noffsinger Chapter 146 Love rivals meet
Chapter 146 Love rivals meet
In the blink of an eye, time flew by, and the cold winter quietly descended upon this tranquil Xinghua Village. Overnight, the entire village seemed to have transformed into a silvery-white fairytale world. The ancient houses, like tall and mighty giants clad in silver, were completely enveloped by thick white snow, with only the dark chimneys and a few wooden windows visible.
At dawn, before the sky was fully bright, a biting wind howled through the village, but this did not deter Yang Yuyan from heading to school. She wore a thick, floral-patterned cotton-padded coat and a red, fleece-lined cotton hat, looking like a cute and hardworking little bee. Early in the morning, she arrived at the school gate, clutching a worn-out broom, and began diligently sweeping away the snow.
A short while later, the eldest son of the Su family appeared, his steady and powerful steps leaving deep imprints on the snow. He spotted Yang Yuyan busy at work, quickly stepped forward, took the broom from her hands, and said with a smile, "It's terribly cold today. You should hurry back inside and light the stove. Taking good care of our little one is the most important thing." He then gently patted Yang Yuyan's shoulder, his eyes full of concern and love, like a loving father instructing his beloved daughter.
Hearing this, Yang Yuyan nodded obediently and replied, "Okay, I understand." Then, she put down her tools, turned around, took her son Xiaobao's trembling little hand, and carefully walked towards the classroom. The small figure gradually disappeared into the snow until it vanished from the sight of the eldest son of the Su family.
Just then, a clear and melodious laugh rang out, as sweet as a nightingale's song. The eldest son of the Su family looked in the direction of the sound and saw his newlywed wife, who had just arrived, gracefully appearing like a light, white snowflake. This new bride had a beautiful face, rosy cheeks, like a blooming peach blossom; beneath her arched willow-leaf eyebrows, a pair of large, bright eyes sparkled, and her smile was like spring flowers in full bloom, breathtakingly beautiful.
She walked gracefully to the side of the eldest son of the Su family, took his arm, and said coquettishly, "Honey, I'm thinking of enrolling our precious daughter in school too. What do you think?" Her voice was melodious and gentle, which softened the eldest son's heart.
The eldest son of the Su family nodded repeatedly, his already smiling face now beaming even more. He readily agreed, "Of course! Our girl is indeed of school age, so just bring her over."
At this moment, the new bride bit her lip, seemingly wanting to say something but too shy to speak, looking as bashful as a young girl. Seeing this, the eldest son of the Su family, still with a faint smile on his lips, asked softly, "What's wrong? Sister, is there something you want to discuss with me?"
Hearing the eldest son of the Su family ask this question, the new bride seemed to have finally mustered up her courage, raised her head, and said in a voice as clear and melodious as a nightingale singing, "Brother, actually... actually I was thinking of becoming a teacher in the village school." After saying this, the new bride lowered her head, not daring to look directly into the eyes of the eldest son of the Su family.
Upon hearing this, the eldest son of the Su family was slightly taken aback at first, but soon his eyes lit up with joy, and he hurriedly said, "Oh my god! This is really great news! Sister, you've read so many books and know so many words, you're just perfect to be the teacher at our village school!"
Hearing the eldest son of the Su family praise her, the new bride's already slightly flushed cheeks turned even redder. She smiled and continued, "Brother, I was just worried that some people in the village might not be happy to have me as the teacher."
Upon hearing this, the eldest son of the Su family immediately waved his hand and patted his chest, confidently guaranteeing, "Sister, don't worry! As long as you teach well and the children learn real skills, everyone will be too grateful to even think about it. Why would they disagree?"
The news spread throughout the village the next day. Some villagers were skeptical—could a woman really be a husband? But many others supported her, after all, the new bride was well-educated and reasonable. The eldest son of the Su family led his new bride from house to house, explaining and demonstrating her knowledge. Gradually, the doubts subsided.
On the day of enrollment, sunlight streamed into the campus, as if draping the whole world in a golden veil. The new bride, dressed in an elegant long gown, stood gracefully on the platform. Her smiling face and graceful demeanor were captivating. The girls below, with their innocent, sparkling eyes, gazed at this beautiful teacher with curiosity and excitement.
In a corner of the classroom, Yang Yuyan was busy helping her new wife organize the mountain of books. The two worked together seamlessly and with perfect understanding.
The school bell rang crisply, and the new bride began her lesson. Her voice was melodious and pleasant, and her explanations were clear, logical, and well-organized. The children listened attentively, nodding occasionally to show understanding, and sometimes displaying expressions of sudden realization, completely immersed in the ocean of knowledge. As time went by, this scene played out day after day.
Time flew by like an arrow, and under the careful guidance of the new bride, the school became increasingly lively, filled with laughter and the sound of reading aloud. Moreover, the village's cultural atmosphere grew stronger, and people's after-dinner conversations shifted from trivial family matters to the fascinating stories and profound truths found in books.
The eldest son of the Su family naturally saw this and was delighted. Every day, watching his wife earnestly teaching and nurturing students on the three-foot-high platform, his heart felt as if it were being caressed by a spring breeze, filled with pride and satisfaction.
However, behind this seemingly peaceful and beautiful scene, a discordant atmosphere lurked. At that moment, outside the classroom window, a figure was glaring at the scene inside with gritted teeth—it was He Shuiqing. His face was full of anger, his eyes blazing, and his hands were clenched into fists, as if he were about to rush in and beat the eldest son of the Su family to a pulp at any moment.
It turned out that he was incredibly jealous when he saw the eldest son of the Su family chatting and laughing with Miss Leng for a while, and then patiently guiding Yang Yuyan in writing teaching materials!
