Su Caier, who was setting up the dishes in the kitchen, heard the sound of her husband entering. She looked up at him and then lowered her gaze. She seemed to have calmed down and softly said, "Husband, you can have your meal now." Zhao Ce nodded and sat down. Seeing the little girl still standing by the side, he pointed to the seat opposite him and said, "Why don't you sit down?"
Su Caier looked at him and his gentle voice and pursed her lips before gently sitting down. She absentmindedly took a few bites but couldn't eat anymore. Zhao Ce didn't seem affected and ate his meal as usual until he was full before putting down his chopsticks. The little girl across from him saw this and also put down her chopsticks, lowered her gaze, and remained silent. Zhao Ce noticed that she didn't have an appetite now and didn't force her to eat, only saying, "If you're not hungry now, you can eat later."
Hearing his usual caring voice, Su Caier felt her nose tingle. She softly replied, "Mm." Zhao Ce looked at the little girl in front of him. Her usually rosy lips now had a pale hue. This time, it was different from the previous time when Uncle and the others came to take her away. After spending this period of time together, their relationship was no longer as shallow as before. Zhao Ce tapped the table, bringing the absentminded little girl back to reality. He asked her, "Is there something you want to tell me?" Su Caier tightened the hand resting on her knee and then seemed to remember what she wanted to tell her husband. Her densely long eyelashes seemed startled as they trembled slightly.
"I...," she began. Zhao Ce didn't interrupt and quietly waited for her words. Su Caier composed herself a little and continued, "Husband, they all say that I am a disaster... that I bring misfortune to my relatives and those around me." Zhao Ce encouraged her gently, "Please go on." Su Caier looked at the white rice in front of her and sniffled. She continued, "Grandfather said that our cousin is going to school, and Father has to go up the mountain to hunt and earn money." "Father went up the mountain and was captured by a big animal." "They say it's because of me that Father died." "But Mother says it's not my fault."
Su Caier's grandparents were extremely biased. They only cared about their eldest son and youngest son. Su Caier's father, as the second son, was already a reserved person. Moreover, he only had one daughter, who also had eye problems and didn't hold much status in that family. She could only work silently for her family. Su Caier's cousin had reached the age to attend school and receive education. When Su Caier's grandfather saw the hunters in the village earning a good amount of money from hunting, he felt a twinge of jealousy. Thinking about the game in the mountains, he realized that not only the hunters could catch them. So, he directly sent Su Caier's father up the mountain to hunt, saying that they would sell the game to pay for their grandchild's tuition. Su Caier's father had never received such positive attention from his parents before, so he eagerly took his sickle and hoe and went up the mountain.
These events happened when Su Caier was still young. It was something her mother told her later when she was scolded by her relatives. Hearing Su Caier's words, Zhao Ce agreed, "Indeed, it's not your fault." Su Caier seemed to gather courage from this statement. She continued intermittently, "But... they all say it's my fault that I killed my father." "They drove me and my mother away, and she brought me back to Xiahe village." "Grandfather is very old, and my mother later fell i-ill..."
Su Caier's lips trembled as she spoke about it. "My mother got sick, and we didn't have money to buy medicine." "Uncle and the others said it was me who made my mother sick and refused to lend us money." "But my mother said that falling ill was inevitable." "Later, my mother passed away." She finished speaking. Su Caier felt sad and glanced at Zhao Ce across from her. "I don't know if I really cause harm to my loved ones." "Sometimes, I'm afraid." "Husband, you treat me so well, and I don't want anything bad to happen to you because of me." As she spoke, tears welled up in her eyes. She sobbed and said, "Maybe... I should move out and live on my own." "I don't want to burden you." She spoke firmly about moving out and not burdening her husband.
However, her eyes revealed deep affection. Su Caier didn't want to leave. But from the very beginning, she was willing to leave on her own. If she truly brought harm to her loved ones, she didn't want to burden her husband in any way. Her husband was so good to her; he was the best person in the world. Nothing bad should happen to him because of her, the bringer of misfortune. Zhao Ce looked at the young girl across from him, her eyes filled with tears. She seemed enveloped in a low-pressure atmosphere. He let out a soft sigh and stood up. He stood in front of the young girl.
He reached out and gently lifted the little girl's chin that was hanging down. He looked at her tear-stained face, which resembled a small crying kitten. Her long eyelashes were also soaked in tears, forming clusters. Startled by the sudden lifting of her face, she trembled awkwardly. Zhao Ce extended his hand and gently wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes. Just as he finished wiping them, a large tear fell again.
Zhao Ce chuckled and said, "Poor thing, you're crying so miserably." Su Caier's face was lifted up. She felt embarrassed but still stared straight at the man in front of her. If she really had to leave, then she wanted to take a few more glances at her husband. Zhao Ce's posture was too tall, and it was uncomfortable for him to bend like this. He placed one hand on the table, bent down, and got closer to the little girl's face. The little girl saw her husband's handsome face magnified right in front of her. Nervously, she averted her own eyes.
Zhao Ce said, "I understand everything now. As I said before, your eyes are only like this because of an illness. However, this illness cannot be cured, so your eyes will accompany you throughout your life. Your mother has already said that you are not a harbinger of misfortune or a disaster." Su Caier listened to this gentle voice and couldn't help but shift her gaze back to her husband.
Zhao Ce gently caressed her little face. "Now let me tell you again, you need to remember every word I say." Su Caier hesitated for a moment and nodded her head. "I will remember everything you say, husband." Zhao Ce looked straight into her eyes and said earnestly, "You are not a harbinger of misfortune. You don't need to leave here. You are my wife, and this is your home."
Su Caier murmured, "My, my home..." Zhao Ce smiled and repeated, "Yes, your home." "So, from now on, you should have more confidence." Zhao Ce asked again, "Do you trust me?" Su Caier anxiously said, "I, I trust my husband." Zhao Ce smiled at her, his voice carrying a tender charm that seemed to enchant the soul. "Then rest assured." "Let's live well together." Su Caier listened to his words. In an instant, she felt like her world was blooming with flowers. A big, shining sun was still scorching the earth. But in her world, there was the sound of birds and the fragrance of flowers... Su Caier urgently held Zhao Ce's hand. "I, I will listen to my husband..."