The Sheep Returns
"Then who do you think is prettier?"
This was said by a butcher who sells mutton.
For the butcher, it doesn't matter who buys his sheep's head. But if he has to decide who gets to buy it based on looks, the problem becomes tricky. If he sells the sheep's head to one party, it means that the other party not only doesn't get the sheep's head, but is also considered less attractive than the others.
This isn't a big deal, but for women, it's absolutely infuriating and makes them want to throw his business away.
So the butcher, somewhat annoyed, handed the choice back to the boy who was looking at the sheep's testicles. He had initially thought the boy was alright, since men who knew how to focus their attention on the sheep's testicles were usually gentle and considerate.
Seeing the boy's embarrassed look, the butcher felt a little pleased. "Who told you to start trouble?"
Liu Chang'an was naturally embarrassed. He had only intended to casually and subtly praise Qin Yanan, saying that she was beautiful, extremely beautiful, so beautiful that she should definitely sell the sheep's head to him.
Beautiful women are a scarce resource. It's difficult to find even two tofu Xishi in this vegetable market at the foot of Mount Lu. How could one possibly encounter a woman as beautiful as Qin Yanan so easily?
And indeed, she did meet her. Although she looked a bit older than Qin Yanan, her mature charm combined with a charmingly naive quality was particularly captivating. The sharpness of a professional woman mixed with the inner grace of "the sun rises above the flowers, the orioles flit through the willows, and she still lies in her fragrant quilt" made one feel that such a woman should always be seen through a veil, through a mist, to appreciate her charming smile and languid allure.
Most importantly, this beautiful woman who always looked at Liu Chang'an with a suspicious gaze was the woman who reminded people of the poem "A rendezvous after dusk, the moon rising above the willow branches"—An Nuan's mother, Liu Yuewang.
"How much is this sheep's head? I'll pay via WeChat," Liu Chang'an said to the butcher.
The butcher was stunned.
"Since you asked me, of course I'll say I'm the prettiest, prettier than the other two, so the sheep's head is mine." Liu Chang'an pointed to the sheep's head, "Let's weigh it."
When two armies meet on a narrow path, the brave will prevail. Being thick-skinned also requires courage, and Liu Chang'an certainly possesses a great deal of courage in this matter.
Qin Yanan's lips curled slightly, exuding a hint of reserve, while her sidelong glances naturally carried a cold and alluring charm. She always acted this way in public. Although the vegetable market wasn't exactly a place where beauties shone brightly, many eyes still lingered on her.
This little cousin of hers is truly admirable. She doesn't care, but she's very curious about the reaction of the young woman next to her, who is wearing a shirt and skirt, carrying a large Lady Dior bag, and looks like a lawyer, teacher, or civil servant.
"I won't argue with you about this. You're Liu Chang'an, aren't you?" Liu Yuewang looked him over. Since she had been paying attention to the relationship between An Nuan and Liu Chang'an for a while, she naturally knew what Liu Chang'a Liu Yuewang like. However, she had only seen photos of him before, so she wasn't very sure. But his shamelessness was just like her impression of him, so she made her judgment.
"Yes." Liu Chang'an nodded, glanced at Liu Yuewang a few times. She was indeed prettier in person than in the photos. The photos might not have looked as fair and delicate due to the lens or lighting. As the saying goes, fair skin can cover up three flaws, not to mention that she was already a tall and beautiful woman.
"Since you're Liu Chang'an, you dare to compete with me for this sheep's head?" Liu Yuewang said angrily. "I've been looking for you. Come on, let's find a place to talk."
"Huh... what's going on?" Qin Yanan was a little confused. She knew this woman, so why was she acting so confident? Why wouldn't she dare to compete with her for the sheep's head? Who did she think she was?
"You're two-timing me." Liu Yuewang suddenly realized, and hurriedly pulled her phone out of her bag, snapping several photos as if gathering evidence. She even zoomed in to take a close-up of Liu Chang'an and Qin Yanan's faces.
Without using a beauty app, just using the phone's camera, Qin Yanan didn't look as good as she did at first glance, which gave Liu Yuewang a sense of victory.
