"You…" Longyue covered her mouth and looked at the handsome man in disbelief, as if she had met him for the first time. In her past life, he had never made overtures like this. "Is this man crazy?" she wondered.
"You're crazy!" she shouted angrily. "Eldest Chai saved me and Qingqiu on the mountain. We encountered a python. Are you crazy?"
"Er… I'm sorry for scaring you. I'm guilty."
He sounded guilty, but there was a flash of mischief in his eyes.
"Misunderstanding is just a ploy to take advantage of others!" she thought.
"Third Brother, Longyue, come out for dinner!"
Li Qingqiu shouted happily, breaking the awkward atmosphere in the room.
The Li family's house comprised dilapidated, tiled-roofed houses. They walked through the middle courtyard and arrived at the main hall for dinner. At this time, the parents, brothers, and sisters-in-law were already sitting down and waiting. Her seven-year-old sister-in-law, Qingxue, was sitting quietly on Madam Li Zhou's lap.
"Well, you guys are here. Have a seat, have a seat…"
Madam Li Zhou was clearly afraid of Longyue. When she saw her, she almost stood up to greet her.
She had witnessed this family's weakness and cowardice in her previous life. Longyue's face was expressionless as she glanced at the table. There was a plate of vegetables, 10 steamed buns made of coarse rice, and a big bowl of rice soup. Of course, the most eye-catching thing was the plate of steamed snake meat.
Longyue noticed that everyone at the table was looking at the plate of snake meat.
Steamed snake meat was not something Longyue liked to eat. She said coldly, "Where's that chicken? We agreed to nourish my husband's body. Where's the chicken?"
"Well… Longyue, the chicken is still stewing in the pot… Don't be anxious…"
"Alright, bring it to my house later."
As soon as Longyue finished speaking, Madam Zhang, who was at the side, held her forehead and complained, "Mom, can't you see? This Longyue is too much! Why should we give them a whole chicken? They don't even know how to show filial piety to mom. Does this person even have filial piety?"
When Madam Li Zhou heard this, her expression turned ugly.
How could Longyue not tell what her second sister-in-law was thinking? "She just wants to eat the chicken." She sneered in her heart and said with a smile, "Ah Qiu, give dad and mom a chicken leg later. You should have one too."
Li Qingqiu's eyes lit up as he said happily, "Thank you, Longyue!"
Her words infuriated Madam Zhang.
Ignoring her second sister-in-law's angry gaze, Longyue picked up a big piece of snake meat and placed it in Li Qingmu's bowl. She said loudly, "Dad, mom, brother, and second brother, what are you waiting for? Men should eat more. Eat it all. Don't leave any! Qingxue, you eat too!"
If there were leftovers, they would fall into Madam Zhang's hands. Longyue couldn't stand her greed. And not only did she eat the Li family's food, she often took some to her maternal family.
Qingqiu and Qingxue were craving meat. When they heard their third sister-in-law's words, they immediately picked up some meat with their chopsticks.
Li Zhou glared at the two children, but she could not control their hands. She quickly put three pieces of meat into her bowl and wolfed them down.
The family immediately divided up the snake meat. Madam Zhang was slow and only managed to snatch a piece. She was so angry that she dropped her chopsticks.
She glanced at her husband's bowl which contained a piece of snake meat.
Without saying anything, she reached out with her chopsticks to take it, but Longyue stopped her with her chopsticks.
Longyue said coldly, "Both father and mother are here. Are you crazy? You actually want to steal your husband's food? Do you still have any sense of seniority? Have you forgotten a woman's propriety?"
"Pang Longyue, mind your own business!"
"Your husband is my second brother. This is a family matter. Why can't I interfere?"
Old Master Li, who was beside them, did not want a disturbance. He said, "Alright, cut it out."
Although he said that, Old Master Li looked at Madam Zhang with dissatisfaction.
"This daughter-in-law is not acceptable!" he thought.
After dinner, Longyue went to the kitchen. She was relieved to see chicken stew in the pot.
She was in no hurry to leave. Instead, she waited for the chicken to be cooked before carrying the pot to her house.
After Madam Zhang finished eating, she also went to the kitchen in hopes of taking two bites when the chicken was cooked. But it turned out that Longyue was waiting there. Her plan was foiled.
Her eyes turned green with envy as she choked on her tears and ran to Madam Li Zhou's house.
"Mom, Longyue took a pot of chicken to her own house and didn't even leave us a mouthful of soup. Isn't that too much? She just said that she wanted to give you guys some food. She's looking down on you, her mother-in-law!"
Madam Li Zhou thought about how Longyue had indeed said that she wanted to feed them and instantly felt depressed. However, her timid personality made her unable to do anything about this matter. She spread out her hands and sighed. "Sigh, don't take it personally. His family is different from ours. Qingmu will become an official in the future, and she will be an official's wife… Well… bear with it…"
It would have been better if Madam Li Zhou had not said that. The moment she did, Madam Zhang became even angrier. She stomped her feet and went back to Li Qinghai. She raged, "Useless trash. You only know how to watch your wife get bullied. Coward!"
After she finished speaking, she even hit him. Li Qinghai was an honest and docile man. He just kept a straight face and did not utter a word. He turned around and fell asleep on the bed. Madam Zhang was so angry that she threw a pillow at him twice.
On the other side, Longyue carried the chicken soup into the house. She saw her husband reading under the candlelight by the window. She went up and placed the chicken soup in front of him. "Eat it!"
She said with a cold expression. She looked fierce, but Li Qingmu was moved. "There's too much chicken soup. Honey, come and have some."
"Tch, I'm not weak. You, on the other hand, spend all your time racking your brains over studying and painting. How can you not nourish yourself? Don't starve and ruin your health. I still have to take care of you! Eat, hurry up. If you don't, watch how I will deal with you!"
Longyue widened her almond-shaped eyes and looked angry. In Li Qingmu's eyes, she looked cute and seductive.
He chuckled softly and said casually, "Alright, I'll listen to you, Honey."
Li Qingmu ate a lot of chicken soup, but he had left two chicken legs intact.
Longyue glared at him unhappily, but she knew that he was doing this for her good and to help her establish her prestige in the family.
Without hesitation, she got up and delivered the two chicken legs to Madam Li Zhou and Qingqiu.
Madam Li, who was hiding in her room and talking to her husband about her new daughter-in-law, had been hurt by Madam Zhang's words.
Just then, Longyue came in with a chicken leg.
Madam Li Zhou was so stunned that she trembled. She quickly stood up and said, "Hai, Longyue, you…"
Madam Li Zhou panicked a little as she had been caught talking about Longyue behind her back.
"Mom, this is a chicken leg for you. I always do what I say. Mom, don't listen to the slanderous talk."
"Sigh, yes, yes…"
Madam Li Zhou stuttered. She knew that Longyue had heard her just now and that she was giving her a reminder.
She felt a little uncomfortable and was about to say something nice to ease the tension when Longyue turned around and left.
Longyue gave her Qingqiu a chicken leg. When she returned, she saw that Li Qingmu had already made the bed.
Today the room was a little different. Two dim yellow candles flickered with soft light. The man by the bed had already taken off his clothes. Looking at her, he revealed a smile that outshone the stars and said faintly, "Honey, it's not early. We should go to bed…"