Chapter 70 – Ignoring
Li Man’s scalp tingled when she felt his cold fingers touching her skin. She abruptly retreated a few steps until her back touched the stove. Glaring at him, she asked, “What are you doing?”
“Helping you scratch your itch,” Li Yan said in a matter of course tone. He stretched his ten fingers out. It felt as if he was brandishing his claws at her.
“Don’t come over.” Frightened, Li Man tried to shrink further away back against the stove.
Li Mo stood up. He sighed in relief when he saw that while his second brother had his hands out, he wasn’t actually trying to touch Li Man. Still, he helplessly admonished, “Second brother, stop causing trouble.”
Li Yan put his hands down. He was in a very good mood as he laughed, “She’s so cowardly.”
Li Man knew that he was just teasing her, and so, she felt even more annoyed as she glared at him. This person was too despicable. Why was he acting so wicked so early in the morning? Besides, she was his younger brother’s fiancée. Shouldn’t he restrain himself a little bit more? Could it be that people were more open-minded in ancient times compared to modern-day?
Seeing her uncomfortable expression, Li Mo harshly glared at Li Yan. “Second brother, you were acting too outrageously before. You’re scaring her.”
Li Yan suddenly went closer to Li Mo and mockingly asked in a low tone, “Oldest brother, are you feeling heartache?”
Li Mo’s expression stiffened, but he didn’t refute Li Yan’s words.
Li Yan chuckled. Seeing that Li Man was biting her lip and still glaring at him, he apologetically smiled and said, “Alright, I was just messing with you. You looked upset when I came in. What’s wrong? Is something bothering you?”
This person’s eyes were really too poisonous. Li Man pretended that she couldn’t understand him. After she stopped glaring at him, she picked up a bowl and scooped out some cornmeal. She decided to make some cornmeal pancakes. The men in this household all had large appetites. It wouldn’t be enough to just feed them congee.
Seeing her like this, Li Yan didn’t try to bug her again. He got some water and went to wash his face.
At this time, Li Shu yawned as he entered the kitchen. Seeing that Li Man was kneading cornmeal flour by the stove, he went over and asked, “Wife, why are you the one that’s cooking breakfast today?”
He was leaning too close to her, so his warm breath was blowing on her face as he talked. Li Man blushed and instinctively contracted her neck. She thought of their relationship, and her face turned redder from awkwardness. She kept her head lowered and didn’t reply.
Seeing that she was keeping her head lowered and saying silent, Li Shu felt increasingly confused. So, he lowered his head and carefully looked at her. “Wife, is something wrong?”
Her small face was as red as clouds during the sunset. Her long eyelashes trembled. Could it be… she had a fever?
Panicking, he stretched his hand out to check the temperature of her forehead. Li Man instinctively raised her arm to block him. She rebukingly glanced at him and said, “Go wash your face. It’ll be time to eat breakfast soon.”
Li Shu was briefly stunned to hear her fake-sounding angry voice. It felt as if honey was being wrapped around his heart. He liked it when his wife looked at him and talked to him this way
“En.” Li Shu obediently agreed. He was all smiles as he went out to wash his face.
By the time everyone else was done washing up, Li Man had finished cooking breakfast. In addition to the pot of congee and three cornmeal pancakes for each person, she had also stir-fried a plate of pickled vegetables with some chili pepper. Its sour and spicy flavor tasted quite delicious when paired with the plain congee and pancakes.
Li Man had a small appetite, so two bowl of congee and one pancake was enough to fill her. She thought it over before giving her remaining two pancakes away. She gave one to Little Five and the other one to Li Shu.
Of course, no one thought anything of it when she gave one piece to Little Five. But, why had she given the other piece to their third brother?
Li Mo, Li Yan, and Li Hua cast a confused as well as forlorn gaze at Li Man in unison.
Li Man was very calm. She deliberately ignored their looks. She was Li Shu’s fiancée. It was only right that she would favor him. Her action was meant to remind them of her relationship with Li Shu, so that they would stop doing things that would make other people misinterpret their actions.