No Longer Escaping (ABO) - Chapter 48

They had a long talk last night.

Youru told Li Cui’er a lot about her life after she got married.

Li Cui’er listened with a vacant look, clearly spaced out.

She wasn’t interested in this kind of domestic business, and she was even less interested in their marriage.

Youru, who was getting more and more excited, didn’t notice Li Cui’er’s impatience.

She continued to talk about how good her husband was to her and how intimate and loving they were.

Li Cui’er rested her chin on her hand, her eyes staring blankly at a small chrysanthemum drooping in the yard.

Youru’s words came to her ears, but she didn’t hear a single one.

She watched the little chrysanthemum swaying in the breeze, bowing its head and then lifting it, letting the wind play with it.

Her thoughts started to wander.

Unconsciously, she thought of her grandpa, and from him, she thought of Wan Niang and the others.

Her thoughts were very scattered until Nian Xi’s face appeared in her mind, and she stopped her wild thoughts.

“…We tried many things… but it was no use…”

This sentence from Youru reached her ears.

Li Cui’er shrugged indifferently.

“If it’s no use, then it’s no use…”

“Huh?”

“Since it’s no use, why are you still so caught up in it?”

She stood up, leaving her jacket for Youru, and walked toward the room.

“I’m going to sleep…”

Li Cui’er thought that since Youru had run away in a fit of pique, she probably wouldn’t stay long.

She didn’t expect her to stay for five days.

Her presence made her feel more and more tired.

They had been on two different paths for many years.

What Youru cared about and focused on had nothing to do with her interests.

The only thing they could talk about were their shared childhood memories.

Once Youru started talking about her current life, Li Cui’er would become quiet, only giving a few perfunctory replies.

What bothered her more was that Nian Xi’s words became fewer and fewer.

In the past few days, because Youru was always clinging to her, Nian Xi was too shy to talk to her.

They didn’t have much communication to begin with, but now it was a good day if they said a few words.

There was another thing that made Li Cui’er very helpless.

When they went to bed at night, Youru always liked to stick close to her.

Ever since she differentiated as a Kun Ze, she had never shared a bed with anyone.

And now they weren’t children anymore.

What’s more, she used to have feelings for her.

Every time Youru would stick to her, she would quietly move her body away.

On the seventh day of Youru’s stay, Li Cui’er was out with Brother Zhang and the others.

Only Youru and Nian Xi were at home.

When Youru first arrived, she didn’t show much interest in Nian Xi.

At most, they would greet each other politely when they ran into each other.

Other than that, they didn’t have any communication.

Nian Xi was naturally a quiet person.

She wasn’t good at socializing with strangers and never spoke to people.

If no one came to her, she would stay alone in the kitchen or her room.

In fact, after first meeting Youru, the sensitive Nian Xi had already felt that Youru was intentionally ignoring her.

Her presence here became less and less noticeable.

Luckily, Li Cui’er would occasionally take the initiative to talk to her.

But before they could talk for long, Youru would interrupt and steer the conversation in a direction she couldn’t join.

Although she didn’t participate in their conversations, she was always listening quietly.

She had learned a lot about Li Cui’er’s childhood in the past few days, thanks to Youru.

Like the time she climbed a tree to catch bugs and got a huge bump.

To avoid being found out by her grandpa, she covered herself in mud to get away with it.

Or the time she played a prank on the village bully, but it backfired, and she was chased from one end of the village to the other.

There were many more childhood stories like this.

It made Nian Xi unable to hold back her laughter.

It was these little stories that made her understand Li Cui’er more.

She thought this time would be the same as before.

They wouldn’t have any communication and would just do their own things.

But Youru unexpectedly took the initiative to find Nian Xi.

“Do you want to go for a walk?” she said to Nian Xi, who was sitting in front of the stove.

Nian Xi was first stunned, then she nodded slightly to agree.

The two of them walked one after the other on the autumn harvest fields.

Nian Xi looked up at the gray sky.

Occasionally, she would hear the rumbling of thunder.

There wasn’t anyone working in the fields today.

They probably expected it to rain.

Looking at the increasingly gloomy sky, Nian Xi was filled with worry.

She wanted to tell Youru that it was going to rain soon, but she didn’t know how to start the conversation.

She followed behind her, looking at her tall and confident back.

Thinking about her own humble posture, she felt a sense of inferiority.

