A Good Country Wife
Chapter 237 - 232 Extremely Unscrupulous_1

Chapter 237: Chapter 232 Extremely Unscrupulous_1

"You, what can I say about you, don’t let there be a next time. The old ancestors’ words, whether true or not, should be heeded to some extent. Besides, you’ve always been frail, so you should be even more cautious," said Zhao Erhu as he washed his hands and playfully poked his wife’s forehead before taking her hair in hand and gently rubbing it.

This delicate Niuniu often complained about her long hair being difficult to manage, wishing she could cut it shorter. However, hair and skin are inherited from one’s parents and should not be recklessly cropped. Moreover, such luscious, smooth black hair would be too pity to cut. Zhao Erhu was very firm on this, with two words: "Not allowed." Lin Yue had never dared to act rashly. Otherwise, although cutting it very short was out of the question, snipping it bit by bit would be an easy snip of the scissors.

Zhao Erhu had been rubbing Lin Yue’s hair for a while but felt that it was still not clean. When he reached into the wooden box for the Fragrant Soap, he realized that it was all used up.

"This bar of Fragrant Soap is finished. Do we have any new ones at home?" asked Zhao Erhu. Recently, he had been so busy with many affairs that he was not clear on such minor matters, only remembering that they had bought several bars of Fragrant Soap the last time.

Lying leisurely on the recliner, Lin Yue answered, "Oh, I was just about to tell you that. We’ve run out of Fragrant Soap at home. Pick up a few more for me when you go to town, will you? They really don’t last long, a small bar like that costs a hundred coins, it’s really not worth it. I’ll make even better ones myself when I find the time later."

Lin Yue had already had this idea for a while; the Fragrant Soap was nothing more than the simplest kind of fragranced soap to make, and there was nothing difficult about the process. When she first arrived here, handcrafting was trendy in the modern world, and she had even taken a workshop on it, making it a few times—it wasn’t hard at all. It was just that she had been so busy recently that there had been no time to attend to it.

"Yeah, you can try making it yourself if you want, but you’ve been busy with embroidery lately. Don’t take on too many things at once; you’ll wear yourself out," Zhao Erhu advised without asking why Lin Yue would know how to make it.

In fact, the little wife would give him surprises now and then, and Zhao Erhu had grown accustomed to them. He hadn’t thought much of it, as his wife’s ideas and practices had indeed been quite unconventional at times. After hearing some truly bizarre tales from elders, Zhao Erhu had his suspicions about his wife’s changes but did not delve deeper into them. Whatever the case, this was his wife, the capricious and beloved woman of his life, and he couldn’t let go. Whether she was a spirit or an immortal, he recognized her as his wife and did not want her to revert to her former self. He liked her just as she was now.

Unbeknownst to Lin Yue, her physical body had simply gained a new soul, while Zhao Erhu considered her to be akin to a spirit or deity. After gently testing Zhao Erhu several times, she no longer made an effort to hide her true self from him. His character was reliable and trustworthy, and this was the man she was to spend her life with. Pretending all the time was exhausting, and given the intimacy between husband and wife, it would have been impossible for her to hide completely, especially with her tendency to be careless and sometimes a bit sloppy.

"I got it, old man, you are so naggy, always buzzing in my ear," Lin Yue now had a fondness for teasing Zhao Erhu by calling him an old man, which truly hit a sore spot for him.

Zhao Erhu itched with irritation. His little wife was getting harder to manage by the day. He couldn’t wait much longer and would have to eat up this heartless Niuniu sooner or later. But he had to wait for the weather to cool down since she complained about the heat now, not even letting him hold her at night, let alone anything else. As soon as he touched her, she would get all worked up, claiming he was like a furnace, making her too hot.

"Old as I may be, I’m still your husband. You might wish for a younger, less naggy man, but that would depend on whether I’d allow it. Too bad, this lifetime, you’re just my wife. Behave better for your husband in the future, take good care of me, and you won’t miss out on the benefits," said Zhao Erhu with a slightly menacing tone that soon turned a bit off-color.

"Humph, old man, don’t be so smug! You’re just proud that you only spent fifteen taels of silver to buy this beautiful, smart, and capable young lady. If it weren’t for my greedy parents, it wouldn’t have been your turn. You just got lucky. If you dare treat me poorly, hmm, see if I don’t deal with you!" Lin Yue said, pinching the soft flesh around Zhao Erhu’s waist. This tactic was inspired by a scene she remembered from a TV drama, and it worked exceptionally well.

