As usual, Qingqing took a short nap after lunch.
Ever since Lin Heng and Qingqing had gotten married, they had been living in the main room and had never gone back to the east room.
Qingqing pulled him along with her for her afternoon nap, saying that sleeping during the day was good for the body.
He had no idea what was supposed to be good about it, but he went along with her and took an afternoon nap anyway.
After waking up, Qingqing said she wanted to go to the river to wash the bedsheets and quilt covers. Lin Heng did not feel comfortable letting her go to the river alone, so he went out with her.
There was nothing much to do in the afternoon anyway. Helping her wash the clothes would also keep her from tiring herself out too much.
It took more than ten minutes to walk from their home to the river. Since they lived at the end of the village, there were hardly any people on the road.
When they reached the river, several women and young wives were washing clothes far upstream.
It was the first time they had seen a man accompanying his wife to wash clothes, so the village women found it quite amusing. They naturally began joking around, and their voices carried over in snatches.
Qingqing did not care. Village women loved gossiping and joking around whenever they had nothing else to do.
Lin Heng did not care either. No one was more important to him than his wife, and he did not take a few teasing remarks to heart.
Qingqing found a large, smooth stone and sat down on it to begin washing the clothes.
Lin Heng took off his shirt and rolled up his trouser legs.
“Eat… fish?” he asked Qingqing.
Qingqing looked at the man in the river, his upper body bare, and stared at him for a moment.
She had only ever seen him at night. She had never expected that, beneath the bright sunlight of day, his abdominal muscles and chest muscles would be so impressive.
For a moment, she was completely mesmerized.
“Satisfied… or not?” Lin Heng asked, looking at the woman who had once again fallen into a daze.
“Very satisfied. Extremely satisfied. My man is so virile!”
…
He really shouldn’t have asked her.
That shameless woman.
He turned and walked toward the middle of the river, keeping an eye on the fish swimming along the riverbed beneath his feet.
The group of women in the distance began making more suggestive jokes, and their voices faintly reached Qingqing’s ears.
Those women! Couldn’t they keep their mouths shut after getting a free look at a handsome man?
Looking at the strong, handsome man in the river, Qingqing suddenly had the urge to pack him up and hide him away.
This man was hers. She couldn’t let anyone else look at him.
“Come back and put your clothes on!” Qingqing said, somewhat angrily.
Lin Heng quickly walked over to her and looked at her with confusion.
“Put your clothes back on! Can’t you see those women staring at you? You’re not allowed to let them look at you. Only I can look. Go put your clothes on!”
Lin Heng secretly felt quite pleased.
His wife was so possessive.
But since his wife said he wasn’t allowed to let anyone else look at him, he wouldn’t let anyone look. He would only let his wife look at him once they were home.
He picked up the clothes from the stone and put them back on, then continued wading into the river to catch fish.
“Fish!”
Qingqing heard a noise and looked up to see that Lin Heng had somehow caught a large fish weighing four or five jin.
“Wow, Husband, you’re amazing! That’s such a big fish!”
Lin Heng walked to the riverbank and pulled up a handful of water grass. He threaded it beneath the fish’s gills and pulled it out through its mouth, stringing the fish onto it before placing it beside Qingqing’s legs. He then surrounded it with stones, forming a little enclosure.
After that, he continued walking into the river.
Back and forth he went, catching four or five fish and one eel.
Qingqing was absolutely delighted.
This man was not only good at hunting—he was an expert at catching fish too!
“Then shall we have grilled fish tonight?” Qingqing asked the man sitting beside her with his feet soaking in the water.
“All right.”
“I don’t really know how to grill fish, though. What should we do?”
“I do. It tastes good.”
“All right, then Husband can grill it. I’ll make the eel for you. How about braised eel?”
“Mm!”
“Husband, come help me wring out the water from these sheets.”
Lin Heng took the sheet from Qingqing’s hands and exerted a little force with both hands. All the water was squeezed out of the fabric.
“Husband, you’re amazing. If I’d tried that, I would’ve twisted my arms right off.”
“From now on… I’ll do it!”
“All right. I’ll reward you.”