“How did you two meet?” Youru suddenly asked.

“We…”

This made Nian Xi not know how to answer her right away.

She thought for a long time.

She opened her mouth, but before she could say a single word, a raindrop fell in front of her.

More and more raindrops came one after another.

The rain was very heavy.

There was nowhere to hide, so the two of them could only run home.

This conversation, in the end, didn’t continue.

When they got home, they saw Li Cui’er, Xiao Wen, and Brother Zhang.

Just like them, these people were drenched by the heavy rain.

“I told you it was going to rain today, but you didn’t believe me,” Xiao Wen said, complaining as she wiped her wet hair with a towel.

“How was I supposed to know it would rain this hard…” Li Cui’er said helplessly.

“Stop complaining and go change,” Brother Zhang said, his chest bare.

He squeezed the water out of his clothes.

Hearing him, the two of them stopped complaining.

Li Cui’er motioned for Youru to go inside to change.

As for Nian Xi, Li Cui’er figured she would go back to her room to change by herself, so she didn’t say anything to her.

Nian Xi did think about changing, but seeing everyone hanging their wet clothes, and afraid they would get cold, she went to the kitchen to light a fire pit for everyone to warm up.

Since she was lighting a fire, she also thought that it was already dinnertime, so she had to cook.

With all that, she forgot to change her clothes.

If Li Cui’er hadn’t reminded her when it was time to eat, she probably wouldn’t have even known her clothes were dry.

Seeing that the rain wasn’t going to stop anytime soon, Xiao Wen and Brother Zhang naturally stayed for dinner.

“I’ve never tasted Nian Xi’s cooking,” Brother Zhang said.

Seeing the delicious-looking food, he couldn’t wait to pick up his chopsticks.

“Li Cui’er always told us Nian Xi’s cooking was very good.

Now we finally have a chance to try it,” Xiao Wen said, also eager to start.

But Li Cui’er nudged her with her elbow.

She immediately shot back, “What, are you shy?

Here, the napa cabbage you think is the best.”

She said, picking up a piece of napa cabbage and putting it in Li Cui’er’s bowl.

Li Cui’er suddenly met Nian Xi’s eyes.

She shyly lowered her head and ate the dish Xiao Wen had put in her bowl.

Everyone was talking excitedly at the table.

Although Nian Xi was still quiet, she was much more at ease than in the past few days.

She would also smile with them and say a few words.

Suddenly, Youru covered her mouth and ran to the side, gagging over the trash can.

It happened so fast that no one had time to react.

They only realized what was happening after she was already gagging over the can.

Xiao Wen was the closest and immediately got up to rub her back.

They all watched her with worry.

It just had to happen when Wan Niang wasn’t here.

They didn’t know who to ask for help.

Xiao Wen frowned.

She watched her gag for a long time, but nothing came out.

She asked, “When was the last time you… shared a bed with your husband?”

Her words made Youru’s heart tighten.

She calmed down and slowly replied, “A few months ago…”

“Could it be…” Xiao Wen looked at Li Cui’er and then at Nian Xi.

“Could you be pregnant?”

“How could that be…” Youru put her hand on her flat stomach.

It was impossible.

“I don’t know if that’s it, but when Sister Fang was pregnant with Xiao Hua, she was also like this.

She would gag, but nothing would come out.”

“Sister Zhang would know about this.

Let’s go ask her,” Brother Zhang said.

“Her mother used to be the village midwife.”

“Let’s eat first…” Li Cui’er said.

There was no expression on her face.

She looked at Youru and asked, “Can you still eat?”

Youru nodded.

“I’m much better now…”

Li Cui’er’s face was expressionless, but to Nian Xi, it seemed like she was a little unhappy.

Everyone continued to eat, but the atmosphere was clearly not as lively as before.

After they finished eating, they took Youru to find Sister Zhang.

Nian Xi wanted to stay behind to wash the dishes, so she didn’t go with them.

Besides, even if she went, she didn’t know what she could do to help.

Li Cui’er also wanted to stay and help her wash the dishes, but Youru kept pulling her, asking her to go with her.

She had no choice but to go.

Nian Xi stood in the kitchen doorway, watching Li Cui’er and the others leave with their oiled umbrellas.

Raindrops fell from the eaves, and all she could hear was the pitter-patter of the rain.

“Cough, cough…”

She covered her mouth with her hand and let out a dry cough.