"Wife?" Ye Ziāan looked at her with some confusion, but seeing that her complexion was still normal, he approached her.
Yang Chuxia wrapped her arms around his neck, pushed him onto the long bench, and then said, "Come on, recite a passage from the Three Character Classic for me."
"Are you sure?" Ye Ziāan gave her a somewhat sinister glance.
"Certain." Letās test how silly or not by testing memory first.
So, Brother An recited a passage about humans being inherently good at birth.
After he finished, Yang Chuxia continued, "Now recite a section from The Analects for me, and afterwards, from The Great Learning and the Doctrine of the Mean."
When Ye Ziāan had finished reciting, Yang Chuxia slapped him on the head.
"Look at you, not stupid at allāare you really so childish that you were going to tattle to mother?"
Ye Ziāan immediately didnāt know whether to laugh or cry; it seemed his wife was testing whether he was indeed foolish.
"Hmph, mother said if you bully me, sheāll stand up for me! You just now made my waist turn blue with your pinching," Ye Ziāan continued to pretend.
"Tsch, I clearly didnāt even use any strength just now," she replied, then her eyes rolled again, "But since youāre going to tattle anyway, I might as well bully you a bit more, and you can go and tattle about it all together."
While talking, she hooked her hand and lifted Ye Ziāanās chin, then kissed him squarely, again and again.
"Iāve finished bullying you. Off you go to mum, like a weaned child running to her at the first sign of trouble," she said.
"Wife, why donāt you bully me some more?" An, with puppy eyes, stared at her slightly reddened lips, "Itās okay if I go and tattle later."
"Pff..." Yang Chuxia nearly burst into laughter, "Our son is right there."
"Theyāre still young!"
"Go, go, go, go read to the child." Having laughed enough, Yang Chuxia pushed An away. Ye Ziāan inwardly scoffed, now youāre crossing the river and tearing down the bridge; just wait and see how Iāll deal with you later.
"Lele, did you see that? Your dad is so pitiful, bullied by your mom again." Seeing that Yang Chuxia was about to leave, Ye Ziāan spoke mournfully to Lele.
Yang Chuxia just smiled and shook her head; this man could be ridiculously funny sometimes.
~~~~~~~
At the Li Family, Auntie Li stewed over the matter all night like flipping pancakes, tossing and turning, unable to sleep. Uncle Li asked her what was wrong but she wouldnāt say.
After eating breakfast the next morning, instead of doing anything else, she hurriedly made her way to Land Officer Yangās house. Mrs. Land Officer saw her coming and wasnāt in a good mood; furthermore, Land Officer Yang was still in the inner room at this time, having slept in because of his age and just gotten up.
Upon seeing her, Mrs. Land Officer said, "You might as well not ask; thereās no chance. Yesterday, my old man asked several branches of the family, and none were interested."
Auntie Li still didnāt believe it and insisted on waiting until Land Officer Yang came out to ask him herself. Mrs. Land Officer, though annoyed, didnāt stop her.
When Land Officer Yang came out and she heard that the third branch of the family hadnāt given a response yet, her eyes lit up, and she wanted Land Officer Yang to help ask again.
But Land Officer Yang was unwilling to go again; after what Ms. Hong had said the day before, he felt like a fool even considering it. Who does thatāasking people whether they want to pick up a cuckoldās hat again?
"If you really want to ask, you can go yourself; I certainly wonāt be asking," said Land Officer Yang, along with repeating what the fourth branch had said.
Auntie Li, having listened, said, "Iāll ask myself then if I have to," huffing out of Land Officer Yangās house to head towards the third branch of the Yang family.
Meanwhile, at the Li house, Ms. Ye was also discussing this matter with Yang Lichun.