Chapter 103: If Line: Reborn Before Marrying Xizhi [1]
Song Yugui hadn’t known that she had caused Xizhi to return late and had even been beaten and scolded by her mother. Having just seen her wife, her mood was actually quite good.
Auntie Li had come back early. She asked her auntie how things had gone.
The other also looked a little happy and quickly asked, “They said they want six taels. Are you willing?”
Six taels is fine. The original owner, that big idiot, had spent over twenty!
Song Yugui was speechless when she thought about it.
She nodded. “Of course I’m willing. Thank you for your help, Auntie.”
“Aiya, what’s there to thank me for? We’re neighbors. It’s just that I saw that family, the way they get greedy at the sight of money… I took a look at Shen Xizhi, and she’s not bad. She’s beautiful, as white as snow. It’s just that with in-laws like that, you’re a young woman yourself. Don’t let them take advantage of you in the future.”
For the sake of that half-tael of silver, Auntie Li was rarely worried about her.
The corners of Song Yugui’s mouth twitched. “Xizhi will be my woman after she marries me. She’ll have no more relationship with that Shen family.”
Auntie Li: …
She had rarely heard anyone say that they would make their wife sever ties with her family after she married.
A wasted worry. I almost forgot, Song Yugui is the village’s little hooligan! I shouldn’t be worried about her. I should be more worried about the Shen family. And that Miss Shen Xizhi I saw today. One look and you can tell she’s honest and easy to bully. I hope she doesn’t get bullied to death by Song Yugui after she marries.
“Then I’ll have to trouble you to go over tomorrow and help me discuss the wedding date.”
“Ah, tomorrow? You’re in such a hurry?”
“Mmm, the sooner we get married, the better.”
“Alright then. I’ll go and ask tomorrow. They probably won’t refuse you.”
Seeing how their eyes had lit up at the sight of money, even if Song Yugui were a woman, they would probably be afraid she would run away.
“Thank you, Auntie.”
Song Yugui went home and chopped a few more ribs from the meat she had left over today and gave them to Auntie Li.
Auntie Li was pleasantly surprised to receive the thank-you gift and only then decided that she would do her best to help her get married.
Uncle Song still didn’t approve of lesbians getting married, but no one cared about his opinion. No matter how unhappy he was, he could only keep it to himself.
Song Yugui lay alone on the empty bed in the middle of the night, feeling a little lonely and unable to sleep.
Aiya, my wife, my wife. What should I buy for my wife tomorrow…
She fell asleep thinking of her wife.
The next morning, when she went to sell meat, Song Yugui took a liking to a meat pancake. She had had a meat pancake for breakfast. It was eight wen each, the meat was thick, the juice was plentiful, and the taste was very good.
What good things could Xizhi eat in the Shen family? Her wife still had to be raised by her to be raised well.
Song Yugui sighed. Thinking of those things, she couldn’t help but feel sorry for her.
After selling her own meat, she went to the meat pancake stall to pay and buy two meat pancakes. She specially had them wrap them in a few more layers of oil paper so that they could stay a little warmer and wouldn’t burn her if she put them on her chest.
She pushed her cart and ran home. After putting away the cart, she went to Shenjia Village to find her wife.
Shen Xizhi had to do housework every day, cut pig feed, and pull vegetables from the fields. She didn’t have to wait long before she saw her come out.
The young woman quietly carried a full basket on her back and left the house. Tsk, you poor thing, having to do so much work.
She crouched on the path Xizhi had to take. This time, the other didn’t ignore her and walk past her but silently stopped, her large, dark, moist eyes looking at her, as if she wanted to talk to her but didn’t know how, after all, they had only met once.
Seeing her wife hesitate, Song Yugui took the initiative to stand up and call out to her, “Xizhi, are you going to cut pig feed again?”
Shen Xizhi nervously gripped her sickle and nodded in a fluster, thinking, She’s really here to find me…
“Mmm, I… I don’t need your help to cut it today…”
She could also cut it very quickly herself.
“Hah, what’s there to it? I’ll help you.”
She quickly followed and walked side by side with her.
Shen Xizhi lowered her eyes and shook her head blankly. “This is my family’s work. How can I let you do it?”
She actually still wanted to ask, Don’t you have any work to do at home? How can you come out every day?
“It’s alright. I’m just bored.”
