The neighboring city of the capital is a coastal city. It only takes about half an hour by high - speed train to get there.
A group of people drove to the seaside. Originally, Song Jiaye and Li Xiyu were walking side by side. Li Xiangping patted Song Jiaye on the shoulder and asked him to walk with him. He said he had something to talk to him about.
Since Song Jiaye was called away by Li Xiangping, Li Xiyu couldn't help stealing glances in their direction. She wondered what Li Xiangping would say to him and her mind was filled with wild thoughts —
What if Father had found out that she and Song Jiaye were going to get a divorce?
What if Father had discovered that she wasn't Li Xiyu anymore?
...
Ming Yuezhu saw through her uneasiness and teased, "What's wrong? Are you worried? Afraid Father - in - law will eat your husband?"
"He's not a big tiger. How could he eat people?" Li Xiyu was startled and quickly averted her eyes. She felt embarrassed at being seen through.
"Not a big tiger indeed." She was probably meant to say "not a big tiger", right?
Look, she was so nervous that she was babbling.
Ming Yuezhu tugged at Li Xiyu and pointed to the sea in front of them. The magnificent sea waves gently crashed against the rocks on the shore one after another. In the past, the seaside was a desolate place, where exiled officials would be sent. So in ancient times, Li Xiyu never had the chance to experience the grandeur of the sea.
"Looking at the sea, you'll think that the little troubles in life aren't worth worrying about at all."
Ming Yuezhu sighed.
Li Xiyu didn't think so. She used to fight with her father in battles, almost being captured, and even slept in a pile of dead bodies. Later, she married the emperor and became the queen above thousands of people. She had eaten rare delicacies and slept on jade beds.
After experiencing so much, what she wanted to hold on to most was the family affection she had at first but accidentally lost in the end.
"Is the sea more beautiful or are people more important?"
Ming Yuezhu thought Li Xiyu was trying to persuade her. She smiled bitterly and said, "Xiyu, you don't need to say anything. Li Yuanhua and I are like the sky and the earth. We're two parallel lines that will never intersect."
"Who says it's impossible?" Li Xiyu pointed to the horizon where the sea met the sky. "Isn't that an intersection?"
In the eyes of the ancients, the sky and the earth could surely intersect.
This involved geographical knowledge. Ming Yuezhu explained, "The earth is round. Our sky is like a thin film surrounding the earth, just like an egg. Of course, beyond this thin film, there's the boundless universe. So the intersection you see isn't a real one. It's just an illusion." Just like her and Li Yuanhua.
"Nonsense. It's clearly that the sky is round and the earth is square."
"The roundness of the earth has been proven by scientists."
"Which scientist? Call him here and let's confront each other face to face. All the books I've read say that the sky is round and the earth is square."
The two, who had been getting along peacefully, started to argue.
Hearing the noise, Li Yuanhua walked over.
"Come on, Xiaoyu. What are you doing? How could you bully your sister - in - law?"
Li Yuanhua was being extremely partial. Li Xiyu was actually speaking up for him.
"Brother, come and judge. Sister - in - law said that you and her are like the sky and the earth and can never intersect. But the sky is round and the earth is square, so they can surely intersect. Look." Li Xiyu pointed at the horizon while saying, "That's the proof."
In the past, Li Yuanhua would surely unconditionally support his wife. But hearing what Li Xiyu said, he nodded and said to Ming Yuezhu seriously, "Wife, I really have to talk to you about this. How could you deceive Xiaoyu? It's clearly that the sky is round and the earth is square. Look, Xiaoyu has even shown the evidence."
Ming Yuezhu looked at Li Yuanhua in disbelief: "You..." She really wanted to ask if he had lost his mind.
Just then, Song Jiaye was also released by Li Xiangping. Ming Yuezhu saw Song Jiaye and grabbed him, asking him to judge.
"Song Jiaye, tell me. Is the earth round? Your wife insists that the sky is round and the earth is square. That's just an ancient thought."
The sky is round and the earth is square?
Song Jiaye looked over at Li Xiyu, and Li Xiyu was also looking at him eagerly. He couldn't resist that look.
He nodded involuntarily.
He had to protect his wife's little pride.
"Yeah, Xiyu is right."
Ming Yuezhu: "..."
Why were there so many fools around her all of a sudden? Didn't they even know such a simple and obvious truth that the earth was round?
Seeing that Ming Yuezhu was about to explode with anger, Li Yuanhua quickly pulled her away.
Ming Yuezhu shook off Li Yuanhua's hand and said, "What are you pulling me for? Didn't you support your sister? You can even turn black into white."
"I support the idea that the sky is round and the earth is square, not her."
"Then what do you support?" Ming Yuezhu asked angrily. She really wanted to see how Li Yuanhua would explain. When he had defended Li Xiyu just now, he hadn't even blinked while lying.
Li Yuanhua lowered his head, sighed, and explained.
"I just want to prove that the statement that you and I will never intersect is a false proposition."
Ming Yuezhu's anger immediately subsided. She sighed helplessly.
"Yuanhua, it's no use. Don't do these things."
"The promise I made to you yesterday will always be valid. You can think about it."
Looking at the serious Li Yuanhua, Ming Yuezhu had no choice but to shake her head and walk forward.
Li Yuanhua followed closely behind her, and little Li Tong also trotted after his parents with his short legs.
Li Xiyu looked at Ming Yuezhu's back and sighed, "Sister - in - law is so pitiful."
Song Jiaye couldn't understand. "Wasn't it sister - in - law who wanted a divorce? From the way big brother is acting, as long as she's willing to turn back, everything will still be okay."
Li Xiyu shook her head.
"I mean, it's so pitiful that sister - in - law doesn't even know that the sky is round and the earth is square. It's obvious that she hasn't read many books at home. I wonder why such a big family like the Ming family doesn't even let their kids read the basic Four Books and Five Classics."
Song Jiaye: "..."
He had been trying to coax Li Xiyu, but now she was acting all high - and - mighty.
Only then did Li Xiyu remember to ask, "What did my father talk to you about?"
Thinking of Li Xiangping's veiled probing, Song Jiaye knew that Li Xiangping must have seen the scene when Old Man Song had privately talked to him after dinner at the Song family.
Song Jiaye felt really troubled. What he was most worried about now was that Old Man Song would directly announce his identity to the Li family. In that case, the Li family would never let him go.
Li Xiangping had been kind to him. He didn't want things to turn ugly for everyone.
Moreover, if Li Xiyu also asked him to stay at that time, he wasn't sure if he could leave.
Thinking of this, Song Jiaye tentatively asked, "Xiyu, if your father wants to keep me, just like he's treating sister - in - law now, will you..."
Before Song Jiaye could finish his sentence, Li Xiyu patted her chest and said boldly, "Don't worry. I'll surely support you!"