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“Since you mentioned my father-in-law, how about using my fiancée to settle the debt? She’s quite good-looking,” the young man proposed.
“Using an unmarried daughter-in-law to settle a debt?” Qin Wu sneered, “Do you think I’m a fool? She’s not yet married into your family, why would you use her as collateral?”
“Don’t be upset, sir. I’m not using a person, but something else…”
The young man smirked wickedly, “This unmarried daughter-in-law is pure, just like a sheltered maiden. She’s much better than the girls at the Flower Pavilion. When I bring her over, you and your brothers can have a taste. Isn’t that acceptable?”
Qin Wu was clearly taken aback by the young man’s audacity, hesitated for a moment, then chuckled, “Your idea is indeed unique. She’s your future wife. Letting us have a taste before you marry her, will you still marry her or not?”
“I’ve already paid the betrothal gifts, and I won’t get them back. Naturally, I’ll marry her,” the young man replied. “If this happens, she’ll surely seek death. If I persuade her, and she agrees to marry, won’t her family be grateful? They’ll have to give a larger dowry!”
“If you take the dowry, marry her, and treat her like a slave, wouldn’t that be better? If that’s not possible, you can sell her for some money and come back to gamble with me,” he added.
“You’re quite cunning, thinking about selling her twice,” Qin Wu’s lips curled into a sly smile.
Seeing Qin Wu’s relaxed expression, the young man assumed he had agreed and eagerly leaned in, “Do you agree, sir? Can I bring her over in a few days?”
“You’re a crafty one,” Qin Wu’s hand suddenly clenched into a fist and struck the young man’s face. “You’re just not behaving properly!”
The fist, the size of a sandbag, landed on the man’s face, sending him flying. As he struggled to get up, he spat out a mouthful of blood and half a tooth mixed with flesh.
“You all, break this scoundrel’s legs for me!” Qin Wu bellowed. “Whoever does it well, I’ll reward with a jug of wine to drink later!”
Several burly gambling den workers immediately surrounded the man, delivering a flurry of punches and kicks.
The resulting screams were deafening.
A middle-aged man, who had been sipping lamb offal soup, spat and muttered, “Despicable! Plotting against a pure maiden from a respectable family. He’s despicable!”
“He deserves it. Running into Qin Wu, he’s asking for trouble!” Someone chimed in, “Everyone in the county knows that Qin Wu is overbearing and arrogant. However, there’s one thing he abhors the most – harming innocent women. It’s a shame he got involved in this; he’s practically asking for a beating.”
“I feel sorry for the betrothed girl. I wonder which family she’s from, to have encountered such a disaster…”
“It would be best if this incident were to spread. It would be great if the girl’s family found out about this.”
“Seems unlikely. This man doesn’t seem to be from the county. There aren’t many people coming from the villages into the town, so getting word back to the girl’s family might take a long time.”
“That’s true. Once the damage is done, it’s difficult to undo. It’s a shame. He seems like an honest person, but he’s turned out to be involved in gambling and something so despicable.”
“That’s why they say you can know a person’s face but not their heart…”
A group of onlookers outside the lamb soup restaurant discussed the incident.
Jiang Mixia and her group also enjoyed the spectacle.
Encountering such a situation, it was evident that Jiang Mixia, as a woman, was deeply disgusted by the gambling young man. Similarly, the others who had come to drive the carts were all parents and were equally indignant at the thought of an unmarried maiden being manipulated by her future husband, expressing their disdain with a few sharp words.
Song Jingyun furrowed his brow, “This person looks strangely familiar, like I’ve seen him somewhere…”
“Have you?” Jiang Mixia pondered, “I don’t think we know this person. However, since we frequently visit the county town, perhaps we’ve seen him around due to his frequent gambling.”
Her husband seemed to have an exceptional memory; he could recall things or people he’d seen once. His familiarity with others’ faces was quite ordinary.
“Likely,” Song Jingyun shrugged. Without much thought, he finished the remaining lamb offal soup in his bowl.
Having eaten their fill, Jiang Mixia’s group made their way home.
As they were in no rush, they strolled leisurely along the way. By the time they arrived, it was already dark, and there was still a considerable distance to their homes.
After drinking two bowls of lamb offal soup and eating three buns at midday, the people driving the ox carts didn’t feel hungry. However, Jiang Mixia, having witnessed the commotion during the meal, felt nauseous and uncomfortable, only managing to consume half a bowl of soup and half a bun.
In the cold winter, sitting on the open ox cart made it easy to lose body heat. At that moment, Jiang Mixia felt an empty stomach, almost as if echoing the sentiment of the song “Empty City Strategy.”
“Are you hungry, wife?” asked Song Jingyun.
“Not really,” Jiang Mixia replied. “Are you hungry?”
Her husband was prone to hunger and often ate on the way back from the county town. This time, however, he forgot to buy pastries or similar items, which was a miscalculation.
“I’m fine. I had a full lunch, but I think you’re hungry,” Song Jingyun whispered. “Your stomach is growling.”
Being reminded of her hunger by her husband, Jiang Mixia felt a bit embarrassed. “We’re almost home, and we’ll have something to eat soon. I can manage.”
“When you’re hungry, it’s really uncomfortable, and you shouldn’t force yourself,” Song Jingyun took out a bun from his pocket, unwrapping the layers of paper. “Here, have this. I’ve been keeping it warm in my pocket. It’s still warm and won’t be hard to eat.”
Feeling hungry herself at that moment, Jiang Mixia didn’t refuse the offer from her husband. She took it and began eating the small pieces.
The hanging furnace-baked bun, golden and sprinkled with sesame, released a fragrant aroma. Seasoned with a hint of salt and pepper, it was delicious.
“Where did you get this bun?” Jiang Mixia asked as she ate.
“It’s from the lamb soup restaurant at lunch. I noticed you didn’t eat much, so I saved a bun for you to have when you got hungry,” Song Jingyun replied, smiling.
Well, it seemed her husband was surprisingly thoughtful and considerate.