After Mier sat down, he felt something soft under him—it was quite comfortable. Soon, the coldness on his butt started to go away, and he unconsciously put his frostbitten hands under him to warm them up. But as soon as they touched the cushion, he quickly pulled them back.
Startled, he stood up again and looked back at the cushion on the chair. After making sure it was clean, he finally let out a breath of relief.
"Why aren't you sitting?" Niley asked.
She had just scooped some millet and picked up a pumpkin. When she turned around and saw Mier jump up from the chair like he was afraid of dirtying it, she understood right away. "If it gets dirty, just wash it. It's meant to be sat on. Don't worry."
With Niley saying that, Mier nervously sat back down again.
"You stay here, I'll cook," she said.
"H-how can I let you cook?" Mier quickly stood up again the moment his butt touched the chair. His face turned pale and he looked at Niley in a panic.
It had never been right for a woman to cook—especially not for someone like him, a husband bought into the family.
Niley raised an eyebrow. "If I live alone and don't cook, wouldn't I starve?"
Without waiting for a response, she grabbed the food and went to the kitchen. Before leaving, she even used her foot to pull the door closed to keep the cold wind out.
The house she bought from the village chief wasn't very big, but by modern standards, it was like a two-bedroom apartment with a living room, kitchen, and bathroom. It wasn't perfect, but it was at the foot of the mountain, and except for Jiang Yu's family, there weren't many neighbors. She didn't have to deal with people here.
After all, she had been teleported directly into this shabby hut. Just to be safe, it was better to stay put for now.
Inside the kitchen, she started washing the rice and pumpkin. Then she heard the door open and looked up to see Mier coming in. Before she could say anything, he quietly began helping her wash things.
Niley quickly stopped him and grabbed a cloth to dry her hands. She pulled him back into the house by the wrist.
As she grabbed his wrist, Mier couldn't help but think of how Jiang Yu had dragged him to be beaten before. He trembled a little, unsure whether it was from fear or cold.
He only wanted to help cook. How could he let a woman do it?
And Niley sounded upset earlier—probably regretting spending five silver taels on him. He was afraid that if he didn't show he was useful, she'd get rid of him.
He didn't want to be sent back to be sold into that brothel again.
But the moment he stepped into the kitchen, Niley pulled him back out with such force that he got even more scared. Still, he remembered she had spent five silver taels to buy him, and he forced himself not to panic.
She had already pulled him out of a living hell—what's a few beatings compared to that?
He deserved to be hit. Who else would spend five taels just to marry a husband?
She paid for him, so she had every right to do whatever she wanted. Even if she beat him to death, he wouldn't have the right to complain.
He tried to calm himself, but his body still trembled.
Only after being pulled back into the house did he feel a little warmer, though his teeth still chattered.
Niley brought him into the room and, seeing that he still had his head lowered, quickly pulled a thick winter fleece pajama set from her space. After a moment of thought, she also grabbed a set of thermal underwear.
Then she handed the clothes to Mier. "If you want to help, fine. But wear these first."
Mier was wearing patched-up clothes with barely a whole piece left. They were so thin they offered no warmth. Wearing those in the winter could kill him, yet he still wanted to work.
Luckily, her space had everything.
Back during the apocalypse, her first ability was wood-based. She had gone hungry for a while, and after she awakened her space ability, she started collecting everything she could—she even cleared out several large malls.
If not for that, she wouldn't have anything warm to give him now.
The clothes she gave him were one-size-fits-all, and since Mier was slim, they were a bit loose on him.
When he saw the clothes, Mier finally looked up, a bit confused. Wasn't she going to hit him? Why was she giving him clothes?
And they looked so thick and warm—he didn't think someone like him deserved to wear them. He quickly shook his head. "I-I don't need them. I have clothes."
Niley frowned when she saw how thin and tattered his clothes were. "I paid five taels to marry you. I'm not going to let you freeze. If you get sick, it'll just cost more money to treat you."
Marry? Not buy?
Mier's face suddenly turned red. He knew she meant well. Carefully watching her expression, he bit his lip and finally accepted the clothes.
He really couldn't afford to get sick.
Seeing him listen, Niley began teaching him how to put on the clothes. Before leaving, she also handed him a pair of cotton socks and cotton shoes.
"Once you've changed, you can come help in the kitchen."
Mier was completely stunned by everything Niley did. He only knew to keep nodding at whatever she said. When he heard the door close, he finally dared to look up. Holding the thick clothes in his arms, it all felt unreal.
His eyes stung, his throat tightened, and he almost sobbed. But afraid Niley might hear, he pressed his hand to his neck to push down that overwhelming sense of joy.
She said she married him. And she was treating him so kindly. The guilt in his heart made it hard to breathe. Someone like him didn't deserve this.
If she ever found out the truth...
Mier didn't want to think about it. He shook his head, trying to clear those thoughts.
He looked down at the clothes again, feeling torn.
He already had clothes. He didn't need to wear new ones. These new clothes were so clean, and not good for working in. If he got them dirty, that'd be bad.
He picked them up, put them down, and picked them up again. Hearing the clatter of pots and pans in the kitchen, he finally made up his mind. He stood up and took off his old clothes. After checking carefully to make sure his body wasn't dirty, he breathed a sigh of relief.
He turned his old clothes inside out and wiped himself down carefully before putting on the new clothes just as Niley taught him. He had no idea what they were made of, but they were soft and warm against his skin.
If only his father and younger brothers could wear clothes like this... His father and third brother got cold more easily than he did. They needed this more.
But he didn't know if his wife would allow it.
As he thought, he quickly got dressed. He wiped his feet carefully, pulled on the socks, then the shoes. After just a few minutes, his whole body was warm—even a little hot.
He noticed a round object nearby that seemed to be blowing out warm air. Curious, he reached out and felt the heat—but didn't dare ask what it was.
Eyes wide in surprise, he forgot to button up. He just grabbed his outer coat and rushed to the kitchen to help.
When Niley looked up and saw Mier in the soft, gray-brown pajamas, with the fuzzy fabric all over him, she couldn't help but think—even though he looked a bit bulky, with his long limbs and tall frame, he actually looked really handsome in them.