The hand that was holding hers went to hug her tiny waist, and then he kissed her on the lips, "Let's go down."

It was a gentle gesture, barely a touch, but it left Liu Duo stunned for a moment. This man, who was usually aloof, had actually kissed her on his own?

She got over it, and she was so happy that the corners of her mouth couldn't get any curvier.

At the sight of the silly smile on her face, Ye Yang took her by the hand again, and he led her downstairs.

"Duo Er, why is your face so red? Is it the heat?" Ye Ling went over and asked.

Liu Duo felt like this was something she had said before. After a bit of thought, she remembered that she had once teased him for it!

And now Ye Ling had learnt to return the favor?

She went forward and whispered something in his ear before going back to her rocking chair and sitting down, smiling at him.

Now it was Ye Ling's turn to blush, as though he had some rouge applied on his cheeks. He got embarrassed when he saw Liu Duo smiling at him, and hurriedly turned away to evade her line of sight.

Ye Yang wasn't sure what Liu Duo had told Ye Ling to make him blush like that. He thought, Little Miss Mischief must have come up with something outrageous again to tease Ling like that!

"Ling, what did Little Duo say to you? You're so red," Ye Liu asked curiously.

Li Wazi wondered the same thing, "That's right. What did she say?"

Ye Mo looked at him, also wanting to find out what Liu Duo could have said to make Ling blush like that.

Ye Ling merely shook his low-hanging head and continued processing the bamboo shoots, "Nothing."

He didn't want to talk about it, and so the other men stopped asking as they pressed on with their work. They would be selling their bamboo shoots in town the next day.

On the other side of town, at the Ye family courtyard, Grandmother was cursing Liu Duo to hell and back. Then she thought of something, and went to Ye Xuan's room. She knocked on the door and sought permission before going inside.

"Xuan Er, I have something to tell you," Grandmother Liu sat down, smiling kindly.

"What is it?" Ye Xuan continued writing, not caring much what she had to say.

As she sat on a stool, she said, "Xuan Er, you're not getting any younger. I think I ought to arrange a marriage for you. All your other brothers are married except you! You could always take the exam after taking a wife."

He stopped writing when he heard that. Marriage?

Before, he had intended to go through one exam after another, until finally he would reach the very top, and then he could ask for an official's daughter's hand in marriage. This could surely be helpful for his future.

He wouldn't want to marry a village girl. Moreover, he hadn't laid eyes on one! But Liu Duo's appearance had certainly broken all the rules he had set for himself. So if Liu Duo were the bride, he would be willing.

Grandmother Ye was very happy when Ye Xuan did not reply. She believed there was hope for a marriage. When she had brought it up previously, he would refuse her immediately!

"Xuan Er, rest assured. I will take absolute caution and choose a young and beautiful wife for you."

When Ye Xuan came to, he put down his brush and smiled at his elder, "Sure, I want someone that looks like my sister-in-law, and no one else!"

Sister-in-law? Grandmother Ye furrowed her brow. Which sister-in-law? "Xuan Er, who are you referring to?"

Other than his brother Ye Qin's wife, whom he would call sister-in-law, the other one would be Liu Duo, the shared wife to Ye Yang and his brothers!

Grandmother Ye didn't think Ye Qin's wife was anywhere near good-looking, but she was indeed jealous of Liu Duo's fairness. She was certainly a beauty to behold.

And yet, when Grandmother Ye thought of Ye Xuan's desire for a bride who looked like Liu Duo, she became so shocked she jumped to her feet.