Chapter 261: Chapter 252: Lifesaving Straw_1 Chapter 261: Chapter 252: Lifesaving Straw_1 “Zhao Erhu, you’re doing it again! If you can’t win an argument, you just resort to force. It’s still early, and the rice isn’t even cooking yet. It will take half an hour before we can eat, isn’t this just a waste of time? In this much time, I could’ve finished embroidering my flower, and yet here you are dragging me away. Aren’t you annoying.” Lin Yue was very dissatisfied with Zhao Erhu’s actions, mumbling her complaints, feeling that this old man was really too annoying, just short of a tiny bit.
Zhao Erhu turned a blind eye to his little wife’s dissatisfaction, “Annoying or not, there’s nothing to be done about it, who made me your husband? With your unconscientious nature, not keeping an eye on you would be impossible.”
“What do you mean? You’re too strict. I’m your wife, not your daughter; there’s no reason to control everything I do. Look, I don’t control you. Whatever you want to do, I haven’t stopped you.” As Zhao Erhu held her, Lin Yue didn’t come down and just leaned against Zhao Erhu’s chest,
Zhao Erhu snorted with a sneer, whispering in Lin Yue’s ear, “I could raise you as my daughter, but there are some things a daughter can’t do, such as fulfilling marital duties. So it’s better you remain my wife; you just need to be a bit more obedient and not throw a tantrum whenever you’re unhappy. Your husband can really be worn out by you.”
Lin Yue’s face turned red with a swish; this old man was getting more and more brazen, daring to say anything, “Zhao Erhu, you’re a hooligan; I can’t be bothered with you.” Lin Yue said and got down from Zhao Erhu’s body, striding quickly to the outside. Zhao Erhu followed with a chuckle, not needing to worry about preparing the meal since Liu, the elder sister-in-law, was in the kitchen, although the food was never as tasty without his little wife cooking it.
“Ah!” Lin Yue stepped outside into the yard and, startled by a sudden figure at the corner, let out a shriek. It was only then she realized that it was Chunxi, the subject of recent village gossip. She had no idea why Chunxi was lurking outside their home at this time, what she could possibly be up to.
“Wife! What’s wrong?” Zhao Erhu, too, was startled by Lin Yue’s scream, rushing over in a few strides, and he breathed a sigh of relief only when he saw that his little wife was unharmed, “You ninny, what are you screaming for? Don’t you realize you gave me quite the fright?”
“You’re the one screaming nonsense! I got scared by this woman who suddenly appeared out of nowhere! Standing silent here and popping out without a word, who knows what she’s plotting.” Lin Yue said irritably, feeling uneasy at the sight of Chunxi. This woman had suffered greatly at the hands of Zhao Jingui and the You Family, looking several years older than before, appearing somewhat desolate and helpless. Yet, the light in her eyes remained as restless as ever.
“Alright, it’s okay, don’t be scared, don’t be scared.” Hearing that this was the case, Zhao Erhu quickly wrapped his arms around his little wife, fearing she might be shaken. He patted her forehead and even gave her a kiss to calm her down, just like how adults in the village would soothe frightened children. Zhao Erhu, regardless of whether it worked or not, mimicked what he saw, because in his heart, his little wife really needed to be cherished.
Lin Yue felt a bit awkward being coddled by Zhao Erhu in such a way; however, her heart swelled with sweetness. Being treasured like this felt good; in her past and present life, she had never been coaxed in such a manner, “Zhao Erhu, stop it, I’m not a child. I don’t get frightened that easily; just now I was caught off guard for a moment.”
“I’m glad I didn’t scare you, and it’s good that you’ve become braver now. If it were back when you first married into the family with just that tiny bit of courage, you could have been frightened to death. I really couldn’t rest easy.” Zhao Erhu felt relieved thinking about the past. If his little wife hadn’t made it through those times, he wouldn’t be living these good days, feeling so fulfilled and content. So even though his little wife has become a lot tougher now, he still takes such good care of her, fearing that she might be the slightest bit unwell.
Lin Yue couldn’t very well say that she and the original Lin Erniu were not the same person. Instead, she simply said, “People change, don’t they? A good scare can make one braver.”
“That’s right, ‘Niuniu’ has always been full of quirky ideas,” Zhao Erhu said affectionately as he ruffled Lin Yue’s hair. Although his little wife put it that way, he dared not take the risk.
Chunxi, standing by, watched Zhao Erhu and his wife display their affection unabashedly in front of her, and her heart twisted painfully. Why should she live such a miserable life while Lin Yue was cherished like a treasure by Zhao Erhu, leading a life envied by everyone? It was too unfair. If it hadn’t been for Lin Yue monopolizing Zhao Erhu, making him blind to other good women, all of this could have been hers. It was because of Lin Yue, this hypocritical, pretentious woman, who used to act like a kind person helping her, but later showed her true colors.
“Brother Erhu, Yueyue, are you unwilling to pay attention to me anymore?” Unable to bear it, Chunxi finally spoke up, tears streaming down her face, as if she had been greatly wronged. The way she looked at Lin Yue and Zhao Erhu was like seeing adulterers, having long fancied Zhao Erhu as her own man.
Zhao Erhu and Lin Yue were both disgusted by Chunxi’s antics. The couple exchanged a glance and saw the revulsion in each other’s eyes. Zhao Erhu spoke first, “You, what are you doing here, and what bad idea are you cooking up now, trying to harm my wife?”
“Brother Erhu, how can you say that? I love you so much, I hold you so dear, how can you bear to hurt me? Even if you like Lin Yue, can’t you be a little nicer to me? I’m not asking for much. It doesn’t matter if I don’t have a title, as long as Brother Erhu lets me be with you.”
Chunxi, having been tormented by Zhao Jingui and the You Family, had now completely lost her shame. She looked at Zhao Erhu as if he were a lifeline, desperate to cling to him. In her mind, all men were lustful. If Zhao Erhu had to choose between her and Lin Yue, he would surely pick Lin Yue. But now she wasn’t concerned with status and was willing to follow Zhao Erhu with no official recognition, leaving Zhao Erhu no reason to refuse. If Zhao Erhu really wanted her, Lin Yue alone wouldn’t be able to stop him, just as she couldn’t stop Zhao Jingui from bringing that venomous woman of the You Family into their home.
Zhao Erhu’s face darkened when he heard Chunxi’s words. Reflexively, he looked at his little wife’s expression, and seeing no abnormal reaction, he breathed a sigh of relief, “You woman, I have never seen anyone as shameless as you. You’re flirting with other men while your own husband is still around; it’s disgusting. Now get lost!”
“Brother Erhu, you can’t be so heartless. I won’t leave,” Chunxi resolved, determined to stay in Zhao Erhu’s home even if it meant she had to cling on shamelessly. She had been harshly abused by that adulterous couple and was too scared to go back, which was why she had sneaked out while the You Family matriarch wasn’t paying attention. If she returned, she would surely face a severe beating from Zhao Jingui.