The Daily Life Of Mei Furen Doting On Her Husband - Chapter 82

The little monkey had now fallen asleep. She held the big bayberry Mei Zhuyu had picked for her in one hand, curled up in her father’s arms, sleeping peacefully and sweetly, occasionally smacking her lips and mumbling a few words.

Because she was asleep, the conversation between the father-in-law and the son-in-law was hushed.

“She has indeed been able to see those things since she was young. I have two daughters, but only she can see them. My elder daughter cannot. My wife and I can’t see them either, but according to my wife, her mother could also see these things, so Zhen’er’s bloodline must be inherited from her mother’s side.”

“Perhaps because she was born with eyes different from those of ordinary people, her temperament has also been different from other children. She was quite mischievous when she was young, which gave us many headaches. Her ability to see those inhuman things made me even more worried.”

As Duke Wu spoke, he gently touched the hair of his little daughter in his arms. Seeing the two clumsily made little buns on her head, he suddenly smiled, with nostalgia and hidden pain in his eyes.

“She was very scared when she saw those things, so she would sneak into my room or my wife’s to sleep. She could only fall asleep when my wife held her. My wife was in poor health and would wake up late in the morning after being disturbed by her all night. So every morning, I would quietly carry her out of the room and comb her hair myself.”

“I didn’t do a good job with her hair, so she’d go out for a run, and her hair would be all messed up. She’d come back with her hair disheveled, like a happy little lunatic.”

Wu Chundao, Duke Yu, joined the army at a young age and followed Taizu in battle. He was brave and intelligent, earning Taizu’s appreciation and favor. Decades ago, when he first followed Taizu, he was still a teenager with a handsome appearance, standing out among the rough men in the army. At that time, many uncles wanted to recruit him as a son-in-law.

But even after Taizu pacified the four directions, Wu Chundao still did not marry. At that time, he was only nineteen years old. Taizu joked that Wu Chundao did not like girls but preferred long spears. Every day, he only knew how to hold his red tassel spear and polish it, mingling with a large group of soldiers, showing no interest in young girls like other young men.

(Id-nim: Taizu meaning “Grand Ancestor” is a name given to the Emperor after his death.)

Life was always rough for single men, and they couldn’t help but live casually while marching or fighting. However, after the empire was mostly pacified, people were rewarded with high-ranking positions and mansions according to their merits. But even then, the young general still showed no interest in women. Only when Taizu sent him out to quell rebellions, did excitement show on the young general’s face.

The soldiers who had fought alongside him and watched him grow into a man all thought it would take several more years before he married. However, that year, he was ordered to go to Kunzhou to quell a rebellion, and he returned with a girl. After reporting to His Majesty, he immediately married her.

For the sake of this woman, he changed his previously careless attitude and asked His Majesty to grant him a beautiful house with a garden. He carefully invited his new wife in, treating her as if she were a precious flower transplanted from his homeland.

His colleagues heard that his wife was from the Pei family in Kun Zhou, a prominent family in the area, but they didn’t know why he brought her back so suddenly. Wu Chundao didn’t say anything, and no one asked. There were only vague rumors that Mrs. Wu had been married before and was a widow.

However, everyone who had seen Mrs. Wu praised her for her chastity, elegance, and gentleness. Apart from being two years older than Wu Chundao, her appearance and demeanor were well-matched with his. For many years afterward, when people spoke of Wu Chundao and his wife, they would sincerely say that they loved each other deeply.

Unfortunately, love in this world did not last long. When their second daughter was seven years old, Mrs. Wu fell ill and never recovered. She eventually passed away.

Even though many years had passed, and despite lighting incense before the Buddha for several years, Wu Chundao’s eyes still filled with pain and nostalgia when he thought of the woman who had captured his heart when he was young and with whom he had spent more than a decade.

“My wife was a gentle woman. Although she was weak in body, her heart was firm.” Speaking of his wife who had passed away many years ago, Wu Chundao’s voice was low and slow, and his hand gently stroked his daughter’s head.

“Although my wife couldn’t see those things, her mother could. So when Zhen’er also showed this ability, she was calmer than I was. For several years, she protected and taught Zhen’er. It’s funny—I’m a general who defends my country, a brave man—but when Zhen’er encountered those things, the first person she wanted to rely on was not me, but my wife.” When Wu Chundao said this, he laughed softly, and it was unclear whether it was out of bitterness or reminiscence.

“My wife was a brave person. When she was alive, she protected Zhen’er very well. Those things… To be honest, even I felt scared at first, but she wasn’t. She was always very brave in front of Zhen’er to protect her. Before she died, she told me to take good care of our two daughters, especially Zhen’er… But I failed her expectations.”

Wu Chundao rubbed his face. Mei Zhuyu sat in front of him, listening quietly. When his voice gradually deepened and suddenly stopped, Mei Zhuyu didn’t say anything, patiently waiting for him to collect himself.

Wu Chundao paused for a long time before continuing, “It wasn’t long after my wife passed away. I was in a trance during that period and neglected Zhen’er. She… she encountered those things. Maybe she was scared or forced by them. I don’t know how she fell from the high building. When I arrived, she was almost dead.”

“At that time, she was so small, just like she is now, a tiny ball that could completely fit into my arms.” Wu Chundao’s hands began to tremble. The pair of hands covered with thick calluses, which had wielded rifles and killed countless enemies, trembled as they gently caressed his little daughter’s soft cheek.

“I thought Zhen’er was going to die, but that day, I saw with my own eyes that a cat took the dying Zhen’er away. When Zhen’er reappeared, she had not only recovered but had also become something inhuman. She could turn into a cat. I have seen her turn into a cat. She was still young at the time and sometimes couldn’t control herself. I don’t know what happened during the time she disappeared. I only know that she is my daughter, and she came back safely, and that’s enough.”

“I have also seen the cat monster who took Zhen’er away. He appeared in my room one night and told me that he saved Zhen’er to repay my wife for a great favor. He also said that he would be leaving soon. As the price for Zhen’er’s resurrection, she might have to bear certain responsibilities.”

At this moment, Mei Zhuyu suddenly asked a question, “That… cat monster, was he the previous Cat Lord of the Monster City?”

Wu Chundao looked up at his son-in-law, who appeared ordinary. He had a calm face, but there were some emotions in his eyes that Wu Chundao couldn’t quite understand. Since he couldn’t comprehend them, he simply nodded, “Yes, he told me that he couldn’t stay in Chang’an anymore, and I never saw him again.”