Noodles

Seeing that it was about time, the tactful Li Yang quickly got up to say goodbye to Wang Jingjuan's family. Lao Zhao, who was still busy in the kitchen, heard him and immediately came out wearing an apron.

"What's the rush, little brother?" Lao Zhao asked with a cheerful smile, looking every bit the domestic husband.

"It's getting late, Zhao Ge. I'll come over another day. Go on with your work, no need to come out," Li Yang said as he swaggered toward the door.

"I'll see him out. You get back to work," Wang Jingjuan said with a wave of her hand, signaling Lao Zhao to return to the kitchen. She stood up and followed Li Yang outside. "Come visit again next time, little brother!" Lao Zhao called toward the door before happily turning back into the kitchen.

Lao Zhao's yard was quite long. For some reason, the motion-activated light was not working tonight, and it was pitch-black, making the path impossible to see clearly.

"You don't need to walk me out, sister-in-law," Li Yang said politely to Wang Jingjuan beside him. The alcohol was starting to hit him, leaving his mind slightly excited.

"It's fine, Xiaoyang. Just don't treat me like an outsider. Come visit whenever you want in the future. My door will always be open for you."

"Thank you, sister-in-law." Li Yang was a little moved. Wang Jingjuan's words made him feel warm inside.

"Watch your step," Wang Jingjuan said, worriedly taking hold of Li Yang's arm. The two slowly felt their way forward. The tenants had probably already gone to bed early, and aside from their breathing and footsteps, everything had become very quiet.

Breathing in the refreshing fragrance coming from Wang Jingjuan, Li Yang suddenly asked, "Sister-in-law, what's your phone number? I don't even have your contact information yet!"

"Oh, look at my memory. I'd been meaning to ask you too. Give me your phone," she said. The two stopped where they were, and Li Yang took the phone from his pocket and handed it to Wang Jingjuan. Back then, phones did not have lock-screen passwords or anything like that.

Wang Jingjuan took Li Yang's phone and operated it skillfully. Li Yang quietly stared at her pretty face, utterly captivated. Wang Jingjuan took very good care of her skin. Though she had married into the countryside, she was an unconventional rural woman.

She did not gather with other women to gossip and discuss every scrap of news around the village.

Wang Jingjuan had worked as a logistics teacher at a training institution in Jianxi District for more than ten years. Her nine-to-five job was easy, and after being around artistic work for so long, she had gradually become fashionable and elegant. She often did yoga, exercised, went swimming, and more, so her figure was no different from that of a woman in her twenties. When she went out, no one ever took her for a thirty-eight-year-old married woman.

Wang Jingjuan sent Li Yang's number to her own phone by text message. She had come out in a dress, so she had nowhere to put her phone.

Just as she was about to return the phone to Li Yang, she looked up and saw the boy staring at her without blinking, completely entranced.

That was the difference between married women and young girls. If an unmarried girl had been stared at like that by a boy, her first reaction would definitely have been to blush in embarrassment. Some might even have gotten angry and walked away.

But the one standing before Li Yang was Wang Jingjuan, a married woman. The moment she saw his gaze, she knew what he was thinking. Men did not look at women because they wanted to study hard and make progress every day.

So Wang Jingjuan felt happy and proud. Every woman hoped her beauty could remain youthful forever, and men were the most reliable measuring tool.

Who was pretty and who was ugly? Just look at where the men on the street cast their eyes, and the answer became obvious.

"Is sister-in-law pretty?" Wang Jingjuan asked softly with an enchanting smile for no apparent reason.

"Ah... oh..." Interrupted, Li Yang came back to his senses. By the glow of the phone screen, he saw Wang Jingjuan's delighted expression. Li Yang immediately relaxed, and at the same time became a little frivolous.

"Of course. My sister-in-law is the most beautiful, prettiest mother in the whole world."

Wang Jingjuan burst out laughing. Seeing Li Yang praise her so solemnly and extravagantly, she covered her little mouth and laughed happily.

"You're so annoying. All you know is how to tease your sister-in-law." Wang Jingjuan unexpectedly gave Li Yang a light tap, looking like a shy young girl experiencing first love. It was so gentle it felt like a massage, making Li Yang feel wonderful.

No wonder Li Yang had awakened Wang Jingjuan's romantic side. She and Lao Zhao had never truly dated. For one thing, Lao Zhao was a crude, straight-laced man who understood nothing about a woman's feelings. Romance and love were nothing but bullshit to him.

