Chapter 12: The Fairy Sent by Heaven to Torment Him

The shop assistant chimed in with flattery, “This young lady is so beautiful; your in-laws will surely like her.”

She thought to herself, if all customers were as good-looking as this couple, doing business would be so much more enjoyable.

“How much is this dress?”

“Twelve yuan, plus two fabric coupons.”

Before the shopkeeper could finish speaking, Xie Zhi was already reaching for his wallet, but Xu Jiaojiao quickly stopped him. “Hubby, you’ve already bought the wedding dress. Let me pay for this. Mom gave me plenty of money.”

Last night, Xu’s mother had handed over most of the family’s savings to her, around 120 yuan, not to mention fabric and food coupons.

Feeling the warm, smooth sensation of her hand, as soft as jade, and even catching a whiff of her scent, Xie Zhi felt a wave of contentment wash over him.

“Jiaojiao, I get a salary every month,” Xie Zhi said as he handed the money to the shopkeeper.

Teaching in the village didn’t pay much; his salary was eight yuan a month. But with the forty work points he received as a subsidy, his earnings were equivalent to a strong laborer’s wages.

Thinking about this, Xu Jiaojiao felt her face flush. Most girls her age were either helping at home or earning work points, while she was sleeping in late every day, often needing her mother and Xie Zhi to remind her to eat.

At that moment, a desire to find a job of her own reached its peak.

“You even bought a wedding dress? That’s rare these days,” the shopkeeper remarked while wrapping the dress. This man was truly thoughtful.

“Yes,” Xie Zhi nodded.

After they left the store, Xu Jiaojiao insisted on not buying anything else. Xie Zhi, helpless, allowed her to pull him away. Anyway, they would have plenty of opportunities to come to town in the future, so there was no rush today.

It was already 1:00 PM, and they hadn’t had lunch yet. Since they were still full from their meal at the state-owned restaurant, they decided to save their appetite for dinner.

Xie Zhi then took Jiaojiao to the post office, marking her first time accompanying him to pick up a package from his parents.

His parents were grateful to the Xu family for taking in their son and were especially happy that even their only daughter was willing to marry him. After all, in these times, it was rare for someone from a poor peasant family like Xu’s to marry someone with a capitalist background like Xie Zhi. Naturally, they tried to send good things to the couple whenever they could.

Xie Zhi had secretly mailed some of their photos to his parents, and Xie’s mother had instantly taken a liking to the pretty and endearing Xu Jiaojiao, sending over lots of fashionable things for her.

“What does the letter say?”

“I told my parents we’re getting married.”

Xu Jiaojiao responded with an “oh” and watched as a man in a green uniform handed Xie Zhi a large package. Curious, she asked, “No need for a receipt or anything?”

“They remember me because I pick up packages regularly.”

Thinking about her room, where the cabinets were stuffed with all sorts of things, including various snacks, Xu Jiaojiao was a bit astonished. It seemed that Xie Zhi’s parents really liked her.

“They’ve always been sending things, but I’ve never sent anything back.”

Xie Zhi tore off the outer layer of the package, leaving the cleaner inner layer, and smiled. “It’s alright. They really like you.”

Xu Jiaojiao looked down, her ears turning bright red as she shyly lowered her head.

After picking up the dishes they had ordered from the state-owned restaurant, the two headed to the prearranged meeting place. Upon arrival, they found that most of the group had already gathered.

A group of young people surrounded Shen Yun, seemingly admiring the new clothes she was wearing.

When they saw Xie Zhi and Xu Jiaojiao approaching, the group became even more boisterous, especially Li Jing, who was good friends with Shen Yun.

Glancing at Shen Yun, Li Jing deliberately raised her voice, sounding triumphant: “Ah Yun, this dress looks so good on you! Good thing you didn’t listen to Xu Jiaojiao and decided to buy it. I think she was just jealous of how pretty you look.”

Xu Jiaojiao: “…”

When had she ever told Shen Yun not to buy that dress? But arguing with fools only blurs the line between who’s foolish.

Xu Jiaojiao pulled out some milk candies her brother had given her earlier that morning, unwrapped one, and fed it to Xie Zhi first, her fingers almost touching his lips.

Xie Zhi froze instantly, his eyes locking on Jiaojiao as he took the candy into his mouth. He let out a low hum, “So sweet.”

Jiaojiao was mesmerized by him. How was this man always so effortlessly charming? Quickly, she fed herself a candy as well. The creamy sweetness was so rich, far more authentic than the milk candies of the future.

Seeing that Xu Jiaojiao was ignoring them, one of the girls sneered, “Shen Yun, I think you should’ve listened to Xu Jiaojiao’s advice.”

Shen Yun’s face turned bright red at the remark, especially when she realized the speaker was Yang Mei, with whom she had never gotten along.

Shen Yun chuckled, her voice dripping with sarcasm, “Oh dear, why are you so concerned with what I do, Yang Mei? Maybe you should focus on making sure your mom doesn’t sell you off into marriage.”

With a smug expression, Shen Yun waved her hand, signaling to the others. Li Jing eagerly played along and leaned in close. “I heard from my mom that Yang Mei’s fiancé is the son of a guy who hauls manure. Ha ha ha!”

The group of girls burst into laughter, nearly doubling over.

Yang Mei’s face went pale as her embarrassment deepened. Her thin eyebrows drooped, and her lips quivered, but in the end, she said nothing.

Among these girls, she was the least favored by her parents. Even though Shen Yun’s family preferred sons, they would never sell her off for money like Yang Mei’s family might.

“So what if he hauls manure? At least he earns an honest living, unlike some people who only know how to take advantage of others. Right, Shen Yun?” Xu Jiaojiao suddenly spoke up.

“Now that we’ve been liberated, everyone is equal. Who still looks down on others for their profession?” Xie Zhi added.

Shen Yun, feeling increasingly flustered after being rebuked, snorted and turned away, arms crossed. She vowed to herself that one day, when she was more successful, she would make Xu Jiaojiao pay.

Yang Mei, though still feeling uneasy, managed a smile when she met Jiaojiao’s bright, clear eyes. Jiaojiao was just too dazzling, so dazzling that it was hard not to feel inferior.

At 4:00 PM, the ox cart left right on schedule. After a long day of travel, Xu Jiaojiao eventually dozed off on Xie Zhi’s shoulder. Fortunately, since they were an engaged couple, and everyone knew they were from the same village, nobody gossiped about it.

Xie Zhi sat upright like a sturdy tree, his back as straight as a white poplar. His shoulder, firm and strong, supported the soft, warm sensation of Jiaojiao resting against him. Every now and then, a sweet fragrance would drift from her, tickling his senses.

Glancing down slightly, he could see her smooth, delicate face and moist lips. His Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed hard, the joy and affection in his heart growing.

He was utterly smitten. Xie Zhi couldn’t help but think that Xu Jiaojiao must have been sent by heaven to torment him. Every inch of her seemed tailor-made to fit his desires, tempting him to fall deeper and deeper into her spell.

Her soft, even breaths tickled the side of his neck, sending shivers down his spine, as if a fire had ignited inside him.

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