Feasting on a Bereaved Household

Night fell.

The beautiful woman's hurried breathing gradually calmed, her sultry voice lingering, distant and airy.

"Yuan Ge'er, you good man—you really know how to cherish your wife."

"All right, I should get up and cook. Hehe, you keep lying down and rest. I'll handle all the work at home."

Over the following days.

Li Yuan spent another two days testing this Golden Finger, and came to a conclusion.

This system truly lived up to its name—it encouraged harmony between husband and wife.

Only if the couple loved each other sweetly every night could they gain points.

To test this, on the second day, he deliberately angered Sister Yan, then paid no heed at all to her feelings.

As a result, the points simply refused to appear.

Besides that, rewards could only be gained at night. Doing it during the day did not count.

On the third night.

After being scolded, Yan Yu crouched pitifully before the earthen stove. Her large, watery almond eyes stared solemnly into the firebox, her little face filled with grievance, confusion, and fear.

It was not as if she had never heard that men could be two different people before and after marriage—however good they were to you before marriage, that was how poorly they might treat you afterward.

But she had never imagined it would happen to her.

Thinking of how Li Yuan had looked last night still left her heart in turmoil.

Though she and Li Yuan had not formally married, they were, in truth, already husband and wife living together.

She had seen that Li Yuan was honest and dependable. They spent every day together, living harmoniously and steadily under the same roof, and her maiden heart had long since been moved. Then, frightened by the starved corpses of this famine year a few days ago and fearing she might never get another chance, she cast aside her pride and gave herself to him.

But now.

Li Yuan... Li Yuan, how had he become like this?

And besides that, why had he wanted to do that sort of thing even during the day these past two days? Honestly.

Yan Yu felt a little heartsick.

Crackle. Crack-crackle.

The flames in the stove popped, then dimmed again. Yan Yu hurriedly grabbed more firewood and stuffed it into the firebox.

As she did, she heard footsteps.

Yan Yu knew at once that Li Yuan had come, but she did not even dare look at him. He had bullied her badly last night; she was angry, afraid, and deeply unsettled.

"Sister Yan, rest. I'll do it."

Li Yuan's voice sounded beside her ear.

Yan Yu froze for a moment, then stammered, "Y-you should rest..."

Before she could finish, she suddenly cried out.

Li Yuan had swept her entirely into his arms.

"Li Yuan, let go of me! Let go!" Yan Yu pounded her fists against the young man, but after a few strikes, she no longer dared to continue.

Her eyes brimmed with tears and quickly reddened, regret beginning to rise in her heart over her earlier recklessness.

But the scene she had imagined did not happen. Li Yuan merely placed her on the bed. Looking at her reddened eyes, he said, "Look at you. You're already this tired, and you're still working?

"I'll handle the daytime work. My body hasn't recovered yet anyway, so I'll stay home and recuperate for a few more days."

As he spoke, the young man suddenly fell silent. Then he rose and placed both hands on Yan Yu's thin shoulders, saying solemnly, "Sister Yan, once my injuries heal, I'll go into the mountains. I promise—we'll definitely have meat to eat."

"What I did last night was wrong. If I ever act like that again, I'll slap myself."

With that, he clenched his fist and heavily struck himself.

After one blow, he prepared to strike himself again.

Yan Yu was startled. Like a cat shocked by lightning, she sprang off the bed and hurriedly seized his fist. "Why are you hitting yourself? Why?!"

Li Yuan smiled. "So you can vent your anger."

"I'm not angry anymore, I'm not angry anymore." Yan Yu gripped his fist tightly, afraid he would hit himself again. She forcibly hugged his hand against her chest, then used her other hand to gently rub the spot he had struck, asking worriedly, "Does it hurt?"

Li Yuan smiled. "It hurt just now, but Sister Yan rubbed it and it stopped hurting. Hahaha."

Yan Yu burst out laughing, then blushed and said, "Yuan Ge'er can say things like that to coax girls too? Where did you learn it?"

"Do I need to learn that?" Li Yuan wore an astonished expression, then said, "These are sincere words from the bottom of my heart. If there is a single lie, may Heaven strike me with thunder—"

Before he could finish, Yan Yu pounced on him like a cat again and covered his mouth. "You're not allowed to say that!"

Then she shot him an annoyed, coquettish glare. "It's inauspicious!"

Li Yuan tried to move her hand, but did not force it away, merely holding it gently.

