There were many people on the street, so I found a place to rest. I looked at the menu and saw that it was full of ordinary dishes, so I ordered two of them, along with some flower tea and a small dessert.
"Hey bro, do you mind sharing a table?" I was just idly fanning myself when I heard that familiar voice. I was about to run away when Xie Yuancheng coughed.
I turned around and smiled at him, "Brother Xie, what brings you out?"
“I followed behind him the whole time, and he didn’t leave a single note when he left. Yingdi has really grown bold!”
Xie Yuancheng started being sarcastic again. I smiled and handed him the menu: "Brother Xie, the dishes here are all home-style, you can order something."
"Yes, sir, our dishes have many repeat customers!" The waiter also began to solicit customers enthusiastically.
"What did this customer order just now?"
"Two meat dishes, jade shrimp and stewed sea bass, one cold dish, cold shredded vegetables, a pot of flower tea and hibiscus cake."
"Alright, I'll have a pot of Taiqing wine, a cup of Ziqin felt, and a dish of fine pickled vegetables."
"Okay~ I'll get on it right away."
The waiter left happily, but Xie Yuancheng ordered another cup of wine: "We already have a pot, why did you order another cup?"
“This is for Yingdi. Didn’t you want to go out and try some fine wine? If you finish this cup, I won’t be angry.”
"It's just one cup, I could drink a whole pot if you gave me that!"
I'm glad Xie Yuancheng isn't angry. I snuck out, and he's just making small talk with me. I can't stand being treated like this.
"Sigh, my wife ran away. She's so willful. She doesn't consider my feelings at all. All she knows is to run away."
Xie Yuancheng began to sigh, and people on both sides looked over. I pulled his clothes under the table and said, "Don't be like this. Didn't I say that we just ran away and will go back?"
“Yingdi doesn’t know, my wife just likes to bully me. From the day she married me, she’s never given me a moment’s peace. For countless days and nights, I only dared to cry in secret, afraid that she would see me, because I was worried that she would leave me and run away.”
"Marrying a wife like that is a real nightmare!" a burly man exclaimed. "Brother, don't be sad. If she runs away later, you can marry a better one!"
"That's right. There are plenty of women, but you can't marry those stinky girls who caused chaos in the city recently. They're all troublemakers, and their stinky feet could kill a whole street."
"Yes, their stinky mouths and bodies are even more repulsive. Everyone wants to hit them when they see them. Fortunately, some older women disregard their dignity and bring their children to beat them up. It's really gratifying."
"Exactly, I've never seen such a shameless girl before. Okay, let's not talk about them anymore, it's getting more and more annoying."
I felt uncomfortable hearing this. Xie Yuancheng is so petty; I knew he remembered everything, and now he's starting to settle scores with me.
"Yuancheng, don't be angry. I really know I was wrong."
"Yingdi, what are you saying?" Xie Yuancheng started to pretend. This damned Marquis, he just knows how to fool me.
"Brother Xie, your wife is absolutely wonderful, she just has a few minor flaws, which is why you're so reluctant to let her go, isn't that right?"
"Yes, my wife is the best, I love her the most~"
Xie Yuancheng started grinning foolishly, and the people eating around him joined in, then continued eating and chatting. He was still very good at giving me a way out, so I didn't hold it against him for slandering me now; he was really too generous.
The dishes hadn't been served yet, so I used a fan to half-cover my face as I spoke to Xie Yuancheng, who nodded repeatedly. We were just having a pleasant conversation when we heard a timid voice.
"Sir, would you like to buy a handkerchief? This is something I painstakingly embroidered, it's double-sided."
She was a girl of about fourteen years old, wearing patched but clean clothes, talking to a young man with a long beard.
I glanced at it a couple more times, and Xie Yuancheng kicked my shin, so I stopped looking.
"You stingy guy~" I whispered in Xie Yuancheng's ear. He raised his eyebrows at me, and I took the opportunity to nudge his arm.
"Where did this brat come from? Stop talking like that! Are you one of those troublemakers?"
"No, no." The girl waved her hands and backed away, her head lowered. "I, I was trying to raise money for my husband to buy medicine. I couldn't sell the handkerchiefs, so I came in to sell them."
"Hahaha, lying at such a young age, what kind of man is he! If you want to be a man, go look in the mirror. You're all fair and clean-cut, but your mouth is full of lies."
"Grandpa, I really didn't lie." I glanced at her; her face was flushed. "My husband is a little slow. He damaged his brain when he was a child. The doctor said that he would get better if he kept taking medicine, so I make handicrafts to earn money."
"Oh, don't make things difficult for her. She looks like she's had a hard time; her shoes are worn out, and her toes are sticking out." A kind-looking person spoke up: "Young lady, how much is your handkerchief?"
"It costs twenty coins. I know it's a bit expensive, but my husband needs to take his medicine, and I have no other choice."
This young girl kept mentioning her man, while Xie Yuancheng, with his fake flirtatious eyes, looked at me with enthusiasm.
“My man is so good, he never makes me worry about these things.”
Knowing he was going to interrogate me, I confessed first. Xie Yuancheng laughed heartily: "What if I'm crippled and incapable?"
"You won't go hungry, don't worry about it." I really admire him; he can get angry with a stranger like me.
Xie Yuancheng was truly happy now, and when the dishes arrived, he even put some food on my plate. The little girl's handkerchief was sold; there are still many good people in this world.
Actually, if no one else buys her handkerchief, I might. She's a very sentimental person, and twenty coins would be absolutely worth it.
I looked at the strange glass of wine. Xie Yuancheng put it aside and told me to eat more food and drink it later. I didn't like the look of it, but I pretended to be nonchalant. It's just a glass; I'd drink the whole pot.
He caught me sneaking out this time, so I have to behave myself, or I'll be in big trouble.
"Xixi, be careful coming up." It was that little girl's voice. Why was she here again?
The restaurant was quite noisy at first, but suddenly it became quiet. I just ate a piece of pickled vegetables, and it was really delicious.
"It's here! What a beautiful restaurant!" came a rough, old woman's voice. I glanced at Xie Yuancheng, and only after he nodded did I turn to look.
"Young lady, what's going on here?" The kind-faced man's eyes widened. He was sitting alone with a servant standing behind him, surrounded by an old woman, a young girl, and a man who looked foolish.
"Grandpa, my name is Ye Ye, and his name is Xi Xi. This is my mother-in-law, who is also my mother. I've come to thank you both."
"Okay, okay, have you eaten? Do you want to join us?" The man was clearly startled; his face was blank.
But Ye Ye clearly took it seriously. She's not very old, so she didn't realize it was just polite talk. I thought her mother-in-law would try to dissuade her, but she just touched her hair shyly, with an expectant look on her face.
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