Chapter 9

In the evening, after Liu Jumei and Xiaobei had gone back to their rooms, Jiang Manzhu was once again stopped by Li Linxi.

"What do you want?" Jiang Manzhu looked at him in confusion. Was he planning to discuss the issue of finding a wife that had come up earlier?

"Watch over Xiaobei when he goes out to play. Make sure he doesn't get bullied," Li Linxi said in a commanding tone, firm and authoritative.

Jiang Manzhu would indeed take care of Xiaobei, but Li Linxi's tone irritated her.

"Are you ordering me to do something?" Jiang Manzhu immediately voiced her displeasure. Her pretty eyes were filled with anger, determined to teach Li Linxi about the proper attitude when asking for help.

Li Linxi looked down at her furious expression and said, "Isn't this something you're supposed to do?"

"It is, but the way you're talking to me makes me uncomfortable." Jiang Manzhu wasn't one to hold back. She nodded and then spoke earnestly:

"Linxi, this won't do. Even though I'm just your sister-in-law, I'm still your elder. How can you talk to an elder like that?"

"Moreover, you're asking me for a favor. If you use this tone and make me angry, what if I decide not to care about Xiaobei?"

"Acting so impulsively could lead to serious consequences. You should reflect on your lack of rationality!"

Jiang Manzhu lectured Li Linxi, offering him the wisdom of someone more experienced. Kid, you should appreciate your blessings.

Li Linxi raised an eyebrow and mimicked her tone, "Are you teaching me how to do things?"

"Linxi, there's an old saying, 'He who does not heed his elders will suffer for it.' Elders offer advice because they've been down this road and don't want you to make the same mistakes." Remember that? I'm the elder, I've even taught you, so you should respect me.

Li Linxi let out a sneering laugh, leaving behind the words, "Just make sure you take care of Xiaobei and don't let him get bullied," before walking away.

Jiang Manzhu stood there, watching him leave for a few seconds, wondering if he had even listened to her.

Sigh, forget it. Young people are like that; they need to hit a wall to learn.

She sighed, put her hands on her lower back like an old person, and walked away.

Not long after, she heard Li Linxi's voice again, "Regarding my mom wanting the matchmaker to find me a potential match, don't meddle."

He had ignored the topic at the dinner table, but clearly, he had taken it in.

It annoyed him, and besides, this matter had nothing to do with Jiang Manzhu. She shouldn't be stirring things up.

Surprised, Jiang Manzhu dropped her "old person" act and said, "Of course. Actually, it was Mom who brought it up, but if you don't want it, she won't force you."

Li Linxi knew that, but Jiang Manzhu's constant stirring up was really getting on his nerves.

…

The next day, after Xiaobei and Jiang Manzhu finished gathering pigweed, they split up.

One went to bring water to Mom and Third Brother, and the other went to do laundry.

When Li Linxi saw Jiang Manzhu coming to bring him water every day, he had wanted to refuse. But when Xiaobei eagerly asked, "You don't like it?" he swallowed his words.

Compared to having Xiaobei come out in the scorching sun, Jiang Manzhu doing it… well, he could tolerate it.

But today, when he saw Xiaobei coming, Li Linxi was a bit surprised. "Xiaobei, why is it you coming today?"

Had Jiang Manzhu started ordering his six-year-old (mentally) brother around? Was she starting to slack off?

"Sister-in-law went to do the laundry." Xiaobei blinked his innocent eyes, not understanding why his brother was asking this, but answered honestly.

Oh…

What? Laundry? Whose laundry?

Li Linxi suddenly thought of this serious issue, and his sharp eyes radiated an icy chill as he stared at Xiaobei.

He wanted to ask something, but his rational mind kicked in, knowing that asking would be pointless.

Yesterday at the dinner table, this issue had come up. But at the time, he had been distracted by talk of Xiaobei going out to play and his own marriage, so it had slipped his mind.

"And now?" Li Linxi felt his hands trembling slightly. How embarrassing!!!

