Chapter 165:
Ren Yin Year, Mid-Autumn Festival, a pair of magpies on the persimmon tree outside chattered noisily.
The first ray of sunshine in the early morning shone through the window, falling on Luo Zhi’er’s long, dark eyelashes. Luo Zhi’er woke up.
She rubbed her sleepy eyes, stretched, and kicked her legs.
“Another beautiful day! Oh yeah, Li Xi’er has lived another day!”
Turning her head, she saw Miaomiao sleeping soundly beside her, just like a glutinous rice ball, and planted a kiss on her chubby little face.
Luo Zhi’er had slept well last night, and she was in a good mood today, so she tucked in the corner of the quilt for Miaomiao.
She put on the clean undergarment she bought, donned a goose-yellow outer garment, went to the bronze mirror to comb her hair, and quickly braided it into two small plaits.
She picked up the scissors to trim her bangs. The woman in the mirror had fair and rosy skin, and playfully winked at herself.
She turned and went out the door, finished washing up, drew her eyebrows, applied some rouge from the rouge shop in town last time since her lips were a bit dry, and her complexion improved a lot.
She went out and looked around, picked up the broom to sweep the yard first, and fed some grain to the chickens and ducks in the pen.
She led the mule to the river to drink water, and on the way back picked up a shoulder pole of water, threw some grass to the mule and the sheep, and added some water for Bill.
As she left, she touched Bill’s big fat tail and tentatively called out,
“Bill?”
Bill was still sulking about what she said last time about letting them come beat it to death, throwing a tantrum!
Its butt was facing her.
“Bill, didn’t I say it? That was to ease the atmosphere at the time. I know they absolutely couldn’t come up with a thousand gold, so I said it on purpose. I couldn’t bear to let our cute and dominant Bill be casually beaten to death by someone else!”
“Don’t be mad, Mama loves you?”
“Good boy?”
“Heh!”
A soft chuckle came from behind her.
Luo Zhi’er frowned, her heart tightened, and she froze.
“Wife, won’t you turn around and look at me?”
Luo Zhi’er quickly turned back. “San, San Mao, you’re back?”
She knew he was coming back soon, but wasn’t sure exactly which day.
The smile in Li Sanmao’s eyes was about to overflow, his voice low and hoarse with excitement. “Zhi’er, husband is home.”
A big man with stars of tears in his eyes. Luo Zhi’er stood up, unsure whether to approach or what, and the two just gazed at each other like that.
The longing in Li Sanmao’s eyes grew even more intense, as if to melt her, and he opened his arms, wanting to hug her.
Creak, the door to their sleeping room opened, and Miaomiao rubbed her sleepy eyes in a daze, saying,
“Mother, did Miaomiao hear you say Father is back?”
Luo Zhi’er curved her lips and playfully winked at her. “Yes, look, Miaomiao’s father is back!”
Miaomiao’s eyes widened instantly, she woke up fully, and with a few pattering steps ran to Li Sanmao’s side. “Father, you’re finally back!”
Li Sanmao scooped her up in one go, and Miaomiao wrapped her arms around his neck. “Father, Miaomiao missed you so much, was so worried about you. Miaomiao isn’t dreaming, right?”
Li Sanmao was still wearing the set of clothes Luo Zhi’er had brought in for him last time. Miaomiao touched his long beard and his rather messy hair full of calluses.
Miaomiao had been especially worried that Li Sanmao would never come out, though she hadn’t mentioned it much usually, afraid of making her mother sad.
“Miaomiao isn’t dreaming. Feel Father, isn’t he back?”
Li Sanmao took her little hand, kissed it, and rubbed it against his face for a while.
Miaomiao immediately burst into loud wails. “Father, Father, you’re finally back. Miaomiao missed you to death. Don’t leave again.”
“I won’t, I won’t.”
Seeing the father and daughter so affectionate, Luo Zhi’er turned and went into the room to get out the clothing she had prepared for him in town, and put it on the bed.
