Chapter 815 - 419: Joking About Marriage

Chapter 815: Chapter 419: Joking About Marriage

Hearing this pair of narcissistic parents echoing each other, Juhua couldn’t hold back her laughter anymore. After all, who didn’t raise their children with all their heart? She lifted Cong a little higher and said solemnly, "No matter who it is, our Cong has to take a liking to him. If my daughter isn’t willing, I don’t care who he is; the answer is no."

The maids and older servant women’s eyes went wide. Was she going to let her daughter pick her own husband?

Li Changyu burst into loud laughter. "I was wondering what the condition was. That’s it? That’s easy to handle. Wan’er, just bring our Xian’er over to the Zhang family more often. Let them be childhood sweethearts and innocent playmates. With Xian’er around, your Cong definitely won’t like anyone else—how could any other family’s child compare to our Xian’er? Just you wait and see; in the future, Xian’er will definitely be the most outstanding boy in our village."

Wan’er smiled and said, "Yes! I think exactly the same as the Second Master. Juhua, don’t laugh. When Cong grows up, I’ll teach her needlework and embroidery. As for your needlework skills, well, the less said the better. You’d best not bring them out to corrupt Cong, or you’ll just be holding her back."

Huai Zi said unhappily, "Keep bragging, Changyu! You still have to see if our Banli will allow that. And there’s Hulu too—that boy has already started showing his smarts—and Sanshun’s Ni Qiu. Hmph, Qingnan Village has no shortage of smart children. How could your Li Jingxian claim all the glory? Just looking at Little Shitou is enough to tell you; the land and water here truly nurture great people."

The two fathers started bickering, amusing the people around them. Among the entourage, a newly arrived servant woman found it strange, thinking that the Second Young Master and the Second Young Madam acted like entirely different people after returning to the countryside.

Wuzi, a servant accustomed to following Li Changyu, knew the Second Young Master’s temper well. He stood by for a while before letting Li Changyu know, then led two other servants off to watch Liu Heizi and his son fish.

After arguing for a bit, Huai Zi asked Changyu, "You bought land in Qingbei Village. Why didn’t you buy any in our village?"

"I did buy a plot in our village," Li Changyu replied. "But the area in Qingbei Village is larger with more paddy fields. There are twenty qing, stretching all the way to Xiajiadian in the north."

Hearing this, Juhua was extremely surprised. Wasn’t his rise to wealth a little too fast? He had bought this land himself; it wasn’t given to him by people trying to avoid taxes.

Wan’er happily said to Juhua, "The Second Master and I want to build a farming estate, and we also want to dig a pond to raise fish and grow lotus roots. Juhua, you’ve been doing this for several years now. Teach us the tricks of the trade so the Second Master can save some effort."

Juhua nodded, muttering, "I really envy you... No, I’m jealous of you!"

Amused by her cute expression, Wan’er teased, "Then hurry up and betroth Cong to our Xian. This estate will be left to Xian."

Juhua curled her lips and scrunched her nose, feigning disdain. "I’ll earn an estate for Cong’s dowry myself. We don’t care for what belongs to others."

Hearing her words and seeing her sudden charming display, Li Changyu was momentarily dazed. Juhua was still just as candid as before. That year, also by the Little Qing River when they were planting trees, he had asked if he could go to her house for a meal. She had instantly rejected him, without using any tactful excuses or beating around the bush.

As he spaced out, he suddenly felt a gaze dart toward him from the side. He hurriedly turned his head, his heart pounding like a drum. Overwhelmed with shame, he secretly cursed his own weakness. At the same time, that familiar heartache surged up again, impossible to suppress.

Wan’er! Wan’er!

He clearly loved Wan’er, so why was he still thinking about Juhua?

Listening to Wan’er and Juhua laughing and chatting nearby, Li Changyu felt increasingly awful. Why on earth was this happening?

If it had been a few years ago, before he married Mrs. Gao, thinking about Juhua would have been justifiable. But now, he had married Wan’er. The two of them lived in perfect harmony, enjoying a beautiful life together. He felt deep, unadulterated affection for Wan’er. So why did he lose control every time he saw Juhua, whose face was now fully healed?

Men were truly never easily satisfied.

He tried hard to suppress his panic, telling himself, "Stop thinking about Juhua." He had Wan’er; he shouldn’t covet other women. Otherwise, his warm and peaceful days would come to an end. Being surrounded by a beautiful wife and concubines also meant being surrounded by their bickering, and that wasn’t the life he wanted.

Huai Zi noticed Li Changyu’s distraction. His heart sank for a moment, but then he quickly calmed down. Hugging Banli to his chest, he silently glanced at Juhua, his expression peaceful and composed.

Aunt Liu came over and said, "Young Madam, it’s time to head home. The children can’t hold on much longer." Little Jing’er’s head was drooping against her chest.

Juhua looked down and saw that Cong indeed looked a bit listless, no longer as energetic as before. It seemed she finally couldn’t hold on and was ready to sleep. She quickly said to Huai Zi, "Huai Zi, tell Uncle Liu to call it a day. Let’s go home for lunch."

Taking the cue, Huai Zi stood up. He called out to Heipi, telling him to pull in the nets so they could head home. At the same time, he walked over and took Cong from Juhua’s arms. Holding both children, he said softly to Juhua, "Let’s go!"

Juhua stood up and patted the grass and dust off her clothes. Then, gripping the back of Huai Zi’s shirt with one hand and holding onto his arm with the other, she smiled at Banli, who was peering at her over Huai Zi’s shoulder. "Banli, how are you still so energetic? Look, your sister is already sleepy. Let’s go home and eat first, and I’ll bring you out to play tomorrow, okay?"

Seeing his mother talking to him, Banli giggled happily, his little hands waving continuously at Juhua.

Seeing how sensible the boy was, Wan’er said enviously, "Now that little Banli is older, he’s so much fun to be around. Our Xian still doesn’t even know how to smile."

Nanny Lin, standing nearby, quickly chimed in, "Don’t worry, Second Madam. The young master will start smiling in another two months."

Li Changyu had already regained his composure. He smiled at Wan’er and said, "Although our Xian’er is a few months younger, he definitely won’t be inferior to Banli when he grows up. Son, you have to do us proud and outshine Hulu, Ni Qiu, Banli, and all the rest of them."

Hearing this, everyone burst into laughter.