Although he knew to listen to his wife, after all these years, Wang Jingjuan had never truly experienced the feeling of being in love.

Sometimes, when she saw young couples on the street, Wang Jingjuan always felt a sense of loss. She felt as though she had lived her whole life for nothing, because no boy had ever taken her on a romantic date.

Back then, before she was even nineteen, relatives introduced her from the mountains of her hometown in Luanchuan to come here and go on a blind date with Lao Zhao. The first time they met, Lao Zhao was moved by Wang Jingjuan's pure, lovely appearance. At the time, Lao Zhao's father was still a village official, and his family's circumstances were considered quite impressive.

Only after the matchmaker repeatedly did a great deal of persuading with Wang Jingjuan's parents did Wang Jingjuan finally marry the big, burly, uneducated Lao Zhao.

In less than half a year, she had muddleheadedly married Lao Zhao and soon became pregnant. On their wedding night, Wang Jingjuan had still been a virgin, making Lao Zhao so happy he seemed insane with excitement.

After marriage, he truly treated Wang Jingjuan like the Queen Mother herself, never letting her touch any housework. That was the one thing that made Wang Jingjuan feel happy.

Lao Zhao's body had never been especially capable to begin with. Later, after an accident, he happened to injure his vital parts. Ever since their younger daughter turned three, they had basically said goodbye to a normal married life altogether. That was also why Lao Zhao always felt indebted to his wife, and why he cherished and respected Wang Jingjuan even more in daily life.

"Really, sister-in-law. You're the most beautiful woman I've ever seen in my life," Li Yang said excitedly, boldly taking Wang Jingjuan's soft, boneless hand.

"Alright, Xiaoyang. If I stay out too long, it'll be inconvenient. Come find sister-in-law to chat another day when you have time. We can have a proper talk. Sister-in-law has a lot on her mind that she wants to tell you too."

Rather than getting angry, Wang Jingjuan let him hold her hand and reminded Li Yang in a coquettish tone.

She meant that if she did not go back soon, her family would start worrying.

Li Yang was clever enough to understand what she meant. He quickly leaned close and whispered in her ear, "Sister-in-law, you're so good to me. Next time, I'll definitely come have a good chat with you."

Before Wang Jingjuan could react, Li Yang let go of her hand. "Go back, sister-in-law. Don't walk me out anymore."

Li Yang turned around and left immediately, carrying out his decision without the slightest hesitation.

Wang Jingjuan was caught off guard by the sudden change and could not keep up with his rhythm at all.

She stood there foolishly, staring helplessly at Li Yang's disappearing back...

"You little rascal, you've really thrown my heart into chaos," Wang Jingjuan muttered. Though her mind was filled with wild thoughts, she smiled happily as she swayed her slender waist and returned to her living room.

If Li Yang had seen Wang Jingjuan looking so sexy just then, he might have been unable to restrain himself and done something to her immediately.

Boys in their teens and twenties were always at their most impulsive age. No matter what choices they made, they were equally decisive and unhesitating.

In a relaxed and cheerful mood, Li Yang hummed a familiar love song as he leisurely headed toward Shanghai Market.

He remembered that Yang Yanping was still waiting for him. Since he would only be going home alone anyway, he might as well go see her. At his age, if he claimed he had no interest in pretty girls, he would probably get struck by lightning.

Li Yang easily found his way to Yang Yanping's rented room. The window was lit up inside. He smiled and slowly climbed the stairs. As he passed the second floor, two little thugs were just about to head downstairs. The moment they saw Li Yang, they looked as though they had seen a ghost.

"Big brother, you're here!" one of them, clearly quick on the uptake, immediately greeted him with a bowed, groveling posture.

He quickly took out a cigarette and tried to offer it to Li Yang. "Brother, have a smoke." The little thug respectfully presented it with both hands.

"No need. Go on with what you were doing. If anything comes up in the future, you can let me know," Li Yang said casually, waving at them with the air of a Martial World boss before stuffing both hands into his pockets and walking away.

"Alright, brother. Take care. Wishing you and sister-in-law everlasting happiness!" An excited cheer came from behind him.

Li Yang gently pushed open the door and saw Yang Yanping lying on her stomach on the bed, swaying up and down to the rhythm of the music. She wore headphones and shook her head along with the beat, looking adorable.

Li Yang suddenly grinned and moved closer...

