A Good Country Wife
Chapter 465 - 459_1

Chapter 465: Chapter 459_1

"Brother Wang, we have a few more people for lunch today. Dongjia’s wife has asked you to prepare a few extra dishes."

"Sure thing, no problem!" Wang Dachuan responded cheerfully, happy to have more people enjoying his cooking, satisfying as it was to see everyone relishing his meals and praising them. The feeling was deeply fulfilling. Besides, now that he didn’t have to work at the tavern, cooking for just a few people at home hardly took any effort. With time on his hands, he enjoyed experimenting with various delicious dishes. The ingredients here were plentiful, and Dongjia’s wife was generous and easygoing, not minding his experimenting. In fact, he had developed several new dishes. It was just a shame that the tavern was now closed; otherwise, they would surely have been a huge hit.

Lin Yue didn’t feel comfortable joining the table with several men present. She had eaten a late breakfast and had been well fed by Zhao Erhu, so she wasn’t hungry at the moment. She casually ate a little and then went back to her room. In three months, Zhao Erhu was going to sea, and Lin Yue thought of embroidering more pieces. Embroideries were sold at much higher prices overseas—even a small piece with her skill could fetch hundreds or even several hundred taels of silver. Now, with a skilled craftsperson like Zhang Qiusheng, she no longer had to just finish her embroideries and take them to a framing shop. In the past, some more challenging pieces that Lin Yue was unsure about could not be properly framed, which limited her. Now, she could directly have Zhang Qiusheng do the framing.

After eating, Zhao Erhu came into the room and saw Lin Yue busy with her embroidery. He frowned, "Wife, why have you started embroidering again? Haven’t I told you to rest more? Your health is the most important thing. I’m working myself to the bone precisely so that you can have a good life. Why won’t you listen?"

As Lin Yue heard Zhao Erhu starting his nagging again, she rolled her eyes in resignation, "I do listen. If I get tired, naturally I’ll stop embroidering. With some free time on my hands right now, what’s wrong with doing some embroidery? You know I love this. Seeing the embroideries I’ve created gives me a sense of achievement, which you wouldn’t understand. But it’s fine if you don’t understand, just don’t disturb me."

"Wife, are you finding your husband annoying now?" Zhao Erhu had had quite a bit to drink. Although not drunk, he was still slightly tipsy and stuck close to Lin Yue, nuzzling against her neck.

Such a stoically masculine man usually, but behaving now with the tenderness of a young bride, and wearing an expression of wounded abandonment, he looked up expectantly at Lin Yue, and suddenly appeared somewhat adorable. As Lin Yue turned to look at him, Zhao Erhu stuck out his tongue and licked her smooth cheek with a smack.

"Wife smells so good, hehe," Zhao Erhu chuckled and rubbed Lin Yue a few times more, clearly attempting to coax her while drunk.

Lin Yue was initially amused by the older man’s childish antics and found the change refreshing, but Zhao Erhu’s actions quickly overwhelmed her. "Zhao Erhu, you’ve had too much to drink, haven’t you? Making a scene while drunk—get away from me. You reek of alcohol, so go lie down on the bed yourself."

Saying so, Lin Yue pushed Zhao Erhu, who was leaning heavily on her, but she didn’t use much force out of concern that he was drunk.

"Wife, I don’t want to sleep alone. I want to sleep with you. You smell the best, so delicious!" Zhao Erhu was completely under the influence now, kissing Lin Yue multiple times, causing several black lines to appear on her forehead.

Drunk men are indeed the most bothersome. Lin Yue had to exert a great deal of effort to finally get Zhao Erhu onto the bed. Then she had a servant bring some water, washed Zhao Erhu off, covered him with a blanket, and watched until he slept peacefully before continuing her embroidery.

Zhao Lingxiang had always remembered the humiliation she suffered at Zhao Erhu’s home, and she had sworn to herself that she would pay back double, to trample Zhao Erhu and his wife beneath her feet. Therefore, even if Master Wei had not given the order, she would have sought them out anyway, and with the Master’s repeated instructions, she felt even more confident.

Because she was preoccupied with thoughts of making Zhao Erhu and his wife bow and scrape before her, Zhao Lingxiang was too excited last night and didn’t sleep well. With dark circles under her eyes, she woke up before dawn had fully broken and had her maid dress and make her up.

"Madam, it’s still early, and even if we’re heading back to Zhao’s village, there’s no need to be up this early. Why not sleep a little longer?"

"No sleep, why sleep anymore? Even if I tried, I couldn’t fall asleep. Hurry up and help me dress and do my makeup. Take out my best outfit. Right, didn’t the Master reward me with a set of gold jewelry for my son’s full moon celebration? Bring that out too, I’ll wear it today," Zhao Lingxiang said, sitting in front of the vanity.

The maid was somewhat surprised by Zhao Lingxiang’s request. It was one thing to wear clothes, but the set of gold jewelry was Zhao Lingxiang’s most treasured possession, which she rarely took out, let alone for a trip to the countryside. Truly strange.

"Yes, Madam, I will fetch it right away." Though the maid was surprised, she did not dare question her. After all, she didn’t possess the same influence before Zhao Lingxiang as Xiaocui did, to speak so freely without concern.

Zhao Lingxiang intended to flaunt her wealth in front of Lin Yue. She wanted to overshadow her, to make Lin Yue envious. Her dressing and makeup took a good half an hour.

As a woman, Lin Yue’s life was truly enviable. Although she was a concubine, her husband cherished her, and even though her sons were not her own flesh and blood, they still were devoted and sensible, more so than many others. She didn’t need to serve her in-laws or work the fields, and her husband pampered and adored her as if she were a precious jewel—a fact well-known to anyone who knew Zhao Erhu for his wife-doting ways. It was only Zhao Erhu’s distant and stern public image that prevented rumors of his uxoriousness from spreading.

Whenever Zhao Lingxiang thought about it, she couldn’t help but feel bitter. Both women had come from rural farming families, but by all accounts, her background was somewhat better. Lin Yue had basically been sold to Zhao Erhu by her family. Why should Lin Yue live such a life? Fortunately, Master Wei was increasingly valuing her, giving her the confidence she needed. She may not match Lin Yue in other areas, but the wealth and status of the Wei Residence was where she saw her chance to outshine Lin Yue.

"Dongjia, Dongjia’s wife, Madam Zhao from the Wei Residence has come. She’s making a fuss, wanting to see you, and right now she’s being stopped outside the gate. Should we let her in?" Zhao Erhu and Lin Yue were sharing an intimate moment inside the house, their days of parting drawing near, making it harder for them to separate. Suddenly, a knock on the door broke the silence, and a servant reported loudly from outside the door. Lin Yue got a scare, and Zhao Erhu patted her back a few times to soothe her before he went to open the door.

"You mean Zhao Lingxiang has come?" Zhao Erhu asked, frowning. This woman’s visit was sure to bring no good.