The Spirited Daughter-in-law and the Mountain Man

“I bent a thin branch so I could catch a spider. Then, I use the branch to press it down, leaving it half-dead. Most of them are still alive. Do you think these could be useful?”

After he finished speaking, she looked at the jar full of half-dead trembling poisonous spiders. In order for them to be useful, she would have to squeeze out the fluid from each spider and mix it with other herbs to make a medicinal paste for treating the pus sores on her face.

Initially, she was going to leave without catching any spiders, but he managed to catch some for her. Not to disappoint him, she nodded, “They could be useful.” She decided to take the squeezed spider fluid with her.

“Glad they’re useful.” He scratched his head, “I was worried that they might be useless if they’re half-dead. Dear, sorry for not taking them out earlier. If you hadn’t eaten and seen these ugly spiders, you might have lost your appetite. You’re already too skinny. If you don’t eat, I’m afraid the wind might blow you away.”

A faint smile appeared on her lips, and her heart was filled with warmth. Yesterday, her second brother asked her what she was doing by the river, but she did not answer. Xiao Yuchuan had no idea why she was there either. However, just because she looked at the poisonous spiders, he caught her a jar full of them.

She recalled how, yesterday, he saw her soaking in the water. He was clearly on the shore — he could have just pulled her and her second brother to the shore, but he hurriedly went into the water to save her…

Though this petty cat could be annoying at times, no other man had treated her as well as he had.

He stared curiously at her faint smile. “You might be ugly, but how come you look so beautiful when you smile?”

She raised her eyebrows, “Are you complimenting me or insulting me?”

“Of course, I’m complimenting you.” He took her hand and caressed it gently.

“Dear, your hands are so small…”

Uncomfortable with his touch, she stiffened.

Even though she was touched, she wasn’t used to him touching her like that. He looked at her skin closely, “Your skin color has really become a bit whiter, much better than that charcoal black before…”

She withdrew her hand abruptly, “I don’t need you to tell me!” She checked her own skin daily by looking at the reflection in the water of the water jar, so she already knew.

“Now you’re upset again.” He wasn’t afraid of her anger, knowing that women could be appeased with just a little coaxing. “Don’t be too sad about being ugly, dear. I’m quite good-looking, so our future child won’t be ugly…”

“What are you talking about? Nothing’s set in stone.” She stood up abruptly and placed a wooden board back on top of the pottery jar.

Xiao Yuchuan was unhappy. “What do you mean, ‘nothing’s set in stone?’ We’re husband and wife, so having a child is just a matter of time…”

She held her forehead, fearing that this was his goal. “You go have a child yourself. Find another woman to bear it.”

Xiao Yuchuan was genuinely angry, “Su Qingyue, you heartless woman! How could you push your own husband away like that!”

“I’m too ugly for you.” She said coldly, “Letting you find someone more suited to you is my generosity. Others would beg for a wife like that, so why aren’t you grateful?”

“Grateful for what? I want to strangle you!” Xiao Yuchuan, seeing her walking away, stopped her angrily.. “Su Qingyue, explain yourself! Why are you asking me to find another woman? Don’t you feel jealous at all?”