Chapter 104 After we went into the grove, I'm yours.
Kang opened the door a crack, his eyes filled with barely suppressed disgust.
Ma Liuzi was so impatient that he didn't notice her fleeting emotions and squeezed through the crack in the door.
The room was quiet, with only the even breathing of the two children, Ya Ya and Xiao Shi Tou, curled up on the bed in the inner room.
Kang glanced over there subconsciously, and was about to go over and tuck the blankets in when Ma Liuzi suddenly grabbed her wrist. He was strong, and with one hand he pulled Kang into his arms, while his other hand reached down her waist and into her clothes, his movements were too hasty.
"Liu Zi, what's the rush?" Madam Kang felt nauseous, but had to soften her voice. She even leaned closer to him, gently pushing her fingertips against his chest. "The baby is still sleeping. It wouldn't be good if he woke up."
"So what if I'm awake?" Ma Liuzi snorted impatiently, his hands still groping around. "You always make excuses! You only ever give me a little something, leaving me hanging!"
He squeezed harder, making Kang Shi wince in pain. "I don't think you really want to be with me. Are you still thinking about Ye Dong? He's locked up in the cave, and you're still thinking about him?"
Kang Shi was startled when her secret was exposed. Her body stiffened for a moment, then softened again. She reached out and wrapped her arms around Ma Liuzi's neck, her voice becoming even gentler: "How could I? He's been locked up for doing something wrong. How could I possibly think about him? It's just that the child is still young. If he saw this and it got out, what would people say about me? If the village head or Lin Yao found out about us, would you be in a good position?"
These words struck a nerve with Ma Liuzi. He slowed his movements, but still frowned.
Seeing this, Kang quickly broke free from his hand, turned around and took out a piece of chicken breast from the earthenware pot by the stove.
This meat was given to Fang Dayu. He thought it wasn't easy for her, a woman raising two children alone, so even though she only did logistics, he gave her the chicken breast and the chicken carcass that could be used to make soup.
"Look, this is something I specially saved for you." Madam Kang handed the meat to Ma Liuzi, her eyes filled with flattery. "You must be exhausted after hunting all day. Eat it while it's hot. I've been keeping it warm on the stove, so it's still soft."
Ma Liuzi's eyes lit up. He grabbed a chicken breast and took a big bite. This was much better than the chicken porridge Lin Yao made tonight.
"I'm exhausted!" he mumbled vaguely. "If it weren't for that taciturn Fang Dayu who insisted on going around the woods instead of venturing into the deep mountains, I'm sure I could have hunted a wild boar! You would have gotten a bigger share of the meat then, instead of having to gnaw on this little piece of chicken breast."
Standing to the side, Kang nodded in agreement: "Yes, you're really good. Fang Dayu doesn't know as much about hunting as you do. Next time we go into the mountains, with you leading the way, our team will definitely have a great harvest."
Ma Liuzi was so pleased with himself that he finished the chicken breast in a few bites, wiped his mouth, and then his gaze fell on Kang Shi again.
She was wearing a faded winter coat; the fabric was old, but it accentuated her curves, especially when she bent over to tidy up the oil paper, her lower back was taut.
Ma Liuzi's heart started itching again. He quietly circled behind her, suddenly reached out and hugged her, squeezing her hard in the palm of his hand, his breathing heavy: "Give it to me, let's go to the woods outside, it won't disturb the children."
Kang felt a churning in her stomach. She was still thinking about Ye Dong. Even if he was wrong to steal grain, he was still the father of her child. How could she do this with a crude man like Ma Liuzi? But she couldn't turn against him. She could only grit her teeth and say in a slightly aggrieved voice, "It's not that I don't want to, it's just that I've had my period these past few days and I'm not feeling well. If something happens, it will be worse. Let's wait a few more days."
"It's the same old routine again!" Ma Liuzi suddenly let go of his hand, his face full of impatience. "Alright, alright, that's bad luck!" He wiped his mouth again, turned around and walked towards the door.
She only breathed a sigh of relief when Ma Liuzi's footsteps disappeared into the night, her back already soaked with cold sweat.
She gazed at the sleeping child in the inner room, her eyes slowly darkening. Although Ma Liuzi was crude, he was the only person Lin Yao could use.
Kang harbored the intention of manipulating Ma Liuzi, thinking that as long as she occasionally gave him some sweetness, she could make him obedient. However, she did not expect that her repeated refusals had already made Ma Liuzi unhappy.
In the following days, the hunting party in the valley set off every morning and returned at noon. Kang, as the logistics officer, would go to the makeshift stove next to the open space before dawn every day to work.
Kang and several other women who stayed behind boiled water and prepared dry rations. When the group returned, they also helped process the hides and clean the internal organs of the prey.
As usual, she would glance at Ma Liuzi and send him flirtatious looks.
But every time Ma Liuzi came back, he would either count the game with Fang Dayu or talk about hunting with the other guys, without even glancing at her.
On the first day, Kang took the opportunity of handing hot water to the team to deliberately go around to Ma Liuzi and put a ceramic bowl filled with warm water into his hand: "Liuzi, you must be exhausted today. Drink some water and rest."
Ma Liuzi simply responded with a faint "yes," took the bowl, turned around, and left without saying anything more.
The next day, Fang Dayu led his team back with two rabbits and six pheasants. When dividing the spoils, he deliberately left half a plump pheasant for Kang.
Kang held the pheasant, her eyes lighting up. She specially removed the fattest part of the chicken leg, wrapped it in oil paper, and quickly caught up with Ma Liuzi when he passed by: "Liuzi, I specially saved this chicken leg for you. You hunted a wild rabbit today, which must have taken a lot of effort."
