"Just now... why did you choose me?"
Wei Xunzhou's voice was low, and Di Yao's mind was elsewhere, so as soon as he said it, he regretted it. If Di Yao asked him to repeat it, he wouldn't have the courage.
But this time, Di Yao heard him clearly. Although she didn't understand why Wei Xunzhou was asking about a topic long past, she still held the chick and smiled at him.
"Because I wanted you to ask me first, so I said that. See, you finally came to talk to me willingly." Di Yao's voice carried a smile, her tone not serious.
Wei Xunzhou knew Di Yao wasn't telling the truth, but he didn't press further, because he was stunned.
Though he had imagined many scenarios in his mind before, he never expected Di Yao to give such an answer.
It was quite surprising.
Wei Xunzhou remained expressionless, his tone serious. "How can you joke about something like that? What if..."
What if that day really comes? Would she still make that choice?
"Why is it a joke? Reclaiming wasteland and planting crops was my decision alone—it has nothing to do with you. Even if the Yinsi Guidi finds out, he has no reason to arrest you, husband."
After playing with the chick for a while, Di Yao remembered they hadn't finished making dumplings, so she pulled the troubled Wei Xunzhou into the kitchen.
Although they had been delayed by Cui Jue, they had started early, so by the time the dumplings were boiled, it was meal time.
Di Yao liked dumplings with plenty of filling, so each one was stuffed full. She popped one into her mouth, savoring it with great pleasure.
After Di Yao had eaten two dumplings and saw that Wei Xunzhou hadn't touched his chopsticks, she said, "Husband, try one."
Under Di Yao's earnest gaze, Wei Xunzhou finally picked up his chopsticks, picked up a dumpling, and took a slow, deliberate bite.
"How is it?" Di Yao couldn't read his expression and asked.
Wei Xunzhou looked at the mushroom filling inside the dumpling and replied calmly, "Delicious."
Di Yao assumed he was just being polite. "We don't have any seasonings at home, so it's a bit bland."
Wei Xunzhou didn't respond, silently listening to Di Yao's chatter.
After the meal, Di Yao grabbed a handful of wheat for the chick, placing it on the table and feeding it one grain at a time.
The chick truly was from Golden Rooster Mountain—small in size but with a big appetite.
"See, it's better here with me. You don't have to fight the big chickens for food. It's safe and there's plenty..."
Suddenly, there was a knock at the door, cutting off Di Yao's words.
"Again?" Di Yao got up to open the door, but instead of Cui Jue, it was the hanged ghost Zhao Mazi.
Di Yao remembered him well. His complexion was different from everyone else's—his whole face was purplish-red, and there was a gruesome hanging mark on his neck.
"Zhao Mazi? What's up? What are you doing at our place?" Zhao Mazi's eyes bulged as if they might fall out of their sockets at any moment, so Di Yao found it hard to look him in the eye.
"Hey, I heard from that kid Liu Heng that it was you who saved me that day. So today I came specially to thank you." As he spoke, Zhao Mazi pulled out a long, narrow box from his tattered sleeve with many holes.
Zhao Mazi was unkempt and slovenly, his patched coarse-cloth clothes full of tears and faded almost colorless. But the box in his hand was quite exquisite—clearly prepared with care.
Di Yao was surprised. Last time, after she and Liu Heng saved him, she left before he woke up. She hadn't expected Zhao Mazi to recognize her.
She pushed the box back into Zhao Mazi's hands and quickly refused: "If you hadn't come today, I would have forgotten all about it. That incident was a misunderstanding. I didn't know you had to... every day, so it was all a mix-up. There's no 'saving' involved—don't say that. I can't accept your gift. Please take it back."
Zhao Mazi wouldn't give in, insisting on forcing the box into Di Yao's hands. Di Yao was at a loss for a moment.
Just then, Wei Xunzhou heard the commotion and came over. He took the box from Di Yao and opened it directly.
Inside lay a silver-glinting dagger.
"This is..." Di Yao looked at Zhao Mazi in shock.
Wei Xunzhou's expression turned cold. He picked up the dagger, looked it over, then tossed it back into the box.
Zhao Mazi immediately panicked, waving his hands and stammering.
"No, it's not... It's just that I have nothing valuable at home—only this dagger. So I..."
Di Yao then remembered that Zhao Mazi's home was indeed bare, not a place that looked like it had anything of value.
"Then I definitely can't accept it. Brother Zhao, I appreciate your kindness, but please take it back."
Di Yao returned the box and turned to close the door, but suddenly a foot stuck in from outside, and Zhao Mazi squeezed into the yard.
Di Yao's expression darkened in displeasure, but Zhao Mazi hunched his back and stammered for a long time before revealing his true purpose: "Miss... I heard your family has grain?"