Shen Xizhi pressed her lips together and looked at her cautiously. From yesterday to today, she still didn’t know why she was being so good to her.
“You… is your aunt still coming over today?”
“Mmm, she’ll be here later. Have you had lunch?”
Shen Xizhi lowered her eyes and shook her head. “I haven’t.”
Song Yugui was surprised. “Why did you come out to work without having lunch? It’s not good for your health.”
A silence filled the air. For a moment, she didn’t know how to reply.
That’s right. It’s not good for your health. But… this is not something she can choose.
The young woman pressed her lips together.
Her heart was a little dejected. Her mother had said that she had deliberately been lazy when she was tidying up the house in the morning and wouldn’t let her eat lunch. It was a very common thing and had happened often in the past. But she didn’t know why, but when she saw this woman and heard her ask, a wave of grievance that she wanted to pour out suddenly rose in her heart.
As if this person would take all her grievances and then hold her, coax her, and be good to her again and again.
She was really dreaming more and more…
Seeing her not speaking, Song Yugui pressed her lips together and, guessing something, her expression also became not very good. She took the basket from Xizhi’s back and then took out a thick oil-paper bag from her robes and handed it to her.
Shen Xizhi was shocked. After she reacted, she dazedly took the oil-paper bag, remembering that she had said yesterday that she would buy her more. It’s true. She really bought it.
“In a little while, like yesterday, I’ll help you cut, and you can sit on the side and eat and talk to me, okay?”
Her words were gentle, a gentleness Shen Xizhi rarely heard. No one in her family had such a good temper, so she subconsciously said, “Alright.”
After she reacted, she quickly shook her head again. “N-no. I’ll just cut it myself. And I can’t always eat your things. You can eat them yourself…”
“Why can’t you eat them? I specially bought them for you. If you don’t eat them, it will be a waste.”
Shen Xizhi lowered her head and said in a soft and low voice, “You can eat them yourself.”
“I don’t want to eat them. I want you to eat them.”
She held her hand without a word and stuffed the things into her hand. “You can have them. Haven’t you eaten? What if you faint from hunger in a little while?”
Song Yugui’s eyes were filled with sorrow.
The Shen family was too bad. She really wanted to steal her wife out. What kind of heartless person would not even give their own daughter food!
“I won’t faint from hunger. I’m used to it.”
The voice beside her was very light and thin and had to be listened to carefully to be heard.
Hearing her say she was used to it, Song Yugui’s heart ached even more.
Damn it! A bunch of heartless people!
Her cheeks puffed out. “No! You have to eat!”
Her tone was also very firm, as if… if she didn’t eat, she would be unhappy.
Shen Xizhi blinked her beautiful eyes, not knowing what to say. Soon, they reached the place where they cut pig feed. As she had done yesterday, she was pressed down to sit on the side, not allowed to go down and work.
“Hurry up and open it and see what we’re having today.”
She was clearly the one who had bought it. She should have known what was inside.
Shen Xizhi’s fingertips landed on it. It was still a little warm. She gently opened the oil-paper bag, and inside were actually two pancakes. The skin was soft and crispy, wrapped with filling, and the fragrance came out, making one’s appetite open.
She silently swallowed her saliva.
She wanted to eat it but managed to hold it in. “This must be very expensive. Y-you should just eat it yourself.”
Being refused all the time, Song Yugui couldn’t help but frown, looking a little displeased.
“I said it’s for you. Why won’t you eat it?”
Her tone became serious. Shen Xizhi’s heart skipped a beat. Is she… is she angry? Did I make her angry? Then is she not going to talk to me anymore?
The young woman bit her thin lip, uneasy, her large, doe-like eyes looking at her cautiously. After a long while, she finally replied, “I… I’ll eat it. Don’t be angry.”
It was the first time she had met someone so good to her. She couldn’t bear to make her angry, couldn’t bear for her not to talk to her.
There were two pancakes in the oil-paper bag.
She picked up one of them and, after thinking for a moment, still looked up and said, “You can have one too. One is enough for me.”
Song Yugui knew that if she didn’t eat, Xizhi would be uneasy and wouldn’t dare to eat, so she didn’t refuse. She sat on the side and ate the still-warm pancake with her.
Seeing this, Shen Xizhi was finally at ease. She lowered her head and took a small bite, and actually tasted meat.
Her eyes widened, shocked, at a loss, and she looked up again. “Th-this is a meat filling?”
