Downstairs, Liao Yun and Lin Yue were setting the table, Lin Yue busily engaged on one side. It was the first time she realized that there was so much to learn about setting a table.
"Mom..." After coming downstairs, Zhuo Xiangqiao called out to Liao Yun, then he stepped forward and wrapped his arms around Lin Yue's waist, whispering in her ear, "Why are you busy with these, where's Aunt Qin?"
Not knowing if it was his breath that made her feel flustered or if she was just embarrassed, Lin Yue pushed him slightly away, "Aunt Qin is busy with other things, I should learn to do this eventually."
"Ahem." A cough came from the stairs, Zhuo Xiangqiao looked up to see Zhuo Jianzhang standing at the top of the stairs, with an inscrutable Zhuo Xiangnan behind him. Seeing them, Lin Yue quickly pulled away from the arm that was wrapped around her waist.
Knowing that she was always shy, Zhuo Xiangqiao didn't tease her further. After waiting for Zhuo Jianzhang and Liao Yun to be seated, he too pulled Lin Yue down to sit beside him.
The dining table was eerily quiet, Lin Yue kept her head down and focused on the dishes in front of her. From a distance, few others had almost not moved at all. Suddenly, a rib fell into her bowl, and when she looked up, it was Zhuo Xiangqiao who had placed it there.
"Eat more meat, you always like Aunt Qin's sweet and sour ribs," he said, and then he picked up another piece and put it into her bowl.
Lin Yue looked up to see him watching her, so she could only eat the rib. After she had gnawed both pieces clean, she was just about to say she was full when she saw Zhuo Xiangqiao put another piece into her bowl. Lin Yue painfully swallowed the meat that was already stuck in her throat.
"Don't go back tonight, stay here and sleep," Zhuo Jianzhang suddenly said halfway through the meal.
Lin Yue's hand, which was about to pick up some vegetables, paused, and Zhuo Xiangqiao, who was serving her vegetables, replied, "Why stay at home, it's inconvenient to stay here." As he spoke, he cast a meaningful glance at Lin Yue, who was eating with her head down, causing her ears to turn red.
"If you're told to stay here, just stay. Why so much nonsense?"
Just as Zhuo Xiangqiao was about to speak, Lin Yue gently kicked him under the table, which made him close his mouth angrily, and he kept on serving her vegetables relentlessly.
That evening, Lin Yue, obviously overfed, walked around the garden to digest, patting her waist. Zhuo Xiangqiao was supposed to accompany her, but as they were leaving, he received a phone call and could only watch helplessly as Lin Yue wandered around on her own.
After wandering for a while and feeling a bit tired, Lin Yue wanted to find a place in the garden to rest. Just as she was about to go over, she heard voices talking nearby. Not wanting to eavesdrop, she was about to leave when she saw someone coming out.
Right after dinner, Zhuo Xiangnan received a call from Lin Yao. Although he had taken her home to meet his mother last time, his mother's attitude clearly opposed the matter, and Lin Yao was obviously hurt by her mother's coldness. Over the phone, Zhuo Xiangnan soothed her with gentle words. Just as he was comforting Lin Yao, he heard a noise behind him and hastily ended the call to see that it was Lin Yue, about to leave.
Just as Lin Yue was lifting her foot to leave, she realized that the person coming out was Zhuo Xiangnan. Connecting the bits of conversation she had heard, she understood that the one he was patiently and gently speaking to on the phone was obviously Lin Yao.
Just as Lin Yue was about to leave, she found herself blocked by Zhuo Xiangnan beside the floral trellis. She looked up at him, suddenly blocking her path, and felt the disgust emanating from his gaze, causing her heart to sour. As she tried to struggle away, Zhuo Xiangnan suddenly said, "No matter what your purpose is, I'd advise you to leave Xiang Qiao sooner rather than later."
Any lingering sourness in Lin Yue's heart seemed to spread to the tip of her nose and her eyes. "What kind of purpose do you think I have, Mr. Zhuo?"
Zhuo Xiangnan's eyes instantly turned icy as he gripped her arm and said, "You think you can get back at me like this? Lin Yue, you're overestimating yourself!"
Lin Yue's eyes grew increasingly stinging, and the corners of her lips curled into a cold sneer, "You think too highly of yourself, Mr. Zhuo. It's not like I'd wager my own marriage just to get back at you." With that, she threw off his hand, "My life with Xiang Qiao is none of your business. You should worry about your own issues with Lin Yao instead. But from what I see, Mr. Zhuo, your plans to welcome Lin Yao into the Zhuo Family seem to be a long way off!" After finishing her words, she strode away from there.
A few steps after leaving, Lin Yue saw Zhuo Xiangqiao standing there, who was apparently done with his phone call. Upon seeing her, Zhuo Xiangqiao immediately went to greet her, and as soon as he grabbed her hand, his brow furrowed.
"Why is it so cold?" Then looking at her, he added, "Going out for a walk without wearing enough, even though it's spring, it still gets cold at night." Saying this, he pulled her into the house.
In Zhuo Xiangqiao's room, the bed had been freshly dressed with a new set of linens by Auntie Li. Lin Yue sat awkwardly on the bed edge, feeling strangely unsettled even though she had often been in his room before but never like this.
She opened the wardrobe where her clothes, which had been taken from the guest room, were now placed in Zhuo Xiangqiao's wardrobe. Lin Yue stepped forward, opened it, and chose the most conservative nightgown.
"The bath is ready for you, you should go wash first." Zhuo Xiangqiao emerged from the bathroom with his sleeves rolled up to his elbows, walked over to the bedside, and said. Seeing Lin Yue's bowed head, he knew what she was thinking and couldn't help but smile.
Feeling him approaching, Lin Yue grabbed the nightgown beside her and rushed into the bathroom. Zhuo Xiangqiao lay on the bed, listening to the sound of water coming from the bathroom, his eyes full of tenderness, until he realized that she was taking a bit too long and got up to knock on the door.
In the bathroom, Lin Yue lay in the bathtub, reflecting on the scenes that had unfolded in the garden just before. She now began to ponder over their impulsive marriage. Thinking of what Aunt Yun had said earlier, she sighed deeply and was about to get up when she heard the knocking.
She hurriedly grabbed a towel from the rack and dried herself off, calling out, "I'll be done soon." Just as she finished speaking, her foot slipped, and she crashed toward the floor.
Zhuo Xiangqiao, outside the door, hearing the noise coming from the bathroom, kicked the door open, and upon entering, saw Lin Yue kneeling on the ground with only a loosely draped towel around her.
"Yueyue, where did you hurt yourself?" he asked as he picked her up.
Lin Yue, being lifted, clutched the towel tightly against her chest, feeling the warm breath from Zhuo Xiangqiao's nose on her head, causing her ears to burn as if on fire.
Zhuo Xiangqiao carried her to the bed, and under the light, he could see a large red patch on her knee. With concern, he asked, "Does it hurt? I'll go get some medicated oil."