Chapter 4

Chapter 4

The betrothal gifts were easy enough to handle.

I went home and put everything back where it belonged.

Then I went with Gu Yanqing to the village chief’s house.

Crying, I told the village chief that Gu Yanqing and I loved each other, and that I was already carrying his child. But for five taels of silver, my parents wanted to sell me to Zheng the Cripple. I begged the village chief to help us.

The village chief valued scholars most of all. If our village produced even a xiucai or a jinshi, it would bring honor to him as well.

Besides, every year I sent a few pairs of shoes to his family.

So the village chief said he would make the decision for us.

When my parents woke in a daze, what greeted them was the village chief leading a crowd of villagers in scolding them.

Because I rarely spoke and usually just kept my head down and worked, everyone knew I was especially sensible and well-behaved, someone who would never be at fault. So they all took my side.

The village chief did not mention my pregnancy. He only said my parents should not marry me off to Zheng the Cripple, and that anyone with the slightest conscience would never push their own daughter toward a dead end.

Gu Yanqing and I knelt and begged my parents to give us their blessing.

My parents’ heads were stuffed with nothing but bean dregs. Completely drowned in the villagers’ spittle and condemnation, they let Gu Yanqing and me perform an extremely simple wedding ceremony that very day. Everyone had a meal, and the marriage was settled.

Poor families did not fuss over so many formalities.

When my parents finally came back to their senses, they began cursing me and cursing Gu Yanqing.

I ignored them completely. I packed up my things and followed Gu Yanqing to the ruined temple.

When Zheng the Cripple saw us, he spat on the ground and cursed at me. “You filthy whore, letting every man ride you, sneaking around with men behind people’s backs! Sooner or later, I’ll fuck you until you can’t close your legs!”

He said more vile things after that, and even asked Gu Yanqing whether he could let him have a turn with me. He said he was willing to pay.

As he spoke, he looked me up and down a few more times in a filthy way.

To be honest, when I sold shoes in the street, I had run into men who harassed me before. But I had never met anyone who could say things as disgusting and foul as Zheng the Cripple.

Gu Yanqing took my hand and led me away.

His breathing was a little heavy, and he looked very angry.

Seeing him angry made me feel less angry instead. I said, “Don’t bother with a madman like that. Thank goodness I don’t have to marry him. Thank you.”

To repay Gu Yanqing for his great kindness, I decided to take good care of him.

I walked around the ruined temple, tied together a broom, swept the place once, then took his clothes to the river to wash them. I also mended all the torn places.

All he had was one broken pot and two bowls.

There were a few sweet potatoes in a vat.