Chapter 4: Follow Him, and There’s Meat to Eat

“When he first came to the village, many people gossiped about him. I remember it was summer at the time, so he wasn’t wearing much. Some people saw a scar on his chest and spread rumors saying he had been a bandit. But have you ever seen a bandit who can read and write, and one who looks so handsome? I certainly don’t believe it.

So if anyone talks nonsense in front of you, don’t believe them. They’re just narrow-minded. Who says you have to be a bandit to wield a blade? Those who escort goods for a living, aren’t they risking their lives too?

And do you know how much he brought to propose? I’ll tell you, everyone in the village is jealous of your family right now. He brought half a wild boar, freshly hunted from the mountain yesterday, weighing at least fifty to sixty pounds of meat. He also brought a pair of wild geese, a pair of rabbits, and I even saw dates, peanuts, and sugar, all packed into two big baskets.”

“Really?” Tao Hua was stunned. Her mother hadn’t mentioned these things, and she couldn’t believe he brought so much. “But my mother said life with him might mean we’d sometimes go hungry.”

“Mm…” Sun Xiaolan furrowed her brows, thinking for a moment before saying, “That’s true, but isn’t he just living alone without a woman to manage the household? Once you marry him, won’t that be different? If your family runs out of rice, you can always trade meat with me. Come here, I have something else to tell you!”

Sun Xiaolan, acting mysteriously, pulled Tao Hua to sit on the bed.

Tao Hua, confused, asked, “What do you want to tell me?”

Sun Xiaolan grinned mischievously, leaning in close to Tao Hua’s ear and whispered, “I want to talk to you about the wedding night.”

Tao Hua’s face turned red, and her ears began to burn. “I… I think my mother will talk to me about that.”

“Your mother might be too embarrassed to tell you the details, but we’re good friends, so I can tell you everything,” Sun Xiaolan said, lowering her voice further. “They say tall men are more impressive in that area. You’re so small, I’m afraid you won’t be able to handle it, so I’ll teach you a few tricks in advance.”

At first, Tao Hua didn’t understand what Sun Xiaolan meant by “tricks,” but by the end, her face was so red it felt like it was going to bleed!

Sun Xiaolan couldn’t stop talking about these things, and Tao Hua, too embarrassed, finally asked, “Where do you get all these ideas?”

Sun Xiaolan laughed, “Don’t you remember? I have six older sisters. When they come home to visit, what do you think they talk about at night? It’s all about eating, sleeping, and having babies. Sigh, did you remember everything I told you?”

Tao Hua, feeling embarrassed, pretended she hadn’t.

Sun Xiaolan could tell she was just pretending, and the two of them immediately rolled on the bed, playfully wrestling.

In the midst of their playful scuffle, Tao Hua’s older sister, Chen Xiaoguo, suddenly burst into the room.

“Not good, sister! Father suddenly doesn’t want you to get married! He wants to chase that man away!”

“What?” Hearing Chen Xiaoguo’s words, Tao Hua’s face instantly turned pale.

Sun Xiaolan also changed her expression: “What is that drunken old man up to now?”

Chen Xiaoguo quickly ran over to Tao Hua and said, “Sister, father insists on asking that man for ten taels of silver. He says if he doesn’t give ten taels as a betrothal gift, he won’t let you marry him!”

“What!!!” Sun Xiaolan exploded with rage, “Does he think he’s selling his daughter? Shameless! I’m going to tell my grandfather, and he’ll step in and do something about it.”

But before Sun Xiaolan could move, Tao Hua grabbed her arm.

Seeing this, Sun Xiaolan became frustrated, “Are you really going to let him do this? You finally have a chance to get out of this hellhole, and you’re just going to endure it again?”

“It’s not like that,” Tao Hua shook her head, her eyes firm. “I will definitely distance myself from Chen Dashan. I’m not trying to stop you. I just need your help with something.”

“Help? Tell me what it is!”

Tao Hua leaned in close to Sun Xiaolan’s ear and whispered a few words.

After listening, Sun Xiaolan slapped her chest with determination and said, “Don’t worry, I’ll take care of this!”

After Sun Xiaolan left, Tao Hua adjusted her clothes and went out.

When she stepped outside, she saw Chen Dashan sitting with his legs crossed on the basket Qin Feng had brought, shouting, “If you don’t bring out ten taels of silver today, don’t even think about marrying my daughter!”

Seeing Tao Hua appear, Chen Dashan immediately grabbed her and dragged her in front of Qin Feng. “Look at my daughter, she has such delicate skin and a beautiful figure. Who in the ten-mile radius could compare to her? I raised her like a little young mistress, but now you’ve ruined her! If you don’t give me these ten taels of silver, who else will?!”

Being humiliated by her stepfather in front of so many people, Tao Hua was filled with rage!

She immediately jerked her arm free from Chen Dashan’s grip and pushed him hard. “Just because I’m your stepdaughter, you think you can treat me like this? I’ve already told you, yesterday I was so ashamed that I tried to drown myself, but a kind person saved me. It wasn’t like you say, that I was sneaking around!

Chen Dashan, do you know why I didn’t tell you who saved me? Because I knew you would try to extort them, and I didn’t want to drag my savior into this. Now that he’s come to propose, you’ve already gone and asked him for money. I’ve called you father all these years, do you have a heart of stone?!”

“What did you say?!” Chen Dashan didn’t care about Tao Hua’s tears at all. All he heard was Tao Hua calling his name, and he raised his hand to slap her. “How dare you call my name directly? Who gave you the courage? Are you looking to die?!”