Chapter 21

Is This Little Devil a Demon?

But Xu Xiaoyao was no pushover. During the day, her man would hit her, but at night, she struck back.

As soon as he fell asleep, she would rain punches and kicks on him, and she even came close to disabling him completely.

The man was terrified; he didn’t dare bully her anymore and had no choice but to grovel.

Xu Jiajia remembered the book mentioning that the man was already 38 years old and had two children. His previous wife had been beaten to death by him.

“Have you seen that man before?”

Xu Xiaoyao’s eyes reddened as she nodded. “I’ve seen him. That man is about your father’s age—old, short, and ugly, with a bald head.

My mother only cares about the bride price. As long as it’s a man, she’s willing to marry me off.

In her eyes, daughters are just tools to earn a bride price.

If she loves the bride price so much, why doesn’t she marry herself off?”

Though this was a rebellious statement, Xu Jiajia found no fault with it. “Your parents are so biased toward sons that they don’t even see you sisters as people. But mark my words, they’ll regret spoiling that useless brother of yours!”

Xu Xiaoyao sneered bitterly. “They waited years for a son, so of course, they spoil him rotten.”

Xu Jiajia pulled her into a warm hug. “Don’t be sad. Some people just aren’t meant to have the love of parents. Think of yourself as a rock that popped out of nowhere.”

Despite the sadness of the topic, Xu Jiajia’s words made Xu Xiaoyao laugh. “I’m lucky to have you.”

Xu Jiajia nodded. “Of course, you’re my best friend. How about this: let’s head to the fields first, and later we’ll go to town together.”

Before they reached the fields, Wang Daniu intercepted them, her face full of anger. “Xiaoyao, come back with me!”

Xu Xiaoyao hid behind Xu Jiajia. “I’m not going back.”

Wang Daniu stepped forward to grab her, but Xu Jiajia blocked her way. “Auntie, this is a new society now. Marriage is a matter of personal freedom. Whether Xiaoyao marries or not is her decision. No one can force her—not even her own parents!”

Wang Daniu, who was uneducated, didn’t understand these concepts. All she knew was that she had given birth to Xu Xiaoyao, so Xu Xiaoyao had to obey her.

She glared at Xu Jiajia. “Xu girl, don’t meddle in other people’s business!”

Xu Jiajia sneered. “Xiaoyao is my best friend. Helping her is my business. Besides…”

Pausing for a moment, she continued, “I’m actually helping you. This is a new society. Marriage is free and cannot be forced—our great leader said so. If you force her to marry and it gets reported, you could go to jail.”

In these times, ordinary people were most afraid of the police and prison. Hearing this, Wang Daniu visibly hesitated, showing a hint of fear.

But considering the high bride price the man had offered and Xu Jiajia’s close relationship with her daughter, Wang Daniu suspected she was bluffing. “You’re trying to trick me. No way!”

Xu Jiajia smiled faintly. “Go ahead and try. If you’re not afraid of going to jail, force Xiaoyao to marry.”

Now Wang Daniu hesitated further. “You mean I could really go to jail?”

Xu Jiajia smirked, lifting her chin confidently. “Of course. I’m a high school graduate. Why would I lie to you?”

Still, the thought of the high bride price made Wang Daniu unwilling to give up. She decided to take the risk. “You’re bluffing.”

“You can test me.” Xu Jiajia stepped closer, her tone calm but her words chilling. “You’ve never been to jail, so you don’t know what it’s like.

I had the chance to hear about it from A-Yue’s friend, who’s in the police force. The cells are dark and cramped, with walls on all sides, cockroaches crawling everywhere, and rats running wild. The walls are stained with filth and blood.

The bloodstains are from the beatings by prison bullies.

When newcomers act up or don’t follow orders, the bullies beat them up.

It’s terrifying…”

As she spoke, Wang Daniu couldn’t help but picture the scenes in her mind. Her face turned pale with fear, and she covered her ears. “Stop! Stop talking!”

Xu Jiajia smiled at Wang Daniu and asked, “So, how about it? Want to give it a try?”

