Chapter 6: Not Knowing How to Restrain Oneself

“……”

Li Ruantang’s eye twitched slightly as she glanced at the line the young gentleman had drawn earlier. She gently called out near his ear, “Jiujiu?”

“Hmm?”

The person nestled in her arms naturally found a comfortable position, without even opening his eyes.

The May days were sunny, but the nights in the small mountain village were still a bit chilly.

Meng Jun had been tired all day, and now lying on the pillow, in his drowsy state, he instinctively moved towards the source of warmth.

As his consciousness gradually blurred, he heard her voice and didn’t forget to remind her once more, “Li… um, Tang, Tang, I really will… will bite.”

The young gentleman’s clear voice carried a hint of weariness as he curled up in her embrace, rubbing the stray hairs sticking to his forehead.

Li Ruantang silently curved her lips, carefully tucking the thin blanket around the young gentleman before shifting slightly towards the edge of the bed.

Unexpectedly, the young gentleman, having lost his heat source, also moved a bit.

His handsome brows furrowed slightly, as if annoyed at the heat source for running away. He stretched out his arms and legs, and firmly embraced it.

“Mmm.”

The young gentleman’s lips curved into a very satisfied smile in his sleep, as if he was hugging a soft, fragrant cloud.

Thus, even when scenes of falling from a cliff occasionally appeared in his dreams that night, Meng Jun was no longer afraid.

He now had a cloud of his own.

While the young gentleman slept comfortably, Li Ruantang was also extremely tired.

Before dawn broke, the village was already lit with lamps and candles. Zhou Fulang, following Hu Sanniang’s instructions, had specially steamed a basket of white flour mantou.

Li Ruantang was a noble, how could she be served rice porridge and corn buns for every meal?

“Father.” A pair of smiling eyes peeked in from outside the kitchen. First glancing towards the lower room where Li Ruantang was sleeping, then deliberately lowering his voice, “Ever since we’ve had noble guests, I’ve noticed mother’s mood has improved a lot.”

“You know our family’s situation. When your grandmother divided the family property earlier this year, she was extremely biased. Aside from that small plot of land, she didn’t leave anything for your mother.”

Zhou Fulang invited his son to sit with him by the stove fire, holding his hand and sighing again, “To be frank, it’s also because father is useless, unable to give your mother a daughter. Your grandmother has always disliked me, and this time I’ve implicated your mother.”

“Now that we have noble guests, if we can get her guidance, your mother will have more opportunities. At the very least, we can earn some silver by taking care of them for a few days.”

“Father, I noticed that lady seems to have injured her head, and mother picked her up from the Long Mountain Gully. What if they were victims of some plot and ended up here? Wouldn’t mother’s plans be in vain?”

“Youning.” Zhou Fulang gestured for him to lower his voice. “Don’t mention this in front of your mother. No matter what, a lean camel is still bigger than a horse. Even if this lady was a victim of some plot, we’re saving her life. When she returns to her original position in the future, it would still be a great merit for your mother.”

Hu Youning lowered his gaze and said no more.

His appearance resembled Zhou Fulang, but his eyes and brows truly took after Hu Sanniang, naturally giving him a smiling countenance.

Many young women in the village had sent matchmakers to inquire, but Hu Youning had his own ideas and hadn’t agreed to any proposals yet.

Thinking of this, Zhou Fulang smiled again and said, “Haven’t you always wanted to find a suitable wife-master? If your mother really does rise to prominence and we go to the capital, you’ll meet more people. Who knows, you might encounter a lady that suits your heart.”

“Father!” Hu Youning’s face reddened, the stove fire reflecting three parts of his embarrassment. “I don’t want to marry! I want to stay by your side.”

“Silly child, talking nonsense again.” Zhou Fulang cleaned his hands and stood at the counter, cutting freshly picked vegetables. “Father knows you have a proud nature, but noble guests are noble guests. We can’t skimp on the proper etiquette.”

“Yes, yes, yes.” Hu Youning nodded repeatedly. The fragrance of mantou from the steamer wafted over. He glanced at the fire in the stove, seemingly remembering something, and suddenly turned gossipy, “Father, I heard that Li lady went to the riverside to wash clothes?”

“Mm.”

