Once they reached home the usually bratty Ye Liu was unusually chatty with Yu Dong. Noticing the change between the two of them Shen Li was a little helpless, now had was no longer the only one who knew about his wife’s secret. He felt a little jealous when he saw Ye Liu clinging on to their wife and talking about this and that but there was nothing else he could do, Yu Dong had changed for the better and it was given that Ye Liu and Chen Mi would get suspicious of her.

He understood that Yu Dong didn’t want to lie to them nor did she want to hide the truth but still he was a bit stifled. He only went to wash laundry and Ye Liu caught the hang of such an amazing opportunity and got close to their wife. And here he was still being his usual gentle self! If this continued on he was going to be left behind! 

Chen Mi who came out of the room, hearing Yu Dong and Ye Liu’s voices was stunned. He had never seen his brother Liu happily chatting with their wife ever before, seeing him act like a clingy child, Chen Mi couldn’t help but wonder about what happened in the town. And what was this pressure that was surrounding them? Why did he feel like he was being suppressed by something or more like someone? 

Yu Dong, the old bachelor didn’t notice the small quibbles between her husbands, she put down the shopping bags that she was carrying and took out the packet of the hairpins before handing Shen Li and Chen Mi, a hairpin each. She chose to give the white pearl hairpin to Shen Li as the latter looked like a pure little rabbit while she handed the violet one to Chen Mi as it matched with his youthful vigour. 

” I brought these from the town for you two,” said Yu Dong after handing out the two hairpins ” I have seen that the mers of the village hardly use hair ties now. I think it’s about time you three start using these as well Because I don’t want my husbands to feel insecure while standing next to the other mers. You three aren’t lacking in anything so the next time when you step out remember to walk with your head held eye. Instead of avoiding the eyes of others”

Yu Dong had seen her husbands eyeing the new clothes and hairpins of the other mers when the mers of the village flaunted their new accessories.  Hairpins and new clothes were like a luxury in the current times, so it was inevitable for those who didn’t have them to get jealous of those who had these luxuries.

Yu Dong knew that her husbands had an inferiority complex, being beaten and orally abused it would be surprising that they didn’t suffer from trauma. So, she wanted to try her best and slowly remove their inferiority complex and insecurities from their hearts. 

Even if it meant blowing a huge blow to her pocket because money can be earned but relationships can never be bought. She was their wife and they were husbands, she wanted to treat them well so that they live a peaceful life in the future.

Shen Li and Chen Mi took the hairpins from her and suddenly felt a bit stuffy. The two of them exchanged a glance and then looked away, having the same thought in their heads  – these hairpins were really pretty.

Ye Liu looked at the hairpins in their hands and suddenly felt a sense of superiority. 

‘ haha wife helped me wear mine but she only handed them their hairpins, doesn’t it mean that I’m one up compared to them ?’ thought Ye Liu in his heart as he snickered inwardly.

Shen Li and Chen Mi caught his ‘ I’m superior than thou ‘ look and frowned. This smug smile they wanted to wipe off! It was just too annoying! 

Yu Dong didn’t pay attention to her three kids – no, husbands who seem to be on the verge of war and headed to the backyard where she caught a rabbit. But while she was cleaning the rabbit she realised that their supply of meat was on the verge of finishing, though Ye Liu brought some meat from the town. It wasn’t enough for them to last long, though she had a lot of grains and spices in her space, she didn’t have much meat and – she was a little picky.  When cooking meat she liked to cook freshly butchered meat instead of stored one.

Thus, Yu Dong decided to venture into the forest tonight as well.

Once Yu Dong was done cleaning the rabbit, she scrubbed it clean and then started to boil it in case she missed some dirt or hairs. After cleaning meat she started to simmer it with braising sauce to incorporate flavours in it.

Neither Ye Liu nor Shen Li stopped her because after eating her cook for the past two months they realised that Yu Dong’s cooking was far more delicious than theirs so they didn’t disturb her. Only Chen Mi the innocent boy who knew nothing about his wife’s soul being replaced was a bit afraid he kept trying to help Yu Dong but constantly got refused in the end he had to give up and sit down at the table with Yu Mai who was already salivating over the delicious smell of the meat.

Yu Dong saw him staring at her and laughed, she jokingly poked his nose then served the braised rabbit meat that has been cooked until turned rosy red, releasing an enchanting smell. Then she handed Yu Mai his favourite rabbit head ” here you go, you like eating it right ?”

” En !” Yu Mai took the braised rabbit head and stuffed it into his mouth without saying anything.

Seeing him gulp down the meat like a little glutton, Ye Liu couldn’t help but joke ” Mai likes everything as long as its meat”

And as if to agree with Ye Liu, Yu Mai hurriedly snatched a piece of rabbit meat from the plate with his chopsticks and gobbled it up. 

His gluttonous appearance made everyone chuckle merrily.

“What? What is it ?” Yu Mai, the protagonist of the joke, didn’t get why his sister and brothers in law were laughing. Dumbly, he looked around as he asked but no matter how many times he asked, no one replied to him.

—

” do you really have to go to the mountain?” asked Shen Li as he followed Yu Dong outside, Ye Liu was washing the dishes in the backyard while Chen Mi had to go back inside his room because Little bun started to get fussy as it was his nap time. So, Shen Li was the only one who came to see Yu Dong off.

” I have to” replied Yu Dong ” the new stock of wine won’t be ready until the end of the next two weeks. Until then I need to keep on hunting and earn a little now and then “

Shen Li pursed his lips, he knew that Yu Dong was right. Though they had a lot of savings, having more money was still better and he understood that Yu Dong was not someone who liked to stay at home doing nothing” alright, take care. Don’t get hurt”

“Don’t worry with me there, the wild animals should be worried instead of me -” was what Yu Doing said as she wasn’t worried about wild animals but when she stepped inside the forest, a gloomy, sniffling sound made the hair on the back of her neck stand up.

She didn’t know what was going on today but as soon as she walked inside the forest she started to hear the sound of someone crying. Though she wasn’t scared of ghosts or beasts she still felt that the snivelling sound of sobs was really creepy. 

Yu Dong licked her lips then started to walk in the direction from where the sounds were coming and burst past the thorny bushes, ignoring the scratches on her skin and then she found the source of the sobbing sounds.

Sitting on the ground with his face buried in his hands, was none other than a sobbing Fang Chi.