With a frown of disgust, Yue Ning snorted coldly and then expressionlessly ignored her.
First, he delivered the roe deer meat to the kitchen; after that, he called out Yixuan's name and strode into the cottage where the six brothers lived.
Before that wretched creature came to the Liang family, the six brothers had been living comfortably in the spacious east room.
The heated brick bed in the east room was eight or nine meters wide—there was plenty of room even for all the brothers, and they were not cramped. But when that wretched creature arrived at the Liang family, she took a fancy to the east room and, like a cuckoo pushing out its hosts, drove them out.
Yue Ning was hot-tempered, and he had been quite suffocated with anger, retorting with a few harsh words. But as fiery as his temper was, the wretched creature's was even fiercer.
That night, none of them could sleep; he ended up taking a beating that broke several of his bones. He had to lay down for an entire month before his broken bones gradually healed.
"Yixuan?"
As he pushed open the door and entered, he saw his youngest brother, leaning against the brick bed, seemingly sound asleep.
Yue Ning silently let out a breath, then turned his head and suddenly caught sight of the maize noodle soup on the tray.
The broth had turned cold, and the noodles were soaked through.
He had brought plenty of dry food when he left, but the back and forth had been too rushed, and he hadn't had the chance to eat. Now, with his stomach empty, he didn't mind the cold and grabbed some chopsticks to scoop up the noodles, slurping them down in a big gulp.
Hmm? This is delicious. He suddenly remembered how, not long ago, Third Brother had treated him to noodles at a restaurant where a single serving cost more than a dozen copper coins—an exorbitant price, nearly the same as a pound of maize flour. Yet the taste was just ordinary, nowhere near as good as this bowl.
Although cooled, the noodles didn't have the same texture as when freshly boiled, but the maize flour was smooth and tender, the soup light and clear. He quickly grabbed another chopstick full and shoved it into his mouth, settling himself with knees apart on the floor. His glance at Liang Yixuan, who was still napping on the brick bed, contained clear praise.
Not bad, kid, your culinary skills have improved.
Yue Ning slurped down a big bowl of noodles. In the end, he even drank the soup, licking the bowl clean.
After he finished, he smacked his lips, feeling like something was missing due to the small portion—he regretted eating so fast and wished he had savored it more.
Just then, Yixuan woke up.
He massaged his temples and, upon seeing Liang Yue Ning seated cross-legged on the floor, rubbed his stiff neck.
"Fifth Brother?" Wasn't he supposed to be up in the mountains and not back for a couple of days?
Tapping the edge of the bowl with his chopsticks, Yue Ning's eyes were full of urgency, "Yixuan, when do we eat? Cook some more noodles, I want more."
Yixuan paused, then with downcast eyes, said, "She made the noodles."
"What?"
She? That hideous thing?
Yue Ning was dumbfounded. Then, with a darkened expression, he asked, "You're not lying to me? It was really her?"
Yixuan nodded.
Thereupon, Yue Ning cracked a smile, suddenly rose, and bolted outside, intending to vomit it all out. But after a moment's hesitation, he stopped.
"Food is expensive, it's a pity to waste it."
After patting his stomach, he smacked his lips again, then clicked his tongue.
I won't throw it up, I'll keep it down!
But damn, it was delicious, wasn't it?
Just then, a "bang bang bang, bang bang bang" sound came from the east, he looked up and saw a large hole in the wall of the east room. Half the wall seemed about to collapse, leaving him stunned.
Yixuan came out from the cottage, and Yue Ning turned to ask him, "What happened here?"
With slightly parted thin lips, Yixuan replied, "She's strong, lost control for a moment, and smashed through the mud wall."
He didn't want to talk much about Zhu Xingfang. Otherwise, given Fifth Brother's temper, he would certainly have a confrontation with the woman from the east room.
Better to let it be. Having fewer issues is better than having more, and peace was the best remedy.