“Mmm, you should eat more meat. Your body will be better.”
A meat filling… She had rarely eaten meat in her life.
Today, she had actually gotten a meat-filled pancake from someone else.
The meat inside was thick, making her feel that it was more than all the meat she had eaten in her more than ten years of life.
“Is it really for me…”
Shen Xizhi was a little dazed and confirmed again.
Song Yugui said with determination, “It’s for you. I specially bought it for you.”
Only then did she lower her head and eat in large mouthfuls.
She had never eaten such delicious meat before. No wonder Shen Yaozong was always clamoring to eat meat. It was so fragrant, much more fragrant than wild vegetables.
Song Yugui hadn’t had lunch either and had been crouching outside, waiting for her wife. Seeing this, she took a bite of her own pancake. Mmm, delicious, very fragrant.
She also loved to eat this pancake. In the past, when she had set up a stall to sell meat with Xizhi, Xizhi would buy her this for breakfast.
Aiya, a little nostalgic.
Her eating speed was slow, mainly because she was watching Shen Xizhi eat. By the time Xizhi had finished a meat pancake in large mouthfuls, she had only had half of her own.
Song Yugui naturally used the back of her hand, which was not greasy from the pancake, to rub Xizhi’s stomach. It was flat, not at all full.
She then tore off half of her own meat pancake. The rich meat juice was squeezed out, and a crystal-clear drop dripped onto the ground, seeping into the mud.
Seeing this, Shen Xizhi actually felt a little regretful.
The next second, a piece of meat pancake was stuffed into her mouth again. “Have some more. You’re not full.”
Shen Xizhi was stunned. Her beautiful eyes looked at her again. After a long while, she finally reacted and slowly chewed.
Seeing her not refuse, Song Yugui was happy, a clear, upward curve on her lips.
“That’s right. You be a little more obedient. Eat more meat. You can get fat if you eat more meat, and your body will be better if you’re fat.”
A fat person is more resistant! She would also be a little more at ease. Now she looked so thin, as if she would be blown over by the wind. She was so worried.
“Do you like me to be a little more obedient?”
Shen Xizhi cherished it and swallowed a mouthful of the pancake, which was soaked in oil and fragrant with meat and skin, and asked softly.
This person was so good to her. She really wanted to please her.
Even if… she was about to get married soon, the days of being friends with her might not be long.
But a day was a day. She also wanted to have a good friend.
“Mmm-hmm? If it’s you, you can also be disobedient. As long as you don’t do anything that harms your health, I’ll coax you even if you’re disobedient.”
Shen Xizhi had never heard such sweet words before, so sweet she almost cried.
The young woman bit her lip hard, holding back the starlight and tears in her eyes. She suddenly stood up and lowered her head to hide her moved expression. “I… I’m full. I’ll go and cut the pig feed.”
They had already been delayed for a while. She had to go back early, or she wouldn’t have any dinner, just like last night.
But last night, she had eaten the pastries this person had given her, so she hadn’t been very hungry.
“I’ll do it. You can sit for a while.”
Song Yugui then stuffed the remaining pancake into her hand, ate the last piece herself, picked up the sickle, and wouldn’t let her touch it.
Shen Xizhi didn’t want to resist her. She hesitated for a long while on the side before she finally obeyed.
As she cut, she chatted with her wife to get closer. “By the way, my aunt took two catties of meat to your house yesterday. Did you eat it?”
“Ah… it was your aunt who sent it.”
She said that her family was willing to buy meat for no reason.
“Mmm, did you eat it?”
“My parents and my younger brother ate it.”
Shen Xizhi lowered her head and replied obediently.
Song Yugui: ?
“What do you mean, you didn’t eat it?”
She was a little unhappy. She had thought that although the Shen family was neglectful of Xizhi, at least the meat was there because of Xizhi. They would at least give her some. She hadn’t expected them to not give her any at all!
So angry, so angry! She took a deep breath, trying her best to suppress her trembling body, gritted her teeth, and thought, It’s a pity my house is in Songjia Village, so far from Shenjia Village. Otherwise, I would have Xizhi hold a bowl and eat meat in front of them every day! I’d make them drool.
Shen Xizhi didn’t know that there was a problem with her not eating. She nodded and just stood on the side quietly. In the village, many families were like this. It was just that her parents were particularly unconcerned about their daughters. She was used to it, used to it.
