When the pears are green

Chapter 207 Quarrel

Chen Yuan, who was talking to Jiang Qingzhou and Master Li outside the government office, sneezed heavily. Chen Yuan covered his nose and said to the two of them, "Ruyi must be missing me."

Jiang Qingzhou admired Chen Yuan's shamelessness and gave him a thumbs up.

Master Li stroked his goatee and interjected, "Constable Chen is a man of temperament. I hope that Constable Chen will marry his beautiful wife soon."

Chen Yuan laughed happily after hearing this, and then told Jiang Qingzhou about Liu Shulin: "Liu Shulin is the cousin of Mr. Liu. In the past ten years, he has used Mr. Liu's influence to do many immoral things in the town. His current tofu-making skills and wife were stolen. He is a very ruthless person but afraid of retribution, so every time he does something bad, he will go to the temple to ask for forgiveness from the Bodhisattva, Buddha, and the Jade Emperor. It's best for you not to get involved in the tofu business in the town now, you can sell it in the village first."

Jiang Qingzhou nodded, then took out tofu and garlic sprouts from the backpack and handed them to Chen Yuan.

Chen Yuan didn't bother to be polite with Jiang Qingzhou. He took it with a smile and said that he also wanted to go to Jiang's house to eat tofu pudding.

Jiang Qingzhou readily agreed, and then left the yamen with Master Li, preparing to go to the grain shop to buy rapeseed.

The sound of horse hooves came from afar and the two men passed by the restaurant's carriage.

The carriage suddenly sped up when passing the two of them. Lingling glared at Kai Xin who was waving the whip, then she lowered the door curtain hanging in front of the carriage in annoyance and made a note about Kai Xin in the little notebook in her heart.

"Miss Li, don't be angry. If you run away halfway, I won't be able to report to my boss. My boss has calmed down and asked me to come and pick you up for a gathering." He coaxed Lingling happily. He hoped that Lingling could be happier so that he could better report to Hu Zhimin.

Lingling snorted a few times and muttered quietly: "Don't think I'm easy to coax because I'm young. I just told him that I'm old. Why do you have to be so angry? What he said before about giving in to me was all lies."

Lingling sat in the carriage worriedly, wondering what to do when she saw Hu Zhimin.

Kai Xin handed the carriage to Zhang Er who was waiting at the side door, and then led Lingling, who had jumped out of the carriage, through the backyard, into the lobby, and then went up to the second floor.

The door of the private room was still open. Kai Xin knocked gently on the door and told Hu Zhimin, who was reading, "Boss, Miss Li is here."

"Where are the people?" Hu Zhimin looked up and asked.

Lingling walked into the private room slowly, lowered her head and walked to the desk to apologize to Hu Zhimin: "Zhimin, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said you were deadpan. Don't be angry, didn't you also say that I only know how to play around?"

Hu Zhimin glanced at Lingling who looked aggrieved, and waved to Kai Xin who was still standing at the door to go out. Kai Xin quickly closed the door and ran down the stairs.

Lingling looked at the closed door with resentment and her feet involuntarily moved a few steps towards the window.

Seeing this, Hu Zhimin put down the book in his hand, chuckled and asked Lingling if she wanted to go out too.

Lingling hurriedly shook her head and whispered that she came here today just to accompany Hu Zhimin.

"You little girl who is reluctant, let me guess, if your aunt hadn't asked you to come, you probably wouldn't have come. But since you just said it, wait until the afternoon before going back." After Hu Zhimin finished speaking, he stood up and walked to Lingling, raised his hand and scratched the tip of Lingling's nose.

A layer of mist surged into Lingling's almond eyes. She hugged Hu Zhimin's waist and apologized again: "I'm sorry, I didn't mean it. Please forgive me."

Hu Zhimin held up Lingling's face, stared into her eyes and said seriously: "Okay, don't talk about this anymore. If I really care about you, I won't let Kai Xin pick you up. Lingling, let me ask you, no matter what, I am ten years older than you. If you really think that I am lifeless, scheming, and not a good match, you can ask your uncle and aunt to go to my house to cancel the engagement, and I will explain to my parents. You are still young, there are many young men with high spirits who are a good match for you."

