C160 (2/2)

On the morning of the third day, Madam Xu woke up with a splitting headache. When Xiaowan sent hot water in, she impatiently kicked him twice, cursed him a few times, and lost all her strength to continue tormenting him.

After a while, the women of the village came to the door and sat in the sun together, eating melon seeds while the Xiaowan rubbed corn in the corner and listened to their stories.

The Li family's concubine walked past the wattled fencing and handed out candy for everyone to eat.

Everyone asked her why she married but did not say a word. She laughed and said: ”Our family's hair has not been fully grown yet, which family should we marry, it's the daughter of Prefect Meng who was originally married from the Li Prefecture today. I came over from the town, nice fellow.

Everyone began to discuss why they had not caught up with such a good matter.

”Evening, eat a piece of candy.” The Li family's aunt threw a piece to Xiaowan. She carefully caught it and looked at the Queen Mother timidly while holding the candy.

Madam Xu impatiently said: ”Auntie, you can eat if I give it to you. What, you still want to show off in front of everyone? ”Little girl, you really don't know anyone.”

Xiaowan hurriedly stuffed the candy into her mouth. It was sweet, even sweeter than the candy on the candied fruits on the first day.

She couldn't help but to laugh, feeling so happy that she didn't know what she was happy about.

Within the Ling Xiao Inn, Meng Lianyi, dressed in Feng Guanxia's attire, was pushed into the inn by everyone. The inn had already been set up once again and large red and joyous words were pasted everywhere.

Uncle Biao and Aunt Zhang sat in a hall, looking at the high-spirited Ershan joyfully, proudly walking over to bring the bride in.

After kowtowing and kowtowing, he changed the order and sent it to the bridal chamber.

Ling Chaofeng had a lot of friends in the town, who all brought gifts for the wedding wine. The Prefect Liang also sent a big gift, ordering the Constable Li to come watch the ceremony for him.

The inn was crowded with people, it was extremely lively, but Little Pei did not enjoy the bustle of shuttling through the crowd like he usually did, he just sat below the railing on the third floor, looking down.

Ling Chaofeng inadvertently looked up and saw his son sitting there depressingly. He thought that if there was anything suitable, he should find a mother for Little Pei.

But, what kind of woman should he marry? At the very least, he must treat his own child well, no … He should marry a woman he liked, and love her all his life.

Within the Qingling Village, the women chatted until it was noon before they dispersed. This morning, Xiaowan had finished kneading a large basket of corn and listened to many stories.

In the past, everyone said that it was a black shop, killing and selling meat buns, and the shopkeeper was a fiendish demon or demon. Every time Xiaowan heard it, her heart would tremble.

However, in the past two years, their shop's shopkeeper had gone all the way to the capital. Although he had not won the top scholar in the end, he was now a fifth ranked official, returning home in glory.

And what the women discussed the most today was that Manager Ling had picked up a baby in its cradle at the entrance of the shop three years ago and raised it inside the shop. It was unknown whether it was a debt that he owed the woman or something else.

They were very curious as to what kind of woman would become Ling Chaofeng's wife in the end.

Madam Xu asked, ”Have you all seen his appearance? What does he look like?”

The women all had their own opinions. There were also people who said that they had recently seen a beautiful and elegant woman.

As the days passed, Xiaowan was used to being beaten and scolded. The year quickly ended.

After the Spring Lantern Festival, Master Mu was about to leave the Baisha County to go work outside. Before he left, he said a few words to Xiaowan, saying that he would definitely arrange a marriage for his daughter when he returned this year.

The Xiaowan just listened in silence, not saying anything.

After her biological father left, Xiaowan had even more carefully taken care of her stepmother and brother and sister. Although she couldn't avoid being beaten up and tortured, she still thought that she might be able to get married this year.

So, no matter what, she had to live until that time. But if she married someone, she would live a dark life. If she could run away, then she would run away. If she couldn't, then she would just die.

Time flew by, and in the blink of an eye, winter had passed. The mountain gradually became greener after Qingling Village, and Xiaowan was always the first to go up the mountain to pick firewood.

Madam Xu saw that she was diligent and did not hit her at all for the past few days. She did not know why, but she was always in a good mood. Of course her stepmother was in a good mood, it was all because of Xiaowan's good fortune that she was able to avoid getting beaten up.

In the middle of March, Xiaowan was sent to the mountain by her stepmother to dig up bamboo shoots. She was not allowed to go home until she had filled a big basket.

She was lucky to meet her uncle and aunty in the village. They felt pity for Xiaowan who were always being abused by her stepmother, so they gave all the bamboo shoots they dug to her so that she could return home early to make friends with them.

At this time, every household in the village had either gone up the mountain or went down to work. The entire village was silent.

Xiaowan was afraid that she would wake up her stepmother so she lightly opened the door. Just as she walked to the window with a big basket of bamboo shoots on her back, she heard a sound she hadn't heard in a long time.

Madam Xu was shouting crazily, ”Big brother, go easy on me, you're going to kill me, ah …” ”My dear father …”

Every time she and her father did this, it was always very loud. When she was young, she thought that her father was beating up her mother, and only after growing up did she understand that it was because she doted on her mother.

But, hadn't her father left home to work? Could the man in this room …

The man's voice was fierce as he said, ”Jian, am I stronger than your man? ”Hmm?”

This was Uncle Wang's voice from next door. Xiaowan's heart almost jumped out of his throat.

Carrying a basket full of bamboo shoots, she ran all the way out to the riverside outside the village.

At the moment, the sun was shining brightly on the shallow river. The river water was crystal clear and Xiaowan was sweating profusely from running, hence she leaned over to wash her face.

Looking at her reflection in the water, her heart stirred. She hadn't washed her hair in a long time.