A Good Country Wife

After the Zhao Family and the Li Family left, there was quite a commotion from their family members, which caused me so much annoyance and irritation. In order to prevent such things from happening again, although I agreed to this marriage, I also required your parents to sign an agreement and hand over your deed of sale to me. From then on, you should sever ties with the Lin Family and never have any contact with them," Zhao Erhu said as he glanced at the person in his arms, continuing only after noticing that Lin Yue had no significant reaction.

"My actions weren’t solely due to the Zhao and Li Families. I was just thinking, since your family could sell you for money, they are not worthy of being considered your family. Why would you need any contact with them? Now that you have become Zhao Erhu’s wife, I will naturally protect you. Whether you have your natal family or not doesn’t matter. I had offered the bride price to your parents, and they did as agreed, so I brought you home that same day.

I hadn’t expected you to be so young. The matchmaker said you had reached marriageable age, but your parents said you were fourteen already, yet you looked frail and were still just a child. How could I lay a hand on such a little one? I merely wanted to help you out of your outerwear to rest. Who would have thought you’d be so timid and get scared like that, even falling ill the next day. You know the rest," said Zhao Erhu, his gaze turning teasingly towards Lin Yue, obviously sporting a meaningful smile.

"That’s it? There’s no more to the story?" Lin Yue said, feeling somewhat dissatisfied and outright ignoring Zhao Erhu’s teasing.

"Of course, that’s it. But regarding the deed of sale... to tell the truth, I had heard about your escape from your family before you married into ours, and you were so resistant towards me. At first, I did have my guard up, afraid that you would run away or, like Yunxiang from the Li Family, run off with another man. So at that time, I didn’t take your deed to the government office for household registration. I wanted to observe you for a while because if you did such a thing, wouldn’t I—" Before Zhao Erhu could finish, Lin Yue retorted sharply, scratching him a few times in disagreement.

"What kind of talk is that? You trust me so little? What does ’running off with another man’ mean? Am I, Lin Yue, the type of fickle and flirtatious woman? No wonder you watched me so closely back then, even rushing over when I just went out to wash something. So this is how you thought of me. Zhao Erhu, I see now you are the true heartless and faithless one, the cold-hearted scoundrel without a conscience, doubting a woman who has opened her heart to you, wanting nothing more than to live out her days with you. You’ve truly broken my heart," Lin Yue said, relentlessly poking at Zhao Erhu.

This girl was purposely provoking him, truly a mischievous little one. Zhao Erhu grabbed Lin Yue’s arm, engulfing her small hand, with a blend of exasperation and affection. "You, always so impulsive, can’t you just listen to me till the end without interrupting, as I said, you are my wife in every legitimate sense, and there are subsequent matters."

"So, what happened next?" Lin Yue, unable to move her hand, shook her little feet instead, restless anyway.