Chapter 411 - Chapter 411: Chapter 411 - The older sister saved me_1 (1/2)
Chapter 411: Chapter 411 – The older sister saved me_1
“No, everything you cook is delicious,” Wei Yichen answered.
They had been trapped for six days, and Wei Ruo and Xiumei had cooked for them each day. The food wasn’t exactly exquisite, but it was all delicious.
“So, why do you just watch and not eat?” Wei Ruo asked.
“No reason.”
Wei Yichen looked into Wei Ruo’s eyes as if he wanted to say something, but in the end, he didn’t. He lowered his head and began eating his pancake again.
Without a response from him, Wei Ruo didn’t press on, but she and Xiumei sat on the other side, eating their meat pancakes with hot water.
Wei Yichen watched Wei Ruo from the corner of his eye, the light from the fire illuminating her face and adding a touch of tenderness to his stern expression.
Sensing Wei Yichen’s gaze, Wei Ruo looked at him. At that moment, Wei Yichen returned his gaze and his expression reverted to its usual cold demeanor.
Wei Ruo and the others didn’t need to wait in the shelter for long. An hour after dinner, the path was completely cleared.
The three set off back to the city.
Throughout the process of shoveling snow, they had discarded the dried grass and bamboo leaves from the weathered bamboo used to make the shelter. Along with the daily foraging for grass in the nearby snow by Wei Ruo and Xiumei, the horses had enough strength to pull the carriage, albeit at a slower pace than usual.
By the time Wei Ruo and Wei Yichen returned to the General Residence, it was already late at night. As soon as she got word of their arrival, Madame Yun and Wei Qingwan rushed out anxiously to meet them.
Madame Yun had barely eaten or slept for the past several days, worrying about her eldest son, since even before the great snowfall she had received a letter from Wei Yichen stating he would be returning home on the fifth day of the lunar month. Unfortunately, on the fifth day, a heavy snowfall struck and she hadn’t seen her eldest son since.
She didn’t know if her eldest son had set off to return to the city. It would have been better if he hadn’t left the academy at all, rather than getting stranded halfway home due to the heavy snowfall.
Regrettably, with the postal service disrupted, there was no news about him.
When finally received word of her eldest son, Madame Yun wept from sheer relief.
“Yichen, are you okay?” Madame Yun held Wei Yichen’s hand fervently, examining him up and down at the side entrance.
“I’m alright, Mother. You needn’t worry,” Wei Yichen responded.
“As long as you’re okay! My poor boy, you’ve lost weight over these past few days without knowing what has passed!” Madame Yun said, a heartache expression on her face.
Then Wei Ruo stepped down from the carriage. Seeing Wei Ruo’s figure, Madame Yun asked in surprise, “Why have you returned with Yichen?”
Wei Yichen explained on her behalf, “Ruoruo was on her way back from the wasteland and ran into us, and we ended up being trapped halfway together.”
Upon hearing this, Madame Yun’s gaze fell back onto Wei Ruo. “I thought you were enjoying your time in the Yuan Residence, not knowing you were also trapped on the way.”
Wei Yichen defended Wei Ruo, “Ruoruo wasn’t enjoying her time at the Yuan Residence. She had business there in the first place.”
Adding on, Wei Yichen said, “We were very fortunate to meet Ruoruo this time, otherwise, my classmates and I might have lost our lives on the way.”
“Is that so?” Madame Yun was surprised, then her gaze returned to Wei Ruo.
“I and my classmates were trapped by the snow with no food, warmth, or shelter for six days and nights. Without Ruoruo providing food, clothing, and coal, we would have frozen or starved to death on the road.”