Servant Xin thought for a moment and replied, "Mainly rice, also wheat, some vegetables, peanuts, and fruits."
"Hmm, what kind of vegetables?" Pearl asked curiously since she had rarely eaten many kinds of vegetables.
"Long beans, eggplants, tomatoes, bottle gourds, bitter gourds, pumpkins, malabar spinach, bok choy, Chinese cabbage, water spinach, coriander."
"Why don't these vegetables get sent to the mansion?" Pearl asked again. She had never eaten any of these vegetables.
"I'm not very sure about that," Servant Xin said.
"Oh, what fruits does your village produce?" Pearl asked.
"There are chestnuts, walnuts, pears, apricots, persimmons," Servant Xin answered.
"Are the apricots and pears ripe?" Pearl asked.
"The apricots are somewhat ripe, but the pears will only be ripe next month," Servant Xin said.
Pearl asked Servant Xin some other questions, then let her go back. She picked up her book and continued reading.
At noon, Alaric returned. He softly called, "Madam." Pearl looked up at him once, then lowered her head and continued reading.
Alaric came over and hugged her. "Madam, are you still angry at me for yesterday?"
Pearl stared at her book, seeming not to hear him.
"Madam, please don't be angry at me anymore." Alaric kissed her cheek and nuzzled her neck.
Pearl could not stand it, pushed him away, and said coldly, "I'm not angry."
"Madam says she's not angry, so why not let me kiss you?" Alaric said with a sad voice.
Because you kissed me, that's why I'm angry.
"I'm not angry," Pearl said coldly again.
"So madam still wants me to kiss you."
Alaric's happy voice came to her ears.
Could she say it was just a slip of the tongue?
His lips smacked her cheek again. Before Pearl could react, his lips covered hers, his breath strong but gentle, his body tightly holding hers.
She couldn't move at all, could only let him take what he wanted. After a long time, he relaxed, satisfied, holding her.
Pearl was angry and frustrated with him. She had underestimated how shameless this man was.
Gathering some strength, she twisted his arm hard. "Let go."
When he felt pain, he let go. She pushed him away, moved a bit, escaped his hold, and continued reading.
Alaric looked at her with a hurt expression. "Madam, you are so cruel. It really hurts."
Pearl, still reading, was annoyed. If he behaved well, she would act.
She kept looking at the book, as if she did not hear him.
Alaric moved closer, rolled up his sleeve, showing the bright red mark on his fair, strong skin from where she had twisted.
In front of the book, he said sadly, "Madam, look, it's all red. It hurts so much. Please blow on it to help."
Pearl quickly pulled the book out from under his arm and put it back in front of her to read.
"Madam, it hurts. I want you to blow on it," Alaric said again, stretching his hand to her.
Pearl put the book back on his hand and ignored him.
"Madam, it hurts. I want you to blow on it," he repeated, his voice still full of complaint.
Pearl knew this stubborn man would not stop until he got what he wanted.
Not wanting to be bothered by him anymore, she blew several strong breaths on the bright red spot and finally picked up her book to continue reading.
"Husband still wants a rub," Alaric complained softly, his hand reaching toward her eyes again.
Pearl held back her anger, lightly rubbed the spot with her finger a few times, then picked up the book to read again.
"Wife, husband wants you to blow on it again."
His hand reached out once more.
Pearl really wanted to slap him, but if she pushed him away, it might cause more trouble. She had no choice but to endure it.
Gritting her teeth, she blew on the spot again, worried he would keep bothering her. She used her fingers to rub it once more, then gently blew on it again.
Calmly, she said, "Okay."
"Wife, you still have husband in your heart," Alaric smiled with satisfaction and a little tease.
Pearl gritted her teeth.
Outside, a messenger reported, "Lord, madam, lunch is ready."
Pearl heard this and immediately got off the bed, leaving the place that made her almost feel trapped.
Sitting at the table, she looked at the dishes for today: stewed donkey meat, crystal pork belly, braised chicken with mushrooms, roast duck, tiger salad, abalone and scallop soup.
She had tasted some of these before; the flavors were good. She picked up her chopsticks and started eating.
After one bite, Alaric came and sat beside her. Seeing her eating happily, he teased, "Wife, are you hungry?"
Pearl did not respond, her actions continuing without pause. Suddenly, her bowl was quickly filled with more dishes.
Following the chopsticks, she looked at him. For a moment, she felt she really could not get rid of this man. No matter when, he always appeared before her.
Seeing the teasing and spoiled look on his face, Pearl felt suffocated and flustered.
She was going to be trapped in his cage!
No, she absolutely would not allow that to happen!
She withdrew her gaze and calmed her panic, pretending to be casual and continued eating.
After lunch, Pearl had no mood to read and lay down on the bed pretending to nap.
She did not know when a pair of arms quietly wrapped around her from behind. Pearl did not struggle; she let him hold her.
In the afternoon, Pearl woke up and Alaric was no longer by her side. She continued reading to pass the time.
In the following days, Pearl spent time reading, but she could not avoid Alaric's clinginess.
During the afternoon rest, he wanted to hold her. At night, he wanted to sleep holding her. When walking around, he wanted to hold her hand.
Sometimes, he would take advantage and give her warm kisses. The kisses changed in nature, becoming restless and bold.
Pearl was angry and scolded him a few times, but he just looked at her with a hurt and pitiful little gaze, then went back to his old ways.
He was determined to wear her down without mercy!
Pearl felt depressed and did not want to stay inside the room anymore. Outside in the courtyard was a big tree, which perfectly shaded her from the scorching sun.
She asked someone to bring a reclining chair. Lying there, she read her book and occasionally ate some sweet fruit, which eased her gloomy mood quite a bit.
Page after page, the sun's scattered light shone softly on her delicate rosy cheeks, like a dream.
This scene caught the attention of someone nearby. His eyes looked at her excitedly and gradually became obsessed without him realizing it.
Dilwyn Ling had wanted to talk with his friend Alaric about how he felt after marriage. But since Alaric got married, he had disappeared.
Every day at work, he was gone early and back late. During rest, no sign of him. Messages sent to him were left unanswered.
Dilwyn wanted to find him during work but feared getting scolded.