When the pears are green

Chapter 170 Shuttlecock

Wu Mingde and Li Yun'an stood not far away and watched Yang Yu and Wu Mingshu who were talking. Li Yun'an suddenly understood why Yang Yu and Yang Jing wanted to go their separate ways.

"Mingde, Brother Yang wouldn't want to be your brother-in-law, would he?" Li Yun'an expressed his thoughts. When he came here, he thought Yang Yu was the most dedicated teacher he had ever met, but now it seems that he has ulterior motives.

Wu Mingde quickly covered Li Yun'an's mouth and told him not to talk nonsense. Li Yun'an nodded quickly, and he let go.

"Yun'an, don't talk nonsense. Last time, I helped Miss Yang bring braised chicken to her elder sister and mentioned Brother Yang. Her elder sister told me that she was not familiar with Brother Yang and they only met occasionally." Wu Mingde spoke a little loudly and was heard by Yang Yu who was walking over here.

The two words "unfamiliar" and "meet occasionally" were like two sharp swords piercing Yang Yu's body. He was in early autumn but his heart was already in winter.

Wu Mingshu digested Yang Yu's words as she walked. She felt that she should talk to Yang Jing and ask her not to worry too much about her. She also felt that she should find a husband for Yang Jing as soon as possible to distract her from her thoughts.

Wu Wei, who was waiting at the door, hurried over to greet Wu Mingde and his group when he saw them. He first looked Yang Yu up and down, then smiled and led the three of them into the main room.

The feeding was done by Wu Mingshu, Yang Jing and Wu Minghui. They originally wanted to make something simple, but after returning home, Wu Wei felt that it was not hospitality-like, so she asked Wu Li to make some more.

In the past, when Li Yun'an was at Wu's house, everyone ate together. But since Yang Yu was there today, Wu Wei asked Wu Li to lead Wu Mingshu and the other two to eat in the kitchen, and he went to the main hall to accompany Yang Yu and the other two.

Wu Wei originally wanted to ask Yang Yu to drink, but Yang Yu declined on the pretext that he had never drunk alcohol.

Wu Wei did not force it. He asked Yang Yu again, "I have heard Mingshu talk about my nephew and your sister. I wonder if you two have arranged a marriage?"

Yang Yu quickly shook his head and looked at Wu Wei a little nervously. He wanted Wu Wei to continue talking but also wanted Wu Wei to stop.

Seeing Yang Yu shaking his head, Wu Wei smiled and introduced the girl and boy of Chang's family to Yang Yu. Wu Wei was attracted by Yang Yu's status as a scholar, so he wanted to form a marriage with Yang Yu's family.

Li Yun'an saw Yang Yu's slightly disappointed expression, which made him more determined that Yang Yu wanted to be Wu Mingde's brother-in-law. So, he smiled and interrupted Wu Wei: "Uncle Wu should not ask whether Brother Yang has found a marriage, but whether he has a woman he likes."

"Yun'an, this is your favorite food, stop talking." Wu Mingde was afraid that Li Yun'an would talk nonsense again, so he quickly picked up a piece of tofu and put it into Li Yun'an's mouth.

Wu Wei understood the meaning of Li Yun'an's words. He raised his glass and took a sip of wine. He stopped introducing his relatives to Yang Yu and asked Yang Yu to eat more food.

Wu Wei stopped talking, and then Mrs. Wu Li in the kitchen began to mention the Chang brothers to Yang Jing.

"Aunt, I have to ask my mother and my third brother for their opinions. I don't care. As long as she looks pleasing to my eye, that's enough." Yang Jing answered Wu Li while eating.

Wu Mingshu then asked Yang Jing: "Jing'er, what kind of appearance suits your taste?"

Yang Jing frowned and thought about it, then she smiled and said that someone like Yang Yu would be fine.

Seeing Wu Lishi and Wu Mingshu looking surprised, Wu Minghui smiled and explained for Yang Jing: "Mother, elder sister, Sister Yang likes good-looking and gentle men. Brother Chang is not suitable, so you should stop randomly matching couples."

