CHAPTER 204: SETTLING THE ACCOUNT
Li Man panicked without a reason as her heart jumped and screamed silently. She fidgeted and hesitatingly wanted to just run and go inside her room.
At this moment of hesitation, a deep footstep finally fell behind her. Her body turned stiff and she finally decided to just bolt out and run away, when Li Yan’s voice sounded in her ears, “Is your butt hurting?”
“What?” his words didn’t connect to Li Man’s brain for a long time as she stared blankly, not understanding what he meant.
But in a blink of an eye, Li Yan had already walked over to her. His gaze slowly went down from her awkward face, until he suspiciously staring at her hips.
“Is it? Looking at you sitting weirdly like this.”
“Your butt’s hurting!” Li Yan suddenly understood, and in her anger and embarrassment, she hurriedly jumped up, giving him a death glare, while suppressing the flush that crept out her face without words.
“Oh, how do you know?” Li Yan’s lips slyly smirked. He tilted his head slightly while approaching her ear and asked slowly in a deep voice, “Did you take a peek?”
“You…” Li Man trembled in anger. She suddenly pushed him away while gnashing her teeth, “Get away, you rogue!” she screamed as she turned back and ran to the West Room. She slammed the door and firmly closed it.
Li Yan twitched as he looked at the trembling thin door panel, unconsciously furrowed his eyebrows and shook his head, “The door will be broken sooner or later.”
“Second Brother?” Little Five couldn’t help but frowned after seeing this scene.
Li Yan lowered his head and looked at him, “Go and study your writing.”
“Second Brother, you shouldn’t be like this. Sister would only think that you’re bullying her.” Little Five earnestly admonished his brother.
Li Yan instead laughed, “So you already understand this kind of thing?”
Little Five looked at him with a stunned expression, “Of course. Otherwise, Second Brother, who do you think is sister’s favorite in this house?”
“It’s not me?” Li Yan stroked his chin and acted like he’s earnestly pondering.
This smelly brother, Little Five gave him an annoyed glare, “If you haven’t noticed, sister has always been the most comfortable when she’s with me. And you? Second Brother, you always bully her every day so she’s always trying to hide herself from you, how can she like you?”
“I know, Little Five is the best, the most attractive one here.” Li Yan reached out his hand, smacked Little Five’s head twice and smiled, “Writing for all noon will make you tired. When I on my way home just now, I saw HuZi and the others are playing near the village’s entrance gate.”
“Really?” Little Five’s pair of eyes suddenly got bright, “Why haven’t they come and call me out?”
“They let me tell you to go over there. Go and play, you can continue studying in the afternoon.” Li Yan took the sand plate from his hand and put it on the small tool nearby.
“Hehe, Second Brother, then I’ll go and play a bit. I’ll come home later.” After hastily saying a few words, he bolted out of the house.
Li Yan bent his lips and smiled amusedly. He looked at the four lines of words written on the sand plate, a total of 20 characters were written, but he couldn’t recognize around 10 of them, and another 2 that he couldn’t be sure of. His eyebrows unconsciously formed a crease, Little Five really want to be better than him?
His line of sight moved to the West Room. The doors and windows were all closed tightly, but he knew that girl was sitting at the kang bed, staring dazedly while being angry.
Li Yan took a deep breath and went to the well, taking a bit of water to wash his hands. He turned and reached the front of West Room’s door, and like a gentleman, he knocked twice.
Li Man was sitting on the kang bed while hugging her legs inside the room when she heard the knocking sounds. She ferociously gave a glare towards the door, because at this time, there wouldn’t be anyone else except for Li Yan.
However, the knocking only sounded for that two times and ceased to exist, she sighed in relief, thinking that he was only being his usual self, teasing her to death.
Who knew that at the next second, the window panel was pushed wide open, raising a lot of dust.
“What are you doing?” Li Man yelled as she hurriedly jumped over to block his entrance, but it was all too late as Li Yan had already used one hand to pushed the window panel while his entire body hoped inside the room. Then he closed the window tightly, making his presence looming over Li Man.
