Chapter 2 Caught in rape

“Tingting, why are you still saving her face? Everyone in the village knows she’s shameless, always trying to steal Hongwen. I saw her in town today buying some filthy aphrodisiac. She must be planning to use some despicable trick on Hongwen!” shouted Fang Juan, who was usually close with Ji Tingting.

Ji Tingting clutched Fang Juan’s arm, her whole body looking weak and about to collapse, as if trying hard to stop Fang Juan’s words yet powerless to do so.
“Juanzi, there must be some misunderstanding. Don’t…”

Shen Meifang waved her hands repeatedly.
“No, my Hongwen is the most sensible child. He would never do anything to wrong Tingting. Besides, everyone knows you and my Hongwen are a pair, the engagement is already being arranged. We wouldn’t just sit back and let him do something so foolish.”

“I know Brother Hongwen is a good person, but it’s Ji Tangtang who’s shameless! What if she drugs him and forces him, taking his innocence, and insists on marrying him then?” Fang Juan said, throwing a glance at Ji Tingting.
“You’re too naive. At a time like this you’re still trying to cover for her? You think of her, but does she think of you? When she steals Hongwen from you, you’ll be the one crying!”

“Tingting, we all know you’re a good girl, not like your cousin. But you can’t be too soft-hearted in life. One must have limits.” The villagers who had followed along all tried persuading Ji Tingting, telling her not to be too kind—especially not to someone as shameless as Ji Tangtang.

“Auntie, please, take us to see Brother Hongwen, so we can all be at ease,” Fang Juan urged.

“Fine, follow me.” Shen Meifang turned and led the group to a door painted with glossy red lacquer. Pushing it open, she said,
“Hongwen came back from work exhausted today and went straight to sleep. Look for yourselves.”

“Mom, what are you doing?” Gu Hongwen lifted his blanket, rubbing his eyes with his fingers, his gaze still drowsy.

Shen Meifang didn’t answer him, but turned to the villagers.
“See? I told you Ji Tangtang isn’t in our house. My Hongwen is about to get engaged to Tingting—how could he do something so foolish?”

“Mom, what on earth is going on? And could you stop dragging me together with that disgusting woman?” A flash of anger passed through Gu Hongwen’s eyes, his voice full of impatience. Clearly, he was utterly fed up with Ji Tangtang—even hearing her name made him bristle.

Hearing his words, Ji Tingting’s heart rippled with sweetness. She cast him a shy glance, then quickly lowered her eyes like a frightened little rabbit. Yet after a moment, she couldn’t help sneaking another look, her gaze tangling with his in silent intimacy.

Fang Juan didn’t notice their wordless exchange. Anxiously she said,
“Tingting, you have to believe me—I really saw Ji Tangtang buying medicine today. If she didn’t set her trap for Brother Hongwen, maybe she’s targeting someone else!”

“That’s impossible! My family only has Hongwen and Shiyu. Shiyu lives in the side house, and his legs are injured…” Shen Meifang started walking with the group toward the small side room on the left.
“Tang Tang couldn’t possibly be in his room. But if you’re really worried, go ahead and take a look.”

Inside the side room, Ji Tangtang had already woken the moment Ji Tingting brought the crowd into the courtyard. She had by now figured out her situation.

After being struck by lightning, her soul had come through carrying her true body and the entire secret realm space into the 1970s. Though she now inhabited the body of the original Ji Tangtang, in essence she was still a peach blossom spirit. Which meant the Yin-Yang Hundred Union Pill in her system had not been neutralized.

This Gu Shiyu—who in others’ eyes was a cripple, a burden, a useless man—was, to her, the perfect antidote, a great tonic. She had already decided: this man was hers.

But just because she had set her sights on Gu Shiyu didn’t mean she was willing to be schemed against by the heroine, or be caught in bed by a mob of villagers.

She shot up quickly, slipped on her clothes in a few hurried motions, and in the instant before Fang Juan pushed the door open, she darted under the bed.

At the same moment, the door creaked open and a crowd surged inside.

Gu Shiyu lay with eyes closed on the bed, the tattered quilt pulled up to his chin, leaving only his head exposed, the rest of him hidden completely.

