Chu Fei Yang looked at Yun Qian Meng's cunning smile and saw that the eyes that were normally calm and steady were now filled with laughter. The expression he had when he saw the soup a while ago had disappeared and was changed into a scheming smile. Chu Fei Yang said with concern, “Yun xiaojie was busy for half a day. I guess you haven't eaten yet. Benxiang sees that this soup has a really large serving size, won't Yun xiaojie enjoy this with me?”
Looking at the soup covered with a layer of red and green chillies, Chu Fei Yang already felt like he was drenched with sweat and his hands on his knees tightened up.
But since Yun Qian Meng treated him so specially, he naturally should let her share the blessings and endure misfortunes with him.
While speaking, Chu Fei Yang slightly raised his head and looked straight into Yun Qian Meng's eyes with his shining black ones filled with laughter, not allowing her to have any chances of escaping.
“Ea...eat as you are told. Don't speak of so much nonsense! It's just right for you to eat more chilli to become more warm and welcoming so that you won't treat your old man coldly every day as if I owe you a wife.” With his mouth filled with food, Chu wang tried to steal more of Jiao Da's mixed rice as he ate his own cold noodle soup. With all this food, Chu wang still needed to free himself to scold Chu Fei Yang and also seek opportunities to match him and Yun Qian Meng. Chu wang was definitely happy and busy at the same time.
Fortunately, although Chu wang was eating very quickly, he still had excellent manners and did not spit out any of the food in his mouth while talking; otherwise, his fame and wisdom throughout his whole life might possibly be ruined at the dining table.
“If yeye thinks your food is not enough, you can go on and take mine.” Chu Fei Yang slowly said after catching Chu wang taking pleasure at his expense. His fingers lightly touched the edges of the bowl and pushed it a few inches towards Chu wang, letting Chu wang also experienced some of the spiciness.
When Chu wang had seen that the bowl Yun Qian Meng prepared for Chu Fei Yang was the biggest one, he originally felt rather envious and dissatisfied, and even thought of getting mad at her.
But now that he saw the bowl full of red and green chilis, and had the irritating smell of the spices which caused him to almost sneeze, he immediately shook his head with disapproval. Chu wang used great effort to swallow the delicious food in his mouth and spoke lovingly, as if he was blaming himself, “Yang Yang, you are constantly busy with work outside all year long. As your yeye, I was never able to cook a good meal for you. Now that Meng yatou is here, and seeing that she's so considerate and sensible, yeye finally feels relieved.
“Look, Meng yatou was afraid that you might not have enough and even put extra ingredients on top. If you didn't eat it, aren't you letting Meng yatou down and wasting all her efforts? Moreover, yeye is old. It's not up to me what I can or cannot eat. Can it be that you want yeye to go see your grandma earlier? Quick, eat this soup while it's still hot so that you can sweat and get rid of the coldness in your body.”
After saying that, Chu wang's hand shakily pushed the large bowl in front of Chu Fei Yang. This time, when he looked at Yun Qian Meng, Chu Nan Shan felt that she was really a sensitive and considerate lady. She already knew how to side with him and help him teach Chu Fei Yang a lesson. He thought that he was indeed good at judging a person.
Chu wang happily carried the bowl of cold noodle soup in front of him and slurping the noodles satisfyingly. He felt that as the cold noodles slip into his stomach, cold air dispersed inside his body, immediately lifting off all the summer heat from him.
Seeing that his grandfather finally had the chance to stump him, Chu Fei Yang could not help but smile coldly. He then moved his eyes to Jiao Da, who was silently eating his food without raising his head, and slowly said, “Jiao Da, don't you feel that you need some liquid while eating the rice to prevent yourself from choking? Quickly drink this soup to help swallow your food!”
Bang.
Suddenly, Jiao Da put down his bowl on the table then quickly wiped his mouth with his sleeves while standing up and said, “Beizhi is full!”
