<Li Mingwei> turned her head, and <Liu Yizhu> was also looking at her. Their eyes met for a moment before <Li Mingwei> lowered her gaze, suddenly feeling somewhat tired.
<Liu Yizhu> faintly smiled at <Dong Shan>: “Mm, we’re taking a break today and came out to eat with a classmate. <Dong Shan>, what brings you here?”
<Dong Shan> glanced at <Li Mingwei>, whose expression wasn’t too good. He had a rough idea that the two of them were not in a good mood, so he said, “Nothing much, just wandering around and buying some things.”
The waiter recognized <Tang Jue> and saw that they were acquainted with the county magistrate's son's friend, so he became more polite. "What would you three gentlemen like to eat?"
<Li Mingwei> tilted her chin towards <Dong Lei>: "Order whatever you want."
"I..." <Dong Lei> sat up straight, his small eyes darted around, before settling on a chicken at <Liu Yizhu> and the other's table. "I want that."
<Li Mingwei> gritted her teeth. This kid really knew how to order.
The waiter quickly said, "That's a steamed chicken."
<Dong Shan> patted his son. Ordering something so extravagant and expensive-looking at first glance.
<Li Mingwei> nodded: "We'll take one. Anything else?"
"No more." <Dong Lei> shook his head. He felt he could be full already.
She looked to <Dong Shan>, and <Dong Shan> quickly waved his hands, indicating he wasn't picky and would eat anything. She had no choice but to ask the waiter herself, adding a vegetable dish and soup.
The two tables weren't far apart. <Tang Jue> lowered his voice and asked, "You know them?"
"They're from the same town."
<Yang Jingyuan> made two clicking sounds as he looked at <Li Mingwei> tenderly wiping the sugar stain from the corner of <Dong Lei>'s mouth. "Are they a family of three? The girl looks young but the child is so big already."
<Zhong Liangyu> kicked him. "Are you blind?" He hinted for <Yang Jingyuan> to look at <Liu Yizhu>'s unpleasant expression. <Yang Jingyuan> glanced back at the three and said, "They don't look like a family at all. From the girl's looks, she resembles <Liu Yizhu> more."
"Don't speak nonsense."
The three of them understood from his verbal scolding but relaxed expression that there was more to it.
<Tang Jue> secretly gave <Zhong Liangyu> a thumbs up. As expected of a man who stared at <Liu Yizhu> a hundred times a day.
He nudged <Liu Yizhu>'s elbow. "You like her, don't you?"
Before <Liu Yizhu> could reply, <Zhong Liangyu> had already leaned forward and lamented, "What a pity, the flowing water is intentional but the fallen flower is heartless."
<Yang Jingyuan> covered his mouth. "Unrequited love?"
"Of course. Didn't you see how he's been eyeing her this whole time while she barely even glanced at him?"
"Tsk tsk tsk. Today's a difficult day for Brother <Liu> as well."
<Liu Yizhu>...
It was another day of being backstabbed by his two sworn brothers.
<Dong Shan> took a look at the four huddled together whispering and murmuring. His gaze fell onto <Li Mingwei>, and seeing her listless, he grew somewhat worried. "What's wrong?"
<Li Mingwei> shook her head and bent down to rub her calf. She had walked extremely quickly today in order to not slow <Dong Shan> down. She didn't feel it while walking around, but as soon as she sat down to rest for a bit, her legs started cramping badly.
<Dong Shan> understood at a glance that her leg was hurting again. He sternly said, "I told you to take the carriage but you insisted otherwise. Your leg is hurting again, isn't it? Don't try to endure it on the way back. You're not heavy at all, it won't take much effort for me."
<Dong Lei> also peeked at her and chimed in. "Auntie, take the carriage. I'll eat more later so I can walk by myself on the way back."
<Li Mingwei> didn't believe his nonsense at all. The last time when he had clung onto her refusing to let go halfway up the hill, she didn't know who that was.
Their food arrived very quickly. <Dong Lei> was starving and started eating in big mouthfuls. <Dong Shan> lightly tasted all the dishes before slowing down his pace. He wanted to wait until they were done before finishing everything.
