Sweet Rustic Love: Four Brothers' Wife

Chapter 151- 200

Chapter 151: So Very Annoying

Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio

Ye Yang felt a tingling sensation in his ears and a bolt of electricity going through his entire body. He kept feeling like he had become more sensitive in the past few days. Why had his self-control become so bad? He felt annoyed and ashamed. He straightaway called Liu Duo a fairy! She was always teasing him!

She saw that he didn't reply and instead, his ears went red. She thought, Yang, this guy who always keeps his feelings inside, is embarrassed? Haha!

"Yang, take your time to sharpen the knife, I'll go take a look in the kitchen." Liu Duo left for the kitchen while smiling.

Ye Yang looked at Liu Duo's proud but lovable back and wanted to teach her a lesson. She was always so mischievous.

Liu Duo entered the kitchen while humming a folk song. She saw that Ye Ling was cutting vegetables and that the congee was being cooked in the pot. She laughed, "Ling, you are so virtuous."

He knew how to do the laundry, cook, and do needlework, and he had a gentle temperament as well. He was simply the perfect match for someone who was a good wife and a loving mother!

Ye Ling's face turned red when he heard her. He didn't know how to reply. Ye Mo, however, rolled his eyes at her. He said, hatefully, "Virtuous? Do you mean that Ling is a girl? You are insulting him!"

Liu Duo, who was finding somewhere to sit down, heard Ye Mo's voice and felt annoyed. She had never thought that she would hate someone so much. Not only was he violent, overbearing, and impulsive, but he was also quite childish!

She rolled her eyes at him. "You are talking nonsense. I was praising Ling as a good man. Not only is he gentle but also diligent - unlike some other person who is so arrogant and so very annoying!"

With one sentence, the two of them got into conflict and started to bicker again. Ye Ling only treated it as listening to the opera and let them kick up a fuss. They really were each other's foes!

After they had lunch, Liu Duo went with Ye Yang to chop bamboo. Before leaving, she prepared some snacks and gave them to Ye Ling so that he could deliver them to Aunt Ye.

The bamboo forest was a bit far from their home. It took about twenty minutes of walking before they arrived. Liu Duo looked at the vast amount of bamboo and felt like she was in a sea of bamboo. It was too beautiful.

"Yang, it is so beautiful here. Is this shared between the villagers?" At that moment, Liu Duo really wanted to build their house there. Of the Four Noble Ones, plum blossom, orchid, bamboo, and chrysanthemum, her favorite was bamboo!

Ye Yang didn't know why Liu Duo asked this, but he answered truthfully, "No."

"Then who does it belong to?" Liu Duo felt puzzled.

If it belonged to the village, she would just find the village chief and buy it. If it belonged to some other person, they would definitely not sell it. After all, it was too beautiful there, and it was a place that was very poetic.

"It doesn't belong to anyone. The bamboo is shared by all the villagers, but this land doesn't have a landlord." As for why there wasn't a landlord, he also did not know. In any case, this was what he knew.

If there were a landlord, the bamboo there would have all been harvested long ago.

Liu Duo frowned when she heard it. She asked, "Yang, then, if I wanted to build a house here, who do I need to seek permission from?"

"You can ask the village chief. If he agrees, then no one would say anything. After all, no one owns the land, but it still belongs to the village." It was rare that Ye Yang would say a sentence with so many words.

Liu Duo nodded and decided to ask the village chief later. If he agreed, then she would build their house there.

Ye Yang saw that Liu Duo didn't have any more questions and started to cut the bamboo. Liu Duo looked around and realized there were bamboo shoots. Liu Duo found a bamboo shoot and went to dig it up.

It was spring, the season where there were a lot of bamboo shoots. It just so happened that she hadn't eaten bamboo shoots in a long time, so she wanted to take some back to eat.

"What are you digging?" Ye Yang saw her crouching over there and walked over to look.

Chapter 152: I Mind

Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio

Liu Duo, who was digging very vigorously, didn't even lift her head. "Bamboo shoots. I'm getting some so that we can eat them at home."

These bamboo shoots were at the stage where they were still tender, so they would taste delicious.

Ye Yang heard her, crouched down, and helped her dig up the shoots. It wouldn't make a difference if he cut the bamboo later. Since she wanted to eat them, he would help her dig it. They didn't usually eat things like this, since they were too rough, but eating them once in a while was still okay.

They dug up quite a few jins of the shoots before long. Liu Duo clapped her hands and smiled, "That's enough. Once we finish eating it, we will come here and dig them up again when we want to eat it."

Ye Yang nodded his head, turned around, and continued to cut the bamboo. Liu Duo looked at the bamboo shoots and spaced out. She then looked at Ye Yang cutting the bamboo.

"Yang, we didn't bring the basket backpack. How will we carry them back?"

Ye Yang had only brought ropes and a chopping knife when they came. The bamboo could be bundled together and carried back, but how were they supposed to bring back the bamboo shoots?

The bamboo had already been chopped. Ye Yang, who was shaving the branches, looked at Liu Duo and said, "We will come back and get them later."

But Liu Duo said, after she heard him, "I will go back now to get the basket backpack. You just stay here and watch."

This way was fine too. Ye Yang nodded in agreement. Liu Duo turned around and went back home to get the basket backpack.

Ye Mo, who had gone out to get firewood, came across Li Chunmei again. However, she hadn't brought any equipment, so she didn't look like she was there to chop firewood.

Ye Mo turned around and left when he saw her. He had already said he would stay away from her. Otherwise, if Liu Duo found out, he would suffer a calamity!

Now, whenever Ye Mo saw Li Chunmei, he would think of what Liu Duo had said to him, I'll sort you out!

"Mo, Mo, why did you leave after you saw me?" Li Chunmei promptly hobbled over when she saw what happened.

It seemed like she had really hurt her leg, so it wasn't fake, as Liu Duo guessed.

Ye Mo walked to the side and continued to chop firewood. He treated Li Chunmei like air and ignored her.

"Mo, I want to thank you for taking me home. After my leg got better, I came here to wait for you." Li Chunmei said, one-sidedly.

Ye Mo's hand did not stop chopping the firewood. He didn't even look at her, let alone reply to her.

Li Chunmei looked at how he was behaving and found it difficult to bear. They had been fine the last time they met. It had only been a few days, so why did he suddenly behave so coldly towards her? Although he wasn't very friendly towards her before, he had never refused to reply to her!

"Mo, why aren't you talking to me? Did I do something wrong that made you unhappy? Don't ignore me, please?" Li Chunmei walked forward and tugged on Ye Mo's sleeve. She looked like she had been wronged and was about to cry.

Ye Mo frowned and pushed her hand away. His cool face looked impatient. "Chunmei, I've already said it was nothing and that you don't need to thank me. If it were any other person, I would've taken them home all the same! You are unmarried so you should stop touching me, since it would affect your image."

When Li Chunmei heard him, she thought that Ye Mo cared about her reputation and was doing it for her own good. She said with a smile, "Mo, it's fine. There's nobody here anyway. Besides, I don't mind it."

She even looked shy in the face when she finished speaking.

Ye Mo, who was oblivious to people's feelings, only now realized that what Ye Ling had said that day was true. Li Chunmei really did have feelings for him!

He frowned even more and thought, You don't mind, but I mind!

He was a person with a wife!

"Chumei, I hope that you will be careful in the future. You best not say things like this! After all, you are a girl." He placed the firewood he had chopped into the basket backpack and wanted to create some distance between them.

Chapter 153: BAH!

Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio

Li Chunmei promptly lowered her back and helped to carry the firewood. "Mo, let me help you."

Ye Mo became very annoyed when Li Chunmei did this. He really wanted to give her two punches. He snatched the firewood from her hands and said angrily, "I don't need your help. You should go back quickly. Otherwise, your leg won't heal completely!"

He put on the basket backpack, turned around, and started to walk. He decided to move to another location to chop firewood.

Initially, Li Chunmei's eyes were filled with tears when Ye Mo roared at her. However, after she heard the last sentence, she smiled again. She felt that, although Ye Mo was fierce, he still cared about her.

If Liu Duo had known what she thought, she would definitely say, This brat is completely delusional!

Li Chunmei looked at Ye Mo's tall and straight back and ran after him again.

She missed him, since she hadn't seen him for so many days. The day he had brought her back was her happiest day. She had already made the decision to marry him, since she had liked him for so many years. She wouldn't care if others agreed or not, she would only marry him!

Ye Mo felt Li Chunmei catching up to him again, so he went straight to the main road. He had half a basket of firewood. If that wasn't enough, he would come back later to get more.

He ran into Ye Ling when he arrived at a crossroad. Ye Ling had just finished delivering food to Aunt Ye and was on the way home.

"Ling, wait up. Let's go chop some firewood. You can help carry some back later as well." Ye Mo immediately said.

With Ye Ling here, he wouldn't have to go back to get firewood later. Having one more person there was definitely much better than only having him and Li Chunmei there.

Ye Ling stopped walking when he heard him and waited for Ye Mo to get closer. He was very curious, since Ye Mo never allowed him to carry heavy things. Why would he ask him to help carry the firewood?

However, since Ye Ling was a very obedient boy, he just nodded his head. He was willing to help share the burden of his brother's work.

After Ye Mo got closer, he led Ye Ling to another small road. Li Chunmei, who saw from afar, persevered and followed them.

Ye Mo started to chop the firewood when they arrived at their destination. Ye Ling helped to pick up the firewood and placed it into the basket backpack.

Ye Ling saw Li Chunmei, who was empty-handed, walking towards them. He said, feeling puzzled, "Mo, Chunmei is here. Is she here to chop firewood as well? She didn't bring a basket backpack or chopping knife though."

"Ignore her!" Ye Mo, who was busy chopping the firewood, said aggressively.

He had always just considered her a normal female friend from the neighborhood. He never would've thought that she was interested in him. Now that he knew, his heart kept feeling twitchy and uneasy, and he kept thinking of Liu Duo.

He thought about Liu Duo's furious rage when she had seen him carrying Li Chunmei, and how she looked when they bickered. He thought, How nice would it be if Liu Duo was interested in me?

Ye Mo's ears turned red when he thought of this. He muttered softly, "Bah! What am I thinking? Her, interested in me? It would be considered good enough if that brat were even just kinder towards me!"

"What? Mo, what did you say?" Ye Ling asked. He had heard Ye Mo muttering but hadn't hear him clearly.

"Huh? Nothing. I didn't say anything." Ye Mo wanted to shift the topic. How could he let Ye Ling hear it? That would be so embarrassing.

After Li Chunmei got closer, she smiled and said, "Oh, Ling, you are also here."

Ye Ling nodded his head. He had come because Ye Mo had asked him to come. "Are you here to chop firewood? Why didn't you bring a basket backpack or a chopping knife?"

He asked because he was curious. Moreover, he saw her limping when she walked. She didn't look like she was there to chop firewood.

Li Chunmei looked over to Ye Mo with infatuated eyes when she heard Ye Ling. "I'm not here to chop firewood. I'm here to thank Mo. He brought me home after I sprained my leg last time."

Chapter 154: He Hated Them

Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio

Ye Ling frowned when he saw Li Chunmei looking at Ye Mo with infatuated eyes.

When Ye Ling heard what she said, he remembered how angry Liu Duo had gotten after she saw Ye Mo carrying Li Chunmei home. It was still fresh in his memory. He hated her! Anyone who made his wife unhappy, he hated them!

Ye Mo complained after he heard her say this again, "Chunmei, I've already accepted your thanks. You don't need to keep thanking me!"

She had said it once after he brought her back. She had said it again just moments earlier, and now, she ran over and said it again. How annoying!

"But I just want to thank you. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have known what to do on that day." Li Chunmei saw that Ye Mo spoke to her and replied immediately.

Ye Mo saw that she hadn't really caught on and decided to ignore her and continue to chop firewood. Ye Ling also ignored her and continued to pick up the firewood.

They filled up the basket backpack and also tied up two bundles. Ye Mo put on the basket backpack and carried the rest of the firewood with both his hands. "Ling, let's go home."

"Mo, let me carry these two bundles." Ye Ling stretched out his hands and wanted to help.

Ye Mo shook his head. "It's fine. Let's go."

He had only wanted Ye Ling to be there and didn't actually want him to help carry the firewood. This way was, at the very least, better than being alone with Li Chunmei.

Li Chunmei promptly followed them when she saw that they were about to leave.

At this time, Liu Duo, who had arrived home, took a basket backpack and put it on. It felt quite weird, as this was the first time she had put on a basket backpack.

When she arrived at the bamboo forest after rushing there, Ye Yang had already tied up all the bamboo and was waiting for Liu Duo to come back with the basket backpack so that he could load up the bamboo shoots.

"Yang, I'm here. Haaaaah. Going back and forth from here is really quite far." Liu Duo complained.

Taking a round trip took almost one hour. This really tired her out - especially her legs.

Ye Yang took the basket backpack and placed the bamboo shoots inside. He then put on the basket backpack. He didn't intend to let Liu Duo carry out these strenuous tasks.

"Let's go." Ye Yang carried the bundles of bamboo and led Liu Duo home.

"Okay. I'll have to have a good rest after we get home. My legs are so sore." Liu Duo followed beside Ye Yang, looking very gloomy. It would be so good if they'd had cars there to replace walking.

After they arrived home, Liu Duo went and sat on the stool beneath the roof. She patted her legs to relieve the soreness in her muscles.

Ye Ling and Ye Mo were also about to arrive home. Unexpectedly, Li Chunmei was still following them. Ye Ling frowned. "Chunmei, what is your intention that you keep following us? We are about to arrive home and your home is on the other side."

Ye Mo glanced at her, ignored her, and continued to walk forward. However, he felt very annoyed inside. When did Chunmei also become so shameless? She keeps following us!

"I know. I just want to see that Mo and Ling get home safely."

Because Ye Mo had brought her home last time, she now also wanted to bring him home. This was called give and take. Wasn't she good?

They were about to reach the yard door, but Li Chunmei was still following them. Just then, Ye Yang came out to take out the trash. He saw the three of them and looked at them for a few seconds. He then turned around and continued to take out the trash.

When Li Chunmei saw Ye Yang, she smiled and greeted him, "Yang, you came back from hunting?"

Why would Ye Yang, who already spoke very little to his own family, give her attention? He ignored her straight away! He hadn't forgotten that Liu Duo became unhappy and angry because of her just a few days ago.

Instead, Ye Yang looked at his third brother, Ye Mo, when he heard her. If he didn't handle these troublesome issues well, it wouldn't just be Liu Duo who was unkind towards him; Ye Yang would also do the same!

Chapter 155: That Better Be The Case!

Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio

Li Chunmei did not feel that it was awkward when Ye Yang ignored her. She always knew that Ye Yang didn't speak much. She also knew the personalities of the four brothers clearly. She only turned around and went back home after she saw Ye Mo and Ye Ling pass through their yard door.

"Duo Er, we're home." Ye Ling's mood improved immediately after he saw Liu Duo.

Liu Duo also smiled when she saw Ye Ling smiling as brightly as the sun. "Ling, come sit down quickly."

When Ye Ling got closer, Liu Duo pulled him to get him to sit closer. "Ling, what do you think about building our house in the bamboo forest?"

She wanted to get their opinions since just because she liked that place, didn't mean that Ye Ling and the others would like it too.

After Ye Ling heard her, he said, without the slightest bit of hesitation, "Duo Er, as long as you like it, you can build it wherever you want."

They would agree to anywhere, as long as she was there. It was just somewhere they would sleep at night, so they wouldn't really have any particular thoughts on it. He believed that his brothers would also agree.

"Hahaha, I knew Ling would say this! I like you so much." Liu Duo said as she laughed. She had realized long ago that he would support and believe whatever she said unconditionally.

Thus, she planted a kiss on his handsome face. "Ling, seeing that you are so understanding, I will give you a reward. You need to continue to keep it up!"

She even patted his shoulder encouragingly.

Little baby Ye Ling's face had already turned red, as he was feeling incredibly shy. However, he liked that she treated him this way. He lowered his head shyly and nodded his head.

When Ye Mo saw this, he muttered softly, "Always being so shameless!" and he clenched his teeth and grumbled, "Why doesn't she treat me this way! Damn it."

He hated how biased Liu Duo was, as well as the obvious difference in her attitude towards him!

After Ye Yang threw out the trash, he closed the yard door and went and sat in the yard. He began to cut the bamboo shoots into the size of half a finger.

Liu Duo wanted to go lie down after chatting with Ye Ling, so she went back to the house. Only Ye Yang and the other two brothers remained in the yard.

Because of this, Ye Ling approached Ye Mo. "Mo, it seems like that Chunmei really is interested in you. You need to be careful and keep your distance."

The last time he had said this, it was only a guess. This time, however, he was sure. He really hated how she looked at Ye Mo!

"Take care of it!" Ye Yang suddenly said. He was, naturally, also not blind to it.

Both of his brothers said it in a way that made it seem as though they did not believe him. Ye Mo became unhappy and said angrily, "Relax. I said long ago that I would stay away from her. It's not like I'm interested in her!"

He roared madly in his heart, I'm only interested in Liu Duo! When he realized that he actually thought this in his head, he choked on his own saliva and coughed a few times.

Ye Yang and Ye Ling looked at Ye Mo, who was coughing, and said together, as if they had coordinated it, "That better be the case!"

Because he had coughed right after he said he wasn't interested in Li Chunmei, they felt that he wasn't being sincere!

Ye Mo looked at the two of them and roared out, feeling depressed, "That has always been the case! If I said I'm not interested in her, it means I'm not interested. How many times do I have to say it before you guys believe me?"

His own brothers didn't believe what he said. This really made him mad.

And Liu Duo, who was lying on the bed, heard Ye Mo roaring. She got up and walked out.

"Little Brother Mo, why are you howling so loudly?" Liu Duo stood beneath the roof and looked at them after she came out.

It hadn't been long since she left. What had they done that made Ye Mo howl and roar?

Chapter 156: Li Chunmei

Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio

Ye Mo subconsciously gulped at the sight of Liu Duo. She must never know what had happened.

He let out a dry cough and said cooly, "I'm always this loud, I did not yell! There must be something wrong with your ears!"

And then he hung his head low and continued chopping wood, as though sending the message that he was busy and would like to not be disturbed.

Liu Duo furrowed her brow before directing her gaze at Ye Yang and Ye Ling, urging them to say something. She would not believe Ye Mo's lies! She suspected something was amiss when he did not dare to look straight at her.

It wasn't that she had an active imagination, but she had really heard him saying that he had no interest in some woman. What woman? Who? Was it herself, or someone else?

If he had meant her, then she would be very upset. She thought, Damn, you have no interest in me? More like I have no interest in you!

If he had meant someone else, then who? Was it Li Chunmei, or some other woman?

It was Ye Ling's turn to gulp when he noticed Liu Duo staring at him. In an attempt to dodge the question, he said, "Duo Er, we weren't discussing anything. Mo, he... Mo has always talked like this. He's quite loud."

He also didn't want Liu Duo to know that they were talking about Li Chunmei. He was worried that if she found out, she would get mad at Ye Mo.

When it came to Ye Mo's affairs, Ye Ling would go into defensive mode and stand by his brother to the end.

However, right then, Ye Yang spoke up, which to the two of them was like a slap in the face, "Li Chunmei!"

The action startled everyone. Ye Mo and Ye Ling could only look at him in shock, thinking, Yang, why are you betraying your brothers like this?

They remained quiet, observing Liu Duo for any response. When she did not show any, the two mean breathed a sigh of relief.

Upon hearing the other woman's name, Liu Duo grabbed a stool and entered the garden. She placed it a short distance away from them and sat on it.

She crossed her legs the same way she crossed her arms in front of her chest. Bearing no special expression, she asked, "What's up now? What does she have to do with anything? Didn't you go to chop wood? Unless, could it be, you met her again, doing the same work?"

When she heard that she wasn't the one he's not interested in, she felt a little joy inside. Just a bit. She also couldn't understand what she was supposed to be happy about. Anyway, she didn't deny it.

Ye Ling immediately fought to speak first, "Duo Er, it's like this. I went to deliver food to Aunt Ye, and then Mo and I went to chop wood together. Chunmei arrived a while after, but she wasn't there to chop wood. She wanted to thank Mo for taking her home last time. And that's that."

The reason he spoke out first was to prevent Ye Mo and Liu Duo from quarrelling again.

"Oh. Ling, why are you so nervous? I'm just simply asking. There's no big deal," Liu Duo smiled. Ye Ling's behaviour was so adorable.

Ye Ling relaxed his anxious heart when he saw her smile.

Ye Yang scoffed mentally. This girl sure can change emotions very quickly!

She was obviously very cross at that moment, like a lion ready to pounce at any moment. It was a given that Ye Ling would be nervous!

And then Ye Mo said, "Ling is right. It's exactly like that. She just came to thank me."

Liu Duo looked at him, "If that's how it is, then there's nothing more I can say. Whatever I said that day, I wasn't joking!"

They had better not be thinking any bad ideas!

"I have no interest in her, so you don't have to remind me!" Ye Mo muttered as he continued chopping wood.

Then Liu Duo turned to Ye Yang and Ye Ling, "Yang, Ling, the same goes to you two. If you have any romantic encounters, you'd better get rid of them before it's too late. Otherwise, whatever I said that day goes for you guys too!"

Then she added in her mind, When Mr. Liuzi comes back, I'll have to give him a lecture! He'll likely be the one with the most romantic affairs!

Chapter 157: Only You

Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio

Ye Liu, though handsome, might come off as dissolute and a natural flirt, typically loved by women. Women loved mischievous men, didn't they? Especially a handsome one, like him.

