"Okay," Lu Wanqing agreed.
Lu Wanqing picked up the vegetables and turned to head to the kitchen.
Yu Nong also followed Lu Wanqing, intending to go.
"Yu Nong! You stop right there!!!" Madam Yu suddenly shouted.
Yu Nong's brow furrowed deeply in an instant. He turned back, glanced at An Zhizhi, his resistant aura intensifying, then looked at Madam Yu and said with evident displeasure, "Mom, I don't like Zhi Zhi!!!"
Hearing this, An Zhizhi's expression changed. Almost instinctively, she stepped forward and grabbed Yu Nong's hand: "Brother Yu Nong, I..."
Yu Nong, however, flinched violently as if electrocuted, then forcefully pulled away.
Yu Nong was clearly not himself. He turned to Lu Wanqing and said, "Wanqing, let's go to the kitchen."
After speaking, Yu Nong left quickly.
Lu Wanqing hesitated, then, without bidding farewell to Madam Yu, she quickly picked up the vegetables and followed Yu Nong.
They soon arrived at the kitchen. More precisely, Yu Nong entered first, and Lu Wanqing followed, only to see him turn on the faucet and wash his hands, vigorously scrubbing the spot An Zhizhi had touched.
Lu Wanqing also stiffened slightly, surprised. What was the reason for Yu Nong's extreme aversion to An Zhizhi? Had there been a conflict between them before?
Lu Wanqing pondered, but ultimately did not pry into their private matters. She took the vegetables out of the bag and began to consider what to cook for dinner.
As Lu Wanqing thought, she noticed Yu Nong continuously washing his hands. One wash was not enough, then a second, and a third. The area An Zhizhi had touched was now red from scrubbing, yet he continued, as if in a state of extreme disgust.
"Yu Nong?" Lu Wanqing finally couldn't help but ask cautiously.
She felt Yu Nong's behavior was very abnormal. Even if one disliked someone, there was no need for this.
It was just an accidental touch, wasn't it?
Judging by his demeanor, it was as if he wanted to scrub off his own skin.
Little Yu Shu soon came down. She rushed into the kitchen and saw this scene: her father standing by the sink, desperately washing his hands, and her mother watching him with a puzzled expression.
Little Yu Shu paused briefly, then belatedly understood what had happened.
This wasn't the first time such a thing had occurred in their family. Whenever Aunt Zhi Zhi accidentally touched her father, he would wash his hands incessantly for a very, very long time. Shu Shu didn't quite understand why her father, who was usually so good-tempered, detested Aunt Zhi Zhi so much.
"Alright, Yu Nong, it's clean now." Lu Wanqing watched for a while, unable to bear it any longer, and gently took Yu Nong's arm.
It was just An Zhizhi. If you disliked someone, just ignore them. Don't make it difficult for yourself, don't hurt yourself.
Yu Nong seemed not to hear her, continuing to scrub his hands frantically.
Lu Wanqing pursed her lips slightly, then raised her hand and turned off the faucet.
Yu Nong froze.
Lu Wanqing looked at him, her voice softening slightly. She spoke in a gentle tone, comforting him, "It's okay, it's clean now."
Little Yu Shu hesitated for a moment, then also came over and took her father's hand, her clear voice offering comfort, "Daddy, it's okay, it's clean!"
Yu Nong stared blankly, looking at Lu Wanqing, then lowered his gaze to Little Yu Shu. After a long while, he seemed to snap back to reality and nodded.
Lu Wanqing hesitated, then turned to prepare the ingredients. However, as she worked, she discreetly observed Yu Nong.
After a period of silence, Yu Nong seemed to have calmed down. He resumed his usual quiet and somewhat melancholic expression.
"Do you want to help me pick vegetables?" Lu Wanqing thought, then couldn't help but speak.
Yu Nong and Little Yu Shu both looked at her.
Yu Nong handed over the vegetable basket and then began to teach the father and daughter how to pick vegetables, explaining to discard the yellow, older leaves and keep the crisp, tender ones for better flavor.
The father and daughter learned quickly. After Lu Wanqing showed them once, they could pick vegetables on their own.
This meal, with the addition of two little helpers, was much easier for Lu Wanqing, and she finished much faster than usual. The only unpleasantness was that after the meal was ready, another person appeared at the dining table – An Zhizhi.
Regarding An Zhizhi, Lu Wanqing had initially not wanted to interfere. But today was different. Having personally witnessed Yu Nong's abnormally strong reaction, she couldn't help but overthink. What had happened between Yu Nong and An Zhizhi?
Why was it that after Yu Nong's reaction, An Zhizhi could still act as if nothing had happened, continue to visit the Yu family, manage to appease Madam Yu, who was infected with the mutated plant virus, and even get Madam Yu to pressure Yu Nong into marrying her?
Fortunately, dinner passed quickly, especially with Yu Nong's complete lack of cooperation on this matter, allowing them to go upstairs directly after eating, avoiding further forced pleasantries with An Zhizhi and Madam Yu downstairs.
With some time left before bed, Lu Wanqing and Shu Shu returned to their room. Lu Wanqing picked up Shu Shu's Mutated Plants Compendium and started reading. However, after a while, she couldn't resist asking Shu Shu, "Shu Shu, do you know if Daddy had any conflicts with Aunt Zhi Zhi before?"
Little Yu Shu looked up at her mother. After a moment, she shook her head, "I don't know."
Lu Wanqing sighed.
Lu Wanqing felt a pang of melancholy. She didn't want to pry, and she lowered her head to continue reading. But after a while, she couldn't help but look up.
It seemed she cared about more than just her child. Seeing Yu Nong like this, she couldn't help but worry about him.
She hadn't been at the Yu family's for very long, but Lu Wanqing could feel Yu Nong's thoughtfulness in small details. Moreover, the way he had taken such good care of Shu Shu all these years, she inexplicably felt... she shouldn't be taking a detached attitude anymore.
"Does Shu Shu want to go play with Daddy?" Lu Wanqing thought, then couldn't help but lower her gaze to Little Yu Shu and ask tentatively.
Little Yu Shu looked up at her mother, confused.
Lu Wanqing put down the book, then crouched down, looking into Shu Shu's eyes, and said earnestly, "Shu Shu, Daddy is not happy today. Let's go find him and play, to make Daddy happy, okay?"
Little Yu Shu's eyes lit up, and she nodded vigorously, "Yes!!!"
Lu Wanqing smiled, leaned in to kiss her child's cheek, then stood up, saying with a smile, "Let's go, find Daddy."
"Mm-hmm!!!" Little Yu Shu happily nodded.
When An Zhizhi went upstairs to find Yu Nong, she discovered Lu Wanqing and Little Yu Shu standing at the door of Yu Nong's room. Lu Wanqing was knocking on Yu Nong's door.
The next moment, Yu Nong opened the door.
An Zhizhi, for some reason, suddenly took a step back, looking ahead.
Lu Wanqing said something to Yu Nong, who nodded. Then the three of them came out of the room together and headed towards the third floor.