"And now? When I left, Sister-in-law had already started washing the clothes. By now, she's probably finished, right?" Xiaobei replied blankly.

"Oh… you should head back now. The weather is really hot, and you might get heatstroke," Li Linxi quickly dismissed the issue, urging his little brother to return early and avoid the sun.

Xiaobei, being an obedient child, nodded after hearing his third brother's words, leaving the water jug behind.

"Third brother, make sure to drink it. This time, sister-in-law added sugar; it's really sweet." Sweet water—so delicious. Too bad sister-in-law wouldn't let him drink too much, saying it was for mom and third brother.

"Mm, got it." Li Linxi's attitude toward Xiaobei was much better compared to how he treated Jiang Manzhu.

Li Linxi knew that once he got back, his little brother would check to see if he'd finished it. Besides, the wood and sugar used to make the 'juice' weren't something he could just throw away.

When he returned home at noon, he silently passed by the familiar clothes hanging on the drying rack at the door.

During lunch, only the three of them talked. Li Linxi stayed silent the entire time, which worried Liu Jumei.

After the meal, Liu Jumei secretly pulled Jiang Manzhu and Xiaobei aside to ask if something had happened to Linxi.

Jiang Manzhu: ??? Didn't he seem fine when he went out earlier? Did he hurt his foot while hoeing?

Xiaobei: Did something happen? What's wrong with third brother? He seemed just fine—eating and sleeping well.

Liu Jumei, looking at their confused and clueless expressions, realized she couldn't rely on either of them. This family couldn't function without her!

Liu Jumei secretly observed Linxi but didn't notice anything wrong, aside from his being unusually quiet.

Maybe… he was just tired from working in the field? Didn't feel like talking and just wanted to rest?

Relaxing a bit after thinking that, she was mostly just worried that Linxi might be exhausted or feeling unwell. She feared her third son might end up like her first and second sons.

"Linxi, are you okay?" Liu Jumei asked seriously and with concern. "Don't make your mother worry. Now, it's just you and Xiaobei left for me."

Li Linxi was surprised by his mother's question. "I'm fine, Mom. Why are you asking me that?"

"You've been so quiet today, you scared me…" Although Liu Jumei usually seemed cheerful, she was actually as nervous as a startled bird, unable to handle any more shocks.

"I'm just worried you'll pressure me into getting married again." Li Linxi stayed silent for two seconds before using this as an excuse.

Saying he was too hot or tired wouldn't work—they'd just worry he had heatstroke or was sick.

As expected, when he said that, Liu Jumei immediately understood. However, "Linxi, every man has to marry, and every woman has to wed. What's there to worry about? Do you think I would harm you?"

Liu Jumei had reached the age where she wanted to hold a grandchild. Looking at her son, she sighed deeply.

"Mom, I'm still young; there's no rush! I'm not even old enough to get married legally yet." Li Linxi quickly refused and brought up another fact to try and convince Liu Jumei.

"What legal or not legal! You're grown up already. What kids aren't married at this age? Don't follow those bad examples from others."

Liu Jumei didn't want to hear it. She used the "other kids" card, saying he shouldn't imitate the wrong things others did.

"Mom, we should follow the country's laws. Whatever the country says, we do." Li Linxi pressed his lips together calmly, fully expressing his "I don't want to get married" stance.

Liu Jumei didn't understand and tried to convince him, but no matter how much she argued, Li Linxi wouldn't change his mind.

In the end, Liu Jumei could only leave with a sigh. Ugh, what could she do with such a rebellious son who didn't want to get married?

Seeing her mother-in-law's distressed face, Jiang Manzhu, being the "good daughter-in-law," couldn't just stand by and do nothing.

"Mom, what's wrong?" Jiang Manzhu approached with concern.

Liu Jumei shook her head. "Linxi still doesn't want to get married. He's worried we'll push him. We'll leave the matter for another time."

