My wife, you also dare to touch?
Ye Shanshan was rarely clever for once and didn't fall for it, "You know!"
Someone started to raise an eyebrow and glare, and Gu Bei Chen's expression also became serious and solemn. "It's precisely because I know that this decision is even harder to make. Before the leader went home for a family visit, he had talked to me about it, and Dad had called our military region's political commissar, so the transfer might be smoother than expected, and if everything goes well, we can go back within the year... but..."
"But the unexpected still happened." Ye Shanshan smiled and interrupted him, her expression unusually calm. Although this unexpected event did not come directly from him, it still affected his decision to stay or leave.
"Sorry, you and Xiao Xiao may have to wait a little longer." Her expression was calm, but Gu Bei Chen felt uncomfortable.
Ye Shanshan pretended to be displeased, glaring at him with a proud and spoiled expression, saying: "Don't apologize, it makes me seem petty."
"How could that be? My wife is the most open-minded and broad-hearted woman in this world." People all like to hear good words, at critical moments, giving her more praise will not go wrong.
"Oh my, look at you, it's almost overflowing from the pot!" Before Ye Shanshan could even process this exaggerated praise, she quickly walked forward and added half a bowl of water to the pot.
The two of them were too busy arguing and left a pot of dumplings to one side, now they're in trouble, the beautifully shaped dumplings might be ruined.
Thanks to this unexpected little episode, the atmosphere finally returned to its due warmth and sweetness.
Still laughing, I decided to steam the remaining half of the dumplings. No need to bother watching the water, and even if they're left for a long time, they won't be too sticky.
After the dumplings were steamed, Gu Bei Chen and Ye Shan Shan each held a bowl of imperfectly shaped but 100% delicious dumplings and savored every bite.
"When are you going to give Old He a reply?" Ye Shanshan brought up this topic again when they were halfway through their meal.
"It's just a few words, no need to respond specially. He is currently injured and it's indeed not suitable for him to stay in the army, it's normal for superiors to consider this. Gu Bei Chen took this matter very lightly, it's unnecessary to make someone remember this favor for their whole life."
"If the condition for a speedy approval is injury, I'd rather wait two more years." The scene of He Tuanzhang struggling to walk with his crutches involuntarily emerged in Ye Shanshan's mind, and the last bit of reluctance in her heart completely dissipated. Ending the days of separation between them as soon as possible was important, but compared to physical health, it didn't count for anything.
"It's almost New Year, don't say such unlucky things!" Gu Bei Chen was furious and hastily stuffed a three-delicious-dumpling into her mouth, "Hurry up and eat, stop thinking about useless things."
Ye Shanshan looked disgusted, with the dumpling still in her mouth. She hated it, the chopsticks had just been in his mouth and now they were stretching into hers again, what was going on?
Gu Bei Chen saw through her little thoughts at a glance, "We've done more intimate things before, and you're still disgusted by my saliva?"
His tone was casual, but Ye Shanshan was almost choked to the point of spitting out the dumplings in her mouth. Hmm, since those two close encounters, someone's thoughts have really become more and more impure.
After having breakfast, Gu Bei Chen still had to go back for a meeting, which would probably take about two hours to finish. Shanshan and Xiaoxiao waiting at home was not an option either, "What do you say, do you want to come with me to the campsite or should I have someone send you to the ski resort first?"
Without waiting for Mom's response, Xiao Xiao stood up with a smile, "Let's go to the ski resort!" Kids always like new things, and those they've never touched before are always the most attractive.
"Alright, neither of us has a good foundation in skiing, so it's better to find an instructor over there to teach us first." Ye Shanshan had always liked sports since she was young, and with the remnants of her childhood personality still intact, her enthusiasm didn't seem any less than Xiaoxiao's.
Gu Beichen also expressed his agreement, and the matter was settled just like that.
With the lesson of Pei Yun's previous experience, Gu Bei Chen dared not to be careless in selecting a driver. He didn't trust ordinary people, and finally he even recruited Qin Wu Yi, who had always been by the leader's side.
Director Xu returned home for a family visit, and Fang Wei was allowed to take two days off, but he had to be dragged away to serve as a driver. He couldn't help feeling a little unhappy about it. Especially since the people he had to drive this time were Mrs. Gu and her young daughter, who were known to be Old Master's favorites. If he didn't serve them well, he would likely face severe scolding and a thousand-word self-criticism at the very least, not to mention possible physical punishment. This was definitely an unprofitable endeavor, as evidenced by Pei Yun's experience!