After hearing this, Yang Jing nodded quickly, then said with a smile that Wu Minghui still understood her.

Wu Li secretly thought it was a pity. She really liked a girl like Yang Jing who was both simple and insightful. After dinner, she asked Wu Mingshu to take Wu Minghui and Yang Jing to play in the yard.

Wu Mingde also walked out of the main hall with Yang Yu and Li Yun'an. He smiled and asked Wu Mingshu if she would like to go to the new house to play.

Wu Mingshu refused without a second thought, but Wu Minghui pulled her sleeve and begged, "Sister, let's go. I'm afraid our parents will dislike us for making a fuss at home."

Wu Mingshu was so annoyed by Wu Minghui's trouble that she agreed reluctantly.

Wu Minghui skipped out of the courtyard and was stopped by Wu Mingde who was waiting for her. Wu Mingde took out two copper coins from his purse and handed them to Wu Minghui, asking her to go to the Song family and call Song Yue to go to the new house to play.

Wu Minghui happily accepted it, then skipped and ran towards the Song family.

When Wu Minghui and Song Yue arrived at the Wu family's new house hand in hand, Wu Mingshu was persuading the confused Yang Jing not to worry about her too much.

"Sister, stop talking, let's play shuttlecock." Wu Minghui threw the shuttlecock in her hand to Wu Mingshu. Wu Mingshu kicked it twice and then passed it back to Wu Minghui.

Yang Jing and Song Yue also joined in, but they were both very strong, so they kicked the shuttlecock higher and farther.

Ever since Song failed to hit the locust tree with her slingshot in early summer, she started exercising every day. Although she was not as strong as Yang Jing, she could still wield a wooden stick with great force.

Wu Mingde, Yang Yu and Li Yun'an, who were talking in the study, were attracted by the sound in the yard. The three of them stood by the window and watched Song Yue and Yang Jing playing shuttlecock.

Yang Jing flipped sideways and kicked the shuttlecock towards Song Yue, who leaped into the air to catch the shuttlecock with her foot, then kicked it back to Yang Jing. Seeing the shuttlecock flying far away, Yang Jing quickly flipped backwards twice and successfully caught the shuttlecock before it hit the ground. Yang Jing proudly threw the shuttlecock up, then jumped up and swept the shuttlecock in the air towards Song Yue, who raised her left leg and swept it back.

The two girls kicked vigorously, and a lot of hair was stuck to their faces as their bodies moved.

"Jing'er, take a rest." Yang Yu was afraid that Yang Jing would catch a cold due to excessive sweating, so he quickly spoke up to stop Yang Jing.

Yang Jing was distracted and didn't catch the shuttlecock kicked by Song Yue. She looked at Yang Yu who had just called her in annoyance.

"Okay, your third brother is doing this for your own good. Go in and have a rest. I'll get you some water." Wu Mingshu asked Wu Minghui to take Yang Jing into the study, and she turned around and went to the kitchen.

Wu Mingde walked into the yard and picked up the shuttlecock that had fallen on the ground. He pulled Song Yue's sleeve and walked into the study, letting Song Yue sit in his chair to rest.

Li Yun'an placed the remaining chairs in the study next to Song Yue and asked Wu Minghui and Yang Jing to sit down and take a rest.

Wu Mingde teased Li Yun'an for being a good person, but Li Yun'an smiled indifferently. He said to Wu Mingde with a smile: "Mingde, Miss Song is very skilled. When we go to take part in the provincial examination, let Miss Song go with us. We will definitely be safe along the way."

Wu Mingde rolled his eyes at Li Yunan.

Song Yue smiled and responded to Li Yun'an's words: "Mr. Li really said what I was thinking, but my ability is limited. I can only take care of Mingde, not Mr. Li."

Wu Mingde was extremely excited after hearing this, and he glanced at Li Yun'an with a proud look.

Li Yun'an smiled and said he didn't care. He said that when the time comes, he will stay by Wu Mingde's side and never leave his side.

Everyone in the study was amused by Li Yun'an's words. Wu Mingshu walked into the study with some water. She asked everyone to drink the water first before arguing.

