Chapter 6: Not Knowing When to Stop

“……”

Li Ruantang’s eyes twitched slightly. She glanced at the line the young lord had drawn earlier, and gently called out to him, “Jiu Jiu?”

“Hmm?”

The person nestled in her arms found a comfortable position, not even bothering to open his eyes.

In May, the sun shone brightly during the day, but the nights in the small mountain village were still a bit chilly.

Meng Jun had been tired all day, and now lying on the pillow, he instinctively moved closer to the source of warmth in his drowsy state.

As his consciousness gradually became hazy, he heard her voice and didn’t forget to remind her once again, “Li… Mmm, Tang, Tang, I really will, will bite.”

The young lord’s clear voice carried a hint of weariness as he nestled in her embrace, rubbing his forehead against the stray strands of hair.

Li Ruantang’s lips curved into a silent smile. She carefully tucked the thin quilt around the young lord before scooting slightly towards the edge of the bed.

Unexpectedly, the young lord, who had lost his source of warmth, also moved along with her.

His handsome brows furrowed slightly, as if annoyed that the warmth had wandered off. He stretched out his arms and legs, hugging her tightly.

“Mmm.”

The young lord’s lips curved into a satisfied smile in his sleep. This source of warmth was soft and fragrant, like embracing a cloud.

Even when the occasional scene of falling from a cliff appeared in his dreams that night, Meng Jun was no longer afraid.

He now had a cloud of his own.

The young lord slept comfortably, and Li Ruantang was also exhausted.

Before dawn broke, the village was already lit with lanterns and candles. Zhou Fulang, following Hu Sanniang’s instructions, had specially steamed a basket of white flour buns.

Li Ruantang was a distinguished guest, so how could they serve her rice soup and wowotou for every meal?

“Dad.” A pair of smiling eyes peeked in from outside the kitchen, first glancing at the room where Li Ruantang was sleeping, then deliberately lowering her voice, “Ever since the noble guest arrived, I’ve noticed that Mom’s mood has improved a lot.”

“You know our family’s situation. Before the New Year, your grandmother divided the family, showing extreme favoritism. Apart from that one-acre-three-fen of land, she refused to leave anything to your mother.”

Zhou Fulang invited his son to sit by the stove with him and held his hand, sighing again, “To put it bluntly, it’s Dad’s fault for not giving your mother a daughter. Your grandmother has always disliked Dad, and this time, Dad has implicated your mother.”

“Now that we have a noble guest, if she can guide your mother, it will give her more opportunities. At the very least, if we take care of them for a few days, we can earn some silver.”

“Dad, I noticed that the lady seems to have injured her head, and Mom found her in the Long Mountain Valley. What if they were harmed by someone and ended up here? Won’t Mom’s plans fall through?”

“Ning’er.” Zhou Fulang signaled for him to lower his voice, “Don’t mention this in front of your mother. In any case, a thin camel is still bigger than a horse. Even if this lady was harmed by someone, we saved her life. If she returns to her original position in the future, it will still be a great accomplishment for your mother.”

Hu Youning lowered his eyes and said nothing more.

He resembled Zhou Fulang in appearance, but his brows and eyes took after Hu Sanniang, naturally having a smiling expression.

Many young wives in the village had sent matchmakers to inquire about him, but Hu Youning had his own ideas and had not yet agreed to anyone.

Thinking of this, Zhou Fulang smiled again and said, “Haven’t you always wanted to find a wife-master who suits your heart? If your mother really rises to prominence and we follow her to the capital, you’ll meet more people. Who knows, you might encounter a woman who matches your preferences.”

“Dad!” Hu Youning blushed, the stove’s fire casting a hint of shyness on his face, “I don’t want to get married! I want to stay by your side.”

“Silly child, talking nonsense again.” Zhou Fulang cleaned his hands and stood at the table, cutting the freshly picked vegetables, “Dad knows you have a proud temperament, but a noble guest is still a noble guest. We can’t skimp on the necessary courtesies.”

“Yes, yes, yes.” Hu Youning nodded repeatedly. The aroma of the buns in the steamer basket wafted over, and he glanced at the fire in the stove, seeming to remember something. He suddenly became curious, “Dad, I heard that Lady Li went to the river to wash clothes?”

“Mmm.”

This news spread quickly, and Zhou Fulang wasn’t surprised at all. He gestured for his Ning’er to look at the brocade outer garments hanging in the courtyard and sighed with emotion, “That’s why people should go out more and read books to learn etiquette.”

As a man, encountering such a wife-master is truly a blessing.