150, The Interesting Young Master Li (4 more
Li Hengyi always adhered to the principle that one should not talk while sleeping or eating. This was the first time he wanted to say something to Xie Zhinuan; he didn’t like eating in silence like this.
“Miss Xie, have you thought about the trip to the mountains?”
Xie Zhinuan was slightly startled; she felt that ancient customs were many and had not rashly spoken.
Yet, Young Master Li took the initiative to speak.
“Yes, I plan to go. But I’ll need Young Master Li to bring a few more people, including someone who knows medical skills. We can also gather some herbs. What do you think, Young Master Li?” Xie Zhinuan asked.
Li Hengyi hummed in response and nodded his head, “Good!”
And so, he agreed.
Xie Zhinuan was surprised by his straightforwardness.
“Shall we wait until after the Mid-Autumn Festival to enter the mountains? Or should we prepare and could go the day after tomorrow?” Xie Zhinuan asked again.
She also took the initiative to ladle soup for Li Hengyi and silently pushed it in front of him.
“…”
Li Hengyi was surprised.
No one who had ever shared a table with him from childhood had served him soup, not even his mother, who would signal someone else to do it.
When dining out, it was also someone attending him who ladled the soup.
“Thank you!”
After expressing his gratitude, Li Hengyi picked up the bowl and gently scooped some with a spoon to drink.
“Fish soup?”
“Yes, I cooked it with sour cabbage. I also added some pickled long beans and blast ginger with pickled chili, not too much though!”
Li Hengyi took a few more sips, “It tastes very good!”
Xie Zhinuan smiled.
She also ladled a bowl for herself, adding more sour cabbage, long beans, and pickled chili.
Li Hengyi glanced at her bowl, “Don’t you eat fish?”
“I do, but the fish has its own flavor, and the vegetables have their own fragrance. Don’t believe me? Try it.”
“Good!”
Li Hengyi tasted it and also ate the fish in the soup, finding it indeed delicious.
Xie Zhinuan had never cooked for him before.
He didn’t wait for Xie Zhinuan to make a move; he took the initiative to ladle up the vegetables from the big bowl.
Then he ate with chopsticks.
“Be careful of fish bones!” Xie Zhinuan reminded him.
“Hmm!”
Li Hengyi also restrained himself, not eating greedily but elegantly, though he was quite fast.
He didn’t chat with Xie Zhinuan, nor did he eat other dishes. Seeing Xie Zhinuan pour soup over her rice, he did the same.
He also ate the pickled chili.
“In a few days, when the pickled radishes are ready, adding some will make it taste even better,” Xie Zhinuan said, exhaling softly.
She was too full.
She actually enjoyed spicy and numbing flavors; the best taste comes from being both, but she was afraid Li’s stomach couldn’t handle it and dared not add too much spice.
To her surprise, he seemed to like it.
Xie Zhinuan invited Li Hengyi to speak in the courtyard.
Yet Li Hengyi commented, “The tangerines you gave this afternoon were good!”
“…”
“…”
Xie Zhinuan was surprised.
The silly girl, Aunt Chen, and grandma were also quite surprised.
His words were hardly any different from asking for more tangerines.
“In that case, would Young Master Li like to pick some himself in the back yard?”
“Good!”
Xie Zhinuan laughed helplessly, took the basket and scissors and said, “Then, Young Master Li, let me take you there!”
“Good!”
Li Hengyi felt his ears getting warm again.
Following behind Xie Zhinuan, he admired her somewhat intricate braids, finding her appearance very pleasing, unlike the esteemed daughters of the capital, and particularly comforting to behold.
In the backyard garden, row upon row, everything was neatly arranged. The tangerine trees were laden with fruit, bending the branches under their weight.
On the two large pomelo trees, pomelos were turning yellow.
“Will Young Master Li pick them himself?” Xie Zhinuan asked.
“Good!”
Li Hengyi stepped forward, took the scissors, and began selecting tangerines.
He didn’t know which ones were the best; he thought they all looked good, cutting them one by one felt right, and cutting them in bunches felt equally satisfactory.
By the time he filled the basket, he also cut a string of about a dozen more.
“…”
Xie Zhinuan raised her hand to cover her lips, her eyes brimming with a smile.
This Young Master Li, truly amusing!
Chapter 152