With a flash of his figure, Mu Houchu disappeared into the night, carrying the body of the man in black who had been killed.
In the cramped thatched house, all fell instantly silent. The night was still as deep as ever. Ji Xinhe leaned against the fence wall by the window, feeling as if all her strength had been drained.
Sleep till death.
The man’s domineering and cold voice still echoed in her ear. He actually said such words to a woman who was stronger than himself.
Could it be that he was interested in her?
Ji Xinhe shook her head sharply, feeling a sense of discomfort. What part of her could he be interested in?!
Her eyes swept over the spot where the dead man had just lain and not a drop of blood had been left behind. The steel nail that he had produced from his palm just now, could kill invisibly.
Why did such a powerful man insist on staying in Yangluo Bay, and why did he have to mess with her, a peasant girl?
Ji Xinhe massaged her temples, feeling a headache coming on. If she had known this would happen, she never would have slept with him in the first place!
The remainder of the night was bound to be sleepless. Ji Xinhe tossed and turned but could not sleep, and got up early the next morning with dark circles under her eyes.
"Sister, you didn’t get a good rest?" Xiao Bei blinked at her.
Ji Xinhe tousled Xiao Bei’s hair: "Mm, a little. Go wash up soon, we’ll be having breakfast soon."
Ji Dong said, "If you didn’t sleep well last night, you can take a nap after breakfast. There’s nothing much to do today anyway. The grape wine you mentioned will take at least half a month for the first fermentation, so it’s still early."
"Mm." Ji Xinhe did not pretend to be strong and nodded in agreement. There was indeed nothing much to do today, and staying at home to get some sleep and make some clothes sounded good.
"I will take the cotton to Wang Po in the village later and pay her to quilt two thick cotton quilts for us. Then we will have them for winter." Ji Dong said.
In the morning, Ji Xinhe cooked a large pot of dough drops. Even though there was no meat, they were cooked with plenty of lard, and they naturally tasted much better. The dough drops were a rare treat, even flour was precious in the countryside. Xiao Bei was drooling over the tempting dish. She picked a few small Chinese cabbages from the garden at the back, washed them clean, and threw them in. After tasting it, she found it to be very delicious.
"All right, take it out." Ji Xinhe uncovered the lid and ladled the dough drops into several large bowls, smiling at Xiao Bei, whose eyes were glued to the food and wouldn’t even blink.
Xiao Bei nodded happily and hurried to help carry the food out.
Ji Xinhe washed the pot and hastily tidied up the kitchen before heading out to eat.
Just as she stepped out, she saw an elderly woman entering the courtyard. Seeing Ji Xinhe, the woman smiled: "Oh, this must be Xinhe. You’ve certainly grown up. You look so lovely."
Ji Xinhe was momentarily taken aback, she didn’t recognize the woman and was afraid of making a mistake, she didn’t dare to respond and waited for the woman to continue speaking.
The woman warmly approached her: "You don’t remember me, do you? I’m Granny Liu. I used to hold you when you were little. Look at you, from a little girl to a grown woman now. It’s time to find a good husband. With Granny Liu’s help, you won’t have to worry."
Although Ji Xinhe still couldn’t remember who this woman was, judging by her tone, she could guess her purpose.
Could this woman be a marriage broker here to arrange a match?
"Please come in, Madam Liu." Ji Dong hurriedly invited her in.
Madam Liu was not at all shy, and with a beaming grin took Ji Xinhe by the arm and led her inside. "I am here today specifically to discuss a very good marriage proposal for our Xinhe," she said as she continued to smile broadly.
Ji Dong wasn’t surprised at all; his sister was both beautiful and capable, so it was only natural that she would have suitors.
"Madam Liu, what sort of marriage proposal are you talking about?" he asked.
"It’s Liu Zhuang from the wealthy family in our neighbouring village, Creek Village. He’s only seventeen and is handsome and well-mannered, from a family beyond reproach. They have over ten acres of fertile farmland and never worry about food and clothing. I naturally thought of Xinhe when I heard about it. After all, I’ve known her since she was a child, how could I not be concerned?" Madam Liu elaborated enthusiastically. 𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢
Ji Xinhe felt a pang of embarrassment. At her age, there was no escaping talks of marriage. Just a few days ago, she had sidestepped the topic of marriage, only to have a matchmaker show up at their doorstep so soon.
Madam Liu had a glib tongue and over a short duration, had lauded Liu Zhuang to the skies without taking a single breath, her words flying fast and wide.
After listening carefully, Ji Dong finally said, "We need to think about this. We’ll reply in a few days."
That was the norm. They couldn’t just agree based on the matchmaker’s praises. They would also have to inquire about the suitor’s family background. Most importantly, they would need to know what Ji Xinhe thought about the proposal.
"That’s fine. When you have a decision, make sure to find me!" Madam Liu cheerfully stood up, ready to leave.
Even though Ji Xinhe was not pleased with the matchmaker’s visit, she still had to see her to the door. Just as she reached the courtyard, she saw Ji Xiulan and Lady Ding preparing to leave, dressed elegantly with not a hint of rusticity that a village woman would have.
Immediately, Madam Liu smiled and said, "Oh, isn’t this Xiulan? I was just thinking about you. Xiulan, you’re sixteen now, aren’t you? Would you like Madam Liu to introduce you to a good match as well?"
A look of contempt flashed in Ji Xiulan’s eyes. She didn’t say anything. Lady Ding, however, glanced disdainfully at Ji Xinhe before snidely saying, "Our Xiulan is not some ordinary rural girl. She simply cannot marry some uncouth village man. Such a match is more fitting for her."
Madam Liu’s expression changed. Not only was Lady Ding insulting Ji Xinhe, she was insulting her too. Implying that she only introduced below-average suitors?
Ji Xinhe looked at Lady Ding, who lacked any tact, and decided to stir the pot: "Sister Xiulan aims to marry a government official. Naturally, she would look down on village men. Madam Liu, there is no need for you to worry about her."
Madam Liu snorted coldly: "Not to worry then. A pair of used shoes dares to dream of marrying a government official. Since we’ve had this talk now, don’t come begging me for my help in the future!"
After saying that, she rolled her eyes, turned around, and sashayed away.
Lady Ding was so angry that she almost rushed at Madam Liu: "Who are you calling a pair of used shoes!"
However, Madam Liu was quick on her feet and disappeared from sight in no time, not forgetting to yell back on her way: "Who in the village doesn’t know about your Xiulan’s scandals? Do you really think I care?"
Lady Ding wanted to chase and argue, but Xiulan, with a red face, held her back, fuming: "Mother, what are you doing? Madam Liu has the biggest mouth. If we start arguing now, we’ll give her a reason to dredge up past scandals and broadcast them throughout the village!"
The incident with the village butcher was her greatest shame.
Ji Xinhe stifled a smirk and turned to go back into the house.
With gritted teeth, Lady Ding griped at Ji Xiulan: "Hurry up and seal the deal with Gao Zhiru. In a few days, he’ll be participating in the imperial examination for scholars. If he succeeds, countless girls will set their sights on him and it could get messy. Once you’re married to him, and if he gets an official title, we’ll see who dares to look down on us!"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
