Chapter 155: Chapter 155 What’s the situation_1 Chapter 155: Chapter 155 What’s the situation_1 In the past couple of days, so many things had happened, and after yet another ordeal, Lin Yue was utterly exhausted. When Zhao Erhu awoke, she finally relaxed. No longer needing to worry about everything, with Zhao Erhu bearing all responsibilities, she cried and hurt until she unknowingly fell asleep.
However, it was Zhao Erhu, holding the sleeping Lin Yue, who noticed her in pain and soaked in sweat, with only her dudou and pants on, wet from perspiration. His little wife always loved cleanliness. Not only was this uncomfortable for her to sleep in, but he also feared she might catch a cold, so he fetched some hot water from the kitchen and wiped down her body. He changed her into clean undergarments before returning to bed to sleep with her in his arms.
Lin Yue seldom slept so deeply, but it was due to the excessive pain and turmoil. She didn’t wake up no matter how Zhao Erhu moved her around. If she knew that she had been exposed to Zhao Erhu, she would probably be embarrassed and angry again, but there was nothing she could do about him this time. Zhao Erhu had awoken with the intention of having his little wife become familiar with him sooner. Once Zhao Erhu had made up his mind on something, Lin Yue’s resistance was futile, just like when he had previously massaged her injuries, agreeing verbally but still doing as he pleased.
Lin Yue had intended to get up early, for Zhao Erhu’s awakening was a cause for great joy. She had wanted to make some delicious food in the morning to celebrate with the children but slept in after the previous night’s ordeal.
On the other hand, Zhao Erhu had lain in bed for so long that he was well-rested. The next morning, as soon as dawn broke, he woke up. He started by making a fire to heat up water and took care of the household chores. Thinking that it was a bit early to prepare breakfast, he decided to take a walk around their land. He had been unconscious for such a long time that he hadn’t managed to plant anything, and their land must have gone fallow. It was already too late to plant rice, but he considered planting something else.
Arriving at their fields, Zhao Erhu was surprised to see all sorts of vegetables, both familiar and unfamiliar, growing there. He then walked towards another area. The fallow land there had been bought a few years ago when the Court had encouraged reclamation, and the village leader had talked him into it. With the addition of a small hillside, there were over twenty mus. Most of what he had earned from selling his captured black bear and from previous hunts had been spent on building their house, and the remainder was used to buy this fallow land.
Back then, Zhao Erhu was young and full of energy. With vigor and determination, he thought that with some extra effort and proper care, even the worst land could be cultivated. He never expected that after numerous incidents, he would be left without the time or energy to tend to it, resulting in its neglect.
Since marrying Lin Yue at the beginning of the year, Zhao Erhu had increasingly appreciated his little wife’s qualities, and his motivation had gradually returned. His drive came back, and he wanted to provide a better life for his little wife. He started reclaiming the fallow land, hoping that more crops would mean additional income for the family. Moreover, the Court had exempted this reclaimed land from taxes for ten years—anything produced on this land was theirs to keep.
Upon reaching the fallow land, Zhao Erhu saw that even the five mu he had cleared before were now fully planted. The initial surprise faded, and his first thought was that someone might have encroached on their land. Considering what had happened the day before, he felt this was very likely. None of his relatives, especially those from the old house, were agreeable, and there were also some opportunistic villagers who might have taken advantage of his situation to prey on the Family Head’s land.
The more Zhao Erhu thought about it, the more his heart ached for his wife. She must have suffered so much during these days, and his anger grew. He wouldn’t let anyone who had bullied his wife go unpunished. But for now, all of this was mere speculation. He would have to wait to return home and ask his wife what exactly had happened and understand the recent events before making plans.