A Good Country Wife

"Knock knock knock" Lin Yue was lying in bed, dozing off, when she heard someone knocking at the door. She quickly got up, and by the time she made it outside, a few of the children had already opened the door and welcomed a man and a woman inside. They gathered around the visitors, chatting and laughing warmly. Lin Yue couldn't quite make out who the guests were but, as hostess, it would not have been polite to greet them improperly. Just as she was about to say something, the woman noticed Lin Yue and spoke first.

"You're looking well today, sister. It seems you have fully recovered, truly blessed by the gods. A couple of days ago, Erhuzi told us you were unwell, which scared Sister Chunhua quite a bit. Erhu has had his share of bumps in life; if something had happened to you, he probably wouldn't have gotten over this one. But look at you now, all better—it's clear you have good fortune." The woman approached and affectionately took Lin Yue's hand, speaking warmly. Lin Yue wasn't quite sure how to respond, so she just smiled.

Noticing Lin Yue's reserve and considering she was a new bride, likely still adjusting, the woman became even more enthusiastic. "You probably don't recognize me since you just married here. I'm your Sister Chunhua, and this is my husband. He and your Erhu grew up together. Just call him Brother Wu."

Lin Yue responded amiably, "Brother Wu, Sister Chunhua, Erhu has gone to work in the fields. Are you here to see him? Should I call him back?" Lin Yue said while leading her guests into the main room.

"No need, there's nothing urgent, no need to call him back. This sack I'm returning is the thirty pounds of soybeans we borrowed from your Erhuzi last autumn. My family only just sent them over this morning, and I wanted to return them right away. I'm sorry for the delay." Zhang Chunhua spoke rapidly as she instructed her husband to put down the large hemp sack he was carrying and place the basket she was holding onto the table.

"And there's this as well—there are twenty eggs and five pounds of white flour in the basket, specially for you to nourish your body. It's not much, just a small token from me and your Brother Wu; don't look down on it." Zhang Chunhua was being modest. Eggs and white flour were both considered luxuries, rarely enjoyed on ordinary days. The items together made for a significant gift, a measure of the good relationship between Wu Qiang and Zhao Erhu, who were as close as brothers, and because Zhao Erhu was well-known for his generosity, which was why Zhang Chunhua was giving so much.

At that moment, Lin Yue felt quite embarrassed. Being new to the village, she wasn't clear on what she should do and after failing to refuse several times, she reluctantly accepted for the time being, intending to decide what to do when Zhao Erhu returned—if necessary, they would simply return them.

After seeing off Wu Qiang and his wife, Lin Yue returned to her room, no longer feeling sleepy. Having been active in the morning left her feeling sticky with sweat, so she decided to heat some water in the kitchen. She had wanted to take a proper bath, but the conditions were less than ideal. Water was inconvenient to use since the water at home was carried by Zhao Erhu early in the morning, and half a barrel was still left—it couldn't all be used, some had to be saved for cooking in the evening. So Lin Yue settled for a simple hair wash, followed by wiping down with a cloth in her room. Without any clean clothes to change into, she still wore the same outfit from before, only replacing it with an undergarment from Zhao Erhu, thinking to herself that her own family must be terribly poor not to have given her even a set of clothes to change into, let alone a dowry.

After washing and drying the undergarment, Lin Yue glanced at the clothes hanging on the bamboo pole, which seemed to be worn by Zhao Erhu the day before. There were signs of wear and tear and slashes on the sleeves and pants, revealing several holes of various sizes. She felt the clothes—they were already dry—picked them up, brought them back to her room, and after rummaging through boxes, found a yellowed and rust-stained needle and thread and began patching them up.

Lin Yue really wasn't familiar with sewing. In modern times, clothes were bought directly from stores, and once damaged, they were simply discarded and replaced with new ones. Who would wear old, worn-out clothes? Hence, there was seldom a need for sewing, except during her poor childhood when it was necessary.

When she first picked up the needle and thread, Lin Yue was quite awkward and almost pricked her hand. Gradually, she became skilled, as if guided by divine power. Her stitches were neat and dense without much thought, her hands accomplishing what her mind thought of. Even Lin Yue herself found it hard to believe—it was too incredible. When had she acquired these magical skills essential for an ancient virtuous wife and good mother? Perhaps it was the consciousness left behind by the original owner of the body or maybe that was the only explanation.

It had to be admitted that Classmate Lin Yue really got it. In fact, the past Lin Erniu was most proficient in needlework and especially Suzhou embroidery skills, which she learned from her grandmother, who had served as a maid in a wealthy family and now passed away. Lin Erniu used to do the most sewing work at her maternal home. On regular days, she embroidered various types of embroidery products and gave them to her mother to exchange for money at the Embroidery Store. Therefore, the moment Lin Yue took up the needle and thread, her body reacted instinctively.

It took Lin Yue over half an hour to mend the clothes of Zhao Erhu and the few boys in the family. The repair took that long not because there were many clothes, but because the damages were somewhat severe. Time passed during the patching. By the time Lin Yue had finished, Zhao Erhu had already returned from the fields.

Zhao Erhu had been thinking about his wife at home and deliberately came back early. The sun hadn't set yet when he returned. He wasn't surprised to hear that Wu Qiang and his wife had visited, as he had seen Zhang Chunhua's family driving cattle along the road while he was working in the fields in the morning. Returning the thirty kilos of soybeans was expected. As for the additional eggs and white flour, Zhao Erhu told Lin Yue to accept them with peace of mind. In the past, when he returned from hunting in the mountains with excess game, he often sent some to Wu Qiang's family. Compared to that, these items were nothing.

Seeing Zhao Erhu's reaction, Lin Yue knew that the relationships between the two families were certainly good. It was just right since there was nothing much to eat at home. With these items, life would be somewhat better. The more Lin Yue understood about the household, the more she realized how poor it was. She couldn't help salivating at the thought of turning the white flour and eggs into various delicious dishes, and smilingly stored them properly. Yet as she turned around, she saw Zhao Erhu frowning and looking at her displeased.

What happened? Why had he changed his expression so suddenly? It didn't seem like she had done anything wrong. "Brother Erhu, what's wrong?" Lin Yue tentatively asked.

"Did you take a bath?" Zhao Erhu looked at Lin Yue's damp hair with certainty and asked in a stern tone that almost made Lin Yue think she had committed some crime such as arson or murder instead of just taking a bath. Lin Yue nodded and subconsciously took a step back.

Zhao Erhu felt helpless regarding Lin Yue's wary behavior. This little wife was good in every aspect, just too timid. But it was better to have a little fear; it made her easier to manage. Zhao Erhu held high expectations for his young wife. The age difference gave him a sense of nurturance, which made Lin Yue feel that this man was less like her husband and more like her father.