A Blessed Daughter - Chapter 419

A Blessed Daughter
Chapter 419 – Having someone by my side on New Year (1)

Translator : Virichime
Editor : Chu
This translation made by Virichime.
Please read my translation only at Moonlight Teatime. 
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“Yes.” Wei Jinyi’s answer was without a doubt.

After a moment of thought, Wei Ruo gave in.

She agreed, saying, “Alright then, I’ll go tell them in a bit, and let you help out as my friend.”

“Mm.”

So, Wei Jinyi stayed. He changed into short, convenient clothing and busied himself alongside Wei Ruo.

That night, the two of them worked together until the third quarter of the Hai hour; another quarter of an hour, and it would be Zi hour*.

-Hai hour (亥时) = 9:00 pm – 11:00 pm.
Zi hour (子时) = 11:00 pm – 1:00 am (also the start of a new day).

They worked until 10:45 pm, and in about 15 minutes more it would be midnight (11:00 pm) — the start of the New Year (Zi hour).

It was a day before New Year—normally a time for family reunion and joy—but tonight, in this small courtyard, no one was in the mood for celebration.

Wei Ruo stood in the yard, gazing up at the bright moon in the sky, her thoughts a little tangled.

The heavy snow had yet to melt, and now sickness was spreading. At this year’s end, it was suffering, sorrow, and partings.

“What are you thinking?” Wei Jinyi asked.

“Nothing much. Only that this year feels so heavy… I don’t know how many people will die.”

Starving to death, freezing to death, dying of illness—behind each of those words lay countless human lives.

“Such is the way of the world. Heaven and earth are heartless, treating all things as straw dogs. Still, Taizhou Prefectural is fortunate—there’s a governor who works for the people, a princess who spares no effort for them, and… you.”

Wei Jinyi turned his gaze to Wei Ruo. Within her small figure lived a resilient soul. In her eyes shone both unyielding strength in the face of hardship, and compassion for all living beings.

“Second Brother, once you’ve finished what you need to do, you should study properly and take the examinations to become an official. That way you can do something for the people too,” Wei Ruo said.

“I will.” Wei Jinyi looked at her, his expression serious as he answered.

After a while, he said to her, “It’s late. You’ve worked all day—you should rest. I’ll take you to your room first.”

“Second Brother, let’s stay up and welcome the new year together,” Wei Ruo said.

It was, after all, a day before New Year. She didn’t want to simply go to sleep yet—when midnight came, she wished to cross into the new year with a person by her side.

Because Xiumei had been busy all day, she had already been ordered by Wei Ruo to rest earlier at Hai hour. At this moment, only Wei Jinyi remained by her side.

“Alright.” Wei Jinyi agreed without the slightest hesitation, as if whatever Wei Ruo wanted to do, he would always accompany her.

Since the courtyard outside was covered in snow and the air was bitterly cold, Wei Ruo and Wei Jinyi went back inside. They moved a table to the window and pushed it open.

Beside them a brazier glowed warmly, and tea was brewing.

-brazier

Wei Ruo and Wei Jinyi sat side by side, Wei Ruo by the window and Wei Jinyi next to her.

Perhaps because of the unusual circumstances, Wei Jinyi did not refuse her this time on the grounds of impropriety.

The red glow of the fire lit Wei Ruo’s face, tinting it rosy. In her bright eyes it was as if sparks were dancing, and Wei Jinyi found himself momentarily entranced as he looked at her.

Wei Ruo didn’t notice the way he was looking at her. She simply gazed quietly out the window. The world around them was so still, it seemed as if they could hear the passing of time itself.

In a daze, Wei Ruo thought back to her past life, when she had gone alone to study in a big city.

Even during New Year’s and other holidays, she wouldn’t go home, all to avoid her drunken and abusive father.

When her dorm mates went back home, she would remain in the dormitory by herself, sitting at the window just like this, looking at the sky outside, counting down the final minutes into the New Year all alone.

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