Chapter 88: A Heroine's Welcome
The path back to the village felt both longer and shorter than Su Yanyue remembered. Longer, because every step brought back the tense whispers and veiled threats she'd endured at the marquis's estate; shorter, because her heart yearned to see her family and the triplets.
By the time she reached the outskirts, dusk had draped the village in a warm glow. The rooftops reflected the sunset in shades of gold and crimson. Her chest loosened at the sight of the familiar lanes lined with peach blossom trees swaying in the evening breeze.
As she passed the first tea fields, a cry went up: "Miss Su is back!"
Voices carried through the village like wildfire. Children ran ahead of her, giggling as they shouted the news. By the time she reached her courtyard, a small crowd had gathered outside her shop, villagers jostling for a glimpse.
Then, from behind the door, came the chorus she'd dreamed of hearing: "Welcome home, Aunt Yue!"
The triplets burst out, identical faces lit up with joy, their tiny arms flung wide. Tears pricked Su Yanyue's eyes as she dropped to her knees, enveloping them in a hug so fierce it left them squealing with laughter.
"We missed you so much!" Yu Lei sobbed into her shoulder.
"Did those bad people bully you?" Yu Rui asked, his brow furrowed in an adorably fierce expression.
"Don't worry, Aunt Yue! We kept everything perfect here!" Yu Jin added proudly.
She pulled back just enough to cup each of their faces, eyes scanning them for bruises or scratches—an old habit she'd developed since taking them in. Their cheeks were rosy, eyes bright, hearts full. Relief flooded her.
A roar of approval went up around them. The villagers, who had watched Su Yanyue's kindness lift their fortunes, cheered and called blessings upon her return.
Old Aunt Lin pushed through the crowd with a steaming bowl of longevity noodles. "Eat, child! You must have barely touched a bite in that marquis's den."
She accepted it gratefully, nearly crying at the taste of home-cooked broth. As she slurped the noodles, villagers bombarded her with stories: how the triplets had disciplined lazy workers, how business had boomed, how not a single jar of tea had gone missing under their watch.
"Your boys are little generals!" an old man declared with a toothless grin.
She smiled, ruffling the triplets' hair. "They're my pride."
Yu Shiming's arrival went almost unnoticed until he cleared his throat behind her. His tall frame, cloaked in travel dust, made the villagers step aside respectfully.
Their eyes met—hers warm and grateful, his dark and unreadable. He nodded once, as if saying I'm glad you're safe, before shifting his gaze to the triplets. "You did well," he told them simply.
The boys beamed under their father's rare praise.
As twilight deepened, lanterns were lit around the courtyard. Villagers lingered, unwilling to leave the warm glow of reunion. Children danced around the triplets, who regaled them with tales of their "secret missions" while Su Yanyue answered quiet questions from her employees.
Standing in the center of it all, she realized this village wasn't just a place to hide—it was home. And no matter how powerful her enemies, they would have to face not only her but the unbreakable bonds she'd forged here.