Julie didn't pay any attention to what happened at the magistrate's residence afterward, nor did she try to find out.
In her opinion, only two types of people would check for updates or return to the scene after committing a murder.
The first type is a beginner. They feel scared and guilty, constantly worrying they might have left behind some clues or evidence. During such a sensitive time, with officials patrolling and investigating, this kind of person is easy to catch. They might confess even without being forced.
The second type is a seasoned killer. They like to plan perfectly and leave no flaws. But because they're overconfident, they come back to admire their "work" while hiding in plain sight.
Julie was neither.
She had been busy taking care of her land.
In the backyard, vegetables like napa cabbage and amaranth, which have a short growing cycle, had already been harvested once. The rest were being watered, weeded, and fertilized, and they would be ready before the New Year.
The chickens in the coop were now a fixed bunch. Apart from the chicks, the five adult hens she had bought now laid exactly one egg each morning.
Lorrie loved running out early to collect the eggs. Even though it was always about five eggs, he kept doing it happily every day.
In his view, there was no harm in keeping busy.
Better to give himself something to do each day.
And he genuinely enjoyed it.
He could collect eggs and also "chat" with the chickens.
The chickens in the coop: "...Please stop coming."
Bailee had finished cooking and was placing the dishes on the table. He told Haven to call their wife to come eat.
Where was Julie?
She was sparring with Mr. Leng.
Every time Mr. Leng saw Julie coming to find him, he felt a bit scared. Instinctively, he tried to find something to do so he wouldn't have to spar with her.
Julie didn't seem to notice, or perhaps she didn't care.
If it's not today, it'll be another day.
Sometimes when she found him, he'd be busy sweeping the floor, bathing the dog, or feeding the rabbits.
Julie wouldn't interrupt. She'd wait for him to finish.
Mr. Leng had no choice but to face her, feeling the pressure of her gaze as he quickly wrapped up what he was doing.
He couldn't openly refuse her.
Their mistress didn't hold back at all.
She never believed women should go easy on men.
After just a short while, Julie flexed her wrist and felt relaxed and refreshed.
She didn't see Mr. Leng's blank face and slightly pitiful eyes. He was crying inside.
Another beating…
Mistress fights dirty.
But at least this time, he lasted three moves.
Before, he could only manage two.
That was some small comfort.
Julie saw he still had the ointment she'd given him before for bruises, so she didn't give him more.
She was feeling good and thought about going for another round, but after seeing Mr. Leng's condition, she let it go.
He needed a break.
Just then, Haven came over. "Wife, it's time to eat." His eyes glanced at Mr. Leng with a flash of sympathy.
He also secretly felt lucky that all three of them were weak and not skilled in fighting.
Julie nodded and walked over to the dining table.
Today's dishes were meatballs with napa cabbage, scallion and egg pancakes, loofah and egg soup, and pork lard stir-fried amaranth.
Julie sat down, and the food put her in a good mood.
She ate two full bowls of rice, added another half bowl, and had two bowls of soup before putting down her chopsticks and returning to her room.
The eggs were actually taken from the magistrate's residence. A few days ago, she'd noticed they were running low.
She had gone out early and placed the eggs and meat in the kitchen.
The three brothers didn't think much of it. They assumed their wife had simply gone out early to buy them.
She had done that before, after all.
Night had fallen.
Julie arrived at Bailee's room after 9 p.m.
Bailee was no longer as nervous as he used to be. He wore a white inner robe and sat at the edge of the bed, shyly lowering his head.
His face and neck were slightly pink.
His eyes were soft and gentle, with a touch of shyness as he looked at Julie.
Julie noticed that no matter how many times she came, he was always shy.
His face looked like it had a layer of rouge on it.
Even his ears were red, like a flower bud waiting to be picked.
Julie gently got on the bed.
Though they didn't speak, everything was gentle and long-lasting.
She paid attention to his feelings and reactions.
As he gradually relaxed…
She slowly… then quickly… kept the pace…
Bailee was satisfied… he fell into a deep sleep, a smile still on his lips.
Julie felt it was alright.
At least it was better than the last few times…
She stayed in her clothes and closed her eyes.
Bailee woke up naturally at 5 a.m. the next day.
He saw that his wife was still beside him and hadn't left. His heart felt full.
Every time he woke up, she was never there.
He knew she didn't like being too close to people.
He didn't mind.
He was willing to melt her heart, little by little.
Bailee didn't touch Julie. He turned to his side, looking at her with gentle, loving eyes.
Julie wasn't really asleep and was already planning to leave at this time.
She didn't expect him to wake up suddenly.
His warm gaze kept staring at her. Julie couldn't completely ignore it.
She slowly opened her eyes and glanced at him, thinking he would look away shyly.
But he didn't. Instead, his eyes became even brighter.
They stared at each other for a few seconds before Bailee looked away first. "Wife, you're awake. I… I'll go make breakfast now," he said as he began to get up and dress.
Julie saw the time wasn't early anymore, so she got up and dressed too. "Mm, I'll go back to my room."
Julie quickly dressed and left for her room.
Bailee waited until Julie had left before softly chuckling to himself.
There was a smile in his eyes and a sense of contentment.
He… really liked how she was last night.
Even though it felt a bit awkward at first, it became comfortable later.
His wife was too much.
Bailee lightly patted his slightly red cheeks with both hands and took a deep breath.
Then he headed to the kitchen to prepare lunch.
For lunch, he made spicy stir-fried pork, shredded potatoes, and loofah with eggs.
Julie really enjoyed the meals these days.
She wasn't picky, but if she could eat meat every day, that would be perfect.
The spicy stir-fried pork was especially good with rice.
She ate two full bowls, then added another half.
After eating, she put down her chopsticks.
Instead of going back to her room, she went to the backyard, feeling a bit too full.
She fed some grass to Little Black, patted its head, smoothed its fur, and stayed with it for a while.
The ground had already been tilled earlier.
Julie scattered new seeds, fertilized, and watered the soil again.
Bok choy and amaranth grow year-round, and the harvest cycle is short.
After finishing everything, she went back to her room and sat cross-legged.
Haven and Bailee usually had nothing to do in the afternoon, so they sewed little pouches and handkerchiefs, while Lorrie would go to the backyard to feed the chickens and rabbits.
It wasn't that he couldn't sew, but he just couldn't sit still.
He could do it for a short time, but making him sit all afternoon felt like sitting on pins—he couldn't stay still.
Haven and Bailee, as Lorrie's only brothers, never forced him.
Their life had greatly improved now, and they no longer had to rely on making pouches to get by.
They just did it to pass the time during the day.
And it was nice to let Julie have new ones to switch out, wasn't it?