13 – Saving the Village Demon
The vegetable crisps not only had a long shelf life but also made a delightful crunch when eaten. Qingqing and Cuicui were seeing such an innovative way of eating for the first time.
Qin Yue mentioned that these vegetable crisps could be preserved until winter. When heavy snow fell, the three of them could sit around the stove, munching on these snacks while chatting—just thinking about it felt wonderful.
Inspired by Qin Yue, the two girls worked with even more enthusiasm. Every day after harvesting the vegetables, aside from what they ate fresh, they turned the rest into vegetable crisps.
One afternoon, as the three were working busily, the door was suddenly pushed open with a thud.
Sang Zhen Tian, the village chief of Sangyu Village, rushed in with several nephews carrying a man foaming at the mouth on a stretcher. The man twitched uncontrollably, his body curled into a ball, clearly in great pain.
Close behind was the village chief’s wife, Chen Shuzhen, who looked utterly panicked, as if the sky were about to fall.
At the sight, Qin Yue’s hand trembled, and a full plate of cooked vegetables spilled onto the floor. Beside her, Qingqing and Cuicui gasped in shock, their mouths agape—they recognized the man on the stretcher as Sang Mohan.
Chen Shuzhen spotted Qin Yue and rushed over in a few quick steps, barely catching her breath as she pleaded anxiously, “Qin Yue, please save my son!”
Qin Yue understood instantly. She had imagined countless scenarios of meeting Sang Mohan, but never like this. The man appeared to be on the brink of death—what ability did she have to save him?
“Mother, don’t panic. Tell me what to do.”
Qin Yue’s gentle tone calmed Chen Shuzhen slightly.
“The doctor said he can survive only if you consummate the marriage with him!”
Qin Yue’s lips twitched for a moment. Was there really such an unreliable doctor?
“But in his current state…”
“Qin Yue, I beg you, save my son’s life!” Chen Shuzhen nearly knelt before her. “I know this request is excessive, but I have no other choice… Mohan has suffered from these episodes since childhood, each one worse than the last. Medicine used to control it, but this time, no one but you can save him.”
“Mother, I understand how you feel, but how can I consummate the marriage with him in this condition?”
Qin Yue glanced at Sang Mohan, foaming and convulsing on the stretcher, and couldn’t help feeling uneasy. Was his mother sure her son was even capable?
“I know it’s your first time and you lack experience, but such matters often come naturally. Just shut yourselves in a room alone, take off your clothes, and you’ll know what to do next…”
Chen Shuzhen urged her anxiously, with a hint of embarrassment, “Do I really have to teach you step by step?”
Qin Yue felt utterly frustrated. His mother seemed to have missed the point—it wasn’t about whether she would do it, but whether he could!
Consummating the marriage with a man in the midst of convulsions—wasn’t that risking his life? She hesitated for a moment, her gaze meeting that of Sang Mohan’s cousin, Sang Yan. A flicker of coldness passed through Sang Yan’s eyes, sending a shiver down Qin Yue’s spine. Yet, in just a second, that chill vanished, replaced by deep anxiety.
Qin Yue felt that something was off, but she couldn’t quite put her finger on it.The man on the stretcher was now twitching more slowly, no longer foaming at the mouth. Yet his face grew even paler, a trickle of crimson blood flowing from his lips. His eyes remained tightly shut, teeth clenched together as if death might claim him at any moment.