Darling, Don't Be Angry
Helen Parker marched up to the Clearwater Village chief's door, followed by a crowd of villagers. She demanded that the chief punish Lily Evans and give everyone an explanation.
"Are you serious?" The village chief stroked his beard, half in doubt. Margaret Evans was always honest, and Lily Evans looked like a well-behaved girl. Would she really do something so scandalous?
"Absolutely! I saw it with my own eyes when I passed by Lily Evans's yard! I couldn't hold back and said a couple of words to her, but who knew she'd team up with that wild man and hit me! I'm her elder, you know, and look what she did to my face! Chief, we have to drag that shameless man out and punish him!" Helen Parker wailed, glossing over her own part in the trouble, since it was too embarrassing to admit.
Seeing Helen Parker so certain and with so many villagers demanding action, the chief said, "Fine, let's go to Lily Evans's house and see for ourselves. If what Helen says is true and Lily is hiding a strange man, we'll follow village custom and put her in the pig cage!"
Inside the Evans home.
Alexander Hayes refused to let go of Lily Evans's shoulder, his head resting on her like a big, loyal dog. "Wife, don't be mad. I was listening to you and eating quietly in the kitchen, but when I saw them bullying you, I just had to come out. I didn't misbehave, I promise. Please don't be angry."
Lily Evans was speechless, staring at the man clinging to her like an oversized puppy.
Margaret Evans, standing nearby, was so shocked her eyes nearly popped out. "Lily, what's going on? Who is he, really?"
Lily Evans rubbed her brow, equally clueless about where this man had come from. And now he insisted on calling her 'wife'—could her life get any more dramatic?
"Mom, I was just making breakfast in the kitchen this morning when he suddenly showed up asking for food. I gave him a bowl of sweet potato porridge, but I really don't know who he is," Lily Evans explained quickly.
"Wife, do you not want me anymore...?" Alexander Hayes's eyes filled with tears. "I'll listen to you from now on, I'll protect you... Please don't kick me out, okay?"
Margaret Evans couldn't help but twitch at the corners of her mouth. Her daughter was still unmarried—how had this silly man started calling her 'wife' already?
Alexander Hayes looked at Margaret Evans with bright, eager eyes and called out, "Mom!"
Margaret Evans nearly fainted, but she didn't actually dislike this clueless young man.
Truth be told, good looks are always an advantage—even if Alexander Hayes seemed a bit slow, he wasn't at all annoying. Especially today: if it hadn't been for him, Lily Evans would have been dragged off by the Miller family ages ago. This silly man was basically the Evans family's savior.
Mother and daughter asked him a bunch of questions, but Alexander Hayes just kept replying, "I don't know." He had no idea who he was or where he'd come from. In his simple mind, only one thing was certain: Lily Evans was his wife.
Lily Evans scratched her head. Maybe she was the first person he saw when he woke up, so now he was glued to her.
"From now on, your name is Lucky." Lily Evans looked at Alexander Hayes's innocent, deer-like eyes and smiled, giving him a name that would hopefully bring them good fortune.
Even though their home was dirt poor right now, Lily Evans believed that with her top-notch cooking skills, they’d be rolling in silver soon enough!
But Margaret Evans, watching Lily Evans so cheerful, couldn't help but worry. Helen Parker was narrow-minded; after suffering such a loss at their house, she definitely wouldn't let things go so easily.