Wang Daniu looked at Xu Jiajia with terror. “…”

This brat, is she a devil?

Seeing her mother so scared she was breaking out in cold sweat, Xu Xiaoyao couldn’t help but laugh mischievously.

Wang Daniu thought about the hefty bride price and felt a pang in her heart. Looking at Xu Xiaoyao, she found her increasingly displeasing. “Come back home with me.”

Out of her five daughters, only the youngest, the fifth one, had such a rebellious streak and often went against them.

Xu Xiaoyao retorted, “I’m not going back. Jiajia said we’re going to town.”

Wang Daniu was so angry she wanted to hit someone. “You wretched girl, skipping work every day! Where do you think the work points will come from? Do you think you can just marry a soldier like her?”

Xu Xiaoyao thought for a moment and said, “Fine, I’ll find a soldier to marry in the future too.”

Wang Daniu’s eyes lit up. That’s right, why hadn’t she thought of this before? “Xu girl, your husband is a soldier, isn’t he? How about you find a soldier for Xiaoyao too? We’re not asking for much, just 300 yuan as a bride price.”

Xu Xiaoyao sneered at herself. See, this was her own mother, someone who only cared about money and not people.

“Our whole family works hard all year and barely earns over a hundred yuan in a good year, less than fifty in a bad year. And here you are asking for 300. Why don’t you just go rob someone?”

Wang Daniu threatened her. “I won’t force you to marry that man, but the bride price has to be 300 yuan. If not, forget about getting married.”

Xu Xiaoyao laughed bitterly. “Didn’t you make enough money selling off my four sisters?”

Wang Daniu flared up. “Do you believe I won’t hit you?”

Xu Xiaoyao stood firm. “Go ahead. I have no money to give, just my life.”

Wang Daniu was speechless. She wished she could shove her daughter back into her womb and remake her entirely.

“Fine, Xiaoyao. I won’t force you to marry, but you have to come back home and work.”

Xu Xiaoyao corrected her, “My name is Xu Xiaoyao. Stop calling me ‘Fifth Girl.’”

Her four older sisters were called Big Girl, Second Girl, and so on. She was the fifth and thus called Fifth Girl.

But Granny Xu had thought “Fifth Girl” sounded unpleasant, like the croak of a crow, and had renamed her Xiaoyao.

…

The red sun hung high in the sky.

Villagers were busy working in the vast fields.

Sweat dripped from their dirt-streaked foreheads, shining like sparkling pearls.

Matchmaker Li was working with Granny Xu. When she saw Xu Jiajia coming, she immediately patted Granny Xu on the shoulder. “Sister, Jiajia’s here!”

Following Matchmaker Li’s gaze, Granny Xu looked over.

It really was her!

Granny Xu put down her hoe and quickly walked over, taking the small bamboo basket from Xu Jiajia’s hands. “The sun is so scorching. What are you doing out in the fields?”

Xu Jiajia smiled brightly. “I brought you some sugar water to sweeten your day.”

Granny Xu’s heart was as sweet as honey, though she spoke words of scorn. “Sugar is so precious, and all you know is how to waste it. Don’t bring it next time!”

Xu Jiajia loved seeing her grandmother’s outward sternness and inner kindness. She couldn’t resist hugging Granny Xu and planting a big kiss on her cheek. “Grandma, is it sweet? Sweeter than honey, isn’t it?”

Granny Xu was dumbfounded by the kiss, and when she came to her senses, she gave Xu Jiajia a light pat. “You shameless girl!”

Xu Jiajia, with her modern mindset, believed in expressing love openly. “Not shameless at all! I just love kissing Grandma.”

Granny Xu laughed so hard the wrinkles on her face could trap a mosquito. “You cheeky girl, always know how to make Grandma happy!”

The grandmother and granddaughter were enjoying their conversation when suddenly, a voice shouted from behind.

“Help! Someone fell into the river! Any man who can swim, come save them!” It was Xu Xiaoyao calling out in panic.