The Grand Tutor Xia and Madam Xia chatted, oblivious to the group approaching from behind them.
Leng Ruo Li crept up behind Madam Xia and hugged her waist, nearly startling her into falling off the stone stool.
"Hahaha…"
"Grandmother, Grandfather, we're back!"
Upon hearing Leng Ruo Li's familiar laughter, Madam Xia and Grand Tutor Xia quickly turned around. They saw Leng Ruo Li, Jun Mo Han, Leng Jin Yu, and their newly recognized grandnephew Leng Ruo Rui, who they had only met twice, standing perfectly fine before them. They were overjoyed.
"Li'er, why didn't you let us know you were returning to the capital? We could have sent someone to pick you up at the city gate."
"Grandmother, we wanted to give you a surprise this time!" Leng Ruo Li's tone was slightly cooing.
"Hahaha…"
"Alright, alright. You certainly gave your grandparents a big surprise this morning."
Madam Xia pinched Leng Ruo Li's delicate little nose, saying with great affection.
"Grandfather, Grandmother, I have an even bigger surprise for you today. Guess first." Leng Ruo Li spoke mysteriously to Grand Tutor Xia and Madam Xia.
When Grand Tutor Xia and Madam Xia heard Leng Ruo Li mention an even bigger surprise, they smiled even more happily.
"Haha… Li'er girl, your grandparents can't guess your surprises. Just tell us directly."
Grand Tutor Xia was anxious to see the big surprise Leng Ruo Li mentioned.
His granddaughter was so clever and had so many unknown treasures; he couldn't guess what gift Leng Ruo Li would give him.
"Alright then! But, you can't get too excited when you see the gifts Li'er has for you." Leng Ruo Li gave the elderly couple a heads-up.
This made Grand Tutor Xia and Madam Xia even more curious about the surprise Leng Ruo Li brought.
"Li'er, don't worry. Your Grandmother and I can still handle it. Hehe…"
Seeing that the elderly couple agreed, Leng Ruo Li then called out for Xia Wan Er.
"Come out!"
As she spoke, a woman dressed in a white gauze feather dress with a cinched waist, wearing a white veiled hat, walked out from behind everyone. She took light, small steps and approached Grand Tutor Xia and Madam Xia.
When Grand Tutor Xia and Madam Xia saw the familiar figure of the woman, their mouths twitched slightly. Their hearts felt a pang of sadness, but they dared not confirm if this woman was who they thought she was.
"Li'er girl, who… who is this?"
"Hehe, Grandmother, Grandfather, look!"
As Leng Ruo Li spoke, Xia Wan Er reached up and removed her veiled hat, revealing her true face.
When Grand Tutor Xia and Madam Xia saw Xia Wan Er standing before them, they froze for a few seconds. They thought their old eyes were deceiving them and rubbed their eyes. However, they still saw their daughter, Xia Wan Er.
"Father, Mother, it's Wan Er! Don't you recognize me anymore?"
Seeing her parents with their hair grayed, faces full of wrinkles, and showing signs of hardship, Xia Wan Er could no longer hold back. Tears fell like broken strings of pearls.
"Wan Er, my Wan Er! Woo woo… Woo woo…"
After confirming that this woman was her beloved daughter, Madam Xia could no longer control her emotions. She hugged Xia Wan Er tightly, disregarding who else was present, and cried loudly, tears gushing out.
Grand Tutor Xia was the same. He could not control his emotions either. He hugged his wife and daughter and wept loudly.
"Wan Er, you unfilial daughter, why didn't you come back to see us when you were alive? Father and everyone missed you so much! My Wan Er, my daughter! We missed you so much that our eyes are almost blind from crying."
"Woo woo woo…"
"Exactly! You have no idea how much Mother and your Father missed you!" Madam Xia also cried loudly.
"Father, Mother, look, I'm back now."
Xia Wan Er forced a smile.
The Cold King couple, Leng Jin Yu, and his son, seeing this scene, tactfully withdrew, leaving the entire space to the family of three who hadn't seen each other for a long time.
As Leng Ruo Li's two maternal uncles and aunt, along with her cousin, were not in the mansion today, Leng Ruo Li did not need to greet them individually.
After coming out, the Cold King couple greeted Leng Jin Yu, his son, and Ming Jiu Xiao. They then left the Grand Tutor's mansion with the Cold King's guards and maids, boarding a carriage to the palace.
At this moment, the palace had already received news of the Cold King couple's return to the capital.
To save the Cold King couple from making an extra trip to see him, the Emperor, who was busy with official documents, immediately put down his vermilion brush. He then rushed to the Empress Dowager's Longevity Palace with Eunuch Li and others to await the Cold King couple's arrival. Simultaneously, a vagrant Prince was also present in the Empress Dowager's Longevity Palace.
Thus, the scene unfolded: the Cold King couple entered the Longevity Palace with beaming smiles. Upon opening their eyes, they saw the Emperor, the Empress Dowager, and the Prince playing "Fight the Landlord" in the Longevity Palace. All three had many pieces of paper stuck to their faces. On the table were three large piles of torn paper. They had all rolled up their sleeves, with one leg propped on their respective stools, holding playing cards. At this very moment, the three grandparents and grandchildren were arguing excitedly, their faces flushed. Standing beside them was a palace governess who was trying to suppress her laughter. Leng Ruo Li and Jun Mo Han could not describe the scene.
However, upon seeing Leng Ruo Li and Jun Mo Han enter, the three immediately dropped their playing cards, removed the paper from their faces, and greeted the Cold King couple with smiles: "Li'er girl, Han kid, you're finally back. If you hadn't returned soon, Imperial Grandmother would have asked this kid Jun Mo Yu to take me to find you."
Hearing this, a row of black lines appeared on the foreheads of the Cold King couple.
"Imperial Grandmother, it wouldn't work for you and the Prince to go find us. There are dangers everywhere outside. What if you two, grandmother and grandson, run into trouble and can't handle it?" Leng Ruo Li said helplessly.
"Yes, Imperial Grandmother. If you really want to go out and play, Father must arrange for people with high martial arts skills to protect you. You must not sneak out to play. If you really want to go, we can take you with us sometimes."
Jun Mo Han also frowned and advised the Empress Dowager and the Prince not to wander around carelessly.