263 Quiet Down (1/2)
Li Family Manor
The breakfast next morning was quiet and awkward. No one spoke during the entire meal. The only sound was occasional clinks of the chopsticks against porcelain bowls and plates.
Li Xueyue didn't have her usual appetite because of her restless night. She was utterly exhausted whilst playing with the braised egg in her bowl of rice. Lazily, she raised her head, only to witness Li Wenmin happily placing their favorite dish into Minghua's bowl.
”I don't like eggs,” Li Minghua said with a slight frown. ”Did you forget?”
”Oh,” Li Wenmin responded. He smiled a bit. ”The dish is so good, I thought you'd appreciate it.”
”No, thanks,” Li Minghua muttered. ”Consuming too many eggs won't be good for the body. Here, you need to eat more vegetables.” She pushed the plate of leafy vegetables closer to the reluctant twin.
Li Wenmin poked at it in disgust. What was he? A cow? A rabbit? He didn't like vegetables, he liked meat.
Li Chenyang rolled his eyes. ”Just eat it. What are you? Five?”
”Yeah, five minutes older than you,” Li Wenmin retorted before he shoved the dish towards his younger brother. ”Why don't you eat it?”
”I will, thanks,” Li Chenyang said.
Li Wenmin scowled as he watched his younger brother consume the dish. He averted his gaze and his eyes met Xueyue.
”Why aren't you eating?” Li Wenmin asked. ”You're usually racing me to finish the second bowl of rice.”
”I'm not that hungry today,” Li Xueyue said with a smile. She stared at his second bowl of rice and let out a small laugh. ”They don't call you piglet for nothing.”
”Hmph, at least I'm a cute one.” Li Wenmin snorted. He edged the dishes towards her. ”Eat. You'll need some energy for training.”
Li Xueyue slowly nodded. She picked up the preserved vegetables and placed a few in her bowl but didn't eat. She was too antsy and tired to have an appetite. How did Li Minghua find out about her background? She bit her bottom lip and poked the rice.
”What training?” Li Minghua spoke up.
”None of your concern,” Li Chenyang sniped. ”Just eat your food.”
Li Minghua scowled. ”You're still the same. Being unnecessarily mean like this will get you nowhere with the ladies.”
Li Chenyang narrowed his eyes. ”And all these years in the Palace hasn't humbled you a single bit.”
”You—”
”Quiet down,” Duchess Wang Qixing instructed. ”Both of you,” she added on. She placed more side dishes into Minghua's bowl and warmly smiled.
”Eat up, my Little Flower,” she gently said. ”You've gotten so thin. They must've starved you in the Palace. Here, have more meat. I remember it's your favorite.”
”Thank you, Mother,” Li Minghua happily said. She plopped the meat into her mouth. ”I like your cooking a lot more.”
”Really?” Duchess Wang Qixing asked. She was ecstatic by the news, her eyes shining. It had been so long since she had last cooked for her daughter.