As for Ye Yang, he was stoic, with a scar on the right side of his cheek, which might not make him look as good, but he was still considered handsome. Women liked manly men too.

As for Ye Mo, while he looked similar to Ye Liu, he had a nasty temper. The two could be compared as heaven and hell. But some people would find aggressive ones attractive.

There wasn't much to say about Ye Ling. He was adorable, like an innocent scholar, and very gentle too. Although he had a minor mobility issue and was highly dependent on medicine, he was still likeable.

She actually didn't mind women approaching them, but she was strongly against physical touching or behaviours that crossed the line, even when it came to the state of mind. She would not allow it!

"Duo Er, relax. I only like you. There won't be other affairs," Ye Ling said truthfully.

Who would like his sick body? And he's disabled too. Only Liu Duo was good to him. She liked him and wasn't disgusted by him.

Indeed, Ye Yang stopped his work and looked at Liu Duo, stoic as always, and spoke in a serious manner, "Romance is only limited to you!"

Seeing Ye Yang look at her like that, and hearing him say so, made Liu Duo's heart flutter uncontrollably. She looked away, cheeks blushing.

She thought, Gosh, for someone as outwardly quiet as him, who knew he was secretly a romantic! He was very moderate with his words too. It was flirting done right!

Ye Yang was satisfied now that he had made her blush. He resumed his work.

From afternoon till night, whenever she met Ye Yang's gaze, Liu Duo could feel butterflies in her stomach. The words he had said during the day hid a confession that bypassed her defences, leaving her flattered and exuberant.

Liu Duo lay on the bed, shy all over, which was a rare sight. She lay sideways, not moving, as Ye Yang took off his outer garments, blew out the oil lamp, and climbed into bed.

He did not lie down, but instead sat by Liu Duo's feet. Using the moonlight that shone through the window, he pulled off the blanket that covered her legs and placed his hands on her calf, massaging gently. "Is it still numb?"

Liu Duo, already surprised by his actions, once again felt her cheeks heating up. Her calf felt tingly in his grasp. She wanted to break free but couldn't, as Ye Yang had a firm hold on it.

"No, it's not numb anymore. It got better after I soaked it in hot water. Yang, go to sleep," Liu Duo was especially shy right now, but very happy that he still remembered her sore legs.

She thought, This stoic guy is quite the charmer.

"Alright," he said. He massaged some more before covering her feet with the blanket again.

Then he pulled open Liu Duo's blanket and squeezed in to lie with her. Liu Duo moved a little bit further to the side, but then she stopped. She closed her eyes, intending to fall asleep quickly, but she couldn't.

Ye Yang felt Liu Duo's small movements in the dark room. The corners of his mouth twirled upwards as he smiled. He reached out and hugged her, whispering, "Go to sleep."

Feeling Ye Yang's strong chest against her made it even harder to sleep. Liu Duo murmured to herself, He must be doing this on purpose! Obviously I want to stay further from him, but he still came to hug me!

And he really did do it on purpose. In the afternoon, right after he said that remark, Liu Duo had been intentionally avoiding him, especially his gaze. Her cheeks, red with shyness, made her seem a lot more interesting and adorable

Chapter 158: Alright, Time For Bed

Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio

Liu Duo, trapped in an embrace, had difficulty sleeping, She began to count sheep. One, two, three...

The more she counted, the more energised she became! Troubled, she turned around to face Ye Yang. She reached out and hugged his waist as she pressed her head against his chest, long legs pulled up against his body. She thought, You won't let me sleep, so I won't let you sleep either!

Ye Yang was in the same boat, as he couldn't sleep either. He calmly pulled down her legs, thinking that she was lashing out in her sleep.

Yet, when he did so, she pulled her legs up again.

Moonlight shone from the windows, but it wasn't bright enough. He could only make out a blurry figure.

Ye Yang looked at the blurry shape in front of his chest, and reached out to pull her legs down once more, but just like the first time she pulled them up again

So, Ye Yang whispered in her ear, "Little Duo, are you asleep?"

"..." I am, and I'm ignoring you!

Liu Duo pretended to be asleep, not responding to him. Ye Yang said nothing else. He turned around and kissed her on the lips as punishment for her mischievous prank.

Liu Duo's eyes immediately snapped open. She had not expected Ye Yang to make a move like this. And this would be considered his second kiss, but the technique was a lot better than last time, like he'd had practice!

After the surprise, she accepted his kiss. She didn't hate it, rather she enjoyed it. They couldn't consummate, but kissing would do.

Just when she was almost knocked out by the kiss, Ye Yang whispered to her in a rough voice, "Alright, we should sleep."

He rolled aside, still hugging her.

Liu Duo was left in a daze. She had just gotten into the mood, and that was it? If the light had been any brighter, he would have seen the obvious discontent on her face!

She also knew that Ye Yang was very protective of her and respected her words. He would wait for her to grow. But right now, she really hated this awfully small frame of hers!

With that, Liu Duo went to sleep, and her frustrations followed her into her dreams!

Two Liu Duos were arguing whether to consummate or not. One said she's still too small, so no-can-do. The other denied this, saying she was already married, and girls who married young usually had two kids by now.

The two Liu Duos quarrelled endlessly, and it escalated into a fist fight, resulting in the real Liu Duo furrowing her brow as she twisted and turned. Her limbs moved everywhere, and she was muttering incoherently.

Ye Yang never slept. After Liu Duo fell asleep, he had gone to the outhouse to relieve himself of the tensions, washed his hands, and come back.

Seeing how uneasy she was, he held onto her and gently patted her back, like he was consoling a kid, so that she could sleep soundly.

Liu Duo calmed down at his touch, and her movements stopped, but she was still talking in her sleep.

Ye Yang closed his eyes to sleep when she laid quietly. It was already quite late. If sleep didn't come soon, it would be daybreak in a few hours.

The squabbling in her dreams stopped at about two or three o'clock in the early hours. Only then could Liu Duo finally sleep in peace. But she couldn't wake up in the morning, completely intending to sleep-in and not respond to anyone. Ye Ling came to call her for breakfast, and he did so three times with no result. She was a messy sleeper!

Ye Yang called her once, and she still slept on. When Ye Mo finally tried, it was no different. He got mad, so he pulled off her blanket, and forced her to wake!

Chapter 159: So Fierce

Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio

Yet Liu Duo shrank into a tiny ball and continued to sleep, refusing to wake.

Ye Mo furrowed his brow and mumbled, What happened last night? She won't wake! He covered her with the blanket and exited the room.

He came to find Ye Yang by the table and asked with great suspicion, "Yang, what did you two do last night? Liu Duo is still sleeping like a pig and won't wake up!"

"Mo, how can you call her that?" Ye Ling furrowed his brow, upset that his brother called Liu Duo a pig! This was one of the rare moments when he defied his brothers, his protective personality significantly lessened.

Ye Yang was not pleased with Mo's words either, and said coldly, "Mo, watch your tongue!"

All he had said was a casual remark about Liu Duo sleeping like a pig, and his two brothers were ganging up on him? Ye Mo felt so utterly wronged!

But he could only surrender unwillingly, "Alright, fine. My mistake. I shouldn't have said she's sleeping like a pig. My bad, my bad. If she wants to sleep, we'll let her sleep. We can eat our fill and keep hers warm in the pot."

With that, Ye Yang and Ye Ling seemed satisfied, and discontent cleared from their faces as they began their meal.

Ye Mo's mouth twitched at this sight. He thought, Damn this woman. What kind of weird medicine has she given them? My own brothers, getting so fierce at me!

Another two hours passed before Liu Duo leisurely awoke. She sat up in bed, yawned, and got down to dress.

She combed her hair and tied it into a ponytail with a bun on top, using the jade hairpin that Ye Yang had bought for her to keep it in place. She looked left and right, pleased with herself, and walked out of the room to wash up.

When she saw them, she noticed that they had started using the hairpins instead of their usual pieces of twine. This filled her with content. Indeed, hairpins looked a lot better than pieces of twine!

The only thing that made her feel crossed was that they were still in their old attire. Hadn't she just bought new clothes for them? Clothes are meant to be worn, not to be kept!

She went to wash up by the well and asked the men, "Yang, why aren't you three wearing your new clothes? Are you waiting for them to lay eggs?"

"We will wear them," Ye Yang, busy with bamboo, said using few words.

Ye Ling saw that Liu Duo was up and immediately put down the insole he was sewing, "Duo Er, I'll go get your food."

He was most concerned with Liu Duo having food to eat after waking up, so that she wouldn't starve herself. He could do without new clothes.

Ye Mo was busy helping Ye Yang with the bamboo work, yet he rebutted, "Whether we wear them or not is your business. Who are you? Our housekeeper?"

Hearing that, Liu Duo furrowed her brow. Count on him to speak so loud and so brashly in the morning. How she wished she could sew his lips together!

She didn't want to put herself in a bad mood, so she chose to ignore him. After washing up, she went under the roof to have her breakfast.

The peace and harmony that came so rarely lasted for a moment. With the bamboo pieces completed, Ye Mo got up and said, "The paddy needs weeding. Otherwise the weeds will get more lush the longer we wait, and then it'd take a lot longer to manage them."

"Sure, let's go together," Ye Yang also got up and was prepared to go weeding with his brother. There were leeches there, so Liu Duo was unwilling to go, "You guys go ahead. I'll stay at home. When the time comes, I'll bring lunch to you."

Ye Mo said nothing. Last time, Liu Duo had been bitten by a leech, so he didn't want her to work in the paddy either. Ye Yang and Ye Ling naturally wouldn't say anything. They nodded and agreed that she should stay home.

Finally, Liu Duo stayed home alone. After breakfast, she worked on her drawings under the roof.

Chapter 160: He Was A Man, Through And Through!

Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio

Liu Duo was alone in the yard, silently sitting under the roof. After a long while, she had finished several drawings and stopped to look at her completed cartoon animals. She laughed, "You'll all bring me money, my sweet little dears."

She got up and headed to the kitchen. She took out some of the bamboo shoots that she had collected yesterday, washed them, and considered frying them for lunch.

Just as Liu Duo was humming and keeping herself busy, she heard a knock on the door to the yard.

She shook the water droplets from her hands and went to open it, only to find Ye Liu with a parcel in his hands.

"Mr. Liuzi? You're back!" Liu Duo smiled in surprise as she gave him a big hug.

Ye Liu was glad to see that she was happy to see him and welcomed the embrace too, as he thought, It seems that Little Duo missed me!

But then he heard her say, Mr. Liuzi? Was that a name for him? He furrowed his brow. Why was she calling him Mr. Liuzi rather than Liu? It sounded terribly like the name of a eunuch!

Ye Liu cut the embrace short and said to her in dismay, "Little Duo, don't call me Liuzi. Call me Liu! Liuzi... That sounds horrible!"

He wasn't not a eunuch! He was a man, through and through!

Seeing Liu's dislike for his new nickname, Liu Duo twitched the corner of her mouth and boasted, "No way! You're called Liu, and you're the second son, it makes sense to call you Er Liuzi! Liuzi for short! I will call you that!"

"I object to this name! I'm not a eunuch!" Ye Liu pretended to feel wronged as he glanced at Liu Duo.

Seeing him like this, Liu Duo mumbled, It's true that you're not a eunuch. Oh! You're definitely the bottom! Haha...

His objection was ineffective. Liu Duo took him by the hand and closed the door, "Liuzi, why aren't you entering your own house? Are you here for a visit?"

Liu gave in when he realised Liu Duo wouldn't call him by his name, so he relented, as long as it pleased her.

He wrapped his arms around her waist and teased, "Here, let me see if our Little Duo put on any weight!"

With that, he pretended to lift her up.

Ye Liu's sudden action shocked her and, by conditioned reflex, she held her arms around his neck.

And then she balled her hands into tiny fists and hammered at him, "My figure is very slim and balanced. I am not fat!"

Liu Duo was absolutely proud of her figure, with her long, thin legs, slim waist, and a rather full bosom.

"Sure, sure, sure. Let me see how slim and balanced you are at night, shall I?" Ye Liu teased mischievously.

Her little fists did not hold any strength. They could barely cause an itch. It had been days since he had slept with her, and he missed her soft body terribly.

"Keep dreaming!" Liu Duo held her head high as she thought, Darn, it's only been a few days, and this jerk goes back to his roguish ways!

Seeing that Ye Liu did not intend to put her down, she shook her body, "Liuzi, what do you plan on holding me up for? Put me down this instant."

He walked like that from the entrance to the area under the roof, without putting her down.

"No reason. It's just that I've been gone a few days, and I really want to hug you a bit more," he smirked knowingly again, staring at her. "Now that you mention it, Little Duo, I really do plan on doing something."

Liu Duo really wanted to punch that foolish smirk off this face! He actually had the gall to lay perverted thoughts on her!

Gosh, what a waste. Who would have thought that behind such a handsome face and beautiful skin, hides such a shameless pervert!

Chapter 161 - Leave It All To You

Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio

So, Liu Duo pinched both cheeks on his handsome face and said, "Liuzi, do you know how to spell shameless? Because that's exactly what you are!"

"No, I don't even know how to write!" Ye Liu said honestly. He knew what Liu Duo meant, but he wasn't angry.

Liu Duo rolled her eyes. She felt like she had just landed a punch on a bundle of marshmallows. "Can you be serious for now? Put me down, I have to prepare the bamboo shoots to cook later so that I can bring lunch to your brothers."

With that, Ye Liu put her down, "Where did they go?"

He had been wondering where everyone was. He had come home, yet no one came to welcome him. "The three of them went to pull weeds in the paddy field," Liu Duo answered.

"Oh," Ye Liu went into the room to put down his package. Then he returned to help Liu Duo clean the bamboo shoots.

"Little Duo, why did you buy these bamboo shoots? They are harsh, and they don't taste good," he asked.

Liu Duo got curious when he said that. Harsh? Parboiling them in hot water would do the trick. Didn't the people here know how? Yang hadn't mentioned it at all.

As she thought about it, Liu Duo cracked a smile. Was this a business opportunity? After all, there was no such thing as too much money, and this was a great chance to make more! "Liuzi, rest assured, I'll make a really nice dish with them later!"

Ye Liu wouldn't want to strike at Liu Duo's confidence, so he smiled and nodded. He would go with whatever made her happy!

The two of them worked well together to make lunch, joking and teasing from time to time. It just so happened that Ye Liu enjoyed playing tricks on her. Sometimes Liu Duo couldn't bother with him, while other times he made her laugh.

"Lunch is ready! Liuzi, we'll eat first and then bring some over to Yang and the others," Liu Duo said joyfully as she served the fried bamboo shoots from the pot.

Ye Liu nodded while he took out the unburned firewood from the stove. "Sure, I'll leave the arrangements to you."

He washed his hands and went to the table, where he ate his meal with Liu Duo.

"Little Duo, the pig drawings you drew last time raked in a lot of money, didn't they?" While cooking just now, he saw that the vat was filled with refined rice and the sack was filled with fine powder. He guessed that she had bought those with her bonuses.

He had heard from the men at the place he worked about pig-like dolls that were sold at expensive prices.

Liu Duo ate a mouthful of bamboo shoots and smiled proudly at his remark. "That's absolutely necessary! Haven't you guessed who I am? I am the embodiment of beauty and intellect, able to draw cute animals at the flick of a brush, and that is where money comes from! Haha..."

Liu Duo enjoyed showing off so much that she might as well have flown to heaven, while Ye Liu smiled in adoration. He went along with her, "Yes indeed, our Little Duo is the best of the best!"

He stopped to think and added, "Little Duo, even if you can earn so much, please don't abandon your four, dross husbands, alright?"

Liu Duo cocked her head sideways when she heard Ye Liu say that and the food she just ate spewed out of her mouth with a splatter. Luckily she reacted quickly, otherwise she might have spat on the table.

And then she saw Ye Liu's panic and nervousness as though he was the wife, afraid of being abandoned.

Oh dear. This Liuzi should take up acting. What a waste of talent!

She wiped her mouth and rolled her eyes at him, "Good that you know, if you scare me with words like that again, I might consider abandoning you first!"

Chapter 162: Haha...

Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio

Ye Liu's face was full of smiles when he heard her. However, he pretended to feel wronged. "Little Duo, what I said is the truth. My heart is really saddened by what you said."

Liu Duo grinned and laughed, "Sad? If you're sad then let's see a crying performance!"

Since he wanted to act, he should go all the way.

Liu Duo looked and smiled at him while she ate, as if she were watching television.

Ye Liu didn't get mad when he saw that she didn't give him any expression. He smiled, reached out with his hands, and poked Liu Duo's pretty nose. "Vicious little girl! Quickly, finish your meal."

Seeing that he had become serious, Liu Duo put some bamboo shoots into his bowl. "Try it. It definitely won't feel rough."

She had just eaten it. It was crispy and very delicious.

After Ye Liu heard her, he picked up the bamboo shoots in his bowl and tried a bite. It was indeed different from the ones they'd had before. It didn't have that bitter and acidic taste. Instead, it was crispy and very delicious.

"Little Duo, you are too awesome. You stir-fried it very well." Ye Liu did not hold back on his praises.

He hadn't seen her doing anything special to the bamboo shoots. How did they taste so good? If she knew the method to do this, did it mean that they could use this to make money? Ye Liu thought of this in his heart.

Liu Duo said with a smile, "If it tastes good, then have some more." She then grabbed some more for him. "As I already said, the bamboo shoots that I stir-fried definitely won't have a bitter and acidic taste! So far, only I know how to do this. I'm planning on using this to earn money. Mr. Liuzi, what do you think?"

When he heard her say this, Ye Liu laughed, "Little Duo, we really have good chemistry. I also had the same idea. We can process out the acidic and bitter taste from the bamboo shoots and then sell them. We can definitely make money from this."

After he finished speaking. His face suddenly turned depressed. "Little Duo, you are so smart. You figured another way to make money again. In the past, I said that I would take care of you, but now it seems like it is you who is going to take care of us!"

They could definitely make a lot of silver by selling the bamboo shoots after processing out the bitter and acidic taste. Add this with the money from partnering with the tailor shop, and Liu Duo's income would definitely be much higher than the money the brothers struggled tirelessly to make!

He felt that it was a crisis. Liu Duo fully had the ability to abandon them.

However, when Liu Duo heard him, she disagreed. "What is this about you taking care of me or I taking care of you guys. You guys can be responsible for being as beautiful as flowers, and I will be responsible for making money and feeding the family! Haha..."

"Okay! Then Little Duo, you need to raise us to be fair and fat. That way, you can feel a lot of meat when you hug us. It will be very comfortable." Ye Liu played along and joked.

Did he consider himself a pig, saying that he would become fair and fat?

Liu Duo puckered her lips and rolled her eyes. She continued to eat and ignored him. The more this fella talked the more ridiculous he got. Shameless.

After the two of them finished lunch, they placed the dishes they had prepared for Ye Yang and the others into a basket and left together to deliver it to them.

While they were on the road, Ye Liu held Liu Duo's hand in one hand and carried the basket in the other. He kept talking to her and teasing her.

On the other side, Ye Yang and the other two brothers were still weeding in the paddy field. They kept working without taking any breaks. The people on the other paddy fields were sitting at the sides and eating lunch that their families had delivered to them

Ye Mo muttered softly, Is this Liu Duo trying to starve us to death? She still hasn't delivered lunch!

Speaking of the devil, he heard Liu Duo shouting, "Yang, Little Brother Mo, Ling, we brought lunch for you guys. Quickly, come and eat. Continue weeding later."

The three of them looked up towards higher ground when they heard her. They saw that Ye Liu was also there and the three of them immediately walked towards them.

Chapter 163: Why Are You Acting Arrogant

Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio

Once they got up, Ye Ling smiled and said, "Liu, you're back. Were you tired these past few days?"

In the past, the times he had been the happiest was when Ye Yang or Ye Liu returned home. It was the same now. He liked the feeling when the whole family was together.

"Liu." Ye Yang called out and greeted him.

Ye Mo also called out and greeted, "Liu."

"Yang, Mo, Liu. Your dear brother is back. You guys missed me?" Ye Liu also smiled and greeted them.

The four brothers didn't have a lot of time together. It was only Ye Mo and Ye Ling who spent more time together.

"That's enough. You four can reminisce later. Eat first. Otherwise, the dishes will get cold." Liu Duo said.

If one were to look at the way they were standing, they looked like they were chatting after they hadn't seen each other for a long time.

The three of them started to eat when they heard her. When Ye Yang and Ye Ling saw the bamboo shoots, they didn't show any special expressions. Ye Mo, however, frowned. "bamboo shoots taste very bad, but you actually brought them to us?!"

"You can choose to not eat it!" Liu Duo replied. Why would she care if he ate them or not!

Ye Yang, who had already tried the bamboo shoots, glanced over at Liu Duo. He never would've guessed, but the bamboo shoots she stir-fried didn't taste rough at all.

Ye Ling, however, spoke out in surprise, "Duo Er, how did you prepare these? They aren't rough at all!"

This really surprised him. In the past, no one in the imperial courts really liked to eat bamboo shoots. However, he now liked them. He fell in love with this fresh and crispy bamboo shoot.

Ye Mo didn't believe him when he heard it. "Seriously?"

Ye Ling gave him some to indicate that he should try some. That way, he would know if he was being serious or not.

Ye Mo tried some reluctantly. He then began to take another bite, then another. He also didn't forget to comment, "It is okay, but it is still a little bit rough."

Liu Duo and the other three watched Ye Mo taking one bite after another and ridiculed him in their hearts, If it's a bit rough, then why are you still eating so much?

