Deb

If you did a bit of root pruning, then I would guess that your plant is just shedding some of the leaves so that the decreased root mass can support the remainder. Just make sure that your soil stays just moist (not wet) and that for a couple weeks you keep it out of direct sun while it adjusts and then you can move it back into whatever really sunny spot you have and it should be ok.

I am one of those folks who has successfully grown chinese elm indoors. The main thing is as much light as you can provide and keep the soil evenly moist, and don't set it over a heat register. I grew mine in a north/west facing window on the sill and did not turn that heat register on. I was living in the lower mainland of British Columbia Canada where our winters are almost exclusively grey rainy days, and my plants continued to grow, although slower. Now I am living in Nova Scotia where there are more sunny days, and my plants will be on a south window sill, so we shall see how it goes. The only problem I will be facing in this house is that there is only one heat register in the room and guess where it is? Gotta work this one out somehow.

Anyway, good luck with your elm and just give it time to adjust.