Louisa shielded her eyes with the back of her hand and looked up at the sky.
Even in her comfortable attire and bonnet, the sun warmed her entire body.
Holding a basket with a hoe in one arm, she gazed down at the vegetable garden at her feet.
It was time to clear out the crops that were past their season. Looking at the stems with only the tops remaining, she murmured,
“Maybe I should plant flowers and create a flower bed…”
Perhaps then her husband might understand a little.
Her mumbling was seconded by Mrs. Johnson, who said, “That would be nice.”
They brought over a small garden chair, placing it on the ground to sit. They had to start digging up from the front, one by one.
Mrs. Johnson, seated next to her, said, “If you have a favorite flower, please let me know. We can bring in some seeds or seedlings.”
“A favorite flower…”
Louisa thought of the first flower that came to mind. A flower with delicate white blossoms as voluptuous as roses but still fragile. Lisianthus, the flower her husband said reminded him of her.
Suddenly, a memory popped into her mind.
“But Agatha, I wonder if you remember, on the day I first came to this house, there was a large canvas. Do you recall?”
“Oh… The canvas you wanted to hang in the drawing room.”
“Yes, that one. Do you happen to know where it is?”
“Well… The master himself insisted on handling it, so I’m not sure of its exact location.”
“I see.”
A hint of disappointment crossed Louisa’s face as Mrs. Johnson carefully observed her reaction and offered, “Perhaps it’s in the basement or the external storage, given its size. Would you like me to check?”
“No need. It’s just something I remembered and wanted to ask about. Don’t bother yourself with it.”
Louisa shook her head and focused mechanically on her task.
However, Mrs. Johnson seemed unable to shake off the topic of the canvas. She glanced up hesitantly and asked, “Madam, do you wish to bring out that painting in the drawing room…?”
“No, it was really just a passing thought. I shouldn’t have mentioned it.”
With Louisa’s response, Mrs. Johnson bowed her head apologetically.
“I’m sorry, madam. The master was quite firm about it…”
“I know. It’s not your fault.”
Louisa put down her hoe and gestured reassuringly.
“I’m not blaming you, really.”
Yet, Mrs. Johnson’s head did not rise easily.
Louisa smiled bitterly.
She hadn’t meant to make her feel guilty.
She just wanted to check.
“Agatha, if by chance… if my husband decides to dispose of that canvas.”
Louisa’s lips struggled to form the words.
“Please don’t throw it away immediately. Burn it in the yard for me. That’s my request.”
“Madam.”
Mrs. Johnson’s voice cracked, filled with emotion. She cleared her throat and said, “Don’t think so negatively, madam. The master wouldn’t go that far. Recently, he’s been more considerate.”
Louisa felt that too, which scared her more.
“I heard he rushed out yesterday but ended up at the party. It’s the first time, isn’t it?”
“Yes.”
“There will be more good days ahead. Don’t be too pessimistic.”
Holding Louisa’s hand firmly, Mrs. Johnson encouraged her. Louisa nodded, then picked up the hoe again and mumbled to herself, “I wonder if the matter he went out for got resolved…”
Indeed. Did it get resolved?
She recalled her husband, who only gave evasive answers to her questions.
He must have felt there was no need to tell me. Allan is his name, not mine.
She forced a bitter smile at a conversation she couldn’t answer.
Male lead is a Destined Young Husband (Female-dominant)
One-sentence summary: Wife-master, listen to my explanation!
Li Ruantang, a young lady from a prestigious family, stumbled and fell. When she woke up, she saw a noble and beautiful young man sitting by her bedside, wiping away tears.
The young master had slightly reddened eyes, and his every move exuded charm.
The sight made Li Ruantang’s eyes hot and her heart flutter. After all, she had made a bet with the young master Meng from the neighboring family. If she couldn’t marry a husband before the end of the year, she would have to admit defeat and give up the jade she had worked so hard to obtain.
Outside the window, the flowers were in full bloom.
Rather than losing the bet, the jade, and her face, Li Ruantang calculated that it would be better to seek marriage with the young master in front of her, killing three birds with one stone.
…
Meng Jun never thought that an accident during a spring outing would lead to them rolling down a cliff and into a river, yet still survive.
Now they were trapped in an unknown village, and Meng Jun had overheard that the family who had rescued them had their own intentions.
After all, it was Li Ruantang who had lost her mind and sought marriage first. He was only trying to protect himself!
Glancing at Li Ruantang, who was listing her own merits, the young husband’s voice softened, and he blushed as he lied, “W-wife-master, Wife-master, don’t you remember me?”
The young husband’s voice was clear and handsome, coaxing Li Ruantang’s heart to be soft and sweet, and she spared no effort to protect him.
It wasn’t until they returned to the capital that Li Ruantang suddenly remembered.
When they had fallen off the cliff, in order not to implicate Wei Yunruo, whom he secretly admired, the young husband had instead pulled her, who was slightly farther away, down the cliff with him…
Short summary by Yuushi L: Initially, the male lead (ML) liked another girl, while the female lead (FL) liked the ML. Both fell off a cliff. The FL temporarily lost her memory, and the ML, fearing others might take advantage of him, claimed FL was his wife while they were staying in a village. Later, when they returned home, the FL regained her memories and remembered that the ML liked someone else, so she kept her distance from him. However, during their time living together in the countryside, the ML’s view of the FL had completely changed. From this point, his pursuit of the FL begins.
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