Chapter 74
Chapter 74: Chapter 74 Uneasy Anticipation_1
Chapter 74: Chapter 74 Uneasy Anticipation_1
Because he was going into the mountains to hunt tomorrow, Zhao Erhu didn’t leave the house after coming back from the fields in the morning. A hunting trip in the deep mountains would take at least two or three days. When he wasn’t home, all the household chores would have to be done by his wife. Dalang and Erhu could help with some things, but the two little ones couldn’t be relied on at all. Thus, Zhao Erhu planned to finish all the farm work that needed to be done that afternoon.
Zhao Erhu chopped a huge pile of firewood, and filled the water vat to the brim, enough to last a couple of days. The household’s supply of rice, flour, oil, and salt was also sufficient for a while. Once he returned from the hunt and traded the game for silver, he would have money to restock. In the evening, he still had to make another trip to Qiangzi’s house. While he was away, he wanted Qiangzi to look after things more, and if Qiangzi’s wife wasn’t too busy, to come over and keep his own wife company. Zhao Erhu had everything planned out for Lin Yue even before he had left.
After making sure everything was in order, Zhao Erhu also wanted to have a good talk with Lin Yue. Upon pushing the door open, he initially thought his young wife might still be sleeping, but instead, he saw her embroidering with a frown on her face. He snatched the embroidery from Lin Yue’s hands. “Your head wound hasn’t fully healed yet, and here you are doing these straining tasks. Didn’t I tell you to rest properly?”
“I’ve been lying down for so long, and it’s just so boring,” Lin Yue let Zhao Erhu take the embroidery frame from her hands, pouting as she spoke. Actually, she had been wondering whether to embroider or not since Zhao Erhu was home, but after sleeping so much, she felt too lively to lie down any longer. Moreover, this fan she was working on was just one third away from completion. Lin Yue thought that if she finished it sooner, she could take it to the Embroidery Store to sell for money. She was also worried about the children’s schooling, which made her even more eager to work. Besides, her wound was healing well and starting to scab over. Zhao Erhu probably wouldn’t have much to say about it anymore.
Zhao Erhu knew he was the one who had confined her to the room, and understood that staying in the room all day was frustrating. So, he reached out and pulled Lin Yue into his embrace, gently stroking her soft, smooth hair. “If you’re bored, take a walk in the yard, or go visit Sister Chunhua or Chunxi’s house. Embroidering is too strenuous. It’s bad for your eyes if you do it for too long. Doctor Zheng said that although you’re almost healed, you still need to recuperate properly. You’re not allowed to embroider for a while, did you hear me?”
“Brother Erhu, are you saying that I can go out, that you’re not angry with me anymore?” Lin Yue completely misinterpreted the emphasis, noticing how Zhao Erhu was speaking to her softly and even saying she could go out. Was this a sign that he was ready to forgive her?
Zhao Erhu softened at the sight of Lin Yue’s hopeful, bright eyes, but he didn’t forget his original goal. His tone was unbelievably gentle, “I’ll decide whether I’m angry or not based on whether you understand where you went wrong. You’ve been reflecting in this room for so many days, have you thought it through? Do you know why I was upset?”
“Was it because of my elder sister-in-law?” Lin Yue ventured to ask. Zhao Erhu felt a lump in his throat. Why was his young wife so slow to catch on? He would never get so angry with his young wife over something his sister-in-law did—she wasn’t that significant. In his heart, apart from his children, his young wife was what mattered most.
“Of course not. Think again, what else did you do wrong? What has been my biggest concern these past few days?” Zhao Erhu, unable to get angry, had no choice but to gently guide her.
“Could it be because I was hurt?” Lin Yue asked uncertainly. She couldn’t think of any other reason. But was she really that important? Lin Yue thought to herself, her heart fluttering with a mix of trepidation and anticipation. She didn’t even know what kind of answer she hoped to hear from Zhao Erhu.