Yang Jing whispered the conversation between Song Yue and Li Yun'an to Wu Mingshu, and then asked Wu Mingshu: "Sister Mingshu, aren't you going to the county town on the Mid-Autumn Festival? Come with me to the town today and stay at my house first."

Yang Yu straightened his back after hearing Yang Jing's words. He hoped that Wu Mingshu would agree.

Wu Mingshu thought for a moment and said that she also wanted to go with Yang Jing, but it was not very convenient.

"It's very convenient. My mother spins cloth every day and my third brother reads in the room every day. No one cares about us. And my mother said that as long as you go, she won't let me spin cloth for a few days and will just let me accompany you to relax. Sister Mingshu, my mother also wants to see you too. I don't want to spin cloth every day. Please have pity on me!" Yang Jing squatted down and lay on Wu Mingshu's legs and kept begging.

Seeing Yang Jing act like a baby, Li Yun'an smiled and interrupted, "Sister Mingshu is also worried at home, why not go out and relax. If you don't want to trouble Miss Yang, you can stay at my house, and you can keep Lingling company. I also want to go to the county town during the Mid-Autumn Festival, and I will take you there in a bullock cart then."

"There are also Madam Jiang and the other three!" Yang Jing quickly added.

Li Yun'an said it was no problem. After he finished speaking, he looked meaningfully at Yang Yu, who was standing by the window without saying anything.

Yang Yu noticed Li Yun'an's gaze and quickly turned his head away.

Wu Mingshu felt that what Li Yun'an said made sense, and she didn't want to conflict with Wu Wei and Wu Li anymore, so finding an excuse to leave for a few days was a good idea.

Having made up her mind, Wu Mingshu went straight back to the old house. When she came back, she had a bag on her shoulders.

Sharp-eyed Wu Minghui noticed that Wu Mingshu's right cheek was slightly red. She hugged Wu Mingshu's waist and asked, "Sister, did mother hit you?"

"No, I touched it accidentally." Wu Mingshu raised her hand to cover her face.

Wu Mingde walked up and pulled Wu Mingshu's hand down. He looked carefully at the red mark on Wu Mingshu's face, then took Wu Mingshu to the old house to find Wu Li to argue.

"Mingde, don't go. I am unfilial and I shouldn't have made my mother angry. You should comfort her more during the days I'm away." Wu Mingshu grabbed Wu Mingde who was about to leave. She didn't want Wu Mingde to be involved in the conflict between her and Wu Li.

Wu Mingde sighed helplessly, took out his purse and stuffed it into Wu Mingshu's hand, then asked Li Yun'an to help Wu Mingshu rent a yard in the town to live in. It would be good for both Wu Mingshu and Wu Li to separate for a while.

Wu Mingshu returned the purse to Wu Mingde and said that she still had some private money, and if it was not enough, she would ask Wu Mingde for it.

Yang Jing nervously held Wu Mingshu's arm. She felt that if she hadn't said anything just now, this wouldn't have happened.

"Jing'er, don't blame yourself. Sooner or later, there will be another conflict between my mother and I." Wu Mingshu patted Yang Jing's hand to comfort her.

Yang Yu, who was watching from the sidelines, pinched his own hand, and kept persuading himself not to be impulsive. If he jumped out now, Wu Mingshu might choose to go to the Li family first.

Yang Jing kept comforting Wu Mingshu. She asked Wu Mingshu to live in her own home with peace of mind and come back when she wanted to.

Wu Mingshu nodded. She wanted to stay at the Yang family for two or three days, and then go directly to the county town to join Lin Chunhong.

Wu Mingde pulled the sad Wu Minghui and Song Yue to send Yang Jing, Yang Yu, Li Yun'an and Wu Mingshu to the village entrance. They left only when the ox cart was no longer visible.

"Xiaoyue, take Minghui to your home first. I'll go see my mother." After Wu Mingde said this, he was about to walk towards the old house.

Song Yue hurriedly grabbed Wu Mingde's sleeve. Wu Mingde turned around and smiled, saying that he would not be impulsive.