Mochou listlessly wandered through the first checking his traps. He had caught over a dozen rabbits and a few quails but for some reason they weren't enough to bring his mood up.
"It's really quiet." Mochou thought as he looked around the forest.
He never noticed before because recently Yichen was always by his side. Even when they weren't chatting he was there living, breathing, moving. That alone was enough to fill the space around Mochou with sound.
After checking his final trap he didn't bother to explore further or wander around the forest in search of new edible plants. Instead he chose to quickly return to his little hut.
"I'll work on the garden and keep myself busy. I'll be so busy I won't be able to think about Yichen and how much I miss him after less than a day." Mochou announced as he hurried home.
When he got home, he was surprised to find a woman standing by his gate.
"Who is she?" Mochou wondered as he slipped behind a tree. His eyes narrowed as he observed the strange woman. The woman was a natural beauty with a calm serene face. She stood waiting but did not look impatient or angry.
"That's a bamboo steamer? Could it be mine?" Mochou wondered as he looked at what the woman was carrying.
"If it is she must be from Yichen's family. I shouldn't keep her waiting."
Mochou hurried out from behind the tree and rushed over. His health had improved a little but a few days of eating well wasn't enough to make up for a lifetime of neglect and abuse. Even before he managed to reach her he was out of breath and sweating.
"Hello, may I help you?" Mochou said.
The young woman had seen Mochou rush over. When he spoke she gave a gentle smile.
"I'm Yichen's eldest sister-in-law, Meng Yao. Yichen can't come to visit you until the wedding day or unless the matchmaker is present for an official visit. So I've come in his place to return this to you." Meng Yao said.
"How were the buns? My ingredients are limited but I hope they were okay." Mochou said as he stepped forward to take the bamboo steamer from her.
"They were delicious. I'm curious how you managed to make them so fluffy." She said.
"If you want the recipe I can tell you. They are very easy to make." Mochou said.
"Perhaps another day. I need to return to the house and help prepare dinner." She said.
"I see. Umm, Meng Yao can I ask how Yichen is doing?" Mochou nervously asked.
"Hehehe, he is a mess. I have never seen the third son so froth with worry. Normally he is someone who lives a carefree and forgive me for saying a selfish life. However since revealing his intentions to marry you his focus has changed. It is very endearing to watch. I hope the two of you will marry soon." She said with a light chuckle.
Mochou turned bright red. A warm feeling fluttering around inside him.
"Thank you." Mochou shyly whispered.
"Have a good evening." She said.
"Do you want me to accompany you?" Mochou asked. He was worried if he let her leave as is she might think badly of him. The last thing he wanted was to leave a bad impression on Yichen's family.
"Hehehe, that is very kind of you. However I will be fine on my own." She said before once again trying to walk away.
Rustle*
Feeling the basket in his back move Mochou had an idea.
"Wait. Before you go. I have something for you and the family." Mochou said.
He then hurried through the gate and got a smaller bamboo basket before Meng Yao could say anything. He placed the bamboo basket he carried on his back down and stuffed five of the rabbits he just caught into the smaller one for Meng Yao. He then ran back to hand the rabbits to her.
"I don't know if your family likes rabbits but I caught these today." Mochou said as he handed the basket to Meng Yao.
"You don't have to do this. You should keep them for yourself." She said a little surprised at how generous Mochou was being.
"I still have a several and I can always catch more. Please accept these." Mochou insisted. Meng Yao laughed a little as she took the basket from Mochou and left.
...
After he placed the remaining rabbits in his makeshift pen Mochou went to work on his garden. Yichen had told him he would mend the lightly damaged tools but without him there Mochou had to do it himself. Once done he went to work digging up the yard.
"I've never farmed before. I know the basics from watching TV and stuff but will anything actually grow here?" Mochou wondered as he dug up another large stone.
Making the yard into a garden seemed like a good idea, but it was proving to be a lot harder than he thought. The soil was riddled with stones. After an hour he had half a bucket full. He grabbed it and being careful not to hurt his back he picked up the bucket and dumped it out on the other side of the wall.
"It's getting late and I'm running a little low on firewood. I should take a quick walk before it gets dark and pick some up. I'll have to keep working in the garden tomorrow." Mochou finally came to a decision after considering the time.
He was exhausted and there wasn't much he could accomplish in the half hour before the sun set anyway. So he walked out the gate and left the unfinished garden behind.
When he came back with a basket full of scrap wood he found he noticed the gate to his home was left open.
Rustle*
"Yichen?!" Mochou thought as he quickly but down the basket and hurried inside.
!!!
Mochou felt his blood run cold as he stared at the man standing in his little hut. His chest was tight making it difficult to breathe and his heart was pounding in his chest.
"You useless GER. Why couldn't you just die?" The man said.
Mochou had never met the man standing in his home. But he knew him. His body knew him.
"Father?" Mochou whispered.
"Don't call me that. You useless thing." He threatened through clenched teeth with a look of disgust.
Mochou stepped back. His body was telling him to run. But Mochou was no longer the Mochou that was abused by the man standing in front of him. He resisted his own body's instincts and stood his ground.
"Why are you here?" Mochou asked.
"A matchmaker can to my house today. Apparently they were sent by that nosy village leader on behalf of his third son." The man said. He spoke calmly but Mochou knew the man could snap at any second.
