Chapter 33: A Beautiful Dream

“But… I heard people say that after wearing that wool sweater, some people’s skin rotted. Do you think your father will end up like that too?”

“Sigh, that’s not something we need to worry about. Besides, if you don’t say anything and I don’t say anything, who’s going to know his skin problems have anything to do with us? And if he dies, even better—no one will exploit me anymore, right?” Zhaodi smiled sweetly. “You know exactly how greedy my family can be.”

“Zhaodi, you’re so good to me. I don’t even know what to say anymore. Anyway, from now on, I’m only yours!”

“Mhm, don’t worry. When you can’t move anymore, I’ll stay by your side and never leave you. And if you die, I won’t go on living either!”

“Zhaodi…”

As they talked, the two of them arrived at Fu Ting and Ruan Jiaojiao’s home next door.

The first to see her was Little Bao.

“Big Sister Zhaodi! You’re here~”

Little Bao was busy building a snowman. When he saw her, he ran happily toward the gate. But as soon as he noticed the man standing beside her with his crooked head, he froze in place, too scared to make a sound.

The man beside Big Sister Zhaodi looked like some kind of monster.

At the same time, Ruan Jiaojiao and Fu Ting heard the noise and stepped outside.

“Second Aunt!”

The moment Zhaodi saw Ruan Jiaojiao, the taut string in her head finally loosened.

She looked like a migratory bird that had finally found its way home, eager to pour out her heart.

Ruan Jiaojiao could tell what she wanted, and just as she was about to speak, the crooked-head man called out “Second Aunt,” dragging her back to reality.

Ruan Jiaojiao: “…”

Good grief. A man twenty years older than her calling her “Second Aunt,” and with his head tilted like that? Wasn’t this enough to shave years off her life?

“…Uh, yes, come in. I prepared some side dishes for drinking. You and your… Second Uncle can have a couple cups. I’ll chat with Zhaodi.”

“Alright then, Second Aunt. You really are so kind, virtuous, and understanding. Truly, the best Second Aunt in the world!”

This shameless old man was actually getting addicted to calling her that, his lecherous eyes glued to Ruan Jiaojiao.

Fu Ting couldn’t stand it any longer. He stepped forward, grabbed the crooked-head man, and said, “Come on, Second Uncle will drink with you.”

Ruan Jiaojiao almost burst out laughing. From Fu Ting’s tone, she knew he was definitely up to something.

Meanwhile, Ruan Jiaojiao pulled Zhaodi into the kitchen and asked her what had happened.

“Second Aunt…”

Zhaodi threw herself into Ruan Jiaojiao’s arms and cried bitterly before she could speak. “Thank goodness for you. Without you, I wouldn’t know what to do…”

Ruan Jiaojiao gently rubbed her back, calming her without rushing.

Only after Zhaodi steadied herself did she slowly explain what she had done.

The crooked-head man liked to beat people because, ever since childhood, he had been mocked for his deformity.

When he grew up, he discovered that beating his wife—and hearing her cries for mercy—brought him a twisted sense of relief.

Over time, this warped his personality.

After marrying Zhaodi, seeing such a young, beautiful woman kneel and beg for his mercy filled his vanity even more.

Zhaodi understood this, so every night she knelt to serve him, like a lowly maid, currying favor to gain his trust. That was step one.

Since he could get what he wanted without beating her, his violence toward her lessened.

Then Zhaodi helped him deal with relatives who were eyeing the compensation money for his dead son. What he didn’t know was that Zhaodi had secretly promised those relatives that once they helped her get rid of him, she’d hand all the money over—she wouldn’t keep a cent.

The crooked-head man thought Zhaodi was clever, not only making him happy but also solving troublesome family matters. So, he let her manage the money.

Zhaodi knew that even with money, she still couldn’t leave him yet. So she continued to endure.

She said, “Second Aunt, my next step is to give him a child, so he’ll be completely devoted to me. But… I’m still young, my body should be fine, and crooked-head isn’t that old—people say men can father kids well into their seventies—so I started to wonder, is it me who has a problem?”

“I went to get checked. The doctor said I’m fine. Later, I secretly asked around and found out that back when crooked-head was beating his first wife, afraid she’d be hurt too badly, he had the village doctor treat her. I went to that same doctor. Though he didn’t admit anything about crooked-head’s first wife, I could see it in his eyes—they definitely weren’t simple.”

“Second Aunt, I feel like my thinking has changed so much. Before, when I heard about things like this, I’d always blame the woman, say she was wrong to cheat. But now I think—haha—that crooked-head’s first wife did the right thing! Only, she chose the wrong man. If she had picked someone capable of taking her far away, it would’ve been perfect!”

Ruan Jiaojiao smiled and said, “Exactly. Who says cheating is a man’s privilege? Once you realize your man is no good, why should you stay loyal?”

“Hehe, Second Aunt, you really get it. Every time you talk, it opens my eyes. Oh, by the way, I plan to keep this matter a secret until crooked-head is on his deathbed—then I’ll tell him, just to spite him!”

“For now… I want to fake a pregnancy. Second Aunt, do you have any way to help me?”

Ruan Jiaojiao: “…Yes! Go to Grandma Xue and give her my name. She’ll help you.”

“Mhm! Thank you, Second Aunt!”

After their hushed conversation, they returned to find that Fu Jun had already been “drunk under the table” by Fu Ting.

“Crooked-head’s not a lightweight. What did you give him?”

“Just something that’ll keep him out cold,” Fu Ting explained. “Found it in the mountains a few years ago. While he’s asleep, I smeared something on his eyes. Soon enough, he won’t be able to see anymore.”

—Look at my wife one more time, and I’ll make sure you never see again!

So, Fu Ting could really hold a grudge.

Ruan Jiaojiao suppressed her laughter.

The three of them enjoyed their meal for the second day of the new year, ignoring crooked-head. By the time he woke, they were all smiles again.

“You’re awake? Come on, let’s head home.”

Zhaodi helped him up and out.

“Why did I suddenly fall asleep? My eyes are burning too… What just happened?”

“I don’t know. You dozed off, and so did I. I even dreamed that a dragon drilled into my belly.”

As they passed Grandma Xue’s house, Zhaodi clung to her husband and said, “That dream felt strange. Let’s ask Grandma Xue to interpret it, shall we?”

Grandma Xue was the most famous “witch” in the area.