“Stand to the side if you're done eating. Give your seat to Meng yatou for her to rest for a while. She's been busy for half a day and is surely very tired now. Oh, and go and order the kitchen to bring a bowl of mung bean soup for Meng yatou to help her get away from the summer heat. Look at her delicate face. It has been steamed red by the hot air in the kitchen. Yeye feels heartbroken. Look at that other person who really doesn't have any good intentions, even persuading Meng yatou to drink soup.” Chu wang picked up a thin slice of zucchini and ate a bite. He spoke while chewing his food and drinking some cold noodle soup from time to time, feeling rather relaxed.
Chu Fei Yang followed his yeye's words and looked at Yun Qian Meng's face. Standing in the pavilion for a while now, the sweat on her forehead a while ago had already been blown dry by the cold wind, but her cheeks still showed redness from the hot steam, unlike the rosy cheeks she had normally.
But if he was really to eat this bowl of hot and spicy soup, then he definitely was a fool.
Chu Fei Yang's eyes glanced at Jiao Da and Chu wang for a moment. Looking at the two of them, one was standing at a side like an invisible person and the other was staring at him with bad intentions and wishing that it was possible to pry open his lips and pour the spicy soup into his mouth. Chu Fei Yang felt really funny deep inside. Since when did he become the person who everyone wanted to suppress?
The originator of everything was still sitting at the side while elegantly eating the fresh and cold mung bean soup. Seeing that, Chu Fei Yang's smile became wider. He then showed filial piety to his grandfather by saying, “Yeye has always been fond of spicy food. Why don't we leave this soup for grandpa's dinner?”
Hearing this, Chu wang's expression immediately darkened and he almost choked on the soup in his mouth. For a moment, Chu wang's face suddenly turned all red. Jiao Da immediately went over and carefully help Chu wang breath smoothly by patting his back.
Chu wang easily forgot past pains as soon as his wounds healed. Right after he stopped coughing, he immediately wanted to jump up and fight Chu Fei Yang. His eyes fiercely glared at Chu Fei Yang and disagreed, “Didn't I just say a while ago? I'm already old and I can't take these stimulating things anymore. Enjoy it yourself. Do not waste a drop of it, otherwise, you're wasting the heart and effort of Meng yatou.”
Hearing Chu wang's words, Yun Qian Meng lifted her eyebrows. A while ago, Chu wang had only said effort, but now it had already become heart and effort. It seemed that in his eyes, she was already deeply in love with Chu Fei Yang.
Chu Fei Yang's eyes followed Yun Qian Meng; thus, he was able to notice the slight movement of Yun Qian Meng's eyebrow. He could not help but laugh. Even for a person so calm and cool like Yun Qian Meng, she still could not do anything about his grandfather.
Although Yun Qian Meng was a good speaker, no matter how good she was, she still could not take a person saying the same thing over and over again like a monk. If it was not because of that, why would he have moved to Chu xiangfu?
Yun Qian Meng naturally felt the gaze of Chu Fei Yang. She raised her head and looked into those deep eyes. Yun Qian Meng saw the trace of laughter in his eyes and sensed that Chu Fei Yang was taking pleasure at her expense. Yun Qian Meng did not get mad but rather, gave a warm smile and cued Mu Chun. Mu Chun then immediately served a bowl of freshly cooked rice and a small plate of spicy cabbage cut into pieces politely in front of Chu Fei Yang.
“Xiangye, try these! The tofu soup, along with this flavorful spicy cabbage tastes heavenly when eaten with rice. In this summer day, everyone seems to have less appetite. Chennu specially made this most appetizing meal for xiangye. Xiangye surely will not disappoint chennu, right?” Yun Qian Meng softly explained while looking at Chu Fei Yang with her innocent big eyes as she ate a scoop of the cold mung bean soup.
Chu Fei Yang could already feel the pulsing of a vein on his temple, but his clever eyes darkened when he saw the mung bean soup releasing cold air in front of Yun Qian Meng. He said with concern, “Yun xiaojie, as a woman, it's better for you not to eat too much cold food like this mung bean soup. Here, drink a bowl of hot tofu soup to get rid of the coldness in your body. It's better not to use your body to warm this cold mung bean soup; otherwise, your hands for embroidery will start shaking.”
While speaking, Chu Fei Yang quickly got a clean soup bowl and ladled the thick layer of chilli out. Afterwards, he filled the bowl with spicy soup and put it in front of Yun Qian Meng without waiting for her to respond. At the moment Yun Qian Meng raised her head and looked at him, Chu Fei Yang smiled at her teasingly.
