“Chu Yi, I’m actually quite happy to have you for this. Look at Jiu, she is pretty and has a good body. She’s also not your usual fragile maiden. She is good on the battlefield and is a good cook. It would be a blessing for you to be able to marry her,” Zhao Qian placed his cup down and said seriously to Chu Yi.
Cough! Chu Yi choked.
He looked at Zhao Qian, unable to find the right words to say. “It’s one thing for you to say that Jiu is good on the battlefield, but to claim that she is a good cook? You shouldn’t be spitting lies all over the place even if you’re anxious to find Jiu a husband.”
Zhao Qian replied indignantly, “She might not know how to cook now, but she can learn it once she gets married, right?”
Chu Yi decided to ignore him.
Even if he wanted to marry someone, he had never thought about marrying a tomboy. He was not that desperate.
When Zhao Qian saw that there was no way of convincing Chu Yi, he turned his attention toward Chu Qi. Seeing that Chu Qi was still eating, he picked up a fried meatball with his chopsticks and looked at Chu Qi benevolently. “Lil Qi, what do you think of Jiu?”
Chu Qi pushed the fried meatball Zhao Qian had given him away before sparing a moment to dart a look at Zhao Qian. “Nothing in particular.”
Zhao Qian was speechless. “You don’t know anything, kid. Even though Jiu is only a few years older than you, you can still enjoy a lifetime of happiness if you marry her…”
Before he could finish his sentence, a loud slam was heard as Chu Qi smacked his chopsticks onto the table and got up to leave.
Zhao Qian, “…”
These two did not know a good thing when it was waved in front of their faces.
How frustrating!
Meanwhile, at the table where Lu Liangwei was seated, Long Yang had just emptied the wine vat and had placed it on the table. He even had enough time to say to Wu Hongming, who was still drinking ferociously from the vat, “Mr. Wu, you should go slower. There’s no need to drink that fast.”
Wu Hongming’s action paused momentarily at these words, but he said nothing as he continued chugging the wine.
Long Yang went back to his seat.
Lu Liangwei sized him up. He looked about as stoic as usual after finishing the vat of wine. He seemed to be relaxed, as if the vat he had just drained was water and not wine. She was pretty impressed.
It looked like her big brother was not exaggerating when he said His Majesty could hold his liquor very well.
Besides that, not a drop of wine dripped when he was drinking. He made the feat look easy and elegant. Uncle Wu, on the other hand, looked rather rushed and desperate even though he had acted with gusto.
Right then, someone touched her hand and a man’s low gentle voice could be heard next to her ear. “What are you looking at?”
Lu Liangwei gave a start. When she saw wine stains next to the man’s mouth, she could not help reaching out with her handkerchief to wipe it off. She grumbled in a low voice, “Why would you let yourself go like this? It’s harmful to your health if you drink too much!”
Her words and actions came naturally to her and she did not even realize how intimate she was acting toward him.
A hint of pleasure flashed in Long Yang’s deep, dark eyes. A smile appeared on his lips as his mood was lifted tremendously. He looked at the girl in front of him and could not help reaching out to hold her other hand that was resting on her leg. He replied with a soft voice, “Are you worried about me?”
Lu Liangwei’s face burned slightly as she quickly pulled her hand back and sat up properly.
There was a smile on Long Yang’s lips as his burning gaze pinned her for quite a while before he forced his eyes away.
The few people at the table all had their eyes glued to Wu Hongming, hence they did not notice their intimacy.
Despite this, Lu Liangwei’s face was still slightly hot. She forced down two cups of water continuously before she was able to suppress that burning sensation.
Right then, Lu Tingchen lifted a pot of wine and poured a full cup for himself. He raised it and said, “You can hold your liquor really well, Your Majesty. I am impressed! Would you care for one more cup?”
Long Yang took the teacup from Lu Liangwei and raised it toward Lu Tingchen, smiling as he said, “You’re not a bad drinker yourself, but I’ve had enough for today. We shall continue another day.”
Ling Lihua glanced at Long Yang and smiled. “Not bad. I’ve never expected you to be so good at drinking.”
Long Yang gave a low laugh. “You’re much too kind, mother-in-law.”
Ling Lihua was slightly embarrassed with him addressing her as ‘mother-in-law’. She gave a light cough. “I’m just being honest.”
With that, she picked a piece of chicken with her chopsticks to give to Lu Liangwei. “Have more food, Weiwei.”
“Thank you, Mother.” Lu Liangwei took a bite and found it tasted pretty good. She lowered her head and began eating.
Lu Tingchen watched exasperatedly as his mother gave all her attention to Weiwei. He could not help feeling a little jealous as he pushed his bowl in front of Ling Lihua. “I’d like some too, Mother.”
