Chapter 17 Your Belt is Crooked
The pages of the book remained untouched for a long time.
Liu Yiyi stared intently at the two overlapping sleeves under the table.
Tang Xiaoning's delicate, slender fingertips rested on Li Minghua's well-defined wrist, and that glaring intimacy pierced her eyes like needles.
Her throat bobbed violently as she tried to swallow the bitterness rising in her throat, her nails digging deep into her palms.
Finally, she knelt deeply, almost burying her head in her chest, her voice dry and strained: "...Yiyi...I've got it."
As she stepped out of the threshold, she glanced quickly at Tang Xiaoning, a cold and sharp glint flashing in her eyes, so fast it was like an illusion.
Only fine dust particles floated in the light and shadow in the room, and a thick, ambiguous atmosphere spread silently.
Xiao Cui held the account book tightly, barely daring to breathe, unsure where to look, her face burning inexplicably.
A withered plum blossom fell with a "thud" onto the bluestone bricks outside the window, stirring up fine dust.
The crisp sound inexplicably made Tang Xiaoning's heart skip a beat, and she subconsciously looked at Li Minghua's calm profile.
**
Two days later, the autumn sun shone on the bluestone slabs in the courtyard, giving them a warm glow.
Li Minghua finished his morning exercise, a thin layer of sweat glistening on his forehead, and walked towards the clothesline to collect the clothes he had washed the day before.
My fingertips brushed against the cool bamboo pole, but touched nothing.
Her usual indigo outfit had vanished without a trace. Just as a hint of doubt appeared between her brows, she saw Liu Yiyi gracefully emerge from behind the moon gate, carrying a thick stack of neatly starched clothes.
The morning light reflected the blush rising on her cheeks, making her look as sweet as carefully prepared rouge.
"Heroine!" Liu Yiyi's voice was as sweet as honey, filled with obvious joy.
She carefully held the indigo outfit in front of Li Minghua; the fabric was so stiff that you could almost hear the rustling sound of it being rubbed together.
“Yesterday I noticed that the cuffs of your dress were worn thin, and it pained me to see it like that. I took the liberty of washing and mending it myself.”
Her slender white fingers gently touched the row of fine, almost invisible stitches on the inside of her cuff, her eyes brimming with stars eager for praise.
"Feel it! It's been specially pounded with rice flour, so it's sturdy and crisp. I guarantee it won't wear out even after three more years!"
Li Minghua took the clothes, and immediately felt a cold, hard texture.
The fabric was starched until its edges were sharp and distinct, heavy and still carrying the coolness of lingering dampness.
The words "No need to trouble yourself" lingered in her throat, but when her gaze met the almost overflowing expectation in Liu Yiyi's eyes, she swallowed them back, managing only to squeeze out two dry words: "Thank you."
"I'm glad you like it, heroine!" Liu Yiyi's voice trembled slightly with joy.
As she curtsied, a strand of indigo silk, the same color as Li Minghua's fabric, inadvertently drifted down from her sleeve, mirroring the emotions she couldn't conceal at that moment.
Only then did she gracefully retreat, satisfied, her steps so light as if she were about to fly.
"Tsk—look at this, the service is so meticulous, not a single detail is missed!" A voice filled with sourness rang out from the pillar behind him.
Tang Xiaoning strolled out slowly, arms crossed, her gaze fixed on Liu Yiyi's joyful departing figure until it disappeared behind the moon gate.
She then turned her gaze away and instead looked at the "armor" in Li Minghua's arms, extending her slender index finger to poke the cold, hard collar with disdain.
"Look at this craftsmanship! It's patched up like a suit of iron armor! If you wear this to practice swordsmanship, you'll probably end up performing a 'Tin Man's Adventures in the Martial World'!"
As she spoke, she suddenly and without warning stood on tiptoe, her entire upper body abruptly close to Li Minghua's ear.
The sweet fragrance of a young girl brushed against the other's sensitive earlobe, her voice low but clear: "If only I had known that mending a garment would have been a way of repaying a debt of gratitude..."
She paused deliberately, her fingertips lightly brushing against Li Minghua's shoulder: "When you saved me, I already had someone make up for it!"
Li Minghua felt the cold, hard fabric of the clothes in her arms, which made her fingertips go numb.
And Tang Xiaoning's cool breath near her ear brought a strange tingling sensation.
She tried to speak helplessly, "I don't need to..." but was cut off before she could finish.
“But they’re happy to! They’re practically begging for it!” Tang Xiaoning suddenly reached out and grabbed Li Minghua’s sleeve, pulling him even closer.
She then adopted a high-pitched voice, deliberately imitating Liu Yiyi's sweet tone, and imitated it perfectly: "'Washing clothes, sweeping, making beds, folding quilts, Yiyi can do it all~'" Her voice was so sweet it was cloying.
Before she could finish speaking, she loosened her sleeve as if shaking off something dirty, and punched her hard on the shoulder in a fit of anger.
"It's like a ghost haunting this yard! It won't leave! It follows me everywhere I go! It's so annoying!" Her fair knuckles instantly turned red.
Li Minghua's gaze shifted from her clenched fists to her furious and vivid face.
She discovered that whenever Liu Yiyi appeared, this young lady acted like a cat whose tail had been stepped on.
Just like now, a few stray hairs at Tang Xiaoning's temples were even trembling slightly with her rapid breathing.
