“I choose her!”
Without hesitation, Jin Feng pointed at Guan Xiaorou.
The surroundings fell silent.
Someone dared to marry the jinx?
Even Guan Xiaorou herself was stunned.
She knew Xie Guang and had heard of Jin Feng.
This scholar, known for his aloofness, would choose someone as ill-omened as her?
She had held no hope for Jin Feng, so much so that she thought she misheard, tentatively asking, “What… what did you say?”
“I said I want to marry you. Are you willing to marry me?”
Jin Feng asked slowly.
“I’m willing! I’m willing… thank you… thank you…”
Guan Xiaorou was so excited she became incoherent. “Don’t worry, I’ll work hard, serve you like an ox or horse to repay you…”
Seeing this, the yamen captain quietly sighed in relief.
On the way, he had noticed Guan Xiaorou’s low spirits, fearing she might do something drastic en route, a not uncommon occurrence. Every year or two, some unfortunate girl, unable to marry, would be pushed to despair during the bride delivery.
As the team leader, such incidents would earn him a reprimand and a salary cut.
Now, this burden was finally off his hands.
Fearing Jin Feng might change his mind, the captain quickly signaled the matchmaker.
The matchmaker understood, stepped forward, brought Guan Xiaorou to Jin Feng, and announced, “You are now husband and wife! May you have children soon and grow old together!”
The yamen officer produced a stack of coarse paper, having Jin Feng and Guan Xiaorou press their handprints. One copy was given to them, and one kept for the authorities.
Looking at the so-called marriage certificate, Jin Feng felt a sense of unreality.
Married, just like that?
In both his past and present life, this was his first marriage…
Beside him, Guan Xiaorou clutched the certificate tightly, also feeling it was unreal.
She stole a glance at Jin Feng, saw him looking at her, and quickly lowered her head, her face flushing red.
Next, Zhang Mancang and the others received their certificates, and another household chose a concubine, concluding the bride delivery.
The yamen officers and matchmaker took the remaining eligible girls from Xihewan to the next village.
“Jin Feng, you’ve got some guts, marrying a night demon. Watch out, she’ll curse you to death!”
As soon as the yamen officers left, Xie, the rogue, blocked Jin Feng, taunting him.
“Ignorant fool!” Jin Feng said coldly. “What night demon? Xiaorou can’t handle sunlight, which means she’s destined for wealth and honor!”
“Tch, wealth and honor? I’m afraid you won’t live to enjoy it!”
“Stop meddling in others’ affairs. A good dog doesn’t block the way. Get lost!”
Jin Feng shoved Xie Guang aside and left with Guan Xiaorou.
“We’ve got a score to settle now, Jin Feng. Watch yourself!”
With the yamen officers barely gone, Xie Guang didn’t dare act but shouted threats in frustration.
Jin Feng didn’t look back, only raising his right hand with the middle finger extended.
Though Xie Guang didn’t understand the gesture, he knew Jin Feng was insulting him.
This fueled his hatred, and he spread rumors among the crowd that Guan Xiaorou was a jinx.
The ignorant farmers believed some of it.
“Doomed, doomed, the jinx has married into our village!”
“A wastrel and a jinx together. We should steer clear of their family.”
“Jin Feng married a jinx. He’ll never afford next year’s taxes. He’s headed for conscription.”
“Conscripts go to the vanguard camp. With Jin Feng’s frail body, he’ll never return.”
The villagers’ chatter came from behind.
“I’m sorry…”
Guan Xiaorou’s voice trembled.
“Don’t take it to heart. We’re not eating their food, so their words mean nothing.”
Jin Feng smiled and said, “Remember, don’t argue with fools, or you’ll become one too.”
Still just an eighteen-year-old girl, Guan Xiaorou was amused by Jin Feng’s words, covering her mouth with a smile. Looking at his not-so-burly back, she felt a growing sense of security.
“This is my home.”
Jin Feng pointed at the dilapidated blacksmith shop. “It’s a bit rundown. Don’t mind it.”
Guan Xiaorou quickly shook her head. “I don’t mind, I don’t mind. You’re willing to take me in, and Xiaorou is already endlessly grateful. I’ll work hard at spinning to support your studies…”
“Then I’ll thank my wife in advance!”
Jin Feng, mimicking the ancients from TV dramas, smiled and clasped his hands toward Guan Xiaorou.
“I should be thanking you… thank you…”
Guan Xiaorou, unsure how to return the gesture, flushed red with anxiety and dropped to her knees, kowtowing to Jin Feng…
“Whoa!”
Jin Feng hadn’t expected such a strong reaction and quickly pulled her up. “Alright, alright, I was just teasing. Sit wherever you like. I’ll boil some water for you.”
“You’re… the head of the house. How can you do such things?”
Guan Xiaorou, clutching her clothes, asked softly, “Where’s the kitchen? I’ll do it.”
“Head of the house?”
Jin Feng, hearing this title for the first time, found it amusing.
But seeing Guan Xiaorou so shy she could barely lift her head, and fearing she might kowtow again if flustered, he stopped teasing and pointed to the kitchen.
Guan Xiaorou fled to the kitchen as if escaping.
Jin Feng followed, scratching his head. “Drink some water when it’s boiled. We’re out of grain at home. I’ll pawn something to buy some food.”
Guan Xiaorou, scooping water, paused and looked up. “No need…”
“No, we must. It’s our wedding day, after all. I can’t let you go hungry, can I?”
Jin Feng’s tone was firm.
“No, I mean, you don’t need to pawn anything. When I left, my mother secretly gave me some savings.”
Guan Xiaorou ran to her bundle, carefully pulling out a small piece of silver and a few copper coins, handing them to Jin Feng.
“Seems my mother-in-law cares for her daughter.”
Jin Feng sighed inwardly and took the coins.
Watching Jin Feng leave and looking at the rundown blacksmith shop, Guan Xiaorou’s recently relaxed brows furrowed again.
This household had no savings. How would they survive?
“Forget it. At least someone was willing to take me in. It can’t be worse than before. I’ll take it one day at a time.”
Guan Xiaorou could only console herself.
She heard this scholar had no other bad habits. At worst, she’d swallow her pride tomorrow and borrow a spinning wheel from her sister-in-law to do more work.
She just didn’t know if, before next year’s taxes, she could save enough for both of them…
Jin Feng left discreetly, but when he reached a secluded spot, he awkwardly punched the wall.
Asking the bride for money to buy grain on their wedding day was utterly humiliating.
But running out of food was an urgent issue that had to be solved, or they’d starve.
“This is a historical problem left by the original host. Once I earn money, I’ll repay my mother-in-law double.”
With mastery of math, physics, and chemistry, Jin Feng believed no challenge was too great. He wasn’t worried about the future.
