Fang Shugen's mother was also busy finding a wife for Fang Shugen.
"Your son is getting on in years. Younger girls who want to find someone around the same age will either want you to pay a higher dowry," the matchmaker said.
“We can’t afford the bride price,” Fang Shugen’s mother sighed. “His father passed away early, and I raised Shugen all by myself. You know what happened before; that guy spent a lot of money on medicine, and we don’t have any money at home.”
“Oh dear, Shugen’s mom, it’s no use crying to me about being poor and struggling. The woman has to agree to this too. Here’s what we’re doing: if you don’t want to spend money, you can find a widow with a child. That’s a good person. She’s already given birth, which means she can have more children. She can come to your house and give Shugen a big, healthy son.”
"It's good to be able to give birth, but bringing a baby here means another mouth to feed. My family has to support so many people, it's too hard."
“If you don’t want the tree roots to work too hard, then there’s another suitable one, but she has a bit of…” The matchmaker pointed to her head, “I’m always honest when I make matches, I say what I mean and I don’t hide anything from anyone.”
"Another lunatic?"
"It won't affect her. It wasn't congenital, and it won't affect her offspring. She got like this when she was a teenager and was frightened while walking at night. She's a very capable worker."
Fang Shugen's mother compared what the matchmaker had said with what Fang Meixiang had said.
Fang Meixiang was from the same village, and she knew the situation. It was caused by a fright she suffered from when she was a child, which led to an illness. Now she can't even take care of herself, let alone do housework. This other one can still do housework.
Even if she were to find another madwoman, she would still choose someone better than Fang Meixiang.
It's settled then.
Her name was Hua Mei, and she entered Fang Shugen's house not long after.
Hua Mei looked more robust than the average girl, and her round face was tanned to a healthy wheat color.
Her hair was combed into two thick braids and tied with red ribbons.
The blue cloth trousers clung to her rounded hips. When Fang Shugen's mother saw this, she said with a smile, "She's capable of giving birth to a son."
Standing in front, you couldn't tell that there was anything wrong with her.
In the evening, Tree Root's mother arranged for the two of them to go to their room to rest early.
While Shugen's mother was tidying up the kitchen, she heard noises of them playing around coming from their room.
She rushed to the door to listen.
"Get away, get away!" Hua Mei shouted, followed by the loud crash of tables and chairs overturning.
"Tree roots, tree roots, what's wrong?"
Fang Shugen opened the door and saw several deep scratches on his arm.
Hua Mei, with her hair disheveled and her collar unbuttoned, sat on the ground, panting heavily.
Tree Root Mom peeked out to see if anyone was watching.
She closed the door, pulled Hua Mei up from the floor and sat her on the edge of the bed. "Hua Mei, you're married to Shu Gen now, you're Shu Gen's wife, so you have to be with him."
Hua Mei grabbed her collar, turned around, and faced away from Shu Gen's mother.
Tree Root Mom's brows were furrowed, her eyelids drooped, and the corners of her mouth turned down.
"Shugen, come here, let's push her onto the bed together."
Fang Shugen moved his feet hesitantly.
"Be more sensible," Fang Shugen's mother glared at him.
Hua Mei got up and rushed to the door.
Fang Shugen grabbed her, and Shugen's mother quickly pulled her away as well.
Fang Shugen hugged Hua Mei from behind.
Fang Shugen's mother searched around for something that could control her.
Hua Mei danced and spun around, trying to break free from the square tree roots.
Where did you get such strength?
Fang Shugen said, "Mom, let's call it a night, I'm tired too."
Looking at Fang Shugen, who was covered in sweat, Shugen's mother sighed.
He glanced sideways at Hua Mei and said, "You're strong. If you're strong, you'll get up early to work tomorrow."
Fang Shugen and his mother helped to lift the table and chairs.
"So how do you sleep at night?"
"I'll just lay out a straw mat and sleep on the ground," Fang Shugen said.
Tree Root Mom glanced at Flower Girl again and said impatiently, "Go to bed."
