Fortunate Wife Volume 1 Chapter 1
The sun sat in the west and gently shrouded the old and ruined village of Shenmeigou in darkness.
Suddenly, the rapid pounding of a gong broke the evening's tranquility, making the villagers who were preparing their dinner, run out their doors and rush to the village entrance.
Something happened, something big must have happened.
Is someone's wife dead? Did someone go into the mountains to hunt wild boars with a bow? Or could it be that government officials came to conscript men from the village?
The villagers, overcome by a restless and anxious atmosphere, went to the village's entrance, where they found, under a locust tree that had been dead for many years, a man with a tied up pretty woman.
"I saw her ragged clothes, messy hair and panic stricken paper pale face. She speaks, but in unintelligible words."
All of a sudden, the crowd erupted in an uproar.
"Isn't that the woman the Li family's Dalang bought a couple of days ago? How did she end up like that?", someone who quickly recognized the tied up woman shouted.
"Don't you know? This lady went outside and secretly ran away last night! At last, she was caught by someone in the neighboring village."
"Ha, this woman is courting death!"
"Who said she wasn't? We are all poor here, since you came here you have to accept your own fate! I mean, could she really successfully run away? The girl that Wu San bought last year. She also escaped in the middle of the night and was also captured and brought back. As soon as she entered the village she was beaten to death by the Wu brothers."
"Such a young woman, to be beaten to death..."
"Spoiling such a good face in vain... Look at that flawless skin..."
Li Man looked at the dense crowd, full of unspeakable fear, but she could not figure out the situation she was now in. Wasn't she killed by a car? How can she be tied up here? Who are these people pointing at her?
She desperately shouted for help, asking the villagers to untie her. However, nobody understood what she said. And so, they continued to crowd around her, speaking words she couldn't understand.
She didn't get what they were saying, but, judging from their tone and expressions, it surely wasn't words of praise.
"Hey, look, the woman woke up, she's really pretty, yeah?"
"Such uselessness is unimportant! Any woman who dares to leave my Shenmeigou Village have only one way to escape, death!"
Suddenly, a warty and fat woman grabbed rotten vegetables from a basket that she was going to use to feed the pigs, and smashed them on Li Man's face.
It was terrible. The other village women followed suit: they spat on Li Man and picked up small stones to throw at her. There were even two bold women who simply walked up to her and maliciously pinched her skin.
"Stop! Go away! Who are you guys!? Let me go right now!", cried Li Man, her body's pain far lesser than the fear in her heart. This was a group of uncivilized villagers. Their clothing was ancient, they look a lot like the people from ancient times in the historical dramas she's seen.
At this time, an old man came over. He had a bit of dignity in his countenance and drove away several women: "What's happening over here? Get out of the way!"
"Chief, we too are unbearably angry! Such a woman deserves a lesson! Right, should we hang her or should we sink her in the pond?" Several women gathered around the village chief and asked in high spirits.
The village chief grumpily looked at the several women present "All of you, leave at once! This matter regards the Li household and should be handled by them." He then turned his head to ask the brawny man behind him "Wu San, what about Li Moren? You were ordered to go call him, how come half a day later I don't see even the trace of his shadow?"
Wu San smiled cheekily while his eyes lewdly stared at Li Man "A few of the Li brothers went to the mountains to look for this woman, they left the youngest alone at home, so I left a message with him. They'll come over as soon as they return."
The village chief frowned and looked at the sky. It was getting dark. He once again turned his face to look at Li Man. His face was filled with contempt.
From the women's attitude just now, Li Man estimated that this old man must be the village chief. She hurriedly shouted "Uncle, please let me go! Let's talk a little, OK!? I don't know how I have offended you, but as long as you let me go, we can discuss it properly, I can give you money as compensation...."
"What is she mumbling?", The village chief turned his head in disgust and asked Wu San.
Wu San also couldn't understand it and only shook his head "Who knows what this woman is saying? Don't listen to her."
Li Man was desperate. No one would listen to her. Even the old man who called the shots was the same. What should she do? What were they going to do? Set her on fire?
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Fortunate Wife Vol 1 Chapter 2
Chapter 2
Chapter 2 – Saving The Wife
Quick notes:
Dalang, eldest son = Li Mo
Erlang, second son = Li Yan
Sanlang, third son = Li Shu
Dàge, elder brother.
