Seeing that Xiang Youyou seemed to understand their predicament, the guard breathed a sigh of relief and respectfully stepped aside. Xiang Youyou turned to look at Sun Siyu and said with an expression not quite pleasant, "Siyu, now I'll ask you questions, and you just need to answer with a blink for yes or no. Understand?"
Sun Siyu immediately blinked her eyes.
"Very good!" Xiang Youyou asked in a deep voice, "Did you forcibly enter the Liu Family Castle?"
Although Sun Siyu believed there was a reason behind her actions, she didn't deny what she had done and blinked once.
Xiang Youyou continued, "Did you also injure the guards of the Liu Family?"
Sun Siyu wanted to say, "It's because they were being dirty when they attacked me!" but actions spoke louder than words, so she blinked again.
Xiang Youyou's face darkened. "What did you come here for?"
Sun Siyu didn't know how many times to blink for this question.
"You've confused me." Xiang Youyou rubbed her temples and picked up her phone to call Li Nianlong. After a while, she said, "Big brother, did Siyu tell you why she came to the Liu Family?... To spar with you?!" Xiang Youyou turned her head to glare at Sun Siyu, who was sweating coldly.
"Alright, I understand... Yeah, I don't blame you. It's all this girl's fault. Okay, I'll come over for lunch later."
After hanging up the phone, Xiang Youyou was fuming. "Sun Siyu! You said you came to see me in Tianfu, but you actually came to fight with big brother! No wonder you've been asking big brother questions these days. I was wondering about that. Now I know how capable you are!"
Thinking of Li Nianlong's methods, Sun Siyu felt a hint of fear in her eyes, her face flushing even redder.
"Since big brother said you have to stand here for a day, then stand here you shall!" Xiang Youyou was both angry and hungry. "I'm going to have lunch. I'll come back to pick you up after school."
Watching Xiang Youyou leave, Sun Siyu felt on the verge of tears. "Youyou, don't leave me..."
At the Liu Family Castle, Li Nianlong had just finished cooking when Xiang Youyou arrived.
"Big brother."
"Youyou's here!" Li Nianlong smiled faintly. "You're in luck today. Big brother has prepared some new dishes, guaranteed to make you lick your lips."
Upon hearing the words 'new dishes,' Xiang Youyou's mouth watered incessantly. She swallowed hard and said, "Big brother, Siyu did something wrong. I apologize to you and to the guards of the Liu Family on her behalf."
Li Nianlong looked at her and smiled faintly. "No need to apologize. I've already punished her."
"Mm." Xiang Youyou's eyes showed a hint of worry. "Although it was Siyu's fault, her father dotes on her. I'm afraid..."
"Sun Qing, right?" Li Nianlong took off his apron and smiled lightly. "They say Sun Qing is ruthless. I'd like to see how ruthless he really is."
Xiang Youyou was taken aback. "Big brother, you've been wanting to confront Sun Qing?"
"Yes!" Li Nianlong washed his hands and smiled faintly. "Let's go! Let's eat first."
"Okay."
In the dining room, Liu Lao Taiye, Shao Meiyun, and Nalan Ruyue sat at the table, staring blankly at the table full of new dishes, occasionally swallowing saliva.
"Don't just sit there." Seeing this scene, Li Nianlong walked over with a smile. "Dig in! Youyou, come sit here too."
"Coming." Xiang Youyou saw the dishes on the table, all new as Li Nianlong had said. "It smells so good! Big brother, what are these dishes?"
"This is Plum Blossom Greeting Spring," Li Nianlong smiled faintly. "It's made by stewing plum blossom petals, coating them with paste, and then frying them with mushrooms and bamboo shoots. Try it."
"Plum blossom petals can also be used for cooking?" Xiang Youyou suddenly felt that Li Nianlong was going a bit too far, but considering his cooking skills, she picked up her chopsticks and picked up some plum blossom egg paste and mushrooms. With distinct colors and very appetizing appearance, she closed her eyes and put them in her mouth.
"Mmm..." Xiang Youyou's eyes widened.
"How is it?" Li Nianlong asked.
"It's delicious!" Xiang Youyou's face was full of delight. "It's really amazing. Not only does it have the fragrance of plum blossoms, but there's also an indescribable feeling, like... yes, like a breath of spring, very comfortable."
"Is it really that delicious?" Seeing Xiang Youyou, the 'food tester,' saying it was delicious, Shao Meiyun also picked up her chopsticks and took a bite.
"Spring, where are you? Don't leave, I smell your scent."
"..."
After a few rounds of drinks and tasting various dishes, Shao Meiyun drank some tea and asked, "Youyou, didn't you say you wouldn't come over to accompany your cousin for lunch today? Why did you come? Where's your cousin?"
"Uh..." Xiang Youyou looked a bit embarrassed and glanced at Li Nianlong. Li Nianlong smiled helplessly and said, "Sister, do you remember the woman causing trouble at the city gate this morning?"
Shao Meiyun was quick-witted. When she heard this, she paused for a moment and immediately understood. "Could it be! That woman causing trouble at the city gate is Youyou's cousin?"
Xiang Youyou looked embarrassed. "Yes, she's my uncle Sun Qing's daughter, Sun Siyu."