"I'm going to send it to An Nuan." Liu Yuewang sent the photo again. "The evidence is conclusive, what else do you have to say?"
"Auntie, I'm his cousin." Qin Yanan understood. She wasn't stupid. Liu Yuewang had revealed her background in just a few words, and Qin Yanan naturally seized the opportunity. If Zhou Dongdong called Qin Yanan "Auntie," Qin Yanan would be a little unhappy, let alone if she called her "Auntie." For a woman of Liu Yuewang's age, this was undoubtedly a heart-wrenching blow.
"You can call me Professor Liu, not Auntie. I'm only in my thirties, and I look about your age," Liu Yuewang said with dissatisfaction.
"I look about your age?" Qin Yanan was genuinely shocked. What an incredible sense of self-importance!
Liu Yuewang looked Qin Yanan over carefully and nodded reluctantly.
"You're about my age and you're still not happy? What's with that unhappy look on your face?" Qin Yanan hadn't been sleeping well lately and was prone to getting irritable, so she sneered in anger.
While Liu Yuewang and Qin Yanan were arguing, Liu Chang'an had already paid for the sheep's head, wrapped it in newspaper, put it in a plastic bag, and carried it away.
"Professor Liu, this really is my cousin. An Nuan knows her too. You should keep the sheep's head. You're right, I shouldn't have argued with you." Liu Chang'an couldn't possibly care about a sheep's head.
Liu Yuewang waved her hand somewhat embarrassedly, "Forget it, there's no such thing as 'should' or 'shouldn't.' I'm not an unreasonable person. Since it's all a misunderstanding, let's clear things up. Little Liu, I won't bother you any longer today. Come over for dinner with your new name."
After saying that, Liu Yuewang didn't say anything more to Qin Yanan, turned around and left quickly.
"This person..." Qin Yanan was stunned, not knowing what to say. Since she was An Nuan's mother, it was not surprising that she was young and beautiful. No one could give birth to such a beautiful daughter without such a beautiful mother. But why did she feel that this mother was so... she couldn't quite put her finger on it.
"A thirty-six-year-old woman with the heart of an eighteen-year-old," Liu Chang'an said to Qin Yanan.
"She's really only in her thirties..." Qin Yanan was genuinely surprised. Such a young mother with such a grown daughter reminded her of that famous mother and daughter pair, except that Liu Yuewang was certainly prettier, and An Nuan had a better figure.
"But she doesn't seem to object to you being with An Nuan. That shows she has some good judgment, unlike some blind women." Qin Yanan nodded slightly approvingly.
"You didn't have a good impression of me when you first met me, did you? Did you think I was unambitious, shameless, and had no backbone or drive in front of girls?" Liu Chang'an laughed.
Qin Yanan blushed slightly and glared at Liu Chang'an, realizing he could tell.
"Can you look at your fiancé and your cousin from the same perspective?" Qin Yanan wasn't one to easily admit mistakes, and she didn't want to discuss this somewhat awkward topic. "Liu Yuewang must have had something to do; he left in a hurry. Inviting you over for dinner seems like just a polite gesture."
Liu Chang'an didn't offer any opinion, but simply accompanied Qin Yanan to continue grocery shopping. He checked his phone and, sure enough, found that he had received several photos that Liu Yuewang had taken earlier.
"Uncle, my boyfriend said this woman is his cousin, and he even fought with my mom over a lamb's head at the market for her. Do you think I should break up with him?"
Liu Chang'an then realized, "So you left in such a hurry because you wanted someone to give you some encouragement and support so you could go and cause trouble for An Nuan?"
This wasn't the first time, Liu Chang'an recalled. Several times she would first ask him for advice, and then go to An Nuan to make things difficult for him. For example, the time she tried to arrange a circumcision for Liu Chang'an.
Hello everyone, today's message is for Zhou Dongdong. Zhou Dongdong hasn't had much good food lately because she doesn't have enough monthly tickets to buy it. Please support her with your monthly tickets so that I can get Liu Chang'an to give Zhou Dongdong more good food and make her child's life more foolish and happy.