"Did you agree?" Mochou asked, but somehow he felt such good news was impossible. Bo Chen clicked his tongue in disgust.
"Letting you marry means allowing you to have children. I won't let that happen. Once you die I want there to be no trace of you left in this world." He said.
"I want to marry him. I'll do anything to marry him." Mochou said.
"The only way you'll ever marry that boy or anyone is in your next life." Bo Chen said.
Mochou wasn't satisfied with that response. He glared at Bo Chen. He was determined to find a way to marry Yichen no matter the cost.
"I already had to die once just to meet the man of my dreams. I'm not waiting until after I die again to finally marry him." Mochou reasoned as he clenched his trembling hands into fists.
Bo Chen noticed his defiant stance and returned a glare of his own. Without so much as a warning he raised his cane and swung down at Mochou.
Mochou could see it coming. But his body was already exhausted after gathering wood. Too slow to avoid the blow entirely he was hit hard. Thankfully he managed to protect his head by at least raising his arm to block most of the force.
"Sh*t! I think he broke my arm."
Stumbling Mochou stepped forward. He wasn't some pacifist who would sit back and let himself get killed. He lunged at Bo Chen and grabbed the man's cane.
The two struggled, Mochou made a chopping motion and hit Bo Chen's wrist hard and with pinpoint accuracy forced him to drop the cane.
Bo Chen no longer had his cane but he was still twice Mochou's size. He grabbed the back of Mochou's head and slammed it down against the table next to him.
The force cause Mochou to feel dizzy. He did not let that stop him. He elbowed Bo Chen hard in the gut and slipped away while Bo Chen steadied himself. Mochou stared at the man. His eyesight turning red as blood dripped into his eyes.
"I'm going to kill him." Mochou cursed as he stepped forward again.
Bo Chen stood ready for the attack. Mochou tackled him as hard as he could. But his body was light and he lacked the force and weight to succeed. Bo Chen staggered a little but then wrapped his arms around Mochou and began to squeeze.
"I can't breath!"
Mochou could feel his ribs straining. He had to do something or they would soon break. He freed one hand and using his palm thrust it upwards into Bo Chen's exposed chin. The force was enough to make him loosen his grip on Mochou.
Mochou didn't end it there. Once free he kicked Bo Chen in the knee and knocked him down. He then grabbed the knife that was on the counter.
Bo Chen was on his knees trying to get up. He was an old man already nearing his fifties with a bad back and knees after years of doing farm work.
Mochou didn't waste this chance. He stepped on Bo Chen's back and knocked him down. He then pressed the knife against his neck.
"Don't move or I will slit your throat." He threatened in a firm menacing tone.
Bo Chen had never been afraid of anyone since moving out of the Capital. But he could feel the bloodlust Mochou had honed in his previous life working in the army's special forces.
"You wouldn't dare become a murderer." He said with clenched teeth.
"The only thing I have to live for in this world is marrying Yichen. If you live I can't do that. Killing you and hiding your lifeless corpse is my best option." Mochou calmly explained like a psychopathic murderer.
"If I agree to the marriage you won't kill me?" Bo Chen mockingly asked.
"Not today. But if you dare try to interfere with my life again, the next time I hold a knife to your throat it will be late at night in your bedroom. It will also be the last thing you feel before you die."
Mochou didn't soften his words. He needed Bo Chen to fear him. Otherwise there was no telling how he might try to retaliate later.
"Get off me." Bo Chen demanded.
"Does that mean you agree to my marriage?" Mochou asked as he pressed the knife harder against Bo Chen's throat. A lone drop of blood slipping down the blade.
"I'll agree to the matchmaker's deal. But I have conditions of my own." Bo Chen said.
Mochou wasn't happy about it but he decided to hear the man out. He lowered the knife and stepped back. Bo Chen slowly stood up and stared at the GER he had beaten since a child.
"What are your conditions?" Mochou demanded. He didn't like the way Bo Chen looked at him.
"I will agree to the marriage. But all ties between us will be official cut. You will never contact me or the family again. I don't even want to know when you die." Bo Chen said.
Mochou had no problem with Bo Chen's request. In fact he planned to say the same thing.
"I want this property as my dowry."
Bo Chen nearly burst a blood vessel. He wanted to take his cane and beat Mochou to death. Mochou could see him ready to snap so he prepared himself. He spread his legs and held the knife out. Unlike the previous attack he wouldn't be so easy to approach.
Bo Chen noticed and despite his lips trembling in anger he unclenched his fists.
"Why?" Bo Chen barely managed to ask as he tried to calm himself.
"I need a dowry. This property and hut will be my dowry." Mochou said.
He wasn't entirely certain how dowry's worked but he wanted to keep the little hut. It was the place his new life began and he didn't want to move closer to the village after the wedding.
"Fine. Keep the dump. I don't care." Bo Chen said.
Mochou was glad they reached a deal. He grabbed Bo Chen's cane and threw it outside.
"Tell the matchmaker as soon as possible. If I don't get news that my marriage is approved within two days I will kill you." Mochou stated as Bo Chen headed out the door.
Mochou could hear Bo Chen cursing him under his breathe as he stumbled away to pick up his cane. Mochou kept watching him with the knife clearly displayed in his hand until Bo Chen was no longer in sight.
Once he was certain Bo Chen was gone Mochou reentered the little hut and collapsed.
...