Liu Duo puckered her lips and looked at him with disdain. "You speak with a forked tongue! If it's rough, then why are you still eating so much!"

"Why do you care!" Ye Mo acted very arrogantly.

Ye Liu stood at the side with a stance that made him look like a hoodlum. He even had a piece of grass in his mouth. "Tsk. Mo, why are you acting so arrogantly? Having Little Duo care for you is your blessing!"

Ye Ling also nodded, his face showing that he agreed. Ye Yang didn't nod his head, but his eyes betrayed him. He actually also agreed with Ye Liu.

These three unconsciously became Liu Duo's loyal protectors and proper slaves to their wife.

Ye Mo became really unhappy. This Ye Liu treated him so badly right after he came back? Ye Yang and Ye Ling would become very fierce towards him whenever he said something bad about Liu Duo.

He lamented, Are we still brothers? You guys really forgot about your brother after we got a wife!

Ye Mo didn't say anything at all and ate quietly. He then went back to work.

"Little Duo, let's ignore Mo. He doesn't have any manners." Ye Liu held Liu Duo's shoulders and tried to cheer her up after he saw that she looked unhappy.

He thought, This Mo still hasn't grown a brain yet. He only knows how to make Little Duo angry and unhappy. I can't bother to remind you anymore that you will be the one who loses out in the end. I've already said, wives are supposed to be loved and pampered.

Liu Duo nodded her head. She knew clearly and deeply that the only thing Ye Mo knew how to do besides making her angry was making her angry. If she was fussier, she suspected that she would definitely die immediately die from anger!

Liu Duo was at the side, waiting for them to finish eating so that she could take the bowls back and wash them.

Chapter 164: I'll Cry Right In Front Of You!

Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio

After lunch, Li Wazi, who was also weeding, walked over and greeted everyone when he saw them. The only one he didn't greet was Ye Mo.

When Ye Mo saw what he did, he shouted angrily, "Li Wazi, what do you mean by this? Did you not see your brother?"

Li Wazi turned his head when he heard the shouting. He cast a glance at him and said very lukewarmly, "Oh, you are also here."

He then walked towards his own family's paddy field.

Ye Mo looked at his back and clenched his teeth in anger. "Have you become braver? You dare to ignore me like this? You deserve a beating!"

"You already broke off relations with him, but you still don't allow people to ignore you?" Liu Duo suddenly said.

That day, Mo had chased him out and said he would break off relations with him. It was perfectly normal for Li Wazi to ignore him!

Ye Liu got interested when he heard this. "Little Duo, what happened? This Li Wazi loved to hang around with Mo. Why did they break off relations? Quickly, tell Liu."

From what he knew, Li Wazi's relationship with Ye Mo was so good that it couldn't possibly have been any better. They were like blood brothers. They also treated Li Wazi as their own brother because he was very good towards Ye Ling. When they were young, he would often help Ye Mo take care of Ye Ling.

Liu Duo saw Ye Liu looking like he desired knowledge and said with a smile, "Mr. Liuzi, do you want to know? I won't tell you! Hehe..."

Ye Liu saw Liu Duo being mischievous and spit out the grass in his mouth. He smiled like a hooligan and said liked a bad boy, "Little Duo, you need to be punished if you are disobedient!"

When she heard that, Liu Duo crossed her arms over her chest and said, not feeling any fear at all, "You dare?! If you dare to touch me, I will cry right in front of you!"

Ye Ling saw Liu Duo behaving this way and laughed, "Duo Er, Liu is just teasing you for fun."

Ye Yang glanced at Ye Liu. He didn't speak and continued to eat. Of course, he knew that Ye Liu was joking. If Ye Lui dared to hit Liu Duo, he would be the first to sort him out.

Ye Liu saw that she wasn't afraid at all. He scooped Liu Duo's little waist over towards him and lightly patted her butt. "Disobedient wives need to be spanked. Only then will they become well-behaved."

Liu Duo was shocked by what he did. This bastard actually spanked her butt? Before she could regain her senses, she heard Ye Liu say again, in a volume that only she could hear, "It feels quite good. There is even some bounce to it."

As he said this, Liu Duo cheeks turned red and she pushed him away. "Shameless hooligan."

When Ye Ling, who had been paying attention to them, saw his brother spank Liu Duo's butt, his face turned red. He thought in his heart, Liu is so bold, just like Liu Duo.

In his eyes, Liu Duo was also very bold. She did not care how the world viewed her.

Ye Yang, who was eating, coughed when he saw what happened. His ears also turned slightly red. Liu always did things that were shocking.

And Ye Mo took a bite of the bamboo shoots and said angrily, "In broad daylight. Shameless!"

Ye Liu, having succeeded in taking advantage of her, was full of smiles. He said proudly to Ye Mo, "Mo, why do you sound so sour? Are you jealous?!"

"Who...who's jealous of you? Doing something like this in broad daylight is something that is shameless!" Ye Mo refuted loudly.

Although he did feel a bit jealous in his heart, he wasn't willing to admit it.

"Yeah, shameless." Liu Duo rolled her eyes at Ye Liu. In a rare move, she nodded in agreement with Ye Mo's opinion.

She wasn't a match for him when he became a hooligan! He was a veteran compared to Ye Yang and Ye Ling.

When Ye Liu saw Liu Duo behaving like this, he placed another piece of grass in his mouth and said with a face full of smiles, "Yo, Little Duo, when did you become so friendly with Mo?"

Chapter 165: Brazenly

Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio

"None of your business!" Liu Duo said haughtily. She then walked over beside Ye Yang.

Let's see if you dare to pull me and take advantage of me in front of Yang! Liu Duo muttered in her heart.

"Little Duo, you are so awesome. How would I dare to get involved in your business? It would be better if you would take care of my business instead! Eat, drink, shit, piss, and sleep, I will let you control all of it. You can use me however you want." He even brazenly threw a flirtatious glance toward Liu Duo.

Ye Yang saw Liu Duo go over to seek protection after getting taken advantage of. He glanced over at Ye Liu. The expression in his eyes seemingly warning Ye Liu to stop before he went too far. It was in broad daylight, after all.

With regards to the warning in Ye Yang's expression, Ye Liu laughed, "Yang, that paralyzed face of yours is already cold enough. Your gaze doesn't need to become colder. You will send shivers down people's spines."

He even covered his stomach with his hands and showed an expression of fear while he spoke.

Ye Yang didn't want to bother with his silly teasing. He could act however he wanted.

Liu Duo rolled her eyes when she saw that Ye Liu even dared to make fun of and tease Ye Yang. She thought in her heart, Oh my, who can sort out this hooligan! None of us are able to contain him.

She was witty, but she was still no match for him. Furthermore, the untalkative Ye Yang wasn't either. Ye Mo also couldn't do it, and Ye Ling definitely couldn't either.

After the meal, Ye Yang and the others went to the paddy field to continue weeding again. Ye Ling stayed behind to rest. He would go back home with Liu Duo after a while.

As Liu Duo was putting away the bowls and chopsticks, Ye Liu went over to her and smiled, "Little Duo, you still haven't told me, why did Li Wazi and Mo sever relations?"

She didn't reply and stared at him. "Are you still not going to go help with the weeding? What are you still doing here?"

You want to know, but I won't tell it to you!

Ye Ling saw that Liu really wanted to know and said on his own, "Because of what happened the other day. When the people from the Ye family courtyard wanted to dig up mom and dad's graves and make us move them.."

Ye Ling recounted to Ye Liu everything that had happened that day. Ye Ling's face was full of anger when he talked about what had happened that day. There was no sadness at all, since there was no shred of affection left between their families.

As the saying goes, there is no sadness left once the heart is dead!

But when Ye Liu finished listening to it, he didn't get angry or sad. He only said, "Ling, what's there to be angry about? Those people are not worth it. They didn't succeed anyway. The more that old fart wants Ye Xuan to pass the prefectural exam, the more likely it is that he won't pass. Just wait and see. He definitely will not pass this time either!"

"How do you know he won't pass?" Liu Duo puckered her lips. It wasn't like he was the examiner, or someone with supernatural abilities. He had said it as if he were so sure.

Ye Liu stretched his back and said with a smile, "Intuition."

Liu Duo put the bowls and chopsticks into the box and carried it in her hands. She said, "Oh. Quickly, go and help with the weeding." She didn't care what kind of intuition he had. Whether or not he passed the exam was of no matter to her. "Ling, let's go home."

"Okay." Ye Ling nodded his head and immediately followed her.

Only after he saw that they had gone further away did Ye Liu frown. He took off his shoes, rolled up his sleeves and trousers, and went into the paddy field.

"Yang, Mo, if that old fart or anyone else from the Ye family courtyard comes and finds trouble again, don't hold back, and hit them more fiercely. Mo, you are too modest. You only hit that bitch with a stick? You should have at least hit her until she was bedridden. Only then will they know our strength as men!"

Ye Liu spoke very fiercely, his face looking very vicious. His usual, cheerful disposition was completely gone.

If Liu Duo had been there, she would definitely have said, This bastard even sounds like a hooligan when saying such fierce words! No wonder people say he is the most like Mo. He also likes to get physical and violent!

Chapter 166: What's So Impressive About That

Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio

The reason Ye Liu didn't show his angry side to Liu Duo and Ye Ling was that he didn't want Ye Ling to become like him. They shouldn't show too many emotions when unimportant people made them angry. It just wasn't worth it.

On the other hand, he felt quite relaxed about Liu Duo. He realized quite early on that Liu Duo wouldn't get her emotions riled up by unimportant people. It was only the four brothers who could make her moody. He was quite happy about this fact.

When Ye Mo heard her, he said, cooly and arrogantly, "I used all my strength with that one hit with the stick. Me modest? If that bitch didn't feel pain for at least a few days, I will change my last name to hers!"

When Ye Yang saw how enthusiastic these two got about violence and hitting people, he said, "If you can avoid it, don't use violence."

Although they'd had a falling out ten years ago, he didn't like to use violence to solve problems. It didn't matter who it was, or what it was about, he always maintained this view.

Although Ye Liu was always smiling, behaving like a hooligan, and never showing any anger, when he got mad, he would not lose out to Ye Mo.

If Yang did not say something to hold them back, having Ye Mo and Ye Liu together would really escalate the violence! Ye Mo was already enough, but adding Ye Liu into the mix? That would really be a mess.

One could tell from when Ye Liu had punched Ye Mo that he wasn't one to hold back his punches.

Since their oldest brother had already said so, the two of them would obey him.

"That goes without saying. Yang, you can rest assured. Mo is violent, impulsive, and doesn't know how to control himself when attacking. How is it possible that I would act like him?" Ye Liu changed his tone and was full of smiles again.

Ye Mo heard what Ye Liu said and could not accept it. He shouted, "Liu, can you not praise yourself and put me down? I am a bit impulsive, but I still know how to control myself when attacking!"

"Yo, Mo, you are able to understand what I said! Not bad. Since you've grown up, you should change that bad habit of yours! Also, speak more softly when you talk. It's not like I'm arguing with you. After all, you are someone who has studied in school before. Do you not know that whether a person is right or wrong has nothing to do with the volume of their voice?"

Ye Liu, using his status as the older brother and senior, lectured Ye Mo.

No matter how Ye Mo listened to it, it just sounded wrong! What did he mean by saying he understood? Everyone would be able to tell that Liu was praising himself and putting Mo down! Right?

Ye Mo muttered in his heart, You are just two years older than me. What's so impressive about that?

"Mo, don't be so stubborn! Even though I'm just two years older than you, I'm still your older brother! When your older brother tells you something, you need to remember it well!"

Ye Liu completely saw through what Ye Mo was thinking and looked extremely smug!

And so, Ye Mo puckered his lips and didn't continue to speak with him. He lowered his head and continued to focus on his work. He cursed in his heart, Yes, yes, yes. You are the older brother. You deserve to be smug and you deserve to be the senior!

When Ye Liu saw that Ye Mo didn't say anything, he hummed a folk song happily and also continued with the weeding.

Ye Yang's ears finally felt tranquil after he saw that the two of them had finally stopped talking. However, he was in quite a good mood. Although the two of them liked to argue, and it always ended with Ye Mo losing, he would still be in a good mood.

Meanwhile, Liu Duo and Ye Ling arrived home. They saw Li Chunmei standing outside their house door.

Ye Ling frowned. He did not want to see her at all. On the contrary, Liu Duo smiled. However, the smile was only contained below her eyes. "What are you doing in front of our house?"

"I'm here to see you." Li Chunmei looked at Liu Duo. Although she was a bit timid, she still said it aloud.

See her? It wasn't like they were close. Why did she want to look for her? "Why do you want to meet me? I don't think we are close. Moreover, I hate you quite a bit!"

Chapter 167: You Lowlife!

Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio

Li Chunmei frowned at Liu Duo's straightforward remark, not liking it at all. She mumbled, I hate you too!

"I need a word with you, alone. I'll leave when I'm done," she looked at Ye Ling, urging him to leave.

Ye Ling furrowed his brow but took the cue to leave. He opened the entrance to the yard, allowing them to speak alone.

At that moment, Liu Duo held onto him, not allowing him to leave. She smiled at Li Chunmei, "Whatever you want to say, you can say it to us. Otherwise, we'll leave."

Speak with me alone? Who does she think she is, demanding my obedience?

Li Chunmei glanced at Ye Ling and, filled with determination, began to speak in a serious manner, "I just want to tell you that I like Mo a lot, and I have liked him for a very long time. When I injured my foot, he took me home. Since then, I haven't seen him for a few days, and I have thought things through. I don't want to hide this affection anymore. I want to marry him."

Ye Ling was shocked to hear that. She had actually dared to say that she wanted to marry MO?

Liu Duo didn't feel anything in particular, because she had realised long ago that Li Chunmei had her eyes on her man, Ye Mo. So she thought, Geez, this is the other woman in the flesh, officially declaring war with me!

Li Chunmei went on talking when Liu Duo did not react, "You are the brothers' shared wife. After I marry Mo, you only have to serve Yang, Liu, and Ling. You..."

Seeing her blabbing about, Liu Duo grinned and cut short her unfinished speech, "Stop right there, Li Chunmei."

Liu Duo walked up and confronted Li Chunmei, who was half-a-head taller than her. She smiled as she said, "After all that rubbish you spouted, I only have three words to say to you: You freaking lowlife! If you liked him that much, you had so many years to tell him, yet where were you? After you found out I had become their shared wife, then you come running to me, telling me all this. Are you asking for a punch in the face?"

As she kept talking, Liu Duo put on a serious face, "Li Chunmei, I'm telling you, if I catch you talking about marrying him one more time, you'd better not cry when I beat you up! He's my man, and he's not for a woman as ugly as you to peep at!"

With that, Liu Duo rolled her eyes at Li Chunmei, took Ye Ling by the hand, and walked into the yard, leaving her outside.

Li Chunmei was stunned at Liu Duo's words. She had never expected Liu Duo to scold her, or threaten to beat her up at all. Liu Duo was rude, lazy, and unbearably wasteful. As she thought about this, she became more determined. She would marry Ye Mo, and she had told Liu Duo anyway, regardless whether she agreed to it or not!

Upon returning to the yard, Ye Ling realised that Liu Duo had not spoken a word. So he voiced his concerns, "Duo Er, are you alright? Did Li Chunmei make you upset?"

Liu Duo, who was washing the dishes, looked up at him, "No, I'm not mad. Why should I be mad at her? She doesn't deserve my attention!"

"Duo Er, you don't have to worry. Mo would definitely not marry her," Ye Ling consoled her. He truly believed she was angry, neither speaking nor smiling.

Liu Duo smiled when he said so, "Ling, don't overthink it. I'm not mad. Even if Little Mo wants to marry Li Chunmei, he would need to prepare a betrothal gift. All the accounts in this household are in my hands. Can he get anything from me? Impossible! If he wants to, I can beat him into a pulp first. Then I can have him repudiated, and then he can get out of here!"

There was no reason for her to be mad about Li Chunmei. She wasn't afraid of the other woman fighting over her husband. What was hers would be hers, and what wasn't hers was not meant to stay anyway!

Chapter 168: Go On, Hit Me!

Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio

Ye Ling relaxed after hearing what she said. Either way he had faith in Ye Mo not betraying his wife.

After doing the dishes, Liu Duo went back inside for yoga. Ye Ling resumed sewing insoles under the roof.

----

Ye Yang and his brothers made quick work together. Half a day had passed and they had weeded two thirds of their paddy field.

"Yang, Liu, I'm heading to Li Wazi's place for a while. He's alone and needs help," Ye Mo intended to help out his friend, now that they had got their work covered.

Ye Yang nodded in agreement. Friends should help one another.

"Yo, Mo. Are you off to reconcile? Geez, I thought you'd cut ties with him, and now you're being friendly again!" Ye Liu teased.

Ye Mo wasn't happy that his brother had managed to see through him, but he would not acknowledge the fact, "Who's reconciling with whom? He should apologise first!"

With that, he sped up in the direction of Li Wazi's paddy field to avoid any more enigmatic mockery from his brother. Li Wazi's field was at least twenty meters away from theirs.

Ye Liu shook his head as he watched Ye Mo leave. He thought, Little Mo sure is keen on face-saving! He might as well admit he's going to reconcile. It's not like there's anything to lose!

Ye Mo arrived at Li Wazi's paddy field and coughed, attracting his attention. Li Wazi merely glanced up at him and continued weeding without giving him the time of day.

Ye Mo furrowed his brow at this, clearly crossed. "Li Wazi, you dare dismiss your dear brother?"

"Brother? I never had a brother. My mother gave birth to me and only me!" Li Wazi mocked him lightly without looking up.

They had clearly severed ties, and here he came claiming brotherhood!

Liu's strange enigma was fine and all, yet this fellow was stranger still. Angered, Mo entered the paddy field and marched towards Li Wazi, colliding with him. "You're doing this on purpose, aren't you? Do you really not want to be brothers anymore?"

Li Wazi stumbled a bit when Ye Mo crashed into him. After regaining his footing, Li Wazi eyed Ye Mo and said, "You were the one who severed ties. What's this brotherhood you speak of? You can't take back your words! You should know that. Haven't you been to school?"

Don't think I'll be afraid just because you're loud! Hmph... You dare severe ties, so I dare get back at you! Li Wazi mumbled indignantly.

"Li Wazi, I'll beat you up if you make a fuss over this!" Ye Mo furiously balled his fingers into a fist. He had said what he'd come to say. He didn't want to ruin their friendship, yet Li Wazi was making things difficult.

Li Wazi raised his arms and rubbed his ears, "So what if I'm making a fuss? Go on, hit me!"

With that, he turned his head towards Ye Mo, daring him to punch.

Ye Mo was shaken by Li Wazi's sudden roar. This man was usually honest and not known for his temper. When did this fellow get the gall to go against him?

Since they were young, Li Wazi had always followed him. He had never been loud, let along roared.

Face with the shout, Ye Mo thought, Such a petty man - as fussy as a girl!

"Fine, we're brothers. I lost my temper that day, but don't take it seriously," Ye Mo surrendered and said.

"You're going to be a father soon, how can you raise your kid if you're still so petty and fussy? Right..."

Ye Mo spoke of many things as he peacefully helped with the weeds. Li Wazi was no longer mad at him, but he didn't bother with him either.

It used to be Li Wazi nagging in Mo's ears, but now the tables had turned, and Ye Mo was doing all the talking. In Liu Duo's words, Li Wazi had up and become the boss!

Chapter 169: Your Ladyship

Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio

Time passed quickly. By six in the evening, Ye Yang and his brothers were ready to go home, leaving the rest for the following day.

Ye Liu was wiping mud off his legs when he saw Ye Mo and Li Wazi walking towards him shoulder to shoulder. He called out to them, "Yo, I thought you guys broke off your friendship. You sure don't look like it!"

Simple-minded Li Wazi did not sense that he was joking, "Liu, that never happened."

Ye Mo glanced at Ye Liu, saying nothing. If he dared mutter a word, Ye Liu would come back blabbing a lot more, so no discussion was needed!

"Go," Ye Yang said and took the lead home.

Ye Liu quickly followed up, "Let's go, let's go! One moment without seeing Liu Duo leaves me frantic!"

Ye Mo and Li Wazi walked behind them.

Back home, Liu Duo and Ye Ling were still busy in the kitchen. Ye Ling helped boil the water while Liu Duo was in charge of cooking.

"Little Duo, we're back. Is dinner ready yet? I'm hungry," Ye Liu said as he walked into the kitchen, after seeing that the yard was empty.

Liu Duo looked back, rolled her eyes at him, and said, "Just wait for it!"

He was not a kid, so there was no need to yell when he wanted food.

Ye Liu sat by the side and observed her keeping busy at the stove. He smiled, "Little Duo, how can you be so vile, leaving me to starve like this?"

Being able to see the wife cooking whenI get back home, I better not get too used to this. It'll be better if we have a kid, Ye Liu thought to himself.

Ye Ling added, "Liu, dinner's coming right up."

Liu Duo prepared three side dishes and one soup. She served the dishes from the pot into the bowls, and they were ready to eat. Chopsticks at the ready, everyone went and sat around the table.

"Mo, when Duo Er and I came back, we met Chunmei," Ye Ling said, thinking he should tell him about what happened.

At the mention of the name, Ye Mo knew nothing good would come of it, so he got annoyed. If he had known this would happen, he wouldn't have bothered her. "So you did. What's that got to do with me?"

"Good stuff, it seems," Liu Duo took a sip of her soup. "You see, Chunmei came to me and said she has had a crush on you for ages, and she wants to marry you."

Everyone except Liu Duo and Ye Liu furrowed their brows - especially Ye Mo.