Thinking this, her nose still couldn’t help but feel a little sour. Song Yugui angrily cut two bundles of pig feed, plus an angry stomp of her foot, and said angrily, “It’s alright. Don’t be sad. I’m here now. You’ll have a lot of meat to eat in the future!”
She was happy that this person was so on her side, and her expression was always so concerned for her. But she was not a person who liked to take advantage of others. She was about to refuse immediately. “Don’t you buy me meat to eat anymore. If you’re bored in the future, you can just come and talk to me. Don’t spend so much.”
Buying these things was very expensive. She couldn’t repay her, and she also felt that she shouldn’t eat them. Why should she always eat the things others had bought with their money?
But this was still rejected by the person opposite her without hesitation. “No. I just like to see you eat.”
Shen Xizhi’s face turned red. What kind of hobby is this? Who likes to see others eat…
“Then… then don’t buy such expensive things.”
If she ate something cheap, she wouldn’t feel so burdened in her heart.
However, the other still rejected her opinion. “No. I’ll decide what to buy.”
Shen Xizhi: …
Whatever she said was useless. She could only quiet down silently.
Because the two of them had been delayed for so long, of course she was scolded again when she went back. Her mother even wanted to hit her, but in the end, for some reason, she didn’t, just telling her to hurry up and cook.
It was best not to be hit.
Shen Xizhi honestly went to cook.
After that, Song Yugui and her little wife began a long period of secret rendezvous. She would always bring some snacks from the street to find her.
Sometimes it was jerky, sometimes it was candied hawthorn and dried fruit, sometimes it was exquisite and beautiful pastries, and occasionally she would even rush home to make a shouzhuabing to bring over.
Anyway, she wanted to give Xizhi good food to eat.
After so many days, Shen Xizhi gradually let go of her apprehension and got used to their way of getting along, used to her inexplicable kindness. She thought, No matter what she’s after, she’s been so good to me for so long. I should just go along with her.
But this day, she went out to cut pig feed with her basket on her back as before, but she didn’t see the familiar woman’s figure all the way.
Her heart turned cold, and her face also turned a little pale. She… she’s not coming anymore? Is it because I told her last night that I was getting married that she’s not coming anymore?
That was also… she looked like she hadn’t gotten married yet. How could she associate with a married woman?
A married woman and a young girl’s status was like heaven and earth. It was indeed not suitable to play together.
Shen Xizhi lowered her eyes. I was even thinking of asking her for her name today. Forget it. It’s fine if I don’t know. Anyway, she probably doesn’t want to be friends with me anymore.
Thinking this, she still couldn’t hide the dejection in her heart.
Shen Xizhi was unaware, thinking that she had lost her only friend. How could she have known that the other was preparing for their wedding and had been held up in town?
“Mmm, you can make one a little more beautiful. All the pearls and Suzhou embroidery can be used for her. The other can be a little simpler.”
She had ordered two wedding dresses from an embroiderer in town and had also arranged for a band to play music. After listening to several families play celebratory music, she had finally managed to decide on one. By the time she was about to go back, it was already dark.
So late. Xizhi is probably already having lunch.
Forget it. No hurry. The two of them will have plenty of time to be together in the future.
Song Yugui went home with a beautiful dream.
And in Shenjia Village, Shen Xizhi’s life was not going well.
It wasn’t until today that she had found out that the person she was going to marry was actually a woman.
Ridiculous, simply too ridiculous.
Her mother wanted her to marry a lesbian, just because she could get one more tael of silver than others, and had even given the family a few catties of meat.
A few taels of silver and a little meat, and she had been sold just like that.
No matter how she cried and begged, it was useless. They didn’t care at all if she lived or died in the future.
She had heard of Song Yugui’s name. Who in a ten-li radius didn’t know of the only lesbian in the countryside?
She was usually a hooligan, always harassing women, and would even bring a group of people to block young men on the road and extort money from them.
If they refused, she would even hit them!
Such a woman, how could she be a good match?
Shen Xizhi was scared all night and had also thought all night. She couldn’t understand how she had caught the other’s eye.
Her mother had said it was her who had seduced her, but… she clearly hadn’t.
When the young woman was without anyone to protect her, she just quietly pressed her lips together, a flash of grievance in her eyes.
