Seeing Madam Zhao’s wide-eyed disbelief, Chuxue added another blow. “Mother, Granny and Third Uncle Yan want to sell me off as a ghost bride[1]Ghost marriage is a marriage involving a deceased person, found in some Chinese historical customs and folklore. Here the family plans to marry a living girl to a dead man; practices varied by place … Continue reading jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_3717451_1_1').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_3717451_1_1', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top center', relative: true, offset: [-7, 0], });. They were afraid you wouldn’t agree, though, so they figured selling my body after I died would be just as good. That’s why Granny curses me every day.”
“Yesterday, I was so upset that I passed out. Granny thought I’d been angered to death, so she got in touch with someone and sold me. Thank goodness you came back in time, Mother. Otherwise, your daughter would have become a ghost bride.”
Chuxue wasn’t making any of this up. The original owner had overheard it by accident, but she was timid and simplehearted, and never told Madam Zhao and the others. That was what had led to this tragedy.
Madam Zhao trembled with rage. She had always thought Xiaoxue was in good health, and couldn’t understand why she hadn’t recovered after falling into the water. Now she knew the reason.
Madam Zhao patted Yan Chuxue’s back to comfort her. “It’s all right now, Xiaoxue. Mother won’t let you become a ghost bride. With me here, I’d like to see who dares sell you.” Then she looked at Madam Zhou, her gaze cold.
Madam Zhou had never been treated with such disrespect. In her eyes, Fifth Son[2]Birth-order forms of address can identify a person’s place among the children of a family. Here the narrative says he is fifth in overall birth order, although he is the second son. jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_3717451_1_2').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_3717451_1_2', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top center', relative: true, offset: [-7, 0], });’s family were all hers to mold as she pleased. She planted her hands on her hips and snapped, “What’s that look for? You planning to hit Mother? You should take a good look at what you gave birth to. Her reputation’s already ruined. She should be grateful a dead man wants her at all.”
With that, she spat a mouthful of phlegm at Madam Zhao and her daughter.
Madam Zhao was a traditional woman. Even though Madam Zhou had nearly enraged her to death, she had no intention of doing anything to her. She took Yan Chuxue out of the kitchen and said, “Xiaoxue, Mother will take you to your father. He’ll get justice for you.”
Chuxue nodded, her eyes red. She looked as if she’d been crying, which only made Madam Zhao feel more guilty.
When Yan Dajun returned from work, he found his wife sitting on the kang, weeping, while his daughter hung her head.
He hurriedly set down his hoe and went over to ask, “Why are you crying?”
Madam Zhao choked out, “Yan Dajun, do you still want this marriage or not? If you don’t, say so now. What does your mother mean by this? She wants to force my daughter to her death and marry her to a dead man! How have I wronged your Yan family for you all to treat my daughter this way?”
Yan Dajun’s eyes widened. “Wife, where did you hear that? How could anyone sell our daughter to a dead man?”
Madam Zhao slapped his hand away. “Where did I hear it? Your mother and Third Brother Yan planned it together. Your mother admitted it herself—she said my daughter should be grateful a dead man wants her.”
Yan Dajun could hardly believe it, but he knew Madam Zhao wouldn’t joke about something like this. And when he remembered how his mother and Third Brother Yan had stopped him yesterday, his last doubts vanished.
Yan Dajun put an arm around Madam Zhao’s shoulders. “Wife, you know how much I love our daughter. I’d never do anything like that. Don’t worry about Mother. I won’t let anyone sell Xiaoxue.”
With that, Yan Dajun lifted the door curtain and went out. Before long, a heated argument broke out in the main house. Chuxue’s lips curled slightly. It seemed Yan Dajun and Madam Zhao weren’t quite as spineless as she’d thought.
That afternoon, Xiaoxue went out to wander around the village. The apocalypse had never offered scenery this beautiful or air this fresh.
As Xiaoxue walked, she reached the foot of a mountain called Dalian Mountain. The mountain was thick with trees, and there were plenty of wild greens and game. But years ago, someone had gone hunting there and been killed by wolves, so no one had dared venture up the mountain since.
Xiaoxue dared to climb it because she was confident in her abilities. She trusted her own considerable skill and her gravity ability, which worked only when it felt like it, to keep her safe, so she boldly headed up the mountain.
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