Chapter 2: Riddles and Revelations

Baba Mengde reason small, come ask, "My small wife, wetin you talk make I come sell just now?"

He talk am soft, voice still dey find ground for this new life, but him eyes dey sharp, dey check her reaction, dey measure if she go catch say something dey odd.

Aisha Jinlian, as she dey arrange her rough hair for mirror, answer, "Dalang, wetin do you today? No be masa you dey sell every morning? Abeg, hurry, you still fit catch morning market."

She use old wedding-day mirror, crack for corner, but still dey show fine face. As she dey fix her hair, she dey wonder why husband dey act like stranger, but no time to waste—market dey call. She side-eye am and mutter under her breath, "Men and their wahala."

Cao Cao look around, see say na true, na masa shop dem dey—simple but everywhere dey clean. E decide test Aisha Jinlian small:

The shop no big, but e neat die, with one old calendar for wall, and the smell of yesterday's stew still dey faint for air. E see grinding stone, masa bowl, one old stool. Na true-true masa hustle life.

"My small wife, I no wan go today. If you want make I go, answer three questions for me."

He talk am like all those old village riddle-masters, face straight, but for inside mind, na play.

Aisha Jinlian, after she tie her scarf finish, use hand tap small powder for her face, come say, "Wetin dey do you today? No wahala! Ask anything you wan ask! Even if na three hundred questions, I go answer."

She throway hand like say she dey act Nollywood, voice get pepper, her eyes dey shine. The powder self na half finish, but she still apply am as if na wedding dey come.

Cao Cao happy for mind, come ask, "Who I be? Where we dey so?"

He ask with small smile, voice low, the kind way old man dey test wife loyalty for fun.

Aisha Jinlian hiss, "You be Musa Dalang from Umuola village, na you get this shop, you be my husband. You don hear? This na our house."

She shake head, her hand tap table as she yarn, as if to say, "Abeg, I no get time for your play this morning."

Cao Cao push am further, "My small wife, I get any brother or friend?"

He drop the question sharp, eyes dey watch her face, like lawyer for village matter.

Aisha Jinlian roll eye, no get patience. "No be Musa policeman your younger brother?"

She talk am with that "I don tire" voice, face squeeze, as if na primary school question dem dey ask.

As Cao Cao hear this one, joy catch am: so e get official brother, meaning food and security sure.

A small prayer for heart: "Ah, I no go suffer alone. Better pikin dey for this life."

E quick ask, "Where my brother dey now?"

He talk fast, excitement dey show for voice, like small pikin wey see free gala.

Aisha Jinlian frown, "No be last month e travel go do official work?"

She answer sharp, voice carry small wahala, hands dey busy with wrapper, face no look back.

With that, she arrange her clothes well, waka go outside.