Ye Ling didn’t give a second thought when he heard that. He nodded in agreement. “Alright, I hope you won’t mind me for being a slow learner.”
He knew that it would be easier if he could read a few words rather than none at all. In time, he could help Liu Duo with the bookkeeping.
Besides, Liu Duo also had to work on her illustrations. Bookkeeping would occupy her time.
“What about me?” Ye Liu, being his mischievous self, sat cross-legged on the stool and looked at her with a smirk hanging on his face.
“You can learn from Mo. Since you two spend so much time together anyway, just get him to teach you when there’s free time. You don’t need me.”
“What do you mean by that? Of course I need Little Duo to teach me! Mo is so fierce, I’m scared of him. I’m worried I may go to my death,” Ye Liu said, his eyes locked on her.
Liu Duo threw him a stink eye and turned to Ye Yang. “Yang, come practice reading with me when you’re free! It would be quite nice if we were all literate.”
Ye Yang nodded to her suggestion. Since Liu Duo wanted him to learn, he would gladly do so! It was not a bad thing anyway.
Ye Mo, who had just come out of the kitchen, asked, “What are you all talking about here? The water’s heated, the wife can go bathe first.”
Then he took the empty bucket by his side and got ready to fetch some water.
Yet, Liu Duo turned to Ye Ling. “Ling, you go bathe first. I’m not done resting.”
Ye Liu giggled, “Little Duo, why don’t you take a couple’s bath with Ling? You still have the sachet Ling gave you, the one with the Mandarin ducks! Fit for a couple, don’t you think? Ling must have been thinking about that.”
Ye Ling blushed, turning red immediately. No, he wasn’t thinking like that at all!
“Liu, no, that’s not what I was thinking! Those Mandarin ducks represent the five of us living happily together, that’s all!” Ye Ling quickly explained.
He didn’t want Liu Duo to overthink it. He certainly didn’t plan to bathe with her!
Ye Yang looked at Ye Ling and was relieved to see no changes on his face. He spoke to Ye Liu: “Liu, stop teasing him.”
To which Ye Liu smiled and said, “Got it.”
He did it on purpose, to see if Ye Ling would lose control of his emotions again.
Fortunately, Ye Ling performed well and didn’t disappoint him.
Right then. Ye Mo announced his presence by exiting the kitchen with a bucket of hot water. “Wife, time for your bath. I’m going to pour hot water into the tub.”
He entered the bathroom and did just that.
“Ling, are you really not getting in first?” Liu Duo asked him.
He seemed to be at peak health these days, nothing out of the ordinary.
Occasionally he would throw out a joke or two. She quite liked his current condition.
Ye Ling shook his head and said gently, “Duo Er, you go then. I’ll bathe later.”
It was so embarrassing, just thinking about sharing a bath with her. He wouldn’t dare do that!
With that said, Liu Duo didn’t hesitate as she collected her change of clothes and headed to the bathroom which was in Ye Mo’s direction.
Ye Liu shouted at her, “Little Duo, if Ling’s not going with you, then I’ll do it.”
Liu Duo, already at the bathroom door, looked back and rolled her eyes at him. Dream on!
“Wife, the temperature’s just right. You use it first, we’ll add water later.”
“Yes, sure.” Liu Duo nodded.