Her nostrils flared, and two small flames burned in her beautiful peach blossom eyes, making her look exactly like a pampered raccoon with its fur standing on end, ready to scratch someone at any moment.
“You…” Li Minghua began, his fingertips unconsciously twirling the cold, stiff fabric of his clothes, a hint of inquiry in his voice, “Dislike her?”
Before she could finish speaking, Tang Xiaoning jumped back half a step as if her tail had been stepped on, as if her secret had been exposed.
"Who, who hates her!" She stiffened her snow-white neck, her voice suddenly rising, but her eyes flickered as she avoided Li Minghua's gaze.
To conceal her panic, she instinctively reached out and grabbed the jade pendant tassel hanging from Li Minghua's waist, beginning to haphazardly twist it around without any method, her fingers flying and her strength considerable.
"I'm annoyed that she's disturbing your peace and quiet! She's so annoying, you know? Buzzing around like a fly!" She spoke faster and faster, almost biting her tongue.
Without her noticing, a blush crept up her ears. "Yes! I'm the employer, and you're my guard... I paid you to hire me! Of course I have to protect... protect the peace and rights of my employees! This... this is only natural!"
Li Minghua didn't speak, but quietly lowered his eyes, watching the tassel of his fine mutton-fat jade pendant being twisted into a messy braid under Tang Xiaoning's fingertips.
A hint of almost helpless smile quietly surfaced in his eyes.
She raised her hand, her warm palm gently covering Tang Xiaoning's hand, which was still struggling with Suizi, and gave it a soothing pat.
"Hmm," came her soft, almost whispered reply from the breeze, "It's quite bothersome."
The hand that was wrapped around the tassel suddenly loosened its grip, and the jade pendant tassel slipped off.
"Then think of a way quickly!" She grabbed Li Minghua's sleeve again and pulled him onto the stone bench next to her without saying a word.
"You can't just let her hang around in front of you every day, can you? Do you expect her to even let you shower and change clothes..." The rest of her words seemed too horrifying, and she choked on them.
Two deeper blushes rose on her cheeks as she angrily sat down opposite Li Minghua.
Li Minghua sat down following her lead, looking at the person in front of him who was flustered and agitated, and pondered for a moment: "Transfer her to the manor in the suburbs?"
Her voice remained steady as she spoke of what she believed to be a feasible solution.
"No, no!" Tang Xiaoning shook her head hastily, her slender index finger waving rapidly in front of her eyes, her rejection firm and resolute.
“Uncle Fu was praising her to my mother the day before yesterday, saying that her pickled cucumbers were absolutely delicious and my mother loved them. If she’s transferred away, my mother will definitely start nagging me!” She said, resting her chin on her hand in annoyance.
"So..." Li Minghua paused, "...avoid her?"
"Avoid?!" Tang Xiaoning exclaimed as if she had heard a fairy tale.
Her almond-shaped eyes widened, and she suddenly pointed her finger at the corner of the courtyard wall, her voice changing tone:
"My dear Lady Li, you are so open-minded!"
Yesterday, when you went to the outhouse, she was 'just right' there sweeping the floor at the door.
Is it even possible to avoid it? It's practically..." She racked her brains for words, "...not leaving his side for a moment!"
The two sat across the stone table, facing the indigo outfit standing in the middle, and fell into silence for a moment.
The autumn wind swirled a few withered yellow leaves, rustling as they brushed against the stone steps, making a soft, breaking sound.
The afternoon sun lazily shone on the two of them, but it couldn't dispel the stagnant atmosphere.
Suddenly, a muffled bang broke the silence.
Tang Xiaoning slammed her clenched fist onto the cold stone table without warning, making the celadon teacup on the table clink and spill tea over the rim.
"Never mind!" She stood up abruptly, as if she had made a do-or-die decision.
She snatched the indigo outfit from Li Minghua's arms and hugged it tightly to herself.
The cold, hard fabric digs into her arm, but she doesn't seem to care. Her small, delicate chin is held high, almost high enough to catch the scattered gold dust in the sunlight.
Her tone was domineering: "She brings me soup, I'll drink it! She dares to mend your clothes—" Her gaze swept over the fine stitches, a hint of provocation and disdain in her eyes, "I'll just untie her threads one by one! Let's see who can outlast whom!"
Her voice sounded exceptionally clear and loud in the quiet courtyard.
Li Minghua gazed at her.
The young girl stood in the warm autumn sunlight streaming through the courtyard, clutching the cold, hard-fitting outfit that seemed completely out of place with her proud and aloof demeanor.
Sunlight danced on the tips of her dark hair, casting a vibrant and persistent halo over her entire being.
A warm, fluttering feeling quietly crept into Li Minghua's dormant heart, spreading layer by layer.
She raised the corners of her lips very slightly, and her fingers twitched inside her sleeve, gently hooking the end of Tang Xiaoning's sash that was fluttering in the wind and just happened to fall beside her.
The silky feel of the fabric lingered around her fingertips.
"Okay." Qingfeng finally gave her a soft response, her voice even softer than before.
She didn't look into Tang Xiaoning's eyes, but instead focused her gaze on the end of the sash she was hooking, gently pulling it straight with her fingertips.
“Your belt is crooked,” she said, simply stating a perfectly ordinary fact. “I’ll straighten it for you.”
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