Ye Liu just had to mess things up even more than they already were. "Wow, what's this I hear about a crush on our Little Mo? But judging by the name, it sounds like bad luck. Are you sure it's a crush?"

Pffft, Liu Duo guffawed. Bad luck? That's one way to put it. Every woman other than her should be stomped out anyway.

Ye Mo pounded the bowl heavily on the table, "Don't bother. I'm not marrying her."

"Of course we won't. That's your mess. You clean it up! If not, and if you make Little Duo miserable, let's see how I clean you up! If you want to get a wife on your own, I'll make everything that I said before come true!" Ye Liu put on a serious face and said to his brother before he turned to look at Liu Duo, grinning from ear to ear.

.

"Little Duo, there may be many other distractions out there, but I don't care for any of them. I don't like them. In fact, if there's any one that I like, it's the one at home, your ladyship! I can't adore you enough!"

Yet, Liu Duo responded, "Liuzi, you and your perverted ideas... Let's see how I punch your lights out!"

Though she said that, she was actually very happy. She could feel that what he had said was completely honest.

"Punch me with all your might, then. As long as you're happy, I don't care what you do to me. I'm fully willing, even if you tie me to the bed and hit me violently, I won't fight back!" Ye Liu said and winked at her, as though tempting her to abuse him.

Chapter 170: Ask Casually

Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio

Ye Mo and Ye Ling sat through the meal unhappily. Ye Mo was constantly frustrated by the case regarding Li Chunmei, while Ye Ling was upset because his brother was upset.

Ye Yang was stoic, as usual, his face occupying no expression in particular. Ye Liu was indifferent to everyone around him as he continued teasing Liu Duo.

It was bedtime again. After her bath, Liu Duo combed her hair in the bedroom and got ready for bed.

On the other hand, the four brothers were having a meeting in another room. Ye Ling told the others everything that Li Chunmei had said to Liu Duo that afternoon, down to the last detail.

"Liu, what do you think Mo should do about Li Chunmei?" Ye Ling asked in place of Ye Mo. He felt that Ye Liu would have many ideas, and one of them would work.

"What do I think? How should I know! It's not even my problem. How could she just come and show off in front of our Little Duo? If I see her, I'm going to kick her a good few meters away!" Ye Liu said as he sat with his legs crossed.

Whether they were male or female, whoever messed with his wife, he would give them a taste of their own medicine!

Ye Yang stayed silent. He didn't know what to do, since he lacked the experience. Ye Mo's brow furrowed on his long face.

"Liu..." Ye Ling probed him again anxiously, his brow furrowed too.

Ye Ling looked at Ye Mo, sitting there with a long face. Of course he still cared, this was his own brother, the one who looked very much like him.

His legs shook as they stayed crossed. Ye Liu said, "My little brother Ling, don't call me so affectionately like that. I could have mistaken you for our dear wife!"

At that moment, Ye Mo and Ye Ling both twitched their lips. Ye Yang merely glanced at Ye Liu. It was surely over the top when he flirted with his own brother!

"This is serious business," Ye Yang solemnly reminded him, telling him to get his act together.

With that, Ye Liu turned back to the conversation, "It's easy. Can Chunmei get married just because she says she wants to? Will her family allow it? We are basically the poorest of the poor, so her family won't possibly permit her to become Mo's wife!"

In the beginning, Ye Yang and the other brothers could find reason in what he said, but the last two statements were quite unpleasant. It was true that they were really poor, but why did he seem displeased when he said it?

"Alright, it's getting late, time for bed. Who's sleeping with Little Duo tonight?" Ye Liu put his foot down and asked casually.

He had just returned, so he didn't know exactly when Ye Yang had returned. The order was probably messed up, so he had to ask.

Without thinking at all, Ye Ling promptly said, "It's your turn, Liu."

As soon as Ye Ling answered, Ye Liu promptly stood up, "Geez, why didn't you say so earlier? My time with Little Duo is running out! You could have said this during the day, but no, you had to drag it out until night! I'm going to bed. I've had enough of this gibberish. Little Duo must get very impatient if I don't accompany her soon."

With that, Ye Liu left for Liu Duo's room.

Ye Mo and Ye Ling kept twitching their legs. Could Liu not over-react like that? Ye Yang didn't respond as he took off his garments and got ready for bed.

Meanwhile, Ye Liu was beyond excited as he entered Liu Duo's room. "Little Duo, I'm here for you. Gosh, it's been days since I got to spend time with you. You must have missed me so much, but tonight I'm here! No worries."

Liu Duo had barely laid down on the bed when she turned around and faced Ye Liu, her lips twitching. Damn, he basically sounded like a gigolo, eager to serve his mistress!

Chapter 171: Care To Try?

Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio

She turned over and just lay there, not bothering with him. Speaking to him wouldn't do any good. She would only be teased.

Ye Liu was in exceptionally good spirits as he closed the door and quickly got out of his clothes. Wearing only his underpants, he blew out the oil lamp and climbed into bed.

He snuck under the covers and hugged Liu Duo, as usual. He took a whiff of her scent, "Wow, my Little Duo smells so nice. She knows she's sleeping with me tonight, and that's why she took a bath. Is that true?"

Liu Duo pushed him off and said petulantly, "Enough with you, narcissist."

She had taken a bath only because she had perspired a lot after doing yoga.

When she pushed him, she felt bare skin. Ye Liu wasn't wearing clothes, which made her blush. This fool enjoyed sleeping without a top. Ye Yang and the rest were not like this.

Ye Liu pulled her into an embrace again and said mischievously, "So what? I'm good-looking, I'm handsome, and I'm pretty big down there, so I'm sure you'll be pleased!"

She'd had enough of this narcissist. She blushed hard at the last two comments and berated him, "Shameless pervert!"

"Hehe, I'm only shameless and perverted for you, Little Duo," he giggled and added, "I have more perverted ideas in mind, Little Duo. Care to try?"

It came across as a question, but he did not wait for a response as he pressed her underneath him, lowered his head, and kissed her on the lips, all the while touching every inch of her body.

Liu Duo wanted to speak, but her lips were shut tight by his kiss. She reached out her hands to push him but to no avail, the bareness lingering on her fingers again. She thought, "Geez, he looks tall and thin on the outside, but it's really all strong muscles."

They kissed for a while. Ye Liu's breathing became disorderly, and he laid aside to rest. If he kept this up, he couldn't tell if he would be able to resist and discontinue.

This time, Liu Duo was left in a blur again. What had happened? However, she had other more important things on her mind, which was wondering where Ye Liu had gotten his kissing technique from? Since he never had a romantic partner or wife before, this should be his first time kissing, right?

And this was the ancient times. Holding hands during the day was a big deal already - enough to fill everyone's gossip - never mind kissing.

But he was quite skilled - very much like driving in a light carriage on a familiar road! Could it be that he had visited kilns before and gotten his experience there?

Just thinking about it made her turn sideways to face him. She questioned curiously, "Liuzi, tell me. Have you ever been to a kiln, or a brothel?"

She wasn't sure what to call the place men go to find amusement in this dynasty. Was it a kiln or a brothel? So she used both.

Hearing that, Ye Liu reached out his hands and held her in an embrace. His voice, already husky, asked her, "Why do you ask this, Little Duo."

"Because I suspect you've been there before! When you kissed me just now, it was very well-played," Liu Duo answered honestly.

Pffft, Ye Liu cackled. "Little Duo, don't get me wrong, I always keep myself clean, in body and in mind. I have never been to those places! I've been waiting for you for the past twenty-three years, hence my terrible life as a monk! Now that you're here, how much longer do you want me to wait?"

Yang said it didn't matter who consummated the marriage first, as long as Liu Duo agreed. But she was still so little, he had to wait for her to grow up, even though he really wanted to have her right then.

Hearing him using the tone of a ruffian but speaking in all seriousness, Liu Duo's beating heart thumped really hard.

She believed him when he said he had never gone to those places. After all, they didn't earn much, and most of their income went to buying medicine for Ye Ling, so how would he have had the luxury to spend money at a place like that?

She had just asked a question out of curiosity, because he was really good at kissing - so much so that he had her wanting more.

Chapter 172: What Resulted In The End

Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio

His last sentence was a confession, a complaint, and a grievance, and it sounded a bit like self-pity. It even made it hard for her to bear to see him continue like this. After all, he already had a wife, right?

Again, Liu Duo thought about how it would hurt the first time, and also about how this body was very young. Would it be able to handle it? They were all already grown men and had never tasted this before. They would definitely not be able to control themselves and would be very rough.

She felt very conflicted in her heart. Liu Duo hugged Ye Liu's waist as she thought about it. She rubbed his chest. "Mr. Liuzi, can you wait for a few more months? Wait until I turn sixteen, then I will give it to you, okay?"

Ye Liu became very excited and emotional when he heard her. When she turned sixteen? Initially, when they had bought her, besides seeing that she was attractive, they had also checked her birth data for astrological purposes.

And now, she was just a few months away from her sixteenth birthday. How could he not be excited?

Liu Duo thought about how people came of age at sixteen in modern times. She was only fifteen, and not yet an adult, so how could she do it now? That was why she decided that she wouldn't let them wait too long and agree to consummate the marriage once she turned sixteen.

"Really? That's just great! I've already waited for so long, I don't mind waiting for a few more months." Ye Liu, who had Liu Duo in his embrace, was elated. He then said, "Little Duo, have you told Yang and the others yet?"

"Not yet. Why?"

In her dream last night, two different Liu Duos had kept quarreling and fighting, and this was what resulted in the end. She hadn't had the time to tell Ye Yang. While she was looking forward to it, her anxiety towards it was much greater, because the first time would hurt.

"Nothing. Let's go to sleep quickly. After all, each moment of a romantic night is worth a thousand pieces of gold. After tonight, I will have to sleep alone for many days again. I need to seize the moment and embrace you while I sleep." Ye Liu hugged her and showed a sly smile.

He thought about how he shouldn't let Ye Yang know about it. He wanted to be the first to consummate the marriage. Of course, this was only if Liu Duo would do it voluntarily. He believed that he would definitely be the first to consummate the marriage!

Liu Duo did not know what he was thinking. She only thought that this bastard always sounded so random when he talked. She acted like a young coquettish wife.

She rolled her eyes at him. Although the room was very dark, since there weren't any lights and he couldn't see it, she still just wanted to give him a look of disdain!

Ye Liu lazed in bed with Liu Duo and didn't wake up early. It was already half past seven when Liu Duo woke up.

Liu Duo pushed the hand on her body away and asked, "Mr. Liuzi, why are you still sleeping?"

Besides the times where Ye Mo had gone too far, Liu Duo was always by herself when she woke up.

Ye Liu's hand moved back again. He squinted his eyes, his face looking alluring and flirtatious, "I want to spend more time with Little Duo. Why would I get up if you weren't up? Also, I need to hug you for longer so that I recoup the time they used up last night."

Liu Duo's mouth twitched when she heard him. Used up his time? How did discussing the issue on Li Chunmei with his brothers constitute using up his time? She didn't participate in the discussion, because she wanted them to discuss and solve the problem amongst themselves.

"Move your claw away. I want to get up now." She pushed his hand away again. Liu Duo got up and put on her clothes.

Ye Liu leaned on his side on the bed by using his right hand to push against the bed and placing his palm on his head. He watched Liu Duo put on her clothes, smiled, and said, "Little Duo, my hand is so good looking. The bones are distinctive, and it is also long and well-proportioned. Why would you call it a claw?"

As he spoke, he even stretched out his left hand and placed it in front of her. He wanted her to look at it carefully. Which part of this beautiful hand looked like a claw?

Chapter 173: We Are Priceless Treasures

Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio

Liu Duo smacked away the hand in front of her and glanced at him, "Okay. Your hand is beautiful. It's so beautiful that I'm drooling! Your entire body is beautiful, okay? My amazingly beautiful man!"

She really didn't know how to deal with him. He started to act strangely so early in the morning. He was even more narcissistic than women.

Liu Duo put on her clothes and ignored him. After she got out of the bed, she went to get her comb. While she was there, she also brought him the hairpin that was bought for him.

"Here. This was bought for you. Yang and the others also have one. Use this to tie your hair, and don't use the hemp rope anymore." After she gave it to him, she said again, "Get up quickly. I'll bring you to buy some clothes. You're the only one who hasn't bought any."

Ye Liu nodded happily when he heard her. "Yes, Madam Little Duo!"

Liu Duo was stunned when she saw him sit up straight. This was the first time she had seen his bright and clean body so clearly. She hadn't been able to see it clearly at night, because there wasn't enough light. That smooth chest, those distinctive features, and he even had a six-pack. His body was so good that it couldn't possibly be any better.

Liu Duo hoped Ye Liu hadn't noticed and immediately pulled her gaze away so as to avoid him getting smug again and flying up into the sky! She immediately turned around and left the bedroom.

Ye Liu held the hairpin and looked at it. He was smiling as he put on his clothes. After Liu Duo finished washing up, she went into the kitchen to help Ye Ling prepare breakfast and went to fill the bowls with rice.

The meal was ready just as Ye Liu finished washing up. They all went and sat at the table. They saw Ye Liu had already started to use the hairpin to tie his hair and this made his attractiveness index go up by quite a bit. If he changed into new clothes made with high-quality materials, he would straight up turn into an elegant and outstanding prince!

"I'll take Mr. Liuzi to town to buy some clothes for him after the meal. Do you guys want to come?" Liu Duo asked as she ate.

Ye Yang shook his head, Ye Mo did the same. Ye Ling also wasn't going. "Duo Er, you go with Ye Liu. We will go to the paddy field to weed. We didn't finish weeding yesterday."

Liu Duo nodded her head when she heard him.

When she went back into the house to get the money, Ye Liu followed behind her. He gave a bag of money to Liu Duo. "Little Duo, this is the money I made from working temp jobs for the past few days. There are three hundred wens there. You take it."

Liu Duo didn't hesitate and took it straight away. "Okay. Money is my favorite."

People who wouldn't take available money were idiots!

Ye Liu bent his back and looked at her. He said, looking very serious, "Little Duo, money is your favorite? Do you not like us? Money has value, but we are priceless treasures!"

She looked at his peach blossom eyes and saw that he looked completely serious. Liu Duo received an unexpected shock. She had only casually said that money was her favorite. Why was he being so serious? However, Liu Duo's face slowly turned red from being stared at by him from so close.

She thought in her heart, This bastard's skin is really too good. Looking at him from up close, he really is magnificent!

She turned her gaze away from his body and prepared to slip away. "Let's go already. If we're too late, we won't be able to catch the ox cart."

But Ye Liu did not want to let it go. He wanted her to say it aloud, no matter what. He pulled her over, placed both his hands around her small waist, and confined her in his embrace. "If we can't catch the ox cart, I will carry you there! Little Duo, say it quickly, is money really your favorite? Do you not like us priceless treasures?"

Ye Liu already knew her answer when he saw how her egg-shaped face had turned red from shyness. But he still wanted to hear her say it aloud. He could feel that Liu Duo actually liked them, but she would always get shy easily in front of them.

As Liu Duo had never been hugged face-to-face by a man before, she became very shy. She threw a glance at him with a very red face. "Yes, money is my favorite! What about it?"

Chapter 174: Can Only Be Accomplished By Mo

Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio

Ye Liu had a smile on his face, and it contrasted with Liu Duo's shy and angry expression.

"Nothing. What else can I do about it? Since Little Duo likes it, then I will also have to reluctantly like it. As the saying goes, love the house and its crows!"

Liu Duo could only roll her eyes at the shameless Ye Liu! "Let's just go. Are we still going to town to buy clothes or not? If you're not going, then go help Yang with the weeding! Don't slack off here."

"I'm coming. Of course, I'm coming. Little Duo wants to buy me new clothes and change my appearance. How could I reject your sincerity? You still haven't said whether or not you like us priceless treasures!" Ye Liu just wanted to force her to say it out.

Could this bastard give it a rest?

Liu Duo stretched her hand, grabbed his ear, and said while clenching her teeth, "You already said you guys are priceless treasures. Since I like money, of course, I would naturally like the priceless treasures that are more valuable than money!"

Ye Liu got a satisfactory answer. He held Liu Duo's hand and led her out of the door with a smile on his face.

Once they arrived in town, they went straight to the tailor shop. She also bought two embroidered shirts for Ye Liu. It was just as Liu Duo guessed. When he put it on, he became so handsome that she was left in complete shambles.

"Little Duo, Liu is handsome right!" Ye Liu cockily spun in a circle while wearing his new clothes.

This bastard insisted on wearing it home. He had thrown out his old clothes straight away. The other piece was packaged, and they brought it along.

"Handsome!" Liu Duo said what she really thought. She was very pleased that this was her man!

The two of them then went on a walk through the streets. Liu Duo went to the bookshop again and bought Three Character Classic and some writing paper. She bought them so she could pretend to learn how to read. Otherwise, it would be inconvenient for her to do anything.

"Little Duo, you are buying books to learn how to read?" Liu Duo asked. He looked at her as she paid for the book and put away the book and paper.

Liu Duo nodded her head. "Yeah. It is better to be able to read than not be able to read, right!"

And so, Ye Liu said gloomily, "Ah, Liu also doesn't know how to read. Otherwise, I would definitely teach you myself. It seems like this arduous task can only be accomplished by Mo!"

At that moment, he felt even more hatred towards Grandma Ye for not letting him go to school in the past, causing him to be illiterate. This had cost him the chance to show off in front of Liu Duo!

Liu Duo rolled her eyes when she heard that. She muttered in her heart, Oh my. Have Mo teach me? What kind of stupid joke is this? It is more likely that he is the one who needs me to teach him!

However, Liu Duo didn't say she would reject it. After all, Mo was the only one in the family who knew how to read. He would naturally think that only he was capable of teaching her!

Then they went to buy some fruit, pork, and ribs, and they got ready to go take the ox cart home.

"Liu Er? It's really you Liu Er." Burly Du called out in surprise.

Liu Duo and Ye Liu turned around when they heard him and saw an excited Burly Du.

If it were said that Ye Mo got annoyed when he heard the name Li Chunmei, then Ye Liu would get extremely angry when he saw Burly Du and would want to hit him!

"Liu Er, you look good in those clothes." He didn't recognize him initially in those nice clothes. He got extremely happy when he got a closer look and saw that it was indeed Ye Liu.

Before Ye Liu, who was holding back his anger, could say anything, he heard Liu Duo say, "Hey, Burly Du, what did you call my husband? Didn't I tell you that you are not allowed to call him that? It isn't because you have a hole in your ear and can't hear, right? Since your ear hasn't grown completely, you best go spend some money and find a doctor to help you take a look, lest you make an exhibition of yourself and have people treat you like you're deaf. Thank you for your compliment. My husband would, of course, look good in whatever he wears!"

Chapter 175: Even Rarer

Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio

Burly Du would start calling Ye Liu "Liu Er" whenever he saw him. Did he treat her words like rubbish and couldn't remember them? Did he dare to peep on her man right in front of her? He was a bit too bold!

Liu Duo got worked up, spat out a bunch of words and stunned Burly Du. He had witnessed Liu Duo's awesomeness before. When it came to talking, she was even nimbler than men. Moreover, she was also very fierce.

"What are you looking at? I asked you a question. What did you call my husband? If you have something to say then say it aloud. If there's nothing, then scram! Don't delay us from having a meal at our home." Liu Duo crossed her arms over her chest and looked at Burly Du from the corner of her eye. She looked like a proud lady boss who was oozing arrogance.

All the things they bought were being carried in Ye Liu's hands. Liu Duo initially wanted to help carry some of it, but Ye Liu hadn't let her take any. He had said that he was afraid it might tire her hands! They were going to take the ox cart later, and he could place the things in the ox cart. Having him carry them for a while wasn't a problem.

"I...I..." When Burly Du looked at Liu Duo, he felt like his tongue was tied and he couldn't speak a single word.

"I...what? Since your ears aren't good and you are also a mute, it's even more clear that you need to go see a doctor! We don't want to delay your visit to the doctor, so we will get going. Goodbye!" She waved her hand at Burly Du, turned around, and left.

Burly Du was similar to Li Wazi, simple and honest. It was only that his sexual orientation was a bit abnormal.

Burly Du saw them leave and immediately followed them.

"Little Duo, you are so awesome. You were able to stun Burly Du with your words." Ye Liu smiled and looked at Liu Duo, who was beside him. He was very happy that Liu Duo had helped him to scold Burly Du.

Liu Duo grinned and said with a smile, "Mr. Liuzi, Burly Du's peach blossom is even rarer than Mo's peach blossom! Why don't you go and pick it?"

When Ye Liu heard her, his mouth twitched. He never would've thought that he would also have a day where he was teased.

"Little Duo, I already said that I only want your one of a kind rafflesia!" Ye Liu looked depressed.

They saw Burly Du following them and Ye Liu's gloomy rage was vented towards him. "Burly Du, do you need a beating? Why are you following us?"

"I'm going back home, since I received my salary today. Have you forgotten that my house and your house are in the same direction." Although Ye Liu's tone was not pleasant, Burly Du was still happy that he spoke to him.

Liu Duo threw a glance at him but didn't say anything. She could still hold it in as long as he didn't call him Liu Er. Since their homes were in the same direction, how could she not let him follow them?

They arrived at the entrance of the town and Wang Tuozi was, as usual, waiting in the same place at the same time for people who wanted to take the ox cart back to the village.

After they paid, Ye Liu and Liu Duo sat on the side with Ye Liu pushing up against Liu Duo. Burly Du also followed them and came to take the ox cart.

