Chapter 57 Brazen
Chapter 57 Brazen
The sun of noon faded and the world sunk into the darkness of night. 5th month was just starting and soon, winter would arrive in its true form. Already, the night's cold had started to affect people pretty hard. Reaching outside Liyue's home, Han Li breathed out some misty air and said, "Wake up early in the morning and take a bath in the cold water. It's good for you."
Liyue nodded from his side.
Seeing the girl's dejected face, Han Li patted her head. "Don't worry, Pang Li is fine and in good health. Believe me, before he went away, he told me he was headed to Sarak. Once you Evolve, we can go check him out."
He had already told her this once before but she still gets slightly down every time he leaves her here. "If you want to talk about something, I am always here, you know?" he asked while taking the package in her hands into his.
Yue Li had prepared dinner and these days, that's what Liyue brings for her mother too.
"Come, I will check her condition too."
Nodding, Liyue opened her home's door and entered with a slightly relieved heart.
Honestly, she wanted Han Li to speak with her mother but just couldn't get herself to ask. Luckily, he chose to do so on his own.
Entering the house and lighting the lanterns on the way, they knocked on Li Yao's door and entered. Seeing Li Yao calmly lying on the bed, Han Li said, showing the package: "This time, it's meat and vegetables. Mom even cooked it while she had her Soul Sense on. Amazing right?"
Smiling, Li Yao said, "Indeed, Yue Li is a talented person."
Han Li sat beside the bed on a chair — which had now become his usual seat — and Li Yao gave her hand to him instinctually. Whenever he came here, he would just take her hand and give her a massage while also absorbing the meager amount of Lust in her.
It gave her a feeling like she was healing and that was her current biggest hope. Of once again standing on her feet and moving like a normal person.
"Maybe one day, you really might heal me," she said with a chuckle.
Liyue also sat on the bed and just silently looked at them.
Despite only the flame of the lantern in her hand lighting up the surroundings, as an Awakened, she could see everything clearly.
"Not maybe, I will heal you," Han Li said calmly.
Li Yao smiled and Han Li chuckled. "You guys should really just come and live here already now, I won't have to be so lonely if you were all here. Even training will be much more comfortable here anyway."
Han Li spoke thoughtfully, "We will come but Mom is slightly reluctant to move. But yes, she is also ready now and within a week, we will shift."
"That's much better." Li Yao nodded, but then said teasingly, "I thought you would be one of those stuck-up men who won't go live in their wife's home or take anything from them due to some stupid pride."
Eyes twitching, Han Li stopped massaging her hands. Had it been someone else, he would have thought they meant bad when they said something like that, but he now knew what kind of woman Li Yao was. n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om
"Of course," he said, "If you don't mind your precious Liyue being taken away from you. I am fine, I will just take her to my home."
Liyue blushed behind her ears while Li Yao smiled, "Actually… if you went away like that, who knows? Maybe I will just stand up and follow you guys there."
Han Li looked at the woman with a smile. "Do you still have any worries about Pang Li?" he asked.
Li Yao looked at Liyue. Even though they didn't usually speak and Pang Li just came back from work and went back to the same place every, he did indeed do a lot for the girl. The biggest worry she had now was Liyue's life. But seeing how Han Li provided for them without even a word, that wasn't much to be worried about.
"I don't really miss him but it indeed feels like the world has changed. Our relationship was not like yours or Liyue's from the start anyway. We mostly were just married for the purpose of having a family… Ambitious people like him are not meant for a family."
Han Li turned silent.
"Business, money, business, money… Ambition at that level is far too dangerous. That's why I will give you a sound warning, Son," she said, her voice calm, "If you by any chance fail in your Evolution, just don't have too much ambition and just try to live in the moment instead of always worrying about the future."
Liyue from the side looked at them with slightly worried eyes, she knew nobody would like such a remark — especially someone focused on Evolving like Han Li.
As silence slowly settled in the room, Han Li moved his hands and lifted Li Yao into a princess carry. "You are the cheery type of person whom I generally like to be around, so, don't get too down. Come, let's go look at the stars and drink some wine."
Li Yao looked at him weirdly. "Take the remaining wine Liyue, let's sit outside your home and have a talk."
Liyue said before he walked out, "There is not much wine left."
"That's enough, bring it."
…
Walking out of the home into the outside world, the coldness directly hit Li Yao on her face and she looked up at the sky in expectation.
The stars stood there up in the sky, mysterious, grand, and beautiful. The night sky that she hadn't seen for quite a while.
"How beautiful…" she said in awe.
Liyao also came out and looked at the sky. The moon was just barely an arc tonight but that in itself had it's beauty. Han Li walked a bit further and sat down on a comfortable rock near their home. It was the children's playing area. While Li Yao was still in his princess carry.
"You know what? Liyue, also bring the dishes Mom cooked. Let's brighten your mother's mood by a hundred times."
Liyue showed him the package already in her hands. Han Li couldn't help but laugh and even Li Yao was smiling.
"Ah, we should have brought Mom along!" Han Li lamented.
He really didn't expect to do anything special today and Yue Li was tired after attempting some simple body training. She was too lazy and hadn't even bathed yet.
So, he just planned to come drop off Liyue and go back home. But he might as well brighten the mood today with this.
Liyue put the package beside them and opened it to reveal cutely packed meat buns inside some leaves and something that looked like soup in a bottle.
Taking the meat bun, Han Li took a part of it by the hand and fed it to Li Yao. She opened her mouth and took a small bite.
It was steaming hot but that was perfect for a night like this.
"How is it? My mom cooks great, right?"
Li Yao nodded. Saying, "Yue Li's cooking is always too spicy but somehow still makes you want more."
"Today, she achieved something," Han Li said with a hidden pride in his heart, "She was too proud of it even though she was too tired. So, today's food is extra special."
Liyue spoke, "Yes, Mother Yue says she cooked better than Sanji today."
"Sanji? Who is that?" Li Yao asked curiously.
"I asked too but she only said he is a great cook…"
Han Li's eyes twitched slightly but he didn't elaborate. He silently fed the woman in his lap another bite.
Gulping it down, she said to Liyue, "But Liyue, you really are a lucky girl."
Liyue looked at her with a blush behind her ears, already realizing what she was speaking about.
"To have a husband as caring as Han Li is such a lucky thing. Even I feel slightly envious."
His red eyes shimmered. "So you say and this girl doesn't even speak to me directly. What do you say? Should I give her some extra punishment when she does badly?"
"You should get her out of her shell somehow if you can."
Han Li nodded. "She is too timid, totally unlike your boldness. But she is really hard working even though she says she isn't interested."
"Just give her a good spanking," Li Yao chuckled.
Liyue blushed all the way to her neck. "Mom!" she weakly exclaimed.
"Anyway, eat the rest of the food. I have to go back soon, that mom of mine must already be asleep."
"Hm, fine." Li Yao then asked, "I wanted to ask you this earlier, when do you plan to consummate your marriage with Liyue? Why don't you guys just do it?"
Han Li looked sideways at Liyue as the girl's face steamed.
"Don't worry, I am in no rush," he said and fed another piece of the bun to her.
Li Yao ate it and said melancholically, "You are like the son I never had."
"Don't tell Yue Li that, she might start a war with you." He chuckled. His Mom would be really mad.
Yue Li might not mind him having more wives, but she would never let him have more mothers. Well, one mother was a handful already.