They couldn't stay in the hot springs forever. Eventually they got on with the business of washing themselves and getting ready for dinner.
Reluctantly, Chu Yun got out from the warm, welcoming waters, and wrapped himself in a clean inner robe. Only after the bath had he realised how tired he was, how much his body ached from the days of travel, and the uncomfortable places they had slept in along the way.
Part of him wanted to put off telling his parents about the pregnancy, and instead enjoy a lavish meal of all his favourite foods and go straight to bed.
Apprehension coiled sourly on the pit of his stomach as he got dressed into fine outer robes in his old bedroom. While Zui was still mired in the depths of winter, even with the steady approach of the new year and the spring festival -- in Xin it had already come and gone.