The evening mountain breeze was particularly cold. Li Man shuddered while desperately trying to think of something to say.
The village chief, seated under the tree, saw that the Li family was taking too long to show up. The crowd's lingering whispers to hang Li Man were getting louder and louder. After having two smokes, he got up and said: "Wu San, according to what the others said, hang this woman and, when night falls, bury her in the mountains." He looked at her with evilness flashing in his eyes.
"Yes." Wu San was looking forward to this. At once, he took out the hemp rope on his waist and walked towards Li Man.
When Wu San went to drag her over, to everyone's surprise, she tried to not appear afraid and added some words that people couldn't make any sense of.
"What are you going to do?" All of Li Man's hair stood on end. This man looked wretched and vicious, totally not a good person!
Wu San didn't understand her words, but he understood the look on her face. He only thought of how this young beauty seemed even more alluring when scared. It's a pity to just hang her like this but... Using some martial arts, he could press some acupoints to fake her death and then, taking advantage of when no one's around, he could bring her back to life again. This little lady might just become his!
Li Man saw the malicious intent in his eyes and shouted "Go away! Don't touch me!"
Loud cheering arose within the crowd "HANG
HER! HANG THE WENCH!"
Wu San was very straightforward. He skillfully put the rope around Li Man's neck and used both his hands to exert all his strength.
Li Man felt her breathing constrict and the extremely painful sensation brought by the gruff of the tightly strapped rope around her neck.
[Will I die again?]
This is ridiculous! To die twice on the same day! Wasn't the car accident enough!? Do I really need to go through this again!?
"Stop!"
A resounding voice passed over the crowd, just as Li Man was to be hung by the anticipating villagers. A tall, sturdy man rushed straight to the locust tree. He took hold of Wu San and immediately overturned him. The two young men behind him followed by kicking and punching the fallen Wu San.
The villagers were confused, the village chief hastily stepped forward.
"Erlang, Sanlang, what the hell!? Calm down!"
"Stop fighting." Commanded Li Mo, the eldest, after taking down the rope around Li Man's neck and watching her faintly wake.
Li Yan and Li Shu stopped.
However, Wu San started to roll on the ground, wailing like a ghost and howling like the wolves, making an exaggerated scene. "Chief! You!- You have to take responsibility for this! These brothers are bullies! They just came and beat me up like that! How can you permit this!? "
"You were the one asking for a beating!" Li Shu couldn't help but fiercely kick Wu San's buttocks once more. "This son of a wench who dared to mess with someone else's wife, you've done nothing but court death!"
"Li Shu!"
The village chief was thick-skinned and brazenly shouted again to end the fight. He then shifted his sight to look at Li Mo with displeased eyes.
"Dalang, is that what happened?"
Li
happened?"
Li Mo did not answer the village chief, but neatly untied the rope tied on Li Man's body, took her into his arms and turned away.
The village chief had a very ugly expression on his face and moved to block his path. Just then, the Li family's second son, Li Yan, stated "This was all caused by that bastard, Wu San."
The village chief was left in an embarrassing situation as the Dalang left with the woman in his arms, not giving him any face. As a way out, he turned to the Erlang and asked "What the hell happened?"
Li Yan glanced fiercely at Wu San. As soon as he turned to confront the village chief he noticed the villagers standing around watch them, and thus, started to make an account of what had happened.
"It happens that, this is the woman bought by my Dàge. Chief, you also know that our family's situation is not easy. It's even harder for us brothers, to bring home a wife. This time we got a wife, so we naturally, had to handle things properly. Yesterday, Dàge took her and Xiao Wuzi and went up the mountain to give our deceased parents a grave and let them know about our happy occasion. Who could have imagined that Dàge would carelessly let a branch pierce his foot and become unable to walk back? Xiao Wuzi couldn't carry him on his back, so he let her come back to find Li Shu and I. But she is an outsider, so, obviously, she wasn't familiar with the mountains and got lost. We looked for her day and night, then heard that she was tied up over here by Wu San."
Everyone who listened, unconsciously nodded.
unconsciously nodded. Shenmeigou village is surrounded by mountains. If you are not familiar with the surroundings, is is indeed very easy to get lost! Therefore, if the women brought here didn't have any outside help in the mountains, her escape will only evidently result in death.
