Yan Yue didn’t have an opinion on Xiao Feng’s attempts. In fact, if Xiao Feng was really interested in Wang Shuxiu, Yan Yue thought it would be good. Xiao Feng was an honourable man, unlike Lu Yishui.
Of course, in front of Lu Lingxi, Yan Yue shouldn’t have known Xiao Feng. When Lu Lingxi mentioned Xiao Feng, he made a point of explaining, “It’s the creditor that my dad owed money to.”
Yan Yue made an appearance of realising something and asked, “What are you worried about, Xiao Xi?”
Lu Lingxi was taken aback for a moment, seemingly wondering what exactly he was worried about. In fact, he couldn’t say. He just had too strong an impression the first time he saw Xiao Feng, so he had fixed him in his mind as a bad guy, and he was worried that he would bully Wang Shuxiu.
Yan Yue laughed at his comment and looked at Lu Lingxi patiently, “Xiao Xi, you also said they have a good relationship, so why would you worry about Brother Feng bullying your mother?”
Thinking about it this way, Lu Lingxi blinked and felt as if he was overthinking it. “Big Brother Yan, you’re right.” Lu Lingxi looked at Yan Yue trustingly and nodded, “Mom is so strong, she won’t let anyone bully her.”
When Yan Yue saw this look on the young man’s face, he felt that he was simply going crazy. He had to use all his self-control not to impulsively pull the young man into his arms and hide him from anyone’s sight.
Lu Lingxi was unaware of this thought of his and continued earnestly, “Big Brother Yan, do you have time tonight? Mom wants to make dumplings for dinner.”
There was a hint of expectation in his eyes as he spoke, and a little pride when he mentioned Wang Shuxiu’s dumplings. Yan Yue finally failed to control his desire and reached out to touch Lu Lingxi’s face, nodding, “I have time.”
Lu Lingxi seemed to be used to Yan Yue’s closeness and blushed a little, but didn’t avoid his touch, looking at him with a clear gaze.
Yan Yue smiled faintly and rubbed Lu Lingxi’s hair without speaking again.
Tiny Garden was doing good business today, and in the afternoon Brother Han brought his friend with him. The other party took a glance at the plants inside the Tiny Garden and paid a deposit on the spot, and both sides agreed to deliver the plants in three days. Lu Lingxi thought that he couldn’t go to the plant nursery tonight, so he would go there tomorrow to evolve the plants. The effect of the evolution would be seen overnight, exactly three days later.
The two of them had a busy day, and as soon as it was seven o’clock in the evening, Lu Lingxi urged them to hurry home.
This was not the first time Yan Yue went to Lu Lingxi’s house, but compared to the last time, this time it obviously had a different meaning. Yan Yue was a little nervous, a rare occasion for him, and even struggled with what gifts to bring. But thinking about it, if he really brought any gifts, Wang Shuxiu would definitely be suspicious. When the two of them passed by the fruit shop, Yan Yue was going to buy some fruit. Lu Lingxi whispered, “I can’t even eat all the tomatoes at home.” The implication was not to waste.
Yan Yue looked at him in amusement and also followed his example and whispered, “Isn’t it a male daughter-in-law? It’s my first official visit, and I want to make a good impression on Xiao Xi’s mother.”
“……” The tips of Lu Lingxi’s ears reddened faintly.
The evening meal was very good, and Yan Yue had to praise Wang Shuxiu’s craftsmanship. The only thing was that during the course of the meal, Lu Lingxi didn’t dare to keep adding food to Yan Yue’s bowl like he did last time, looking a little less enthusiastic. Wang Shuxiu noticed it and reminded him several times.
“Xiao Xi, give your Big Brother Yan some egg-plant.” Wang Shuxiu slapped him, “Aren’t you the one who yelled that Big Brother Yan likes egg-plants with garlic?”
Wang Shuxiu used to be a little wary of Yan Yue, thinking that he didn’t look like someone who would mix up with them. But after the last meal and the development of Tiny Garden during this time, Wang Shuxiu was genuinely grateful to Yan Yue. Even if she didn’t say it, she knew in her heart that Yan Yue had done a lot of work. The little bastard had lost his memory, had no social experience and was not very educated, so Wang Shuxiu had been worried about what he would do in the future. With Tiny Garden, at least the little bastard would be able to make ends meet. In addition, Yan Yue had the contacts and skills, so the little bastard would have a place to ask for help if he encountered some problem in the future.
With this in mind, she saw that the little bastard seemed a bit distant from Yan Yue, so she reminded him with some discontent.
Yan Yue looked at Lu Lingxi with a smile, waiting for his reaction.
Lu Lingxi dutifully took the egg-plant with chopsticks and placed it in Yan Yue’s bowl, saying obediently, “Big Brother Yan, eat this.”
Yan Yue looked magnanimous and with a sincere face said to Wang Shuxiu, “Xiao Xi is very good, very talented in gardening, and the customers love him.”
What mother didn’t like to hear compliments about her son? Wang Shuxiu was no exception. Hearing Yan Yue’s words, she was very proud. “Xiao Xi reads late every night and works very hard. Sometimes he has to be urged to go to bed.”
Yan Yue gave Lu Lingxi a veiled glance and said right in time, “Xiao Xi is still growing up. Although he has to work hard, he should also pay attention to the combination of work and rest. It’s okay to study, but it’s not good if your body breaks down.”
Wang Shuxiu immediately nodded, “Yes, yes, should combine work and rest.”
Yan Yue held a dumpling for Lu Lingxi and said seemingly casually, “Xiao Xi is too thin, so he needs to eat more.”
Wang Shuxiu followed, “Xiao Xi wasn’t this skinny before, but after he was hospitalised a few months ago, he’s been like this since he came out. He eats less and can’t get fat.”