All the way, Fang Wei was silently complaining in his heart. However, after seeing Director Gu's young wife and little princess with his own eyes, all his complaints became insignificant.
This world is really crazy, how can Boss Gu chew on such a tender young grass?
It's the same old story, these old men have been in the military for years, and the women they see every day are just a handful, mostly wearing military uniforms and being serious. When have they ever seen such a young and beautiful girl? Look at Fang Wei's little eyes, it's been five seconds and he still can't bear to move them away.
Gu Bei Chen gave him a ruthless slap, "Where are your eyes looking? Hurry up and drive out!" After scolding, Gu Bei Chen couldn't help but silently lament in his heart: This group of stinky brats, not one of them is considerate, thinking that Fang Wei following Xu Leader for years would be stable, now it seems that this kid is actually the second Bai Yun!
Watching Fang Wei quickly run away, Ye Shanshan couldn't help but complain to her husband: "Why did you have to be so fierce with him? Now is the time when you need his help!"
"Who wants me?" Gu Bei Chen was furious and laughed, "He doesn't know how eager he is, do you believe it? As long as I put out the word that I want to find someone to take you to the ski resort, there will definitely be a line of people coming over!"
Ye Shanshan was struck by lightning and had a head full of black lines. How could it be so serious? Someone is just making a big deal out of nothing! Being called "Lao Da" every day, how can you be so petty? "Don't flatter me, even if someone really comes to queue up, they're coming for your face!"
The meeting time is almost here, Gu Bei Chen doesn't have extra time to discuss this issue with her, so he hurries to remind her a few more times, "The ski resort has high terrain and strong winds, be sure to pay attention to safety!"
"Dad has already said that seven times!" Xiaoxiao rolled her eyes in annoyance at her dad's nagging, luckily she was wearing earplugs or else her ears would have been ringing nonstop.
"There are professional coaches, what's there to worry about?" Ye Shanshan's heart had already flown to the ski resort, and she couldn't hear her husband's reminders.
Fang Wei quickly drove out and warmly invited his wife and little princess to get in the car. He also carefully prepared hot drinks, snacks, and a PSP game console.
These three things are all Xiaoxiao's favorites, and before they even set off, her enthusiasm had already reached its peak. "Uncle Fang is so great, everything I like! Mommy, hurry up and come!"
Watching with a smile, she hurriedly climbed onto the car and after getting on, she still waved her hands enthusiastically to beckon Mommy to come up. Gu Bei Chen's face had already turned as black as the bottom of a pot. He was still planning to let Little Ghost Ling Jing help take care of Xuan Xuan along the way, but now it seemed that Fang Yi, this little scoundrel, had easily bought her over with some cunning tricks. Just look at her smug face, calling him "Uncle Fang" in such a familiar tone!
In the gap of Gu Bei Chen's discontent, Ye Shanshan also got on the car and waved at him, "We're leaving, wait for you to have lunch together." Then, without waiting for his response, the window quickly rolled up, a puff of white smoke came out from the back of the car, and it quickly disappeared into the distance!
It was he who suggested that they go to the ski resort first, and it was also he who chose the driver. He could only resign himself to accepting the consequences of lifting a rock and hitting his own foot!
Due to the approaching Spring Festival holiday, and today's exceptionally good weather, the road to the ski resort was a bit congested. A journey that normally takes only half an hour ended up taking forty-five minutes.
It's not even 10 o'clock, and the ski resort is already bustling with activity. Fortunately, Fang Wei has a wide network of connections, and the head of security here is an old friend and comrade from his hometown, so a casual greeting can get him through the green light easily. From renting ski suits and equipment to entering the venue, everything was settled in less than 10 minutes.
"Madam is coming today..."
"Stop it!" Ye Shanshan hastily interrupted, "He's not here right now, can you not call me that?"
"This... isn't good, is it?" Fang Yi's heart was naturally eager for it, but on the surface he still had to put on a polite face.
"Uncle Fang, don't worry, I won't tell Dad about this." Because of Fang Wei's thoughtful bribery, Xiao Xiao's attitude towards him was much more enthusiastic than towards Pei Xuan. Along the way, she basically didn't say anything to make things difficult for him, and even kindly helped him speak up.