“Li Yan, what do you want to do?” Is it because I berated him and called him a rogue, so he chases me here to settle some accounts?
Li Yan looked at her strained angry face, although she didn’t know that her expression was quite funny and cute in his eyes, “What are you afraid of? Do you think that I’ll eat you in this bright daytime?”
Could it be that whenever he opens his mouth, he would only let out this kind of words? Li Man’s heart firmly despised him, but her lips was pursed tightly, didn’t dare to speak a word. This man’s really easy to bear grudges, whatever I say will have no meaning.
Li Yan felt annoyed looking at her guarding herself away from him in this way, and he then just stared at her with anger for a moment when suddenly his long arm was stretched out as he grabbed her wrist forcefully.
Like a frightened rabbit, Li Man jumped up and struggled, while her other hand kept on beating him, “Let go, let me go!”
“Li Man.” Li Yan was so angry that his face turned blue, and with a slight force from him, he pushed her whole body on the bed and firmly pressed her down.
Li Man was just like a hooked fish, struggling for dear life.
On the other hand, Li Yan only pressed her body down, while looking with a cold and rigid expression on her face, “Li Man, what are you afraid of?”
“Eh?” when Li Man looked at his stern and incomparably deep eyes, she was shocked and blankly said, “I…”
“Are you afraid because you’re guilty of something?” She couldn’t move after hearing the gentleness and hurt inside his voice.
“I—” Li Man felt heavy in her heart and closed her eyes in a panic. That’s right, it wasn’t because she’s afraid of what Li Yan would do to her, but it was because she really did something intimate with Li Mo, and thus she daren’t look at Li Yan’s eyes.
Li Yan pulled her up, wrapped his arms around her, and hugged her in a tight embrace. His chin rested on her shoulder, “I already know, don’t be afraid anymore.”
“What do you know?” she felt that the pit of her stomach was sinking and asked in a flurry.
Li Yan’s mouth hooked in a sneer, but Li Man couldn’t see his expression and only heard his low voice said, “You and Big Brother. You both came back like that yesterday, do you think that I’m a fool who can’t see anything clearly?”
He already knew? Li Man suddenly felt a cold sweat dripping from her face, she didn’t know what to respond him with. He also didn’t open his mouth anymore, only embracing her tightly.
The atmosphere all of a sudden stopped rigidly.
“Li Yan…” She wanted to say something as a reply, but her dried up tongue couldn’t find even a word.
Unexpectedly, Li Yan was the first to ask her gloomily, “Is it still hurting?”
“En?” Li Man’s face became red in a realization as she bit into her lips, “Li Yan, this thing, I…”
“This.” Li Yan suddenly let go of her and interrupted her words. He took out a small box from his bosom, “I took this from the Old Doctor’s place this morning. He said that it can reduce swelling and pain, do you want to try it out?”
“Ah?” Li Man was shocked and paused, looking at the opened box in front of her, revealing a milky white cream and a whiff of herbal fragrance.
It’s just, reducing swelling and pain? That’s to be applied externally, while mine is… inside…
“No need, I’m not hurting and swelling that much.” Li Man dryly laughed and kept insisting not to use it. Surely, he didn’t mean anything else.
However, Li Yan brazenly set his line of sight on one part underneath her waist, “Nothing’s wrong? Then take off your clothes and let me see.”
Li Man drew back and took a deep cold air, Good, really good, this hooligan just really said that. For a moment, she felt anger and shame that she fiercely turned her head away and ignored him, only saying with a cold expression, “Li Yan, don’t cross the line.”
“Come again.” Li Yan deliberately sat down, tilting his body and glance towards her, “This dead girl, what kind of brain do you have? You already did all the deed with Big Brother, why can’t I look? Aren’t you my wife?”
Li Man was choked with anger and chose to remain silent. What kind of rubbish reasoning does he spout?
“If you’re not taking it off, then I’ll come to you myself.”
Li Yan disliked her dawdling appearance, so he put down the ointment and reached his hand out towards the waist of her trousers.
