“Crack!”
The sound of the wooden branch breaking was faint and subtle, yet it caught the side - glances of both Ning Yuwang and Qing Yu simultaneously.
Holding four broken chopsticks, Yan Zhao narrowed his eyes and sneered, “I exerted a bit too much strength.”
He flicked his hand, sweeping the broken chopsticks away, hinting meaningfully, “Useless things are better off discarded.”
A fine chill seeped into his whole body, and his gaze was filled with cold arrows.
The people at the other table seemed to sense his anger and stopped their actions one after another.
Especially A Da, who forced a smile and said, “Plain noodles aren't satisfying. Boss, change to meaty ones! And add extra large servings of meat!”
Then he led the other four men and cast a disdainful sideways glance at Qing Yu.
What an unlucky person, trying to sow discord between the young master and the young mistress!
Qing Yu's eyes were cold, but he ignored A Da and the others.
He deliberately met Yan Zhao's gaze head - on without yielding an inch, “The young master is as cold - blooded and heartless as the rumors say.”
“I'm only devoted to those I care about.”
Yan Zhao gently rested his hand on Ning Yuwang's shoulder and said meaningfully, “Being promiscuous only leads to defeat.”
Seeing Qing Yu's increasingly livid face as he wished, his sense of elation doubled.
There was only one reason.
It was nothing but Qing Yu's lingering affection and the familiar fragrance of pine and bamboo that wafted over when he sat down.
It was exactly the same as the fragrance on Ning Yuwang when she returned late one morning.
That was why he had disliked Qing Yu from the first sight.
Ning Yuwang naturally caught the veiled hostility in their words.
She frowned slightly. Logically and emotionally, she should side with Yan Zhao.
However, the profound friendship that Qing Yu claimed to have shared with her for a century was too heavy for her to be a heartless “dragon”.
Seeing that Ning Yuwang didn't show her stance for a long time, Qing Yu's face turned as black as the bottom of a pot, and his knuckles gradually turned pale.
He coughed heavily, looking frail and broken, “Those who come later simply don't understand the unwavering love of those who came before.”
Indeed!
If we were to talk about who came first, Qing Yu had accompanied Ning Yuwang for several years, while Yan Zhao and Ning Yuwang had only been married for a few months.
It was obvious who came first and who came later.
This short sentence blocked Yan Zhao's retort.
Under the table, his fingers slowly tightened around Ning Yuwang's wrist. In his seemingly non -chalant gaze, there was a hint of helpless sigh.
There seemed to be a glimmer of moisture in his eyes, red and full of grievance.
“The one who was abandoned must not be good enough,” he murmured softly, “Wanwan, am I right?”
The warmth in her ear rushed like a tide, making her skin blush deeply. Ning Yuwang was captivated by his beauty and replied, “Yes.”
Yan Zhao raised his eyebrows and ruffled Ning Yuwang's hair, “Wanwan is so obedient!”
Although Ning Yuwang pretended to be calm, it was obvious that the tips of her ears and her neck were flushed and burning.
The two of them, looking like celestial beings, were truly well - matched.
Qing Yu had slowly tightened his fingers, filled with resentment.
He naturally knew about the dragon's “weakness” for beauty. He was confident in his own good looks, but he couldn't understand why Ning Yuwang had chosen Yan Zhao.
The thought of giving up because of Ning Yuwang's resistance before welled up again.
He...
Couldn't bear to give up.
“Almost forgot, A Wan, this is your Mid - Autumn Festival gift,”
Qing Yu interrupted their intimacy and opened his palm. There was a small package wrapped in oiled paper.
When he unfolded it, there was a small and delicate mooncake inside.
“Even though you've forgotten your past, the tradition shouldn't be broken,”
He pursed his lips and showed a faint dimple in his smile, “Your wish when you were ten was to eat the mooncakes I made with my own hands every year. This one is small, but I made it myself this year.”
The filling of the mooncake was red bean, which was a veiled expression of his feelings.
A golden light flashed in Ning Yuwang's eyes. Yan Zhao didn't notice, but Qing Yu seemed to have seen it.