Of course, this is also related to Fang Wei's own charm. He is younger than Pei Yun, looks better and can tell jokes, he is simply a versatile person who can get along with both old and young people. Not only does he make people laugh, but Ye Shanshan is also more enthusiastic about him than Pei Yun. When he stands next to Ye Shanshan, those who don't know them will definitely think they are in a relationship, the perfect couple, this phrase suits them best. Along the way, they have attracted many admiring glances!
"Then... what should I call you?" Although he had the little princess backing him up, Fang Wei was still very cautious and didn't dare to call her "wife", so should he crudely call her "sister-in-law"?
"Of course it's a direct call by name, my mom is called Ye Shanshan, the leaf of the tree leaf, the cypress of the cypress." Xiao Xiao laughed and answered for her before her mother did.
"Alright, before Gu Lao Da appears, I'll call her Shan Shan." Fang Yi also stopped declining, "We've seen the environment of the snowfield, let me take you to the training field to see if there's a better coach who can train you."
"Isn't this going to be too much trouble?" Skiing is just for fun, and yet we have to hire a professional coach and all that, isn't it a bit of overkill?
"Not a bit of trouble, since I've come, I'll have to enjoy myself." With so many people, Gu Lao Da chose himself, and Fang Yi naturally had to live up to the old man's trust.
They came at the right time today, and not only are there coaches on the training ground, but also the coach's background is not small. Many people have come to visit. If it weren't for Fang Wei having acquaintances introducing him, it would be difficult to meet this skiing coach who always holds his head high.
"Excuse me, is one-on-one private teaching available here?" Fang Yi himself didn't know how to ski, and in order for Shanshan and Xiaoxiao to grasp the skills as soon as possible, one-on-one private teaching was a must!
"Yes, but you have to queue up and it's much more expensive than group lessons. Most importantly, I only teach students who are pleasing to my eyes and show talent." The skiing coach wore cool skiing goggles, making his facial expression unclear, but the arrogance in his tone was unmistakable.
Of course, he has every reason to be proud. People who often pay attention to winter sports have heard the name Tong Ling. A few years ago, he was an excellent freestyle skier and aerialist, participating in many world championships and achieving good results. Later, due to a knee injury, he was forced to retire early and became a coach on the ski field.
Ye Shanshan and Xiao Xiao were watching from a distance, both thinking that such an arrogant coach wasn't worth it. After a moment's thought, Ye Shanshan walked up to stand beside Fang Wei, "Fang Wei, we just wanted to try something new, no need for a professional coach."
Although the tourists at the ski resort were basically similar in style, Tang Ling was still attracted by the fresh and elegant temperament of this beauty at a glance. "Is...this your girlfriend?"
"No." Before Fang Wei could react, Ye Shanshan quickly denied it, "And what's the relationship between him and me has nothing to do with you either?"
Tang Ling, who had been cool-faced until now, suddenly pushed up his ski goggles and curled up the corners of his mouth in a sly smile. "You're the one who wants to learn skiing one-on-one?"
"Are you willing to teach us?" This time, it was Xiao Xiao who answered on behalf of Ye Shanshan, although not directly, but clear enough.
"Since it's one-on-one, of course, there's no reason to teach two at once. Little sister, you can go play in the children's practice area, that side has a smaller court and is more suitable for kids. As for your sister, I'm actually very interested in having a one-on-one with her." At this moment, Tang Ling's attention was all focused on the fresh and beautiful girl in front of him, his eyes almost never leaving her face as he spoke.
Ye Shanshan was clearly very unaccustomed to such a gaze, so she pulled down her ski goggles to cover her eyes. "There are still many students waiting for you to go over and teach them, let's not delay you. Besides, you're mistaken, I'm not her sister."
Tang Ling seemed to not care whether the two beauties in front of him were sisters or not, and was determined to go one-on-one with them. "Not at all, I already said it earlier, I only teach students who are pleasing to the eye and have talent. And you, meet both conditions."
Ye Shanshan was considering how to reject him so that he would completely give up on the idea, when suddenly a crying voice came from the training ground not far away, "Why can everyone else do it, but I just can't..."