Yun Qian Meng obviously understood Chu Fei Yang's meaning. He was just teasing her because she may not know how to needlework like embroidery and he wanted to use this to goad her into drinking this tofu soup. She might as well do what he wants, but...
“If chennu drank this soup, will xiangye also finish your lunch?” Yun Qian Meng held the slightly hot porcelain bowl near her mouth and blew the soup. Her extremely beautiful eyes looked towards Chu Fei Yang through the hot steam, challenging him to eat the soup.
While Chu Fei Yang had thought that she would make excuses for it, Yun Qian Meng appeared to be rather easy to persuade and it was needless for him to coax her further as Yun Qian Meng already took the bowl herself.
The words of this yatou seemed to contain other meanings, especially when seeing her cloudy eyes exhibiting some sense of cleverness, Chu Fei Yang suddenly failed to see the crucial point.
On the other hand, Chu wang was already rather impatient. He kicked Chu Fei Yang with his foot from under the table, turned around and looked at him with fierce expression, and commanded him, “Why are you still hesitating? Chu Fei Yang, if you can't even be compared with a little yatou today, you also do not deserve to be a descendant of Chu Family. We've already wasted so much time to convince you to have a meal. Are you also this picky on ordinary days? Is it because I don't go to the army camp anymore, that's why you've become so finicky? I order you, quickly finish the food in front of you. Don't bring disgrace to Chu wangfu.”
But Chu Fei Yang was already alert for Chu wang's actions. Just when Chu wang's foot was about to step on his, Chu Fei Yang immediately and silently moved his feet, escaping Chu wang's attack easily. When he put his attention back on Yun Qian Meng, she had already gotten a spoon and was slowly bringing the tofu soup to her mouth. Her originally red cheeks looked as if they were covered with red silk because of the spiciness, but it made her look even more eye-catching.
“Since this is the case, then benxiang agrees to Yun xiaojie's request.” Neither was Chu Fei Yang an indecisive person. Today, his reason for rejecting the meal was actually just because of Yun Qian Meng's bias among the three of them, which made him jealous of the others.
But when he saw that Yun Qian Meng was willing to suffer the misfortune with him, and because he gave all the chilli in the soup to Yun Qian Meng a while ago, Chu Fei Yang was naturally willing to endure the spiciness with her. His thin but big hands gracefully picked up the chopsticks on the table and took a tender tofu from the bowl and ate it. He immediately felt the spiciness as it passed his throat and into his heart. But along with that spiciness, he felt that the taste was actually rather refreshing. It made Chu Fei Yang put down his chopsticks and picked up a spoon and drank a spoonful soup. There were actually hints of sweetness in the soup along with the spiciness, stimulating Chu Fei Yang's appetite so greatly that he wanted to finish all the food in front of him.
Chu wang saw that, although Chu Fei Yang had put on a show that he didn't want to eat a while ago, his eyes had rays of joy when he tasted the flavor of the food. Chu wang thought to himself, 'Why didn't he continue to pretend? He really just wanted to eat it but still pretended as if we were forcing him to!'
But, seeing that Chu Fei Yang and Yun Qian Meng were both eating happily, Chu wang touched his stomach that was already very full and felt rather envious of the two. He slightly moved his mouth and said to Chu Fei Yang with his brows knitted, “Let yeye taste some of it.”
Seeing Chu wang go back on his words and totally forgot everything he had said a while ago, Chu Fei Yang generously reminded him, “Yeye is of old ago now. Your diet should be strictly controlled. You should eat more light food and avoid this kind of spicy food.”
While speaking, he took his chopsticks and picked up a piece of spicy cabbage. He carefully chewed and found that the cabbage was fresh and tasty. They would definitely taste really well with rice. Hence, he took a bowl of rice and ate it along with the soup and spicy cabbage.
After less than a cup of tea's time, Chu Fei Yang had already finished all the food in front of him. At the same time, Yun Qian Meng had also finished the soup in her bowl.