Jiang Manzhu: Oh, how could a no-romance male protagonist possibly get married? Got it.

"Mom, Linxi is still young and doesn't understand. Once he grows up, he'll figure it out. By then, you won't even have to push him—he'll be eager to find a wife himself," Jiang Manzhu reassured Liu Jumei with a smile.

Whether or not Liu Jumei understood her, her worried expression finally eased. Yes, Linxi was still too young to understand…

The only one who wasn't pleased with these words was Li Linxi, especially that last part. His face immediately darkened—what did Jiang Manzhu take him for??? So vulgar!

Jiang Manzhu didn't doubt what Liu Jumei said, considering Li Linxi had warned her the previous night.

Ugh, it's really hard being stuck between my mother-in-law and brother-in-law. This must be what it's like to be a sandwich as a woman!

Indeed, this family couldn't function without her being the lubricant. She was important!

After internally praising herself for her importance, Jiang Manzhu brushed off the matter. She was busy—taking care of her little brother, studying hard, and doing housework!

Life was mundane and unchanging. Jiang Manzhu felt she could slowly get used to it.

There was no other way. People had to keep living, had to get through the days. She couldn't just run into a wall and end her life, could she?

That night, after dinner, while Jiang Manzhu went out to drink some water, she suddenly saw Li Linxi sneaking out alone?!

Jiang Manzhu widened her pretty eyes in shock as she watched Li Linxi sneak out in the middle of the night like a thief. What was he up to???

There was no way Li Linxi was out to steal anything—that was beneath him and didn't fit the grandeur of a leading man.

So, was Li Linxi out to meet someone secretly? Oh, right! Why was he so against his mom arranging a match for him? Why didn't he want to get married in the future?

Clearly, it was because a white-dressed girl, like a ray of light, had already left an indelible mark on his heart in his youth, and he could no longer love anyone else.

Hiss—

Jiang Manzhu sucked in a breath at this wild thought and then sneaked outside to watch Li Linxi leave.

She glanced back at Liu Jumei's room. She should be asleep by now.

Jiang Manzhu didn't dare follow him outside. Who knew what kind of danger she might run into? She decided to stay at home. As for where Li Linxi went, that was none of her business.

Wait, didn't she see him carrying a bucket earlier?

Where was he taking the bucket?

In the dead of night, was he planning to go to the fish pond to catch fish? Catch loaches?

But then Jiang Manzhu worried that Li Linxi might run into trouble. If something happened to him, wouldn't her mother-in-law be heartbroken? After all, they'd lived together for some time, and feelings had developed.

The key was… if something happened to them, she'd have to return to the educated youth dormitory. That place wasn't unlivable, but with over twenty people sharing a room, conflicts were inevitable.

After a few seconds of thought, Jiang Manzhu sat there, missing the modern world's smartphones, Wi-Fi, and air conditioning…

Not long after, Li Linxi returned.

Jiang Manzhu poked her head out and saw him pulling clothes out of the bucket… and hanging them up?

So, he'd gone to wash clothes?

Sneakily?

For a moment, Jiang Manzhu felt she couldn't fathom what was going on in the male lead's head. Sneaking out in the middle of the night to wash clothes?

Was he worried they'd be stolen or rot if left until tomorrow?

Jiang Manzhu shook her head, then returned to her room with a candle, choosing not to comment on the male lead's peculiar habits. She didn't understand but respected them!

On her way back to the room, she accidentally kicked a stool, causing a loud clang, which startled Li Linxi into rushing back inside, fearing the house had been robbed. "Who's there?"

As soon as he stepped in, he saw Jiang Manzhu holding a candle. In the flickering light, her beautiful, glamorous face was filled with an indescribable speechlessness.

"Linxi, I just got thirsty and came out for some water. You should rest early too…" I didn't see anything, and I don't know anything.

Li Linxi was silent, embarrassed, but quickly buried that emotion under a calm and indifferent demeanor. He nodded at her, then went outside to finish hanging the clothes.