Chapter 3: The Decision

Wei Zijun had not even eaten lunch in town, so eager was she to return and share the surprise with him.

But now, she no longer felt hungry. She had entered the kitchen intending to cook, but once inside, she felt as though her entire being had collapsed.

She slid down to the floor, resting her hands on her abdomen, staring up at the ceiling. Was this what they called "extreme joy begetting sorrow"?

She had just been happy about the good news, yet upon returning home, she was met with something that was the exact opposite of happiness.

Wei Zijun had no heart to cook in the kitchen, and Lu Huai, sitting in the room, was equally restless and agitated.

Since their marriage, he seemed to have forgotten his original identity, becoming intoxicated by this ordinary life as a husband.

Every day, before she woke, he would practice his martial arts in the backyard, finishing just before she stirred.

Then he would wash up, listening to the clatter of her cooking breakfast in the kitchen. Even with limited ingredients, she could turn wild vegetables and coarse grains into delicious meals.

He was blind, and she was incredibly thoughtful. Yet, when she needed his help, she would still call out, "Huai-ge, help me," or "Huai-ge, this is too heavy, I can't do it alone!"

But the moment they arrived today, he knew his good days and his peaceful life had come to an end.

Their arrival served as a reminder of his identity and the responsibilities he bore; it reminded him of the blood feud for his mother’s murder and the enemies who had harmed him nine months ago.

Yet, he was no longer alone; he had a wife.

To take her with him would be to lead her into danger.

But to leave her here alone was something he could not do. After nine months of living side-by-side and half a year as husband and wife, he could no longer live without her.

He had grown accustomed to her calling him "Huai-ge" every day; he loved the sound of her voice and her laughter.

He was used to the meals she cooked—though they were simple, they tasted better than the delicacies he had eaten in the past. He loved the wild tea she roasted, the way she acted spoiled, and her shy, soft whimpers in the night.

He did not know when it had happened, but she had become a part of his life—a very important part, so important that being separated for a few hours felt as long as several years.

He felt remorseful, wondering why he hadn't insisted on going with her, worrying if something had happened to her on the road.

As it turned out, she had returned safely, but he was the one in trouble.

Outside the courtyard, several figures hidden in the shadows looked toward the house with anxiety. They wanted to go in and urge him, to persuade him, but remembering the temper and disposition of the man inside, no one dared to act rashly.

The men looked in unison at the person dressed in men's clothing. If even she didn't dare to go in, then they certainly wouldn't. They would just have to wait honestly.

Fortunately, he had finally been found—alive and well.

Not only was he alive, but he had even taken a wife. If they had searched any later, he might have even had children.

Who had been the first to spread the rumor that he disliked women and preferred the company of men?

Or was it because of his circumstances at the time, being lonely and solitary?

In the courtyard, the chickens in the cage clucked and grumbled. Every day after they laid eggs, their master would reward them with corn. What was wrong today?

Had the master stopped coming to happily collect the eggs? Did he dislike that they were small today? They looked about the same size as the day before; they weren't small at all. *Cluck, cluck.*

In the kitchen, Wei Zijun, sitting on the floor, suddenly remembered the baby in her womb. She couldn't sit on the cold ground, so she hurriedly braced herself and stood up, sitting on a small stool woven from rushes beside the stove.

Staring at the embers still burning in the stove, her heart remained in turmoil. She did not know how to face what was happening.

Should she go out and persuade him not to make things difficult for himself? But how could she persuade him?

The sunlight moved bit by bit across the kitchen floor through the lattice window, and the sky slowly darkened. Wei Zijun heard footsteps approaching and felt her heart tighten again.

The door was not bolted, but the person outside did not push it open. Instead, a soft knock sounded. "San-niang, will you come out, or should I come in? I have something to tell you."

His voice was tense and cautious, not at all like his usual self.

Hearing him, Wei Zijun felt a sudden, sharp pain in her heart, and a realization dawned on her. What was she doing?

How could she have forgotten her original intention when she agreed to marry him? Hadn't she been prepared for this to be nothing more than a beautiful, happy dream? Hadn't she been mentally prepared for the moment she would wake up?

