A Good Country Wife
Chapter 249 - 239 They All Have Their Reasons_1

Chapter 249: Chapter 239 They All Have Their Reasons_1

Lin Yue hadn’t even opened her mouth when Zhao Erhu pulled his little wife over to his side. Zhao Erhu had no particular thoughts about their sibling reunion, so he had kept silent all this while. However, the notion of Lin Qing wanting to take his little wife away, and even considering finding another man for her, was far too much of a challenge to his bottom line. It seemed best not to involve Lin Yue’s birth family any further; otherwise, he’d deeply regret it if they led his little wife astray.

"Big Uncle, this statement of yours is simply too outrageous. Regardless of the reason, once Yueyue married me, she became my wife. For the rest of her life, she belongs to me. Big Uncle, coaxing my wife to seek other men, what kind of reasoning is that? You are a learned man too; surely you wouldn’t be ignorant of the basic principles of propriety, righteousness, integrity, and honor, would you? Since that is the case, please, Big Uncle, leave. When your parents married Yueyue off to me, they made it clear that she no longer had any ties to the Lin family from then on!"

"Zhao Erhu, you brute, do you really think you are worthy of my sister? If I hadn’t been away from home, you would never have taken her away!" Lin Qing was extremely furious, and he found Zhao Erhu utterly disagreeable, especially considering this brute’s attempts to monopolize his sister perpetually. Lin thought his sister, with her temperament and appearance, deserved to be with someone compatible with her. How could a simpleton like Zhao Erhu ever understand how to cherish someone? In his eyes, a literati would suit his sister much better.

"My little wife is right. What has happened has happened. The reality is your parents sold your sister to me for fifteen taels of silver. Surely you don’t think your few words can change that reality? I still hold the agreement in my hands now. No matter where I go, I have the law on my side." In this matter, even if his little wife were to be upset, Zhao Erhu would not yield an inch; otherwise, it would mean handing his little wife over to someone else on a silver platter.

"Zhao Erhu, it’s only because you gave my parents silver, fifteen taels, right? Just you wait; I will gather the silver and redeem my sister."

"Big Uncle, haven’t you understood yet? Yueyue is my wife now, and she will be in the future, for her entire life. Even if you bring fifteen taels of silver, it won’t change this fact. I will not hand my wife over to anyone, no amount of silver can change that. You might as well get that idea out of your head!"

Yet, Lin Qing ignored Zhao Erhu, instead turning his gaze to Lin Yue, "Sister, wait for me. I will gather the silver and come to take you back. Take good care of yourself."

"Eh, no, I don’t need you to..." Before Lin Yue could finish her sentence, Lin Qing had already left quickly, not even giving her a chance to object.

Zhao Erhu was also frustrated; why is it that his Big Uncle seemed incapable of understanding his words, as if all learned men were so stubborn and set in their ways, never to turn back. No, that wasn’t the right idea. He observed that sometimes his little wife could be quite stubborn too. Maybe it was a trait inherited from the Lin family. Regardless, no one would change the fact that Lin Yue was his wife.

After Lin Qing left, Lin Yue looked at Zhao Erhu with a complicated expression, wanting to speak yet hesitating, unclear about what she intended to convey.

Zhao Erhu had been quite forthright in front of Lin Qing, but facing his little wife, he feared that those words might have harmed her self-respect. "Wife, you’re not angry, are you? I didn’t mean to speak that way. He’s your brother, and I wanted us to get along well. But he shouldn’t think about taking you away. You’re the only little wife I have in this life. What would I do without you, what about the children? They already regard you as their own mother. Wife, we can discuss anything else, just not this. I won’t let you leave me!"

Lin Yue knew this old man was too insecure. Any provocation would trigger his old issues. "Zhao Erhu, do you really distrust me that much? When have I ever said I wanted to leave?! We’ve been together for so long, don’t you know what kind of person I am? My intention now is to live out my life with you. My brother’s words are his own opinion, which I will never agree to. But could you please stop mentioning ’buy’ all the time? It makes it seem as though I’m so cheap to have been bought and brought back by you like a piece of merchandise."

"I know, I know, it won’t happen again. I was just anxious, as long as you don’t leave me, that’s all that matters." Zhao Erhu chuckled, having dismissed Lin Qing, he naturally needed to coax his little wife into a good mood. She was the key to the problem; as long as she didn’t want to leave with anyone else, he didn’t need to worry about anything else. He could solve everything.

"That depends on your performance," Lin Yue teased, feeling pretty good about being cared for this much.

"Yes, yes, just watch me perform, I will be good to you, I will be good to you for the rest of my life." Zhao Erhu hurriedly promised. Although he felt that merely saying these things was somewhat empty, he still had to say what needed to be said. He had learned this lesson after many setbacks. Of course, he would do what needed to be done. He, Zhao Erhu, was not a man who failed to keep his word; his word was a promise, even if sometimes it was to make his little wife happy, he meant it sincerely—except for certain special circumstances.

"Hmmph," Lin Yue hummed from her throat, clearly still satisfied with Zhao Erhu’s performance.

"Wife, I need to go into town. You stay home and take care of yourself. If those with ill intentions come by, especially strange men, don’t talk to them, alright?"

Lin Yue rolled her eyes, thinking her man was really "I know, if you’re that worried, why don’t you stay home and keep watch."

Zhao Erhu couldn’t wait to fully claim his little wife as his own. After the incident with his elder brother-in-law, Zhao Erhu felt there were too many uncertainties and couldn’t wait any longer. He couldn’t feel at ease until he made his little wife truly his.

Especially that man mentioned by his brother-in-law, apparently his little wife’s former sweetheart.

No wonder she had tried to run away when she first got married—it must have been to find that man named ’coin.’ Now, that ’coin’ was still waiting for his little wife. Thinking of this, Zhao Erhu felt as if his heart had been stabbed, bleeding and aching. Fortunately, his little wife couldn’t remember anything now.

But as for the future, who could say? All things are uncertain; what’s real is having his little wife genuinely in his arms.

"Dalang, you and your siblings should stay close to your mother at home. Don’t let those with bad intentions near her. Don’t let anyone take your mother away." Zhao Erhu was still somewhat worried when he left, deliberately making the situation sound very serious. He gave the kids strict instructions to keep a close eye on their mother, then rode the carriage into town.

Although he was anxious, he couldn’t rush the bridal chamber preparations for his little wife; the necessary arrangements still needed to be made. It was a way to make up for the too simple wedding they initially had. Zhao Erhu had also wanted to hold a few banquet tables, but unfortunately, his little wife disagreed. She said it was a waste of money and effort, and it was hardly worth the trouble. Since his little wife said so, Zhao Erhu had no choice but to let it be.