"I know, the village has many people, and we need to prepare a lot of things! Otherwise, how about I accompany you to buy them? Especially the phoenix crown and wedding dress, I might be able to help."

Qin Xianglan tentatively said. 𝕗𝐫𝚎𝗲𝘄𝐞𝕓𝐧𝕠𝘃𝕖𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝚖

Zhu San immediately looked at her cautiously, "You going? A woman like you, what are you doing in town? Planning to run? Or trying to help that wretched woman escape?"

No wonder Zhu San was a shrewd person; Qin Xianglan’s one sentence raised his suspicion.

But Qin Xianglan had anticipated he would ask this.

She sat down on the ground, saying, "You heartless man, I’ve been married to you for so many years, if I wanted to run, I would have done it long ago, why wait until now?

Besides, Gouzi is my son, he’s getting married, I’m happy, I want to contribute, yet you not only don’t praise me but also say I want to release Gouzi’s wife, I can’t live anymore!"

Qin Xianglan cried and fussed in a way that appeared entirely genuine.

Zhu San looked at her, and she didn’t seem to be faking it.

For a moment, he felt he might be overthinking!

He said, "I didn’t mean it that way, you wouldn’t have said you would go to the town, wouldn’t it have solved the issue! Alright, I’ve decided, I’ll buy everything myself, at worst, I’ll make a few more trips!"

Zhu San definitely wouldn’t take Qin Xianglan to the town.

Regardless of how long Qin Xianglan had stayed with him.

Qin Xianglan’s mind was racing; if it were an average person hearing Zhu San’s words, they might have had a breakdown.

But for Qin Xianglan, who had been dealing with Zhu San for two years, this wasn’t anything special.

She felt she had to bear it!

Do a little more to help herself, and maybe getting to the town would be easier.

...

A day passed, and early in the morning Zhu San told Qin Xianglan he was going to town to buy some stuff.

Qin Xianglan didn’t mention that she wanted to go, but while making breakfast, she secretly added some broth from leftovers that had been sitting for several days to Zhu San’s food.

This was the result of Qin Xianglan’s research for many days; items kept for a long time would upset the stomach if consumed, and it was precise!

Zhu San had just finished his meal when the cart was ready, and arriving at the village entrance, his stomach started churning.

Before reaching the village entrance, he ran back home with soiled pants.

Zhu San cursed as he returned home, having Qin Xianglan fetch water while he dashed to the pit.

He diarrheed all day, invited a village elder who knew a bit about herbs, took a dose of medicine, and finally felt better.

But now Zhu San didn’t have the energy to buy many things.

And the marriage date was drawing ever closer.

Qin Xianglan saw Zhu San worried and suggested: "Gouzi’s father, how about... postponing Gouzi’s wedding by a few days? Once your health is better, we’ll have the feast?"

Zhu San got angry upon hearing this.

"What nonsense are you saying, you stupid woman? I’ve already told the villagers the wedding date, how can it be changed? My son may be foolish, but even so, you shouldn’t come up with such rotten ideas!"

"Gouzi’s father, that’s not what I mean; I’m doing it for you. Do you plan to haul things to the town with your still unwell body? Didn’t you say you wanted to buy a roasted pig for Gouzi’s wife? Just the roasted pig would weigh around twenty to thirty pounds!"

The more Qin Xianglan talked, the more sense Zhu San found in it.

He had just finished diarheaing and had no strength.

Not to mention a roasted pig, even just driving the ox cart seemed exhausting, but his son couldn’t wait!

"You go!" Zhu San turned his gaze onto Qin Xianglan.

Qin Xianglan was stunned, shaking her head repeatedly, "I’m not fit for this; I can’t go out, a woman like me doesn’t know these things!"

The more Qin Xianglan refused, the more Zhu San insisted she go.

He even said, "If you don’t go, it means you’re guilty, or are you really planning to escape?"

Such words were often on Zhu San’s lips, and Qin Xianglan had grown accustomed to them.

Still, she pretended to be scared!

In the end, she feigned being coerced by Zhu San and reluctantly agreed to go to town.

Early the next morning, Qin Xianglan made pancakes for Old Mrs. Mu and the foolish Gouzi.

Then followed Zhu San to the town; throughout the journey, Qin Xianglan felt extremely excited.

Two years, she had been in that cursed village for two years.

Finally able to see the light of day, this time, she wouldn’t go back!

Wang Family Village wasn’t close to the town, and when they arrived it was almost noon.

Zhu San was familiar with the town; he first took Qin Xianglan to a small restaurant to have lunch.

He also told Qin Xianglan they would buy things after lunch.

Halfway through the meal, Qin Xianglan claimed she had a stomachache, unexpectedly, Zhu San got up.

"I’ll go with you, lest you try any tricks, woman!"

Qin Xianglan had no choice but to let Zhu San follow.

Since it was a small restaurant, there was only one toilet; while Qin Xianglan was relieving herself, Zhu San waited outside.

Qin Xianglan had no chance to escape and didn’t stay long in the restroom, soon she came out.

After lunch, Qin Xianglan followed Zhu San to buy the phoenix crown and wedding dress.

But they didn’t go to a good fabric shop, instead to a store selling surplus items from other families.

The goods were somewhat dirty; some were extremely ugly. So, Zhu San spent very little money to buy the phoenix crown and wedding dress Old Mrs. Mu wanted.

Next was for his son, initially he planned to choose the ugly fabric.

Qin Xianglan chimed in, "Gouzi’s father, surely you wouldn’t use such stuff for our son?

That old hag’s skin is thick and tough, nothing to worry about, but Gouzi is your own son; you wouldn’t want him to wear clothes that might have been worn by the dead, would you?"

"This..."

Zhu San wavered, thinking Qin Xianglan made sense, Gouzi was still his son.

"We won’t buy expensive ones, but they should be clean! Gouzi only has this one occasion in his life; it can’t be messed up!"

Hearing Qin Xianglan, Zhu San nodded quickly.

"You’re right, let’s find a decent place to buy the boy’s clothes!"

They hadn’t walked far before seeing a small fabric shop, looking clean and tidy.

Zhu San took Qin Xianglan inside; along the way, Qin Xianglan kept observing her surroundings.

Checking if Chengfeng Restaurant was nearby, because if it was, she feared nothing. She could confront Zhu San.

After all, the old brute had been sick for a day and had no energy.

Unfortunately, she didn’t see it along the way.

Qin Xianglan was most afraid Chengfeng Restaurant wasn’t well known, even if she asked, no one would know.

"Which one do you think looks good on Gouzi?" Zhu San asked Qin Xianglan.

Qin Xianglan was lost in her thoughts and didn’t hear him.

Zhu San started to get mad, "Old hag, are you deaf? I’m calling you; why don’t you answer?"

Qin Xianglan snapped back, "Gouzi’s father, I... I was just imagining Gouzi’s wedding scene; what did you say?"