Chapter 144 Delivering Food

Hearing Li Yanhe’s words, the village chief immediately waved his hand and said, "There is no failure. Today, we have finally succeeded."

Upon hearing this, a graceful curve formed at the corner of Li Yanhe's mouth. He then glanced at Lin Miaomiao and said, "You've been tired all day too. If there's anything that needs to be done, just let me do it."

A lovely smile bloomed on Lin Miaomiao's face. She shook her head at Li Yanhe and asked, "What could possibly be here for you to do?"

As Lin Miaomiao spoke to Li Yanhe with a beaming smile, the village chief, being a perceptive man, immediately understood upon seeing the two of them that they had not been married very long.

The village chief waved his hand toward Lin Miaomiao and Li Yanhe, saying, "We can tidy up the rest ourselves. You two newlyweds should hurry home!"

"During the day, both of you are busy with your own affairs. Now that you finally have some time in the evening, you should go back and rest first!"

Hearing the village chief, Lin Miaomiao smiled, nodded to the villagers, and prepared to leave.

At that moment, Cuihua also stood nearby and said to Li Yanhe, "Everyone has been working hard all day. Go home, make something to eat for the evening, and get a good rest!"

Hearing Cuihua's remarks, Lin Miaomiao smiled and replied, "Sister Cuihua, I know. You guys finish up quickly and go home to rest too!"

Finally, as April arrived, Lin Miaomiao and the others succeeded in producing sugar.

On the way back, a smile lingered on the corners of Lin Miaomiao's lips. Li Yanhe asked her, "So happy?"

Lin Miaomiao nodded, tilted her head, and slowly said to Li Yanhe, "Of course I'm happy! Just thinking that one day this village can become prosperous, just like anywhere else, makes me very happy."

"Although making this place better requires the efforts of several generations, if our generation starts working hard now, we can spare the next generation a lot of struggle."

When Li Yanhe heard Lin Miaomiao say this, he looked at her face, and for a fleeting moment, she suddenly appeared towering and magnificent in his eyes.

"Miaomiao, when you say something like that, I feel like you are a truly great person."

Hearing Li Yanhe's praise, Lin Miaomiao shook her head and gently told him, "I have never been a great person."

"I am simply doing what I can do. In a sense, I cannot change the current state of this world."

"However, whatever is within my power, I will strive to do my absolute best."

After saying this, a faint, bitter smile touched the corner of Lin Miaomiao's mouth, for at that moment she suddenly thought of the Virtuous and Gentle Imperial Noble Consort, Yuan Chuxia.

Lin Miaomiao still remembered an analysis of historical dynasties she had read a long time ago, where someone had pointed out a certain truth:

"If anyone wishes to overthrow this dynasty or establish a brand-new system, in a certain sense, it is simply impossible."

From the very first day she transmigrated here, Lin Miaomiao had never intended to change this world, nor had she ever thought of altering its foundational system.

Because Lin Miaomiao knew that this was a private-property state where the country belonged to a single monarch, and feudal dynasties would inevitably end with the passing of time.

Yet she, Lin Miaomiao, was not destined to be the one who ended this feudal era. Therefore, she never participated in politics, nor did she ever harbor delusions of altering historical laws.

All Lin Miaomiao had ever done was to impart practical skills to the local commoners, allowing them to make a living through their own craftsmanship.

Lowering her gaze, Lin Miaomiao did not continue. At that moment, Li Yanhe bent down and said to her, "Tired after walking all day? Come, I'll carry you on my back."

Hearing this, Lin Miaomiao let out a sudden, bright laugh.

She looked to the left and right, then whispered to Li Yanhe like a thief plotting something: "If we do this, won't people think we're being frivolous?"

Hearing Lin Miaomiao's concern, Li Yanhe shook his head and said in a clear, resonant voice, "I am carrying my own wife. Even if someone calls me frivolous, I am more than willing."

"Besides, I have a wife, and other people don't!" After finishing this sentence, Li Yanhe wore an expression of supreme pride.

Looking at this arrogant yet adorable man, Lin Miaomiao smiled, shook her head, and said, "Then squat down a bit lower."

Hearing her request, Li Yanhe immediately lowered his posture.

On the way back, Li Yanhe carried Lin Miaomiao on his back. The moonlight stretched their shadows very long, reaching far into the distance, just like a lifetime together.

After returning home, Li Yanhe took the initiative to boil water for Lin Miaomiao. She made a simple bowl of dough-drop soup, stir-fried some greens, and the two of them shared a modest meal.

In the dim candlelight, Li Yanhe tilted his head and gazed at his little wife. Feeling his sparkling eyes fixed upon her, Lin Miaomiao wondered if she had something on her face.

Halfway through the meal, Lin Miaomiao suddenly put down her chopsticks, turned her head toward Li Yanhe, and said, "I'll bring my face closer to you. Whenever you finish looking, I'll continue eating."

Hearing this, Li Yanhe’s face flushed instantly. He scratched his head and lowered his gaze.

Lin Miaomiao smiled, shook her head, and said to the dejected-looking Li Yanhe, "Don't you know the saying 'distance breeds beauty'?"

Hearing her words, Li Yanhe shook his head very seriously and replied, "Distance has never bred beauty."

"Doesn't my wife know another saying: 'in the eyes of a lover, Xishi appears'?"

As soon as Li Yanhe finished speaking, Lin Miaomiao's face turned completely red, and she looked up at him.