This news spread quickly, and Zhou Fulang wasn’t surprised at all. He gestured for his Youning to look at the brocade robe hanging in the courtyard, sighing, “So, people should really go out and see more, read books and learn etiquette.”

As a man, to encounter such a wife-master was truly a blessing.

He looked at Youning standing beside him, sighing slightly, wondering if this child’s marriage would be blessed by heaven.

The brocade robe in the courtyard swayed gently in the morning breeze, like the fluctuating fate, rising and falling tirelessly.

Li Ruantang was awakened by the aroma of mantou.

As soon as her consciousness recovered slightly, the pain on her forehead and back followed closely, making her inhale sharply.

Just as she was about to get up, the head nestled in her arms nuzzled and tightened its grip.

Li Ruantang looked down carefully. The young gentleman clinging to her was sleeping sweetly, his handsome features more imbued with the air of worldly smoke and fire than when awake, no longer seeming unreachable.

Silly Jiujiu.

Li Ruantang gently curved her lips, raising her hand to brush back the young gentleman’s disheveled sideburns, carefully and tenderly tucking them behind his ear.

However, the young gentleman had made it clear last night that she wasn’t allowed to cross the line.

The smile in Li Ruantang’s eyes froze, and her expression became calm.

She slowly lifted the young gentleman’s arms and legs that were draped over her and placed them under the thin blanket, afraid of waking Jiujiu at this moment and causing a misunderstanding.

Moreover, the young gentleman’s clothes were still hanging outside to dry, and she needed to bring them in first.

Last night, Jiujiu wasn’t used to the new undergarments made by Zhou Fulang, and had mumbled several times for his servant to help him take them off.

There were still voices outside the window. Li Ruantang lightened her footsteps, and as soon as she walked out of the room, she reached out to retrieve Jiujiu’s clothes.

The silk was light, and with a gentle breeze, the silhouette of a young man was vaguely revealed.

“Are you the lady from the Li family?” Hu Youning, still holding the freshly washed short jacket, turned his head and met Li Ruantang’s surprised almond eyes.

He had just heard Zhou Fulang praising Li Ruantang’s many virtues, and now seeing her in person, he was incredibly curious, not at all shy about talking to a strange woman.

Hu Youning looked Li Ruantang up and down several times, tsk-ing. This Li lady wasn’t as good as his father had said, with a yellowish complexion and an injured forehead, clearly a sickly person.

If her health was poor, she naturally had to be more considerate to marry a husband.

“Youning.”

Zhou Fulang looked up and saw his son standing with Li Ruantang. He hurriedly wiped his hands and walked out, smiling at Li Ruantang, “Please excuse us, lady. This is my child, he just returned from his uncle’s house yesterday.”

“Youning, go check on the steamer.”

After sending his fearless young son back to the kitchen, Zhou Fulang apologetically lowered his head, “Please forgive us, lady. Youning has been spoiled by me and doesn’t know proper etiquette when speaking.”

“It’s alright,” Li Ruantang smiled. “Actually, Young Master Hu didn’t say anything disrespectful. His nature is straightforward, with its own innocent charm.”

“The lady is too kind.” Zhou Fulang naturally knew that Li Ruantang’s words were merely polite, but to the young gentleman who had just risen from his bed and heard them, they took on a different meaning.

He rubbed his eyes and pushed the window open a bit.

Zhou Fulang standing in the courtyard, he had seen before. The head occasionally peeking out from the kitchen belonged to a young man.

With delicate features and natural smiling eyes, he exuded a bright aura.

Meng Jun looked for a while and immediately had an idea. He had been worried that Li Ruantang might develop some sense of entitlement due to their wife-husband status.

Now with a handsome young man by her side, if he wasn’t yet betrothed, wouldn’t he make a perfect match for Li Ruantang?

If they developed deep feelings for each other, Li Ruantang would naturally not harbor any messy thoughts about himself.

The more Meng Jun thought about it, the more brilliant he found his plan.

Creak—

The wooden door was gently pushed open from the outside. As soon as Li Ruantang entered the room, she saw the young gentleman sitting in bed, grinning foolishly.

His hair was disheveled, his features softened by his smile, his cheeks still flushed from just waking up, like a peach blossom in full bloom on a branch. Those beautiful phoenix eyes seemed to shimmer with rippling light. “Wife-master!”

