Then it changed hands several times.

At first, she hoped that someone would come to rescue her, but as time went by, that hope became increasingly slim.

She became increasingly numb.

It wasn't that she didn't want to cause trouble, but after witnessing a boisterous girl disappear from the world almost in the blink of an eye, Shen Huixiu, who valued her life above all else, became quiet.

The world is vast, but life is the most important thing; as long as we are alive, there is hope.

She changed hands over a period of more than a month. Two months ago, she was sold to this poor mountain village, along with four other girls.

The four girls were all strong-willed, and the two most fiery ones were gone, leaving only three people barely surviving.

The period after being bought back was the most peaceful time I had experienced in the past month of wandering, provided, of course, that I ignored the group of people who were watching over me.

Although she had no worries about food and drink, every night was the most humiliating time for her. Shen Huixiu felt as if her soul had been torn in two, one half wearing a cowardly smile as she dealt with the family.

The other half is a monstrous demon with gaping maw, waiting for the right moment to send the whole family to hell before escaping on its own.

Shen Huixiu wanted to escape.

I want to escape all the time.

But the people there are all the same. Even if she manages to escape, she'll be doomed if she encounters anyone on the road. This is because the entire small village keeps tabs on each other and guards the new brides in the village.

They tacitly kept the village's secrets. If anyone harbored disloyalty, they would be eliminated or assimilated; there was no other way.

Or, to put it another way, the existence of this village is one of bloodshed and cruelty.

Children's laughter is built on countless bones, and when they grow up, only a very small number of them will marry normally; the rest will follow in the footsteps of their predecessors.

Generation after generation, endlessly.

The people living inside were indifferent and even thought that buying a wife to carry on the family line was the right thing to do and a matter of course.

Shen Huixiu couldn't understand. At first, she felt like her life had fallen from the clouds to the mud, but after these three months, she realized that happiness could also be found in the mud.

She made a single wrong decision and fell into the abyss.

If it weren't for that ten yuan, if it weren't for that ten yuan...

"Huihui, slow down."

Shen Huixiu blinked, snapping out of her thoughts, and softly replied, "Sigh."

She won't stay here forever; she'll leave.

"Grandma, can I exchange two chickens for some at the foot of the mountain later?" She had lost a lot of weight, and her chin was pointed, making her look particularly pitiful. "If we raise them now, they can eat eggs when they grow up, and that will also help Dazhi get some nutrition."

The woman was overjoyed. "Great! Being able to think about her man means she feels at ease."

"Okay, okay, Grandma knows Huihui is a good girl. But these eggs, don't give them to him, give them all to Huihui so she can have children for our family!"

Shen Huixiu blushed, her face pale and delicate. "It's so embarrassing to talk about these things in broad daylight."

"Hahahaha!" The woman was even more satisfied with Shen Huixiu's attitude. She said, "Alright, alright, I'm old and have had several children. I'm shameless now. You're young and shy. I understand."

"Hmm~"

The woman's smile was particularly irritating to Shen Huixiu's eyes.

She clenched her fists quietly. It's okay, she just needs to be patient, and she will definitely escape.

In the end, all of this will just be a dream!

Their figures gradually shrank and then disappeared around the corner.

.

county seat.

Qi Ye has been staying up all night for several nights in a row.

He returned long ago after completing his mission, but he can't show his face now; he has to carefully lie low.

"Platoon Leader Qi?"

Qi Ye turned his head. "What's wrong?"

"No," his squad leader said with a smile, offering Qi Ye a cigarette, but Qi Ye refused, "I don't smoke."

"Aren't you going to smoke?" The squad leader seemed a little surprised. When he met Qi Ye's puzzled expression, he explained, "Before my brothers got married, even those who didn't smoke were influenced to smoke."

Therefore, he naturally assumed that Qi Ye was married and also smoked.

Qi Ye was puzzled. "What logic is there in this?"

The squad leader sighed, shook his head, and clicked his tongue, saying, "Sigh, it's all the same old stuff, eating, drinking, and relieving oneself. In short, it's all about worrying about supporting the family."

Qi Ye was even more confused. Getting married should have brought even more happiness.

Besides, people only smoke because they're worried about daily necessities. Once they start smoking, they won't have to worry anymore.

If you have money for cigarettes, you might as well bring a big bone home, make soup, and at least the kids will have some meat.

Qi Ye didn't blink, but he was convinced that this was just an excuse. So he just smiled and said softly, "Everyone has their own choice."

Anyway, he doesn't smoke.

With that money, he would rather save it to buy his wife a jar of face cream.

However, thinking about it makes me anxious. I'm right at my doorstep, but I can't say that I'm back.

Wow, it's unbelievable to think about it. It's only been a few days, and in total, it's only been half a month.

When Yu the Great was controlling the floods, he passed by his home three times without entering for many years. I don't know how he managed to endure it.

A role model for us all.

After Qi Ye said a couple of words, he fell silent.

After continuing to observe everything happening around him, the class monitor couldn't bring himself to say anything, even though he had a lot to say.

My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!