It had been two months since I had been living with Arashi.
After I recovered from the fever which took me a week, I vowed to make it up for him.
Not a single day, he let me be alone for long. He had to go sometimes to the village but most of the time, I spent sleeping and had no clue he went out.
People would come often from the village to him or sometimes, out of the village and he maintained both the household work and his patients.
He made me eat more food than I could eat but he made sure those were digestive enough.
After I recovered, I would clean the house while he cleaned the front and the back side of the house. Then I would make breakfast while he prepared his medicines.
Since after breakfast, people would start to come, I took care of lunch as well as other household work. And he would treat me to dinner making delicious food for the night.
Hina and her grandfather often came to visit us while we went to the shrine every week.
Mr Hiro sometimes came to give us various pots and clay ornaments because I came to like plant flowers and he was grateful that my idea on the clay ornaments and traditional dolls worked in the market. His goods were selling so much that sometimes both of his children and his wife had to make them with him.
I even decorated the house with the clay dolls and wall hangings that Mr Hiro gave us. The house seemed whole now and Both Mr Hiro and his wife often came over here for chatting. His elder son has started to train under Arashi while studying in the downtown village school. Arashi said he was intelligent and smart.
We missed the fair that Mr Hiro was talking about because I was ill that time. But Arashi went and bought two yukatas for me and a kimono and they were expensive ones with fine quality. I was so happy to have my first ever new clothes because all of my life I had to use used up dresses that my half sisters used to use.
I could go to the forest but not far. And when I asked him to take me far, he wouldn't complain and would take me.
He had been very kind and supportive to me. He taught me recipes using expensive ingredients. He rarely praised me for my cooking though but from his face I could tell he was pleased with my meals. I had never thought that cooking for someone would be this satisfying until I met him.
Living with him made me realize that life can be beautiful if you have a person who would always stay by yourself.
And I was happy. Never had I ever thought I would experience such things in my life.
Arashi made my bland and gray life colorful. He put so many colors at once that I was too overwhelmed sometimes.
One thing that had changed since I met him was that we chatted a lot. I used to be very reserved and always wary of him but now, he would push me to tell him what was on my mind. I wasn't that much reserved around him although I would sometimes be wary of him.
I was making breakfast for us while Arashi was busy with a patient in his chamber. Today, two people came in a hurry as one of them was injured heavily. I couldn't see his wounds as Arashi ordered me to give him hot water immediately.
I gave him and he immediately closed the door.
Lately we have been having many visitors as well. All of them were either his previous patients or new ones.
I had made extra portions as I cooked lunch as well. Because today Mr. Wasabi and Mrs. Wasabi would be coming as guests. Recently they were coming a lot and today their daughters were coming as well. Something about them felt unusual as if they had some grudge against me. I always felt uncomfortable around them as if they were watching me with disgust filled eyes.
Or, maybe I was just over thinking.
I had finished making both lunch and breakfast and looked at the door of his chamber. He still hasn't come out. I was waiting for him since I didn't like to eat alone even if he told me not to wait for him.
I heard voices from our front yard as my eyes moved there and I saw Mr Wasabi was coming with his family. My brows furrowed. I thought they were coming for lunch but it was early in the morning and I hadn't made anything for them.
My eyes widened. Had I heard it wrong? I looked at the door of Arashi's chamber again but I knew well that he didn't like to be disrupted while working.
As they reached our veranda, Mr Wasabi greeted me while his wife just looked at me from tip to toe. Their daughters didn't even take a glance at me as if I had no existence.
I said, "Good morning. Please come inside."
"We would come even if you don't tell us." The elder daughter said and passed me, she entered as if it was her right to enter without even paying respect. It somehow irked me but I didn't say anything because they were Arashi's guests and I should not disrespect them.
Mr Wasabi smiled nervously and asked, "Where is Mr. Yuan?"
I gave them the chairs to sit as they took their seats. "He is inspecting a patient right now. He will be joining us soon. Please take a seat."
He nodded and said,"Then I should go pay a visit to him."
Arashi never liked anyone to get into the room where he was treating his patients. But Mr. Wasabi tended to follow him wherever Arashi goes although he never said Mr Wasabi anything but from his face I could tell he was very displeased.
"Please, Mr Wasabi, don't interrupt him as he said not to enter his chamber. There is a patient who is heavily wounded and he prefers not to disturb him." I said and all of them looked at me with wide gaps but that was replaced with displeased faces in a moment as they sat on the chairs with grumpy manners.
"Would you like to have some tea?" I asked and Mr Wasabi's wife said, "No need. It seems like Mr Yuan hadn't taught his wife manners."
His daughters even scoffed at me while Mr Wasabi just moved his head away from me. I didn't know what to do at the moment. Arashi wasn't here and it seemed the guests were very displeased but all I had done was tell them not to disturb him. Was that disrespectful?
"Um... I am making some good dishes for you all while you enjoy some snacks Arashi had prepared yesterday." I said and dashed to the kitchen, my hands shaking. What if Arashi would get displeased at me?
I started to make some quick breakfast while placing some cookies on plates. While the food was being cooked I went to give the cookies and saw the elder daughter wasn't there.
I moved my eyes and heard footsteps in our bedroom. I immediately went there and found the elder daughter strolling and checking everything in our room. My belly boiled in anger as I asked, "What are you doing here?"
She got startled as she looked at me with wide eyes and when she found it was only me, her expression changed to a lazy face. "Just strolling."
"Have no one taught you that it is rude to barge into someone else's personal room?" I asked as I felt it wasn't only disrespectful it was very shameful as well.
She scoffed. "And who will teach me, you?"
A gap formed in my mouth. How could she talk like that when she was in someone else's house. She practically acted as if it was her house.
It was Arashi and my room and I didn't like that someone else came to inspect our personal belongings.
She gave me a sly grin and said, "If it wasn't for you, I would have married Mr Yuan, by now. But it is not a problem because he can have more than one wife."
All of my blood pumped to my head. I knew she was beautiful and she came from a wealthy background as her father owned seven fields but it was true that Arashi could marry more than one wife. Somehow it hurt me. Somehow when I imagined him spending his time with somebody else, my heart sank.
I had seen my father married again and after spending my time with Arashi, I had forgotten this. So, that was how the first lady felt when my father took another wife.
Somehow I could feel the jealousy and the hopelessness. No wonder she hated me. My mother was the second wife and she had all the rights to hate me and my mother.
But after spending time with Arashi, I had learnt another thing. That was to speak for myself and speak when I didn't like anything.
"You are not allowed to come into my husband's and my personal room. Please leave this room immediately." I said, fisting my palms.
She was shocked at first because up until now no one in the village had ever seen me angry, let alone speaking with an authoritative tone. I was even surprised at myself.
I felt strangely selfish to want Arashi for only myself and it somehow scared me. Was I always like this?
"And why would I listen to a poor girl like you?" She said.
With a glare and fury burning in my stomach, I said, "Because this is my house."