A Good Country Wife

After this incident, the couple had finally reconciled, but Zhao Erhu encountered a very depressing matter — his young wife now refused to let him touch her. Even the slightest movement would cause her to react like a startled cat, completely uncooperative and harmonious. It seemed this time, he did not come out unscathed. He had worked so hard for so long to finally get his young wife used to his closeness, but it was as if he had gone back to ancient times overnight. His heart was chilled; he realized he still had to work hard.

Lin Yue had exerted herself too much today and had caught a chill in the cave. In the evening, when she went to bed, she started feeling pain in her abdomen, tossed and turned without falling asleep, rolling from the head to the foot of the bed. The pain seemed to be getting worse. Zhao Erhu watched anxiously by her side. When he reached out to stroke his young wife’s head, she slapped his hand away ruthlessly.

"Wife, what’s the matter? Does your tummy hurt?" Zhao Erhu saw Lin Yue clutching her stomach and thought it resembled how women behaved during ’those days’ they had monthly.

Seeing Lin Yue not answering, Zhao Erhu was sure his young wife was suffering from stomach pain. He hurried to the kitchen to make her a cup of brown sugar water, something he had seen the Zhao family and Li family women do during their ’little days.’ His sister-in-law also said it was good for women to drink brown sugar water at that time, and he had previously bought some to keep at home just in case. Now he quickly prepared it for his young wife.

"Wife, here, drink some brown sugar water, and your stomach won’t hurt after you finish it." Zhao Erhu helped Lin Yue sit up in bed and lean on him. This time, his young wife did not refuse, probably because the pain was too intense.

Lin Yue, looking at the brown sugar water brought to her lips by Zhao Erhu, wrinkled her nose in disgust but didn’t refuse, knowing it was good to drink it at that moment. She quickly drank down the warm bowl of brown sugar water, feeling a warm current flow through her body, making her feel like her abdomen really wasn’t hurting as much anymore.

Zhao Erhu sighed with relief seeing Lin Yue seemingly feeling better. He wouldn’t have known what to do if the pain had continued. If they had to call a doctor, his young wife might not agree due to losing face, as such matters were often embarrassing for a woman. Now seeing his young wife finally feeling slightly better, gently leaning on his shoulder but still slightly frowning and holding her stomach, she didn’t seem quite comfortable yet.

"Wife, does it still hurt? Shall I rub your stomach for you? It won’t hurt after I massage it." Speaking gently, as if afraid of startling Lin Yue, Zhao Erhu’s voice was soft. Unconsciously, Lin Yue relaxed her grip, and Zhao Erhu’s large palm warmed her small abdomen, gently massaging it, which was quite comfortable. Lin Yue was just feigning sleep, but somehow fell asleep before she knew it.

Zhao Erhu saw his young wife had finally fallen asleep after much difficulty and didn’t dare move carelessly, afraid of waking her. He lay on the edge of the bed, allowing his young wife to rest her head on his arm, and slept with her in that half-sided posture.

"Bang! Bang! Bang!" Suddenly, a series of urgent knocks at the door echoed in the middle of the night, sounding especially jarring in the silence. Not only did Zhao Erhu wake up, but Lin Yue was also startled awake by the noise.

Lin Yue was in the middle of a nice dream and sat up with a start, blurily looking at Zhao Erhu, "What’s happened? Who’s knocking at this hour?"