Jai Mei's Unforeseen Journey to Ancient China

Chapter Sixty One: Shu Wang's Olive Branch I

"This is heavy; just let me handle it," he insisted, his voice carrying a somber note that betrayed his internal struggle.

"I was just finishing up my letter to you and got a bit delayed in preparing your bath," Shu Wang said.

"You finished your letter?!" Jai Mei exclaimed with excitement. Then, her tone softened, "I know I'm not the strongest, but I can help too. You don't have to do everything—"

Her words faltered as Shu Wang carefully poured water into the tub, giving her a look that brooked no argument.

It was a look not of obligation, but of a deep-seated desire to care for her.

"It's not about what I have to do or any obligation," he said gently, yet firmly, his gaze meeting hers with an intensity that was hard to ignore.

"It's what I want to do... for you, Yuna, my wife."

His sincerity was evident, not just in his words, but in the emotion that shone through his eyes—a mix of care, the willingness to share burdens, and a silent plea for her to accept this small act of kindness.

Jai Mei prepared to speak up, but he preempted her, saying earnestly, "I'm your husband, am I not? So, let me help you. Please, stop pushing me away." After emptying the other bucket, he walked towards her.

Jai Mei felt her heart tremble as he approached, his emotions enveloping her. Why did he seem so torn? Had she upset him? Aware of his yearning for a true marital bond and love, she recognized the reality—they both should had understood it shouldn't be with her.

She had conveyed this to him previously, expressing her desire for him to be liberated from the shadows cast by his wife who had subjected him to years of abuse—herself.

So what if she had found clarity, or in her case, had been transmigrated here and became her, promising to cease those harmful actions?

It doesn't erase the facts known by him, her, them—the other husbands—and the entire village regarding how she used to treat them.

Jai Mei grappled with these thoughts in turmoil. She pondered, "What message am I sending to others if we stayed together? That abuse is acceptable as long as it stops eventually?"

Jai Mei said, her voice quivering slightly under the weight of their conversation, "I'm not pushing you away, Wang."

The dynamic between them was undeniably changing. Shu Wang rarely addressed her by her first name, yet now, they stood at a juncture that suggested a deeper connection. What kind was it, though?

Shu Wang offered a melancholy smile, appreciating her use of his first name but noticing the stress in her demeanor.

He wondered if sharing his feelings would only add to her burden. Perhaps his letter, filled with his deepest emotions, might be too much.

The thought saddened him further, reinforcing the negative beliefs his family had instilled in him about his worth.

He was on the verge of succumbing to the dark abyss of his thoughts when Jai Mei's touch brought him back. Her hands gently guided his face to look into hers, their eyes locking.

"Wang, please look at me. I'm not pushing you away. At least, that's not my intention. I'm just trying to do what's best for you, and I truly believe that's not me.

The entire village knows how things were between us. I don't want you to feel tied down to me, like a constant thorn in your side.

You have an entire life ahead to explore, to learn more about yourself, to find true love and happiness. Don't let the thorn remain just because it's not causing pain anymore—."

Shu Wang interjected firmly, halting her words. "But I did remove the thorn. And I've seen that it doesn't hurt anymore because you've changed. You're blooming and healing my wounds, Yuna.

I don't care what the villagers or anyone else thinks. What makes you think we're the only ones with problems similar to ours? We're not.

You're my wife, not theirs, and they should focus on their own situations, not what I decide to do with mine."

As he held her hands and placed one over his heart, inviting her to feel his pounding heart rhythm, Jai Mei trembled, her own heart syncing with his.

The complexity of their emotions left her disoriented, a growing nauseating sick feeling, a part of her wondered if what Shu Wang felt was a form of Stockholm Syndrome.

"Wang, that doesn't make it right, whether it's ours or someone else's situation. Please, understand that domestic abuse is a crime against the very essence of life," she pleaded.

Shu Wang replied with a voice laced with self-doubt, "I do understand. I just feel like I'm not good enough for you. It must be me," as his voice cracked, seeking comfort by leaning his forehead against her arms. "I've always been the problem."

Jai Mei was deeply troubled by his words. "Wang, don't say that. Why would you think such a thing? I'm just trying to make you see—"

Interrupting her, he pulled out his letters from his pocket and handed them to her.

"Please, just read these while I finish preparing your bath," he said, his voice carrying a weight of defeat. He then lifted the wagon and buckets, his figure a silhouette of resignation as he left the room.

Holding the letters in her hands, Jai Mei felt their weight as if they carried the burden of their complex emotions and unresolved tensions.

Jai Mei didn't sit down immediately as she began reading the letter from Shu Wang. Hoping to understand him and his mind to help him.

The contents made her stagger before she moved to sit down. So absorbed in the letter, she didn't notice Shu Wang enter the room and pour water into the tub.

She only realized his presence when he gently guided her to sit on the bed, positioning himself before her to maintain eye contact, filled with vulnerability.

Placing her hand on her chest with the letter still encased in her hand, mirroring her feelings of the crushed letters to her heart, tears escaped down Jai Mei's cheek as she exhaled harshly, "Wang..." Her voice broke into a sob as she was shaking her head in grief and disbelief.