He wanted to sit with Ye Liu but was immediately shouted at, "Stay further away from me."

Burly Du sat obediently on the other side and simply looked at Ye Liu's side profile.

After waiting for a while, until it was close to noon, Wang Tuozi started to drive the ox cart back to the village.

When they arrived at the entrance of the village, Liu Duo and Ye Liu got down from the ox cart and walked towards their home. Burly Du watched them and didn't dare to say anything more to them. He knew that Ye Liu hated him, but he still really wanted to be close to him and become his best friend.

"Mr. Liuzi, Burly Du also lives in the same village?" She always thought that Burly Du was from a neighboring village and never thought that he lived in the same village.

"Yeah. His house is closer to the village chief's house. It is quite far from us." Ye Liu replied. Since Liu Duo didn't know, it was normal for her to ask.

Chapter 176: Liu Loves You Yo

Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio

They ran into some villagers while they were on their way home. The villagers kept casting glances at them and would discuss amongst themselves softly.

"Hey, isn't that the second brother of the Ye family?"

"Yeah. He is wearing such good clothes. Did he become rich?"

"That shared wife is also wearing clothes that are made from high-quality materials!"

"But that second brother really looks handsome in those nice clothes"

"..."

Liu Duo and Ye Liu heard the villagers' discussions, but they didn't pay attention to them at all. Who cared what they guessed or talk about. It wasn't like they were going to lose anything because of it. They could say whatever they wanted!

It was almost eleven when they arrived home. All the households were busy preparing lunch.

Ye Ling had gone back earlier to cook the rice. His face was full of smiles when he saw Liu Duo and Ye Liu. "Duo Er, you guys are back."

Liu Duo nodded her head. Ye Liu put down the things and immediately approached Ye Ling. "Ling, what do you think? Isn't it handsome? Little Duo choose it!"

Liu Duo looked at the narcissistic Ye Liu and wanted to give him a kick! Ye Ling and the other two felt reluctant to put their new clothes on, but this bastard kept shamelessly showing off how good he looked.

Ye Ling looked at him, smiling in his light blue clothes. Ye Liu's hair was tied up on the top, and his fine black hair gently fell to his back.

Ye Ling gave him a lot of face and said, "Handsome. Liu Is really the most handsome. The clothes Liu Duo picked also look very good."

Liu Duo took the pork and ribs to the kitchen and ignored that show-off, Ye Liu.

She took some bamboo shoots to the well. "Mr. Liuzi, come here and help me clean the bamboo shoots and tear off the old outer skin. What are you acting smug about? It's not like you are the only one who has new clothes!"

Liu Duo said it aloud after she saw that Ye Liu was still showing off to Ye Ling. She then returned to the kitchen again to cut the pork in preparation for making stir-fried bamboo shoots and pork.

"Hehe. I'm just very happy." Ye Liu cheerfully walked over in front of Liu Duo.

Liu Duo, who was holding a kitchen knife and cutting the meat, said without even lifting her head, "If you are done being happy, go and do your work. Why did you come over here?"

After she cut the meat, she put it into the basin and washed it. She then put it on the cutting board so she could prepare to slice it into smaller pieces.

Ye Liu watched her movements with a cheerful smile on his face. "Because I don't want to let you out of my sight."

Oh my. Although Liu Duo had gotten used to his improper behavior, she still felt goosebumps all over her body.

"I'll go wash the bamboo shoots. Liu, you go help with the fire." Ye Ling had also heard what Liu Duo had just said. He had initially wanted to help with the fire, but after he heard what Liu said, he automatically went to wash the bamboo shoots by the well.

He thought about it and thought that it was normal for Liu to stick so closely to Liu Duo, since he hadn't seen her for so many days. This also showed that Ye Liu valued and liked Liu Duo.

Ye Liu immediately laughed when he heard him. "Ah, thank you, Ling, for being so thoughtful. Liu loves you."

He even tossed a kiss to Ye Ling as he spoke.

Ye Ling's face turned red because of Liu's suave words and action. He turned around and went to the well without replying.

Liu Duo saw Ye Ling leave with a red face. She only had one assessment for Ye Liu. This bastard evildoer wants to have both men and women!

He didn't waste any more time since Ye Yang and the others still had to come back to have lunch. Ye Liu sat in front of the stove, skillfully started up the fire, and then added firewood to keep it going.

She watched Ye Liu as he did this and muttered in her heart, Why is this bastard so handsome, even when he starts a fire? Anyone who compares themselves to him would definitely be infuriated!

Chapter 177: Rage From Within

Ye Yang and his brothers got back just in time for dinner. Ye Yang said nothing when he saw Ye Liu in new clothes, but Ye Mo took a longer look.

"Dinner's ready. The timing is just right," Liu Duo giggled, happy to have all five of them together.

The brothers stared in awe at the refined white rice, fried meat with bamboo shoots, ribs, egg soup, and a plate of fried vegetables, all of which were even better than the food they had eaten at New Year's. They were instantly filled with gratitude.

This was all from Liu Duo's efforts. Without her, they wouldn't be able to eat so well!

Liu Duo felt deflated when she saw them not taking up their chopsticks, "What's the matter? Why aren't you all eating?"

Ye Liu took up his chopsticks when he heard her, "Little Duo, we were thinking thay, if you abandon us, we'll have to go back to eating rough powder and paste for the rest of our lives!"

Ye Yang looked at Liu Duo and said nothing. He agreed with Ye Liu, because those were his exact thoughts too. Ye Mo furrowed his brow, seemingly disturbed.

"Why are big, strong men like you having delusions like this?" Liu Duo rolled her eyes at them. They could overthink even more than the womenfolk.

"I believe Duo Er will never leave us," Ye Ling looked at Liu Duo with an air of determination.

Liu Duo nodded, giggling. Ye Ling was just as adorable as always.

After the meal, Liu Duo felt bloated, like she might explode at any time. It wasn't that she was gluttonous, but the crops there were not polluted, and the pigs were raised on real food, so the quality of the meat was very fine, and it tasted really good after being fried. It was so irresistible that she had eaten a little more than usual.

Ye Ling went to do the dishes while Ye Mo cleaned up the table and the kitchen. Ye Yang swept the floor while arrogant Ye Liu sat beside Liu Duo.

"Little Duo, are you stuffed? Here, let me give you a rub," He stretched his hands out and rubbed her stomach.

Liu Duo slapped his hands away and eyed him, "Who says you can do that? Look around you. Your brothers are busy cleaning up, so you're the laziest!"

This fool planned to take advantage of her again, and he thought she didn't know.

Ye Liu did not comply, and wrapped his arm around her shoulders, pretending to have been wronged, "Make no mistake, Little Duo. I am here having a chat with you to alleviate your boredom, and I even rubbed your stomach for you to feel better. It's both verbal and manual work. How can you call me lazy when I'm doing so much?"

The corner of her mouth twitched. This nitwit was going crazy after a full meal.

Ye Liu mischievously leaned his head on her shoulder when she did not reply. He blew into her ear, "Little Duo, just look closely at the four of us. We're all handsome and diligent, and we treat you well. Isn't this bliss? You should treasure us. Don't mistreat us, alright?"

Bottom. He's definitely a bottom! She raged from within.

With a 'bang', the door to the yard was pushed open forcefully and Li Wazi stepped inside. Liu Duo and gang looked at the source instinctively.

"Hey, Li Wazi. What's this about? If you are here to see me and all my glory, no need to be hasty!" Ye Liu said arrogantly.

Li Wazi was panting heavily, but a smile stretched across his face. He didn't have time for Ye Liu's jokes. "Everyone, I'm... I'm a father now! Haha..."

Having announced this news, Li Wazi grinned endlessly from ear to ear.

Liu Duo and the rest were happy for him. Becoming a parent was good news, athough it seemed like he had ran all the way there just to tell them.

Chapter 178: You Are Our Fortune Master

He had been waiting for months, and now he was a father. Why wouldn't he be happy? Li Wazi had come all the way just to tell them, but he hadn't even told a single one of his relatives.

They never visited anyway, and they looked down on him for being poor, so Li Wazi couldn't care less about them.

"Your wife gave birth? Is it a boy or a girl?" Ye Mo asked.

He knew Li Wazi had always wanted a son and didn't know if it had really happened.

Li Wazi sat on a stool and drank from the cup of water Ye Ling had passed to him. "Boy! It's a boy! My wife's so wonderful, giving me a son for my first child. Haha..."

Hearing that, Ye Mo looked at Liu Duo and thought, So what? My wife will give us a son on our first try too!

She could feel Ye Mo's strange gaze lingering on her and stared back, brow furrowed. She thought, Oh, you want me to give birth to a son, is that it? That's why you're staring at me? Hmph, talk about preferential treatment for girls and boys!

He found Liu Duo staring at him. Her fair cheeks, faint smile, and big eyes were brimming with exceptional vigour. Her beauty mark and dimples were especially attractive.

Ye Mo diverted his gaze while his heart beat quickly. He realised Liu Duo had been extraordinarily beautiful recently. Was he imagining things?

"Let's go visit," Ye Yang stood up and went out, followed by Ye Ling.

Ye Liu took Liu Duo to the room to get some money. It would be rude to go empty-handed.

She opened the case exclusively used to store their cash and asked, "Liuzi, how much should we give?"

Liu Duo didn't know how much was enough to be called a gift during these ancient times.

Ye Liu leaned against the door and goofed, "Liu Duo, you're our fortune master, so whatever you say goes."

Liu Duo didn't plan on asking him again. He wouldn't give a straight answer. She took out a considerable amount and locked the case before following them to Li Wazi's house.

Li Wazi's house wasn't that far away from theirs. It also had two rooms and a kitchen. The interior decorations weren't very different from their own house. Other than the basics, they didn't have much else.

"Mother, Ye Yang and his family are here to see Little Lian," Li Wazi called for Aunt Li, who was accompanying Little Lian.

Aunt Li quickly went out and welcomed the visitors when she heard her son calling. Her son was always in contact with Ye Yang and the gang. They were like family to him, and she liked the four brothers very much.

Yang, you all came. Come, have a seat. Gen Er, go serve them water," Aunt Li greeted them warmly.

"Aunt Li, no need for that. We'll make ourselves at home," Ye Liu sat down and said joyfully.

"Right. Liu's right. Treat our home just like yours. And this must be your wife. Just look at her. She looks absolutely stunning," Aunt Li addressed Liu Duo kindly.

Liu Duo observed Aunt Li too. She must have been about forty years old, but the years hadn't been kind to her, and work must have made her look ten years older. She seemed gentle, and easy to get along with, otherwise Ye Liu wouldn't have talked to her like that.

"Thank you for the praise, Aunt Li. You can call me Little Duo," she smiled. She quite liked this woman.

"Aunt Li, please accept our token," Liu Duo said as she passed the money to Aunt Li.

Aunt Li nodded and accepted it with a smile. This was basic courtesy, not that she was greedy.

Chapter 179: Thought That Wasn't Enough For You

Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio

She looked at the money in her hands and felt that those weren't copper (wen), so she immediately passed it back to Liu Duo.

"Little Duo, you have given too much. We cannot accept."

They might be poor, but Aunt Li knew what silver felt like from when she was younger. The feel was different - not as thin or hard as copper, but thicker and softer.

What she had just touched was silver - about one tael of it, she could tell - so she couldn't accept it. She also knew that the Ye family's economic condition was similar to their own. They could barely make ends meet. How could they offer so much money? She couldn't possibly take it.

Other than Liu Duo, the four brothers and Li Wazi all looked at Aunt Li. They wondered why she didn't want the money.

"Aunt Li, take it, and use it to buy supplements for your daughter-in-law. Take this month to confine and recuperate the body, weak from giving birth. This is a token from us to you. How can you not accept?" Liu Duo thrust the money again into her hands, hoping she would accept.

Aunt Li still felt the money was too much. She shouldn't take it. What could Liu Duo and the brothers live on after giving so much?

"Aunt Li, our fortune master gave you the money, so you should just take it. Rejecting again and again, we thought the money wasn't enough for you!" Ye Liu spoke out and advised her on behalf of Liu Duo, but his tone lacked sincerity.

"Aunt Li, just keep it," Ye Ling too, advised gently. He didn't know how much Liu Duo had given her, but by the looks of it, it should be quite a handsome sum. Otherwise Aunt Li wouldn't have refused.

"Aunt Li, it's for you. Just take it," Ye Mo said cooly.

"Aunt Li, take it!" Ye Yang, with his stoic face, said to her, as though he was barking orders.

The four brothers had given their advice, yet Aunt Li was still fickle about accepting the sum, and this annoyed Liu Duo to no end.

What was there to consider? She could take the money and buy supplements for her daughter-in-law. Wouldn't that be wonderful?

"If you don't want to, then fine. We've stayed long enough. It's time to leave," Liu Duo got up, ready to walk away.

This was how she had always been. She didn't like people who couldn't make decisions, who liked to drag things out, and who constantly beat around the bush.

"Little Duo, please sit down. I'll accept it." Aunt Li saw that Liu Duo had gotten angry and wanted to appease her.

"Mother, just take it, since she offered," Li Wazi came into the room, carrying his son.

Liu Duo quickly went up to look at the newborn baby.

"He's so cute and quite meaty too," she remarked.

Ye Yang and the others gathered around to admire the child.

Bright smiles shone on Aunt Li and Li Wazi's faces.

They stayed for a while longer before heading home. They walked in tacit silence along the way, each occupied with their own thoughts. They also happened to be thinking of the same thing, which was about having a baby!

Ye Yang thought about the right age for Liu Duo to give birth, which would probably be a few years later.

Ye Liu thought about consummating their marriage a few months later when she turned sixteen. That would be a good opportunity to bear a child.

Ye Mo thought about when exactly Liu Duo would be willing to consummate their marriage. He wanted four kids.

Ye Ling thought about letting Duo Er decide whenever she wanted a baby.

Liu Duo thought about delaying childbirth until she was at least twenty, because it would be very risky for young mothers during childbirth - not to mention that she was still on the smaller side, practically a kid!

Back home, Ye Mo asked, "Liu Duo, how much did you give Aunt Li? She didn't even dare to take it."

Liu Duo had had to get fired up before Aunt Li reluctantly accepted it.

"Not much. Just one tael of silver." Liu Duo didn't think that was a lot.

Chapter 180: Let Me Teach You

Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio

One tael of silver wasn't much?

Ye Mo thought, In the past, we had to endure so long, so long, just to save one tael of silver, and you hand out that amount just like that?

He still didn't say anything. After all, she was willing to give, and all of them got along really well with Li Wazi.

Ye Yang and Ye Ling also said nothing. Liu Duo was happy to fork out however much she pleased. Ye Liu went to wrap his arm around her shoulder again and said in the same mischievous tone, "Like I told you, she's our fortune master. When she rains down fortune, it's natural to start with one tael of silver!"

She found him handsome, and he was so close to her, so very attractive, that she blushed at the thought. She reached out, caught him by the ear, and eyed him discreetly, "Since you call me your fortune master, you better get busy! Lazy bums don't get to eat!"

With that, she pushed him away before turning and heading to her room.

"Yes, yes, yes, my wife the fortune master," Ye Liu giggled and replied behind her back. Then he walked towards Ye Mo, who had with him a basket and a knife, preparing to gather some firewood.

"Mo, I'll go get the firewood. You go teach Little Duo how to read. She bought some books on literacy," he said as he took over the basket and the knife, "Aye, too bad I can't read. Imagine if I could teach her to read and write, her hand in mine. What a wonderful opportunity to show off my talents! Alas, I don't have it."

A smirk crossed Ye Mo's face as he heard this. Wouldn't this be perfect - a chance to get closer to her? He had to do his best, so that she would change her perception of him. Otherwise, when could they consummate their marriage? He also wanted four kids, so shouldn't he get started some time soon? Yang had also said she had to be willing and not be forced.

"Alright, then you go chop some wood."

Ye Liu spotted a hint of impatience in Ye Mo and thought, Has he thought things through? I must say, that smile on his face certainly resembles mine!

Ye Liu held onto the equipment and walked out the door. Ye Yang was in the yard weaving something, while Ye Ling was working on the insoles.

Liu Duo casually laid down on the bed when she got back to the room, deep in thought. She thought about her business with the bamboo shoots. She could ask Ye Liu to bring Li Wazi along, and the three of them could earn some money to change their lifestyles.

Li Wazi was an honest man, and he was on good terms with them. She would try to help him in whatever way she could. He recently had a son too, so it would be tough raising a family of four.

"Liu Duo, what are you doing?" Ye Mo entered the room and saw her on the bed, not behaving like a lady at all.

She heard a voice and looked up, glanced at him, and laid down once more. "None of your business!"

Liu Duo's temper rose for no reason when it came to him.

Ye Mo pretended not to notice her odd little temper. He walked over and sat by the bed and looked down at her, "Liu said you want to learn how to read and asked me to teach you."

Liu Duo heard that and thought, Wow, Liuzi would actually let Little Mo teach me?

Liu Duo felt thoroughly speechless. She turned over, ignoring him.

"Come on, get up. If you want to learn to read, stop wasting time." Ye Mo cooly said in all manner of seriousness. He looked like a teacher supervising his student.

It was rare for Ye Mo to not get angry when Liu Duo ignored him. Instead, he reached out and pulled her hand, wanting her to get up.

Liu Duo immediately turned over and rolled aside, staying farther away from him. "I don't need you to teach me. Don't disturb my rest. I'm thinking."

Chapter 181: I'm Not Letting Go!

Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio

Even if I had to pretend to learn, I wouldn't look for you!

She rolled aside and covered herself with the blanket, cutting off his gaze.

Ye Mo furrowed his smooth brows at Liu Duo's odd behaviour, his temper rising, but he persisted. He walked over and wanted to pull off her blanket, but Liu Duo grabbed onto it tightly, and the two ended up at a stalemate.

He didn't use too much strength, otherwise how could Liu Duo compete with him and resist?

A few minutes later, Ye Mo let go and glared at Liu Duo, who had hidden her upper body as well as her head under the blanket.

What could he do with her?

He couldn't hit her. He couldn't scold her. He was running out of luck!

If he got violent, he would definitely receive a serious beating from Ye Liu. And if Yang joined in, it would only get worse!

If he raised his voice at Liu Duo she would only retaliate at full blast and leave him speechless, and Ye Liu would get him then too.

After much consideration, Ye Mo did not react. He hadn't realised he was no longer the person he used to be. The old Ye Mo wouldn't think too much about the consequences and wasn't afraid to act instantly and ask questions afterwards. If he got mad, he would let people know by getting fired up.

Hiding under the blanket, Liu Duo felt no movement and thought that he had left.

She removed the blanket and looked up only to find Ye Mo still glaring at her. She furrowed her brow. Why was he still here?

She lay down again and pulled the covers back over her.

Once she did that, she felt a weight crushing down on her. She couldn't move.

She was about to open her mouth and scream when she heard Ye Mo say, "Alright, since you want to sleep, I shall sleep with you. I'm tired too."

And then he got up, climbed under the blanket, and covered himself the way Liu Duo had.

Liu Duo, surprised by his words, kept still as Ye Mo snuck in. She only reacted when Ye Mo wrapped himself around her. She reached out, pushed away the blanket, turned her head, and glared at him, "Are you mental? Who wants to sleep with you? Get away from me."

And she pushed him again, not welcoming his hug. However, the more she pushed, the closer he got, and the tighter he held her. This angered her, and she blushed and felt like going on a rampage!

"Mental? It's perfectly natural for the husband to stay with his wife! Since you don't want me to sleep with you, then you should sleep with me," Ye Mo said unreasonably.

He was enjoying the moment, finding her blushing cheeks very amusing, and the redness of her fair skin quite seductive.

Liu Duo grinded her teeth. Sleep with you? Who do you think you are? I don't sleep around! "Let go of me!"

"No, no, I'm not letting go!" He looked at her, brimming with arrogance.

Liu Duo lay short of breath as he dominated her. He knew she would fight back, so he trapped her arms in his, hugging her like a doll, so that she couldn't move.

"Yang, Liuzi, Ling..." Liu Duo yelled with all her might, hoping they would come and deal with this vile, evil brother!

Ye Mo snickered as she screamed, "Liu went off to chop some wood, Yang and Ling wouldn't come in here."

Ye Mo was one of those people known for his resting bitch face. His smiles were few and far between, but they were very similar to Ye Liu's!

However, although his smile may have been charming, Liu Duo wasn't interested at the moment. She didn't believe him, and she resumed calling for help, "Yang, Ling, help! Little Mo's bullying me..."

Chapter 182: Unable To Voice Her Anger

Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio

As Ye Mo had said, Ye Yang and Ye Ling really did stay in the yard and didn't come over. They didn't even come over to ask about what was happening!

They only stopped what they were doing for a moment when they heard Liu Duo's voice, and then they continued with their work.

This was because, before Ye Mo had gone into the house, he told them, "Yang, Ling, Liu wants me to teach the wife how to read. As you guys know, she doesn't have a good temper, and she is especially fierce towards me, so she might fight with me and get angry. But since I'm the only one who knows how to read, I'm the only one who can teach her. If you guys hear anything later, you won't need to come in. Of course, I guarantee that I won't get mad and argue with her!"

And so, Yang and Ling brushed aside Liu Duo's screams. After all, she wanted to learn how to read, and only Mo could teach her!

If Liu Duo had known that Ye Mo said her temper wasn't good, she would definitely have said, Bastard, you are the one who has a bad temper, yet you have the nerve to accuse someone else!

Liu Duo was flabbergasted and frowned when she saw that Ye Yang and Ye Ling really didn't come in. What was going on?