Then she went to the backyard kitchen and started busily making breakfast.
This man should wash up, he urgently needs nutrition. Look at him, skinny as skin and bones, even his eye sockets are sunken.
She put the rice in the pot, took two eels, went under the persimmon tree to gut them, soon chopped them up, preparing braised yellow eel.
There was still pork and pig offal at home, green pepper shredded meat, scallion scrambled eggs, dry pot fat intestines.
Li Sanmao went into the room to tidy himself up, looked in the mirror and was startled by his reflection. Luckily Miaomiao and his wife weren’t scared by his appearance.
He pulled open the small drawer under the bronze mirror, took out the razor his wife bought, and shaved off the beard on his face. His hair was matted into clumps too.
Luckily it wasn’t cold yet. He went to the backyard water jar, scooped some water, and started washing.
He had come back quite early, there weren’t many people on the road yet. Now passersby seeing a man bathing shirtless at Old Li Family’s door were startled, and upon closer look, wasn’t that Li Sanmao?
“San Mao is back?”
“Yeah, Uncle!”
It was like a thunderclap from a clear sky. Li Sanmao had really come back. Luo Zhi’er had said before that her man hadn’t committed any crime and would definitely be released. Now he really came back unscathed.
Doesn’t that prove they are safe?
Before noon, the entire Zhao Li Village knew Li Sanmao had been released without charge.
Li Sanmao cleaned himself up, changed into the clothing his wife had prepared for him, and appeared behind the person in the kitchen who was facing away from him, stir-frying.
“Wife.”
Luo Zhi’er was stunned and continued stir-frying.
“Miaomiao’s father, you’ve changed clothes? Hungry, right? The meal will be ready soon. Go rest on the bed first, I’ll call you later!”
Her hands didn’t stop, clanging and banging as she added soy sauce, sprinkled scallions, added salt, and accidentally put in too much.
She turned to get the ladle to scoop water to dilute it a bit, and looked up to see a big wooden post. “Huh? Why haven’t you left?”
“Wife, do you not want to see me that much? I missed you so much!” The big oaf Li Sanmao gazed at her with burning eyes.
“Hehe, I do, I do, hahaha, don’t I need to stir-fry the vegetables? You rushed back early in the morning, and Miaomiao is hungry too!”
“Uh, where’s Miaomiao?”
“Miaomiao said she wanted to sleep a bit more.”
“Hehe, I see!”
Luo Zhi’er laughed awkwardly, wiped her hands on her waist twice. This girl wasn’t usually such a heavy sleeper, but today she was especially sleepy!
“Then, you go sleep too.”
“I don’t want to sleep, Wife. Can husband stay here and keep you company?”
Li Sanmao couldn’t say why, but he and Miaomiao’s mother were growing more distant. She always pushed him away.
But deep in his heart, his love for her was growing stronger, especially so, even to the point where he wouldn’t care about his life for her and her daughter!
Wife, why couldn’t she understand?
Luo Zhi’er felt like her back was on fire and could only pretend nothing was happening. “Alright then, husband, help me add some firewood to the stove cavity!”
“Okay!”
Li Sanmao went to the kitchen, bent down to pick up a few pieces of firewood, stuffed them in, his gaze lingering on Luo Zhi’er, roaming over her face.
“Husband, what are you doing? Did I grow something extra on me? Or did I gain weight again?”
Luo Zhi’er gave him a white-eyed look. Why was he staring at her like that, looking everywhere? She really couldn’t stand it.
“No, nothing. Husband just can’t help it, wants to look at you more. If you’re uncomfortable, I won’t look!”
Oh my! What to do? Li Xi’er’s mind was racing like a thousand galloping horses.
“Right, husband, did the county magistrate say anything when he let you come back?”
“The county magistrate said the investigation cleared me, Li Sanmao was implicated, released without charge.” Li Sanmao found it odd. If implicated, then Big Brother’s family, Li Gui, and Zhenzhu were also implicated, weren’t they?
