FID – Chapter 397

  Chapter 397: Stronger and More Straightforward Than Da Hong

  Fu Yuzheng knew that Feng Qingbai’s remark was only for Liu Zhixia’s sake, a polite discourse.

  He probably didn’t expect her to have the guts to really request something.

  Feng Qingbai squeezed his eyes shut again: “I will bring them back tomorrow.”

  ”Thank you, Your Highness!” Fu Yuzheng tried her best to control herself from squinting with laughter.

  The feeling of making His Highness do something and even respond to requests was really…really cool!

  Liu Zhixia covered his lips with a fist, using a light cough to hide his laughter that was about to burst out.

  The trace of pride the woman exhibited was too delicate.

  After a while, an invisible arc also appeared on Feng Qingbai’s lips.

  Although Liu Zhixia bullied him, he also owed him more and more favors.

  He would take note of them one by one. They would come in handy at the crucial moment.

  In the compound of the Liu family in Xinghua Village, Liu Dalin suddenly sneezed hard. He rubbed his nose and muttered, “Did I catch a cold?”

  Impossible. 

  He was in good health and hadn’t even suffered one minor problem in more than ten years. Even  that sneeze just now had long been absent for more than a decade.

  ”Uncle, I’m sure someone scolded you behind your back,” Liu Zhiqiu commented in all apparent seriousness. His statement was well founded.

  Qian Wanjin immediately chimed in, “It must be Feng Qingbai! That guy is the most insidious. Uncle Liu, you have to guard against him!”

  Hearing his instigation, Liu Yusheng, who had just made the tea, immediately withdrew the cup that she was about to hand to him and drank it herself.

  Qian Wanjin was angry. She pointed at her and complained toward Liu Dalin: “You’re not married yet, but you’re already siding with outsiders! Uncle Liu, I’m certain it’s definitely Feng Qingbai who is cursing you behind your back. He’s annoyed that you’re obstructing him from stealing someone!”

  Liu Yusheng squinted at him.

  Liu Dalin originally intended to respond, but seeing how his daughter’s eyes turned into slits, he immediately turned his head aside as if he hadn’t heard anything.

  The speed of abandonment was quite too fast. Qian Wanjin miserably looked around, trying to find allies again. However, Xue Qinglian only cared about drinking tea and did not pay attention to him. Aunt Hong was even more hopeless. Her iced face was two points colder from earlier.

  Isolated and helpless, ah ——

  The grandma and the grandpa were lying on the recliner next to each other, relaxing and drinking the hot tea made by their little granddaughter. They were watching the youngsters laughing and joking around, their eyes squinting in satisfaction

  Spring had begun. The spring sun was very pleasant, so when there was nothing the family could do early in the morning, they would move a chair or a stool and sit in the courtyard, letting the sun beat themselves. It was soft and warm.

  Indulging in this leisure made them feel like the time was beautiful.

  A woman in the kitchen yelled, “Come and have breakfast!”

  Wei Hong was the first to rush inside;Xue Qinglian and Qian Wanjin followed closely. Immediately after, a riot erupted inside.

  They each relied on their strong wrists, scooped a bowl of fragrant scallion and egg noodles, and returned to the courtyard. They sat down, huffing and puffing, and started eating.

  Bathed in sunlight, the air was filled with the aroma of onions and eggs. Occasionally, a laughing scolding could be heard from a woman, followed by a few unwilling yells from a youth. The lively, warm harmony rippled throughout the courtyard.

  When Li Junyue and Kang Ziyu entered, they witnessed such a scene.

  At breakfast time, the whole family was sitting in the courtyard, leaning close to each other, holding bowls and feasting.

  Without regard to their image one bit, crude to boot, yet unexpectedly harmonious.

  It seemed like a peasant breakfast should be like this.

  ”I guessed that Miss Junyue had dropped by the moment I heard the sound of the carriage.” Grandma Liu turned her head toward the door and was surprised when her eyes fell on Kang Ziyu. “Oh, Miss Kang is here too.”

