Julie returned to her room and changed into a different outfit.
Thinking about poor little Lorrie, she sighed quietly.
She knew she was a cold and selfish person, not a good one.
She always weighed the pros and cons and looked for the greatest benefit.
Anything or anyone that could harm her, she would deal with first.
She hated being put in a passive position.
Thinking about the family she saw in the village today and the noises she heard, an idea formed in her mind.
Silly boy, you can't just hit people in broad daylight so openly.
At dinner, Lorrie's eyes were still a little red, but if you didn't look closely, it wasn't obvious.
He peeked nervously at Julie. Seeing she acted the same as usual, he secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
Lorrie carefully picked up some green vegetables and put them into Julie's bowl.
She glanced at him but still ate it.
Seeing her eat, Lorrie happily added two more helpings of greens into her bowl, saying,
"You like veggies, right? Eat more! I'll give you all of them."
Julie was speechless. Thanks, but I'm not a rabbit.
She stayed quiet for a second but still thanked him and continued eating.
When Lorrie tried to add more greens for the third time, Julie gently pressed down his hand.
"That's enough. Eat your own food. Don't keep giving me veggies." I want meat!
Lorrie pouted a little and said softly, "Got it, Wife Master."
His voice was small, but everyone at the table heard it clearly.
Haven and Bailee looked at him with proud and encouraging eyes.
As husbands, their lives depended on pleasing the Wife Master.
If she was happy, life was good. If she was unhappy, life would be very hard.
It wasn't too late for their little brother to realize and correct his behavior.
Julie finished her meal, put down her chopsticks, and went to the backyard to feed Xiao Hei, the donkey.
Lorrie quickly followed her.
While feeding Xiao Hei, Lorrie came to her side and said in a sweet voice,
"Wife Master, have you forgiven me yet? I was wrong. I won't say anything careless outside anymore.
I'll control my mouth. Please don't stop caring about me. There's a saying... what was it... knowing your mistakes..."
"Knowing your mistakes and fixing them is a great virtue," Julie finished for him.
"Yes, yes! Wife Master, you're so smart and talented!"
He showered her with compliments like it cost nothing.
"I'm not mad. Just remember to control your words next time. Go back now," Julie said.
Lorrie looked back at her three times with each step, very reluctant to leave.
After feeding Xiao Hei and spending some time with it, Julie returned to her room.
Around midnight, when the three brothers had turned off their lights and slept for about half an incense stick's time,
Julie quietly checked their rooms to make sure they were asleep.
Then she softly closed the door and left.
From the rooftop, she blew sleeping powder through a bamboo tube into their rooms.
The powder would keep them deeply asleep for about three hours.
Julie then entered Li Yan's room.
She found Li Yan sleeping on the bed while her husband slept on the floor.
Without making a sound, Julie carried the unconscious Li Yan out.
She brought Li Yan to a small forest, pulled out a jar of ointment, and waved it under Li Yan's nose.
Soon, Li Yan slowly woke up.
Seeing her hands and feet tied and herself tied to a tree in an unfamiliar place, she panicked.
"Who are you? You're not from our village!"
The man in front of her, although masked, looked like a stranger she had never seen before.
Julie had disguised herself as a thirty-year-old man again, adding ten centimeters to her shoes to appear taller.
After all, you can't beat people up using your real face.
In a low, deep voice, the man asked, "Why did you beat your husband?"
Li Yan snapped, "What's it to you? He's mine! I bought him. I can hit him however I want!
Even if I beat him to death, it's no big deal.
His brother died because I beat him, and the village chief just brushed it off, saying he fell and died.
If I kill this one too, I'll just spend some money and buy a few more!"
Even tied up, her arrogance showed no sign of shrinking.
In her mind, women could do whatever they wanted, and men deserved whatever they got.
Why couldn't he prepare foot-washing water quickly enough?
Why did he always look so lifeless?
If he died, just wrap him in a mat and move on.
He could go reunite with his brother.
The man's voice was calm: "Is that so?"
The next second, he picked up a stick and started hitting her — not on vital areas, but on her arms, legs, and stomach.
He beat her for half an incense stick's time.
"How does that feel? Comfortable? Want more?"
His tone was so casual, like he was asking about tomorrow's breakfast.
Li Yan, terrified and realizing she had met a real tough one, begged,
"I won't dare anymore! Please spare me! I'll never hit him again!"
Julie stopped hitting and said, "Remember this feeling.
Next time... I'll come chat with you again at night."
Li Yan nodded frantically.
Just as she thought it was over, she was knocked out with a quick chop to the neck.
Julie untied her, threw her over her shoulder, and carried her back to her room,
putting her back on the floor where she had been sleeping.
A husband and wife should be in the same room after all.
Julie disappeared into the night, soon returning to her own room, removing her disguise, and sitting on the bed to meditate.
Part of tonight's action was because of Lorrie.
Warning people in broad daylight was useless in her opinion — it would only bring trouble.
