A Divine Farmer

Chapter 198 - The Bride Can't Wait

“Bones can soften, too? You must be pulling my leg,” someone scoffed.

“You just haven't heard it before. Listen tonight, and you'll know,” the speaker retorted, then hesitated, “Well, it might not always be the case. Sometimes it sounds more like sobbing…”

Zhang Xiaolong was at a loss for words. These guys, with nothing better to do, would skulk around the walls eavesdropping on the noises inside. They really needed to find a hobby…

“Mr. Xiaolong, when your wife is with you, can she make your bones soften?” the skeptic quickly sought confirmation.

Coughing awkwardly, Zhang Xiaolong replied, “When you get married, you can try it out for yourself and see.”

The banter continued among the group until the auspicious time for the wedding ceremony arrived.

Typically, the bride would be escorted from her home, but since this bride had been persuaded to come from the city and her family wasn't local, many traditions were skipped. She emerged directly from the house for the ceremony.

The red veil obscured her face, so Zhang Xiaolong couldn't see her features, but her silhouette was strikingly delicate. Yet something caught his eye, prompting him to furrow his brow in concern.

“Uncle Baofeng, why is the bride's hands tied?” he inquired, puzzled.

Others noticed as well and turned their curious gazes toward Wang Baofeng and Wang Jiutou.

“Oh, that… It's a custom from the bride's side,” Wang Baofeng hastily explained. “They say it symbolizes ‘hearts forever bound.'”

Zhang Xiaolong sensed something was amiss. If it was about being bound together in unity, shouldn't the groom and bride be tied together? Tying only the bride seemed more like a bridal abduction.

But since an explanation was given, and it was during the ceremony, he didn't want to press the issue.

The bride was led to the altar, her steps hesitant, and was gently pressed down to bow in respect.

No sooner had the ceremony concluded than the bride, seizing a moment of distraction, wrenched free from her attendant and vigorously cast off her red veil.

At that moment, everyone witnessed not just the bride's hands being bound, but her mouth was also gagged with a red cloth.

She desperately tried to scream, but with her mouth covered, her cries were muffled, trapped in her throat, and she was so frantic that tears were on the brink of spilling.

It was clear to all that this woman was utterly unwilling to marry Wang Fugui. It appeared she might indeed have been a bride who was kidnapped.

“Quick, put the veil back on and let's continue with the ceremony,” Wang Baofeng urged, trying to get the situation under control. If this chaos persisted, the wedding would surely fall apart.

“Hold on!” Zhang Xiaolong couldn't stand by any longer. He stepped forward, halting the proceedings, “Fugui, don't you think you owe us an explanation? Do you really think we're all blind?”

Wang Fugui, who had been frantically signaling the woman, became visibly agitated upon hearing this. “What's wrong with me? Just because you married a woman from the city, I can't find a bride from there too? No matter how wealthy you are, what business is it of yours who I marry?”

With that, he yanked the woman toward him, intending to have the veil placed over her head once more.

Zhang Xiaolong interjected, placing his hand to stop him. “Fugui, I have no right to meddle in your marriage, and I would normally be here to congratulate you. I wouldn't have come to help otherwise. It doesn't matter to me if you marry a city girl or even a princess or queen from abroad; I'd be thrilled for you and give you a thumbs up. But what is this? Are you marrying a wife or stealing one?”

“Indeed, it's obvious this young woman is reluctant. What's going on here?”

“She's quite the beauty; how could she possibly fancy Fugui? She must have been coerced or purchased…”

“If she was bought, she'd have to be willing. If she was bought from traffickers, that's a crime…”

The guests, all locals from the village, were abuzz with speculation about the situation.

“Uncle Jiu, Uncle Baofeng, if Fugui won't speak up, then you must explain what's happening here, right? Otherwise, how do you expect to proceed with the wedding?” Zhang Xiaolong sighed, “This isn't just about one person. Even if you force her through the ceremony now, who will suffer in the end? Who will be left with heartache?”

Wang Fugui had no rebuttal to the reasonable argument presented before him, and Wang Jiutou hung his head low, fearing that his daughter-in-law was on the verge of an outburst.

Zhang Xiaolong stepped forward, noticing the group's inaction. He gently removed the red cloth gagging the bride's mouth and snapped the ropes binding her hands. “It's okay now. If there's anything you want to say, go ahead. Rest assured, if you don't wish to marry Wang Fugui, with all the villagers here as witnesses, he won't be able to force you.”

Upon seeing the towering figure of Zhang Xiaolong, the bride, Zheng Hong, felt a surge of relief and began to weep, “I don't want to marry him. Please, take me away…”

Through her tearful account, the full story came to light.

Zheng Hong, the bride, had neither been purchased nor abducted by Wang Fugui. They had both been working in the city when Zheng Hong was harassed by a thug. Wang Fugui happened to be there and rescued her.

?Grateful to the unassuming Wang Fugui, Zheng Hong quickly warmed to him, especially since he had a way with words. Under his many promises, she was charmed into marrying him. But upon arriving in the village, she discovered the stark poverty of her new home.

?The “small western-style house” Wang Fugui had boasted of wasn't even his. Initially, Zheng Hong considered making do, but she soon found that the family's poverty was so severe they couldn't afford a decent meal. While she never expected a life of luxury, the reality was more than she could bear. She wanted to leave, but Wang Fugui, having finally found an attractive wife, was unwilling to let her go. He kept her confined at home, hoping that once they had a child, she would no longer wish to leave.

“What in the world are you doing, Fugui? Do you realize this is a crime?” At some point, Wang Tiehzhu had made his way into the yard. He pointed at the disheartened man squatting on the ground and scolded him.

“I…” Wang Fugui started to raise his head to argue but then deflated, “I had no choice…”

“There's never a good enough reason to do something so heartless,” Wang Tiehzhu scolded before turning to Zheng Hong. “Young lady, I'm the village chief around here. Wang Fugui should be calling me ‘grandpa' given our seniority. Rest assured, if you want to leave, no one will dare to stop you. If they try, they'll answer to me.”

“Uncle, please, I want to leave. Help me get away,” Zheng Hong pleaded through tears. “Wang Fugui promised me 50,000 yuan for my father's medical treatment, and that's the only reason I followed him here. I never intended to sell myself, but what about my dad's illness? And he lied to me about everything. I despise him!”

“Get out, get out, get out…” Wang Fugui realized he couldn't keep her there any longer. “If you're going to leave, then just go. I've had my way with you, so I'm not at a loss!”

Wang Tiehzhu delivered a sharp slap across his face. “You call that human speech?”

He then turned back to Zheng Hong, trying to reason with her. “Everything I said stands. You're free to go, and no one will dare to stop you. But, I have one more thing to say. Since you've already been with Fugui, if you can manage, try to stay. Clear River Village may be poor now, but it won't always be this way.”

Zheng Hong bit her lip. “Uncle, I can wait, but my father can't…”

“I'll give you the fifty thousand yuan. Would you consider staying?” Zhang Xiaolong interjected.