Ye Ling kept his mouth shut tightly. Liu Duo raised a brow and mumbled, What was so extraordinary that he can't let me know?

Although she found it strange that he wouldn't tell her, she decided to not interrogate him any further. Since he refused to speak, then she would leave it at that. She wouldn't really get angry anyway.

She tiptoed and whispered into his ear, "Ling, if you won't say, then I won't ask anymore."

And with that, he breathed a sigh of relief. He was really afraid that Liu Duo would not give up questioning him.

He got too happy too quickly. Liu Duo later added, "But Ling, you've upset me, so I'm going to punish you!"

And then two thin arms wrapped around his neck and made him lower his head. She punished him by kissing his lips softly, but not as gently as before. Ye Ling did not know how to react other than to accept it passively.

Moments later, Little Lian's voice rang out, "Sister Duo, there's..."

Her words died on her tongue.

What was it she saw? Liu Duo was kissing Ye Ling by the wall?

Little Lian blushed and left quickly. How shameless it was to be caught doing this in broad daylight.

A villager had arrived to sell bamboo shoots, so she had gone to inform Liu Duo, but she hadn't expect to catch them in such an act!

Ye Ling gently pushed Liu Duo away when he heard Little Lian's voice. He felt embarrassed to have someone see them like this.

But Liu Duo wouldn't release him. To her it wasn't a big deal if they were seen. Kissing was normal, especially in their own house. What was there to be afraid of?

She only dropped everything when she'd had enough, but she didn't let go of the arms she had hooked around his neck.

The aftertaste lingered in her mouth. She giggled, "Ling, you taste really nice!"

Ye Ling was already blushing furiously. What she said only made it worse. He didn't know how to respond.

Liu Duo liked his shyness, "Ling, this is your punishment, so better not do it again!"

And then she let him go and rushed to the front yard. She supposed Little Lian had come to look for her, because a villager had arrived to sell bamboo shoots.

Ye Ling stared at the small, exquisite figure as she disappeared. He touched his mouth and traced the spots where Liu Duo's kisses had plundered.

Still blushing, he mumbled, "I kind of like this punishment."

And then he snickered.

After that, he continued with his work, turning over the dried bamboo shoots.

At noon, Ye Yang and everyone else returned. Little Lian would flush red whenever she looked at Liu Duo, so she avoided meeting her eyes. Ye Ling acted similar to Little Lian too, blushing whenever their eyes found each other.

Ye Liu noticed what was happening and raised his slender brows, What's going on between them?

It was after lunch when Li Wazi, who was usually insensitive, realized what they had been doing. He brought his wife aside and asked curiously, "My dear, what's up between you, Sister Liu Duo, and Ling?

Little Lian looked at her husband, who was an honest man and treated her well. She blushed and said, "Nothing. Why do you ask?"

She was too shy to tell him.

"My wife, you haven't argued with them, have you? You don't even look at or speak to them now!" Li Wazi couldn't believe there was nothing at all. He wasn't blind!

She sensed he must have taken it the wrong way, so she explained, albeit still blushing, "My dear husband, it's not what you think. We didn't argue. I just happened to see Sister Liu Duo and Brother Ling... er...."

"See them what?" Li Wazi probed again when she paused.