The next day, when the sun had already risen, it was the sound of Wenqing pushing the doors open that woke Chu Lian.
Her eyelids fluttered open as consciousness filtered back into her eyes. This time, she mercilessly forced He Sanlang’s arms away from her and crawled out from his embrace. She put on her embroidered shoes and walked over to the screen in one corner of the room to put on her clothes.
Chu Lian turned around to glance at the seemingly unconscious He Changdi and the corners of her lips twitched subconsciously.
That fellow had already been awake for who knows how long. He was still pretending to be asleep even now. He really should improve his acting skills though. His eyelids were twitching from time to time and his breathing was too heavy for him to be sound asleep.
Chu Lian rolled her eyes.
When Wenqing entered the room, she was greeted with the sight of a fully dressed Third Young Madam seated on a round stool and waiting for her.
Wenqing had brought hot water with her. When her gaze darted towards the neat chaise and then the disheveled bed, she couldn’t help the upward curve of her lips. It looked like they could move the chaise away today! They probably wouldn’t need it any longer tonight.
It was only when Chu Lian had come out from the bathroom that He Sanlang finally ‘woke up’ with a frown.
Chu Lian sat by his bedside and resisted the urge to laugh, “You’re awake?”
He Changdi looked at her with his deep gaze and nodded in a serious manner.
“Too bad, I thought my dear husband was going to continue pretending to sleep! It’s still early now, it’s only 8am.”
He Sanlang hadn’t expected his dear wife to see through his acting as well as to expose it completely, without any care for his dignity.
He shifted away his gaze, the roots of his ears flushing red. He pressed his lips into a thin line and said, “Chu Lian, don’t speak nonsense.”
Wenqing’s eyes almost fell out of their sockets at this sight. This tsundere Third Young Master who refused to admit his mistake was a completely different person from the grim and gloomy master she knew.
Er… The way Third Young Master was acting now really fit how Third Young Madam had described him once upon a time.
Wenqing felt that she had stumbled upon a dangerous truth. She quickly lowered her head and did her best to erase her presence. Third Young Madam was untouchable, but she wasn’t! If Third Young Master realised what she knew, she would have to face the consequences.
Chu Lian was too lazy to argue with him now. If he hadn’t been pretending to be asleep, why didn’t he at least ask what was going on the moment he woke up?
“Stay there and rest first. I’ll go to the kitchen to see how the preparations for your medicine and our breakfast are going.”
He Changdi felt extremely embarrassed right now, so he didn’t stop Chu Lian from leaving.
Today’s breakfast was wontons, spring rolls and egg rolls, made by the kitchen staff under Wenlan’s lead.
In the time it had taken to place all the breakfast dishes on the side table, Chu Lian had already changed into another set of clothes and returned to the room, carrying a bowl of medicine in her hands. Chinese medicine was usually a little harsh on the stomach, so it was better to have some food before taking the medicine.
Chu Lian helped He Sanlang up so he could lean against the headboard. Wenlan quickly shifted the side table over to the bedside where He Changdi could easily reach.
Looking at the food before him, memories rose to the forefront of He Changdi’s mind, distracting him.
He remembered that the first breakfast Chu Lian had made for him was wontons. Back then, all he had felt towards her were hatred and contempt, but now he was deeply enmired in the blossoming feelings between them.
The stark difference in the situations then and now filled him with regrets.
Chu Lian was already starving, so she quickly scooped up one of the fat wontons and stuffed it into her mouth.
The stuffing in the wontons had been made with only three simple fresh ingredients: pork, mushrooms and shrimp. The wontons had been cooked in a fragrant and thick chicken broth and chopped spring onions had been scattered on top. When she picked one up and bit into it, the juices within would gush out in a burst of flavour. Mixed with the thick chicken broth, it was a delicious combination that she couldn’t stop eating.
He Sanlang watched as Chu Lian ate the wontons. Her delicate lips drew close to the spoon and she blew gently on the wonton before she moved the spoon into her mouth. She then chewed on it as her eyes closed in delight; it was clear that she was enjoying the food a lot.
He Changdi couldn’t help but gulp. When he saw how busy Chu Lian was with eating and how she didn’t have the time to care for him, jealousy sprung up in his heart. He purposely put on a grave expression and said, “Is it good?”
Chu Lian didn’t even bother to glance at him and nodded, “Of course it’s good! This is Wenlan’s best dish! Even if I made these myself, I wouldn’t be able to make the wontons look as nice as when Wenlan does them.”
With a dark expression, He Sanlang gritted his teeth and said, “Really?”
Chu Lian finally noticed that something was amiss. She looked at him with a baffled expression. What’s wrong with this lunatic He Sanlang? Even the delicious wontons couldn’t get him to shut up?
Chu Lian kind-heartedly pushed the white bowl of wontons closer to him, “Hurry up and eat some. I’m not lying to you, it’s really tasty! I taught Wenlan her skills myself.”
“Well aren’t you generous to others?” He Changdi mumbled.
Chu Lian raised a brow in silent comment. She didn’t know what was going on in her lunatic husband’s mind again and she didn’t want to know. She chose to ignore him and focus on eating her fill first.
He Sanlang hadn’t expected Chu Lian to ignore him just because of that. Anger, disappointment and dissatisfaction rose up in his chest all at once.
He kept his frosty gaze on Chu Lian with an overcast and unreadable expression. Nobody could tell what was up with him.
Even Wenlan was starting to pity Third Young Madam.
Third Young Madam was right all along, Third Young Master is a lunatic…
Chu Lian lost her appetite under his gaze. She set down her chopsticks and bowl before staring at He Changdi with a frown. She crossed her arms on her chest and questioned in a sharp tone, “He Sanlang! What are you trying to do?! If you’re not going to eat, I’ll get Wenlan to clear the table!”
Seeing that she was truly unhappy with him, He Sanlang set aside his pride and finally revealed his true motive.
“I’m injured and I can’t really move.”
Chu Lian was smart enough to understand what he was hinting at. Her slightly angry expression turned dazed upon her realisation.
What? His arms were so strong that he had kept her trapped as his bolster all night, yet now he’s trying to say that he can’t even lift a damned bowl now? Did he take her for a fool!?