The best way was to fight fire with fire — but secretly.
Showing her real face would only give others leverage against her.
She knew there were others like Li Yan in the village — a few women would beat their husbands without warning.
She didn't care about being a responsible village head.
If it didn't come to her, she didn't bother.
But if it was in front of her, she couldn't just ignore it.
Otherwise, it would challenge her authority.
Still, it had to be handled in the dark, not openly.
The next day, rumors spread all over the village.
Li Yan woke up early, not only refraining from hitting her husband, but also taking him to the town to buy new clothes and sweets.
She treated him gently, as if she was a different person.
Everyone thought it was too strange.
Qin Kang, her husband, was confused as well.
He had no idea why his wife suddenly changed.
But he hoped she would stay this way forever.
Even if she wasn't gentle, as long as she didn't beat him and gave him food, he would be satisfied.
He didn't know his wife had been "chatted with" in the forest last night.
As the saying goes —
The soft fear the hard, the hard fear the crazy, and the crazy fear the ones who are willing to die with them.
Li Yan met someone crazier than her, and immediately became obedient.
Lorrie also heard the news while washing clothes by the river.
Everyone was saying it was strange — maybe Li Yan had been possessed.
Why else would she act so differently?
Lorrie agreed along with the others but secretly thought: Could it be Wife Master's doing...?
Even though he was curious, he knew not to talk carelessly anymore.
Even if he was dying to ask, he kept a clueless face on the outside.
Lorrie held back his curiosity and waited until he finished washing the clothes before heading home.
When he got home, he hung the clothes in the backyard, then ran straight to Julie's room.
Julie noticed him getting close before he even knocked.
She got up and opened the door.
Lorrie, who was about to knock, quickly put his hand down.
Feeling shy and excited, he said,
"Wife Master, did you know? Someone said Li Yan was acting really strange today. She treated Brother Qin Kang very well, even took him to town to buy a lot of things. She didn't hit him today either! And someone saw Li Yan's hand was injured. Was it you…"
Julie glanced at him.
Lorrie immediately covered his mouth with both hands. After thinking for a moment, he took his hands down and said,
"Wife Master, I think I like you even more than yesterday! I'm going to feed Xiao Hei now."
After he finished speaking, he ran off to the backyard.
Julie watched his figure disappear, then turned around and went back into her room.
She sighed quietly. He still had a child's heart.
Dinner that night was handmade noodles.
The noodles were a little wide and very chewy.
They had eggs, vegetables, thin slices of meat, and a few drops of sesame oil on top.
Julie liked spicy food, so she added a spoonful of chili sauce.
The chili peppers were grown by the villagers and were similar to small bird's eye chilies.
Julie saw them before and bought some along with other vegetables.
Bailee chopped all the peppers into small pieces, mixed them with sesame oil, salt, and some seasonings, and sealed them into a jar to make chili sauce.
It had been sitting for several days.
Julie thought it tasted really good.
The spicy chili mixed with the noodles made the food very appetizing.
The sauce was salty and spicy, which she liked.
Even though it was a bit too hot, it was nice to have something different.
Julie ate two bowls of noodles before putting down her chopsticks.
After eating, she went to the backyard to check the vegetable garden, the chicken coop, and the rabbit hutch.
Then she went back to her room, sat cross-legged, and started meditating again.
Haven had already finished his bath and was waiting quietly in his room.
His face was full of shyness and excitement.
He was looking forward to Julie visiting, but he was also a little worried.
He hoped the Wife Master would come.
But he was afraid that he might end up like his older brother, unable to get out of bed the next day.
At around midnight, Julie arrived at Haven's room.
The night passed quietly...
After two rounds, Julie stopped.
She lay on the bed fully clothed and closed her eyes to rest.
Haven looked tired but very satisfied.
His beautiful face looked even more charming with a lazy, relaxed expression.
Unfortunately, the person he wanted to admire him had already closed her eyes.
Haven leaned on his arm and lay on his side, staring at her.
He noticed some strands of hair on Julie's forehead and wanted to push them aside.
Just as his hand was about to touch her face, Julie opened her eyes.
She quickly turned over, pinned Haven down, and pressed his hand to the bed.
"What are you doing?" she asked calmly.
Her voice was steady, but it made her even scarier.
Haven was startled for a moment but quickly calmed down.
He looked straight at her and said honestly,
"Wife Master, I saw some hair on your forehead and wanted to move it away. I didn't mean anything else."
Julie stared at him for two seconds, then let go of his hand.
"Sorry, I had a nightmare. Go to sleep."
She turned over and lay on her side, facing away from him.
Haven kept staring at her back until he got sleepy and finally fell asleep.
Julie never fell into a deep sleep.
Her alertness had been with her ever since she lived in the apocalypse.
That place didn't allow people to sleep soundly.
Even after coming here, it wasn't something she could change overnight.
Some habits stay with people forever.
Julie didn't think there was anything wrong with it or that she needed to change.
As long as others had no bad intentions toward her, she would not react.