He took a step further, “Now that I see you happy, I'm happy too.”
On the surface, he seemed to be backing off, but Yan Zhao always knew this trick of “retreating to advance”.
After all, Yan Zhao had used it on Ning Yuwang before.
“Thank you for your kindness, but my wife has already eaten mooncakes today,”
He reached out and pinched the small mooncake, tossing it casually, “But since it's a kind gesture, it shouldn't be wasted. This young master will surely have someone offer it properly.”
A Er took it quietly and carefully hid it in his bosom, “This subordinate will surely live up to the young master's trust.”
The master and his subordinate were really infuriating.
Qing Yu tried his best to ignore them, but his heart still ached with anger.
Others couldn't see it, but Ning Yuwang saw clearly that the black aura on his chest was spreading further and seemed to be faintly moving towards his limbs.
She couldn't help but speak up, “Do you want that scale back?”
Since she had given it to Qing Yu before, it belonged to him.
She had always wanted to return it to him.
Especially considering Qing Yu's current poor health. If he resisted any longer, he might not make it to the end of the year.
“No need,” Qing Yu frowned slightly, as if feeling the pain, but he was more satisfied with Ning Yuwang's attitude.
“Before my end approaches, can A Wan accompany me on another trip to Donghu Lake?”
Just by looking into his eyes, Ning Yuwang guessed that Donghu Lake was the lake where she was born.
It was also the place where she and Qing Yu had accompanied each other for a century.
Maybe by going back to the old place, she could retrieve some of her memories.
“Okay.”
Ning Yuwang nodded slightly. Suddenly, her finger was tightly grasped.
She frowned slightly and turned her head to see the displeasure in Yan Zhao's eyes. She was a bit stunned and puzzled.
“The young master shouldn't mind, right?”
Qing Yu asked deliberately, but Yan Zhao unexpectedly nodded and said, “I do mind.”
“Wanwan is now married to this young master and is the current young mistress. It's inappropriate for her to meet a strange man privately,”
He stared at Ning Yuwang intently. The latter rarely shifted her gaze and dared not meet his eyes, “Sir, you shouldn't mind if I go with you, right?”
This completely blocked Qing Yu's words.
“This young master is petty and jealous. Sir seems more generous than me. I'm sure you won't mind,”
His words were self - deprecating, but his tone was cold and indifferent, even hiding a hint of threat.
If Qing Yu really refused, maybe the five men behind him who were itching to act would really do something.
“Naturally... I don't mind.”
The two men seemed to have made the decision on their own, leaving Ning Yuwang with no chance to intervene.
By the time she came to her senses, Qing Yu had already left.
His back was still lonely and desolate, making one feel pity.
There was only a hint of guilt in her eyes, but more of it was curiosity and exploration.
According to Qing Yu, a dragon and a fish had accompanied each other for a century and even developed feelings for each other.
So...
Even though she had lost her memories, her subconscious preferences and actions wouldn't lie.
Qing Yu was tall and handsome, gentle and amiable.
He was exactly the type that Ning Yuwang liked.
But for some reason, even though she knew they had known each other before, Ning Yuwang subconsciously resisted his approach.
The lack of memories was really inconvenient.
She believed the memories that Qing Yu had described, but she didn't dare to trust the man himself.
“Wanwan, snap out of it,”
There was a faint sigh in her ear. Yan Zhao's tone was melancholy, “It's my fault for being weak and sickly all year round. Wanwan has even thought of remarrying.”
“I haven't,”
Ning Yuwang was unjustly blamed and tried to explain, but Yan Zhao kept talking. She simply shut up and waited for him to dispel his jealousy.
“That Qing Yu is in even worse health than me. If Wanwan wants to change her heart, she should at least find a better one!”
After saying that, he seemed to realize a flaw and bit Ning Yuwang's earlobe fiercely, “Even if I die, Wanwan must never find another man in this lifetime!”
Ning Yuwang lowered her eyes. She didn't refute on the surface, but complained in her heart: One of you is already enough of a handful!
If she were to find another man who was as passionate and fond of the pleasures of the bedchamber, wouldn't this old dragon's waist break into pieces!