Li Man was shocked and screamed, she tried to shrink herself and hide inside the corner of the wall, “Li Yan, you’re crazy! Little Five is still inside the house!”
“He went outside to play.” After taking her trouser off, he then climbed the kang bed, blocking her way out.
Little Five isn’t at home? An alarm bell was ringing out inside Li Man’s mind as her body kept shrinking to the corner but she still couldn’t find any way out, so she pretended to be calm and talk to him, “Li Yan, I’m fine, I don’t need the medicine.”
“Really?” Li Yan’s hands were already firmly placed on both sides of her legs, fixing his sight on her with suspicion, while her pair of eyes glimmered with peculiar radiance, “So it means that we can round the room already?”
“…” Li Man was so startled until all the colors on her face was completely gone, is he doing this intentionally?
“Don’t worry, I’ll be gentle to you.” Li Yan faced her rigid body sitting in the corner. His slender fingers started to unbuckle the sash on his own pants leisurely.
Li Man’s eyes were opened wide, he’s really shameless! Deceiving Little Five to leave the house, trapping her inside the room, all of that just for doing this to her?
“What are you dazing blankly for? Are you still not taking off your clothes?” Li Yan took off his shirt very quickly, showing off his strong upper body. Although his muscles weren’t as sturdy as Li Mo’s mountain-like muscles, but one look at his body would reveal those blood vessels spurting out in a grand display.
And in a blink of an eye, his fingers already pulling on the straps of his pants while his eyes gave a teasing look at Li Man, “Are you waiting for me to help you take it off?”
“D-don’t take off anymore.” Seeing him in the midst of taking his pants off, Li Man was completely dumbfounded. She abruptly covered her eyes and reaching her hand out to stop what he’s doing. This shameless man already broke her bottom line!
“Hah.” Li Yan immediately took advantage and grabbed her reaching out hand, pulling her towards his bosom, while both of her big palms accurately rubbed and kneaded her two soft bunnies. A pair of burning hot lips glued themselves with her red-blood earlobe dyed with shyness, and then with a low husky voice he whispered, “Then, let me help you take them off, alright?”
Li Yan wanted to cry but was without tears, her fingernails ruthlessly pinched the back of his hand. She shouted with a stern voice, “Li Yan, stop your hands.”
Unexpectedly, Li Yan was really obedient this time. He stopped what he’s doing, and took off his hand away from her body.
This obedient him shocked Li Man with bewilderment.
“Hah, you really loathe me this much.” Li Yan hung his head down, the messy hair in front of his head obstructed his face from her. She couldn’t see his expression, but she could hear his dejected and lonely voice,
Li Man grabbed her opened clothes tightly and watched him with precaution, who knows what tricks he’s playing now?
“But what should I do then? Man Er, you’re my wife, I can only marry you in this life time. You can’t not let me touch you forever ah.” Li Yan suddenly looked up, his deep eyes were full with seriousness and sincerity, and also a bit of misery.
The corner of Li Man’s mouth was pulled downwards. This… this situation wasn’t caused by me, I’m also a victim here…
Li Yan dejectedly sighed, “Actually, I have been fawning on you all the time, even going as far as bullying you. All of what I’ve done was just to make your sight linger on me a bit, staying even for just a while longer.”
Is that so? Li Man was still a bit confused. She never heard of a man bullying a woman because he loves her, they’re not children anymore.
“I don’t have Big Brother’s dignity, I don’t have Fourth Brother’s outstanding learning, I don’t even have Little Five’s joyfulness. And, as a Second, I can’t behave unscrupulously like Third Brother. How can you take notice on this kind of me?”
He can speak this pitifully? Li Man felt suspicious.
“Man Er.” His deep eyes were lathered with hurt, she couldn’t help softening a bit towards him, “Li Yan, I don’t actually really hate you, as long as you don’t…”
Li Yan bitterly laughed, “You don’t understand. It was really difficult for me when I saw you inside Big Brother’s embrace yesterday. I clearly love you; I also want you, but, he’s Big Brother—”
Li Man felt embarrassed because she was actually willing to do that with Li Mo.