Zhao Erhu had not visited Xiaoxi Village for a long time. The elders were so enthusiastic that they insisted on keeping Zhao Erhu for the night, but Zhao Erhu was preoccupied with the thought of his young wife at home and refused to stay. Now that he had come to value his young wife so much, he wanted to have her by his side every moment. Without her presence at night, he found he could not sleep soundly. It was indeed a vexing issue, as it seemed he was becoming increasingly unable to be apart from this little wretch who had no conscience.

However, during this trip to Xiaoxi Village, his uncle Zhao Fuquan’s reaction had been rather odd. He kept looking like he had something to say but hesitated, which made Zhao Erhu curious about what could make his uncle behave in such a manner. After lunch, when Zhao Erhu was preparing to head back, and seeing that Zhao Fuquan was still acting the same way, Zhao Erhu finally asked.

"Big brother, you seem to have something on your mind, is there something you want to tell me?" What on earth could make Zhao Fuquan so hesitant to speak?

"I, this..." Zhao Fuquan hesitated, finding it difficult to broach the subject. If he were to shamelessly ask Erhu for work, what if Erhu’s family had already hired enough people? Wouldn’t that put them in a difficult position because of him? After tossing the thought back and forth, Zhao Fuquan still couldn’t bring himself to speak up.

Fortunately, Zhao Erhu understood his uncle’s nature and said, "Big brother, just speak your mind. We are family and there’s no need to be embarrassed. If I can help, I certainly won’t refuse. If I can’t, I won’t force it. It’s better than feeling troubled like this."

Hearing what Zhao Erhu said made Zhao Fuquan think it was reasonable. "Erhu, I wanted to ask if your family is still hiring long-term workers?"

"Big brother, why do you ask? Who’s looking to be a long-term worker at my house?" Although the family already had five long-term workers, along with Zhao Dahuo and his wife, the family business was growing and hiring a few more people wouldn’t hurt, as long as the candidates were suitable. They definitely couldn’t be deceitful or have unclear intentions. Therefore, Zhao Erhu needed to clarify with Zhao Fuquan, to ensure that his uncle wasn’t just acting on a whim to help someone and inadvertently create trouble for him. Zhao Fuquan was well-intentioned, but he wasn’t that misguided.

"It is I, myself. Business has been tough, and the shop couldn’t keep going, so they let go of me as an assistant. I heard your family was hiring long-term workers, so I wanted to ask. If you’ve already hired enough people, it’s no problem, I can find another job. In any case, don’t feel pressured by me." Zhao Fuquan said all this without even waiting for Zhao Erhu to respond whether he agreed or not.

"I see, my family does happen to be short of hands. If you’re willing, you can come over. As for compensation, it’s one Tiao Money per month including accommodation, but you have to prepare your own meals. Plus, you’ll get an additional allowance of two hundred coins each month. What do you think, big brother? Are you satisfied with that?"

Learning that Zhao Fuquan wanted the job himself, Zhao Erhu agreed without a second thought. His uncle coming to work was a welcome addition; he was a seasoned farmer, reliable in fieldwork, and above all, honest and trustworthy. He would be a great help at their home. The reason Zhao Erhu hadn’t considered it previously was that his uncle had some carpentry skills and had found a job as an assistant in a carpentry shop in the city, which was a decent job compared to laborious work for others. As such, it never occurred to Erhu to mention it, not expecting his uncle to be let go from the shop.

"The wages are actually higher than what I earned as an assistant at the carpentry shop, so there’s nothing to be dissatisfied about. I am more than satisfied! When should I start working? There’s not much to do in the fields right now, and I’m just idling at home anyway." Upon hearing Zhao Erhu’s agreement, Zhao Fuquan was eager to start something new, unable to sit still.

"Anytime is fine. If you’re free, you can come back with me today. I drove the horse carriage, which will make the journey much easier, so you won’t have to travel so arduously."

Zhao Fuquan didn’t have a bullock cart. The last couple of times he needed to fetch his children, he had borrowed one from a villager. Surely, if he had to go to Zhao Family Village, he would have to walk, and the journey of over twenty miles would be quite an effort. It was better to go back with Zhao Erhu, and seeing Zhao Fuquan eager to start working, Erhu knew he wasn’t one to sit around idly.

"Okay, then I’ll just pack my things." Zhao Fuquan, satisfied with the arrangement, happily went to inform his wife and mother-in-law. A man like him had few possessions, just a change of clothes to carry with him. He wrapped them in a cloth bundle, picked it up, and boarded the horse carriage.

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