Mysterious Husband [Vol 1-7] ✓

[Vol 2] Chapter 39

She couldn't believe that I could ever do that as Chinami went still while Hayami's eyes came out of the sockets.

I huffed as I looked at her with a distasteful gaze. "You think your life is the most precious one and everyone else should revolve around you but that can't happen. Just because your husband treats you poorly doesn't mean it was my fault."

I said as tears streamed down from my eyes. "I have done everything for all of you and suffered all those insults you would give me but had I ever blamed you when I should have been the one to blame you? I did what my task was without expecting anything in return but never complained about that to anyone."

"Then it is my fault that I can't get pregnant..." She mumbled with a dry laugh.

"It is no one's fault, Chinami. You can't expect everything to go according to your plan. It is neither your nor your husband's fault." I said.

"Then what should I do?" She asked, now her tears pouring down from her eyes as she looked at me with a pleading face as if she wanted an absolute answer. But I had no answers for her.

Life was never predictable to begin with. I didn't expect to have Arashi by my side nor did I expect his respect. But I did everything that needed to be done. Still now, I helped the first lady because I knew her aging was becoming a problem and she wouldn't be able to handle everything on her own. Yet she wouldn't utter anything to my father.

I found myself to be lucky to have Arashi since he always said to tell him if I was having any problems whether it was physically or emotionally. But I did know Chinami didn't have that sort of privilege. It made me feel sad that she was becoming a victim of social norms.

She sat on the floor, breaking into pieces as she cried, "He would leave me and I l-love him. How am I going to live if he leaves me?"

I didn't know the answer as my head slumped down. I wanted to help her but I had no power to do so.

"Who said I would leave you?" A voice came startling all three of us.

We looked at the source and found Mr Dateko and Arashi were standing there. My face heated with shame and guilty as I realized I just slapped his wife. I would surely get annihilated for slapping a samurai's wife.

Chinami stood up immediately as she wiped away her tears and tried to hide her face behind Hayami and Hayami stood like a statue, unable to talk or blink.

When did they arrive? Did they hear us? All of the conversation?

I bit my tongue.

Mr Dateko came near, as Hayami and I stepped back so they could enter their room.

Chinami didn't say a word as she kept her head down in shame and Mr Dateko said, "I had no plans to leave you here. I came here especially to meet Mr Yuan for this particular matter. Since he is the best physician, it was a perfect opportunity to meet him."

All three sisters of us looked at him with shocked faces. My eyes moved to Arashi and he nodded.

"Well, we were discussing it in our room a moment ago when we heard a commotion." Arashi said, "Since it is not a matter to publicly speak, Mr Dateko preferred to have a conversation with me personally."

Chinami's cheeks shifted in color as she averted her eyes away from her husband.

"Mr Yuan has told me there is one kind of medicine which might help both of us so I think we should consider it before coming to any conclusion." Her husband said, "And I prefer this to be personal, so it would be great if no one mentioned it to anyone."

Both Hayami and I nodded as he said to Chinami, "Let's go back to our room. I feel tired."

And they entered the room as we left. Hayami went back to her room while I followed Arashi to our room.

I couldn't contain my excitement as I asked with hopeful eyes, "Is there really any medicine which can help them?"

Arashi nodded as he opened the sliding door of the veranda, revealing the trees behind it. "There is, although the chances are low."

My face fell as he looked at me and said, "Don't worry, I will try my best to help them. Mr Dateko cares deeply for his wife and he knows his mother is creating pressure on your sister."

I asked worriedly, "Then why can't he say anything to his mother?"

Arashi sat on the mat near the veranda and said, "Mr Dateko is the eldest son and in his clan, eldest sons are the ones to lead the family so his mother wants an heir."

I nodded. He was right. No matter how many marriages, the elder sons had to bear a son. Although Mr Dateko seemed very strict and always angry, he wasn't a bad person. I smiled. At least, Chinami wasn't that unlucky she thought herself to be and I was glad.

"Did you bring any medicines such as this?" I asked.

He shook his head. "No. I would have to make it and since the herbs and the flowers needed are very rare, I asked Mr Dateko to arrange them for me."

I nodded as Mr Dateko was willing to do everything in his power and my heart warmed up.

Then a question came up. "When did you talk about it with Mr Dateko?"

"After playing a few rounds of shogi, we came here since he insisted."

"And when did you arrive there when I was talking with Chinami?" I ask with a nervous voice.

"Don't worry, Mr Dateko didn't seem to notice that his wife had been slapped." He said as I gasped.

"Y-you knew?" I asked with a shocked face and a pair of round eyes.

He gave me a look. "I arrived when you were telling her that it wasn't your fault. I saw the red mark on her face and knew it was you." He gave a raised brow and I averted my eyes.

"Um... I didn't want to but..." I mumbled.

"I know. She was being childish and sometimes you need to teach people that they are being childish." Arashi said as I looked at him shyly and he gave me a proud smile which made me blush again.

I thought he would scold me for raising my hands but he didn't.

"Although, I wouldn't like you slapping around people the next time." He said with a serious voice proving my previous thoughts wrong. "You might end up killing yourself."

I slumped down my head in guilt as I said in a low voice, "Err... Okay."

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7th June, 22
1161