Following the sound, a boy wearing an orange snowsuit was lying on the snowy ground, his snowboard had been kicked far away. Next to him, a middle-aged woman with a worried face was patiently comforting him, "Little Jie, get up first, Mom will go find you the most awesome ski coach, you can definitely be as good as other kids!"
Ye Shanshan suddenly had an epiphany and thought of a clever trick.
Since this coach thinks so much of one-on-one, let's give him the opportunity. "Can the one-on-one teaching opportunity be transferred to others?"
Although she was being subtle, anyone with a normal train of thought would be able to guess who she wanted to transfer the opportunity to.
Tang Ling smiled incredulously and said, "I've never heard of such a thing before."
"Never mind, let's find someone else." Ye Shanshan smiled politely at the arrogant coach and casually pulled Xiaoxiao along, "Let's go take a look over there."
The trio with a complicated relationship quickly approached the mother and son, but Tang Ling did not leave immediately, instead standing still and watching.
As she approached, Ye Shanshan carefully squatted in front of the young man, pushing her ski goggles up to her forehead, and encouraged him with a gentle smile: "Little men can't cry easily, you're not the only one who doesn't know how to ski here. As long as you work hard, study diligently, and practice more, you'll definitely learn."
Perhaps it was because of this sister's gentle voice and the warm smile on her face that the young man actually listened and got up from the snowy ground, "Won't you too, sister?"
"Not at all." Ye Shanshan smiled and nodded, "You see, I don't even know how to secure the snowboard on my feet."
"But... I've been studying for a long time, and I still can't do it." The boy looked like he was at least thirteen or fourteen years old, but his tone of voice and demeanor were like those of a seven- or eight-year-old boy. A bold guess would be that his intellectual development might be slightly different from that of normal children.
After realizing this, Ye Shanshan's tone became more cautious, "Skiing is like practicing martial arts, it requires technique. Without a professional coach to explain the key points, you can't grasp the tricks, and it's normal if you're not good at skiing."
The young man lowered his head indifferently, "No one is willing to teach me." Presumably this child also has a clear understanding of his own intellectual development, and it can be imagined that he must have suffered from discrimination and bullying.
"Little girl, thank you for your kind encouragement of my son." The young man's mother finally spoke up, though her expression had now changed from one of full-faced sorrow to one of heartfelt gratitude. "But...you also saw that my son is not like other children, there are some things that no matter how hard he tries, he just can't do."
"How do you know if you don't try?!" Ye Shanshan didn't think so, she always believed that interest is the best teacher. Since this kid likes skiing so much, as long as he has professional guidance, he will definitely be able to do it. Some things have nothing to do with intelligence!
Turning her head, she found that the arrogant skiing coach was still there. Ye Shanshan stood up decisively and rushed to his front, "Please, teach him." A master was right in front of her, she didn't want to seek far when something was near.
"This child is indeed pitiful, but you don't know him at all, why should..."
Ye Shanshan hastily interrupted him, "I don't think he's pitiful! I think the one who is truly pitiful is your coach."
Tang Ling pointed at his own nose with an incredulous expression, "Me, pitiful?"
"Yes, it's you! What did you come here as a coach for?" Ye Shanshan asked sternly with a serious face.
Teach people...
"I know, teaching people to ski is not it?" Although in a silver-filled snowfield, Ye Shanshan's emotions were unprecedentedly high, "Now there is a child who wants to get guidance in front of you, are you willing to teach him?"
Tang Ling shrugged helplessly, "Sorry, I'd love to help but he doesn't meet the conditions I set."
"You're afraid of failing to teach him and ruining your own reputation, right?" Good, a clever move of provocation!
Fang Wei, who had been quietly observing from the side, couldn't help but secretly admire his wife's cleverness and wit.
Tang Ling was caught off guard and didn't know how to respond for a moment.
"You boasted about how great you are, but in the end, you're just a coward who can't accept challenges!" A solid punch had already caught his opponent off guard, and now was the perfect time to seize the opportunity and launch a counterattack.
No one likes being associated with cowardice, especially for someone who was once a professional athlete.
"Alright, I'll show you, my abilities are indeed worth the 300 yuan per hour pay!" Although he knew it was a trap, Tang Ling jumped in without hesitation. At this moment, his face no longer had the arrogance and recklessness of before, replaced by a solemn focus.
So, Ye Shanshan helped the poor mentally handicapped boy Zhou Yujie find the most professional ski coach in the entire ski resort.
