A Good Country Wife

"Wife, Niuniu, are you in there? It’s Zhao Erhu, your man, your husband, if you hear me, shout back!"

Lin Yue had been muttering all along when she heard her husband’s voice coming from the cave entrance. Joy spread across her face, and she quickly stood up and called out, "Zhao Erhu, Zhao Erhu, I’m here! Hurry and save me!"

Zhao Erhu, upon hearing his little wife’s voice, was overjoyed. He hurriedly pressed his body close to the entrance to hear her better. "Wife, how are you now? Are you alright? Are you injured?"

Lin Yue had been talking to herself for a long time, and now that someone had arrived who could listen to her complaints, she voiced them loudly. "Of course, I’m not okay; it’s so cold here, I’m nearly frozen to death, I’ve been waiting for you for so long, why did you only come now?!"

"Just wait for me, I’m coming down to save you right now," Zhao Erhu said as he tied the hemp rope he’d brought around a sturdy tree. After testing the rope’s strength, he secured the other end to himself and slowly descended into the cave.

Fortunately, the cave did not drop straight down but sloped gently, or Lin Yue would not have fallen from such a height and still come out virtually unscathed— it was this slanted dirt slope that had saved her. Because of this incline, Zhao Erhu could not see Lin Yue and the inside of the cave directly from the opening. He could only try to gradually lower himself into the cave.

"Zhao Erhu, I’m here!" Lin Yue, upon sighting Zhao Erhu, waved at him excitedly.

Zhao Erhu had just entered the cave and was still adjusting to the light inside. It took him a moment to make out Lin Yue clearly. He then landed in front of her and checked her from head to toe. "Niuniu, having fallen from such a high place, are you hurt anywhere?"

"I’m not injured, but Zhao Erhu, why did you take so long to come? I was chased by a wild wolf and then fell into this wretched place. Now I’m both hungry and tired, absolutely pitiful!" As soon as Lin Yue saw Zhao Erhu descend, she started to complain to him. She then felt warmth envelop her; Zhao Erhu had taken off his coat and draped it over her.

Zhao Erhu pretended to be angry and lightly patted Lin Yue’s head, feeling annoyed that his little wife always made his heart race with fear. If this continued, he’d be scared out of half his life. Countless times this had happened, each with a different cause, but it always genuinely worried and scared him. Couldn’t she be a little more obedient?