Chapter 15 Li Xiao couldn't bear to see Lan Yunzhi die, but Lan Yunzhi might not want to live like this.
After thinking about it, I decided to honestly explain that I had never actually eaten dumplings before.
Therefore, they wouldn't know which fillings would taste better.
so……
"It's best if you decide, young master. I trust your cooking skills, and I'm not picky about food," I replied with a smile.
Before Young Master Lan could react, Li Xiao, who had been watching coldly from the sidelines, hummed and spoke again.
"Tch, what a little bootlicker, all he knows is to say flattering things to please people, how fake is that?"
Li Xiao didn't look at me when he spoke, but his intentions were clearly directed at me.
Because I was in a good mood, I simply laughed off his usual sarcasm and ridicule. I thought to myself, this young master Li can only talk the talk, and I'm not afraid of verbal abuse.
However, seeing him suddenly become even more agitated and prickly than before, like a frightened hedgehog, I couldn't help but feel even more curious about the specifics of what had happened downstairs earlier.
No one knows what the black-clad youth's background is. He didn't seem to do anything, but just standing there seemed to be enough to infuriate Li Xiao.
At this moment, Young Master Lan spoke up, casually taking over Li Xiao's ridicule of me.
Whether it's true or not is hard to say, but it's still much better than some people who deliberately say unpleasant things.
Young Master Lan's voice was soft and not very loud.
Normally, such cold words would have been enough to extinguish all of Li Xiao's resentment.
Today, however, it seems to have backfired somewhat.
Because Li Xiao seemed even angrier, and even unusually, he started to refute her.
The young man first gave a light chuckle, then stared at Young Master Lan and said, word by word, "Yes, my words were harsh. But I'm not as good as that Shen family brat, who can dismiss everything with a single, casual remark, as if nothing ever happened."
Upon hearing this, Young Master Lan frowned slightly: "Li Xiao, if you want to go crazy, go home and do it. Unreasonable people aren't welcome here. If..."
He paused for a moment, then met the boy's gaze without flinching: "If you're really suffering too much, you can just say it directly, or simply cut ties with me. There's no need to drag innocent people into this."
Li Xiao was clearly taken aback by the resolute intent revealed in Young Master Lan's words.
Suddenly snapping out of his daze, he frowned and stared at Young Master Lan in disbelief, as if he couldn't believe that the other would say such hurtful words.
After a moment, he clenched his fist and muttered, "Innocent... Are you serious? He's surnamed Shen, a legitimate member of the Shen family! Or have you already forgotten who his father is in just over a month? Forgot who caused the entire Lan family to be confiscated overnight? Forgot how you went from being a dignified top scholar to this state?"
Faced with Li Xiao's furious accusations, Young Master Lan simply lowered his eyes and remained silent.
The boy, receiving no response, pounded his chest, becoming increasingly agitated.
Li Xiao pointed to his own nose and questioned the other party with a self-deprecating tone: "Lan Yunzhi, you say I'm crazy? But who is crazy enough to smile at the son of the enemy who killed their entire family?!"
If I remember correctly, this should be the first time I've ever heard Li Xiao call Lan Gongzi by his full name.
This was the first time I'd ever heard Li Xiao speak to Young Master Lan so aggressively, as if he were interrogating him.
As the situation spiraled out of control, I became increasingly anxious, but I also knew that the issues between them were beyond my control as an outsider.
...Perhaps I should go out and tell the manager to come and break up the fight.
Otherwise, given Li Xiao's current state of anger, I'm afraid he might lose control and take action.
Although Young Master Lan was tall and strong, he was still a refined man and would naturally not have the upper hand in a scuffle with someone like Li Xiao. Besides, Li Xiao was ultimately a guest of the establishment.
Just as I was thinking this, Li Xiao's voice suddenly dropped, and his head drooped low.
I think I heard a faint, almost imperceptible tremor in the boy's voice.
"If you say you're innocent... shouldn't the most innocent ones be your mother, your sisters, and the other members of the Lan family who grew up with you? But they're all dead, never to return... Have you forgotten all of this?"
After speaking, Li Xiao raised his head and stared intently at Young Master Lan's face with an almost solemn gaze.
It seemed as if they were trying their best to find the answer they wanted from that face.
"Yes, Ah Xiao, you're right."
Young Master Lan finally spoke, his words seemingly agreeing with Li Xiao's statement. But before the young man opposite him could relax, Young Master Lan continued speaking slowly.