She leaned over and kissed him lightly on the cheek.
After spending so much time together, Lin Heng was already used to her sudden attacks.
He stood up, put the clothes and bedsheets into the wooden basin, picked up the fish, and gestured for Qingqing to put on her shoes and come home with him.
Neither of them paid any attention to the teasing voices in the distance. Qingqing wrapped one arm around Lin Heng’s, held two fish in her other hand, and followed him home.
When they returned, Qingqing hung up the clothes while Lin Heng cleaned and prepared the fish behind the house.
By the time they had finished, it was almost dark. Lin Heng built a fire in the open space behind the house and slowly grilled the fish.
In the kitchen, Qingqing cooked some white rice porridge. She braised the prepared eel into chunks and stir-fried a dish of vegetables.
She also took a grass carp weighing two or three jin and sliced it into thin pieces. First, she stir-fried the fish bones with scallions and ginger.
Then she added water and brought it to a boil, adding Sichuan peppercorns, green peppercorns, and dried chili segments.
She added some vegetables, blanched them for a few seconds, and removed them. Then she placed the fish slices, coated in sweet-potato starch, into the spicy broth and cooked them briefly before removing them and placing them on top of the vegetables in a large bowl.
She chopped some scallions, ginger, and chili into thin strips, along with minced garlic and peppercorns, and placed them over the fish slices.
Then she poured hot oil over everything, releasing a fragrant aroma.
By then, Lin Heng was already grilling the second fish. The rich fragrance of pepper and grilled fish drifted throughout the entire little courtyard.
Qingqing arranged the dishes and porridge, then turned and walked over to Lin Heng, crouching beside him.
“Husband, it smells so good!”
“It’ll be ready soon!”
Lin Heng’s speech was becoming smoother and smoother now.
“Mm. The rest of the food is ready. We’ll eat as soon as the fish is done.”
“All right. Come sit!”
As he spoke, he stretched out one leg and pointed at it, indicating that Qingqing should sit on his thigh.
Qingqing did not refuse. She sat down on his leg and draped one arm over his shoulder.
Looking at the man before her, she took a handkerchief from her clothes and wiped the beads of sweat from his forehead.
Lin Heng lowered his head and looked at the person in his arms.
“Are you hot?”
“I’m not hot. You’re the one who’s hot, Husband. I’m just wiping your sweat!”
Lin Heng’s face flushed. He turned his head away and refused to look at her, continuing to busy himself with the grilled fish.
Before long, the fish was ready. Qingqing carried the two grilled fish on a plate to the table.
Lin Heng used an iron shovel to cover the fire with soil. After checking and making sure there were no flames left, he washed his hands before going to eat.
Dinner was incredibly sumptuous, and the two of them ate happily.
“It would be nice to have some wine. Next time, let’s go to town and buy some.”
“All right!”
“Haha, no matter what I say, Husband always says yes.”
“Whatever you want. As long as you’re happy.”
“I am happy. As long as I have you, Husband, I’m happy every day.”
Qingqing sweet-talked the man before her.
“Enchantress.”
The words suddenly slipped out of Lin Heng’s mouth. He immediately felt that something was wrong and hurriedly looked up at Qingqing.
“Later, I’ll let you see just how powerful an enchantress can be.”
As she spoke, she gave him a seductive look.
Lin Heng couldn’t help shivering.
Why did he suddenly feel as if he were in danger?
That night, in the bed in the main room, Lin Heng’s hands were tied as he looked aggrievedly at the woman before him.
“Say it. Who’s the enchantress?”
“My wife.”
“Mm!”
“Bewitching… enchantress.”
“Is that so? Then I’ll let you see just how powerful an enchantress can be.”
Before long, the wooden bed began to rock violently, accompanied by soft murmurs.
“Husband, good Husband, please forgive me. I was wrong. I won’t dare do it again…”
“Say it…”
“Ah…”
“Say, ‘Husband…’”
“Ah… Good Husband, Husband, Qingqing likes you… I like you so much.”
It was not until the moon had risen high above the treetops that the sounds from inside the room gradually ceased.