Hearing Ye Tiancheng say this, Liu Lanying's mother showed a look of disappointment. "Is that really the case? Aren't you willing to give our Xiao Yingzi even a little chance? Although our Xiao Yingzi isn't a stunning beauty, she's had plenty of suitors since she was young. You should at least give us some face and not be so absolute."
In Liu Lanying's mother's eyes, it should be very easy for a girl to be proactive. It would be strange if it weren't easy.
People say that a woman pursuing a man is like passing through a layer of gauze. Moreover, Liu Lanying's mother felt that as an elder, Ye Tiancheng should have agreed immediately when she spoke. However, faced with this heaven-sent marriage, Ye Tiancheng was completely unappreciative and even refused directly, leaving Liu Lanying's mother unsure where to put her face.
"You brat, you really don't know what's good for you. I don't know what it is about you that makes my daughter so infatuated with you, making you so proud all day. I've told you, this is the only shop in this village. I just want to see my daughter settled before I die. Otherwise, I would never agree to marry my daughter to you. Someone who has been married several times like you is clearly unreliable."
Liu Lanying's mother put down her bowl and started to curse. Seeing that Ye Tiancheng wouldn't agree, she felt there was no longer any courtesy to be shown and started speaking very harshly.
"I have some other matters to attend to. Now that I've brought you here, I need to leave."
Ye Tiancheng didn't want to stay any longer. He felt that being with such a woman was quite terrifying. Moreover, Ye Tiancheng couldn't bear to watch Liu Lanying's mother, a living being, depart like this. What if he had to use his internal energy to save someone, and his body couldn't allow him to save her? He might even lose his own life. Therefore, it was better to not see it.
"Brother Ye, thank you so much today. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't know what to do. It's a pity I can't repay you properly. Are you leaving now?"
"Yes, I'm preparing to leave. I've done what I can. You don't need to go to work for the next few days. I'll arrange for someone to temporarily take over your job."
Ye Tiancheng wanted to do practical things for Liu Lanying, not just offer verbal advice. That wouldn't be realistic, and such empty talk was meaningless. Those were the kind of people Ye Tiancheng disliked the most.
"Alright, thank you, Brother Ye. Can you stay here and let me cook you a meal? If my mother's condition were bad, it would be understandable. But my mother seems to be doing well now. Let's just have a quiet meal together. You must be hungry after working for so long."
"No need for a meal, I'll wait for Xiao Pang to cook for me at home. He's quite skilled at cooking, about the same as you."
"I know our cooking skills are on par, but Brother Ye, I have some free-range chickens at home. They're fed with insects from the countryside, so they're very nutritious. I'll make you something delicious. We also have our own pigs, and the ribs are fresh. I'll make you your favorite sweet and sour ribs, okay? Please don't leave yet."
Looking at Liu Lanying, Ye Tiancheng felt as if he were looking at the most pitiful woman in the world. Liu Lanying's eyes were filled with tears but she hadn't cried yet. No man could resist such a look of impending tears.
"Alright, don't cry. I know you've suffered a great blow and need time to adjust. But I believe that because you are so kind, your life will surely be good. This disaster will also pass quickly, so you don't need to dwell on this matter too much."
At this moment, Ye Tiancheng could only try his best to comfort Liu Lanying. However, verbal comfort was not very effective for Liu Lanying.
"Brother Ye, why don't you stay and keep me company? Besides, it's raining heavily outside, and the thunder is very loud. The roads are very slippery now, so it's not very safe for you to go back. I feel it's best for you to stay and accompany me. I need someone by my side right now to give me courage and not make me so scared."
Ye Tiancheng heard everything Liu Lanying said and truly felt that Liu Lanying was quite pitiful. Such a young girl had to bear everything herself. Her brother, Liu Dajun, was completely unreliable. Now that their mother was about to pass away, Liu Dajun had gone out gambling and hadn't even come home.
"Alright, you don't need to work too hard. Just cook some noodles. You've already had a tiring day. Get some rest early, and we can discuss the next plan after you've recovered your energy. Don't push yourself too hard."
Ye Tiancheng actually felt quite sympathetic towards Liu Lanying. It was mainly because he had never met such a struggling girl before. Many white-collar workers in companies came from less affluent families, but Ye Tiancheng had never truly witnessed a "fudimò" (a term for a woman who sacrifices everything for her siblings) before.
All of Liu Lanying's actions in her life seemed to be for others. She had lived a tragic life, always for others. Now that she could finally do something for herself, it was truly not easy. Ye Tiancheng hoped that after Liu Lanying's mother passed away, Liu Lanying could start a new life.
"Since you've decided to stay, I'll definitely repay you well. I'll cook even more delicious food for you so you can eat to your heart's content."
Liu Lanying's face finally showed a smile because she had a goal. Liu Lanying immediately went to the kitchen to get busy.