But later, as Song Yugui gave a considerable betrothal gift without any delay and even had a matchmaker specially deliver a wedding dress and a phoenix crown, such importance finally gave Shen Xizhi a bit of anticipation.
She thought, As long as the other is a good person, she… she can also live a good life with her. She’ll work hard to manage the household chores and the fields and won’t let her worry about the family. I heard that this Song family has no parents. This might also be a good thing.
It was just that she didn’t know why, but when she thought of marrying a woman, a figure who would never come to find her again always appeared in her mind.
Three days, a full three days, she had not appeared.
She had said before that she was beautiful and that she liked her very much, and that she would come to find her every day. It must have just been to fool her.
It was only today that Shen Xizhi had discovered that she didn’t know her surname or her name, or where she lived. And she had known her name from the beginning and had been crouching at her gate…
The person who had come to propose marriage to her that day was from Songjia Village. Shen Xizhi could only vaguely guess that she was also a person from Songjia Village and might know Song Yugui.
But they must not be close.
I heard that Song Yugui likes to bully men and women. How could she be friends with such a person?
I don’t know… if there will be a chance to talk to her again in the future.
Shen Xizhi thought with her head bowed.
In a short while, she fell into a deep sleep, holding a few old clothes.
The next day, Song Yugui had arranged everything and was finally a little free.
She had bought a few meat buns from town early in the morning and was waiting at the Shen family’s gate. She wasn’t selling meat today. She was getting married. What was wrong with taking two days off?
She had just gone to town to confirm the process with the arranged band, and then she had left with the hot meat buns.
By the time she reached Shenjia Village, it was still early. Song Yugui saw Xizhi sweeping the floor in the house from a long way off. Her eyes lit up, and she picked up a small stone from the ground and threw it in.
She had originally wanted to throw it at the woman’s shoulder to get her attention, but who knew that she had lost control of her strength and had accidentally hit her on the head?
Shen Xizhi covered the back of her head and turned around, her delicate brows slightly furrowed, a flash of watery light in her eyes.
This scared Song Yugui so much her heart was in her throat. She instantly softened her expression and showed a nearly fawning smile.
Shen Xizhi: …
Her sweeping movements paused for a moment. She thought she had seen wrong and looked carefully again. After confirming that it was really her, she didn’t go out but pretended not to have seen her and continued to sweep the floor.
Why is she ignoring me? Could it be that she’s angry because I haven’t come for a few days?
The moment Song Yugui thought this, she became anxious and started to throw small stones inside again. Shen Xizhi, who had just swept this area clean: …
She gripped the broom tightly, her slender, jade-like fingers turning white at the knuckles. She had no choice but to look up again, her expression puzzled, as if to ask her, What are you doing?
She waved vigorously at her future wife, signaling for her to come out.
Shen Xizhi was coy for a long while before she finally came out of the house. “Why are you…”
Before she could finish, she was pulled to a quiet corner. Song Yugui explained softly, “I’ve been a little busy these past few days and didn’t have time to come over. Are you alright?”
So she was a little busy… I just said, how can someone be free every day? She also has busy times.
“Mmm, I’m fine.”
It’s fine if you don’t come. I’m about to get married soon, and I’m marrying a woman… Of course it’s not convenient to maintain too close a relationship with a woman.
She was afraid of making her future wife, whom she hadn’t yet married, angry.
Thinking this, Shen Xizhi also said, “Do you know that I’m getting married soon?”
She should know, right? After all, it was her aunt who had come to propose marriage, and she was also there at the time. And she had mentioned it to her before.
Song Yugui was surprised, and a big smile soon appeared on her face. “I know.”
I’m marrying me.
She was very happy. Shen Xizhi’s heart inexplicably turned a little sour. She lowered her eyes and said, “Then you shouldn’t come again. I’m going to marry a woman. You’re like this… I’m afraid people will gossip if they see you.”
Song Yugui: ???
!!!
She remembered something, and the corners of her lips stiffened a little. She lowered her head and coughed twice, a little embarrassed. “Well, do you know who I am?”
She doesn’t know? It shouldn’t be. Didn’t I say I came with my aunt?
She didn’t think of it?!
Shen Xizhi looked at her blankly.
After thinking about her own words again, Song Yugui had to admit… what she had said was a little vague. Xizhi didn’t know that the person she was going to marry was her!
This rebirth is like diabetes omg they are so sweet!