Xiao Shan excitedly spun Xue Niang around several times, making her dizzy.
"Fool, put me down quickly!"
She clutched his neck tightly, afraid of falling. Her posture was irrelevant, her soft breasts pressed against his sturdy chest, their fragrance filling Xiao Shan's nostrils.
If it weren't for her delicate state, he truly wished they could spend day and night together... no wonder people say a beauty's embrace is a hero's tomb.
Xiao Shan reluctantly put her down. "Do you want to go to town with me?"
"Yes!" Xue Niang's eyes lit up, her answer swift, but then she considered her own condition. She was quite fatigued and lacked energy.
For a moment, her delicate brows furrowed in distress.
"It's alright, we'll be in a cart, no need to worry," Xiao Shan had anticipated this. He wanted her to rest, but he also genuinely loved seeing her happy.
Especially the feeling of happiness when she nestled beside him, which made him reluctant to leave her alone.
Indeed, Xue Niang's eyes curved, the corners of her lips lifted, and she nodded vigorously, letting out a soft laugh that was as beautiful as a melody.
Xiao Shan called for Lai Cai and loaded a pile of goods onto the ox cart. They occupied more than half the cart's space. Xiao Shan, with Xue Niang in his arms, sat directly on the cart frame, and they leisurely headed towards the city.
After selling the goods at the Fu Lai Restaurant, Manager Feng gave them a portion of chestnut cake. It was just past noon, so they decided to order two dishes and eat there.
However, they heard some news at the restaurant that dampened Xue Niang's mood.
The news had already been posted as a public notice outside.
It was about Princess Ling Xi's enthronement as the Divine Maiden, and that the grand ceremony had concluded.
The restaurant was abuzz with talk, everyone hoping the Divine Maiden would bring good fortune to Da Jing and hasten the end of these dark and difficult times.
"See? Anyone can become a Divine Maiden. That's just them fooling people. And you still took it seriously."
Seeing her lost in thought, Xiao Shan picked up a piece of meat for her and said in a low voice, "Whoever wants to be, let them be. It has nothing to do with us!"
It wasn't like that.
Xue Niang didn't know how Ling Xi's red lotus appeared, but she was certain it was fake. Although she didn't like being the Divine Maiden, she had a feeling since childhood, a natural intuition.
She knew she was the Divine Maiden. When practicing the ritual to open the divine altar for blessings, the Grand Shaman hadn't even brought out the books yet, but she already knew what to do next. Her mind was like it held its own memories; she didn't need deliberate practice. She could perform the steps with her eyes closed, without a single mistake.
She also knew that impersonating the Divine Maiden and ascending the throne would incur divine wrath.
It would also plunge the state of Jing into disaster.
"Something will happen."
"What did you say?" Xiao Shan hadn't heard clearly and looked at Xue Niang in confusion.
"Nothing. You're right, it has nothing to do with us."
They had abandoned her. She was no longer Jing's Divine Maiden, just an ordinary peasant woman.
Seeing her spirits lift, Xiao Shan smiled and leaned close to her ear, whispering, "You are the Divine Maiden, but not theirs. You are mine alone, destined to save only me."
"You're talking nonsense again!" Xue Niang leaned back, her gaze darting around, blushing and chiding playfully, "Don't act like this when we're outside."
"Yes, my wife."
After they finished eating, they went shopping. After a while, Xue Niang couldn't take it anymore.
"Let's buy two pig trotters, I'll make soup for you when we get home."
"I don't want to drink it anymore."
She was tired of meat broth now and preferred to eat more vegetables.
But in Xiao Shan's understanding, meat was what nourished the body, and vegetables would only make people weaker.
The butcher was Zhang, whose stall was ancestral and had been there for decades. He was stout and robust, with a face full of rough flesh.
Xue Niang recognized him at a glance as Xiao Cui's husband. So he was a butcher.
With a family that sold meat, it was no wonder Xiao Cui was so thin. She must not have been treated as a human.
She scanned the area but didn't see Xiao Cui.
Butcher Zhang's pupils contracted when he saw Xiao Shan. He called out familiarly, "Brother, you're here! What do you need today? Just killed, all fresh goods!"
He seemed not to recognize Xue Niang, glancing at her before turning back to Xiao Shan.
Xiao Shan asked for two pig trotters, and Butcher Zhang generously cut off a pork tongue and threw it in.
"Come again!"
Only after Xiao Shan left with Xue Niang did Butcher Zhang's expression change. He smacked his lips, recalling the woman who looked like a delicate willow.
He didn't look at faces; that casual glance had been enough to recognize her as Xiao Cui's friend, the one with the alluring figure that ignited desire.
Her posture leaning against the man earlier was even more captivating, looking like she was exhausted after... intimacy.
Moreover, he remembered she had some dark marks on her face last time, but they were gone now.
She was truly beautiful!
He hadn't expected her to be Hunter Xiao's woman.
That man was too formidable, a bit frightening. He felt intimidated.
Butcher Zhang tossed the knife in his hand, and it landed steadily on the chopping board. He then lifted the curtain and entered the room behind him.
"Get up, stop playing dead! I need to ask you something!"
A weak female voice whimpered incessantly, "My lord, give me something to eat. I'm hungry, and the child, the child can't bear it either."
"Alright, I'll give you food after I'm done asking, I'll give you meat."
...
"That's Xiao Cui's husband. He doesn't look like a good person."
On the way, Xue Niang told Xiao Shan not to buy meat there anymore. She still remembered the man's gaze last time, clinging to her disgustingly.
Xiao Shan then understood. Thinking about Butcher Zhang's appearance just now, a cold glint flashed in his eyes.
"Yes, we won't buy from him anymore."
Seeing her sway as if boneless, he turned her head and pressed it against his chest. "Tired? Don't force yourself, just sleep."
Lai Cai, driving the cart in front, pretended to be deaf.
He was always both happy and scared when hired by Brother Xiao. Happy because he earned money, scared because, like now, when the couple was so affectionate, couldn't they consider the feelings of a bachelor like him?
A man who doted on his wife so dominantly, there was probably no one else like Brother Xiao in Donglin County. He never cared about worldly opinions. No one dared to gossip, and if anyone tried, they'd better weigh their own strength against a fierce tiger first.
Upon arriving home, Xue Niang was carried down by Xiao Shan. The passing villagers seemed accustomed to it, exchanging knowing glances and smacking their lips before moving on.
When she woke up, the room was already dark. Xue Niang sat up and stretched. Her feet were bare, indicating Xiao Shan had massaged them for her.
The window was half-open, and there was no one outside. She wondered where Xiao Shan had gone.
Two boxes lay casually on a corner of the table. She had been living in a daze these past few days, either eating or sleeping, and hadn't paid attention to them.
Xue Niang picked up one and opened it. It was a ginseng root, already with side shoots, at least several decades old. Such a precious item, why was it just left lying around by Xiao Shan?
Opening the other box surprised her even more. Several strings of jewelry were piled together. The jade beads were clear and translucent, clearly valuable. This was not something Xiao Shan could afford. Where did it come from, and why was it left out so carelessly?
Underneath the jewelry was a booklet.
Xue Niang picked it up and opened it.
The next second, her eyes widened, and she threw it away as if it were burning her hand.