  Chen Xiulan stood up: “Come in quickly. It’s so early. Have you had breakfast? I’ll go and serve you two bowls if you haven’t.”

  ”Yes.”

  ”No.”

  The two women spoke in unison, but their answers were opposite.

  After answering, they looked at each other, each a little embarrassed.

  Chen Xiulan smiled: “Then I will go and serve Junyue a bowl. Come in and take a seat first.”

  Li Junyue followed after her: “Auntie, I’ll do it myself. You don’t need to entertain me. I’ve given you trouble.”

  ”Hai, it’s no trouble.”

  One said this, and the other said that, and went to the kitchen. Although Kang Ziyu walked in and sat beside the bunch, holding their bowls, that feeling of embarrassment intensified.

  She shouldn’t have followed Junyue and came here together.

  Liu Yusheng and Liu Zhiqiu and the few other youngsters were sitting together. Seeing that Liu Zhiqiu only focused on eating without raising his head, and knowing how awkward it would be if the other elders in the family were to be responsible for greeting her, Liu Yusheng could only speak, being her peer: “Why did Miss Kang visit the village?”

  ”I heard that Yue’er was sick, so I came to see her yesterday. She said she’d be visiting Xinghua Village today, so I tagged along with her,” Kang Ziyu answered.

  ”You guys have a good relationship.”

  ”I’ve known Junyue for several years.”

  With this question-and-answer pattern, Liu Yusheng also wanted to scratch her head, and Qian Wanjin chortled secretly.

  He didn’t want the little girl to choke and feel unwell, trying to find a topic, so he addressed Kang Ziyu, “How is the matter of raising funds among the wealthy merchants in the city, which the Magistrate is responsible for?”

  Now that he mentioned something Kang Ziyu was slightly familiar with, she relaxed a little. “There were some difficulties before. Those rich people secretly resisted and made many excuses. When Father later attended the banquet in your restaurant, his progress became much smoother on his return.”

  ”That’s for sure. Merchants value profit. Few people will be willing to take out a large sum of money for nothing, except to earn a reputation. Now that the winery is going to give them a discount, as one of the proprietors, plus Nannan is also the Disaster Relief Ambassador, they will be all too happy to pay even for Nannan’s sake alone.”

  ”My father is also very dedicated,” Kang Ziyu added. Liu Yusheng’s credit was certainly there, but her father’s credit could not be dismissed.

  ”Of course, without Lord Kang’s coordination, things would have been difficult to do. Our side is the interest involved, while Lord Kang’s side is the official authority to deter; with a two-pronged approach, the effect is obvious.”

  Only then did Kang Ziyu nod in satisfaction.

  Grandpa Liu and Grandma Liu were listening to the conversation nearby and came up with another funny comment about Kang Ziyu. Her nature was more stubborn and straightforward than Yan Hong in their family.

  Li Junyue came out with a bowl.

  She walked to the middle of the group, hooked a stool with her foot and sat down, directly starting to eat.

  ”What are we talking about?”

  Kang Ziyu watched her posture, and the corners of her eyes jumped.

  Was this really the Li Junyue she knew?

  She completely disregarded her image and sat in the courtyard with a bowl of food in broad daylight like this group of country folks. She was akin to a village girl who grew up in the countryside.

  She couldn’t spot a single hint of misgivings or discomfort on her face. How could she be so natural?

  ”Junyue…”

  ”Hmm, so yummy. Sister Ziyu, do you want to have some? There are still noodles in the pot.”

  Kang Ziyu, “…” She shook her head quickly.

  In order to accompany her today, she didn’t dare to wear clothes with long skirts, in fear that the family’s small stool couldn’t hold her up. Also, to make her eat so rudely like her, she would never do it.

  While the two girls were talking, Liu Yusheng stepped on her Second Brother’s foot. Liu Zhiqiu almost cried out in pain.

  You attracted them into coming here, yet you ignore them. We’re not going to help you clean up your mess!