"Ah!" Yang Yanping had been completely absorbed in the music when she suddenly felt a little pain. Turning around, she saw him and immediately pouted angrily. She swiftly rolled over, stretched out her little feet, and began kicking wildly at Li Yang.

She kept muttering, "You bastard! You actually dared to take advantage of me! I'll kick you to death!"

Thinking of last time made Yang Yanping even angrier. Her feet kicked like she was performing acrobatics, growing more energetic with every kick. Li Yang could not be bothered to pay her any mind. He blocked her attacks with one hand while grinning wickedly...

Seeing that Li Yang was completely unscathed, Yang Yanping finally could not hold it in any longer and exploded.

"Li Yang, I'm fighting you today!" With a murderous glare, she sprang up, grabbed Li Yang's arm, and pulled hard. Li Yang fell onto the bed with her. He was reluctant to get back up, so he simply lay in that soft embrace and pretended to close his eyes.

Yang Yanping did not go easy on him either. She used her long nails to scratch and claw at him, working up a storm.

"Hey, hey, hey, don't bite people!" Li Yang cried in pain and had no choice but to reach out and stop her. This woman had no sense of fair play. Seeing that Li Yang did not seem hurt at all, she directly started biting his ear.

"Hehe, that's what you get for bullying me, you bastard! Do you dare do it again?" Yang Yanping looked like a victorious female general as she watched Li Yang's pleading expression with disdain, grinning from ear to ear.

"Alright, alright. Didn't you ask me over to eat noodles? Why are you lying to me now?" Li Yang began changing the subject.

"Eat your big-headed ghost!" Yang Yanping stuck out her tongue playfully and casually cursed at Li Yang.

"Then what am I supposed to eat?" Li Yang replied with a wicked grin, still wearing an expression that refused to surrender even unto death.

"Go eat your wife," Yang Yanping shot back with a laugh, not getting angry at all. The two bickered and played around like a young couple.

After kicking him a few more times with her little feet, Yang Yanping finally seemed to have vented enough. She happily stood up, tugged at her sleepwear, jumped off the bed, and slipped into her slippers to cook noodles for Li Yang. She kept her word.

Li Yang ignored her, casually kicked off his shoes, crossed one leg over the other, and lay on her bed in white socks listening to music on his Walkman.

Yanping turned around and shot him a fierce glare, but she did not stop him. This guy's skin was thicker than a city wall; nothing could get through to him. He was an unreasonable bastard.

But ever since Li Yang had started fooling around with her these past two days, Yang Yanping suddenly found herself feeling much better. She was no longer as bored as she usually was when she was alone.

Sometimes, people really needed someone by their side. Whether male or female, no one could do without the companionship of family, love, and friendship. Yang Yanping was no exception.

Though she claimed to hate Li Yang, she honestly and seriously cooked for him. She had even saved him quite a bit of the Cold Beef Salad she had bought after work, unwilling to finish it herself.

She had never cared so much for a boy before in her life. Could I really have fallen for this guy?

Hmph, no, no. Who would want him? Yang Yanping foolishly talked herself through it. Seeing that the noodles were about to boil over, she quickly came back to her senses, turned off the induction cooker, and hurriedly got busy.

"Hurry up and stuff your face, Big Pig Head!" Yang Yanping put on the manner of a savage girlfriend again and kicked Li Yang hard to urge him along.

She really threw hands at the slightest disagreement. Li Yang did not get angry. He casually took off his headphones, accepted the brimming bowl of Fried Sauce Noodles from her, and began eating with gusto.

"I saved this for you." Yang Yanping pouted unhappily and brought over another plate of Cold Beef Salad, setting it on the bedside table.

Then she turned around and lay back down while Li Yang sat beside her, eating as he began lecturing her.

"I'm telling you, woman, you're pretty enough, but you're lacking in gentleness. Otherwise, when are you ever going to get a boyfriend? I advise you to give my buddy a try. You two are a good match. What a perfect pair of sleeping dragons and fledgling phoenixes."

After saying that, Li Yang thoughtfully picked up a piece of beef and brought it to Yang Yanping's lips as she lay there fuming.

"Come on, open your mouth and eat. You must be tired after beating me up just now. Hurry and nourish yourself." His gentle manner startled her.

For once, Yang Yanping did not keep getting angry. She obediently opened her cherry-red lips and let Li Yang feed the meat into her mouth, then began chewing and swallowing it slowly.