Ye Liu glimpsed Liu Duo, who was washing up, before he said to Liu Ran, “Go have your noodles, Ran Er, before they go pasty.”
“Oh.” Liu Ran nodded obediently.
Ye Ling got up and was about to prepare the noodles for Liu Duo, when Ye Mo said, “Ling, I’ll prepare food for her, you continue with yours.”
He could see that Ye Ling still had some unfinished noodles in his bowl.
Then he left for the kitchen. It just so happened that he did not want to be in the same room as Ye Xuan anyways!
He approached Liu Duo, since that was where he was headed, and spoke to her as though he was giving a progress report. “Wife, I’m going to prepare your noodles.”
Liu Duo was brushing her teeth. Incoherently, she said, “Alright, give me more vegetables.”
She liked to have her noodles with a little more greens.
“Sure, it’ll be done in a moment.”
Ye Mo turned around and made his way to the kitchen. He felt that preparing meals for his wife provided him with a great sense of accomplishment.
When Li Wazi’s family arrived, Liu Duo was just about to dig into the noodles Ye Mo had prepared for her.
“Liu, Mo, we can leave now.” Li Wazi had barely sat down as he called for the men.
He must have come late because of the rain, so he wanted to leave early to purchase the tomatoes.
Ye Liu and Ye Mo had nothing to say to that. They got ready what they needed, bade goodbye to Liu Duo, and left the house on their bullock-cart.
Aunt Li and Little Lian got busy. Ye Yang also started work. Very soon, only Liu Duo, Ye Ling, Liu Ran, and Ye Xuan were left sitting by the table.
Ye Ling waited until Liu Ran finished his noodles before collecting the dishes to wash in the kitchen. It was not nice to leave them around.
“Duo Er, I’ll wash yours when you’re done.”
“Sure thing,” Liu Duo nodded.
Very soon, only Liu Duo, Liu Ran, and Ye Xuan were left.
It was then that Ye Xuan spoke up. “Ran Er, go get your textbook. We can start revising.”
Liu Ran heard him and nodded. He went to his room on the second floor to get his bag.
After sending him away, Ye Xuan changed his seat so that he was only two seats away from Liu Duo.
“Sister Duo, you seemed unhappy when you got down just now. Did Liu and Mo bully you again?”
“…” Liu Duo ate one mouthful after another, choosing not to reply.
What did that have to do with him?
Ye Xuan smiled as he looked at Liu Duo focusing on her food. He didn’t feel awkward being ignored.
“I think they’re just fooling around with you. Don’t stay mad at them. You don’t look good when you’re angry. And it’s easy to get wrinkles too.”
He kept one thing unsaid in his heart. Actually, you look nice whether you’re angry or not!
Liu Duo showed little emotion. She left with her bowl, not bothering to listen to him.
Ye Xuan got up and followed her around. “Sister Duo, where are you going with your food?”
None of your business! She gave him the stink eye, still refusing to respond. He was so bothersome.
“The food shouldn’t leave the table. Sister Duo, you should eat here.” Ye Xuan kept smiling, as though this was his extraordinarily handsome look.
Liu Duo looked up and eyed Ye Xuan who kept blocking her way. “Would you believe it if I said I could ban you from stepping into this house ever again?”
Who did he think he was, ordering her around like that? It was none of his business where she liked to take her food.
The smile never left his face even after she said that.