Tears as big as beans welled up in the corners of Lingling's eyes. She didn't expect Hu Zhimin to say such words. For a moment, she felt extremely wronged.

Hu Zhimin quickly took out a handkerchief to wipe away Lingling's tears.

Lingling angrily pushed Hu Zhimin's hand away, stomped hard on Hu Zhimin's feet, wiped her tears with her sleeves and ran to the door.

Hu Zhimin hurriedly grabbed Lingling's arm and asked, "Didn't Lingling say she would accompany me? Where are you going?"

"Where else can I go? I'll go find my parents and go to your house to break off the engagement. You're right, I'm still young, there's no need to rush. When my brother comes back, I'll ask him to help me choose a few. Then I'll invite you to the wedding and let you be the godfather of my child." Lingling said viciously. She really didn't want to pay attention to the petty-minded man in front of her.

Hu Zhimin still held Lingling's hand tightly. If Lingling had not cried just now, if Lingling had spoken to him calmly, he would definitely let go.

"I don't want to be a godfather, I want to be a biological father." Hu Zhimin whispered in Lingling's ear.

Lingling's ears turned red, but she still warned Hu Zhimin stubbornly: "You have no chance, you are too old."

"I'm old and know how to care for people." Hu Zhimin said with a smile while hugging Lingling. The laughter overflowed from his throat and floated in the closed room.

Lingling blushed and lay in Hu Zhimin's arms, cursing softly, "Bah, shameless."

"Lingling is right. I don't care about shame. I only want you." Hu Zhimin held Lingling's hand and promised her that he would never talk about canceling the engagement again.

Kai Xin stood in the backyard and listened carefully to the noise on the second floor. After not hearing any quarreling, he happily said to Zhang Er who was checking the accounts at the side: "Brother Zhang Er, let's go to Brother Jiang's house to eat tofu pudding tonight. I told Brother Jiang that I'll take you with me."

Zhang Er thought about it for a moment and agreed. When he was ready to leave, he bought a braised chicken from the restaurant and took it with him.

When Jiang Qingzhou and Master Li returned home, Song Li and Li Yi had already leveled the land for breeding.

Song Li asked Li Yi and Master Li to go back and rest first, and she and Jiang Qingzhou sprinkled the rapeseed into the soil together.

While watering the plants, Jiang Qingzhou told Song Li that Chen Yuan, Zhang Er and Kai Xin would come over to eat tofu pudding in the evening.

"I soaked four pounds of beans. I'm not afraid of them eating them. It will be more lively with more people. I'm going to my aunt's house today. Ruyi also asked me to bring a pair of cotton shoes for Constable Chen, which is just right for him." After Song Li finished speaking, she hurried to the kitchen to get a ceramic basin, ready to soak some dried radishes.

In the afternoon, Jiang Qingzhou first went to find Jiang Ming, Jiang Chen and Jiang He, and then he and Master Li pulled a cart to meet up with the three of them, preparing to go to the study together to chop trees.

Song Li and Li Yi ground the soybeans and made tofu together. When Jiang Qingzhou and his companions came back with a cart full of branches, they had just made tofu pudding.

Song Li smiled and invited Jiang Ming and his two brothers to have dinner at home. Jiang Ming hurriedly said that the two families had already obtained a lot of branches, and then took Jiang Chen and Jiang He out of the courtyard gate.

When the sun was about to set, Chen Yuan, Kai Xin and Zhang Er went to Jiang's house together. Chen Yuan and Zhang Er handed the braised pork head and braised chicken in their hands to Song Li.

Song Li took it with a smile, and then asked Jiang Qingzhou to take the cotton shoes in the basket to Chen Yuan.

Chen Yuan tried again and again happily, walking around the yard proudly.

Song Xing and Jiang Qingye pestered Chen Yuan, calling him brother-in-law again and again. Chen Yuan, overjoyed, made a few sword flowers for the two children.

Kai Xin, Li Yi and Zhang Er followed Song Xing and Jiang Qingye in cheering. Chen Yuan gradually lost himself and kept showing off his martial arts until Jiang Qingzhou came out of the kitchen and called everyone to eat.

A crescent moon appeared in the night sky, secretly listening to the laughter coming from the kitchen.