"So all the innocent people are dead."
"..."
"And I survived, so what do you think that means?"
"..."
"The past is the past. Just like the Lan Yunzhi of the past, he should have disappeared along with the others in the Lan family long ago, or at the very least, he should have died on the way here. Instead, he's stuck in this place now, living out his remaining years as if nothing happened."
Young Master Lan always spoke slowly and gently. He was the same way now, yet he inexplicably gave off an unprecedented sense of coldness.
Under his calm gaze, Li Xiao's face, which had been flushed red from the emotional turmoil, suddenly turned deathly pale.
The boy murmured, his expression a mixture of panic and resentment.
"But—but I can't just watch you die. I can't help anyone else, but you... I promised your aunt, I promised her I would make sure you lived no matter what. Could it be... could it be that I did something wrong?!"
Hearing this, I had a general idea of what was going on.
The sudden change that befell the Lan family affected everyone in the household.
Originally, he should have been eliminated completely, but because Li Xiao mediated at Madam Lan's request, in the end, only Young Master Lan survived.
The price was being reduced to a lowly status, confined to this brothel where people came and went, with no chance of escape.
— Li Xiao couldn't bear to see Lan Yunzhi die, but Lan Yunzhi might not want to live like this.
The day before he was taken into the building, Young Master Lan had already decided to die on the road and end it all.
Unfortunately, thanks to Li Xiao's intervention, he barely escaped with his life.
Li Xiao seemed to have fulfilled Madam Lan's dying wish, but this also created a rift between him and the current Young Master Lan. Therefore, although Li Xiao had been trying his best to please Young Master Lan, Young Master Lan's attitude remained lukewarm, polite but distant.
Li Xiao had been enduring it all; he had a bad temper and had never been one to tolerate being wronged since childhood.
However, faced with his former best friend who had lost his family and was now powerless to help him, he could not take a tough stance, neither out of emotion nor reason.
Until today, the sudden appearance of that black-clad youth with the surname Shen shattered the superficial peace that had been barely maintained.
Li Xiao hates the Shen family, believing that it is the Shen family's suppression of the Lan family that has led to the current irreversible situation.
He was already angry with the young man surnamed Shen, and when he saw that Young Master Lan, who should have been his ally, was actually being friendly with the son of his enemy, he could no longer control the grievances and resentment that had been building up for so long.
—Following the deceased's wishes, he saved his close friend's life more than once. Did he do something wrong?
While Li Xiao was asking Lan Gongzi a question, he was also questioning himself.
Just as the boy was hanging his head and falling into self-doubt, someone came up to him—it was Young Master Lan.
Young Master Lan maintained his calm and collected demeanor, yet his words were as earnest and heartfelt as those of a teacher or elder brother.
He sighed softly, "Ah Xiao, I've always known your feelings, and I don't think you've done anything wrong."
As he finished speaking, the boy's shoulders seemed to tremble slightly.
After a brief pause, Young Master Lan continued, "But since you've made up your mind to do it, you must accept the consequences. The Lan Yunzhi of the past is gone; that's a fact. Continuing to dwell on the past will only bring more trouble for both of us."
"..."
"Put it down. This is a debt belonging to the Lan family, and it's not fair for you to bear it."
As he spoke, Young Master Lan reached out his hand to the boy. I thought he would pat Li Xiao's head to comfort him.
In fact, Young Master Lan simply patted the latter's shoulder lightly.
Then she turned to me and asked what I usually ate on the Winter Solstice when I celebrated the festival at home in previous years.
I was stunned for a moment. After being an observer for so long, I didn't immediately catch up with the sudden shift in topic.
But Young Master Lan acted as if nothing was wrong, watching me and laughing nonchalantly.
I stammered an "Ah," and then answered a beat late: "For the Winter Solstice... we usually cook glutinous rice balls to eat."
That actually happened many years ago.
In the past two years, let alone glutinous rice balls, we haven't even been able to get a sip of sweet soup.
Young Master Lan seemed to have taken a liking to it: "Sweet rice balls, then have the kitchen prepare some more glutinous rice and red bean paste, as well as lard and sugar..."
I was even more stunned when I heard that. Was this a change from making dumplings to making glutinous rice balls?
Young Master Lan shook his head and denied it, saying, "Of course it's glutinous rice balls and dumplings together, and roasted sweet potatoes that Pipa wants to eat."