"You know how to kill chickens?"
Ye Tiancheng had just taken a casual stroll through the village and was surprised to see Liu Lanying killing a chicken. In that instant, he was stunned. He couldn't imagine a woman being so fierce.
"I've been doing these basic farm chores since I was ten. It might look scary now, but it tastes delicious."
Ye Tiancheng used to be told he looked rustic and like a farmer. But soon, Ye Tiancheng realized that he had gone to college and rarely did farm work, so he couldn't be considered a true farmer. Now he finally understood what a real farmer was. However, Ye Tiancheng quite liked this simple demeanor and thought it was good.
A virtuous woman who is good at housework and cooking is truly charming. Before, whether it was Hou Mingzhu or the young lady from the Su family, they were both from wealthy families. But Liu Lanying was different; she was a more traditional woman.
This kind of traditional woman is actually more charming. Ye Tiancheng might not have encountered one before, so now that he had, he felt a sense of affection for her. It wasn't romantic love, but simply that seeing Liu Lanying reminded him of his first love, Hou Qing'er, which gave Ye Tiancheng a feeling of wanting to settle down.
"You're really efficient at your work. As a man, I should help you, but I don't know what to do. How about I wash the vegetables for you?"
"Then don't leave the kitchen. If my mother sees you, she'll definitely nag you to marry me or ask you for money. It's never anything good. You might as well stay in the kitchen with me, wash vegetables, and chat with me. Otherwise, I'll be lonely cooking by myself."
Liu Lanying made a lot of sense, and Ye Tiancheng casually started washing vegetables.
Sweating profusely, Liu Lanying still told Ye Tiancheng from the side.
"It's okay, just do a little bit of work, enough to show you're helping. Don't tire yourself out."
"If I'm going to work, I'll do it properly. Otherwise, I'm afraid you'll think I'm too lazy and won't have a good impression of me when you see me in the future."
Since seeing Liu Lanying's virtuous demeanor earlier, Ye Tiancheng's psychological state towards her had also undergone some changes. Even when confessing his feelings, he hadn't had any impure thoughts, but at that moment, he suddenly felt that marrying Liu Lanying wouldn't be bad.
"It's okay, no matter what, Brother Ye, my impression of you is always the best."
The two chatted and laughed easily. In a daze, Ye Tiancheng suddenly remembered Hou Qing'er.
Once upon a time, they were also so harmonious. But after she left, Ye Tiancheng realized he was quite a scumbag. At first, he missed the woman who had haunted his dreams.
But time truly healed everything. Gradually, Ye Tiancheng couldn't remember her, and he hadn't even avenged his first love. The more Ye Tiancheng thought about it, the more he felt like a complete scumbag, and his expression darkened.
"What's wrong, Brother Ye? Are you tired? You should rest for a while. I see you've washed most of the vegetables, so there's no need to tire yourself out. I can do the rest."
Although Liu Lanying no longer had any illusions about Ye Tiancheng becoming her boyfriend, because Ye Tiancheng had helped her countless times, they had accumulated some friendship. Therefore, she cared for Ye Tiancheng exceptionally, fearing that something might happen to him.
"Actually, I just remembered my first girlfriend."
It wasn't really appropriate to bring up this topic in front of Liu Lanying, but Liu Lanying was quite open-minded. It was all in the past, and since there wasn't much else to talk about, it was fine to chat with Ye Tiancheng casually.
"Then your first love must have been a remarkable person. I really admire her. To be a woman that Brother Ye likes for so long, and to remember her for a lifetime, how happy she must be."
Liu Lanying still had a look of envy. The more she said this, the more uneasy Ye Tiancheng felt, almost to the point of tears.
"Please don't say that. When you say that, I feel very distressed. Because of me, my girlfriend died in a sea of fire. I feel heartbroken just thinking about it."
Ye Tiancheng truly felt like crying, his eyes reddening. Liu Lanying saw it all at that moment. Of course, Liu Lanying also felt bad. She hoped Ye Tiancheng could be at peace, but how could there be such good things? It was clear that Ye Tiancheng had a sad past.
"It's alright, Brother Ye. What's past is past, there's no need to dwell on it. I believe you have a better future. Since your first love was so kind and lovely, I believe she must have gone to heaven and is living a good life now."
Liu Lanying's comfort made Ye Tiancheng feel much better. "I can see you, and for a moment, I really remembered her. My first love was someone who was very good at housework and cooking, and she took great care of me. Back then, I didn't cherish her. Now that I think about it, I feel I was too awful and didn't do well at all."
"Alright, don't think too much about it. What's gone is gone. Look at all the delicious dishes I've stir-fried. It's more important to eat more of these dishes later. Of course, drink less alcohol, as too much is bad for your health. But a little bit can help with the mood, and I support you, Brother Ye."