"I—I saw a bug!" she retorted stubbornly. "I was helping you get rid of it. And you overreacted!"
She cursed inwardly. Who told him to lie there with his shirt unbuttoned?
Ryan nodded solemnly. "So that's what happened. I misunderstood my wife."
Then he added casually, "Have you learned martial arts before? Your brother never mentioned having such a skilled sister. I'm curious."
Mary shot him a glare. "What martial arts? There's no one in my village who can beat me. You already heard the truth. Be satisfied."
Knowing when to stop, Ryan turned and walked back to the bedroom.
"Sleep early," he said. "We're getting up before dawn tomorrow."
He lay back down, feeling both amused and slightly disappointed.
When would his wife stop guarding herself so tightly?
Women really were hard to understand.
Staring at the ceiling, Ryan thought about her strength and the changes she'd shown these past few days. One thing became clear in his heart.
This woman was his.
As for her secrets… he would uncover them sooner or later.
Mary watched him return to the room and finally exhaled, gulping down some water.
Her mind replayed what had just happened. If they had truly fought, who would have won?
After thinking it over, she concluded it would probably be fifty-fifty.
After all… they hadn't really fought yet.
*
Mary deliberately stayed in the living room for half an hour.
She needed time.
If she went back too soon, she was afraid she wouldn't know how to face Ryan. The scene from earlier kept replaying in her mind, making her ears burn.
When she finally returned to the bedroom, she found Ryan already asleep.
His breathing was steady and deep, his chest rising and falling evenly. It looked like he had completely fallen into a deep sleep.
For some reason, Mary felt a little unbalanced.
She had been overthinking everything, feeling awkward and restless, while he had already fallen asleep so peacefully.
Was this man a pig reincarnated?
She lay down carefully, staring at the ceiling, and began sorting through everything that had happened over the past few days.
Something was clearly wrong with her.
Without realizing it, Ryan had begun occupying a corner of her heart. No matter what she did, she would unconsciously think of him. The realization made her uneasy, and her thoughts grew more chaotic as exhaustion slowly dragged her into sleep.
What Mary didn't know was that Ryan hadn't truly fallen asleep.
He knew her well enough by now. She was not thick-skinned, easily embarrassed, and turned red the moment she was teased. That flushed expression always made him want to reach out and touch her.
Once he was sure her breathing had steadied, Ryan quietly wrapped an arm around her.
Her soft warmth and faint fragrance filled his senses. Even if it left him uncomfortable by morning, he didn't mind.
Holding her like this made him feel at ease.
Only then did he feel that she truly belonged beside him.
*
When Mary opened her eyes again, she found herself in Ryan's arms once more.
This time, she wasn't surprised.
She figured she would eventually get used to it.
Thinking back to how cold and guarded she used to be, Mary couldn't help but sigh inwardly. All that composure had vanished somewhere along the way.
Remembering how attentive and protective Ryan had been recently, a faint smile appeared on her lips.
She carefully slipped out of his embrace. Ryan didn't wake up.
Mary went straight to the kitchen. She mixed meat using the blender and prepared pie fillings. Half a bowl of rice was added to the pot, and she made two kinds of fillings with cabbage and radish.
She had used up all the remaining meat.
If anyone else in the courtyard saw this, they would probably think she was crazy. Meat like this was usually stretched over several meals.
But to Mary, it still felt insufficient.
While she was busy, Ryan woke up.
The moment he stepped into the living room, the rich aroma of meat greeted him. His stomach reacted instantly.
Mary didn't seem angry at all. She was already cooking for him again.
The lingering unease in Ryan's heart finally settled.
He washed up quickly and returned to the kitchen.
More than forty pies were neatly arranged on two large plates. Mary stopped once the plates were full.
She set aside ten pies for the two of them, served with porridge. That was more than enough.
"Time to eat," Mary called. "Come help."
Ryan quickly joined her, carrying the pies and porridge to the table.
The pies were soft and fragrant, perfectly cooked on both sides. Even the best cooks in the factory cafeteria couldn't compare.
He really had married a treasure.
Seeing the time, Mary urged him, "Eat faster. There are still thirty pies left. We'll take them to the mountain for lunch."
Ryan nodded. His wife was meticulous, even thinking about avoiding fire in the mountains.
After eating, they packed quickly. Mary carried an old canvas bag, easy to explain if questioned.
When they reached the building entrance, Albert and William were already waiting.
The four of them headed toward the forest.
The deeper they went, the denser the trees became. Mary wore thick clothing and old soft-soled leather shoes, stepping carefully but confidently.
