“What’s it got to do with you?”
Qin Xiao couldn’t be bothered explaining anything.
Ma San was a local troublemaker who frequently harassed the young women in the village.
Qin Xiao disliked him, so he naturally had no intention of being polite.
Ma San forced a flattering smile.
“Come on now, we’re from the same village. Why so fierce? It’s not like I owe you money.”
“Look at me. I’m already twenty-six and still haven’t managed to get a wife. Even you’ve come back carrying a little bride on your back. Of course I’m itching with curiosity.”
Qin Xiao’s tiger-like eyes widened.
What did he mean by even you?
Was Qin Xiao that undesirable?
He had simply spent eight years in the army and delayed marriage because of it.
Unlike Ma San, who was genuinely looked down upon by everyone.
“New convict slaves arrived at the county slave office. Six taels each. If you want one, go buy one yourself.”
With that, he turned and left.
Ma San remained standing where he was, stroking his chin thoughtfully.
Six taels…
If he scraped together his savings, it wasn’t impossible.
Getting married in the village, paying the betrothal gifts and hosting a wedding feast, would cost about the same amount anyway.
But village girls weren’t attractive.
Most spent their days under the sun until their skin was dark as charcoal.
Unlike the girl on Qin Xiao’s back, who looked so delicate it seemed water could be squeezed from her skin.
And she had no family.
No in-laws to send gifts to during festivals.
No relatives to stand up for her if she was beaten or scolded.
Easy to control.
Qin Xiao really was clever.
Why bother marrying when buying one was so much more economical?
The more he thought about it, the happier he became.
Scratching his crotch, he trotted home cheerfully to ask his parents for money.
Meanwhile, Qinghe peeked over Qin Xiao’s shoulder, cautiously observing the village.
Several mountains surrounded the settlement like a basin.
Most of the homes were simple rammed-earth houses or wooden structures built against the mountainsides.
A river wound through the farmland and split the village into two halves.
The villagers they passed rarely greeted Qin Xiao.
Instead, they whispered among themselves whenever they thought he couldn’t hear.
Qinghe assumed her arrival was causing quite a stir.
After crossing most of the village, Qin Xiao climbed a set of earthen steps toward three thatched cottages halfway up the mountain.
A bamboo grove stood behind them, its leaves rustling softly in the summer breeze.
Upon reaching the courtyard, Qin Xiao set her down and unlocked the gate.
The moment she stepped inside, Qinghe looked around the worn-down little yard.
The wooden fences leaned crookedly in every direction, and the thick thatched roofs looked as though a single kick might send them collapsing.
There were three rooms.
The central room served as the main hall.
The eastern room was a bedroom.
The western room was the kitchen.
On either side of the yard stood a storage shed and a woodshed.
Though shabby, the property was surprisingly spacious.
Qin Xiao led her straight to his bedroom.
After pushing the door open, he stepped aside.
“Go in and wait.”
“Don’t leave the room until I come back.”
“Oh.”
Qinghe obediently entered and sat on a wooden stool.
Clutching her bundle, she quietly surveyed the room.
The furnishings were incredibly simple.
A bed.
A square table.
A cabinet.
That was everything.
Yet the room was clean and orderly.
Before long, Qin Xiao returned.
He set down a ceramic jar and a spool of cotton thread with a needle stuck into it.
“Pop the blisters on your feet and put medicine on them.”
After speaking, he left again.
The room darkened briefly before brightening once more as the door closed behind him.
Qinghe froze.
So he had noticed the blisters covering her feet.
That was why he had carried her.
She had walked for two months during exile.
If not for the excellent quality of the shoes she had worn in the prince’s manor, the soles would have fallen apart long ago.
Even now, only a thin layer remained.
Every step sent piercing pain shooting through her feet.
The man looked fierce and difficult to approach, so she hadn’t dared complain.
She had simply endured it.
Only during the latter half of the journey had the pain become unbearable enough for her to slow down.
Her socks had stuck to the blisters.
Removing them was agony.
Fortunately, she managed to drain the blisters and sprinkle the medicinal powder over the wounds.
A cool sensation soon spread across the injuries.
Qinghe quietly sighed in relief.
Qin Xiao still hadn’t returned.
The longer she waited, the more anxious she became.
What if he had gone looking for another buyer?
If he intended to resell her, he certainly wouldn’t sell her to a young man.
To make a profit, he’d probably seek out an older bachelor who couldn’t find a wife.