Soon, Tang Ling took Xiaojie to the snowfield and began basic training. This training ground is relatively complex and not suitable for children to play. Ye Shanshan decided to follow Tang Ling's suggestion and let Fang Wei take Xiao Xiao to the children's court to take a look.
Watching big brother fall down, Xiaoxiao is also a little scared. Hmm, the slope here is quite steep, it seems that it's really not suitable for kids to practice, might as well listen to mommy's words and go play at the children's playground, anyway Uncle Fang listens to her, even if mommy is not around there's no need to worry.
After seeing Fang Yi leave with a smile, Ye Shanshan smiled and stood beside Zhou Mama, "Xiao Jie learns very quickly, seems to have some talent."
Mrs. Zhou grasped the good Samaritan's hand with heartfelt gratitude, "Little girl, I really owe you one today."
"You're too polite, after all, it's you who's paying the bill, I'm just helping to make a connection." Yeshanshan is naturally kind-hearted and never seeks reward for doing good deeds.
She happened to meet a grateful master today.
Even if it was just helping to set up a connection, in Zhou Mama's heart, this was also a favor that must be repaid with gratitude. After all, her little Jie hadn't laughed so happily in a long time. "Is Miss Ye also here on vacation?"
"Come visit relatives and travel by the way." Ye Shanshan could also feel that Zhou Auntie was a kind and honest person, and she didn't have much to hide from her.
"Understood." Since there was a military zone stationed nearby, Zhou Mama naturally knew about it. "Since we're on vacation, have you thought of going to Bao Yuan to soak in the hot springs?"
"Is there a hot spring nearby?" Her husband had never mentioned it before, and Ye Shanshan hadn't specifically looked into it, so she really didn't know.
"Actually, I won't hide it from you, my family runs a hot spring resort. If you're interested, I can arrange for you to stay there. Our hot springs are all natural and very healthy, perfect for relaxing your muscles after exercise." It was peak tourist season at the time, so business at the hot spring resort was booming, and it wasn't uncommon for rooms to be hard to come by. This was also the best reward that Zhou Mama could think of.
Ye Shanshan, who had never taken a hot spring bath before, felt a little excited when she heard about it. On such a cold day, taking a hot spring bath didn't sound bad at all. Her husband probably wouldn't object either.
"This... I still need to discuss with my family, he might only be able to come after lunch. If we decide to go again, can we contact you?"
"It's great, from the ski resort to our hot spring at home is very convenient, it takes less than half an hour by car. You can also come over for lunch, all local specialties, grown in our own fields, pure green food, healthy and delicious." Mrs. Zhou happily agreed, watching her son's skiing posture becoming more and more stylish, the smile on her face became even brighter.
Watching Xiaojie learn with a model, Ye Shanshan also started to itch, and after fixing the snowboard according to Coach Tang's method, she also followed suit and stole the technique from the side.
People who have liked sports since childhood naturally won't be bad at balance, and although she was just "eavesdropping" on the side, she still learned a lot. After experiencing the initial embarrassment of falling six times, she quickly grasped the trick, and although her posture wasn't elegant enough, her movements were already smooth.
However, Tang Ling, who should have been focusing on teaching Xiao Jie, kept sneaking glances at her from time to time, making her feel uneasy and guilty. What's wrong with him? It's not like she was eavesdropping on purpose, but his voice was just too loud! If he really wanted to make a big deal out of it, she could always pay him the hourly rate of 300 yuan as tuition fees.
Taking advantage of the interval when Xiao Jie was taken to rest by Zhou Mama, Coach Tang slid leisurely in front of 'the thief', "You've learned well, not like a beginner at all."
Ye Shanshan smiled and replied: "It's all because of our teacher's good teachings."
She was so startled that she wished to dig a hole in the snow and bury herself. How did this sentence come out? Isn't it obvious that I'm admitting to eavesdropping?
"Oh, I seem to have forgotten that you paid tuition." Tang Ling, who had shed his haughty disguise, looked like he wasn't annoying at all. His enigmatic smile added a hint of wicked charm to him.
However, Ye Shanshan still disliked him staring at other people's eyes when he spoke, "Cough cough, I didn't say I learned from you, don't be so self-righteous!"
After finishing, she turned around and prepared to leave. However, when turning the corner, she lost control of her center of gravity and fell heavily, with her head hitting the ground first.
