Liu Yungen started to speak, but when he glanced up and caught his sister’s warning look, he drooped his head and said dejectedly, "I ran into him, broke the eggs, and twisted my ankle."

He figured he was already in for it, so he braced himself for a scolding and told the truth.

’He had originally thought he could pin the blame on Qingmu and get him to pay for the eggs, but his sister had guessed the situation in an instant. Plus, she seemed to know this Qingmu. What was the point of trying to frame him now? Might as well just take the tongue-lashing from Mom and Dad!’

Liu Yunlan was terrified her parents would demand Qingmu pay for the eggs—they were definitely the type to do something like that. She quickly explained that her brother had been careless and run into Qingmu. She added that Qingmu had been kind enough to bring him home and that they should be thanking him. Then, she mentioned that Qingmu was Uncle Yang Defa’s nephew, so he was someone they knew.

Hearing his daughter’s words, Liu Fugui looked at Qingmu in surprise. He took in the young man’s tall frame and handsome face, then remembered hearing that the Zheng Family had started making a lot of money last year, even building a new six-room, tile-roofed house in the fall. A wave of regret washed over him, so strong he wanted to slap himself. ’To think I chased away such a perfect son-in-law! I must’ve been a complete idiot.’

His wife was of the same mind, regretting it terribly.

The couple had never met Qingmu before. Now, seeing him, they couldn’t tell if it was his new short tunic that made him look exceptionally sharp or if it was just their imagination. In any case, they felt that this Qingmu was far superior to all the other young men who had come as potential suitors.

Liu Fugui plastered a brilliant smile on his face, grabbed Qingmu, and insisted he take a seat. Then, his face hardening, he turned to his son. "You need to watch where you’re going! Breaking the eggs is a small thing, but making Qingmu carry you all the way back here? You’ve held him up!" He spun back around, the smile instantly returning, and asked Qingmu, "So, Qingmu, are you here to visit your grandmother?"

Qingmu stared, taken aback. The man’s expressions changed so fast it was like watching a face-changing performance. Finding it both bizarre and amusing, he quickly answered, "Ah, yes! I’m bringing some things for my grandmother."

Liu Yungen was particularly sullen. ’Why are Mom and Dad yelling at me, too? And they’re not even mad about the eggs, they’re mad that I ran into someone. That’s a first.’

’My ankle is sprained, and not a single person has asked about it. They’re all fawning over that Qingmu. It’s so infuriating!’

Liu Fugui’s wife beamed at Qingmu. "We’re so sorry to have troubled you with this trip. Yunlan, hurry and get a meal started! Qingmu will eat with us. Fugui, go invite Uncle Yang Defa over as well."

Liu Fugui couldn’t have been more eager. He agreed at once and was about to head out to get Qingmu’s uncle.

Qingmu grew anxious and quickly stood up. "Uncle, Auntie, please don’t go to any trouble. Things are busy at home, so I can’t stay for a meal. You should hurry and take a look at Yungen’s foot—I think it’s sprained."

Liu Yungen’s eyes welled up, and he was on the verge of tears. ’Finally, someone cares about me! And it’s not my parents, but an outsider. Even my sister, who’s usually so thoughtful, forgot all about me today.’

Only then did Liu Fugui remember that his son had a sprained ankle. His clothes were dirty, too, and needed changing.

He told his wife to find some clean clothes for their son while bending down to feel the boy’s ankle, checking if it was dislocated. He then turned back to urge Qingmu not to leave, flustered by all the activity.

Seeing how anxious Qingmu was, Liu Yunlan said to her father reproachfully, "Qingmu has things to do. Bringing Yungen home has already taken up so much of his time, and here you are, still holding him up with all this small talk."

She then looked up at Qingmu. "Qingmu, we’ve really troubled you. We should insist you stay for a meal, but you seem to be in a hurry and probably aren’t free. When you visit during the New Year, you must come to our house for dinner. How about that?"

Her words were exactly what Qingmu had been hoping to hear. Her wide-eyed gaze made his heart skip a beat, and he quickly looked down. "Well, I was the one who bumped into your brother, so bringing him home was the right thing to do. It’s just so busy at year’s end, so I won’t impose."

With that, he picked up his burlap sack and headed for the door.

Liu Fugui immediately left his son’s side and hurried after Qingmu. "Leaving already? Oh, dear! We’ve held you up for so long, and you won’t even stay for a meal. I feel just terrible about it." He still wanted to make Qingmu stay.

Qingmu quickly insisted there was no need for such formality, saying it was a small matter and the right thing to do.

He thought, ’If you know you’ve held me up for so long, then why aren’t you letting me leave?’

Liu Yunlan also came out. "Dad," she said, "aren’t you just delaying Qingmu even more by saying all this? It’s alright, I’ll see him out. You go help my brother with his ankle." Then she turned to Qingmu. "Let’s go."

Only then did Liu Fugui smile, tell Qingmu to take care, and watch his daughter walk out of the courtyard with him before heading back inside. ’My daughter is a sensible girl,’ he thought. ’I’m not worried about her seeing him off.’

Liu Yunlan walked Qingmu just outside the courtyard gate. "Thank you so much for today, Qingmu," she said with a smile. "And please don’t take it the wrong way. My parents can be a little long-winded, but they don’t mean any harm."

As she spoke, a slight blush rose to her cheeks.

’It’s not that they mean any harm, they’re just being selfish, hoping to form a marriage tie with the Zheng Family again. But their shameless, fawning behavior... it’s so clingy it makes even me blush to watch.’

Qingmu quickly replied, "Not at all. Your uncle and auntie were just being hospitable."

When he saw her blushing face and bashful gaze, he found himself at a loss for words. Feeling his own face flush, he quickly lowered his head and mumbled, "Well, I’ll be going." With that, he scurried away as if making an escape.

From behind him, Liu Yunlan’s clear voice called out, "Qingmu! Wait!"

Hearing that clear voice made his heart flutter. He stopped in his tracks but didn’t dare turn around. "What is it?" he asked.

Liu Yunlan said, "Your grandmother’s house is over here. You’re going the wrong way."

Qingmu hastily turned around. A quick glance confirmed it: he was indeed going the wrong way.

He felt his face burn even hotter. He gave Liu Yunlan an awkward smile, and seeing that she was watching him with an amused look, he said sheepishly, "I wasn’t paying attention. Went the wrong way."

With that, he began walking back in the proper direction.

(To be continued. If you like this work, you’re welcome to vote for it with recommendation and monthly tickets at qidian.com. Your support is my greatest motivation.)