Chapter Ninety-Two: The Feminine Scent on the Quilt

Le’er’s home was packed to the brim, filled with nothing but women and children. Li Ying, seeing so many villagers gathered, suddenly found herself at a loss despite her usual ease in socializing.

“Le’er, you wild girl, where did you find seven fairies like this?” Aunt Tao Hong arrived, drawn to the lively scene as always.

“Yeah, who would’ve thought,” Aunt Gui Xiang chimed in beside her. “That wild girl’s got some tricks up her sleeve—no wonder so many men call her their wife, but he stubbornly refuses.”

Voices buzzed with chatter and laughter. Le’er could only smile awkwardly, unable to quiet them. The children pressed close, laughing and teasing, vying for a glimpse of the “fairy” sisters. In this village, visitors always attracted a crowd—partly out of curiosity, partly because children expected treats. It wasn’t just about wedding sweets; whenever someone returned from afar, the villagers gathered to welcome them, and the visitor was expected to bring fruit candies. Once the sweets were handed out, the children would scatter.

But Le’er hadn’t come prepared, and Li Ying, unfamiliar with the custom, hadn’t brought any candies either.

“You wild kids are impossible,” Uncle Sheng Tian scolded as he arrived. He had just gotten out of the car and headed inside, carrying a paper package. Opening it revealed the much-needed fruit candies he’d bought after realizing Li Ying hadn’t brought any.

“Eat some candy... then go on home,” he said, smiling warmly. Aunt Tao Hong took the sweets and immediately teased the old man.

“Uncle Sheng Tian, you must be grinning ear to ear now. Le’er has brought back such a fairy—maybe there’ll be a wedding feast soon!”

“You chatterbox! Don’t you know when to shut up? Didn’t you hear Le’er calling her ‘sister’?” Uncle Sheng Tian laughed as he scolded her.

“So what if she called her sister?” Aunt Tao Hong was never one to hold her tongue. “You can call someone sister in bed too—that’s where it really sounds good.”

“Hey, Aunt Tao, does Brother Dahai call you sister or little sister in bed? Does it sound nice?” Aunt Gui Hua never missed a chance for teasing.

“He calls me sister... and it sounds lovely. Does your rich family call you little sister? Do you shout ‘brother’ or ‘enemy’ in bed?” Aunt Tao fired back.

“All right, you lot, enough of the chatter! Candy won’t shut your mouths,” Uncle Sheng Tian laughed and scolded again. The crowd laughed as they slowly made their way back into the village, leaving only Uncle Sheng Tian behind, who didn’t want to linger either.

“Le’er, come to my house for dinner tonight,” he said without waiting for a reply, hands clasped behind his back as he walked away.

Le’er gave Li Ying a wry smile. “Sister... this is how we country folk are.”

“Very good,” Li Ying smiled. “So warm and welcoming. Though I don’t quite understand everything they said, it seems I’ll need you as my translator from now on.”

“Sit down first, sister. I’ll make some tea,” Le’er said, looking a bit flustered as Li Ying smiled at him, her gaze making his heart race.

“No need. First, show me your home,” Li Ying said with interest. “I didn’t expect you to have made it so nice. Hmm, you’ve got some taste—the bamboo furniture is quite charming.”

“Sister, come see the carved bed I bought... it belonged to an old landlord’s family, over a hundred years old.”

“A carved bed over a hundred years old? Where?”

Le’er proudly led Li Ying into the bedroom. She gaped upon seeing the entire room filled with antique furniture.

“My goodness, did you collect all this? Where did you buy it? Are there more?” Li Ying exclaimed, admiring the ancient red lacquered furniture. “This carved bed from the Song dynasty is stunning.”

She gently stroked the old pieces. They must have belonged to a wealthy family long ago. The intricately carved bed was a masterpiece of delicate craftsmanship, exuding a refined and timeless aura. The red lacquer shimmered, a testament to thousands of years of Chinese lacquer artistry.

Examining the wood grain closely, Li Ying’s slender, pale fingers traced the surface like precious treasure.

“This... could it be rosewood?”