Albert and William exchanged glances, secretly shocked.
They had assumed their sister-in-law would slow them down. Instead, she kept pace effortlessly, without panting or flushing.
Not only that, she was careful with every step, avoiding rocks, branches, and tangled weeds with ease.
Ryan wasn't surprised.
From their brief exchange last night, he already knew her strength and reaction speed were impressive. Combined with her claim that she often went up the mountain, this made perfect sense.
Mary didn't know what Ryan was thinking, but she could guess.
Since she had already been exposed, she decided to stop pretending.
The sooner they reached the mountain, the sooner they could hunt.
Living while constantly hiding parts of herself was exhausting.
She preferred moving forward honestly, one step at a time.
*
The four of them had been walking for over an hour.
By the time they reached the foot of the mountain, the sun had just risen. Pale golden light filtered through the trees, and a thin layer of mist hovered close to the ground.
Mary took a deep breath.
The air here was unbelievably fresh. Clean, cool, untouched. It was the kind of purity she hadn't felt in a very long time. She knew that decades later, places like this would be rare, almost impossible to find.
Ryan stopped and pointed ahead.
"Once we cross that hillside, we'll reach the hunting area. People usually hunt there. There aren't many large animals, so it's relatively safe. That's why I chose it."
If he were alone, Ryan could hunt wherever he pleased. But today was different. He had brought Mary along with Albert and William. Safety mattered more than anything else.
No one objected.
Deep mountains were unforgiving. If someone got injured, treatment would be difficult, if not impossible.
Mary surveyed the area carefully. The trees here were sparse, and there were obvious traces of animal droppings on the ground. This place was frequently visited by wildlife.
They split into two groups.
Each person checked their bow and dagger. They agreed not to stray far and to blow their whistles immediately if danger appeared.
Ryan led Mary toward the forest on the left, while Albert and William headed right.
Not long after, Ryan loosed an arrow.
A hare collapsed instantly.
It was fat and heavy, weighing at least seven pounds. Mary's eyes lit up. That would be perfect for dinner.
They continued forward cautiously.
Suddenly, Mary felt a sharp sense of danger.
It was subtle, like being watched.
Her instincts screamed.
She grabbed Ryan's arm and whispered urgently, "Stop."
The bushes ahead trembled.
At first, it was faint. Then the movement grew stronger, the leaves shaking violently.
Ryan immediately raised his bow, handed his dagger to Mary, and motioned for her to crouch.
They hid behind the trees, barely breathing.
Moments later, two massive wild boars emerged from the brush.
From their movements, it was obvious. The sow was in heat, and the boar was following her closely.
Animals in heat were extremely dangerous. Any disturbance could drive them into a frenzy.
These boars were enormous, each weighing close to two hundred jin. Worse still, the scent of the sow would attract more boars.
Ryan's heart sank.
He leaned close to Mary and spoke in a barely audible whisper.
"I'll distract them. You run and find Albert and William. Bring them back immediately."
Wild boars were terrifying when they charged. One might be manageable. Two were already risky.
Ryan didn't dare imagine what would happen if Mary were injured.
If something had to happen, he would rather it be him.
He gestured for her to leave.
Now.
Mary shook her head firmly.
She wouldn't leave him alone.
If she ran, he would be the one in danger.
There were too few trees here to hide behind. If they were caught, even killing the boars wouldn't mean escaping without injury.
Just as Ryan tried to urge her again, another sound came from the grass.
He froze.
A third wild boar stepped out.
This one was even larger.
Cold sweat broke out on Ryan's back. Wild boars had sharp senses. They had already detected them.
The nearest boar was less than ten meters away.
At that distance, it would reach them in seconds.
Ryan suddenly shoved Mary backward.
"Go!" he shouted. "Call for help! I can handle this!"
Without hesitation, he drew his bow and released an arrow.
The arrow struck one boar, but barely pierced its thick hide.
The wounded boar let out a furious roar.
The charge came instantly.
Ryan dodged narrowly, breath ragged. The other boars closed in, their hooves pounding the ground.
He deliberately ran in the opposite direction from Mary.
Three boars surrounded him.
He pulled out his dagger, ready to fight.
Then—
"Bang! Bang! Bang!"
Gunshots rang out.
Two boars collapsed instantly.
The third turned to flee, but after only a few steps, another shot rang out.
It fell heavily to the ground.
Silence returned.
Three massive bodies lay motionless, blood soaking into the earth. The air filled with a thick, metallic stench.
The danger was over.