Chapter 422, Chasing with slippers to hit (first update)

Li Mochan rolled up his sleeves and strode toward the kitchen, "Let the chefs go home early today, I’ll make the dumplings."

Tie Shan’s face was a picture of shock, "..."

Was there something wrong with his ears?

Could the Fifth Master actually make dumplings?

Climbing the final step of the stairs, Ye Jiuliang raised her eyes to look toward the room Tie Shan had mentioned.

The door was ajar, and specks of orange-yellow light sneaked out through the crack.

Ye Jiuliang’s gaze shifted as she tiptoed closer.

The bedroom was deserted and quiet.

The lamp elongated the figure on the rocking chair, the lean silhouette tinged with solitude.

Old Master Li sat with a stern face, clearly in a sulky mood.

What was the use of raising a son if he just got snatched away by others?

Not even coming back for the Winter Solstice dinner with him, that ungrateful brat.

Suddenly, there was a knock at the door.

"Knock knock knock—"

Thinking it was Tie Shan coming to persuade him to have dinner, Old Master Li frowned and scolded with a heavy voice, "I told you not to bother me, I’m not eating dinner."

"Then are you still going to eat the dumplings?"

The teasing tone was just as nonchalant as ever.

The unique voice entered his ears, and Old Master Li’s dim eyes suddenly brightened as he quickly turned around.

Ye Jiuliang poked her head in from outside the door, a mischievous smile in her eyes, "Old Master Li, I’ve come to pay back the meal money."

It really was her.

If this girl was here, then that rascal Mohan must have come back too.

His lips involuntarily curled upwards, but Old Master Li snorted coldly and turned his head away stubbornly, "Who cares about your meal money."

Ye Jiuliang raised an eyebrow, the little old man had quite the temper.

She pushed the door open and walked in leisurely.

"If you don’t care, then why did you chase after me on the phone demanding it?" she asked teasingly.

Old Master Li choked, "..."

Suppressing a laugh, Ye Jiuliang made as if to leave, "Never mind then, I won’t insist. Since you don’t want to eat dinner, I’ll tell Li Mochan not to make dumplings, and we’ll go out to eat."

"Wait, who said I’m not eating dinner." Hearing Li Mochan was about to make dumplings, Old Master Li immediately became restless and urgently called her back.

"But didn’t you just say..."

"What I said just now was that I’m going to eat dinner. You young lady, with such young ears not working properly, how could you misunderstand like that." Old Master Li denied his earlier statement, tossing Ye Jiuliang the blame.

Ye Jiuliang looked at the old man with a smile that wasn’t quite a smile, not continuing to argue and giving him an out.

She diverted her gaze, catching sight of the photos on the wall and lingering on them for a moment.

They were the wedding photos of the old man when he was young and Li Mochan’s mother.

They actually matched quite well.

Noticing her looking at the photos, Old Master Li raised his head, his tone betraying a hint of pride, "Do they look good?"

"They do look nice, but," Ye Jiuliang rubbed her chin, her eyes flashing with a mischievous light.

Old Master Li asked, "But what?"

"It’s just that you look a bit old."

After speaking, Ye Jiuliang dashed out of the room.

Old Master Li’s face darkened.

What did she mean he looked a bit old? Couldn’t the girl speak properly?

Soon after, Old Master Li’s angry voice echoed in the stairwell.

"Ye Jiuliang, you little rascal, stop right there. Who are you calling old?"

"Mohan, your old man’s going to hit someone, help!"

Ye Jiuliang fled downstairs, her face beaming with smiles, and not the slightest hint of fear.

"Ye Jiuliang, if you have the guts, don’t run."

Grandpa Li chased after her, a slipper still in his hand, which was a rare sight of him being so unsteady.

Ye Jiuliang turned back and made a silly face at him, "Lalala."

If she shouldn’t run, then he really shouldn’t chase, should he?

Rushing into the dining room, Ye Jiuliang, with her sharp eyes, spotted the man who was preparing the filling and hurried over.

"Mohan, it’s an emergency."

She reached out to pull Li Mochan and then hid behind him.

Li Mochan slightly raised his cold eyebrows, put down his chopsticks, and looked toward the door as Grandpa Li came in holding the slipper.

Seeing Grandpa Li’s unsteady side for the first time, even Tie Shan was taken aback.

His hand shook, and flour spilled out.

Tie Shan set down the bag of flour, struggling to hold back a laugh, "Grandpa, what’s this?"

Grandpa Li looked down at the slipper in his hand, realizing his lapse in composure, and hastily hid the slipper behind him.

"Cough cough."

He cleared his throat, coming up with a rather poor excuse, "It’s too cold, just running a bit to exercise."

Tie Shan, "..."

Do you need to hold a slipper while running around for exercise?

He snuck a glance at the person hiding behind Li Mochan, secretly chuckling to himself.

Surely Miss Ye must’ve said something to anger Grandpa Li.

Ye Jiuliang peeked out from behind Li Mochan, grinning at Grandpa Li, "Grandpa Li, I was just telling the truth; getting angry only makes you age faster."

"You..." Grandpa Li felt a blockage in his heart.

Taking the opportunity before he could get angrier, Ye Jiuliang slipped into the kitchen, "I’m going to wash my hands and then come help."

Grandpa Li threw down the slipper and pulled out a chair to sit down, shooting a glance at Li Mochan and snorting coldly, "You know to come back?"

Facing Grandpa Li’s reproachful look, Li Mochan remained calm and collected, continuing to prepare the filling with his chopsticks leisurely.

Feeling as though he was punching cotton, Grandpa Li puffed up his beard in irritation, "Li Mochan, are you listening to me when I’m speaking to you?"

Li Mochan casually responded with a "Hmm."

At that moment, Ye Jiuliang finished washing her hands and came out, sensing that the atmosphere had become a bit frosty, wondering what happened this time.

She took a step forward, pulled out a chair, and sat next to Li Mochan. Taking up the rolling pin, she said playfully, "How about I roll out the dumpling wrappers?"

Before she finished speaking, a scoffing laugh came from across the table.

"You know how?"

Facing Grandpa Li’s disdainful look, Ye Jiuliang wasn’t embarrassed at all and admitted straightforwardly, "No, I don’t."

She paused for a moment and then added, "Li Mochan does."

"Can’t even roll out a dumpling wrapper, just good at irritating people," Grandpa Li sneered, still remembering what Ye Jiuliang had just said about him getting old.

Ye Jiuliang supported her chin with one hand, unfazed by the jab, and said lazily, "Then why don’t you teach me, Elder?"

"I’ll teach you," Grandpa Li stood up and reached over to snatch the rolling pin she was fiddling with.

Circling around the table, he entered the kitchen.

His series of actions left Ye Jiuliang dumbstruck.

Could Grandpa Li actually make dumplings?

She tugged on Li Mochan’s sleeve and looked up at him, "Your dad knows how to make dumplings?"

The corners of Li Mochan’s crimson lips curled slightly as he nodded.

Ye Jiuliang couldn’t believe it, "..."

Seeing her surprise, Tie Shan explained with a smile, "The old man might not know how to cook other dishes, but his dumpling-making is exceptional. It’s because the Madam loved dumplings, so he learned it especially for her."

He was referring to Li Mochan’s mother, Jiang Qian.

Ye Jiuliang reigned in the surprise in her eyes and smiled warmly.

It seemed there was some reason Mohan’s mother had taken a liking to Grandpa Li.

Running low on flour, Tie Shan went into the kitchen to fetch some.

Soon after, only the two of them were left in the dining room.