Lu Lingxi: “……”
Wang Shuxiu and Yan Yue sang in harmony, without needing him to speak at all.
Yan Yue’s heart tightened when he heard about hospitalisation, “Hospitalisation?” Although he knew it was in the past and the young man was standing in front of him alive and well, he still couldn’t help but glance at Lu Lingxi with worry.
Wang Shuxiu didn’t notice and continued to speak, “The doctors issued a critical condition notice that time, during the operation it was said that the little bastard’s heart stopped. But in the end he pulled through, just lost his memory and didn’t remember anything.”
About Lu Lingxi’s memory loss, Yan Yue probably knew something, but what he didn’t know was that the situation at that time was actually so dangerous. His heart was vaguely scared; he was completely unable to imagine what it would have been like if something had happened to Lu Lingxi at that time and he hadn’t met the young man. Taking a deep breath secretly, Yan Yue said as if chatting idly about family matters, “There will be blessings if you survive a catastrophe. Xiao Xi will definitely have a smooth and prosperous future.”
These words really reached Wang Shuxiu’s heart, and she immediately smiled, warmly inviting Yan Yue to eat more.
After the three of them had finished eating, Wang Shuxiu rushed Lu Lingxi to sit with Yan Yue. Lu Lingxi wanted to water the tomatoes, so Yan Yue followed him to the backyard. When no one was around, Yan Yue hugged Lu Lingxi tightly and held him in his arms. There was fear rising from the bottom of his heart, and he had to hold Lu Lingxi to be sure that he was really here and not just a figment of his imagination.
Lu Lingxi was a little surprised, but more than that, he was afraid that Wang Shuxiu would see him and struggled in earnest.
Ignoring his struggles, Yan Yue lowered his head, cupped Lu Lingxi’s chin and kissed him, saying patiently, “Xiao Xi, be good, let me hold you for a while.”
Lu Lingxi realised something and said, “Big Brother Yan, are you doing this because of what Mom said about me being in the hospital?”
Yan Yue nodded.
Lu Lingxi hesitated a little and whispered, “If it hadn’t been for that hospitalisation, I wouldn’t have been able to meet Big Brother Yan.”
He thought of the original owner of this body. If that Lu Lingxi hadn’t happened to be hospitalised after an accident, he would have been dead by now, gone who knows where. Although he never understood why that Lu Lingxi had died and he had survived in his body, he was really grateful to the original owner of this body. Because of Wang Shuxiu, because of Yi Hang and other friends, because of his current healthy body, and because of Yan Yue.
Yan Yue didn’t hear the deeper meaning in Lu Lingxi’s words but just hugged him tightly, unable to let go.
Lu Lingxi didn’t struggle any more and reached out to hug Yan Yue, resting his head on Yan Yue’s shoulder.
When Yan Yue left in the evening, Wang Shuxiu packed a bag of tomatoes and a bottle of tomato sauce and insisted that Yan Yue take them with him. Yan Yue smiled and took them, looking at Lu Lingxi the whole time. Wang Shuxiu asked Lu Lingxi to see Yan Yue off, and Lu Lingxi obediently followed him out the door.
Yan Yue didn’t want to leave, but he couldn’t find a reason to stay any longer. He looked at Lu Lingxi deeply and instructed, “Go to bed early and don’t read too late.”
Lu Lingxi nodded obediently.
Yan Yue wanted to do something else, but this was downstairs after all, and Wang Shuxiu was still at home waiting for Lu Lingxi to return. He desperately suppressed his body’s desire, rubbed Lu Lingxi’s hair and said softly, “I’ll pick you up in the morning.”
Lu Lingxi felt somewhat troubled, but nodded at Yan Yue’s gaze. However, Lu Lingxi thought of something, “I have to go to the plant nursery tomorrow night.”
“I’ll go with you.” Yan Yue said.
Lu Lingxi let out a sigh and curved his eyes at Yan Yue.
The next night, the two of them went straight to the plant nursery without going home from work. On the way out, the two went to eat beef noodles, thinking they wouldn’t bother Uncle Li at night. By the time they reached the plant nursery, it was completely dark. Lu Lingxi wanted to see the big willow tree and hesitated not knowing how to ask.
“What?” Yan Yue saw that he was a little strange.
“I want to go and see the big willow tree at the entrance of the village.”
“Now?” Yan Yue was a little surprised.
Lu Lingxi nodded. It would take a night to see if it could evolve successfully. If he put it off until tomorrow morning to evolve, he would have to wait until the day after tomorrow to see if it had evolved. He was a bit impatient to find out if the big willow tree could evolve.
“Wait until I find a flashlight to accompany you.” Yan Yue didn’t ask more questions and agreed straight away.
Lu Lingxi’s eyes lit up and he took the initiative to give Yan Yue a hug. Yan Yue was a bit incredulous, and when he reacted, Lu Lingxi had already let go and waited aside with Dahei.
Perhaps because of the experience of being struck by lightning and coming back to life, the name of the big willow tree as a “sacred tree” had spread to several villages in the vicinity in just one day. When Lu Lingxi followed Yan Yue to the willow tree, he saw that someone had tied red cloth strips to the tree. There was also burnt yellow paper underneath the tree, and there was an old lady from the village with a group of children surrounding the willow tree, talking about ancient times.
The mental scan spread and the white panel floated in front of Lu Lingxi.
Plant name: First-class weeping willow
Plant needs: none
Plant viability: very high
Plant status: first-level peak
Plant evolution condition triggered, please select the direction of plant evolution.
Lu Lingxi’s gaze swept across the panel and froze when he saw the words “first-level peak”.