But when Chu Fei Yang saw the red and green chillies were left on Yun Qian Meng's bowl, he frowned and criticized, “Didn't Yun xiaojie say that you will finish the soup in the bowl a while ago? Why are there still so many chillies left?”
Mu Chun saw that Yun Qian Meng's face was all red and immediately took out a fan from her sleeves to help Yun Qian Meng cool down.
Yun Qian Meng lightly smiled and her eyes showed a sense of cunning, “Xiangye only said to finish the soup. Chennu never said to finish the whole thing. Leaving the chilli does not violate the agreement. Does wangye agree?”
She threw the topic over to Chu wang, who was staring at the empty bowl in front of Chu Fei Yang.
“Ehm… Ehh… You're right! Chu Fei Yang, you're so annoying. She has already finished it, don't fret over these little things anymore. As a man, why do you fuss over minor matters like the old ladies?” Chu wang unwillingly looked away from the bowl. Although he had not heard Yun Qian Meng's question clearly, but for things like sermoning Chu Fei Yang, Chu wang took opportunities quickly and could easily think of words to say.
While Chu Fei Yang was only staring at Yun Qian Meng, he saw that the originally clear eyes seemed to be covered with mist, her pink lips were now bright red, her cheeks blushed as well, and her smooth and white forehead was oozing some sweat. Although her looks were not the nation's best, she was more appealing and attractive than those who proclaimed that they were the prettiest in the world.
“Wangye, xiangye, chennu has been out for quite long already. It's time for chennu to leave.” Yun Qian Meng had always known that Chu Fei Yang's eyes have a certain power that made people feel uncomfortable.
Before, they had always met at nighttime. Luckily, she had the darkness to help her conceal her awkwardness. Now that it was daytime though, she really felt somewhat uneasy; thus stood up and took her leave.
At the same time, the housekeeper of wangfu walked over and Jiao Da left the pavilion to talk to him. After some conversation, he turned back and left, while Jiao Da came back to Chu wang's side again and whispered some words to him.
Suddenly, a look of delight came into Chu wang's face. His eyes, which were shining bright, looked at Yun Qian Meng. He said relaxingly, “The Rongfu's laotaijun has suddenly fallen ill. Yatou, do you want to go visit her with yeye?”
Seeing Chu wang trying so hard to not laugh and knowing that Chen laotaijun and Chu wang did not get along well, she politely refused. “Chennu will surely tell this to wai zumu and go visit her with together. Many thanks to wangye for telling me. Chennu asks to be excused.”
She then stood up, slightly bowed to Chu wang and Chu Fei Yang, and exited the pavilion along with Mu Chun and Jiao Da.
“Why are you still sitting here? Go and accompany her!” Chu wang unexpectedly kicked Chu Fei Yang, but Chu Fei Yang was able to react quickly and dodge. Chu wang was not even able to touch his clothes.
Chu Fei Yang stood up, patted his clothes, and coldly glared at Chu wang, then said coldly, “I've been out for half a day already. It's also time for me to go back. But yeye, I suggest that you don't go to Rongfu. This kind of bragging is really too childish and ridiculous.”
Afterwards, Chu Fei Yang did not even look at Chu wang anymore and exited the pavilion, walking towards the gate of the wangfu.
This time, Chu wang did not get angry. He only stared at Chu Fei Yang's back and silently laughed. He sighed and thought how many years had passed since Chu Fei Yang last acknowledged defeat.
Only Meng yatou had good ideas. Looking at how Fei Yang was in a hurry to go back to xiangfu a while ago, he knew that Chu Fei Yang's inner clothes might already be totally wet after finishing the bowl of spicy soup.
Sitting alone at the pavilion and laughing for a while, Chu wang then loudly shouted towards the outside of wangfu, “Housekeeper, prepare a ride!”
His loud and clear voice was immediately heard by people all over Chu wangfu. Just less than a cup of tea's time, the housekeeper was already approaching Chu wang with his clothes. He knelt on one knee and bowed, and politely said, “Wangye, the carriage has been readied. Where do you plan to go?”
“Rong fu!” his strong and loud voice exhibited unlimited joyousness.
“But Hai junzhu from Hai wangfu is currently waiting in front of wangfu. Is wangye going to see her?” the housekeeper was troubled by Chu wang's answer.