“It’s rosewood? You mean pear tree wood?”

“Fool, it’s not pear wood,” Li Ying said with a playful charm, captivating Le’er completely. “Rosewood is ebony. The entire bed can’t be rosewood, but I’m sure the carvings are. And the drum-shaped table and stools—no idea what wood those are.”

“Is rosewood valuable?”

“Of course,” Li Ying replied without looking up, continuing to caress the bed’s carvings. “You’ve found a treasure. If this bed were in Guangzhou, it’d be worth hundreds of thousands. Even if it’s not rosewood, it’s definitely made from quality wood—otherwise it wouldn’t have survived a hundred years without damage.”

“Hundreds of thousands?”

Le’er was dumbfounded.

“All right, the bed’s mine now,” Li Ying chuckled. “Lying on it, you’re sure to have beautiful dreams.” She glanced at the bedding and wrinkled her nose. “Your quilt smells terrible... like sweat... hmm... and there’s a hint of woman’s scent?”

“No way...” Le’er protested, but under Li Ying’s gaze, his face flushed. Luo Yinxian had slept on this bed more than once, and Li Ying’s nose was incredibly sharp to detect the feminine scent.

“Don’t deny it... Your face is red. I won’t let you off now—later, I’ll interrogate you,” Li Ying teased as she approached Le’er. “Come on, let’s go to town and buy a new quilt. There’s no way I’m sleeping under this.”

Le’er hung his head and followed her to the car. Seeing his expression, Li Ying laughed softly, enchanting him once again.

“Sis... why didn’t you take the snake mountain farm contract for free today?” Le’er tried to divert her attention from the quilt’s scent.

Li Ying saw his question as an opportunity to explain properly. Le’er focused, listening intently.

“Damn it, so many twists and turns…”

“What did you say?” Li Ying glared when she heard Le’er swear.

“That... isn’t a swear word. It’s our local phrase... everyone talks like that.”

“No more swearing in front of me, no excuses,” Li Ying said firmly as she drove. “You need to study more... I want you to take the self-study exam and get a college diploma within three years.”

“Sis... I didn’t even finish middle school. Studying is too hard, isn’t it?”

“Don’t argue with me,” Li Ying said, feigning sternness. “No matter how hard, you have to get that diploma. You’ll meet more people, have more responsibilities. Without some knowledge in your head, you’ll be at a disadvantage.”

Back in Foshan, she had already pushed him to study; now, here in Xiasha Village, she was doing it again. Le’er wore a sour face, as if he could ooze bitterness.

After about ten minutes, they arrived in town. Li Ying bought many things—quilts, teacups, curtains... and two bottles of fine wine.

“Sis, why buy wine? The family’s homemade wine tastes great.”

“You think it’s for you?” Li Ying lifted the bottles into the car. “It’s for your uncle. He cares about you, right?”

“Yes... Uncle’s the one who cares about me the most. Grandpa cared before, but after he passed, Uncle treated me like his own son.”

By the time they returned to the village, the sun had dipped behind the opposite mountain. The cold wind stirred the trees, which swayed along with the fading light. Li Ying had no mind to admire the scenery; she immediately set about changing the bedsheets and quilts.

“This room will be mine from now on. No one but you is allowed in.”

“Sis... you’re so bossy.”

“Hmm... this bed is mine. You’ll have to get your own. I saw there’s another room—you can stay there.”

“Then... what about tonight? Sis... can I sleep with you?”

Le’er smirked, shamelessly looking at Li Ying. Her face flushed instantly, and with a coquettish smile, she tapped his forehead.

“Dream on. Go sleep on the sand.”

“Sis... I miss you so much.” Unable to resist, Le’er threw his arms around her. “Let me kiss you first.”

“Uh…”

Li Ying was caught off guard by his sudden embrace, unable to struggle as he held her tightly, pressing her lips firmly. She tried to resist, but his arms were strong. Their tongues entwined, breaths growing heavy.

“Le’er… are you back?”

Uncle’s voice came from outside, footsteps echoing in the courtyard. They had to break apart. Le’er frowned in displeasure, but Li Ying smiled alluringly.