The young gentleman was in an extremely good mood, his voice calling her much softer than yesterday, no longer awkward.

Li Ruantang handed him his clothes, her lips also curving into a smile, “Didn’t you dislike rice porridge yesterday? Zhou Fulang made mantou this morning, and it smells quite good.”

“Oh.” The young gentleman’s interest was lacking.

Li Ruantang thought for a moment and then said, “By the way, I didn’t know they had a young man at home, about your age. With him to keep you company these two days, you probably won’t be too bored.”

As she spoke, she tested the water temperature with her hand before gesturing for the young gentleman to come and wash up.

“So what does wife-master think of that young man?”

Meng Jun, now neat and tidy, sat at the table, lightly scooping out a bit of face cream onto his palm. The faint osmanthus fragrance was refreshing.

Since he was planning to play matchmaker anyway, he might as well ask Li Ruantang’s opinion.

There was no mirror in the room, so the young gentleman carefully rubbed the melted face cream on his face. Looking at Li Ruantang again, he suddenly remembered how she had applied face cream for him last night.

His fair and handsome face flushed red, and Meng Jun hurriedly lowered his head. If she were to be with the Hu family’s young man, would Li Ruantang be this gentle…

The young gentleman thought and thought, feeling something indescribable. He let out a long sigh, then immediately slapped his own cheeks hard.

Hah, why was he thinking about these things? After all, he didn’t like Li Ruantang.

And he wasn’t her husband.

He looked out the window several times, urging Li Ruantang to answer.

She had only just met Hu Youning, so how could she say much? But the young gentleman asked so seriously that Li Ruantang guessed he probably wanted to know if Hu Youning was easy to get along with, if they could talk and relieve boredom together.

So Li Ruantang thought for a while before saying, “Young Master Hu has a straightforward nature, it would be more relaxing to interact with him.”

“Does wife-master like such a personality?”

Li Ruantang nodded. An honest and straightforward personality could save a lot of trouble and was easy to deal with. For example, like Jiujiu, a young gentleman who wore all his thoughts on his face was very good.

Hearing this, Meng Jun’s eyes lit up. While sitting at the Hu family’s square table, he deliberately observed Hu Youning closely.

Hu Youning wasn’t idle either. His gaze also darted back and forth between Li Ruantang and Meng Jun. In his heart, he kept wondering why the wife and husband from a noble family were so formal with each other, not seeming close at all. It was completely different from how his mother and father interacted.

No wonder those novels all write about how deep the sea is once you enter the marquis’s gate. This was practically like living with a wooden stake.

Hu Youning’s gaze was direct.

Meng Jun noticed him staring at Li Ruantang constantly, and the mantou in his hand gradually lost its flavor.

He hadn’t even started matchmaking yet, and this young man’s gaze was already so unrestrained!

The young gentleman silently drew a cross in his heart. No, such a frivolous young man was not worthy of Li Ruantang.

But……

He secretly glanced at Li Ruantang, who was busy peeling potatoes. She had also said she liked such young men.

***

“How dare you make me love you, only to cast me aside as nothing more than a friend?!? I will never accept that—I will never let you return to him! Even if I have to burn myself to ashes, even if I must shatter my purity, my dignity, my very soul—I will never let you escape me!”

This was the first novel that introduced me to the matriarchal genre. I’ve read it three times already!

At first, the male lead despised the female lead. Later, he misunderstood that she liked him, so he condescendingly and reluctantly reciprocated her feelings.

Then, he suddenly discovered that she was kind to everyone in the same way, and there was already someone she cherished in her heart, and that person was not him.

The male lead couldn’t believe it, he became angry and crazy. He was determined to capture her body and heart by any means necessary.

Synopsis:

Want to see how a green tea bitch male lead falls in love with the female lead?

Want to see how he flirtatiously pursues the female lead?

Want to see how he gets slapped in the face repeatedly?

The male lead is a green tea bitch, a poisonous lotus, jealous, ruthless, unscrupulous, with a venomous heart, and he’s also a delusional maniac.

The female lead is righteous, positive energy-filled, kind, a holy mother.

Let’s see how two people with extreme personalities come together~

_____

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