Xiao Shan pocketed the money and bid farewell to Lai Cai. He glanced at Xue Niang, who had been silent for a long time.
Since Xue Niang minded that she was bought, perhaps he should arrange a wedding? Although he didn't care, women should all care about this.
However, with a grand dowry, his current status probably wouldn't allow for it.
"Xiao Shan, I never told you, but I actually threw myself at you on purpose at the market that day."
"What?" Xiao Shan didn't understand.
"The day you bought me, I deliberately fell towards you, not trying to escape. I knew I couldn't escape."
Xiao Shan was a bit bewildered, recalling the scene that day, utterly confused.
His appearance wasn't good; most people would instinctively avoid him, even immediately judging him as a violent man who liked to fight. Xue Niang, having been bullied by villains and fearing men, should have kept far away from him. Yet, she claimed it was intentional. Why?
"Why?"
"I don't know, I just felt your back was somewhat familiar." Xue Niang didn't understand either. It was a gamble, a desperate one, throwing herself at him based on a mere glimpse of his back. Perhaps she knew she wouldn't live much longer if she continued as she was, so she made a final struggle based on that faint feeling.
Familiar? This feeling again.
Could it be that he and Xue Niang had met under some circumstances?
"Thank you for buying me."
She hadn't lost her gamble, and she was fortunate it was him.
Standing on the bustling street, Xiao Shan watched Xue Niang tilt her fair face upwards, her eyes catching the scattered sunlight, as if something was leaving her.
"Xue Niang, you..."
Xue Niang had already walked forward, "Hurry up, the sun is high, performers, don't stop!"
"Slow down, there are carts, don't get hit!"
There were too many people watching the opera, and they couldn't squeeze in. They could only hear the prelude of the opera starting with its "wuwuwu" sounds.
Xue Niang's face even scared a lost child into crying. She pouted and looked at Xiao Shan with a wronged expression.
Xiao Shan looked around, then scooped Xue Niang into his arms and ran towards a wall, leaping up.
"Ah!"
Xue Niang closed her eyes and clung tightly to Xiao Shan's neck. When they stopped, she dared to open her eyes. Below was a sea of heads. They had actually climbed onto someone else's rooftop.
"Don't be afraid."
Xiao Shan found a suitable spot where they could see the stage clearly, and another eaves sheltered them. He sat down cross-legged and placed Xue Niang on his lap.
"It's just starting."
Xue Niang sat on his crossed legs, leaning against his solid chest. When he spoke, his breath tickled her ear, sending a shiver down her spine.
With all her attention focused here, how could she watch the opera!
From below, the female dan's high-pitched, melodious voice sang: "The rain has passed and the sky is clear, the mountains and lakes are washed clean, a gentle breeze rustles through the silk robe—"
His arms, like iron, circled her waist. Xue Niang stared with wide eyes at the female dan walking with her exaggerated steps below, her hands clasped together, not daring to move.
Suddenly, she felt his breathing deepen, and then he rested his chin on her shoulder.
Now, his breath was truly at her earlobe, and Xue Niang froze all over.
"Relax."
Xiao Shan chuckled softly, looking at her plump little earlobe. Yes, it was an auspicious ear, just lacking a pair of earrings. He'd buy some when they went down.
"Move further away," Xue Niang squirmed.
"If you move again, you'll knock down the tiles. See what you do then!"
Xue Niang stopped moving, her face flushed and hot.
Cheers erupted from below, hundreds of people shouting in unison, startling her.
She didn't want to watch the opera anymore.
"Watch the opera seriously. Think of me as a chair. You don't get to see this many times a year."
Although he said this to her, Xiao Shan himself was even less in the mood to watch the opera. Holding a delicate girl in his arms, how could he focus on anything else? He wasn't a saint.
However, it seemed Xue Niang didn't understand men at all, not noticing anything.
Xue Niang took a deep breath, trying to shift her focus to the stage.
After a while, her body gradually relaxed, and she truly began to watch the opera, her expressions changing with the characters.
It was torture for Xiao Shan, who felt an unbearable heat and sweat trickled down his forehead.
"Xue Niang..."
Xiao Shan bit Xue Niang's earlobe and sucked it hard.
Xue Niang shivered and turned her head blankly, only to see Xiao Shan frowning, his eyes tinged with red, revealing his desire as he had that day.
"Take me down!"
Her pupils contracted, she turned her head, her voice carrying a hint of coldness and a faint tremor.
Xiao Shan buried his face in her shoulder and took a deep breath before reluctantly carrying her and jumping off the roof.
He hadn't meant to, but with such deliciousness in his arms, it was too tempting.
Xue Niang knew it was her own internal struggle. After coming down, she didn't know what to say, her hands clenched into fists.
"If you don't want to watch, then don't. It's very hot up there. Come, let's go sell that pearl."
Xiao Shan casually took her hand and led her away from the crowd.
Xiao Shan, give me a little more time.
Xue Niang said silently in her heart.
It was something that had to be done between husband and wife, not something dirty or disgusting. He wasn't like those repulsive beasts; he wouldn't force her. She would, she would overcome it.
The pink pearl sold for one tael of silver. The shopkeeper of the jewelry store initially offered half a tael, but thanks to a lady buying jewelry nearby who casually mentioned that she had bought a similar-sized one for three taels, the shopkeeper grudgingly added half a tael.
Xue Niang carefully tucked the one tael of silver into the inner pocket of her sleeve.
"One tael of silver is something you treasure so much, yet I've never seen you open the ones at home."
"This is different, this is Yutou's."
If it was Yutou's, it was precious, but his earnings weren't?
He really wanted to see what this Yutou was like, to have his woman thinking of him after only meeting a few times.
With this silver, Yutou could buy proper clothes. In fact, he was quite good-looking. If cleaned up, he would be much better looking than those dark-faced villagers.
He was also clever. It was a shame he was always so lazy and didn't do anything serious.
As a friend, Xue Niang couldn't just ignore him.
A vendor carrying candied hawthorns stood by the roadside. Xiao Shan bought a skewer and handed it to Xue Niang.
"Why didn't you buy two? Don't you love eating them too?"
Love eating them? They were sour. Xiao Shan swallowed, "I don't like them anymore. I want to eat peaches now."
He had already seen them.
At a street stall, an old man was guarding dozens of peaches, arranged neatly. These peaches were all similar in size, uniformly red-tipped, clean, and beautiful.
"Young man, do you want to buy peaches? They're from one tree, and this is all they yielded this year. Eat them while they're available."
Yes, these peaches were almost extinct. He hadn't eaten them in many years. The "immortal peaches" commonly known among the people were of this variety.
The trees didn't yield much fruit each year, but each one was crisp and delicious.
"They're so beautiful," Xue Niang squatted down and picked one up.
"Don't touch them, they have fuzz. It'll make you itchy if it gets on you," Xiao Shan reminded her, then said to the old man, "I'll take them all."
The old man was stunned when he saw Xue Niang's face. Hearing Xiao Shan's words, he happily rubbed his hands and eagerly began to pack them.
"Don't move, I'll do it myself."
Xiao Shan stopped him and took out a cloth bag from his chest, carefully placing the peaches into it one by one.