In the main room, Old Su and Shi's mother's discussion finally came to an end. The bride price was lowered to two hundred sixty yuan, a figure both parties were satisfied with.
Glancing at the sky outside, Old Su said, "Shi's mother, it's getting late. Have your Shitou come inside."
"Alright, as you say," Shi's mother nodded.
Old Su then led Shi's mother into the inner room, where Old Su was sitting on the kang, staring blankly at Shitou.
Old Su generally didn't meddle in the Su Family's business, leaving Old Su to manage it all. As long as he could eat and drink well, nothing else mattered much.
But now, the sight of the fat, dark-skinned man before him, who was chuckling foolishly and drooling, filled him with visceral revulsion. He silently resented her for taking so long talking with Shi's mother. He desperately wanted them to take Shitou and leave; he couldn't care less what happened after. All he wanted was to get some rest.
So, upon seeing Old Su and Shi's mother enter the inner room, he let out a silent sigh of relief and feigned an authoritative tone. "Is everything settled?"
"It's settled." The day's affairs were something her son, daughter-in-law, and husband wanted no part of, but Old Su relished this feeling of holding all the power.
"Fine. Then let's get this business over with so we can rest early," Old Su nodded.
"Alright."
Old Su and Shi's mother coaxed Shitou out of the room.
"Mama, I want a wife," Shitou giggled stupidly. The big, fat simpleton tugged at Shi's mother's sleeve, twisting his body with the lumbering awkwardness of a bear attempting ballet. The sight was so jarring Old Su could hardly bear to look.
"Come on. Let's go to my Erya's room," Old Su said, quickening her pace to lead the way.
At that moment, lying in the woodshed, Su Qing had already heard Old Su bringing the fool over. In her past life, she possessed a dual healing and control-type Wood Ability. Not only could she communicate with plants, but a Bagua Pool in her palm could store green mist and gray mist absorbed from them. The green mist could heal, and the gray mist could induce unconsciousness, functioning much like an anesthetic. Fortunately, that Wood Ability had come with her into this life, as had the Bagua Pool. Though the green and gray mist within it were sparse, she had just enough for the present.
Old Su opened the woodshed door and led Shitou and Shi's mother inside. Seeing Su Qing still "unconscious" on the bed, she whispered to Shi's mother, "See? This is our Erya."
Through the moonlight filtering in from the window, Shi's mother examined Su Qing. Sallow and scrawny, with hair like withered grass and a large scar on her left cheek. She was certainly ugly. However, the fact that she was an untouched maiden was a saving grace. Shi's mother was quite satisfied with that. She lovingly patted the back of Shitou's hand and said softly, "Shitou, this will be your wife from now on. You'll sleep with your wife tonight."
"Hehe, wife, wife…" Shitou stared at Su Qing on the bed, his eyes shining. The words made Su Qing's stomach churn, but she had to keep feigning unconsciousness. She had a plan, but the time wasn't right yet.
"That's right, she's your wife. Go on, go to sleep with your wife." Shi's mother chuckled as she pushed Shitou toward the bed. Seeing him start to climb onto it, she quickly pulled Old Su out of the woodshed and shut the door behind them. Although she loved eavesdropping on her son and daughter-in-law, this was the Su family's home, after all. She had to show some restraint, lest that old hag Old Su use it against her later.
Old Su was also grinning. With two hundred sixty yuan as a betrothal gift, this wretched girl had finally proven to be of some use.
In the woodshed, Su Qing heard Old Su and Shi's mother's footsteps recede. The fool was already clambering onto the bed with a stupid grin. Su Qing's eyes snapped open. She had freed her bound hands long ago. Now, with a wave of her right hand, she sent a wisp of gray mist toward Shitou's face.
When Shitou saw Su Qing open her eyes, he let out an excited cry of "wife," his own eyes gleaming with a brutish and excited light. He could mount his wife again.
The next moment, Shitou felt his head swim as his vision went black, and he began to topple toward the floor.
Su Qing wasn't about to let him fall. With one hand, she effortlessly hauled the fat, dark-skinned man of over two hundred pounds onto the bed. Seeing the drool at the corner of his mouth, Su Qing wrinkled her nose in disgust and vigorously wiped her hand on the tattered quilt.
She felt filthy.
After a good while, the entire old Su residence fell dark as everyone went to rest. Su Qing didn't rush, continuing to sit on the bed in the woodshed. About an hour later, once a chorus of snores rose and fell throughout the house, she quietly slipped out of the woodshed and sent a bit of gray mist into every occupied room.
Before long, the snoring all faded away.
Only then did Su Qing return to the woodshed, haul Shitou up, and head for Su Tao's room.
Technically, two rooms and part of the courtyard in the old Su residence still belonged to Su Qing. Years ago, her strong-willed mother had forced a separation from the main family household, securing two rooms and even building a courtyard. Unfortunately, after Su Qing's mother abandoned her, Old Su took her back into the fold under the pretext that she was too young to live alone. They not only seized Su Qing's house and courtyard but also enslaved her for a full six years. In those years, Su Qing was no more than a little servant girl. She had to do all the household chores and work in the fields for work points. A once-bright and lively little girl had been worn down into the sallow, withered person she was today.
In the Su residence, Su Qing was only fit to sleep in the woodshed, while everyone else, even Su Tao of the family's third branch, had a spacious room to herself.
This, however, made Su Qing's plan for the night much more convenient.
Carrying Shitou, Su Qing gently pushed open the door to Su Tao's room. Su Tao, under the influence of the gray mist, was in a deep sleep, completely unaware of her surroundings.
Su Qing looked at the sleeping Su Tao, recalling her actions and the words she had spoken earlier. Her eyes narrowed. Without hesitation, she placed Shitou down next to Su Tao, stripped them both down to their undershirts and shorts, and positioned Shitou's hand on Su Tao's chest. She then sent another puff of gray mist their way to ensure no sound would wake them in the morning. Finally, she kindly pulled the blanket over both of them.
See how thoughtful she was.
With that done, Su Qing scanned Su Tao's room by the moonlight. Su Tao liked flowers, and several pots were placed around the room, all containing Landmine Flowers. Because Landmine Flowers were effective at repelling mosquitoes, Su Tao kept several pots of them.
It was now the cusp of late summer and early autumn, and the flowers had already produced numerous black seeds. A smile touched Su Qing's eyes as she walked over to one of the plants. She gently touched a flower, and as if sensing her, the plant swayed without a breeze, its leaves trembling toward her as if in greeting.
Su Qing whispered softly, "I'm counting on you for tomorrow morning."