeing him now, quiet and unspoken.
He couldn’t understand, what exactly caused Yuanbao’s symptoms? If he was stimulated, shouldn’t he be acting crazy? Why was he so quiet? So quiet that spending too much time with him made one’s scalp tingle and whole body uncomfortable.
——
Ye Ling followed Yun Cai to the inner courtyard.
Song Jiao was in Wen Wan’s room at Qingteng Residence. Hearing that Miss Ye had arrived, she immediately closed her speech, turned her head to the door, and when she saw the young girl following Yun Cai, she stood up with a smile to greet her.
Ye Ling greeted politely, "Mrs. Song, Miss Song."
Wen Wan appeared gentle and soft, telling her she need not be so formal and to sit as she pleased.
After Ye Ling sat down, she looked at Song Jiao, "I read on the post that Miss Song is about to get married soon, congratulations!"
Song Jiao blushed and thanked her.
The two young girls meeting for the first time found no other topic to talk about besides greeting, and Wen Wan, worried they might feel awkward, tried to ease the atmosphere by asking Ye Ling, "Did Miss Ye come alone?"
"My brother came with me, he’s in the outer courtyard," Ye Ling said somewhat reservedly.
"Sorry to have you come all this way," Wen Wan said, then turned her gaze to Song Jiao, "My niece has been feeling a bit tense with her upcoming marriage, and with no other girls at home to talk with her, I..."
Before she could finish, Ye Ling interrupted, "It’s alright, I don’t have any close friends at the residence either, so I understand how Miss Song feels."
The young girl appeared harmless, with a soft, light voice that was pleasant to hear and seemed without guile.
Wen Wan discreetly observed her for a moment, smiled, and then asked Song Jiao to take her back to the courtyard, saying she was feeling a bit drowsy.
Song Jiao obliged, leading Ye Ling away.
Once they were out of sight, Wen Wan turned her body slightly and asked Yun Cai, "Where is Third Young Master Ye?"
Yun Cai replied, "In the young master’s room."
Wen Wan asked again, "Does Yuanbao know Miss Ye is here?"
Yun Cai said, "He knows."
"And he..."
Yun Cai sighed and said, "Previously in the outer courtyard, Third Young Master Ye went in to see the young master, while Miss Ye waited outside. When they came out, I heard Third Young Master Ye say that the young master said he was not convenient to receive guests."
Wen Wan’s face turned serious. In the past, every time Song Yuanbao mentioned Ye Ling, he would be brimming with excitement, unable to contain himself. Now that Miss Ye personally visited, he was unexpectedly unmoved?
"Why has the child become like this?" Wen Wan clutched her chest, worry etched across her brow, "He was just fine during the days after he first returned."
Yun Cai asked, "Madam, would you like to go to the front yard for a look?"
Wen Wan nodded.
Yun Cai supported her as she stood up, and master and servant walked out of the Hanging Flower Gate, following the corridor to the outer courtyard where Song Yuanbao resided.
Duan Yan stood guard outside, while Ye Rong was still inside Song Yuanbao’s room.
In an attempt to draw Song Yuanbao into conversation, Ye Rong displayed unprecedented patience, telling him jokes unilaterally.
However, apart from his own voice, not a single response from Song Yuanbao was heard inside the room.
Ye Rong’s face fell. "Hey, you little rascal! I came all the way here, and you’re ignoring me like this?"
Song Yuanbao rubbed his forehead and coolly uttered two words, "So noisy."
Ye Rong clenched his fist, nearly losing his temper and hitting him.
Just then, Duan Yan’s voice came from outside the door, "Madam."
Ye Rong immediately loosened his fist and cleared his throat.
Before long, a maid lifted the curtain, and Wen Wan walked in slowly.
Ye Rong stood up and saluted, "Third Young Master Ye greets Madam."
"There’s no need for such formality, Third Young Master," Wen Wan’s smile quickly dispelled the restlessness in Ye Rong’s heart.
He was somewhat dazed, realizing that Madam Song was indeed as rumored, young and beautiful.
Particularly when she smiled, the warmth and amiability surrounding her were somewhat reminiscent of his own mother.
Thinking about how he had almost struck Song Yuanbao earlier, Ye Rong felt a bit uneasy, "Um, I was just telling jokes to Young Master Song."
Wen Wan noticed his discomfort and said with a gentle smile, "Please have a seat, Third Young Master."
Ye Rong sat down guiltily, not daring to look Wen Wan directly in the eyes.
Wen Wan glanced at the person sitting by the window, "Yuanbao, why aren’t you properly entertaining the Third Young Master?"
Song Yuanbao didn’t react, his brow slightly furrowed; the disturbance had unsettled his peace, and he was both annoyed and restless inside, unable to suppress it.
Seeing how Song Yuanbao ignored even his own family elder, Ye Rong finally realized that something was seriously wrong with Song Yuanbao and narrowed his eyes.
Perceiving something amiss, Wen Wan instructed Yun Cai, "Take the Third Young Master to the front hall for tea."
After those two left, Wen Wan looked at Song Yuanbao again, as if afraid to disturb him, she lowered her voice as much as possible, "Yuanbao, have you been in the palace for too long and are unable to adjust to being at home?"
As if struck by something, Song Yuanbao’s long lashes fluttered slightly, and he pursed his lips in silence.
He couldn’t explain what the feeling was.
Being used to a certain routine, suddenly having to break it all to adapt to another routine, the sense of disparity and discomfort manifested in every aspect.
In his dreams, he subconsciously believed he was still in Yutang Palace; upon waking, he would stare at the ceiling for a long time before realizing he had already returned home.
The sudden change of environment made him feel a strange resistance inside.
It was precisely due to this resistance that he couldn’t adjust himself, and his inner anxiety grew, especially in the days before he fainted; he felt he was about to lose his mind.
"Yuanbao, there’s no one else here." Wen Wan’s voice was gentle, like a pair of comforting hands, "Whatever is on your mind, you can tell me. I’ll find a way to help you as best as I can."
Song Yuanbao’s throat moved up and down, he looked up at Wen Wan. Under her gentle gaze, he finally nodded slowly, his eyes slightly red, his voice raspy, "Mother, I can’t adapt. Everything feels so unfamiliar since coming home."
This feeling was completely different from the occasional visits he made while in the palace. 𝚏𝕣𝐞𝗲𝐰𝕖𝐛𝐧𝕠𝕧𝚎𝚕.𝐜𝚘𝗺
Wen Wan understood why Yuanbao didn’t want the dishes she served him the day he returned; it wasn’t that he had a problem with her, but he couldn’t immediately accept the transition from the palace to home.
Wen Wan understood him very well.
When she first married Song Wei, she felt the same way at her in-laws’ house, even though her husband treated her well, she couldn’t integrate into the new environment immediately, and the thought of returning home was strong at night.
Two years can transform a person’s ability to thoroughly adapt to a different life.
And now, asking a fifteen-year-old youngster to suddenly turn his life around, Wen Wan thought it might be difficult for him.
Gathering her thoughts, Wen Wan continued to soothe him with gentle words, "You certainly can’t go back to the palace now. Aside from that, is there anything in particular you want to do or someone you particularly wish to see?"