And so, He Shuiqing waited and waited outside the window, finally making it to the end of the school day. He rushed into the classroom and went to Yang Yuyan, saying eagerly, "Honey, come home for lunch today. I happen to be free today, so I can show off my cooking skills and make a few of my signature dishes!" As he spoke, he deliberately puffed out his chest, wanting to demonstrate his culinary abilities.
Unexpectedly, Yang Yuyan simply waved her hand and replied with a smile, "No, no, I have classes to prepare for this afternoon. Let's talk about it tonight." With that, she turned and continued packing. He Shuiqing was left standing there, frozen in place, her smile instantly gone…
At this moment, the eldest son of the Su family also came over. He said to He Shuiqing with a serious expression, "Yang Yuyan is busy. Can you please not disturb her work?" He Shuiqing immediately got angry when she heard this. "Why do you have the right to interfere in our family's affairs? What business is it of yours if I pick up my wife?" The eldest son of the Su family crossed his arms and calmly replied, "Yang Yuyan is busy at school right now. You will only delay her work."
Just as the two were about to clash, Yang Yuyan quickly stepped in to smooth things over, saying, "Stop arguing, you're doing this for my own good. He Shuiqing, you should go back now, I really have something to do." Although He Shuiqing was unwilling, she still turned and left angrily.
A few days later, the village held a knowledge competition, which the new bride organized for her students to participate in. The children participated enthusiastically, and Yang Yuyan provided attentive guidance from the sidelines. On the day of the competition, people from other villages also came to watch the excitement. The student team led by the eldest son of the Su family, the new bride, performed exceptionally well and won the championship. The entire Xinghua Village was filled with joy, and the villagers praised the new bride highly.
Seeing how happy and carefree Yang Yuyan was at the school, He Shuiqing gradually changed her mind. She stopped forcibly dragging Yang Yuyan home and instead silently supported her work from behind, occasionally bringing some homemade snacks for the teachers and students at the school.
On the vast, boundless grasslands, the leader of the grassland alliance, who held absolute authority over this land, felt a ripple of emotion when he heard that Xia Wu was pregnant with his child. What convinced him even more was that Nangong Xue'er herself had personally corroborated this. Therefore, this usually decisive leader accepted Nangong Xia Wu without hesitation and meticulously arranged a brand-new and comfortable residence for her. Moreover, his attitude towards Nangong Xia Wu underwent a complete transformation, from initial indifference and aloofness to utmost care and tenderness.
However, Xiao Doukou, Nangong Xiawu's half-sister, was not happy for her because of their sisterly bond. On the contrary, seeing her sister so favored, Xiao Doukou was consumed by jealousy and wished she could possess that happiness herself. At this moment, she was filled with the hope of giving birth to a baby boy as soon as possible. Only in this way could she, based on the traditional belief that a mother's status depends on her son, gain a foothold on this vast grassland.
Meanwhile, in the bustling capital city, Ye Beichen and Zhao Shouyi had already arranged to go to the hunting grounds together to show off their skills. Overjoyed, Ye Beichen couldn't contain his excitement and rushed to the factory, just to personally tell his beloved woman, Yu Ning, this exciting news.
"Honey, Zhao Shouyi and I have decided to go hunting together tomorrow! How about it, do you want to come and join us for some fun?" Ye Beichen looked at Su Yuning with anticipation, his eyes sparkling with excitement.
However, faced with her husband's enthusiastic invitation, Su Yuning gently shook her head and replied apologetically, "I'm sorry, darling, there's been too much work at the factory lately, I really can't get away. You two have fun, don't worry about me." With that, she smiled gently and turned back to her busy work.
"That's not right. Didn't you used to love going hunting with Zhou Xi? Back then, you would always be excited to go to the mountains with him, and you would be all smiles when you returned with a full catch! But why don't you want to go anymore all of a sudden? That's such a big change!" Ye Beichen asked with a puzzled look, his brows furrowed and his eyes fixed on Su Yuning, trying to find a clue in her expression.
Su Yuning's expression was solemn, her eyes resolute. She slowly spoke, "The past is the past, and people always change. Now, making money is my top priority; everything else has to take a backseat. You all have fun, don't worry about what I think." With that, she lowered her head, no longer looking at Ye Beichen, as if she had made up her mind and would not change it.
Just then, a wealthy merchant dressed in fine clothes and with a large belly strolled over. He had a fawning smile on his face and was holding two exquisite theater tickets in his hand. He walked straight up to Su Yuning, handed her the tickets, and said softly, "Miss Su, I've heard that there's a wonderful shadow puppet show at the opera and acrobatics theater tomorrow. Would I have the honor of inviting you to watch it with me?"
Su Yuning was slightly taken aback at first, but then she quickly realized what she meant and nodded in agreement, "Okay, thank you for your kindness. I will definitely keep the appointment on time." After saying that, she smiled and revealed a faint smile, a smile as bright and beautiful as spring flowers in bloom.
Seeing this, Ye Beichen was furious. In the past, with his impulsive and hot-tempered nature, he would have rushed forward to argue with the wealthy businessman without hesitation, perhaps even starting a fight. However, the years had tempered him, making him much more composed. Despite the burning anger within him, he suppressed it, glared fiercely at Su Yuning, and then resolutely turned away, striding off without looking back, seemingly unwilling to see Su Yuning again or utter another word to her.
The next morning, Ye Beichen, dressed in a snow-white robe with a thick cloak and a warm cotton hat, rode a tall and majestic steed with dashing grace. He followed closely behind Zhao Shouyi, who was also dressed in a magnificent cloak. The two led a grand procession, the sound of hooves echoing through the sky, toward the mysterious and vast hunting grounds.