Got what was coming to you, huh?
Tang Ling, having spent so many years on the ski slopes, naturally knew that Ye Shanshan's fall was not a light one. He quickly removed his skis and rushed over to help her up, "Are you okay?"
Because it was a head-on landing, it's inevitable to feel a bit dizzy when I just got up. However, dizziness is one thing, but hallucinations are another - why does the person walking towards me from afar look so familiar?
"I'll take you to the medical station just in case." Tang Ling made a move as if he was about to hug her, but suddenly a low and thick voice sounded from behind him -
"Get your hands off her!" You little brat, who gave you the guts, my wife you also dare to touch! Although separated by thick ski suits, Gu Bei Chen still felt very uncomfortable.
It turns out I'm completely awake now, it wasn't an illusion after all! It's really my husband who has arrived!
It's almost 11:30 now, and he should be showing up soon.
Although somewhat surprised, Tang Ling still let go of his hand obediently and stood up after confirming that Ye Shanshan could sit stably by herself. Then he asked a very silly question: "Do you know each other?"
For this kind of silly question, Gu Bei Chen chose to directly ignore it. His wife was still sitting on the ground, where did he have time to care about that? "Where did you fall? Does it hurt?"
"It's okay, I don't feel any pain, just a bit dizzy." The mood of her husband seemed not too good, so Ye Shanshan could only be more careful.
Gu Bei Chen didn't say another word, directly removed the snowboard from under Shang Shang's feet, and carried her horizontally in his arms, "Let's go to the hospital for a check-up!"
A fall may be big or small, but it can't be taken lightly.
Ye Shanshan was just about to refuse when Xiao Xiao and Fang Wei also rushed over. "Dad," Xiao Xiao shouted from a distance.
Then Coach Tang muttered to himself cleverly, "So you're Shanshan's uncle."
Although his voice was not loud, it still entered Gu Beichen's ears. Then, he patiently asked for a repeat: "What did you say?"
"Not uncle, could it be uncle?" Coach Tang was still out of it.
Gu Beichen hadn't had time to explode when Xiao Xiao rushed over and gave Tang Ling a blow on the head, "Dad, what's wrong with Mom?"
Not sister, nor auntie, nor aunt, but mummy?!
So, this tall and handsome man holding Shanshan is not her uncle or her uncle, but her husband?!
Coach Tang was completely stunned and didn't come back to himself for a long time.
"I'm fine, just accidentally fell down." Ye Shanshan answered Xiao Xiao's question with a smile while struggling to escape from her husband's arms, "Put me down quickly!"
Watching her struggle with the same strength as usual, Gu Bei Chen's heart finally put down, plus there were too many people standing around watching, he could only put her down first, "If you're not feeling well, say so, don't force yourself."
"Got it." Ye Shanshan responded with a humble and obedient tone, but in her heart, she was very puzzled: what was her husband angry about? Why did his face look so bad?
His little wife was so obedient, but Gu Bei Chen was still not satisfied. "How did the coach you hired teach you? Wrestling is one thing, but landing on your head first!"
The words were directed at Shan Shan, but Gu Bei Chen's eyes remained fixed on the ski instructor who was still in a state of extreme shock and hadn't come to his senses yet.
Ye Shanshan finally came to her senses and hastily explained, "That's not it, he's not my coach. I just... watched him teach Xiao Jie, and coincidentally... learned some skills."
Just a moment ago, you said it wasn't learned from others, but after just a few minutes, you're exposing yourself again.
"If it's not your coach, why let him get so close?" Gu Bei Chen's tone was still stiff and cold, his sword-like eyebrows slightly furrowed, his eyes sharp and piercing, clearly showing signs of jealousy!
"He didn't see me fall and come to help me with good intentions?" Looking at her husband's awkward and cool appearance, Ye Shanshan suddenly wanted to laugh. Hmm, he is a dignified military officer, how can his heart be so small!
Gu Beichen snorted disdainfully, "There are people falling all over the ski resort, why doesn't he go help someone else?"
Cough cough, men who are jealous are indeed unreasonable.
"Who made your wife look so fresh and unique, with so many people falling down, I didn't see anyone else, but only her!" Tang Ling finally regained his composure and joined the conversation with a bad smile on his face, obviously trying to stir up trouble.