CHAPTER 97: CHAPTER 96: "PROTECTING" HE CHEN

Doesn’t that mean that with her young beauty, she would have to be a widow with such a strong husband?

Help.

That won’t do!

Ye Manman made up her mind to make He Chen drink more rice wine tonight.

Anyway, he looks like he’s never had alcohol, so he’ll definitely get tipsy quickly, and by then, she can surely overcome her timidness and be brave!

But, it’s so cold now, won’t it be too cold by then? What if he catches a cold?

Ye Manman had never experienced this before, and she was particularly afraid of the cold and the discomfort of catching a cold.

She thought about the big foot basin used for bathing inside, and hesitated a bit.

The big foot basin was too shallow to hold much water, and the water would get cold before she finished bathing. Each time she bathed, she would quickly rinse off, then return to bed, put on her clothes, and use a hot towel to wipe herself down.

She had thought about raising this issue before, but they were too busy with their business at that time, and she didn’t have time to go back to the village with He Chen to cut wood for a bath barrel, so it was put off.

Looking at the pitiful strong man sprawled in her arms, Ye Manman couldn’t bear it.

Maybe let him endure a little longer?

But it’s so pitiful...

They both are so pitiful.

Why is it so cold? She’s really afraid of the cold! If they truly become husband and wife, they definitely can’t go without bathing.

That’s absolutely not okay!

"He Chen, do you know how to make a bath barrel?"

After much thought, Ye Manman decided to ask, just in case he did.

However, He Chen looked puzzled.

"What’s a bath barrel? Is it like a water bucket? What’s it used for?"

In the countryside, no one used such a thing. He Chen had never heard of this kind of barrel.

"Okay, then forget it."

If it can’t be made, then just endure it for a bit longer...

Ye Manman sighed deeply in her heart for both He Chen and herself, deciding to give up the grand plan of getting He Chen drunk tonight.

Let him stay timid for now.

"Why forget it? If you want one, I can make it. Show me what it looks like, I can make it, trust me, Manman."

He Chen seemed eager to prove that he could do it, that he was capable, and the pitiful look from before quickly vanished.

He hurriedly went to the utility room and brought out several wooden stools, wood carvings, and a half-finished wooden barrel he’d made himself, showing them to her proudly.

"Look, I made all of these myself. A bath barrel is also a barrel, right? It should be similar to making a bucket. Tell me what it looks like, and I’ll make it for you."

"What’s it used for?"

He had a strong curiosity for the unknown things Ye Manman mentioned, as if wanting desperately to close the decades-long gap between them. He wanted to know everything Ye Manman knew about the future.

"A bath barrel is for soaking in a bath. It’s very big, you can lie in it, much taller than a water basin and much wider than a bucket. I can draw it for you."

Ye Manman was infected by his enthusiasm.

Thinking that He Chen might really be able to make a bath barrel, she could then soak in a bath during the winter. Ye Manman drew very meticulously.

He Chen was watching her draw, constantly simulating the production points of this thing in his mind. As she finished drawing, he figured out which tree on the mountain he could use.

He knew Ye Manman was always afraid of the cold, so upon hearing about something that could let someone soak in hot water, He Chen couldn’t wait to make it for her.

That way, she wouldn’t have to fear the cold while bathing in the cold winter, and her mood would improve a lot every day, maybe her feet wouldn’t be so cold at night either.

He decided to act immediately, so He Chen quickly grabbed an axe and a saw and went up the mountain, filled with excitement.

Ye Manman wanted to tell him not to rush, but He Chen moved too fast. She pondered a bit more about what to use to fix the bath barrel, made a few more strokes on the drawing, and he was gone.

She intended to run out and call him back, but just as she stepped out, she sharply noticed a sneaky woman following not too far behind He Chen.

Ye Manman found the silhouette of that woman somewhat familiar, but she had never been close to the people in the village, and it had been a long time since she returned, so she couldn’t quite remember who the woman was.

However, the woman kept secretly following He Chen, making Ye Manman feel something was amiss.

She didn’t want He Chen to be targeted or framed; in a mountain village, those kinds of things were feared the most.

So Ye Manman quickly grabbed a small fruit knife and a whistle that He Chen had bought for her, securely locked the door, and quietly followed them.

She couldn’t let herself fall into danger like the educated youth had before; she’d rather die than experience such a thing. Ye Manman always remembered that her safety was a priority. If worse came to worst, she could blow the whistle to call He Chen for protection.

Although now she was going to "protect" He Chen...

Today, He Chen didn’t take the small path he usually took, because the tree he needed to cut was in a place where everyone usually passed on their way up the mountain, it wasn’t secluded.

Gao Huifang carefully followed behind him, feeling both excited and sad, emotionally tormented.

Today, many people in the village were discussing He Chen bringing his wife back to the village for the New Year. Upon hearing this, Gao Huifang dashed out of the educated youth’s quarters.

She wanted to find He Chen.

But when she got near He Chen’s home, she didn’t dare actually go in to find him.

Because she was no longer the clean girl she used to be, and there was another wife, Ye Manman, who was no less beautiful inside He Chen’s house.

No matter how many times she cursed Ye Manman, wishing she were dead, Ye Manman still lived well.

They hadn’t divorced, and she had no reason to go to his house.

When she saw He Chen and Ye Manman at the door posting couplets, playing and laughing, running into the house hugging and kissing, Gao Huifang was consumed with jealousy to the point of feeling sick.

She wished with all her heart that the woman being affectionately treated by He Chen was her...

But there was nothing she could do.

She could only secretly, like an insect that couldn’t be seen, listen at the door for any movement inside their house, but then they went inside, and it was silent for a long time.

Many times, Gao Huifang almost couldn’t stop herself from pushing open their door and running in, but she restrained herself.

Fortunately, heaven was not too harsh on her, and once again He Chen left the house looking as excited as he used to be, seemingly going to the mountains to bring something back.

She hurriedly followed him.

By now, Gao Huifang was no longer afraid of being bullied. After all, she had already endured such a terrible past, and was later even repeatedly troubled by someone whose face she had never seen... she was not afraid anymore.

No matter what others did to her, Gao Huifang’s heart was occupied only by He Chen, and she believed that as long as she courageously spoke her true feelings to He Chen, he might not care about her past.

After all, it wasn’t her fault.

He Chen must be a very tolerant man. Otherwise, why would he tolerate Ye Manman being so pretentious, not knowing anything?

So he must be able to accept her past as well.