“Do you know how hurt I felt when I see you walking like that this morning?” He suddenly grabbed her hands, looking at her with absolute tenderness.
Li Man’s ears were both red like its dripping blood. Li Mo was too intense and fierce yesterday; she also didn’t expect that she could be that useless.
“Be good, let’s apply the medicine, let me take a look at you first.” Li Yan leaned towards her body as he said this.
Li Man was startled, she suddenly understood his pitiful act just now, she immediately pushed him away, “Li Yan, you’re really…hateful.”
“Stupid, if I’m really that detestable, I would’ve done what I want with you a long time ago.” Li Yan stared at her helplessly.
Li Man really didn’t know which one is true and which one is fake, she’s only afraid that he will come near her so she made a compromise, “Leave he medicine there, I’ll put it myself.”
“I already washed my hands clean.” Li Yan suddenly reached his hands out while feeling wronged.
Li Man choked and her face flushed red, “Go out.”
Li Yan’s face abruptly changed. He gloomily grabbed her hand and pulled her towards his arms, but then he turned her over with her face facing downwards. His big palms suddenly gave a few slaps, pa pa pa, towards the plump buttocks sticking out of her.
“No matter what I do or say, you just have to act like this, do you still not understand anything?”
He was really mad this time, thus he let out a big force slapping her buttocks. The slapping sounded very crisp and clear, Li Man felt her rear bottoms ache so much, and it was really embarrassing too. It’s only after a long time that the stinging pain started to fade, she twisted her body on top of his and yelled, “Li Yan, you’re a madman, you’re abnormal, you hit me…”
“If I don’t hit you, do I have to leave you?” Li Yan angrily gave her two more slaps on the bottom, but this time he clearly used less force.
“We’re all your husbands, but why when you have already done everything with Big Brother and I can’t even touch you a little bit? How can you bully people this way?”
“Who’s bullying who in the end? You madman… ouch, Li Yan, you scoundrel. A! You, I don’t want you anymore… a…” In the end, Li Man didn’t say anything more, because when she said one word, he would give her two slaps, his strength wasn’t weak either so he was sure her soft bottom would hurt a lot.
Li Man swore and cursed for a while, although her mouth felt happy, but her buttocks felt really hurt. That hooligan was really hateful, his palm was so big, one slap from him would already make her buttocks red.
At the end, she didn’t swear anymore, but the tears inside her glimmering eyes started to swirl, and finally, drop by drop fell on the kang bed.
“Why aren’t you swearing anymore?” Li Yan slightly hung his head down, wanting to see her expression, but seeing at her stubbornly biting her lips with drops of tears falling down her flushed face, his heart suddenly went soft and blamed himself for being so ruthless. But her attitude towards him really made him exasperated.
He couldn’t be clearer about his Big Brother’s personality. If this girl isn’t willing, he would surely couldn’t force her. Therefore, she would rather give herself to Big Brother, but on the other hand, she wouldn’t bother to give him even a slight smile and good words.
She really wants to anger me to death, right?
But even in anger, when he saw Li Man’s trying to suppress her sobs and cried in silence stubbornly, he would rather drop the subject. Li Yan’s temper eventually ceased, and with a weak and soft voice he coaxed her, “What are you crying for? I didn’t even really hit you that hard.”
But Li Man not only didn’t appreciate his coaxing, her tears even turned worse and fell like a broken dam, although she still stubbornly kept sobbing in silence, but her body softly trembled like a new-born fawn.
“Is it really hurting? I’ll help you rub it, don’t cry anymore, okay?” Li Yan’s heart was in a mess, his panicked hands gently rubbed her delicate buttocks.
Li Man suddenly looked like a rabbit that was stabbed with a needle, she abruptly turned her body using her foot as she stepped on him forcefully.
“Aa.” Li Yan groaned in pain while rubbing his stomach, struggling to see Li Man leaning against the corner of the wall, eyes brimming with tears full of pity and indignance, he then forcefully let out a laugh, “Alright, I hit you and you also kicked me, we’re fair now, so don’t cry again, okay?”