"What happened?" The village chief and many others looked towards Wu San. "What did you do?"
Wu San finally got up from the ground, feigning innocence. "I really didn't lie to you. The woman ran when she saw me. If she wanted to save them, why not take me to the ones that need saving, instead of starting to run away scared? Also, there was a parcel on her, full of silver pieces and dry food. If she wasn't running away, then what was she doing!?"
"What parcel?" asked the chief.
The Li brothers stared at him. Wu San was at a lost of words. Because of his greed, he had long ago secretly stashed her parcel away. Now, he wouldn't be able to get away with it.
"Humph!" the village chief saw him saying nothing an coldly snorted. "Dalang and his brothers were finally able to buy a wife with great difficulty and I almost let you kill her off. I'll get back at you later, get lost!"
"Wait a minute." Li Yan coldly said. "Chief, my wife is very weak. She was tied and beaten up by you lot and almost got strangled to death. I really don't know what to do about this at all. And you are going to just let things go like this? If by chance she died, us brothers would have no wife to speak of and all those years of saved money would also have gone down the drain! down the drain! Chief, as the village head, you have to properly handle this matter."
To steal himself, Wu San hurriedly said "Chief, you can't put all the blame on me! Before they arrived, these stupid dogs were also onto her, trying to hang her. Furthermore, you also made a speech in support of it!"
"SHUT UP!" the village chief coldly commanded, completely disregarding him.
"Wu San, this is your fault! You and the stupid dogs pay for half of the money she cost! Ahem-I don't have any on me. Ah, Erlang, buy some tonics with the money for your wife to make up for it, ok?"
Li Yan nodded in reply, Li Shu looked at Wu San. "I'll let you off lightly this time."
Wu San was extremely depressed. For the women there who already didn't have much, to pay half the money was certainly a loss, but they didn't dare to disobey the orders of the village chief.
Plus, there was also the Li family's Third Master, Li Shu, looking at them with red eyes. Afraid of getting beaten up by him, they resigned themselves to their bad luck and decided to withdraw from their savings and quickly slipped away.
The other villagers, seeing that the show was over, sulkily dispersed.
The village chief glanced at Li Yan and Li Shu and spoke in a dignified manner. "Was that woman really bought by your dàge?"
"Yes!" the brothers nodded.
The chief did not believe, but only said "Then go at once to end this matter without delay, ok? Delaying may bring more unexpected trouble." He spoke and left right away with his hands clasped behind his back.
Li Yan and Li Shu looked at each other and said no more as they all hurried home.
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Fortunate Wife Vol 1 Chapter 3
Chapter 3
Chapter 3 – Go Home
The evening wind was overbearing, Li Man gradually calmed down from her despair. Through the darkness surrounding them, she looked at the man holding her own. He looked up at the front and could only see his fortified chin from her point of view. There is such a tight lip, but she can still feel that he is tall and burly, like a hill, a pair of arms strong and powerful, a strong male temperament wraps her, making her uneasy but not Dare to shake it.
But who is he? What is she to him? Why should he save her from that situation?
Li Man moved her lips, wanting to ask something, but she thought back at the tree when she had said so much before but no one understood her. She felt depressed.
He sighed lightly in frustration, but Li Man still heard it. She looked down from
her position over his shoulder, but she couldn't see his face. "If you don't want to stay, tomorrow, I will let you go."
Li Man's heart was tight and she wanted to avoid his sight, but she wasn't willing to give up the opportunity to communicate. She cautiously asked, "What did you say?" She said in pure Mandarin.
Li Mo squinted his eyes, blinded by doubts. What was she talking about?
"Big brother." At this time, a little boy ran out of the Li's small courtyard, nervously glaring at Li Man. "Is she dead?"
"No. Xiao Wu, go boil some hot water." Li Mo commanded the younger brother as he carried Li Man into the west house.
There was no light in the room, it was dark, but Li Mo was familiar with the place, and he put Li Man down. "Take a break, I will let Xiao Wu give you something to eat."
Li
eat."
Li Man couldn't understand him. Plus, she couldn't see anything. He suddenly let her go and turned to leave. Scared, she grabbed his sleeve. "Don't go."