"Sun Qing's daughter!?" Liu Lao Taiye and Shao Meiyun's faces changed. Over the years, Sun Qing had made quite a name for himself in the martial arts world, and anyone who heard his name would feel a little uneasy.
Feeling the tension from the two, Li Nianlong took a sip of hot tea and said lightly, "No matter whose daughter she is, daring to intrude into the Liu Family Castle, she must pay the price!"
Hearing Li Nianlong's words, Liu Lao Taiye and Shao Meiyun immediately felt more confident. Shao Meiyun smiled and narrowed her eyes. "You're right. Nowadays, the Liu Family is not what it used to be. We have super masters sitting here."
Thinking of the scene a month ago when Li Nianlong pierced the rockery and pine trees, Liu Lao Taiye straightened up a lot, chuckling, "That's right, the Liu Family now has both literary and martial arts talents. We're not someone that anyone can afford to offend. Even if Sun Qing comes, so what? We'll just beat him up!"
Xiang Youyou sighed inwardly as she had visited the Liu Mansion almost every day during this period. She had firsthand experience of the changes in the Liu family. Initially, she felt that something was lacking in the Liu family, but now she realized it was their morale. After experiencing several assassination attempts, the people in the Liu Mansion were somewhat despondent. However, as time passed, their morale improved. The despondency vanished, replaced by a thriving vitality. She knew that all of this was brought about by Li Nianlong.
Not only did he possess formidable martial arts skills, but he also had a charismatic and approachable personality. Every servant in the Liu Mansion held a favorable opinion of their new master. Rumor had it that once, when a servant overheard someone badmouthing Li Nianlong, he promptly dealt with the offender, even though it ended with the Liu Mansion compensating the victim. This incident demonstrated the loyalty of the servants towards their master.
When a family has such strong loyalty, it becomes formidable. Xiang Youyou was amazed by the loyalty within the Liu family. Now, with Sun Qing's daughter suffering a setback in the Liu Mansion, it was imaginable that Sun Qing wouldn't let it go. Despite the fearsome reputation of Sun Qing, neither Old Master Liu nor Shao Meiyun showed any signs of nervousness upon hearing his name. Xiang Youyou looked at Li Nianlong and thought to herself, "Big Brother... truly is a charismatic man."
After lunch, Li Nianlong handed Xiang Youyou a paper bag. "These are some bean paste buns made by Big Brother. Take them and eat."
"Bean paste buns!" Xiang Youyou's eyes lit up as she opened the bag. "So cute."
These bean paste buns were shaped like small animals: pandas, pigs, rabbits, hedgehogs, cats, and more. They were bite-sized and could be eaten in one mouthful. There were over twenty in the bag, suitable as snacks or meals.
Li Nianlong smiled faintly. "As a new teacher, you need to establish good relations with the school leaders and teachers. Take these buns and share them with the teachers. It will benefit you in the future."
"No!" Xiang Youyou immediately refused, clutching the bag of buns to her chest. "These are all mine. I won't give them to anyone!"
Li Nianlong took a bottle of mineral water. "Big Brother, Ruyue, I'm leaving. I'll come back in the afternoon."
Li Nianlong nodded with a smile. "Go ahead. Take care on the way."
"Got it."
After Xiang Youyou left, Nalan Ruyue gestured with her hands. "Did Sister Youyou take the mineral water to give to her cousin?"
Li Nianlong smiled faintly. "Youyou is a girl of strong sentiments. Her cousin is suffering, while she's enjoying delicious food and drinks. She must be feeling uneasy. Although that bratty Sun Shiyu is stubborn, she has a good elder sister."
After a pause, he continued, "Let's forgive her this time. I hope there won't be a next time, or I won't be able to consider Youyou's feelings."
At the entrance of the Liu Mansion, Sun Shiyu, who had been standing there for three hours as punishment, felt almost on the verge of collapse. The weather was cold, the day was gloomy, and the damp air combined with the biting wind made it difficult to endure. Although she was a martial artist and her body could withstand such hardships, the emotional pain as a young girl was indelible.
Several times, Sun Shiyu wanted to cry, but seeing the onlookers, she forced back her tears. "I can't cry. I can't let these commoners see the tears of a noble. Li Nianlong, I hate you! I'll make my father kill you!"
When Xiang Youyou walked out from inside the gate, she saw Sun Shiyu's aggrieved and stubborn appearance. She sighed lightly and walked over, offering a bean paste bun to her. "Are you hungry? Have some food first."
Seeing Xiang Youyou, Sun Shiyu almost burst into tears. "Sister, I knew you wouldn't abandon me."
She opened her mouth and ate the bean paste bun. Although it was sweet, it couldn't mask the pain and resentment in her heart.
"Don't blame Big Brother," Xiang Youyou seemed to understand Sun Shiyu's feelings. "He is the master of the Liu family. You injured the guards of the Liu Mansion without justification and forced your way into the castle. According to the rules of the martial world, even if you were killed on the spot, no one could say it was unjust. Big Brother just made you stand here for a day, which is already very merciful."
Sun Shiyu closed her eyes, indicating that she didn't want to hear Xiang Youyou speak well of Li Nianlong.
Shaking her head, Xiang Youyou said, "These buns were brought by Big Brother for you to eat. He has done everything he can. If you still want to cause trouble, I can't help you."
This time, Sun Shiyu remained silent, refusing all of Xiang Youyou's persuasions.