The next day, before dawn, Gan Tao Niang got up, and the courtyard was bustling with activity as chickens and dogs ran about.
She was busy butchering chickens and ducks, humming a little tune as she happily prepared to welcome her dream husband.
The younger brothers joined in the commotion, staring longingly at the chickens and ducks on the cutting board, their mouths practically watering.
Although they knew these were prepared for their brother-in-law, how could he possibly eat so much by himself? It just benefited the brothers!
Only Gan Tao, watching the lively scene outside, felt as if her heart was being fried in oil. She sat on the bed, her hands gripping the sheets tightly until her knuckles turned white.
Judging by the time, Gan Zhu's wife should have arrived at the restaurant by now. I wonder if she still remembers my instructions?
And the shopkeeper, if he understood what she meant, he should already be on his way to rescue her, right?
As time ticked by, Gan Tao grew increasingly anxious.
She would walk to the window for a while, then return to the bedside and sit down again, like an ant on a hot pan.
Until the sun was high in the sky, there was no sound from anyone in the courtyard except for her own family members, and Gan Tao's hopes were gradually extinguished.
She suddenly stood up and paced back and forth in the room.
She thought, of course, it would be good if the shopkeeper was really on her way. But what if she didn't come?
Was she really going to be manipulated and sold like merchandise by her mother to that beastly young master Wu?
She absolutely refused to accept this!
She would rather die than be defiled!
Gan Tao's sharp gaze swept across the room, searching for something she could use for self-defense.
But her mother had long been wary of her suicide attempt; all sharp objects in the house had been removed, even the bowls for eating were made of wood…
wood?
Suddenly, Gan Tao had an idea, and a bold thought popped into her mind.
Gan Tao Niang had been busy in the yard all day, preparing dinner and cleaning the house inside and out.
Gan Tao is usually very diligent, and her house isn't dirty, but in order not to make the Wu family dislike her, she cleaned it again carefully, until she was so tired that she couldn't straighten her back.
Looking at her spotless home, Gan Tao Niang nodded in satisfaction.
But she suddenly remembered that there was one corner that hadn't been cleaned—Gan Tao's room.
These past few days, my daughter has been eating, drinking, and relieving herself all indoors, so it can't possibly be clean. The Wu family is wealthy, and their son must be particular about hygiene. If he goes in and is met with that stench, wouldn't he lose his appetite?
Thinking of this, she quickly moved to her daughter's doorway and made up a random excuse:
"Tao'er, you haven't been out for the past few days, is the house dirty? You love cleanliness the most, let me bring the tools in for you, and you can clean the house."
How could Gan Tao not know what she was thinking? She sneered inwardly, but pretended not to know anything on the surface, and casually said that she wanted to take a shower.
Taking a bath? Chopping wood and starting a fire is such a hassle, and this brat is quite good at ordering people around!
Gan Tao Niang initially wanted to refuse, but then she thought it was for the best, so that Young Master Wu wouldn't find fault with her later.
So she readily agreed and went to heat the bathwater.
A short while later, Gan Tao's mother brought over a bucket of bathwater. Gan Tao looked at it and saw that the large tub was less than half full of water, and she sneered inwardly.
Her mother was truly on guard against her at all times, fearing she might try to kill herself. Unfortunately, she didn't want to die! All she wanted now was to escape!
Gan Tao's gaze fell on the bathtub, which was made of thick wooden planks and bound with two sturdy iron rings...
...
In the evening, contrary to her usual behavior, Gan Tao's mother brought Gan Tao's meal early and hid by the door. She watched Gan Tao finish eating before leaving with peace of mind.
Just as dusk was falling, the courtyard gate rang. Gan Tao Niang hurried to open it, only to find that besides Matchmaker Li, there was also a young man standing at the door.
The man was fairly handsome, but he had a fierce look on his face.
Gan Tao Niang knew that this was Young Master Wu, and she felt a little scared, but thinking of the fifty taels of silver under the bed, she still braced herself and welcomed him in.
She ushered the two to the table and greeted them warmly. After several rounds of drinks and dishes, Young Master Wu, holding his wine glass, began to show some impatience.
The matchmaker, Li, was very perceptive. Seeing this, she quickly asked Gan Tao Niang, "Sister, Young Master Wu didn't come here just to drink today. Where is his future wife? Shouldn't he be called out to meet her?"
Gan Tao Niang quickly smiled and said, "The young lady is shy and embarrassed to come out... Why don't I take Young Master Wu to her room, and the two of you can talk to each other?"
These words were utterly unreasonable, but Young Master Wu was extremely pleased. Without even a slight refusal, he eagerly got up.
Gan Tao Niang dared not delay and hurriedly led him out the door to her daughter's room.
Before opening the door, I made a point of looking inside through the door frame. Only when I saw my daughter lying motionless on the bed did I feel relieved enough to unlock the door.
As if he hadn't seen the lock on the door, Young Master Wu pushed it open and went straight to the bed, calling out, "Wife, your husband is here to pamper you!"
Gan Tao Niang blushed and dared not look again. She quickly closed the door and left, exchanging a knowing glance with Matchmaker Li.
"Young lady, from today onwards, you're in-laws of the Wu family! They're a wealthy family known for miles around, you're truly blessed!" Matchmaker Li said, holding Gan Tao Niang's hand with a wide smile.
She'll receive tons of red envelopes if this marriage goes through!
Gan Taoniang spoke modestly, saying "not at all," but in reality, she couldn't stop smiling.
After tonight, she will be the mother-in-law of the young master of the Wu family. Even if she doesn't receive a hundred taels of silver from now on, she can still raise several sons by occasionally coming over to ask for some.
However, just as the two were celebrating, a terrified scream suddenly came from inside:
"Ugh, you bitch, what are you going to use to stab me with?"
Outside, the two who had been smiling just moments before looked at each other in disbelief. Their smugness turned to terror, and without thinking, they rushed forward together.
They pushed open the door and were horrified when they saw what was inside!
Gan Tao held something against Young Master Wu's neck, and Young Master Wu's clothes were already stained red with blood!
It turned out that Gan Tao had made preparations long ago. While taking a bath, she managed to remove the iron ring that was tied to the wooden tub, and then sharpened the iron ring to make a simple dagger.
She had kept the dagger hidden in her sleeve, waiting for this moment.
She thought that her mother knew she wouldn't give in easily and would definitely tamper with the food, so she just pretended to eat it, but actually turned around and vomited!
Even so, she felt a little weak.
Fortunately, all those years of housework and farm work had paid off, and this young master Wu was a good-for-nothing who indulged in wine and meat but was all show and no substance. I took advantage of his momentary lapse in attention and easily subdued him.
Seeing the two men rush in, Gan Tao coldly shouted, "Stop! If you come any closer, I'll kill him!"
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