"I already said that they won't come in. Screaming won't work!" Ye Mo's face was full of smiles when he saw Liu Duo looking defeated.

He thought, Luckily I had the foresight to tell Yang and Ling. Otherwise, they would definitely have come in if they heard her scream!

He never had the chance to be alone with her besides during the night. He would, of course, want to use this chance to change her perception of him.

She cast a glance at him and saw that he kept smiling. This was the first time she had seen him smile so much since her arrival at their house. However, no matter how she looked at it, she just got annoyed! It was even more annoying than Ye Liu's show-off smile.

Ye Mo smiled slightly when he saw Liu Duo's obvious rage. "Didn't you want to take an afternoon nap? Go ahead and sleep."

"I'm not taking an afternoon nap anymore. Let me go." She clenched her teeth and wanted to tear that smile off of his face! What was he being smug about? Just you wait! I'll definitely get Yang to beat you up after I get out of here.

"That's also fine. Since your not taking a nap, I can teach you how to read and write. Otherwise, you might not even recognize when you're being cheated."

Liu Duo couldn't help but roll her eyes when she heard him say that! Bastard, you are the one who is easily cheated!

It made her so angry, but she was unable to voice her anger! Since it would be difficult for her to explain why she knew how to read and write.

The moment Ye Mo let go of Liu Duo, she got down from the bed and ran outside. "Yang, Ling. Why didn't you guys come in after I called you!"

Ye Ling smiled when he heard her question. "Duo Er. Since we don't know how to read, we won't be any use if we go in."

"Study well." Ye Yang lifted up his head, saying only the one sentence.

I still need to study and improve every day!? Liu Duo was speechless.

In the end, Liu Duo still chose to compromise. After all, only Mo knew how to read. She thought about it, and if Liu was the one teaching her, she probably wouldn't feel so conflicted. After all, she and Mo didn't get along!

Liu Duo listened to Ye Mo languidly as he taught her how to read the characters in the book aloud. She read along dispiritedly.

It was just the Three Character Classic. She only needed to open her mouth and she would be able to recite it perfectly. Do I still need you to teach it to me? Liu Duo kept complaining in her heart.

Ye Mo looked at Liu Duo's listless appearance and muttered, She's really not made for studying. She lost interest so quickly after we started!

If Liu Duo had known what he was thinking, she would definitely shout, Bastard, you are the one who isn't made for studying! I am a top student from Tsinghua. I am much more educated than you. My knowledge crushes yours in every way! You only went to school for three years. In my eyes, you are just the same as a third-year elementary school student. You have nothing to get excited about.

Chapter 183 - LIU DUO, PAY ATTENTION

Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio

After a while, Ye Mo realized that Liu Duo was able to recite the sentences he had taught her after she repeated them a few times. He muttered in his heart, How is her memory so good? She's a really fast learner!

If one could recognize a word, they would naturally also be able to write it. And so, Ye Mo started to teach her how to write. He really taught her the way Ye Liu said he would and taught her by holding onto her hand. Liu Duo's resistance was ineffective. She got so angry that she wanted to hit him!

Liu Duo sat in front of the table, and Ye Mo was beside her, as if he were hugging her. He held Liu Duo's hand and taught her how to write, stroke by stroke.

"Brush it lightly, like this. You need to lift it up quickly at the end. Otherwise, there will be too much ink, and it will create a black blob and make it ugly."

Ye Mo was very close to Liu Duo. His mouth was next to her ears and he, being somewhat out of character, was whispering softly. He explained it to her very patiently. He actually looked like a very patient teacher.

Liu Duo already knew how to write, so she didn't pay attention. She only kept feeling his warm breath in her ears, and it made them tingly. Her heart was beating wildly, and her pretty face slowly turned red.

She muttered in her heart, Oh my, Mo stirred me up without even doing anything! Aren't I failing myself?

Ye Mo noticed that Liu Duo was drifting off and stopped teaching. He turned his head and looked at her from the side. "Liu Duo, pay attention."

"Oh." She regained her senses and awkwardly replied when the hand Ye Mo used to hold her hand - to help her write - stopped moving.

Ye Mo released her hand and said gently, "Try writing it by yourself. I'm going to the outhouse and will be back in a while."

Bizarrely, Liu Duo nodded very obediently. Liu Duo gave Ye Mo face, so he smiled and touched her head. He then went to the outhouse.

Liu Duo, who was stunned and staring blankly, only regained her senses when she couldn't see Ye Mo anymore. She muttered softly, "Oh my. Can Mo also be as gentle as Ling? It can't be that I am hallucinating, right?"

She looked at the words on the paper that Ye Mo had taught her how to write. She never would've thought that the violent and impulsive Ye Mo would have such nice handwriting. She hadn't looked at his handwriting closely when he was teaching her how to sign her name at the tailor shop.

On another side, Ye Liu, who was cutting firewood, suddenly ran into Li Chunmei. Ye Liu gave her a glance. His expression didn't change, and he didn't pay attention to her.

Li Chunmei, on the other hand, walked over happily when she saw Ye Liu. "M... oh, it's Liu."

When she got closer, she saw that it was Ye Liu and immediately changed her words. She had almost called out Mo.

"Oh, it's Ms. Unlucky. Why did you call Liu?" Ye Liu noticed that she had almost called him Mo. She had only changed her words when she saw that it was him!

Li Chunmei was a bit out of it after being called Ms. Unlucky. She watched Ye Liu smiling, then looked at herself, and only then was she sure that Ye Liu was referring to her.

"Nothing. I just saw Liu and called out to greet you."

"Oh!" Ye Liu looked at her and his face was full of smiles. However, his smile was confined below his eyes. Don't think that he didn't know her intentions!

Getting looked at like this by Ye Liu, Li Chunmei lowered her head in embarrassment. She muttered in her heart, If Mo also smiled like this, he would definitely look very handsome also!

Ye Liu looked at the shy Li Chunmei, frowned, and then said with a smile, "Ms. Unlucky, Liu is busy chopping firewood, so I can't chat with you anymore."

Ye Liu didn't wait for Li Chunmei to reply. He turned around and left. He would change locations and continue to chop firewood elsewhere. He thought in his heart, You want to take Mo away from Little Duo with your looks? Why don't you go look in the mirror? There's no way Mo will fancy you!

He would naturally know his own brother. Even if Liu Duo weren't part of the equation, Ye Mo still wouldn't fancy her. After all, what kind of man doesn't love beautiful women?

Chapter 184 - Really A Hnadful!

Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio

Li Chunmei was two years older than Liu Duo, and she was also a bit taller. She didn't look too bad, but as the saying goes, when there was no comparison, there was no harm. If she were to be compared to Liu Duo, one would be in heaven, and the other would be on earth!

Liu Duo's fair skin already left Li Chunmei in the dirt. What was more, Liu Duo's mannerism and personality were not something girls from ancient times would possess! Naturally, this would attract Ye Mo and the others even more.

Liu Duo's good looking face was red for the whole afternoon. Her already delicate and pretty face became even more attractive.

Once Ye Liu returned, it was as though he had taken some stimulants, so he went to look for Liu Duo straight away. "Little Duo, Liu is back."

He pulled on Liu Duo tightly to get her to sit down. He then looked at her.

Liu Duo could only roll her eyes at Ye Liu's bustling energy. She wasn't blind or deaf. What did he have to tell her that required him to be so close to her?

"Little Duo, why is your face so red? Do you have a fever?" As he spoke, he even used his hand to touch her forehead.

Liu Duo looked at Ye Liu's show-off smile and smacked his hand away. "You are the one with a fever! My face has always had traces of red. Okay?"

Liu Duo was shy and angry. She would definitely not admit that her face was totally red because she had been stirred up by Ye Mo in the entire afternoon.

Of course, Ye Liu knew why she was this way, but he wouldn't point it out. He said with a smile, "Yes, our Little Duo's skin has always been red. It is even moist and soft. Liu likes it the best."

As he spoke, he even touched it, like a hooligan. He immediately changed the topic when he saw that Liu Duo was about to flip out. He smiled and said, "Little Duo, your writing is a bit too ugly!"

He remembered that even Ye Mo's handwriting, when he had first started school, looked much better than what Liu Duo had written that afternoon.

Liu Duo didn't even acknowledge Ye Liu's attempt to change the topic. She gave him a punch and scolded him in a lovable way, "Mr. Liuzi, you dirty hooligan! If you keep touching me, I'll have Yang crush that claw of yours!"

"Ow, your punch really hurts. Soften it a bit. Are you willing to do that to such a good looking hand? But if it makes Little Duo happy, Liu will let you crush it. Every part of my body is yours anyway." Ye Liu leaned against Liu Duo like a young, married wife.

Ye Mo watched the interaction between Liu Duo and Ye Mo and felt extremely unhappy. Did they treat him as if he were invisible?

Just as Liu Duo was about to scold Ye Liu, Ye Mo scowled and shouted, "Liu Duo, are you still not going to continue practicing? If you keep being lazy, your writing will always be this ugly!"

Sigh, this temper of his. These two fellas are really a handful! One likes to take advantage of me, and the other likes to shout at me. Do they really think I'm easy to bully because I'm younger? Liu Duo looked at the two of them furiously. She was so angry that she was at her limit.

She couldn't believe that she had thought Ye Mo had a gentle side. She really thought too much of him. This was the bastard's real personality! He would start shouting as soon as there was something he didn't like.

Her writing was ugly? She had done that on purpose! If she hadn't done it that way, how could she have explained it? It was really too much!

Ye Liu saw that Liu Duo didn't look too happy, so he turned to Ye Mo and became serious. "I say, Mo, can you lower your voice? I will sort you out if you scare Little Duo!" He turned around and started smiling again. He said, while facing Liu Duo, "Little Duo, let's continue to practice. Liu will help you grind the ink. Your writing will improve as you write more. There's no hurry, take it slow."

Ye Mo saw how serious Ye Liu had looked when he faced him, and how full of smiles he had been when he faced Liu Duo. He muttered in his heart, Liu, isn't your expression changing a bit too fast! Do you really need to treat me so differently?

Chapter 185: She Said It Was Nothing, But Why Did She Still Look So Angry?

Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio

Liu Duo got up immediately and stared at the two of them. "Mr. Liuzi, I don't need you to help me grind the ink. And Little Brother Mo, my handwriting is ugly? So what? I like it, I'm okay with it, and I'm happy with it! I'm not going to practice anymore. Both of you, get out. I don't want to see you guys."

She decided that if she didn't see them, she wouldn't feel annoyed anymore. Otherwise, she would soon die from being angered by these two!

At that moment, Ye Ling walked in. He saw that Liu Duo looked unhappy and was angry. He thought that she had probably argued with Ye Mo again. "Duo Er, eat some fruit. Fill your tummy and rest for a while."

He even handed a piece of fruit to her as he spoke.

As Liu Duo stretched out her hands to take it, she heard Ye Liu speaking like a ruffian, "Mo, have you heard me? Little Duo likes this kind of writing. We won't be practicing anymore. If you keep shouting, we will throw you out straight away!"

Ye Ling looked at them and then looked at the words Liu Duo wrote on the paper. "Mo, I think that Duo Er's handwriting looks quite nice."

Liu Duo rolled her eyes at Ye Liu's attempt to gain her favor. When she heard Ye Ling say that her writing was quite good, she looked over at her own creation and couldn't help but laugh. Ye Ling was still the most lovable!

The handwriting was so bad that even she couldn't stand to look at it. But he still said it was quite good? He really gave her too much face.

However, before her smile disappeared, she heard Ye Ling say again, "After all, Duo Er is already a bit old. She started learning too late, so it is already considered good that she could write like this. At least it's possible to see that they are words, isn't it?"

The smile on Liu Duo's face disappeared and her mouth twitched. Was he praising her or insulting her?

Ye Liu laughed bluntly when he saw Liu Duo's expression. He felt that Liu Duo's expression was really too cute.

Ye Mo also laughed bluntly when he heard what Ling said. But he didn't laugh as excessively as Ye Liu did.

Liu Duo felt she was really unlucky that day. The three of them had made her so angry that she was at her limit!

She put one hand on her stomach and shoved the fruit back to Ye Ling with the other hand. She said unhurriedly, "Ling, you eat it. I'm going to the outhouse."

Just as she thought, Ye Ling would unknowingly make her angry, but it wasn't that hurtful! Ye Liu, in particular, deserved a good beating for that laugh of his. It made her want to find something in the house and hit him with it. She needed to go out and calm herself down.

Ye Yang, who was in the yard, heard Ye Liu's laugh and looked over in their direction. And at that moment, he saw Liu Duo walking out while looking very unhappy.

He frowned very slightly. "What happened?"

He didn't think that Ye Mo would dare to bully Liu Duo. After all, Ye Liu was also there.

"Nothing!" Liu Duo, who was still furious, said in an unkind tone.

Although Ye Ling had also made her angry, she wasn't mad at him. After all, he didn't do it intentionally.

After Liu Duo went into the outhouse, she closed the door with a loud bang.

She had said it was nothing, but why did she still look so angry?

Ye Yang got up and walked over to the room where Ye Liu and the others were. He needed to ask.

Once he was in the room, he saw Ye Liu and Ye Mo laughing. Ye Ling, on the other hand, was not laughing. Instead, his head was lowered, and he looked a bit upset while holding the fruit in his hand.

"What happened?" Ye Yang asked expressionlessly while standing at the door.

Ye Liu saw Ye Yang and said with a smile, "Nothing. Little Duo's handwriting was a bit bad, so Ling comforted her a bit. She went out to the outhouse."

After he heard him, Ye Yang walked over and looked at Liu Duo's handwriting on the paper. It wasn't just a bit bad, it was extremely bad!

However, he didn't say that aloud. He said, without much emotion, "She just needs more practice."

He then looked at Ye Liu and Ye Mo and said expressionlessly, "Stop laughing. You look ugly!"

What was so funny about Liu Duo's handwriting being ugly?

Chapter 186: Felt Very Painful!

Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio

Ugly?

This was the first time someone had used the word ugly to describe him. And it had been said by his own eldest brother. This made Ye Liu unhappy.

He stood up and walked in front of Ye Yang. They were both similar in height, and also in age. Although Ye Yang didn't look as attractive as Ye Liu, because he had a scar on the right side of his face, they were still brothers and still looked a bit similar. Even though it wasn't to the same extent as Ye Mo, there still wasn't that big of a difference between them!

One was smiling brightly, and the other was expressionless. There was a distinct contrast between the two.

Ye Liu made a gesture that he thought looked very handsome. He then whistled at Ye Yang. He said, sounding like a hooligan, "Yang, I am so handsome, but you called me ugly. You must be jealous of me!"

He then said to Ye Mo and Ye Ling, "Mo, Ling, do you guys think Liu is ugly?"

Ye Ling looked at his two brothers blankly when he heard what Ye Liu said. Were they standing face to face to compare who was more handsome?

Ye Mo looked at Ye Liu's ruffian expression and rolled his eyes at him. He started to behave strangely again.

Ye Liu didn't get a reply from Ye Ling, so he turned his head to look at him. He said with a smile, "Ling, what do you say? Is Liu not handsome? Am I ugly?"

He even winked at him to entice him.

And so, Ye Ling was enticed. His handsome face turned red and he nodded his head.

Ye Liu saw that he had achieved his desired effect and proudly turned his head back to look at Ye Yang. "Yang, don't call me ugly again in the future!"

The first thing Liu Duo saw when she came back was this scene. She thought, This Mr. Liuzi is simply a weak sissy! Yang is like a masculine, powerful man, and he is a strong, powerful man who knows how to practice restraint!

"Duo Er, you're back. I'm sorry. Just now, I didn't mean to say that you are stupid and your handwriting is ugly." Ye Ling approached Liu Duo to explain as soon as he saw her.

Ye Liu had explained to Ye Ling that his words had implied that Liu Duo was stupid and her handwriting was ugly! That was why Ye Ling was upset with himself. How could he say such things to his own wife?

The other three were also watching Liu Duo.

Liu Duo saw how careful Ye Ling was in trying to not make her mad. She laughed and held his arm. "Ling, don't apologize. I'm not mad. After all, what you said is the truth, hehe..."

Liu Duo's laugh was a bit gloomy. She called herself stupid. This felt really painful!

Liu Duo saw the three of them looking at her. Feeling annoyed, she glanced back at Ye Liu and Ye Mo. "What are you looking at? Never seen a beautiful woman call herself stupid before?"

Pfff, Ye Liu laughed. "I've seen it before. But it wasn't you, Little Duo."

She called herself a beautiful woman and also called herself stupid. She really was an interesting person.

Ye Yang's eyes were also smiling, and he was in a good mood. Ye Mo also did the same. Only Ye Ling didn't laugh at Liu Duo and just watched her. Liu Duo wasn't mad at him, but how could he laugh at what she had said?

"Ling, let's ignore them and leave." She left and pulled Ye Ling along with her. All three of them were laughing at what she had said. Don't think that she wouldn't know just because Ye Yang was quiet and didn't show any expression!

Ye Ling gave Liu Duo the fruit in his hand again. "Duo Er, eat it. It is probably very sweet."

Liu Duo had bought the fruit in town, but they were all unwilling to eat it and wanted to leave it for Liu Duo so she could enjoy it by herself.

Liu Duo heard him, but she didn't take it. "Ling, I already said you should eat it. Why haven't you eaten it yet? Go ahead and eat it."

She didn't want to eat it herself. If there was food, everybody should share it. But they always behaved this way, and it gave her a headache.

"I don't like to eat fruit. Duo Er, you should eat it." Ye Ling was persistent and gave it to Liu Duo again.

She gave up. Liu Duo held the fruit in her hands and lifted it towards her mouth. She then took a bite.

Chapter 187: Stop Him From Talking

Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio

Liu Duo took a small bite of the fruit and a small hole was formed, along with tooth marks.

"Alright, I ate my fill, the rest is yours. Don't hate me for taking one bite."

She chuckled at him. He would only eat it this way, wouldn't he?

He gazed absent-mindedly at the bitten fruit in his hand, not sure what to do next. In his mind, he kept wondering whether it would count as an indirect kiss if he ate the fruit.

The more he thought, the redder he blushed. Ever since that day when Liu Duo had taught him how to kiss, they had never had another chance at intimacy, but he really wanted to.

Liu Duo saw him just standing there, not moving, his eyes fixed on the spot where she had bitten into the fruit, and his reddening cheeks. She knew exactly what he was thinking about.

She let both hands rest on his shoulders and stood on tiptoe as she whispered in his ear, "Ling, are you thinking of the kiss the other day?"

Ye Ling's face got even redder when he knew Liu Duo saw through him. He got angry at himself for thinking dirty thoughts, "I'm sorry, Duo Er. I shouldn't..."

Before he could finish, Liu Duo kissed him on the lips, abruptly stopping him from talking.

She didn't want him to apologize, and he didn't need to, because she was his wife, and kissing was a normal thing to do. They couldn't consummate, but kissing would do the trick.

In the beginning, Ye Ling was dazed and slow to react, and by the time he felt her tongue wriggling inside and teasing his, the redness had reached his ears.

Liu Duo was already shorter than him, standing at 1.6 meters. Although Ye Ling was the shortest among his brothers, he was at least 1.75 meters, so there was still a fair distance between them, and he didn't know he should stoop.

As time stretched on, she got tired of kissing on tiptoe. When it ended, Ye Ling drew back shyly, not daring to look at her.

It wasn't the first time, but he was still shy.

Seeing his shyness, Liu Duo smiled, thinking of his likeness to an innocent white rabbit, "Ling, the next time we kiss, can you stoop down a little? It's tiring for me to stand on tiptoe."

"What? Oh," He looked at his Liu Duo, who was shorter than him, and nodded, "Alright, I'll remember that next time."

He registered what he had just said. Had he actually just thought of next time? Immediately he averted his gaze from her.

Liu Duo enjoyed his shyness, "Ling, finish your fruit. Don't waste it."

Ye Ling didn't hesitate. He nodded and ate it, "It's quite sweet," he commented.

Liu Duo laughed, "Really? I think it tastes ordinary, but your lips are sweeter."

She licked her lips too, like she was looking for the lingering taste of the kiss. It was then that the redness of his cheeks, which was just starting to fade, resurfaced on his handsome face.

Liu Duo felt that fooling around with him was really fun. She preferred a shy man like him.

Time passed quickly, and night fell. It was Ye Mo's turn with Liu Duo that night, and he was inexplicably excited! Excited about what, he wasn't sure.

After washing up, Ye Liu wanted a goodnight kiss from Liu Duo or else he refused to leave. He hounded her, "Little Duo, I just came back, and now we have to separate after only one night together. Give me a goodnight kiss please, otherwise I'll have trouble sleeping. I want to imagine you sleeping beside me."

Chapter 188: Couldn't Figure It Out

Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio

Liu Duo didn't know how to react to Ye Liu's fooling around. Should she be angry? Should she laugh? Or should she just let him be? Whatever response she gave would land on him like cotton. He wouldn't feel any different. On the other hand, if it was Ye Mo, the two would fight relentlessly, as though they were setting off bombs.

"Liu, we're going to bed," Ye Mo impatiently reminded his brother, who had no intention of leaving.

He mumbled to himself, Liu, are you messing with my time?

But he didn't say anything. Otherwise, Ye Liu wouldn't shut up and would go to great lengths to try to reason with him! He recalled what had happened the previous night when Liu was asked to comment on the issue regarding Li Chunmei.

Ye Liu ignored the reminder as he fixed his eyes unblinkingly at Liu Duo, who was combing her hair.

She smoothed it out and put down the comb before turning to look at him.