But Ma Liuzi only glanced at the oil paper package, frowned and said, "No need, I have my own share," and went straight back to the Lin family's residence without stopping.
By the third day, Kang was even more anxious. In the morning, she made the dry rations extra substantial and even mixed in some fine flour that she had saved earlier, hoping that Ma Liuzi would notice her intentions when he ate them.
Before the group set off, Ma Liuzi walked straight past the stove, took the dry food handed to him by the woman next to him, and left without even glancing at Kang Shi.
When the group returned in the afternoon, Kang saw Ma Liuzi and Azhu chatting and laughing together, talking about chasing wild rabbits during the day. They were laughing heartily, but when she took two steps over there, Ma Liuzi seemed to sense something, immediately stopped laughing, turned around and went into the house.
That night, after putting her two children to sleep, Mrs. Kang was filled with anxiety.
She originally thought that Ma Liuzi was just throwing a tantrum for a few days and would come to see her again as before, but now it seems that he is really angry and even wants to avoid her completely.
On this day, the hunting party gathered again in the open space.
Kang was already waiting by the makeshift stove, with prepared dry rations in his hand, his eyes fixed on Ma Liuzi's figure.
He was talking to Ah Zhu, holding a bow and arrow in his hand, his face expressionless, and he still showed no intention of looking in her direction.
When the group was about to set off, Kang handed out the dry rations to the other members, but her eyes kept glancing at Ma Liuzi. When she finally walked up to him and handed him the rations, she turned slightly to the side and said quickly in a voice that only the two of them could hear, "Tonight, in the grove at the west end of the village, I'll be waiting for you."
As soon as she finished speaking, she immediately straightened up and turned to the next team member as if nothing had happened.
Ma Liuzi looked up at Kang Shi and was instantly delighted. It was right to deliberately keep her cold these past few days; this little woman was finally getting anxious.
But he remained calm, only glancing at her briefly before turning around and following the group toward the mountain pass. He even deliberately quickened his pace, as if he couldn't wait to leave.
As Kang watched his retreating figure, her heart was filled with unease.
After finally getting through the night, Kang put the two children to sleep and then checked the doors and windows again before quietly leaving the house.
The grove of trees at the west end of the village is not far from the residence, but it is very remote and rarely visited.
Kang stood under a tree and waited for about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, but still did not see Ma Liuzi. Her heart gradually grew cold.
She bit her lip, turned around to go back, but after taking only two steps, an arm suddenly reached out from behind and hugged her waist tightly. The familiar scent wafted over, and Kang's stomach began to churn again.
"Why are you in such a hurry to leave?" Ma Liuzi's voice was teasing, his heavy breathing brushing against her ear. "Didn't you invite me here? You can't wait even after waiting for a short while? What, are you itching for a ride without me these past few days?"
As he spoke, he deliberately pinched her waist, the force neither too light nor too heavy.
Kang closed her eyes, forcibly suppressing the disgust in her heart, softened her voice, and even leaned slightly closer to him: "Liu Zi, why did you take so long to come? I thought you weren't coming."
"Not coming?" Ma Liuzi scoffed, reaching out to turn her shoulder and staring at her face in the moonlight. "You've already asked me out, how could I not come? I just want to see just how anxious you can get."
His gaze was appraising, as if he were looking at prey that had been caught. "Now you know? Don't try to play those excuses with me again, or I won't have that much patience."
Kang lowered her eyes, concealing the hatred within them, and only revealed a submissive expression: "I know, as long as today is over, I will be yours."
Seeing that she had given in, Ma Liuzi was even more pleased with himself. He touched her face with one hand and began to unbuckle his belt with the other.
He had only unbuckled his belt halfway when Kang suddenly reached out and grabbed his wrist, stopping him.
Ma Liuzi frowned impatiently, his hand reaching forward again: "What are you dawdling for? Didn't you call me here?"
Kang's voice was soft and low, "Liu Zi, I have something I want to ask you for help with. If you're willing to help me, I'll be yours after today."
The urgency in Ma Liuzi's eyes lessened, replaced by a more scrutinizing look: "What is it? Let's make this clear first, if you're asking me to do anything petty or underhanded, I won't do it."
Kang whispered a few words in his ear.
As soon as he finished speaking, Ma Liuzi's face darkened instantly. He abruptly pulled his hand back, his tone filled with obvious resistance: "No! I can't do this! They've been kind to me, how can I turn around and harm them?"
Kang was surprised by his decisive refusal. Panicked, she quickly stepped forward, hugged Ma Liuzi's waist, and pressed her face against his chest. "Liuzi, I'm not asking you to kill them, I just want to vent my anger! Ye Dong was my man, we were husband and wife, and now he's ended up like this. If I don't even avenge him, you wouldn't even look at such a heartless woman, would you?"
She raised her head again, her eyes glistening with tears, her tone carrying a hint of seduction: "Once I avenge this, I will completely sever all thoughts of Ye Dong. From now on, my heart will only hold you, and I will do whatever you ask."
As Kang spoke, she drew circles on Ma Liuzi's lower abdomen with her finger, and Ma Liuzi's eyes became dark and unfathomable under her teasing.
Deep in the valley, in the woods, a small tree swayed rhythmically, startling the birds resting in it and causing them to scatter.
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Author's Note: I started a new job and moved to a new apartment this week, so I was incredibly busy and missed last week's update. Sorry everyone.
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