Chapter 596 - 599: A Pool of Spring Water

Chapter 596: Chapter 599: A Pool of Spring Water

When Li Liao heard this voice, his heart skipped a beat.

A sense of foreboding crept over him.

’Don’t tell me... speak of the devil.’

Li Liao followed the voice and saw a tall man standing beside him.

The man was dressed in the coarse hemp clothes of a commoner. His skin was paler than usual, and his features were unremarkable, save for a pair of exceptionally dark, deep eyes.

He had a straw rack slung over his shoulder, stuck with several bright red candied hawthorns.

Although the man’s appearance had changed, Li Liao recognized him at a glance.

—It was Li Ji!

Li Ji deliberately roughened his voice, making it sound exceptionally raspy.

"I made these candied hawthorns myself. They’re delicious. How about buying a stick to try? If you don’t like it, you don’t have to pay."

As he spoke, he plucked a stick of candied hawthorn from the rack and offered it to Li Liao.

Li Liao’s scalp tingled with dread.

’He never thought Li Ji would follow them into Lingxi City.’

’This is Lu Kai’s territory!’

’Lu Kai is recruiting an army right now, planning to go to war with Li Ji. If Lu Kai found out Li Ji was in the city, he would surely do everything in his power to kill him!’

’Li Ji couldn’t possibly be unaware of this.’

’But he came anyway.’

’Even knowing he was walking straight into danger, he came anyway!’

Li Liao desperately wanted to grab the boy by the collar and demand to know if he had lost his mind. ’How dare he waltz into the lion’s den all by himself? Did he have a death wish?!’

However, they were on a street in Lingxi City, with people constantly coming and going. There were probably countless spies lurking in the shadows.

Any unusual move they made would be immediately reported to Lu Kai.

Li Liao could only suppress his frustration and say with a deadpan expression.

"I don’t like candied hawthorns."

By this time, Hua Manman and Yue Niang had already walked some distance ahead.

When Hua Manman noticed Li Liao hadn’t caught up, she stopped and looked back curiously, just in time to see someone trying to sell him candied hawthorns.

She immediately said to Yue Niang.

"Those candied hawthorns look good. I’m going to buy a couple."

With that, she let go of Yue Niang’s hand and hurried over.

"I’ll take two sticks of can—"

Hua Manman’s words caught in her throat.

Because she, too, recognized the man selling candied hawthorns.

Li Ji’s disguise was rather effective; most people wouldn’t have recognized him. But Hua Manman and Li Liao were the people closest to him, intimately familiar with his every detail, so of course they knew him at a glance.

Hua Manman was so shocked she stammered.

"W-w-what are you doing here?"

Li Ji held out the candied hawthorn, his voice raspy. "I’m here to take you away."

Before Hua Manman could respond, Li Liao spoke up.

"We can’t leave. Manman and I have already drawn Lu Kai’s attention. He’ll never let us take a single step out of Lingxi City."

Li Ji’s gaze darkened.

Hua Manman said, "Go, quickly, before anyone notices you."

’It’s too dangerous for Li Ji here!’

But Li Ji wouldn’t budge.

He stared intently at the woman before him and said, enunciating each word.

"I’m not leaving."

’She had already left him once. He would never let her leave him a second time.’

’It didn’t matter if it was just Lingxi City; he would walk through fire and climb a mountain of blades to be with her!’

Hua Manman was about to say more, but out of the corner of her eye, she saw Yue Niang walking toward them.

She quickly masked her anxiety, took the candied hawthorn, and said nonchalantly.

"Did you really mean it when you said if these don’t taste good, we don’t have to pay?"

Li Ji continued to stare at her, not blinking, and said in his raspy voice, "Of course it’s true. I never lie."

Hua Manman handed the candied hawthorn to Yue Niang, who had just walked up, and said with a smile.

"Here, try it. If it’s not good, we won’t have to pay today."

Yue Niang couldn’t help but smile.

She took the candied hawthorn and took a delicate bite.

Hua Manman asked eagerly.

"How is it?"

Yue Niang felt shy under her intense gaze and said with a blush.

"It’s very good."

Hua Manman held out her hand to Li Ji. "We’ll take two more."

Li Ji reached out, plucked the two largest sticks from the very top of the rack, and placed them in her hand.

Hua Manman asked, "How much?"

Li Ji said, "Three cents."

Hua Manman had no money on her, so Li Liao was naturally the one to pay.

Li Liao placed three copper coins into Li Ji’s hand.

Father and son exchanged a silent glance.

Li Liao wanted his son to leave as soon as possible.

Li Ji, however, wanted to stay and protect Manman.

Neither could convince the other to change their mind.

Suddenly, Li Ji clutched his stomach and doubled over, his face contorted in pain.

Hua Manman asked anxiously.

"What’s wrong?"

Li Ji said weakly, "I haven’t eaten in two days. I’m just so hungry I can’t stand it."

As the man who had watched Li Ji grow up, Li Liao knew exactly what his son was plotting with just one look.

Although he was inwardly displeased with Li Ji’s methods, Li Liao patiently played along.

"How have you gone two days without eating? Has something happened at home?"

Li Ji replied, "My child is sick. I had to sell all our grain for money to pay for a doctor and medicine."

Li Liao sighed, his voice full of sympathy.

"You’ve had a hard life. Since we’ve met by chance, it must be fate.

Why don’t I treat you to a meal? Once you have a full stomach, you can think more clearly about how to face the challenges ahead."

Li Ji’s face filled with gratitude.

"Thank you, Uncle!"

As it happened, there was an eatery right beside them.

Li Liao took the straw rack from Li Ji’s shoulder and helped him toward the eatery.

Yue Niang remarked sincerely.

"Your father is such a good man."

Hua Manman gave a dry laugh. "He is."

’Great acting, perfect coordination.’

’Just what you’d expect from a father and son!’

The four of them sat down at a table by the window.

A waiter came to ask what they would like to eat.

Li Liao said anything was fine.

Li Ji was still clutching his stomach, feigning weakness, looking as if he were too hungry to even speak.

So, Hua Manman asked Yue Niang what she wanted to eat and if she had any dietary restrictions.

Yue Niang said shyly, "I can’t handle spicy food very well, but anything else is fine."

Hua Manman nodded in understanding.

She quickly ordered.

A short while later, the dishes were brought to the table.

Hua Manman was the first to act. She ladled out a bowl of pig’s trotter soup, making sure to add two pieces of trotter that had been stewed until they were fall-off-the-bone tender.

Normally, when they ate at home, she would always serve Li Ji his soup.

Li Ji assumed the soup was for him. A sweet feeling bloomed in his chest, but just as he reached for it, he watched Hua Manman place the bowl in front of Yue Niang.

Hua Manman said gently, "Pig’s trotters are said to be good for one’s complexion. It’s perfect for women. You should eat it while it’s hot."

Yue Niang’s face turned red as she answered with a shy and timid voice.

"Thank you, milord. You are too kind to me."

She lifted the bowl and took a sip of the soup, her head bowed.

A stray lock of hair fell across her cheek.

Hua Manman reached out and tucked the stray lock behind her ear.

Yue Niang looked up at her, her eyes shimmering like a spring pool.

Li Ji: ...

CRACK.

The chopsticks in his hand snapped in two.