This fellow, though remarkably handsome with exquisite features - basically a gift from god - just happened to be as mischievous and cunning as a ruffian. Yet he was honest, responsible, diligent, and protective too. She couldn't hate him. In fact, she grew to like him more and more, unmistakably charmed by his demeanour.

Ye Liu saw her setting her sights on him, so he marched forward and hugged her around the waist, getting her that much closer to him. "Come here, Little Duo, give me a goodnight kiss, alright?"

Ye Mo, left aside, twitched his lips and rolled his eyes.

"Bend over, hang your head low," Liu Duo decided to oblige. Otherwise, who knew how long he would hang around the room grumbling?

A broad grin spread across his face when his wish came true. Liu Duo only had one thing in mind, He's so handsome, irrevocably handsome! And he's mine! Haha...

He did as he was told. Liu Duo held onto his neck and gave him a sweet kiss.

Ye Mo didn't feel right seeing the two kiss in front of him. Liu Duo had never done it with him. She barely ever smiled at him, let alone show other displays of affection!

He thought their time together today would have changed things. After all, he had gotten to see her rare, feminine shyness today, but who could have know that, in the end, she'd treat him the same way she had before? How had it come to this? He couldn't figure it out!

He glanced at the two again and pretended to cough a bit, reminding them that it was almost time to sleep.

Liu Duo, starstruck by Ye Liu's excellent kiss, found herself blushing and her heart beating quickly, filled with desire.

Ye Mo had coughed on purpose to remind them. Ye Liu had heard him but chose to ignore it. Liu Duo didn't care, so why should he? He would rather kiss a little longer!

Seeing that his attempt had failed, Ye Mo sat by the bed and shouted at them, "Are you two done? I want to close the door, blow out the light, and get some sleep!"

Liu Duo let go of Ye Liu's sexy lips unwillingly when she heard his contempt. She opened her eyes, still blushing, and looked into his charming eyes, "Liuzi, how did you find this kiss?"

"Very pleasurable, but I'm afraid I won't be able to sleep just thinking about you!" He said haughtily as he allowed her to get closer to his body, so that she could feel his physical changes.

When Liu Duo felt something hot and hard pressing on her abdomen, her ears flushed red. She berated him, though rather kindly, "Damn it, you! Shameless!"

Ye Liu, feeling exceptionally great, pressed on her even harder. Shy and embarrassed, Liu Duo punched him softly and pushed him away, "I don't care if you can sleep or not. Get out of here. I'm off to bed."

Chapter 189: Have Four Children

Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio

Ye Liu, chased out of the room, said to no one in particular, "Goodnight, Little Duo. I'll miss you!" He smirked and looked down at his body, which had reacted to the recent moment of intimacy, and he shook his head.

He thought, Just persevere for a few months, and then Little Duo will make love to you.

Under the roof, with the help of the cold wind, the reaction dwindled, and he went off to bed.

Liu Duo leaned against the door and only turned around when she felt him leaving. She headed for bed and found that Ye Mo had already taken off his outer garments and sat on the bed with his arms and legs crossed, glaring at her, as though he were the master of the household!

She eyed him too, but then she ignored him. She took off her outer garments, blew out the light, and covered herself with the blanket as she laid sideways, a distance away from him.

From the very beginning, she didn't say a word to him, and this annoyed Ye Mo to no end! Even without the light, she could feel his fury.

Ye Mo was about to throw a tantrum when he reminded himself of his ultimate goal, which was to have four children! His anger reduced significantly, but the look of displeasure still hung on his face.

He snuck under Liu Duo's blanket again and reached around to embrace her - without a word or any other action - and closed his eyes... to sleep?

Liu Duo was not used to this side of Ye Mo, so quiet and honest. She didn't think much of it and closed her eyes as well, drifting into sleep.

In a blur, she thought she heard someone talking. Liu Duo, do you really hate me that much? Why do you treat me so badly? When are you going to bear my children? Liu Duo...

A whole bunch of words were said, but she did not hear them clearly. She thought of them as a lullaby, quickly lulling her to sleep.

Ye Mo turned her around when he figured she had fallen asleep. He gazed at her in the moonlight.

A pair of big charming eyes, now closed, rested on her delicate face, its usual grace absent, making the long fan-like lashes particularly obvious, thick and curled. Her cherry lips stayed full and tender.

Her usual smile wasn't there, and her mischievous dimples had hidden away too. Her red beauty mark between her brows lay bare for show.

Admiring the quiet and obedient Liu Duo before him, Ye Mo devilishly pinched her cheeks and said, "Liu Duo, if you treat me differently again, I'll... I'll hit you! You hear me?"

But Liu Duo was deep asleep. How could she respond?

"If you don't speak, I assume that you heard me! Be good and listen to me, and I won't hit you. Sleep on!"

He lowered his head and kissed her clean forehead. He hugged her as he laid down again, slowly entering sleep.

In his dream, he saw Liu Duo giggling and calling him affectionately. He liked it. His lips turned upwards into a smile. She also said she wanted to bear his children, and this made him happy, as he spun her around and around in his arms.

Outside of his dream, Ye Mo laughed out loud, and hugged Liu Duo with greater force.

In the early morning around five, Liu Duo woke up. But she didn't awake naturally. She was practically being strangled and was forced to open her eyes.

She felt her waist was about to break. She was in immense pain.

She found a strong arm holding her in an embrace. She got mad at this, and struggled to loosen the grip as she yelled, "Little Mo, let go! Or are you planning to break me in two?"

Ye Mo, apparently still dreaming, abruptly furrowed his brow, because he saw Liu Duo suddenly lashing out at him, scolding him, and beating him, demanding that he let go of her.

Chapter 190: Sexy?

Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio

Ye Mo awoke to find himself face to face with Liu Duo's angry, fiery eyes. He didn't know what he had done or why it happened, just like in his dream.

"What?" His voice was particularly hoarse when he first awoke. It was low and rough but still quite pleasant on the ears. His half-opened eyes added a bit of lazy charm.

Liu Duo, stunned, wondered how Ye Mo's voice and posture could be so enticing and sexy.

Ye Mo found Liu Duo quite adorable, with her eyes as big and black as grapes, looking at him absent-mindedly.

"What are you staring at? Let go of me. You're practically breaking my waist!" Stumped for a moment, she eventually lashed out at him.

Ye Mo immediately loosened his grip but did not release her. He suddenly decided that she was also cute when she was angry.

"I said, let go of me. Didn't you hear!" All these hugs were so annoying! Why did these brothers treat her like a pillow?

"No," he closed his eyes again, intending on sleeping a while longer.

Liu Duo found him exceptionally loathsome this time. Her mind roared, You're not the boss of me! How dare you go to sleep, trapping me like this? I'm not a pillow, you dolt!

Liu Duo kept struggling in his arms, thinking of ways to escape. But the more she did so, the collar of her undergarment shifted, revealing a patch of fair skin that was basically half a shoulder.

"Little Mo, let me go. I mean it. Let me go!" She struggled and screamed.

Ye Mo closed his eyes, wanting to sleep a little more. But Liu Duo's constant struggling caused him to abandon what little drowsiness he had.

He opened his eyes to find Liu Duo pouting furiously. He yawned and said, "Call me by my name and I'll consider it."

She had only called him by his proper name once, and that was when she needed protection when they were confronting Xiao Ling and Wang Liushi.

"Why should I? Just let me go."

"Fine, don't. Call me husband then, and I'll let you go."

She gritted her teeth angrily, seeing that Ye Mo had the upper hand. I don't even want to call you by your name, and you expect me to call you husband? Dream on!

Using all her limbs she pushed Ye Mo with all her might, but there was a great disparity in strength, and her actions were in vain. She panted heavily, wanting to scream, but it was still quite early, so she didn't want to disturb the other men.

It went on like this until Liu Duo ended up with messier hair and looser undergarments. The blanket had sunk lower - to her waist - until only her lower body was covered.

Ye Mo saw that Liu Duo had stopped struggling, gasping for air. He couldn't help but laugh.

He felt cool air surrounding his uncovered upper body and went to pull the blanket a little higher, when he caught sight of Liu Duo's fair shoulder, a glimpse of her heaving chest, and her exposed belly button.

From the moment Liu Duo had stepped into the paddy to pull weeds, he already knew that she had impeccably fair skin. And now that he saw a little more of it, he couldn't help but gulp as he suddenly felt desire burning restlessly within.

All the while Liu Duo, who had given up on struggling, just stared upwards at the ceiling, completely bent on ignoring him. She would wait until Ye Yang and the other guys woke up before she could call them.

He held onto her hands, wanting to pull her closer. He placed another hand on her bare shoulder, cupping a feel, and he quite liked it.

Very soon, Liu Duo slapped his hands away. She wasn't having it. Did he dare to take advantage of her? "Shameless!"

Ye Mo's face reddened. He neither retorted nor said anything. Instead, he bent low to kiss her on the shoulder, and this left Liu Duo in such shock that didn't know how to react!

Chapter 191: In Sync

Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio

Ye Mo didn't know how to kiss. It didn't even feel like a kiss - more like love bites! He did whatever he felt like doing, biting here and there with the occasional lick, almost like a dog.

It was a little painful, and rather soggy. Liu Duo pushed his head away and scolded him, "Are you mad, Mo! You're behaving like a dog, with your biting and licking. I'm not a bone!"

Ye Mo, flushed red, looked at her with unprecedented shyness, "I..."

"Get off, I'm getting up," Liu Duo didn't want to lie in bed anymore. She wouldn't go back to sleep anyway.

Gosh, he was overridden with lust again. She should stay far away from him, otherwise her hand would have to take care of something gruesome!

"Liu Duo, sleep a little more," Ye Mo kept hold of her, not allowing her to get up.

"Like hell I can. From the moment you strangled me awake, I couldn't go back to sleep." She rolled her eyes angrily.

This was definitely his fault, he admitted, but did not say it aloud. He was adamant, so he said, "Then stay with me while I sleep a little more."

He was relentless and forceful when he wanted Liu Duo to stay in bed. He hugged her tightly and made use of her hands!

Liu Duo could only submit to him. What else could she do? Could she have him castrated, like a eunuch? Then what would happen to her sex life? Sure, she had three more husbands to satisfy her, but four means four. She wouldn't want to have three husbands... in addition to one who's a eunuch.

She thought as she stared lazily at the ceiling, and eventually fell back to sleep.

After relieving himself twice, he helped clean her hands, and covered them both with the blanket. Satisfied, he hugged Liu Duo. Now he was full of energy and joy.

It was almost nine by the time Liu Duo woke up from her morning nap. Ye Mo had long left the room. She climbed out of bed and put on her clothes, ready to go get breakfast, since she felt she was practically starving. She simply tied her hair up and went to wash up by the well.

"Morning, Duo Er. Wash up quickly, I'll get you the food I've kept warm for you," Ye Ling had been waiting for her under the roof.

"You're so nice, Ling," she giggled and washed up.

She didn't see Ye Yang and the rest though. Where had they gone? She felt empty not seeing them in the morning, like something was missing.

As she ate the food he brought her, she asked, "Ling, where did your brothers go?"

"They went to the bamboo forest to peel bamboo shoots. Liu said you know how to get rid of its bitter taste, which we can use to sell for money. He even called up Brother Li to help," Ye Ling replied honestly. He felt that Liu Duo was their lucky star.

Their lives had taken a turn for the better since they had met her. They ate better than before. They wore better clothes than before. Liu Duo had even said she wanted to build a new house for them. He felt really happy.

Liu Duo was surprised to hear that. Who knew Liuzi took action so quickly? She was just thinking about bringing along Li Wazi to work on this business, and he had already made a move?

But she was happy that her husband was not only quick with execution, but he also knew to include Li Wazi, their 'brother from another mother'. Liu Duo felt that she and him were quite in sync!

Liu Duo finished her breakfast joyfully. After that, she followed Ye Ling to the bamboo forest to see how much they had peeled.

Meanwhile, the four brothers were hard at work gathering bamboo shoots. They could sell them all for money. They still had hands to make nice work, and they didn't cheat or steal. They had collected a giant heap - at least several dozen jin!

"Brother Liu, is your wife really that all-knowing? She actually knows how to get rid of the bitterness of these bamboo shoots?" Li Wazi asked bluntly out of curiosity, and wondered how she could make it work.

Chapter 192: Is A Bit Too Obvious

Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio

Li Wazi was not surprised by the fact that only Liu Duo knew how to do this! After all, this was something that had never been done before.

"Of course! Why don't you take a look at who Little Duo's husband is?" Ye Liu became so smug that he could have flown up to heaven. Having his wife praised was the same as being praised himself.

Ye Yang and Ye Mo ignored Ye Liu being smug. They were busy digging the bamboo shoots. However, they also thought their own wife was awesome! Li Wazi, on the other hand, smiled and nodded. He felt that what Ye Lui had said was certainly true.

The villagers who saw Liu Duo and Ye Ling would point and stare at them. However, Liu Duo ignored them. Ye Ling also did something he normally wouldn't do - he didn't withdraw himself. However, his handsome face turned red, and the palm of his hand that was holding Liu Duo sweated a bit.

"Wow, you guys dug so much!" When they arrived, they saw that they had dug up a big pile. Liu Duo was very happy. Her eyes sparkled as if she were looking at money!

They all turned when they heard her and stopped working when they saw that Liu Duo and Ye Ling had arrived.

"Little Duo, you are here. I dug so many bamboo shoots that my hands are sore. Help me rub them please." Ye Liu walked over like a little kid. He leaned against Liu Duo and swayed his slender hands in front of Liu Duo.

She grabbed the swaying hands in front of her and commented, "Tsk, this soft and tender claw gets tired and sore so easily after only doing a little work. Yang, why don't we chop it off and boil it to eat. It is just pretty and of no use anyway! Yang, don't you agree!"

When Liu Duo went over, Ye Yang eye's were only on her - her each and every move.

Ye Yang heard Liu Duo tease his own brother, nodded his head, and replied, "Yeah."

Liu Duo threw Ye Liu's hands away when she heard Ye Yang agreed with her. She walked forward a few steps and pulled his arms. She said with a smile, "Yang, it turns out you also know this kind of humor."

Stoic Ye Yang looked at Liu Duo, who was smiling as colorfully as a flower, and his mood improved significantly.

Li Wazi watched their interactions and then glanced over at Ye Mo. He walked over, nudged him lightly, and said, "Mo, right now, I am even more certain that you are your wife's least favorite. She hasn't even looked at you since she came. After all, you are still her husband."

This difference in treatment is a bit too obvious! Li Wazi's heart felt unbalanced in Ye Mo's stead.

Ye Mo was already unhappy, but what Li Wazi had said made him even more unhappy. However, he held his anger in and didn't express it. Ye Mo scowled and dug even harder for the bamboo shoots.

Liu Duo and Ye Ling helped to put the bamboo shoots into the basket backpack.

One of the villagers, who was there to chop firewood, saw them and felt puzzled. The villager asked, "Ye brothers and Li Wazi, why are you guys digging up so many bamboo shoots?"

Ye Liu, who had a tender bamboo leaf in his mouth, said, sounding like a hooligan, "Hah, we definitely will have uses for them if we are digging them up! Otherwise, it will be unbearable if we eat too much of it. As for the use, hehe, you can take a guess!"

Would I ask you if I knew?

Since they hadn't given a straight answer, the villager didn't ask anymore. After all, bamboo shoots were bitter and acidic, so no one liked to eat them. If they wanted to dig them up, then let them! He went away after chopping firewood.

Ye Yang and the others only stopped working when the basket backpacks were filled to the brim. All five of them carried fully loaded basket backpacks. It was a huge harvest.

"Let's go and bring these back. We will come back to dig more next time." Liu Duo put the last of the bamboo shoots into the basket backpack.

Ye Liu put on the basket backpack and went over to hold Liu Duo's little hand. "Little Duo, come. Liu will lead you back home."

Tsk, it's not like I'm a child! Lead me home? Liu Duo rolled her eyes at him but she didn't remove his hand. Instead, she also held his hand and they walked home together.

She liked this feeling - the feeling of going home while holding hands with someone she liked.

Chapter 193 - Looking Very Mysterious

Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio

Once they got home, they processed the bamboo shoots in the yard. They worked very hard while chatting and laughing together. It was all very lively. However, Ye Mo kept feeling depressed by himself, and he had a massive scowl on his face!

Li Wazi stayed over for lunch at noon. This saved him from having to go back and forth from his house.

"Sister-in-law, how do you get rid of the acidic and bitter taste in the bamboo shoots?" Li Wazi asked simple-mindedly.

"You will know later. However, you can't let anyone else know. This is our secret to make money!" Liu Duo said with a smile, looking very mysterious.

Li Wazi might be simple, but he understood this point.

"Yang, Liu, Duo Er, Brother Li, lunch is ready. Continue working later." Ye Ling called out while holding the dish he had just stir-fried.

They went and washed their hands before sitting around the table. "This...this is cooked white rice?" Li Wazi asked, shocked.

People who could afford to eat white rice were all from rich families. Only they could afford it! Even those families that were just relatively well off could only eat coarse rice.

Ye Liu saw Li Wazi making a fuss over this and crossed his legs. He said, sounding like a hooligan, "Okay. Close your mouth. Look at this rice, delicious vegetables and meat. We have this because we follow Little Duo. If you come and join us, your family can also be like ours and live well!"

After they finished, Li Wazi could not believe that he had eaten three big bowls of genuine white rice! He looked completely dumbfounded.

They started to get busy again. After they removed the old skin from the bamboo shoots, they still needed to halve it. The amount of work needed was actually quite large, since they had brought back around a hundred jins.

Liu Duo saw that they had cut a lot, so she picked up the wooden bucket next to her. "Ling, let's go to the kitchen and get rid of the taste of these first. You help me boil the water."

Just as Ye Ling was about to get up and reply, Ye Mo rushed to say, "I'll help you."

He got up after he finished speaking. He took another bucket of bamboo shoots that had been cut and went towards the kitchen. Ye Ling looked at the energetic Ye Mo and didn't say anything. He continued cutting the bamboo shoots.

Ye Liu, on the other hand, said, "Aww, Mo was faster than me by a bit. I was also prepared to say that I would help Liu Duo with the fire."

He then turned his head and said to Ye Ling, sounding like a hooligan, "Ling, your value in Little Duo's heart is quite high. She would always think of you for everything. She also asks for you when she needs help!"

While they were processing the bamboo shoots, Liu Duo kept calling to Ling. Ling, you should take a rest! Ling, don't tire yourself! Ling, I'll massage your neck. It will get sore if you keep looking down for too long...

Li Wazi heard what Ye Liu said and muttered in his heart, It seems like sister-in-law's favorite is Ling!

Ye Yang, on the other hand, just continued with his work. He ignored Ye Liu acting strange. He didn't think that Liu Duo was someone who would act unfairly unless she really hated someone!

Ye Ling's face turned red when he heard Liu. "Liu, don't say that. You are also valued in Liu Duo's heart."

He was actually very happy that Liu Duo kept calling him. However, he also believed that his brothers were just as valued by Liu Duo. They were all part of the same family!

Liu Duo entered the kitchen, placed the wooden bucket down, and turned around. She was suddenly met by Ye Mo standing right in front of her! He had her confined between the stove and his chest.

"You...what are you doing?" Liu Duo was stunned for a while.

Ye Mo saw a tinge of nervousness in Liu Duo's big black eyes. Ye Mo unleashed all the pent up emotions he'd had the whole afternoon.

He said coolly with that handsome, serious looking face of his, "Why did you ignore me? You didn't even look at me! ..."

Chapter 194 - Childish And Controlling

Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio

Liu Duo looked down when she heard him. Had she ignored him? Had she not looked at him? It seemed like that really was the case!

When she thought of this, Liu Duo lifted up her eyes and saw that arrogant look on Ye Mo's face, as if she owed him millions of dollars. She frowned and said, "So what if I ignored you? I just don't want to look at you. So what?"

Damn it! Why the hell did she have to think about such things?

Ye Mo looked at the aggressive Liu Duo and didn't get mad. He lowered his head and moved closer to her face. He said, arrogantly, "Nothing. But I don't allow you to treat me this way! Otherwise, I will..."

"Otherwise you will what? Even if you dare to hit me, I will still treat you this way! So what are you going to do?" Liu Duo cut him off and stared at him!

Oh my, this bastard is childish and controlling! You don't allow? Do you think you are a Triad boss? Liu Duo puckered her lips and had a look of disdain on her face. She tilted her head and didn't want to look at him.

Ye Mo looked at the prideful expression on Liu Duo's face and wanted to get angry, but he also thought she looked cute. He really wanted to get mad, but he suppressed it. And as such, the anger just vanished, like smoke into thin air.

The two of them were standing very close. Ye Mo looked at Liu Duo's red, delicate, ruby-lipped mouth. She would always be very sharp-mouthed towards him when she was angry at him. If he said one sentence, she would shoot dozens of sentences back at him. He really wanted to seal up that mouth.

And so, Ye Mo kissed it. He used an action to seal it up. Let's see how she would reply now!

Liu Duo was surprised by his kiss. Her natural reaction was to push him away. This bastard would always bite. He really treated her like a piece of bone!

"Mmm..." Liu Duo couldn't push him away and just threw a punch at him with her fist.

After Ye Mo got a few nibbles, he let go of her because of her intense struggling. "If you treat me like you treated me this afternoon, I will kiss you again!"

Tsk, Liu Duo felt her lips were about to go numb. This bastard was definitely born in the year of the dog!

When Liu Duo heard him, she scolded him extremely angrily, "Shameless! Kiss? What you did was clearly just nibbling! Take a look, my lip is bleeding from your nibbling!"