With such beautiful eyes, if you cry again, when Big Brother and Third Brother return, they would surely skin me alive.
“Alright, alright, it’s my fault, I shouldn’t have hit you, but your kick this time isn’t light either, ugh, it’s painful.” Li Yan used some strength to rubbed under his stomach for a while.
Li Man stared at him coldly, looking at the sweat forming on his forehead. She thought, she really did kick him hard. But he deserved it.
“Don’t glare at me like that, wipe your tears away, wouldn’t Little Five misunderstand and think that I did something to you?” Li Yan went down the kang bed with difficulty, giving the ointment to her, “You’re my wife. If you’re hurt, I wouldn’t feel happy either.”
After saying this, he stooped his waist over and shifting step by step towards the door. His appearance was really pitiful.
Looking at him struggling out, even exerting strength to pull the door open, Li Man unexpectedly couldn’t suppress popping out a laugh.
Actually, this hateful guy was both annoying and ridiculous. Why did he do that abominable thing when afterwards he would endure her kick and still offer an apology?
Thinking about it, she took the ointment and thought about the words he said before he left; he said that he was hurt by her words and attitude towards him, and now her heart was filled with complex feelings.
However, this ointment, although she’s too embarrassed to use it, but because she didn’t want to hurt his feelings anymore, she decided to just shove it under the pillow.
—
Li Yan cooked a plain lunch consisting of white rice and a plate of stir-fried vegetables, then he went out without even touching the food he cooked.
Li Man didn’t understand if he has a stomach problem or not. She thought that the strength of his steps was quite heavy, but he still could prepare lunch so his wounds most probably wasn’t really serious, right?
In the afternoon, Li Mo and Li Shu finally came back from the market, but even one catty of the wild garlic wasn’t sold out.
“Wife.” When they just came home, Li Shu immediately went to the West Room and complained with grievance, “We already stood for half a day, but the passersby all asked about you and not even one buy anything.”
“Ah?” Li Man was shocked, “Asked about me?” she looked at his back but found no one, “How about your Big Brother?”
“Big Brother, ah, at the middle of the way, he insisted on going to a dilapidated shack and told other villagers to carry a broken door plank back home, he’s now rubbing the ash outside.” Li Shu couldn’t approve of what he’s doing.
“Ah.” When Li Man heard this, her face couldn’t help flushed red and her heart jumped wildly, how could he bring that thing back home?
“Wife.” Li Shu then said again, “how about I go with you tomorrow? When fourth brother stood there in the past, there were a lot of big and small ladies that came over. This time, Fourth Brother isn’t there so you should go instead, Big Brother said that people all went to you to buy wild garlic yesterday.”
“Oh.” Li Man just muddled a reply with a hum and walked towards the outside. She already developed a special feeling towards Li Mo after that incident, so after not seeing him for half a day she really missed and wanted to see him. Seeing his warm eyes and that steady and honest face of his made her feel at ease.
She found him under the peach tree when she just strode outside the door, holding a bunch of dried straw and strongly rubbing the dust on the door plank. She didn’t know how red her face was, but she still hesitatingly walked over.
“Big Brother.” She softly called him from behind.
Li Mo paused and turned his head to see her. His face suddenly painted with joy, but quickly turned to one of awkwardness, “This…”
“What is this?” Li Mo glanced at the door plank and intentionally feigned ignorance.
Li Mo’s handsome face showed a happy but embarrassed smile. After seeing Li Shu going inside the kitchen, he hung his head and replied in a low whisper, “There’s wife’s most precious thing on this plank, I want to keep it safe.”
“My most precious thing?” Li Man was a bit dumbfounded. She looked at the place where Li Mo’s finger pointed to and found a really faint dark-red mark and an understanding suddenly dawned on her.
Facing Li Mo’s fiery red face, Li Man’s heart felt shy and sweet. She hung down her head and smiled with a closed lip, “If you want to do it, then just do as you please.” Li Mo found her smile looked just like a blooming flower and the part on his lower abdomen suddenly became tight, he anxiously turned around and continued with what he’s doing.