Thus, Lin Miaomiao caught the warm smile playing across Li Yanhe's lips in the candlelight, and a gentle warmth spread through her heart.

Smiling, she shook her head and continued, "Eat quickly! We still have work tomorrow. Finish up and go to sleep early."

Upon hearing this, Li Yanhe nodded in agreement and said softly, "Right, let's eat quickly and go to sleep early."

Li Yanhe emphasized the word "sleep" heavily. Hearing this, Lin Miaomiao's face flushed crimson again. Glaring at him reproachfully, she asked, "How come I never noticed before that you could be so shameless?"

Li Yanhe's low, resonant laughter reached Lin Miaomiao's ears, followed closely by his deep voice: "I am only like this with my wife. If it were anyone else, I certainly wouldn't behave this way."

Lin Miaomiao had just picked up her bowl to drink some dough-drop soup, and upon hearing Li Yanhe's words, she immediately choked.

Glaring at the incorrigible man before her, Lin Miaomiao scolded him with a mixture of exasperation and amusement, "Can't you be serious for once?"

Li Yanhe nodded, then looked at her with utmost sincerity and said, "Wife, let me discuss something with you."

Seeing the sudden and profound seriousness on Li Yanhe's face, Lin Miaomiao grew somewhat anxious and asked, "What is it? Is it urgent?"

Hearing her question, Li Yanhe nodded and said, "This matter is extremely urgent. It needs to be thoroughly discussed with my wife, and it requires my wife's full cooperation."

Frowning deeply, Lin Miaomiao asked with genuine concern, "Did something happen on your end that requires my help?"

A bewitching, captivating smile curved the corners of Li Yanhe's lips as he replied, "It's nothing major. It's just a matter concerning the ancestral clan."

"The ancestral clan? What kind of clan matters?" Lin Miaomiao asked, feeling rather puzzled. Then, catching the smile still lingering on Li Yanhe's face, she suddenly understood.

Feigning complete ignorance, Lin Miaomiao said to him, "What are you talking about? I don't understand a single word you're saying."

After saying this, Lin Miaomiao quickly finished the last bit of dough-drop soup in her bowl, stood up, and hurried toward the kitchen.

Just as she was about to leave, she heard the sound of Li Yanhe slurping the remainder of his soup behind her, and she let out a silent sigh of relief.

A long while later, while Lin Miaomiao was washing the dishes in the kitchen, Li Yanhe stood right beside her to help. When they finished and walked back to their bedroom one after the other, Li Yanhe suddenly embraced Lin Miaomiao from behind.

"Matters of the ancestral clan are major events," Li Yanhe murmured into her ear. "My wife really needs to agree to this!"

Turning her head to look at him, Lin Miaomiao said earnestly, "It's not something I can work on all by myself; there's no way I can worry about your family's clan!"

"Besides, if you aren't ambitious yourself, what does that have to do with me? I've already cooperated!"

Hearing her retort, Li Yanhe burst into laughter. Then, blowing a gentle breath against her ear, he whispered, "Wife, since you put it that way, I suppose I must work extra hard tonight."

Though Li Yanhe possessed an upright and honest face, he executed these dishonest maneuvers with practiced ease.

Soon, the bedroom door was shut. Dark clouds drifted across to obscure the moon, and from within the room, sounds that set the heart racing could occasionally be heard.

The next morning, when Li Yanhe woke up holding his wife in his arms, he suddenly understood the feeling of monarchs who refused to attend morning court, and tasted the peculiar joy of a decadent ruler.

When Lin Miaomiao woke up, she found that Li Yanhe had already opened his eyes, yet he still refused to let go of her.

Amused, Lin Miaomiao looked at him and asked, "Wait, don't you have things to take care of today? Why aren't you getting up?"

Hearing her question, Li Yanhe nodded and replied, "Today, I want to be a decadent ruler and skip work entirely."

With that, he nuzzled further into Lin Miaomiao's arms.

Lin Miaomiao remained speechless.

Consequently, both Lin Miaomiao and Li Yanhe played truant from work that day. Of course, this in no way hindered the operation of various local matters.

After all, if Lin Miaomiao wasn't at the sugar factory, the village chief was there to keep an eye on things. If she wasn't at the brickyard, Lin Liangluan and the others were supervising, so she had nothing to worry about.

In Li Yanhe's own words, solving the problems of this place was not something that could be achieved overnight; it ultimately depended on the self-discipline of the officials.

By the time Lin Miaomiao and Li Yanhe finally got up, it was already noon. It had been a very long time since the two of them had the leisure to cook a proper meal together.

Usually, Lin Miaomiao was busy, and Li Yanhe was equally preoccupied, leaving neither of them with time to prepare a nice lunch.

At noon, Lin Miaomiao decided to steam some rice and stir-fry a few dishes.

As they chatted away, Li Yanhe helped chop the vegetables. With their seamless cooperation, a table full of dishes was prepared in no time.

After packing the food into boxes, Lin Miaomiao and Li Yanhe brought them over to the sugar factory.

Seeing that Lin Miaomiao hadn't come over that morning, the village chief had already vaguely guessed that the young couple hadn't seen each other in a long time, and that spending some private time together was only natural.

The village chief had presided over the work as usual. As noon approached, just as he was about to tell everyone to go home for lunch, he spotted Lin Miaomiao and Li Yanhe walking over with food baskets to deliver the meal.