A Good Country Wife
Chapter 407 - 401_1

Chapter 407: Chapter 401_1

The strained interactions went on in this awkward manner, and somehow, they made it through the morning. By noon, the Master of the Chen Mansion and his wife insisted that Zhao Erhu and Lin Yue stay for lunch before allowing them to leave.

Once the couple had left, the Master of the Chen Mansion and his wife had their servant bring out the gift that Zhao Erhu and his wife had given. "Hurry and open it to see what Zhao Erhu and his wife have sent us. This couple is not stingy and has quite some wealth. Certainly, they would have sent something quite nice."

"Seeing how eager the lady of the house is, you’ve surely seen plenty of fine things. Could you really be so eager for their gifts?" The Master of the Chen Mansion seemed dubious at his wife’s eagerness. Zhao Erhu had likewise mentioned that the gifts were modest, merely a token of their intentions. After all, coming from a rural background, it was already commendable that they knew the proper etiquette.

Mrs. Chen, however, ignored her husband’s teasing. She had heard from Lin Yue, between the lines, that they had given an Embroidered Picture. Mrs. Chen had a particular fondness for embroidery, and upon hearing that Lin Yue had sent an embroidered picture, she couldn’t remain seated. She had refrained from looking through it in the presence of the others, but now that they were gone, there was no need to worry. She immediately ordered the gift to be brought to her.

Indeed, as soon as the Embroidered Picture was brought out, Mrs. Chen’s gaze was fixated, and she couldn’t let go of it. Holding the Embroidered Picture without allowing anyone else to touch it, her satisfaction with Zhao Erhu and his wife grew even more. Although they were from a farming family, their generosity was evident. A piece of double-sided embroidery this large must have been worth at least a thousand taels of silver—not to mention Lin Yue’s excellent workmanship. Had the Embroidered Picture been sold, it would have surely fetched even more.

Mrs. Chen marveled at the Embroidered Picture for quite some time, and only afterward did she proceed to look at the other items. The several other trinkets were also exquisitely crafted. While the materials might not have been the finest, what mattered was the novelty and thoughtfulness behind them. Even the Master of the Chen Mansion praised them on this rare occasion.

In addition to these, there were also local produce from Lin Yue’s hometown and some exceptionally well-made handmade soaps—all these gifts brought together.

It wasn’t until they left the Chen Mansion and Lin Yue was back on the carriage that she finally relaxed, easing the tense string within her and leaning on Zhao Erhu. Interacting with such high-status individuals was truly exhausting. Every speech and behavior had to be cautious, every rule had to be meticulously followed. Then there was Chen Ruyu, particularly obstinate and arrogant, who also harbored hostility towards her—it was only a morning spent at the Chen Mansion, but it left her feeling mentally and physically drained.

"Wife, what’s wrong? Did the lady of the house give you trouble?" Zhao Erhu was somewhat concerned seeing Lin Yue’s downcast demeanor. He too could sense that during the lunch, his little wife was merely putting on a forced smile. Seeing her like this now, he was sure something had happened. He had thought Mrs. Chen to be a very kind lady, but it seemed that appearances could indeed be deceiving.

"Don’t make wild guesses. Mrs. Chen was quite nice to me. It’s just that the Jiang Residence has too many strict rules, and I’m just not used to it." Lin Yue considered it for a moment but chose not to mention the issue with Ruyu. Probably, it would just be this once, and likely she wouldn’t have to deal with her in the future. Otherwise, Erhu would definitely feel uncomfortable, thinking that he couldn’t protect her properly.

"There’s no helping it—this is how these major households are. You can come less often in the future. However, I really enjoyed my talk with the Master of the Chen Mansion. Not only is he a good official who is wholeheartedly concerned about the people, but he is also wide-ranging in knowledge. Many of his words were immensely beneficial to me. I had a lot to gain today, but I’m sorry you had to suffer, my wife."

"Hey, what’s there to feel wronged about? In other households, new brides have to look at their mother-in-laws’ faces every day and follow strict rules. Ms. Chen only asked me to chat with her and talk about some embroidery matters. It’s only because I married you that I’m having such a good life now, free and easy every day, without needing to serve a mother-in-law. You’ve spoiled me, which is why I’ve become a bit delicate. You mustn’t despise me for it."

Zhao Erhu thought about how his wife, Lin Yue, was not pretentious at all compared to other women, and only occasionally showed a little temper, which could hardly be considered delicate. However, he agreed, saying, "It’s good to be delicate. I like your delicate little ways. I, Zhao Erhu, am fortunate to have married such a fine wife in my three lifetimes; I should cherish you and hold you in the palm of my hand. How could I possibly despise you?"

Lin Yue was quite pleased with Zhao Erhu’s declaration of love, and any resentment she had felt at Chen Ruyu’s place dissipated. She leaned lazily against Zhao Erhu, looking smug, "Are you really serious? Then if I become spoiled, it’ll be your responsibility. You mustn’t renege on this."

"Alright, it’s my responsibility, and you can peacefully spend your life with me." Zhao Erhu hugged the woman in his arms even closer; she was as lazy and adorable as a little kitten, and his tone became even more tender as he made his vow.

After leaving the Chen Mansion, it was still midday. There was no need to go back so early, so Zhao Erhu suggested taking Lin Yue for a stroll on the snack street to get something to eat, suspecting that his little wife hadn’t had her fill at the Chen Mansion during lunch.

"Great, great! I’ve long heard that there are many delicious snacks on the snack street, and I’m just getting hungry. Let’s hurry over and eat." Lin Yue had only eaten a few bites at noon and was indeed a little hungry. Upon hearing Zhao Erhu mention snack street, she was so eager she could almost sprint there. Apart from being avaricious, Lin Yue was also a quintessential foodie. The thought of a street full of delicious food waiting for her that afternoon excited her to no end.

"Zhao Erhu, hurry up, I’m getting so hungry. Let’s go quickly," Lin Yue urged impatiently.

"Alright, we’ll go faster." Zhao Erhu looked at Lin Yue with indulgent eyes, and holding Lin Yue’s hand, he quickened his pace. As for the carriage, he had sent a servant to find a quiet place to wait. It was too far to walk back; they would still need the carriage for the return journey.

Lin Yue was dressed in a tender green tunic today, being led by Zhao Erhu. Perhaps because of the prospect of good food, she wore an especially radiant smile, her clear eyes devoid of any impurities, so beautiful that it was hard to look away. That warmth, like the sun’s redemption piercing the dark, was especially striking to those accustomed to the gloom and strife, a saving grace amidst the darkness.

"My lord, what is it?" A young man dressed as a servant cautiously asked in a high-pitched and strangely peculiar voice.

Seeing that his master was still lost in thought, Abao followed his gaze and spotted a man and a woman who, from their intimate behavior, seemed to be a couple. The man appeared to be in his mid-twenties, whereas the girl looked quite young, at most fifteen or sixteen years old, yet she had already blossomed into fresh and lovely beauty. Although not comparable to many of the Empresses in the palace, she was very appealing, especially with her lively and joyful aura, which made her seem hundreds of times more vibrant than the palace Empresses. No wonder the master couldn’t take his eyes off her.

Search the lightnovelworld.cc website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.