And what kind of man would that be?
Someone like the man they had met at the village entrance.
The way he looked at people had been greedy and vulgar.
One glance was enough to tell he wasn’t a good person.
Compared to that, she would rather stay with Qin Xiao.
At least when he noticed her feet hurt, he had bent down and carried her.
Though he had secretly taken advantage of the situation and deliberately brushed against her chest.
Still…
Wasn’t that the reason men bought women in the first place?
Meanwhile, Qin Xiao sneezed as he walked back from Aunt Qiao’s house.
Rubbing his nose, he examined the pair of shoes he held in his palm.
Based on his estimate of her foot size, the shoes weren’t even as long as his hand.
Were all women’s feet this small?
Small feet weren’t important.
As long as other places were larger.
When he returned home and entered the room, he noticed Qinghe visibly relax.
Even her shoulders loosened.
His gaze dropped to her crossed feet.
Her ankles were porcelain-white, so delicate that blue veins were visible beneath the skin.
Unfortunately, her swollen red toes ruined the sight.
Without those injuries, those feet would have been beautiful.
“Here.”
“I bought you shoes and socks. Your old pair can’t be worn anymore.”
“Try them on and see if they fit.”
So he had gone out to buy shoes for her.
Qinghe accepted them with both hands.
“Thank you.”
“Don’t worry. I’m very capable. I’ll take good care of the household for you in the future.”
All she wanted was a home.
Even if it was poor, she didn’t mind.
“Really?”
The brothel madam’s words had left Qin Xiao somewhat doubtful.
“In that case, put on the shoes and boil some water.”
“I want a bath.”
For some reason, his back had been unbearably itchy all day.
Perhaps he needed to add more salt to the bathwater.
The shoes were slightly too large, but they were soft.
Once she put them on, walking became much less painful.
Qinghe stood and gave him a respectful bow before heading to the kitchen.
Boiling water was simple.
When she had first entered the prince’s manor at the age of eight, her very first duty had been tending the fires.
The various masters often demanded hot water in the middle of the night.
No matter how exhausted she was, she always had to make sure water was ready.
By the time the water was heated, Qin Xiao came to carry it himself.
“What dishes can you make?”
Standing with her hands folded respectfully before her, Qinghe answered seriously.
“What would you like to eat, Young Master Qin? As long as the ingredients are available, I can prepare most dishes.”
Qin Xiao took her to the storage room.
All the food supplies were kept there.
He told her to decide for herself what to cook.
The moment she saw the two strips of cured meat hanging inside, Qinghe couldn’t help swallowing.
She hadn’t eaten a proper meal in a very long time.
During exile, she had survived on wild vegetables and coarse grain cakes.
Only yesterday, after arriving in the county town, had she managed to eat two steamed white buns.
Then this morning, she had been purchased.
It had been two full months since she’d tasted even a morsel of meat.
She felt as though her insides had dried up.
Just two ounces.
Only two ounces.
Surely he wouldn’t be angry.
After all, he had told her to decide for herself.
Meanwhile, Qin Xiao sat soaking in a wooden bath barrel in the bathhouse behind the house.
He had already finished washing but didn’t feel like getting out.
Instead, he rubbed his back against the edge of the barrel like a bear scratching itself against a tree.
As he breathed in, the aroma of cooking drifted from the kitchen.
After getting dressed, he headed over.
On the table sat stir-fried cured meat with mushrooms, scrambled eggs, and a bowl of white rice.
His eyes landed on the pitifully small portion of meat.
“Who is this supposed to feed?”
“It’s not even enough to get stuck between my teeth.”
Qinghe froze halfway through serving rice.
Quickly setting down the bowl, she hurried over.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t know your appetite.”
“I’ll cut more meat right away. It won’t take long.”
“Forget it.”
Qin Xiao waved her off.
“We’ll eat this.”
“After dinner, you should take a bath too and get some rest.”
Throughout the meal, Qinghe didn’t dare touch the meat.
There wasn’t enough even for him.
Keeping her head lowered, she ate only rice and vegetables.
She failed to notice that the man sitting opposite her was looking at her much the way he looked at the food.
As though he could finish his meal simply by looking at her.
By the time most of the mushrooms had disappeared, the plate containing the majority of the meat was suddenly pushed toward her.
The man’s voice was low and hoarse.
“Eat more meat.”
“Otherwise, you won’t be able to handle tonight.”