"Are you... Qian Yi?"
Long Yue frowned deeply. Her first impression of this man was very poor, and coupled with her deep-seated aversion to him, she thought for a moment and finally remembered who he was.
That son of Qian Erniang, Qian Duoduo, who later changed his name to Qian Yi after he started studying.
This person is a scoundrel, very lustful.
When Long Yue married into the family, she brought with her infamous reputations like "promiscuous" and "not keeping oneself chaste". Qian Yi frequently came to flirt with her, even saying flippant things like "letting her taste a real man".
On the ninth day after marrying into the Li family, Long Yue encountered Qian Yi by the river, and he suggested something about fish and water pleasure. Long Yue was infuriated and wanted to hit him, but just then she saw Li Qingmu approaching.
At that time, she was very disgusted with Li Qingmu, wishing he would divorce her, so she flirted back and forth with him.
After the incident, Li Qingmu still acted as if nothing had happened, remaining as gentle and considerate as ever, making Long Yue despise him even more, thinking this man was spineless.
But after their heart-to-heart talk last night, she knew this man was definitely not spineless, so what was his mindset back then?
Long Yue found herself unable to understand him again, feeling irritated, and her tone turned cold and impatient: "Anything you need?"
Qian Yi, feeling good about himself, didn't notice that the current Long Yue was no longer the one he had known days ago, still thinking she was acting coy towards him, and he instantly became smug.
"San Niang looks like she's in a bad mood? After all, such a delicate beauty, yet has to delve into the lotus pond like those coarse women, tsk tsk, it really makes one's heart ache. Your man doesn't know how to cherish beauty, I say divorce him and live with me, huh? Hahaha!"
"Qian Duoduo, you big bad guy, shut up! My third brother is good to my third sister-in-law, who would want to live with you? Let's not listen to his nonsense, Third Sister-in-law!"
The recent experiences made A qiu develop a sense of reliance on Long Yue, and since he promised to protect him from being bullied by the second sister-in-law, how could he let someone take him away now?
He changed from his usual timid and fearful self, pointing at Qian Duoduo and cursing.
"Hey, you little brat, who are you calling Qian Duoduo? I'm called Qian Yi, Qian Yi, did you hear that? Are your ears deaf?"
Qian Yi got angry as soon as he heard it. He had always disliked his coarse childhood name ever since he went to study, so he changed his name.
Now, hearing his nickname being mentioned again, he was very furious.
But this time A qiu was also fired up, not yielding an inch against Qian Yi's anger: "Hmph, you are Qian Duoduo, so what? The whole village used to call you that, don't think you can ditch your nickname just because you studied."
"I... damn you, little brat, I'll beat you to death!"
Being repeatedly reminded of his nickname, Qian Yi completely lost it, rolled up his sleeves and charged at Li Qingqiu, but just then, Long Yue's alluring voice drifted over.
"Qian Family brother, he's just a kid, he didn't mean what he said, why are you so fierce to him?"
The soft and sweet voice was truly enchanting, Qian Yi felt a rush of heat surging through his body.
He immediately turned around, and his face instantly shifted from anger to a charming smile, like magic.
"Hehe, San Niang is right, what does a little kid know? Still, my San Niang is considerate..."
He laughed foolishly while speaking, seeing Long Yue coming ashore, her rolled-up pants revealing a stretch of fair skin, which tempted him so much that he straight away pounced on Long Yue without saying a word.
"Third Sister-in-law! Move away!"
A qiu called out anxiously, fearing Long Yue would suffer, but Long Yue seemed very calm.
She squinted slightly, smiling, just waiting for him to pounce, then gracefully dodged, and Qian Yi missed her completely.
Behind Long Yue was the lotus pond, Qian Yi quickly halted, but Long Yue wouldn't let him off easily.
"Careful, Mr. Qian!"
She said while reaching out to pull him, which to outsiders looked like helping him up, but Long Yue knew very well she was actually pushing him forward.
"Ah!"
Qian Yi felt someone patting his back, and his originally planned stop was disrupted by that pat, all his strength dissipated, and he let out a miserable cry, plunging into the lotus pond with a splash.
"Help... me..."
The lotus pond wasn't deep, just over half a meter near the shore, but Qian Yi couldn't swim, and crucially, he had nearly drowned as a child, having an instinctive fear of water. Once he fell in, he flailed in the water, shouting frantically.
The lotus pond's water was more turbid than the stream's, and after a few yells, he gulped down a stomach-full of muddy water, so disgusting he nearly rolled his eyes.
"Oh no, Mr. Qian fell into the pond, somebody help, quick!"
Long Yue found Qian Yi's foolish appearance amusing, and she certainly wouldn't go and help him, especially since quite a few people had come to pick lotus roots, so she happily watched, calling out occasionally.
An older man nearby said, "Young man, the water's not deep, just push down with both legs and you'll stand up!"
"Ha, yeah, see, we're all standing!"
Followed by a woman who laughed while reaching out to pull Qian Yi.
"What are you doing? Don't touch my son!"
Qian Erniang came to pick lotus roots too, specially asking her son to help. But as soon as she turned around, he disappeared. She was vehemently searching for him when she heard the commotion here and came over.
As soon as she arrived, she saw her precious son floundering in the pond, with a woman reaching out towards him, not knowing what she intended. Panicked, she ran in and pushed the woman over.
"What are you doing? Are you trying to kill my son? My son shall become an official in the future, do you all have a death wish?"
Qian Yi was Qian Erniang's pride, having nearly drowned as a child, he was the most afraid of water, so she rushed in to lift her son up.
"Cough cough... ugh..."
Standing in the muddy water, Qian Yi vomited over the turbid water, the muddy lotus pond water was extremely nauseating, causing Qian Yi to nearly throw up yesterday's meal.
Qian Erniang felt distressed, wanting to scold the people nearby, then heard the woman she had knocked down cursing, "Sister Qian, you're really like a dog biting Lv Dongbin, not recognizing a good heart. I kindly gave your son a hand, how could you slander me? I didn't push him in!"
Qian Erniang, her temper blocked, was dumbfounded: "What, it wasn't you? Then who..."
"I saw him fall in by himself."
A little boy started to say but was quickly silenced by his mother.
"Bullshit, I didn't fall in by myself, it was... it was that wench, that wench did it, she pushed me!"
Qian Yi's face was contorted from the excessive vomiting, thinking of the sudden slap on his back, cursing Long Yue furiously in his heart!
That damnable little wench!
"Wench? Which wench?"
Qian Erniang looked around vigilantly.
"It's her..."
Qian Yi pointed towards where Long Yue had been standing on the shore, intending to confront her, but in a blink, where was she?