Seeing only Gu Shiyu lying there, Shen Meifang and Ji Tingting were both startled for a moment. But soon they smoothed over the surprise in their eyes.

“See? Didn’t I say Tangtang isn’t here? It was all just a misunderstanding,” Shen Meifang said, though her eyes kept flicking suspiciously around the room.

Gu Shiyu had gone to the army at sixteen, and stayed for ten years. Only recently had he been carried home, paralyzed, to recover. After ten years away, his room in the house was long gone. This side room had once been the woodshed, hastily converted. Aside from an old rickety bed, there was nothing inside.

But Shen Meifang had clearly seen Tangtang shut inside earlier—so why wasn’t she on the bed? Had she realized she had gotten into the wrong room and hidden herself somewhere?

Her gaze drifted, almost unconsciously, toward the underside of the bed. She thought her little action was discreet, but it all fell into Gu Shiyu’s eyes. His heart tightened, a deep sorrow filling him.

For ten years, every month in the army he had sent his allowance home to support his younger siblings’ education. And yet, the moment they learned he was crippled, they rushed to calculate against him, eager to cast him aside like a burden.

And now Tangtang, too, was dragged into this because of him…

He closed his eyes, resolve forming in his heart. When the villagers discovered Ji Tangtang hiding under the bed, he would take all the blame upon himself.

But strangely, after staring under the bed for a long moment, Shen Meifang said nothing. Finally, she led the villagers out of the room.

He had no idea that the moment Ji Tangtang slipped under the bed, she actually flashed straight into her secret realm.

The secret realm she possessed was a vast, independent space. Although there were plenty of ferocious beasts inside, the area where her true body resided was perfectly safe.

The original body hadn’t eaten properly for who knew how long. After all the turmoil just now, her stomach cramped painfully with hunger. Once inside the realm, Ji Tangtang, familiar with every corner of it, immediately went into the forest and picked several red fruits.

The red fruits looked somewhat like wax apples, but they were larger and crispier, with a sweet taste. Most importantly, all the fruits in the realm contained spiritual energy. After just one bite, warmth spread through her stomach, and her whole body came alive again.

She ate three in a row. When the noise outside finally subsided and only Gu Shiyu remained in the room, she wiped her mouth and stepped back out of the secret realm.

With concise words, she said,
“About what happened today, I’ll take responsibility. Tomorrow morning I’ll arrange for someone to come and propose marriage at your house.”

Gu Shiyu instinctively rubbed his ears, half-convinced his illness had spread to them and made him mishear.

What did she say? She was going to send someone to propose?

Seeing his stunned look, Ji Tangtang said,
“What? You’re unwilling? I think you can tell that there’s no place for you in the Gu family anymore. You’d be better off coming with me to the Ji family. The Ji family may be poor, but at least things are simple there. You won’t have to deal with endless troubles, and it’ll be easier for you to recuperate.”

She had already examined Gu Shiyu’s legs earlier—they were indeed badly injured. With 1970s medical standards, the chance of recovery was slim to none.

But he was lucky—he had met her.

Modern medicine might not be able to heal him, but with the rare treasures of her secret realm, fixing his legs wasn’t all that difficult.

With that thought, Ji Tangtang raised an eyebrow.
“Or is it that you care about your pride, and don’t want to become a son-in-law who marries into his wife’s family?”

Thinking of his current situation, Gu Shiyu gave a self-deprecating smile.
“As long as you don’t mind that I’m a cripple, a burden to you, then it’s fine.”

Ji Tangtang beamed.
“Don’t worry. You’ve helped me, and I’ll help you. Rest assured, you’ll be back on your feet soon.”

But Gu Shiyu didn’t take her words to heart. He had already been treated at the military district’s best hospital. The top doctors there had said his legs would never recover—how could he possibly stand again?

Even so, he acknowledged he bore some fault for today’s incident. Though paralyzed, as a soldier, it was his duty to take responsibility rather than shirk it.

“Alright. I’ll wait for you. From now on, I’ll do my best…not to make things difficult for you.”

Ji Tangtang smiled at him.
“Good, it’s settled then.”

With that, she vaulted out the window, vanishing into the night in the blink of an eye.

Gu Shiyu stared into the pitch-black sky, for a fleeting moment doubting whether he had just imagined it all.