Li Mo obviously didn't expect her to react that way. His doubts returned, but realizing the darkness and Li Man's bright voice flashing fear and anxiety, his heart softened, "Rest assured, no one will hurt you ever again." His low voice revealed traces of gentleness, Li Man felt some peace of mind, her hands gradually loosened.
Li Mo didn't say anything else, turned and went out, just then, his three younger brothers arrived at home.
"Is she in the house?" Li Shu, the third child, shouted standing at the door and slammed his way into the house.
Li Mo stopped him and dragged him directly into the kitchen adjacent to the west house. "Brothers, what are you doing?"
"Big brother, don't worry, this kind of person will be honest with a
with a serving of my fists! I have to go to the west house to beat up someone."
"Hey." Li Mo did not stop him this time, but gloomily warned him, "If you dare touch her, then I will beat you up first."
Li Shu's face turned red in rage, "Big brother, this woman isn't honest. You spared her, and she dared to try to escape!"
"If you hit her, will she talk to you?" Li Yan stated glancing at his raging brother and asked Li Mo, "Big Brother, what should we do?" "
Li Mo looked at his younger brother Li Yan, determining what decision he should make from the bottom of his heart that,"Tomorrow I'll send her out of the mountains."
"What?" Li Shu's eyes widened to the point it looked as if it might just fall out,"Brother, are you really going to let her go?"
Li Yan squinted his eyes ever so slightly, he so slightly, he also seemed to not agree with this decision. Even the little brother who was boiling water showed reluctance.
Li Mo was very upset. In fact, not only his younger brothers, but even he himself didn't want to do this. He's twenty-three this year, and the fourth, youngest brother was sixteen. In addition to Xiao Wu, he was afraid that the four brothers in this courtyard needed a woman.
Moreover, the woman looked good, the second brother and the younger brother seemed to be very interested and he also liked her. In the Goddess ditch, because of poverty, brothers sharing a wife was a very common thing, but it was difficult to find a satisfying woman.
But if the woman wasn't willing, it would be impossible to make a life together, and he didn't want his brothers to become violent and arrogant people. "I will send her out of the mountain tomorrow morning."
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Fortunate Wife Vol 1 Chapter 4
Published at 31st of July 2018 08:37:51 PM Chapter 4
Chapter 4 – Leaves
"I will send her out of the mountain tomorrow morning . " Li Mo dropped those words as he watched the water in the pot and stirred it using a ladle, intending to draw some water .
Li Shu became anxious, and grabbed the ladle from his hand . "Big brother, I want a wife . "
Li Mo turned his head and looked at the third brother who was a little taller than him . If he wanted to put the blame on him, he would bear it . "Brothers, don't be anxious, your eldest brother is making money . After a few days, I will go through the mountains, return and everything will be alright . "
"No, I will go instead . " Li Shu said .
Li Mo's face turned sour, "No . "
"Why can't I?" Li Shu thought that his brother was too soft . They just got a wife using up all the money they had saved for so many years .
"Brothers please . " Li Yan was afraid that the younger brother would lose his temper again and make things get worse, he brought Li Shu aside and then thoughtfully said to Li Mo, "Big brother, I have an idea . Let's discuss this at a later time . You see, the fourth brother has to come back in a few days . We can wait until he comes back . Our fourth brother is a scholar, and he has a bright future . The woman will not look at us, but maybe she will see eye-to-eye with the fourth?"
Li Mo hesitated when he thought of the fourth .
When Li Yan saw his reaction, he discreetly gave the youngest, the fifth son who was boiling water on the stove, a look he understood . Xiao Wu immediately got up and ran over to hug Li Mo's arm . He pleaded . "Big brother, let's keep that sister, I like her . She- she looks really good . She looks even better than the village's beauty!"
Li Mo ruffled through Xiao Wu's hair . His heart wavered, but ... .
"Big brother, one more thing . Although you want to let her go, have you ever thought of what she should do afterwards? Will she be pulled into the market to be sold and fare well? If she goes back, she will surely be sold . So, what should we do? What should we do?" Li Yan repeated .
Li Mo's heart immediately tightened, he made a decision . "Well, let's wait and see then, but without her own consent, not one of you can touch her . Especially third brother..."