Ye Mo said, feeling a little guilty, "Ummm, let me help you wipe it."

But he didn't have a handkerchief. There also weren't any items in the kitchen that could be used to wipe it. Ye Mo looked around and tried to figure out what to do.

Liu Duo looked at him and pushed him away. "Forget it. It will get better in a while. Quickly, go and help me boil the water. I need to boil the bamboo shoots in water."

It wasn't a big wound. It was just a little blood. It would get better in a while. She wasn't so unreasonable that she would want to do anything to him.

Ye Mo only went and lit the fire after he saw that her lip wasn't bleeding any more. In the meantime, Liu Duo went outside again to bring more bamboo shoots inside.

Once the water was boiling, Liu Duo placed the bamboo shoots in and let them boil for two to three minutes. She then took them out and placed them in fresh water.

All the while, Liu Duo and Ye Mo did not say a single word to each other. Liu Duo didn't like to talk while she worked, and Ye Mo was still feeling gloomy about causing Liu Duo's lip to bleed from the biting.

He clearly hadn't used a lot of strength. How did it bleed from getting kissed? He couldn't figure it out.

"Liu Duo, if we practice a few more times in the future, I probably won't make you bleed from biting." Ye Mo said suddenly. He felt that it was because he didn't know how to, and he needed to practice, just like with reading and writing.

Liu Duo rolled her eyes at him when she heard him. "You really are shameless! I won't practice with you!"

She returned the words that he always said to her.

Make me your practicing partner? I don't even want to speak to you, but you want me to practice kissing with you? I wouldn't do it even if I went insane! Liu Duo couldn't help but complain in her heart.

Chapter 195 - Happy With The Tranquility

Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio

"Why not? You also practice with Yang and the others. Why can't you do it with me?" Ye Mo was unhappy. If he didn't know how to do it, then of course, he needed practice. He was doing this for her sake.

Why not? If I said no, it means no. It is none of your business! Liu Duo muttered in her heart and ignored him.

She didn't get along with him. Why would she act as his practice partner? She would gladly do it if he were Ye Ling!

Ye Mo saw that she didn't reply. With a scowl on his face, he angrily shoved the firewood in with all his might! Seeing that he almost extinguished the flames, he hurriedly took out the excess firewood.

Unexpectedly, Ye Mo didn't shout or scream as a response to her non-reply. Liu Duo felt curious and lifted her eyes to look at him. She saw him doing that childish action, and she secretly laughed.

Just as she was about to finish boiling the bamboo shoots, Li Wazi came in to take a look. He saw how she was able to get the bitterness out just by boiling it for a while and then putting in cold water. It was really too miraculous and too simple.

"Sister-in-law, how did you discover this method?" He asked bravely.

"It just came to me! I'm too smart, so I can't help it. Haha..." Liu Duo didn't know who the genius was that had discovered this method. It wasn't her. She was just using the method they had discovered!

"Oh." Li Wazi nodded his head. He felt that sounded right. Smart people had tons of ideas, so it wasn't strange. In any case, he wouldn't have been able to think up this method.

"Take some back later for dinner. This can be stir-fried by itself or with pork. Moreover, it can also be stewed with meat. They all taste delicious. Tomorrow, we will bring some to town to sell."

"Okay."

Li Wazi became extremely happy when he thought about how he would be able to get some extra income tomorrow. He also wanted to live a better life. After all, he had a son now, so he had another mouth to feed.

Most of the villagers only earned their income from farming all year round. Besides those who had some artisanal skills, they usually wouldn't have any other source of income.

After the bamboo shoots were processed, there were a lot of old bamboo shoot skins that needed to be thrown out. Ye Yang and the others were still busy with that task, so Li Wazi went back and helped them clean up after exchanging a few words with Liu Duo.

The kitchen was left with only Ye Mo and Liu Duo again. Ye Mo looked at Liu Duo and saw her watching the pot attentively. She didn't look like she had any interest in talking with him at all. He let out a loud cough, hoping to get her attention.

Liu Duo pretended that she hadn't heard him and didn't respond. Ye Mo frowned, and his heart felt very jittery! She always had something to say to his brothers, but she didn't have anything to say to him?

When Liu Duo noticed that Ye Mo stopped coughing, she secretly took a peek at Ye Mo's handsome, jittery face. She felt that he was being weird. Usually, he would get angry very quickly and would say whatever he wanted. When had he become so able to restrain his emotions?

Liu Duo puckered her lip and didn't think too much of it. With him behaving like this, she felt quite happy with the tranquility.

After they finished with everything, she gave some bamboo shoots to Li Wazi so that he could eat them at home. Tomorrow, they would go to town together.

When Li Wazi got home, he soaked the bamboo shoots he brought back in some water. He would stir-fry and eat them later.

"Gen Er, Xiao Yang and the others are bringing you along to make some money, so you need to be diligent and shouldn't slack off. Understand? You should do whatever they ask you to do." Aunt Li said gently to Li Wazi.

It didn't matter if they made money or not, but the fact that they brought him along really showed the affection between them. When his dad had died, their relatives broke off relations with him and his widowed mother. They would never do something like bring him along to make money.

Ye Yang and the others had even given a tael of silver as a gift. They really treated them like close relatives.

Chapter 196 - I Was Waiting For You

Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio

"Okay. I understand mom. While we are in town tomorrow, we can also buy some tonics for my wife to replenish her body."

Initially, he had wanted to go buy them today, using the money Liu Duo gave him. Even if she hadn't mentioned it, he would still buy tonic for his wife to replenish her body.

"Okay, good." Aunt Li felt grateful that her son cared so much for his wife.

After Liu Duo had dinner and a comfortable bath, she went and laid down on the bed. She tried to figure out how much she should charge for one jin of bamboo shoots the next day.

At that moment, Ye Liu walked in, sat on the side of the bed, and lowered his head to look at Liu Duo. "Little Duo, are you thinking of Liu? See how Liu appeared right in front of you after you thought of me."

Liu Duo looked at Ye Liu's handsome, seductive face. She ignored his strange behavior and asked very seriously, "Mr. Liuzi, how much should we charge for one jin of bamboo shoots tomorrow?"

Ye Liu touched his chin when he heard her. He thought for a while and said, "Usually, no one sells bamboo shoots and no one eats them. People might not be able to accept it when we start selling them. We will bring some stir-fried bamboo shoots tomorrow morning and let them try it before they buy. Once they have tried it, they definitely will praise it endlessly. So, let's sell it at ten wens per jin."

Not a lot of people ate bamboo shoots. If they sold it at too high a price, most people would still not be able to accept it, even if they tried it and tasted that it wasn't bitter.

"Okay, we will do that." Liu Duo felt that what he said was quite good. Let them try it before they buy it. This was a good idea.

Ye Liu saw that he had solved a difficult problem for her, and he moved his body closer to hers. He smiled evilly and said, "Little Duo, I already answered your question. You are very satisfied with it. Shouldn't you give me a little reward?"

"A reward my ass! Get up." His handsome face was very close to hers, and she pushed it away. "Are you still not going to go back to your room? Ling and I are about to sleep."

Ye Ling was still bathing, so he wasn't in the bedroom.

Ye Liu persevered and moved closer to her again. "Ling is still bathing. Little Duo, please give me a reward."

And so, Liu Duo rolled her eyes at him. She wrapped herself in the blanket and turned her body so that her back was facing him. Since he wanted to behave shamelessly again, she decided to ignore him.

Ye Liu looked at the back of Liu Duo's head and laughed, "Since Little Duo is shy, then Liu will take the initiative."

He flipped Liu Duo's body over, bent down, and kissed her forehead. "Goodnight my Little Duo. Remember to dream of me."

He got up after he finished speaking and helped Liu Duo adjust the blanket. With a smile on his face, he turned around and left.

Liu Duo turned her body around, lying on her stomach, and looked at his back. Her heart was beating quickly. She thought that he would give her a French kiss. After all, this guy always loved to take advantage of her! She never would've thought that he would only kiss her forehead. Why did she feel a little bit disappointed?

She puckered her lips and muttered, "This evil bastard! Always teasing me!"

Ye Ling had just finished with his bath and returned to the bedroom. When he entered, he saw Liu Duo lying on the bed on her stomach and looking at him.

"Duo Er, why haven't you gone to sleep yet?" Ye Ling closed the bedroom door and walked over.

She looked at Ye Ling, who had just finished bathing, and saw that there were still a few droplets of water on his face and neck. Liu Duo laughed, "I was waiting for you, Ling."

She felt that Ye Ling was becoming more and more delicate. She really liked his gentle, pale-faced scholar look.

"Oh." Ye Ling shyly blew out the oil lamp. He took off his clothes, climbed into the bed, and covered himself with his own blanket.

He always just innocently used his own blanket. He never did what Ye Liu and Ye Mo did - shamelessly squeezing under Liu Duo's blanket. Ye Yang also never did that. On the contrary, Liu Duo was the one who would squeeze under his blanket when they slept in the same bed.

Chapter 197: Unique

Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio

With the lamp blown out, and moonlight shining through the window, the room remained in a patch of darkness, so nothing could be seen clearly.

Liu Duo looked at the blurry figure of Ye Ling rummaging for the blanket and then stayed in bed, not knowing. Her lips turned upwards, and she squeezed under his blanket, embracing his thin body.

He was not as strong as Ye Yang, nor as tough as Ye Liu and Ye Mo, but he was still a man after all, so he was quite solid.

Ye Ling felt electrified by the closeness as his body shook a little. Blood rushed to his head and ears, and his heart beat faster than before. It was a good thing he had taken his medicine after dinner. Otherwise he would have suffered another attack.

It came too suddenly. He was barely ready. When they had kissed during the day, he had been fully in the know.

This night was the first time he had been embraced in bed like this, and by his wife no less! He could feel her body warmth through the thin undergarment she wore.

He shook once, and she chortled, "Ling, why're you trembling? I'm not electricity."

"Electricity? What's that?" He replied. He heard her laugh and managed to calm down, but his heart was still beating quickly. Liu had told him that he had to adapt and not get too emotional.

Liu Duo laughed again. Electricity didn't exist here, so it was natural that he didn't know about it. "Oh, nothing. Go to sleep, Ling."

"Oh," he replied blankly.

How could he sleep with her hugging him like this? His heart beat non-stop, and the flushing of his cheeks had increased and not reduced.

He could smell the faint fragrance from Liu Duo's body, stirring up the heat within him. He found this unbearable, and was curious about this strange feeling. Somewhere in his body, he was undergoing some changes, and he became even more shy.

Liu Duo leaned on his chest and listened to his quick heartbeats. She knew he had gotten shy.

A while later, Ye Ling was no longer sleepy. He gently moved his body, afraid of waking Liu Duo.

Liu Duo hadn't fallen asleep. She could feel his careful, considerate movements.

"Ling, you're not sleeping?"

He thought he must have woken her, so he quietly said, "Duo Er, did I wake you? I'm so sorry."

Liu Duo looked at the confusion on his face and laughed softly, "No, you didn't. I haven't slept yet."

She moved her body too. Remaining in the same position for a certain time was quite tiring. "Ling, since neither of us can sleep, why not let me check whether you have improved or not?"

She looked up and, before he could react, kissed him on the lips. She realised she would prefer kissing him, because she held the leading position. Ye Liu controlled everything whilst Ye Yang was slowly catching up in terms of dominance.

As for Ye Mo, she didn't want to kiss him at all! All he did was bite, and he was very domineering too!

After a few rounds of practice, Ye Ling had progressed from his innocent beginnings, and now he knew how to respond. But he did it very carefully and gently, not exerting dominance at all. He was unique in this aspect.

He liked his intimacy with Liu Duo. He liked how his surprise beginning had led to a serious development.

Slowly, he inched towards her while neither of them even noticed it. He hadn't known where to place his hands at first, but now he found them circled around Liu Duo's waist.

When the kiss ended, Liu Duo whispered a remark in his ear, "Ling, you've improved. Keep it up. I like you like this."

He snapped open his eyes when he heard this. Liu Duo was right in front of him, though he couldn't see her clearly. He gave a hoarse reply, "As long as you like it, Duo Er. I... I'll keep it up."

Liu Duo laughed. She thought he would be speechless and just nod, because he was so shy. This was unexpected.

Chapter 198: Pretty Please?

Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio

Ye Ling got curious when he heard Liu Duo laugh. What was so funny about his answer?

"Duo Er, why... why are you laughing?" He said in his hoarse voice. Liu Duo couldn't deny how mesmerising it sounded.

She took hold of his handsome face and giggled, "Nothing. I just think that you're so cute and so funny. You're the best."

How could she not like him? He was kind, attentive, such a gentleman, and he would help her make cloth pads, cook, and sew, in addition to being handsome!

"I really like you too. But Duo Er, you should also like my brothers, especially Mo. Mo likes you. Can you try to... be nicer to him?" He liked what he heard, but he hoped Liu Duo could like his brothers too.

Just when she thought she couldn't love him anymore, he was so considerate as to request that she like his brothers as well.

But when it got to the end, she felt taken aback. Ye Mo liked her? Really? Why hadn't she felt it? Be nicer to him? He raged on and off and shouted at everyone from time to time, so why should she be nice to him? She wasn't their submissive, little wife!

"Ling, let's not talk about Mo. He annoys me," she said as she lay beside him, hugging him by the waist.

Ye Ling got nervous at her reaction, "Don't get mad, Duo Er. I just don't want Mo to be sad when you ignore him."

He would get upset too whenever Liu Duo was having fun talking to Yang, Liu, and himself while Ye Mo felt left out and filled with disappointment.

Liu Duo furrowed her brow. There he went, defending his brother again. Had Mo felt sad because of this? She never realized it. She only felt that being loathsome was his default, and that was how he liked it!

Ye Ling didn't know where his courage came from, as he continued when Liu Duo did not reply, "Duo Er, Mo's only a little impatient, but he's really a good man. And I know he likes you, just like we all do. Can you be nicer to him, pretty please?"

He spoke and very gently shook her up and down, begging for affection.

And so, Liu Duo smiled.

Since when had Ye Ling become so persuasive? "Alright, Ling, time to sleep. Let's not mention him. I can only say, as long as he doesn't irritate or challenge me for no reason, I'll be nicer to him. He's like a bomb that can explode at any second, and I'm not like him!"

Ye Ling felt at peace to hear her reply, "Sure, rest assured, Duo Er. Mo will behave. And didn't you realise he's improved a lot lately?"

Really? How's that? She didn't really care. As long as he wouldn't pick random fights with her, she would be good too.

"Duo Er, Mo-"

Liu Duo landed a kiss on his lips before Ye Ling could finish his sentence. Once he started getting defensive over his brothers, it was almost impossible to stop him.

This kiss served as a little punishment. It seemed a little more forceful. After it ended, Ye Ling could feel his tongue surrender to numbness.

"Now you know what I can do! Drop it, and get some sleep," Liu Duo nagged at him as she found a comfortable sleeping position in his embrace.

Ye Ling blushed and nodded too. The kiss just then had been so exhilarating. He really liked it. He loved it when Liu Duo became possessive.

If she had known what he was thinking, she might have said, Geez, just as I thought.

Ling has really odd taste!

Chapter 199: Have My Baby

Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio

Ye Ling tucked her in as she slept, so that she wouldn't catch a cold, and then he closed his eyes to allow sleep to take over.

By dawn, barely six o'clock, Ye Ling awoke right on time, as though he had set an alarm. He opened his eyes and came face to face with a sleeping Liu Duo.

She was still holding on to him with no sign of waking up, so Ye Ling stayed in bed too, just gazing at her.

Sleeping Liu Duo was very docile, unlike some people who were quite rude. This was his first time seeing her up close without her knowing.

In his mind, he thought, She's so beautiful.

A few minutes later, whether it was because Ye Liu was concentrating on her too much, or whether the sleeping girl remembered that she had to sell bamboo shoots in town, Liu Duo's eyelids twitched, and her fan-like lashes flapped open as she roused awake.

The first sight she saw was Ye Ling's refined features, "Ling, good morning."

Caught peeking, Ye Ling immediately staggered the line of sight, cheeks flushing, "Morning to you too."

She loosened her arms that were wrapped around him, shifted about, and sat up on the bed to stretch. "Right, time to get up. I have bamboo shoots to be cooked for sale."

Receiving no reaction from him, she looked back, only to find him staring at her waist. She followed his gaze and checked her body. Nothing out of the ordinary other than creased clothes.

"Ling, what are you looking at?"

"Ah, nothing! I have to get up too!" Ye Ling recovered from his embarrassing incident.

When she was stretching just then, the corners of her undergarment had ridden up, revealing to him a great view of the fair skin and flat stomach underneath. He hadn't been able to move his eyes away.

Liu Duo did not think much of what had happened. She put on her clothes and got down to comb her hair. Ye Ling followed suit when she did not question him.

After she had set her hair, she walked out of the room, only to find Ye Yang doing the same thing next door.

Not certain whether he had been looking before, or whether it was a coincidence, their eyes somehow met.

At the sight of Ye Yang and his body overrun by male hormones, Liu Duo called out to him in between giggles, "Yang, a very good morning to you!"

What a mature, steady, cool and collected man of the household? So attractive! Such a shame he was born in the wrong era. Otherwise, a whole bunch of women would be chasing after him, fighting to be his girlfriend and have his babies!

Ye Yang, with his stoic face, gave a weak response to Liu Duo's cheerful greeting, "Morning."

Ye Ling came out of the room and greeted him as well, "Yang, morning."

He merely nodded, and went to wash up by the well.

Liu Duo felt that, for someone as cool and aloof as Ye Yang, he seemed to treat Liu Duo with the minimum amount of passion. At the very least, he responded.

Liu Duo tailed him, "Yang, I'm going to sell bamboo shoots later. Why not come with me?"

"No." He wasn't good with sales, so why bother?

"Why not? Let's go together. It'll be great!"

"..." He passed the willow branches to Liu Duo and Ye Ling for them to brush their teeth, and then he started brushing his.

She looked at Ye Yang brushing in silence and twitched her lips. Even squeezing toothpaste was easier than squeezing a few more words out of him!

"Yo, Little Duo, you're early today - even earlier than me!" Ye Liu walked out of the room after he woke up and found Liu Duo by the well, brushing her teeth, along with the two brothers.

Ye Mo trailed behind him and looked her in the eye.

Chapter 200: Tell Him To Drop It

Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio

Liu Duo heard Liu's voice while she was brushing. She looked over and said, "You're making a fuss!"

The two men approached the well, and the family of five was all crowded around the same spot.

They had a simple breakfast. Liu Duo fried a potful of bamboo shoots and placed them in other smaller pots of the same size, so they wouldn't be dirtied.

"Yang, you're really not coming with us?" Liu Duo asked. The few of them had carried the bamboo shoots filled in wooden barrels to the village entrance and placed them on Wang Tuozi's ox-cart.

"You guys go," Ye Yang repeated. He was no use where they were going.

Ye Ling didn't go either. He claimed he wouldn't be of much help, since he didn't know how to sell things. Ye Mo wanted to go, but Liu Duo never asked him!

"Mo, you come with us," Ye Ling turned to speak to him. He knew Mo wanted to join them.

Ye Mo looked at Liu Duo silently, pulling a long face.

Li Wazi arrived to help carry the wooden barrels after he had eaten his fill. He joined in, "Yes, Mo, you come too. It's not enough with only Liu and your wife. I'm not a good talker, so I can't help, even if I go."

"Mo, why are you standing there like a blockhead and not coming?" Ye Liu called out again. After all, the more help the better, since Ye Yang and the other two men wouldn't go anyway!

Ye Mo didn't budge. He kept looking at Liu Duo adamantly. Feeling his gaze, Liu Duo rolled her eyes, "Uncle Wang, let's go!"

Did you need others to convince you to come with us? Are you the master or something?

Wang Tuozi took a last look at Ye Mo, and only pulled out his whip when he saw that Ye Mo really wasn't coming. The cart trudged along.

"Liu, are you sure you can sell these bamboo shoots? They really don't taste bitter?" Wang Tuozi asked, manoeuvring his cart.

"Yes, Uncle Wang, you'll see before long," Ye Liu said mischievously and wrapped his arm around Liu Duo.

Liu Duo looked back at the village entrance. They hadn't gone far yet, and she could still see the three men standing there to see them off.

"Mo, are you coming or not!" Liu Duo yelled out of the blue.

She didn't know why she did that. A voice in her heart had told her to let him come.

With that, Ye Liu cued Wang Tuozi, who stopped his cart and waited for Ye Mo. While Liu Duo calling him was unexpected, Ye Mo felt immensely happy. This proved that he held a certain position in her heart after all!

His lips couldn't help but twirl upwards when he heard her call him. The irritation, dismay, and anger that he had been hoarding vanished without a trace.

"Mo, Duo Er's calling you. Go on," Ye Ling gave his brother, who wasn't moving, a gentle push, urging him to hurry.

"Yes, get going. Uncle Wang stopped his cart just for you," Li Wazi pushed him as well, a bit harder than Ye Ling, so that he wouldn't stay rooted to the ground.

He really hoped his good friend could have a better relationship with his wife, and not be isolated. Otherwise, when would he stop living a monk's life and start having children?

Ye Mo touched his nose and walked forward with an air of coolness.

He had barely sat down on the cart when Ye Liu said, "Gee, Little Mo, I thought you had stubbornly refused to come. What changed your mind?"

"So I did. Why not?" He turned his head but didn't look at the weird expression on Ye Liu's face.

"Sure, sure, sure. Not like my opinion matters. Right, Little Duo?" Ye Liu looked at Liu Duo playfully.