The Comments Section Said She Was My Wife - Chapter 14

Chapter 14

◎ Chu Tang was truly stunned by this form of address ◎

Xia Shi returned with half a basket of persimmons and Chu Tang in tow. Noticing that Chu Tang hadn’t eaten the persimmon in her hand, she took it, peeled it, and handed it back, replacing the one Chu Tang had been holding.

Chu Tang hesitated. Due to her upbringing, she had no habit of eating while walking. But faced with Xia Shi’s eager, expectant gaze, she couldn’t bring herself to refuse such kindness. She lowered her head and took a bite of the orange flesh. A clear, sweet flavor instantly filled her mouth. It was indeed very sweet and delicious, and Chu Tang’s eyes crinkled involuntarily, revealing a hint of delight.

Xia Shi was naturally pleased. She wasn’t in a hurry to get back, only asking after Chu Tang finished, “How is it? Sweet, right? Since we picked so many, do you want me to peel another one for you?”

Though Chu Tang was clearly left wanting more, she shook her head. “No need, moderation is best.”

The two continued on their way. Xia Shi, however, had already made up her mind: she would find time to make a few more trips to pick as many as she could before the birds ruined them. Anything they couldn’t eat fresh would be turned into dried persimmon cakes. They would make a perfect winter snack for Chu Tang, dried persimmons were just as sweet as honey, and more importantly, her wife liked them.

As Xia Shi was busy with these calculations in her head, the corner of her eye caught something. Habitually, she reached back, drew her knife, and threw it.

Chu Tang, walking beside her, hadn’t been tapping the grass and turned back, asking, “What is it?”

Xia Shi had already heard the flapping of wings. Her eyes lit up, a smile spreading across her face. Leaving behind a “Wait here,” she ran off. Before long, she returned with a beautifully feathered pheasant in her hand, her hunting knife already stained with blood. “Look, a free pheasant! We can stir-fry chicken tonight.”

Chu Tang wouldn’t have cared about a pheasant in the past, but hearing Xia Shi put it that way, she couldn’t help but feel a spark of anticipation.

The next two days passed quite peacefully.

Chu Tang still hadn’t stepped into the kitchen; instead, she spent two days mending all of Xia Shi’s torn clothes. Seeing this, Xia Shi felt ashamed to let her do too much labor, so she took charge of all the kitchen tasks, even peeling the remaining persimmons to make dried cakes.

The drying rack was soon covered in two large strands of golden-yellow fruit, looking quite beautiful, though perhaps a bit sparse.

Xia Shi began toying with the idea of going back into the mountains to pick more, but remembering Chu Tang’s worry from before, she found a different excuse to strap on her basket and head out. She told Chu Tang she would be right back, and Chu Tang didn’t mind, taking the time to lead the goat out to graze.

But before Xia Shi returned, Chu Tang encountered some villagers heading up the mountain.

The leader wasn’t Tian Er, but recognizing a familiar face gave Chu Tang a sense of relief. She didn’t retreat into the courtyard, instead greeting them from several yards away and asking Tian Er, “Why are you up the mountain at this hour? Has the autumn harvest finished in the village?”

Tian Er replied, “Not yet, only the rice harvesting is done…”

Before he could finish, the middle-aged man leading them interrupted. He looked troubled, but apparently knowing Chu Tang’s status, he got straight to the point: “Wife of Xia Shi, we can talk about the grain later. Is Xia Shi at home right now?”

Chu Tang was truly stunned by this address, and a strange, complex emotion began to spread through her heart. However, this clearly wasn’t the time to slowly digest her feelings. Seeing the unconcealable anxiety in the man’s eyes, she quickly answered, “She just went into the mountains to collect firewood, she said she’d be back soon. If you have something to discuss with her, why not wait a while?”

As she spoke, she glanced at her open courtyard. Manners dictated that she should invite them in for tea, but she had no desire to do so—not only were they strangers, but there were four or five men, which made it inappropriate to bring them inside.

Fortunately, the man had no interest in sitting down for tea. Upon hearing Xia Shi wasn’t home, his anxiety overflowed: “She’s not here? What are we to do? We haven’t been into these Yunwu Mountains more than a few times. Without a hunter to lead the way, how are we supposed to find him?!”

Tian Er hurried to soothe him: “Uncle Liu, don’t panic, don’t panic. Collecting firewood is faster than hunting, Xia Shi will be back in no time. It won’t delay anything.”

The other villagers chimed in to comfort him. Chu Tang stood to the side, listening, and soon pieced together the situation: Uncle Liu’s youngest son, unable to bear the toil of farming, had decided that hunting was an easy way to make money. Taking advantage of his family relaxing after the harvest, he had slipped into the mountains before dawn, armed only with a wood-cutting knife.

Chu Tang didn’t have a very clear understanding of the dangers a hunter faced. In the environment she grew up in, hunting was a game, no different from cuju or polo. Nobles were surrounded by entourages, and many hunting grounds were even pre-cleared of dangerous beasts just to ensure they had a good time.

Because of this, when Xia Shi went hunting for deer for two days, Chu Tang had only felt a bit of worry when she heard wolves howling at night, she hadn’t thought much more of it.

But that “innocence” had vanished the moment she followed Xia Shi into the mountains and saw that snake spring out. She realized that the vast, undulating mountains hidden behind her held countless accidents and dangers. It was no wonder the elders were so anxious about a foolish boy blindly wandering in.

After hearing the story, Chu Tang even felt anxious for the middle-aged man… Then, it suddenly hit her: these people had come here to beg Xia Shi to go into the mountains to save someone. Her mindset shifted immediately—the ignorant, innocent boy suddenly became a reckless, impulsive fool!

As her thoughts raced, time slipped away. Finally, a familiar figure emerged from the distant forest.

Xia Shi had just finished picking a basket full of persimmons; she was heavily burdened, yet her steps were light and quick. She wasn’t worried that Chu Tang would be unhappy upon her return, as she had returned unscathed.

However, before she even reached the gate, she saw from afar that Chu Tang was standing outside the courtyard, confronting a group of people.

Without a second thought, Xia Shi rushed forward. As she got closer, she recognized them as villagers from Shitian Village. She knew Liu Laoda and Tian Er well, one she saw constantly at the village entrance, the other was the village chief’s nephew, from whom she usually bought grain. Seeing them together, she wondered why they were there. Could it be that Tian Er’s family had run out of grain to sell?

Before Xia Shi could ask, the men grew excited upon seeing her: “She’s back! She’s back! She’s finally back!”

The reaction was unexpected. Xia Shi slowed her pace, more confused than ever. She looked at the villagers whom she didn’t know well, and finally turned her gaze to Chu Tang.

Chu Tang stepped forward, about to tell her about Liu Sheng, but her eyes immediately landed on the overflowing basket of persimmons on Xia Shi’s back. She didn’t need to guess where this person had been. Everything about “collecting firewood” had been a lie. Before she could even speak, she glared at Xia Shi, a ferocious look in her eyes that seemed to say: I’ll settle accounts with you when I have time!

Xia Shi understood. She hurried to take Chu Tang’s hand, offering a conciliatory smile.

Once they exchanged this look, nothing too out of place in front of outsiders, Chu Tang told her what had happened.

Xia Shi wasn’t surprised, this wasn’t the first time it had happened. Farmers tied to their fields often felt that hunters like her could catch game at will and eat meat every day. Especially young, impulsive boys who thought they could just walk into the mountains—it was hardly a new story.

Xia Shi knew she couldn’t refuse. She set her basket inside the courtyard and turned back around: “Let’s go. We’re going into the mountains to find him.”