"I know . " Li Shu's face showed a childish smile . Honestly, the eldest brother could leave the woman alone, and he wouldn't care about her one bit .
Li Yan slightly smiled, while his eyes looked toward the West House .
Li Man panicked, she hid behind the door, her heart pounding in her chest . Did that person just see her? She didn't deliberately eavesdrop, she didn't understand anything anyways .
"Xiao Wu is the water boiling yet?" In thought of the little figure who was just peeking behind the door, Li Yan asked .
"It's boiling . " Xiao Wu replied .
"Take the bucket and send it to the West house . " Li Yan said, he also asked for a small oil lamp and he brought it to the West house himself .
An orange glimmer of light slowly came in, illuminating the whole room . Li Man nervously shrunk to a corner, her eyes vigilantly observed the strange man .
He was very tall . When he came in, he had to lower his head so that it won't hit the door frame .
As soon as he entered the room, he placed the oil lamp on a big cabinet . Then he turned his head and smiled at her .
His smile was very nice, from the corner of his lips to the bottom of his eyes, he was very clean and pure . He has a certain charm that made people want to easily trust him .
But who is he? He's not the one who carried her here .
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Fortunate Wife Volume 1 Chapter 5
[Her courage seems to have grown a bit. She dares to look at me straight in the eyes?]
Li Yan raised his eyebrows, without a trace, he opened a big cabinet and pulled out a clean set of clothes from inside. At this time, Li Shu came in with a small bucket of hot water.
As soon as he entered the house, he put the bucket on the ground and looked straight at Li Man. "Here's water for a bath." If he let others know that he gave the wife a bath, his face would stay unmovable, but in his heart, he was very happy.
"You're so energetic, take the tub from the East House too." Li Yan glanced at his younger brother, clearly remembering the others.
Li Shu obediently ran out and brought in the large tub. When he put it down, he waved to Li Man. "Come here, take a bath."
[Is he asking me to take a bath? Although I don't understand him very well, I can tell as much from his actions, Li Man guessed. However, there are two grown men in the house. How can I wash?]
Seeing her not moving, with a stupid and overwhelmed look, Li Shu became impatient and rushed forward to bring Li Man. Li Yan pulled his arm away, twisted it and pushed him out the door.
"Second brother, what are you doing?" Li Shu was confused, why did he push him out?
"Let's go." Li Yan told his brother. The third brother was so reckless, he would definitely scare the little woman. Li Yan did not enter the house, but stood at the door. Pointing at the bath, hot water, and clothes on the big cabinet, he gently said, "Take your time to wash, change clothes, and eat."
When he finished speaking, he helped Li Man close the room's door.
Next to him, Li Shu watched the gentleness and thoughtfulness his second brother showed to the little woman. He felt very wronged. He also helped by bringing the water and tub. How come he cannot do it?
When the woman could no longer see them, Li Yan's smile was not so warm. He stared at the younger brother and warned, "If you dare to scare the woman away, don't think about getting a wife again."
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Li Man could still hear the two people at the door, but they would not come in again. Li Man was only a bit dismayed. The clothes on her body were dirty and broken. Some delicious food and a good wash was welcomed.
Soon, the two brothers at her door heard the sound of splashing from inside the house. The two breathed in till suffocation, as a hot mist seemed to spread from the room.
"Third brother, go chop up some firewood, I want to cook." Li Yan quickly suppressed his emotions and told his brother, but did not expect Li Shu to shake his head covering his nose.
"What's wrong?" Li Yan asked. He saw that his younger brother was bleeding from his nose, his fingers wet with blood. He couldn't help but laugh. "The fire is still big, go wash it off with cold water."
Li Shu ran to the water pot and poured water on his face.
Li Mo picked up a load of water and came back. He was pouring it all into the water pot. When he saw the younger brother pouring cold water on his face, he was taken aback. "Are you mad?"
"He's thinking about the wife." Li Yan came in and couldn't help but make fun of the third's situation. The third brother is eighteen this year. He's at that age, it's no wonder that a woman taking a bath in the house would make him react that way.
Li Mo's face changed, he worriedly looked across the wall. Li Yan stated, "She's bathing."
Bathing? A very ordinary word, but at the moment it made Li Mo's cold face burn.