Yan Yu blushed. "You're not allowed to say it again."

Li Yuan nodded. Only then did she cautiously move her hand away. She swung her long legs aside, wanting to get off the bed and cook, but Li Yuan stopped her again.

"Sister Yan, I said you should rest, so rest. If you get up to work today, I'll keep punching myself." Li Yuan spoke with perfect confidence as he threatened the woman before him.

Yan Yu's pretty face grew even redder. It felt as though honey were flowing through her heart, sweet and warm. Yet she still took hold of Li Yuan and said, "Yuan Ge'er, I understand your feelings. But the work at home is mine to do. That's the rule in our family..."

The thin, frail woman possessed a peculiar stubbornness that made her shine.

Li Yuan said, "Then I'll do it with you."

"No!"

"I understand."

That night, the two went to bed early.

The next day.

At first light, a message appeared in Li Yuan's mind.

You have obtained 6 Spare Points

Li Yuan was stunned.

One more point?

So there was a hidden bonus too?

He looked at the woman in his arms, feeling rather content. Even malnourished, she could still show such charm. If she were fed until she became fair and beautiful, wouldn't that be something?

This sort was a "sealed incomplete form." Once the "seal" was lifted, she would be a great beauty.

And such a great beauty was so obedient too, knew how to care for a man, and rushed to take on all the housework. Before his transmigration, that would have been nothing but a dream.

He needed to hone more skills, earn some money, and take Sister Yan to settle near Silver Creek. Once there, order would be better, and he could slowly lie low.

Four days later.

More than half the food at home had been consumed. The key was that there was no flavor in their mouths—no taste of meat, no taste of oil. Everything was so bland it was unbearable.

That day, Yan Niangzi, who had gone out to gather firewood, brought back news from outside.

"Yuan Ge'er, Caihua Sao's man was tossed about by a Blind Bear and left behind in the mountains. I heard he risked going over to Second Layer Mountain.

"Caihua Sao still has a son and a daughter at home. How are they supposed to survive?

"Last time, you also went past Second Layer Mountain and got chased by a wild boar, which was how you were injured. Sigh... Is there really no prey around the entrance to Little Ink Mountain?"

Because her own man was also a hunter, Yan Niangzi felt the sorrow of one creature grieving for another of its kind.

Caihua Sao's family was like hers: the man handled matters outside while the woman managed the home. Caihua Sao stayed home to care for the children and do chores, while Uncle Caihua hunted outside. Now that Uncle Caihua had died in this famine year, no one knew how that mother and her two children would survive.

Li Yuan's expression shifted slightly.

Uncle Caihua?

He remembered now. Wasn't that the hunter who had appeared when he left Qian San's place some days ago?

Qian San had failed to trick him into going to Second Layer Mountain, so he went looking for Uncle Caihua instead.

Now it seemed Uncle Caihua had been persuaded by him, followed him into the mountains, and then... died?

Suddenly, faint sounds of commotion came from outside.

Yan Niangzi ran out and caught Aunt Wang, who had just come outside as well. "Auntie, what happened?"

Aunt Wang was completely baffled. She did not know either.

After a while, another man came running over. Aunt Wang and Yan Niangzi gathered around him together.

This man knew what had happened.

"Uncle Caihua is dead, but there's quite a lot of meat in his home. He usually hid it deep.

"Ah, that's not the point.

"The main thing is that Uncle Caihua died, and everyone is heartbroken. The second and third sons of the Qian family said they'd help Uncle Caihua arrange the funeral.

"So everyone's hurrying over to eat at the funeral feast."

After saying that, the man ran off.

Aunt Wang and Yan Niangzi looked at each other. Wasn't this devouring a bereaved household?

Yan Niangzi said, "That's too much..."

Aunt Wang took her hand and sighed. "Don't say anything."

Inside the house.

Li Yuan quietly listened to the sounds outside. He checked his own status:

Name: Li Yuan

Points to Add: 40 points

Realm: Not Ranked

Cultivation Method: None

Skills: Intermediate Archery (0/20); Beginner Tracking (5/10)

Divine Ability: Eternal Life

Equipment Bar: Locked

Li Yuan fell silent for a moment.

"It's time to add points."

Thanks to "Yuxue" for the monthly ticket, and thanks to "Book Friend 20220222214908653" for the 1,600 Qidian reward.