But when he looked up, he saw that <Li Mingwei> had barely touched her chopsticks. "Why aren't you eating?"
"I'm done."
With her calf cramping incessantly, <Li Mingwei> had completely lost her appetite. She even felt a little nauseous and didn't want to eat anything.
"You're done already?" <Dong Shan> looked at her bowl which had only been prodded at twice with her chopsticks. "Is the pain so bad you can't eat?"
<Dong Lei> pulled his hand out from his busy eating and brought his candied haws to her mouth. "Mom said sour stuff stimulates your appetite. The hawthorn here is so sour."
The cloyingly sweet taste wafted into <Li Mingwei's> nose, making her even more uncomfortable. She quickly pushed it away. "Auntie doesn't like sour stuff. You can have it yourself."
"Alright."
Noticing the fine beads of sweat on her forehead, <Liu Yizhu> was extremely worried. It was still spring and not even hot, even a bit windy today. This sweat was undoubtedly from pain.
He held his forehead and went through <Li Mingwei's> words in his mind again, realizing he was not at all calmer, and let out a sigh. Getting up, he squatted by her feet.
He tentatively reached out and squeezed her calf. "Where does it hurt?"
<Li Mingwei> was about to refuse when her calf suddenly cramped again. She cried out in pain, "Ah!"
<Liu Yizhu> hurriedly pulled back his hand, flustered. "Was I too forceful?"
"No, it just suddenly twinged."
Seeing how much pain she was in, <Liu Yizhu> said to <Dong Shan>, "Brother Dong, there's a medicine shop nearby. I'll take her there to get it looked at. Please go ahead and eat first."
<Dong Shan> stood up, about to say he would go along, when he saw <Liu Yizhu> had already swept <Li Mingwei> into his arms and headed downstairs.
<Li Mingwei> let out a shocked cry and struggled a little, to no avail. She could only tug her waist purse off and throw it to <Dong Shan>. <Liu Yizhu> probably didn't have much money on him but they would need to pay later.
<Dong Shan> caught it. In the end, he didn't have the heart to follow them.
<Tang Jue> watched <Liu Yizhu> carrying the girl disappear around the stairwell. He turned back and snatched <Yang Jingyuan's> wine cup. "Don't drink anymore. No one's carrying you back today."
<Yang Jingyuan> didn't mind. He sprawled over the window with a solemn expression, gazing downstairs and lamenting, "I ask the world, what is love?"
<Tang Jue> tapped his palm rhythmically with his fan, smiling contentedly. "It's something you'll never understand anyway."
<Yang Jingyuan's> face instantly crumpled.
Curious glances kept coming at them from all directions. <Li Mingwei> only felt her face burning. She lifted her eyes to look at the slightly flustered <Liu Yizhu>. After hesitating for a moment, she reached out and looped her arms around his neck, burying her head in the crook of his neck.
Feeling the hot breath against his neck, <Liu Yizhu> froze. "What's wrong?"
<Li Mingwei> mumbled, "Embarrassing."
Broad daylight, openly embracing and carrying each other in the streets - if her mother knew, she'd be grounded for at least a month.
After glancing around, <Liu Yizhu> held her tighter against himself and quickened his pace.
The medicine boy led them to an inner room and drew the curtains before leaving. The doctor came in shortly after and gestured for <Li Mingwei> to roll up her pants. After examining her legs, he said, "Nothing too problematic. You just walked too hurriedly and got a leg cramp. It's still sore and aching, right?"
"Yes."
"Mm. Small matter. Do you have medicinal wine at home?"
<Li Mingwei> shook her head. She didn't think there was, Sister Chunhua hadn't mentioned it.
"Then I'll prescribe you some medicinal wine. Have your husband massage it for you when you get home, and rest for two more days. It'll be fine after that."
Before <Li Mingwei> could explain, <Liu Yizhu> had already agreed ahead of her and followed the doctor out.
A trace of annoyance flashed over her expression. This guy really had a lot of nerve, daring to casually agree to anything.