Since this moment had arrived, what good would anxiety and chaos do?

She would just have to calm down and face it.

There were only two outcomes: either he would take her with him, or he could not.

Yet, neither outcome was what she wanted.

If he took her with him, they would remain together as husband and wife, and the child would see its father.

But she thought of why she had fled her family and come here in the first place.

His identity was extraordinary; he had the ability to protect her and the child. But hadn't he come here himself because he had encountered great trouble?

And she herself was a great trouble. So, even if he took her away, if her own trouble came knocking one day, she might implicate him!

Thinking of this, Wei Zijun’s mind suddenly cleared. "Huai-ge, let me finish cooking dinner first. We can talk while we eat."

There was a moment of silence outside, followed by a low, pleasant, magnetic voice: "Alright. Shall I tend the fire?"

"No need. Go collect the eggs." Wei Zijun composed herself, her tone returning to normal.

The person outside agreed, oriented himself, and walked toward the chicken coop, stopping accurately in front of it.

He lifted his hem with one hand and reached out to feel for the eggs with the other, carefully gathering them.

The people outside were dumbfounded. *My god, what is the master doing? Collecting eggs?*

"This is too much, making Cousin do such a thing," the woman said, her eyes blazing with anger, gritting her teeth.

The person she had admired since childhood was a dragon among men.

The others nearby wanted to offer a word of persuasion, but after exchanging glances and seeing that no one wanted to speak first, they gave up.

Persuade her? If things went wrong, they might become the target of her anger. Why do something so foolish and self-defeating?

However, the master's practiced movements in the courtyard showed he did this often. Actually, it was quite grounded; it didn't feel out of place with his clothes or the courtyard at all. On the contrary, it was quite amusing!

They watched as the man in the courtyard carried the eggs back into the house. When he came out again, he was holding a bowl of golden-orange corn kernels.

*My heavens, he even feeds the chickens!* Their jaws nearly hit the ground.

"Hey, tell me, will we be..." one man whispered, making a throat-slitting gesture with his thumb.

"Surely not. We aren't the only ones who saw this, are we?" another replied in a low voice.

The others heard this and felt it made sense, their tense hearts relaxing slightly.

Seeing smoke rise from the kitchen chimney and hearing the sounds of chopping and stir-frying, a delicious aroma soon drifted out.

The men swallowed their saliva almost simultaneously, their stomachs growling. Surely the person inside would have the person in the kitchen prepare a portion for them too?

The dishes didn't need to be fancy or good; cabbage, radishes, or greens would do—anything to fill their stomachs.

They had been sleeping in the open, living in fear, and searching for their master for over nine months. Now that they had finally found him, their stomachs suddenly felt like they couldn't endure the hunger.

Before long, they saw the woman from the kitchen carry the stir-fried dishes into the room. She went back and forth a few times, then the door closed, and that was that.

*Fine.* They would just have to gnaw on the cold flatbreads they carried in their tunics.

"San-niang, did you make sweet and sour fish?" Lu Huai asked, holding the chopsticks his wife had placed in his hand.

"Yes. I traded the rabbit skin we peeled for this fish today. I thought it had been a while since I made it for you. I also bought wine from the Li family's shop. I'll have a drink with you today."

As she spoke, Wei Zijun placed a full cup of wine by his hand.

"San-niang, you..." Lu Huai was worried when he heard she wanted to drink with him, as she usually never touched alcohol.

"Huai-ge, it's just this one cup. By the way, eat the fish first; it won't taste good if it gets cold. Let's talk after we've eaten." Wei Zijun didn't give him a chance to speak—or rather, a chance to say certain things.

What he wanted to say was something she was curious about, but now that she had made her decision, she didn't want to hear it, nor did she want to ask.

As she spoke, she did as she always did, picking the fish bones out for him and placing the meat in his bowl.

Lu Huai was silent for a moment, then reached out with his chopsticks to take the fish meat and put it in his mouth. It was still the taste he loved, but his brows couldn't help but furrow. Her reaction made him feel deeply uneasy...