Hearing this, I suddenly realized that I might not really want to eat roasted sweet potatoes anymore—because in fact, I hadn't really wanted to in the first place.
Moreover, just hearing that these three things are to be eaten together makes me feel like I'm already three-tenths full.
Young Master Lan was completely unaware of my inner thoughts at that moment.
"I used to make dumplings. Although my skills were just so-so, they were passable. As for the important task of making glutinous rice balls, I'll leave it to Pipa."
Ah, this...
I really wanted to say that I had only eaten tangyuan a few times during the winter solstice, but seeing Mr. Lan smiling and looking at me, I couldn't bring myself to say the words of polite refusal.
Since a lot of materials were needed, Young Master Lan planned to take me to the back kitchen.
As for why he didn't ask someone else to do it for him, Lan Gongzi's original words were that doing it personally would create a sense of ceremony.
I don't really understand what a sense of ritual is.
Young Master Lan explained that it was a preparation that worked from a psychological perspective, without adding any extra seasonings, but made the food taste better.
I nodded as if I understood, indicating that I roughly understood.
Before leaving, I subconsciously glanced at Li Xiao, who hadn't said a word since earlier, and felt a little uneasy.
"Is it really okay to just leave it like this?"
As soon as I stepped outside, I tugged at Young Master Lan's sleeve, then lowered my voice and leaned closer to ask, without naming him.
Young Master Lan paused, glanced at the scene in the room, and gently shook his head: "It's alright, he'll figure it out sooner or later. It's better to have a short pain than a long one, it's better to realize it sooner."
"But..." I hesitated, wanting to ask again.
Young Master Lan suddenly reached out and patted my head: "Alright, believe me, Li Xiao isn't as fragile as you think."
He leaned down slightly to look me straight in the eye, then, to my surprise, gave me a slightly sly smile, as if he had pulled off a prank.
"So, instead of worrying about him, you should think more about your own affairs," said Young Master Lan.
I didn't actually mean to care about Li Xiao.
Moreover, objectively speaking, I didn't presume to think that the other person needed this concern.
The reason I asked that question earlier was because I felt that Li Xiao didn't seem to be in good condition, and I was afraid that something had happened to him in Young Master Lan's room, which might have implicated Young Master Lan and me.
However, when Young Master Lan told me to think more about my own affairs... did he mean to tell me not to meddle in other people's business, and that he had his own ideas?
That's true. With my brain, thinking about it is pointless. I might as well save my energy and eat and do more.
Later, after listening to what Young Master Lan said, I realized that what he really meant by asking me to think about my own affairs was whether I should eat more or less that night.
In his words, being able to eat is a blessing, but one should not overeat and harm one's health.
The main reason is that a couple of days ago I ate three large meat buns for dinner and woke up suddenly in the middle of the night, vomiting several times until my limbs were weak and my face was covered in tears and snot.
Finally, I had to trouble Young Master Lan to get up and personally wipe and take care of me. He then poured me a bowl of hot medicine, and I finally fell into a deep sleep, exhausted.
I can say that in all my life, apart from my mother, no one has ever taken such good care of me as Young Master Lan.
Thinking of this incident, my heart is filled with warmth, and I feel both grateful and guilty towards Young Master Lan.
This further strengthened his resolve to make a name for himself in the future and repay the other party properly.
I originally thought that after all that commotion, even if Li Xiao suddenly had a change of heart, he would leave first and then come to visit again another day.
To our surprise, when we returned with our bags, the boy was sitting there upright. Not only had he not left, but it seemed he hadn't even moved a step while we were gone.
Compared to Young Master Lan's composure, my reaction was much more obvious.
Seeing me standing there dumbfounded at the door, Li Xiao snorted softly, slowly stood up from his seat, walked to the door, and stretched out his hand to me.
I blinked, puzzled, and asked Li Xiao what he meant.
Li Xiao said succinctly: "Give me the sweet potato."
After hearing this, I was even more confused, and even let out a puzzled "Ah".
Li Xiao got impatient and simply snatched everything I was holding from my arms, then turned and went into the house.
I was left standing there completely bewildered, and I asked Young Master Lan what Li Xiao was up to.
...Could it be that the stimulation really went too far and he went mad?
Young Master Lan remained calm upon hearing this, pointing to himself and then to me.
Then, smiling, he said, "Perfect! One of us will make dumplings, and the other will roll glutinous rice balls. Plus, Li Xiao will roast sweet potatoes. Now we'll all be together."
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