Chapter 370: Chapter 348, Little Deer Panics_1
Xiao Yeyang came down from Taohua Mountain and had not yet entered the estate when he saw Daohua picking grapes outside the manor.
“With the sun so fierce, why are you doing this yourself? What are the tenant farmers for? And what’s the use of keeping so many maids and nannies?”
Daohua had just plucked a bunch of grapes from the vine and was about to place it into the basket when she turned around to see Xiao Yeyang striding over, rattling off a barrage of questions at her.
As Xiao Yeyang approached, he saw that Daohua’s face was flushed red from the sun and beads of sweat were forming on her forehead: “Look at you, sweating profusely, aren’t you afraid of getting a heatstroke?”
After speaking, he took out a handkerchief from his bosom and carefully wiped the sweat from Daohua’s forehead.
The concerned and attentive look in his eyes stunned Daohua for a moment, and she stood there, motionless, without pushing him away.
“Look at you, even your hair bun is a mess, with leaves sticking to your hair.”
The two were standing face to face, and when Xiao Yeyang leaned forward slightly to reach for the leaves behind Daohua’s head, he brought himself even closer to her.
The moment Xiao Yeyang extended his hand, the masculine scent characteristic of a young man enveloped Daohua, and with a ‘whoosh’, she felt her heart as if it had been struck, beginning to beat faster and faster.
This feeling made Daohua panicky and at a loss, wanting to gather herself and dismiss the discomfort. Almost without thinking, she instinctively gave a hard push.
Xiao Yeyang, completely unprepared for her sudden shove, tumbled to the ground and landed with a thud on his behind.
“Yan Yiyi, what’s the matter with you, pushing me like that?”
Xiao Yeyang sat on the ground, his eyes wide with irritation and confusion as he looked at Daohua.
“I…”
Having pushed someone down for no reason, Daohua knew she was at fault, but she didn’t know how to explain herself and could only stand there, glancing around. When her eyes caught the handkerchief in Xiao Yeyang’s hand, she suddenly had an excuse.
“Xiao Yeyang, why do you have my handkerchief?”
Hearing this, Xiao Yeyang, who had been visibly annoyed, stiffened up, quickly stood, and deftly slipped the handkerchief into his sleeve: “You’re mistaken.”
Daohua: “I’m not mistaken. The handkerchief is embroidered with grape blossoms, give it back to me.” She said reaching out to take back her handkerchief.
Xiao Yeyang was naturally not about to return it, stepping back repeatedly: “Just because it’s embroidered with grape blossoms, it’s yours? Could it be that no one else can embroider them? I say, you can’t be too overbearing!”
Daohua: “Others may embroider, but I recognize my own needlework; it’s mine, give it back to me.”
Xiao Yeyang turned and ran back, saying as he ran: “How could your handkerchief be with me, you really are mistaken.”
Daohua chased after him: “Then show me the handkerchief, if it’s really not mine, I won’t want it anymore.”
“This is my handkerchief, why should I show it to you?”
“Xiao Yeyang, stop right there.”
“Just because you ask me to stop, I should? If you have the ability, catch me yourself.”
“Xiao Yeyang, just wait till I catch you.”
“Yan Yiyi, if you can catch me, I’ll concede to you.”
Watching the two chasing each other around the grape vineyard, Defu and Wang Manman exchanged silent glances, then one looked heavenward while the other bowed their head, absently kicking at the mud with their foot.
A moment later, Daohua, out of breath, stopped and glared fiercely at the still energetic Xiao Yeyang before flipping her hair, flinging her hand, and huffily returning to the manor.
Seeing this, Xiao Yeyang sheepishly touched his nose, quickly took out the handkerchief from his sleeve, folded it neatly, and tucked it into his bosom, ensuring it wouldn’t be snatched away before striding into the manor.
…
In the manor, after frolicking around with Xiao Yeyang, Daohua felt her mouth dry and her tongue parched. She was fanning herself, directing Guyu to fish out the watermelon that had been chilling in the well.
When Xiao Yeyang walked in, he happened to see Guyu slicing the watermelon and immediately smiled and said, “Quick, give me a big piece, I’m really thirsty.”
Daohua glanced sideways at him, harrumphed, and said, “You want a big piece? Dream on! You’re not getting any until you return my handkerchief.”
Xiao Yeyang didn’t take her words seriously, walked over, stood next to Daohua, and nudged her with his elbow, laughing, “Don’t be so stingy, it’s just a piece of watermelon.”
“I am stingy, what are you going to do about it!” Daohua didn’t want to get too close to him and moved to the side. She glanced at his sleeve, pondering the possibility of snatching it away.
Seeing her like this, Xiao Yeyang just laughed and started to wave his sleeve to fan himself, “How dare I do anything to you.”
Seeing his rogue-like demeanor, Daohua was so irritated she didn’t want to speak anymore.
At this time, Guyu had finished cutting the watermelon.
Daohua picked up a piece and then directly said to Guyu, “Take the rest to share with your sister Wang Manman and the others.”
Guyu glanced at Xiao Yeyang and left chuckling, carrying the watermelon away.
Seeing this, Xiao Yeyang was rendered speechless as he looked at Daohua, “You’re really not going to let me have any?”
Daohua took a delightful bite of the watermelon, savoring it. After swallowing, she finally said, “Return the handkerchief, and you can have some.”
Xiao Yeyang snorted, “I told you, that’s not yours, stop coveting my fine handkerchief.”
Daohua pouted, “Then just be thirsty!” Saying that, she started eating by herself, ignoring the frustrated Xiao Yeyang beside her.
However, after a few bites, Daohua started to feel a slight pain in her abdomen. Remembering that watermelon was cooling in nature and that she had drunk a bowl of watermelon juice on her way down the mountain, she immediately set the watermelon on the table.
Xiao Yeyang looked over and noticed that Daohua’s complexion looked a bit off, he promptly asked, “What’s wrong?”
Daohua walked over and sat down by a chair, “I’ve had too much watermelon recently, seems like it’s upset my stomach a little.”
Xiao Yeyang relaxed and began to tease her, “See, this is what happens when you eat alone; after we go up the mountain, have Master Gu concoct some medicine for you.”
Daohua shook her head, “An upset stomach doesn’t need medicine.”
Seeing that she was not seriously ill, Xiao Yeyang walked over, picked up the piece of watermelon she had just been eating, and started eating it directly.
“Xiao Yeyang!”
Daohua stood up abruptly, glaring at Xiao Yeyang in exasperation.
Xiao Yeyang, still eating the watermelon, looked at Daohua in confusion. Seeing her gaze fixed on the watermelon in his hand, he finally said.
“We can’t waste food, if you’re not eating it, I might as well.”
Daohua took a deep breath, “Xiao Yeyang, from now on you’re not allowed to eat what I’ve eaten, do you hear me?”
Xiao Yeyang didn’t immediately answer, but took another bite of the watermelon and after swallowing murmured, “I’m just being frugal with the food.”
Seeing Daohua continuing to stare straight at him, an annoyed expression on her face, looking as if she were about to explode, Xiao Yeyang eventually nodded, “Got it, but what if you waste food?”
Daohua said, “Don’t worry, here in the manor we have pigs, cows, sheep; what I can’t finish, they will eat.”
Xiao Yeyang instantly felt sullen.
This person, she’d rather feed it to pigs and cows than give it to him, she truly didn’t regard him at all.