Feeling unwilling to give up, she pulled Fang Shugen's hand and brought him in front of her again. With one hand, she held up the scratch marks on his arm in front of Hua Mei's eyes, and with the other hand raised, she gritted her teeth and said fiercely, "If you scratch my son again, I'll beat you to death."
Hua Mei stood there, her eyes unfocused and dazed, her hair disheveled.
Fang Shugen followed his mother out. When they reached the door, Fang Shugen's mother closed it behind her.
He said softly, "I'll go get the mat. You watch the door and make sure she doesn't run out. We'll go get it while she's asleep..."
"Mom, you have no idea how strong she is."
"Okay, okay, I'll go get it."
Shugen's mother brought over an old mat and handed it to Fang Shugen, saying, "Sleep on the ground first, and you can decide what to do later."
"Mm." Fang Shugen nodded.
Fang Shugen pushed the door open and went in; Hua Mei was still standing there.
"You go sleep on the bed, I'll sleep here."
Hua Mei moved aside a bit, and Fang Shugen spread the mat where she had been standing.
"I'm tired today too, I won't touch you, you should lie down and sleep."
Fang Shugen took a pillow from the bed and placed it on the mat on the floor.
Hua Mei then slowly moved step by step to the bedside, and lay down on the bed dressed.
Fang Shugen's mother couldn't sleep after returning to her room. She wondered if Fang Meixiang would be willing to share a room with Fang Damiao.
I figured she'd been mentally challenged since childhood, so she probably wouldn't rebel, but she also wouldn't do any chores. The one in the family can do chores, but she'll rebel.
If she didn't comply, he would force her tomorrow. She got up again to look for the hemp rope.
The next day, when Fang Shugen woke up and opened his eyes, Hua Mei was sitting on the edge of the bed, lost in thought.
When did you get up?
Hua Mei didn't say anything.
"Aren't you asleep?"
Hua Mei remained silent.
Fang Shugen lost interest and asked no further questions.
He got up and put the pillow on the bed.
Hua Mei immediately stood up alertly.
"It's dawn, let's go outside," Fang Shugen said as he gathered the mats from the ground.
Seeing them come out, Fang Shugen's mother instructed Hua Mei, "Go and wash the clothes."
Fangjia Village is a village at the foot of the mountain. The spring water drawn down from the mountain makes it relatively convenient to use for washing clothes and cooking.
Hua Mei obediently went over to wash the clothes.
Shugen's mother pulled Fang Shugen to the stove, "Did anything happen after last night?"
Fang Shugen lowered his head and shook his head embarrassedly, "I fell asleep, and when I woke up she was already up."
Fang Shugen's mother bit her lip.
“There was no rope last night, but I found it. We’ll tie her up tonight and get together as soon as possible, lest something goes wrong.”
"Mom, don't rush. Let me spend more time with her, get to know her better, and then..."
"She's a madwoman, do you think she can even get in?"
"It should be fine, she didn't make a fuss after that."
"You have to go with her tonight first. If it doesn't work, I'll help you. Hurry up. If you marry a wife and she won't let you touch her, people will laugh at you."
"There are two lunatics in the village now," someone started chatting among the villagers.
The village is small, so if something happens in one family, the news spreads quickly.
"Hey, have you heard? That madman from Shugen's family won't sleep with him at night, and they even got into a fight."
"How did you know? Did you eavesdrop by the corner of his house?"
"People don't say that for no reason. Why don't they say that Meixiang and Da Miao fought?"
"Hahaha!" Everyone burst into laughter.
"They said that Meixiang looks like she's pregnant."
"So fast? This seedling is really something. Impossible, even if it was there, it wouldn't have been discovered so quickly."
"You don't know yet, do you? Mei Xiang was already pregnant when she married Da Miao." The person who seemed to know the truth lowered their voice. "Mei Xiang's neighbor said that a few months ago, Da Miao often hung around her house."
"That's quite possible. Meixiang's family didn't give any hints before suddenly announcing that they would marry Meixiang to Da Miao."
When talking about other people's business, everyone gets more and more excited, their eyes sparkling with curiosity.
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