The farmer's virtuous wife

Chapter 8

After dinner he went to his room. Seeing them asleep he had peace of mind for once. He went to the bed and removed the hair from her forehead. He stared transfixed at her face. He still could not believe she is his. Truly a miracle. Seeing his son's breath, he smiled in gratification.

He kowtowed to the Lord in reverence for saving them both. When he sat up ,he was shocked to see his wife looking at him directly.

". What are you doing on the floor?", she asked puzzled. She was looking at his hunched body on the floor. She was surprised the first thing she saw when she woke up to be her husband paying respects to someone she could not see. Was that not disturbing.

He smiled sheepishly for being caught," I was thanking God for keeping you mother and son alive. I would have been devastated." He said with a lenient, soft voice. He looked at her face. Seeing the blood drain from her face, he stood up in a hurry thinking he caused her distress.

She stood up and knelt down, ignoring his imploding gaze and kowtowed three times to the Lord, then she Kowtowed to him. ", I apologize to Lord Husband for not paying my marriage vows seriously during my wedding ceremony. I apologise for making you lose face throughout the village. I also apologise...for endangering our son. It was my fault. And I am very sorrowful." She bowed for each apology she said.

Her face was serious, she was not joking, but meant every word. His heart was moved.

He picked her up directly from the floor. He has yet to hold her this close, apart from that faithful day, where they were closer and became one body. "Don't sit on the floor. You still recovering. Stay here." He placed her on the kang and covered her. As he was about to leave for the floor again, he felt his arm clutched tightly. He looked down and seeing her, not facing him, he waited.

She said when she saw what she had done. It was a reflex. "Ah Feng's father could you accompany us to sleep. You do not sleep on the floor anymore okay? I know it was my fault in the first place. But it is so cold today. And forever more." The more she spoke the stiffer he became. The more she trembled, and she whispered. When she noticed he did not respond, she let go of hi hand.

As he was still shocked, he stood shell shocked. But before he could leave, she hugged his waist this time around. Placing her head on his back. His breath came in short pants. 'Did she not know the effect she has on me?' he asked himself. Then he covered her hands with his and turned around after opening the hands.

He turned around and embraced her. "Okay. You stop misbehaving for me now." He indulgently said.

She nodded at him and patting the kang. He smiled," Let me change these dirty clothes. I will come, I don't want to infect you and Little Yi with my dirt." Then he went to the wash basin when she relinquished him. She watched as he took off his mian fu and his structured torso came to view. Her throat dried. He had water droplets dripping down his torso, creating a glint in the twilight.

She looked at away after some time.

Feeling her gaze on him caused him to flush. When he finished, he climbed besides Ah Feng.

Because she was worried, he might hurt the child, she took Ah Feng and placed him on the other side and approached Ning Xia Gua on her back.

He was shocked. He thought for sure, she would use the baby as a barrier. But unexpectedly she delivered herself to him. He was thoroughly pleased and enchanted.

He laid still and frozen. His cold body giving a slight chill. Instead of moving away from him she approached him and put her arms around his abdomen. She laid her head on his chest and said ", Good night dear".

He was frozen still then said, "Good night."

In the morning, she woke up first. She realised she was the first one to awaken she saw that she woke up due to Ah Feng. He was crying, but his voice weak. She felt her heart stop. She woke up in a hurry. She tossed Ning Xia Gua's hands away from her. She took the baby away and in a fluster.

", Ah Feng?", she called. The baby was cold. She took out her breast and fed him. He was not feeding. Her heart froze. She became worried. She poured the milk into his mouth. She forced the milk to move down his throat. Tears filled her eyes, seeing his weak pulse. His colour still an unhealthy pale blue.

"AH FENG!", She screamed. This made Ning Xia Gua to wake up in a hurry, causing him to fall of the kang to the ground. Grandma Ning stood from the chair in the kitchen in a hurry, clutching her chest, and her finger smoothing over the buddha beans.

Entering the room, all she saw was her grandson on the floor with wide eyes. And her granddaughter in law with tears running down her cheeks, looking at the child.

Seeing her grandmother in law she ran to her," Tai Tai, he is not feeding. You help me. Please. H-he doesn't want to feed. He is cold. Please help me." She cried. She tried again to feed the baby, but the milk kept coming back out of his tiny mouth. Causing despair to run deep in her heart.

Ning Xia Gua woke up with a start. He ran to the two seeing the pale colour, he also paled.

"What happened?", he asked her.

"I promise, I only woke up to see him like this. I tried to feed him, but he wont respond". She cried.

", Here, I will fetch the doctor". She gave Grandma Ning the baby and wanted to fetch the doctor.

Ning Xia Gua, wore his mian fu in a hurry and held her arm," Hey, will go. You won't get there fast enough, try to warm and feed Ah Feng." He said.

She let him be but still looked heartbroken at the baby.

Ning Xia Gua ran all the way to the doctor's house. Few people on the road. But the few grew to many when they realised there was a problem yet again at the Ning Household.

The word reached Mother and Father Lin. "Maybe she pretended to be nice and killed her baby?". Her youngest sister in law Lu Ran. Lu Ran has always been jealous of the young li daughter who received a new dress every few months. Even her husband Li Fan also contributes, but when he was supposed buy for her, he came with excuses and accuse her of being inconsiderate.

'Inconsiderate my foot' she scowled.

Everyone scowled at her, though they knew it was lightly true, but she was not supposed to say it out loud.

", Lu Ran ,hold your mouth", Li Fan scolded. She looked away from him and fed her son bits and pieces of corn meal. She was a small beauty, petite and tiny. And young too. She was only fourteen when she was married off to seventeen-year-old Li Fan. Now their son is three years old and she is eighteen. But she had a bad temper. Much like the former Li Xining.

Mother and Father Lin forego their breakfast and left for the Ning household. They only saw a lot of people outside the yard. And they heard crying inside. They entered and people moved away from them.

Comments flying in from every direction.

"She killed her own child."

"Such a venomous lady. I knew she would never let go of the top couple."

"She sacrificed her child to gain a wish to have Xie Dong".

"Really can someone really do that for love?" one asked dubiously.

"TSK, such obsession. She is an evil lady. She should be kicked out of the village!". Someone declared.

", Yeah!", they all chorused.

Madam Li being the tempered lady she was shouted after turning around," Can't you see this is a family matter. The child was born premature. Two days ago, I did not investigate the matter of my daughter falling. Someone must've pushed her; I am going to the country MAGISTRATE AND ONE OF YOU WILL BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE." She screamed.

They all became quiet. And indeed, someone pushed her to the fore front when she went to see the wedding.

Author's note

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18/10/2020 00:46 +2GMT.