Qinghe Village.
The Nian Family.
"Wife, regardless of whether you passed the exam or not, we are proud that you were able to participate this time."
After several months of getting along, Xingyun had come to regard Nian Jiaojiao as family, speaking his mind without reservation.
He now looked at her with disbelief, clearly not believing the news that Nian Jiaojiao had brought back: "topping the list."
Nian Jiaojiao felt a bit weary. She truly had no certificate to prove her achievement.
Thus, she rolled her eyes and gave up resisting:
"Alright, alright, as long as you're happy."
With that, she took out eight taels of silver from her embrace and said:
"Here, it was originally ten taels, now there are eight left. However, this is just the extra money the boss gave. As for other commissions, there will be more income once the books sell."
Xuan Yi's hand, holding a piece of candy, paused. He stared at the candy in his hand, lost in thought for a long while.
He had spent two taels of silver for just this little bit of candy?
Xuan Yi felt that the candy in his mouth no longer tasted sweet.
He had toiled hard hunting on the mountain to earn this much money. Now his wife had casually bought them candy. Was this candy inlaid with gold or embedded with jade?
Yuchuan, however, did not accept the silver from Nian Jiaojiao. He only said:
"Wife, it's better for you to keep some silver on you."
Nian Jiaojiao thought for a moment and withdrew her hand.
Indeed, as a woman venturing out, she needed to spend money.
However, seeing that she could discuss household expenses so harmoniously with these four husbands in the same space, she couldn't help but feel a surge of emotion.
What happened to the promised mortal enemies?
As they were chatting, Nian Jiaojiao suddenly felt a commotion outside and frowned.
What kind of trouble had erupted now?
Whenever there was such a noisy disturbance, nothing good ever happened.
After some thought, she said to the four of them:
"I'll go out and take a look."
With that, she walked out alone.
Stepping out of the courtyard, she saw people hurrying towards a certain direction from the main entrance. Nian Jiaojiao casually grabbed someone:
"Auntie, what's happening?"
The auntie looked at the unfamiliar woman before her, perplexed. Was there such a woman in their Qinghe Village?
Nian Jiaojiao's appearance had changed drastically compared to before.
She had gone from 180 jin to 90 jin, her weight halved.
The swollen, red acne on her face was gone, leaving only acne scars, which had also faded a bit in the past few days.
It was no wonder the other party didn't recognize her.
However, this auntie was in a hurry to see the excitement and couldn't think too much about it. She replied casually:
"Someone jumped into the river! I heard a husband jumped into the river! Oh my! Don't pull me! I have to go quickly and see!"
Nian Jiaojiao immediately let go of the auntie's sleeve and allowed her to leave.
Watching the auntie's back, which revealed a hint of "joy," Nian Jiaojiao's brows furrowed deeply.
Was a death something to be happy about?
Nian Jiaojiao stood in place for a long time before finally deciding to go and see.
By the time Nian Jiaojiao reached the scene, the location of the incident was already tightly surrounded by layers of people.
As it was near the river, Nian Jiaojiao guessed that the husband who committed suicide had drowned himself.
Unable to see the specific situation inside, Nian Jiaojiao could only understand the events by listening to the discussions of the villagers who could see.
"So pitiful, truly pitiful."
"Exactly. I saw him yesterday, and today he's suddenly gone."
"Hey, did you see his arm? Was he abused by his wife?"
"Definitely. You know what Zhao Mazi is like. I bet he doesn't have a good patch of skin left..."
"Tsk tsk tsk, how much pain must he have been in to think of such a thing..."
When Nian Jiaojiao heard the name "Zhao Mazi," a bad premonition stirred in her heart.
Zhao Mazi's husband... wasn't that Brother Zhang?
Just as she was thinking this, as if to confirm her guess, she suddenly heard a woman exclaim loudly:
"Zhao Mazi is here!!!"
Nian Jiaojiao turned her head to look. Wasn't this Zhao Mazi, who had previously slandered her for having an affair with Brother Zhang?
Zhao Mazi was being pulled along, looking unwilling. Nearly half the village had arrived, yet she was only making a tardy appearance.
With the main party arriving, the encircling crowd opened a gap. Nian Jiaojiao seized the opportunity to follow behind Zhao Mazi and slip in.
Zhao Mazi glanced at Zhang Jie, who lay on the ground, disheveled and lifeless. With a look of disdain, she spat towards him:
"Pah! This damned unlucky thing! Couldn't he die somewhere else? Why choose this auspicious day right before the New Year to find trouble and upset me?!"
The surrounding villagers couldn't stand it and said:
"Zhao Mazi, the person is dead, show some kindness."
"Yes, yes. Hurry up and bury the person. What is this happening right before the New Year!"
Zhao Mazi became displeased:
"Do I need your concern? Go, go away! You're all just here to watch my drama all day!"
Nian Jiaojiao looked at the tragic Brother Zhang on the ground, a stark contrast to Zhao Mazi, who was arguing with the villagers.
The last time she saw Zhao Mazi, she was wearing coarse hemp clothes. But today, seeing her again, she was adorned in silk and jade.
Nian Jiaojiao stared at Zhao Mazi's clamoring face thoughtfully.
After a while, the crowd gradually dispersed. Zhao Mazi found a tattered straw mat, rolled up the body, and disdainfully dragged it forward. By then, no one spoke up for the deceased.
Yuchuan and Xuan Yi found Nian Jiaojiao still standing in place and looked at her with concern.
"Wife, are you alright?" Yuchuan asked, seeing Nian Jiaojiao's expressionless face.
"I'm fine," Nian Jiaojiao shook her head.
"I heard someone died here?"
At this point, no one was at the scene except for Nian Jiaojiao. Yuchuan and Xuan Yi had only vaguely heard on their way that someone had jumped into the river and committed suicide.
"...Yes"
Nian Jiaojiao replied hesitantly, her eyes involuntarily drifting towards Xuan Yi.
Brother Zhang and Xuan Yi's three brothers were good friends, and she found it difficult to speak.
Xuan Yi seemed to sense something and looked at her, asking:
"Wife, who is it that has met with misfortune?"
Nian Jiaojiao finally spoke slowly, revealing the name:
"Zhang Jie, Brother Zhang."
Xuan Yi fell silent.
Something seemed to be churning in his deep, dark pupils, but strangely, he showed neither great sorrow nor anger. He simply stood there calmly.
However, Nian Jiaojiao knew that this man, who was not good at expressing his emotions, must be weeping inwardly.
After a while, Xuan Yi finally spoke faintly:
"Zhao Mazi, I knew she abused him before. If he displeased her in the slightest, she would give him a brutal beating. Now, it has escalated to an even more extreme level. He finally couldn't bear it anymore..."
Hearing this, Nian Jiaojiao felt a little guilty.
Wasn't the original host one of the domestic abusers...
Xuan Yi, unaware of Nian Jiaojiao's thoughts, continued:
"It's good that he's gone. He's finally found release. There are not a few men in this world who meet such an end..."
Death is release.
This bleak truth left the three of them in silence.