Men and women think differently. After Xiao Shan left, they all gathered around the village chief.
"Village Chief, what if Liu Demao is really harboring spies from the Qiang Kingdom?"
"What he did can't be blamed on our village!"
"I think if Xiao Shan said it, it must be true. What should we do? Will it lead to the extermination of nine generations?"
The village chief didn't know what to do either. Liu Demao was definitely not going to get away with it. Even without the concubine, he still had the crime of framing others.
But his mistakes couldn't implicate the other villagers. And there was Dong Huai, that child, whom he had watched grow up. He was pure-hearted and the only scholar in the village. He absolutely couldn't be implicated by his useless father.
He would go and discuss it with the clan elders. At most, they would expel Liu Demao from the clan and have Dong Huai adopted by someone else.
Or, he could beg Xiao Shan again...
Actually, he had regretted agreeing to let Xiao Shan settle in Bozi Village back then. Although the successive incidents in the village were not his fault, they were all related to his woman.
What's more, he was a devoted husband, protecting his woman as if she were his own eyes.
Now, what could he do? If anyone was to blame, it was the Liu family for being incompetent.
He appeased the villagers a few times and then dispersed the crowd.
...
Xue Niang felt that Xiao Shan was angry.
Although his face always looked like a mask, his eyes had starlight when he was in a good mood. Unlike now, dark clouds covered the sky, and it was only lacking a lightning strike, followed by heavy rain.
It was probably because he was angry about the wound on her neck. She hadn't thought much of it at the time, only wanting to prevent people from slandering her. Who knew Xiao Shan was so capable that he even knew the other party's background!
"How did you know he had a concubine, and a military prostitute from the Qiang Kingdom? No, no, did you see her in the military camp, and, did you look for her?"
Xiao Shan's eyes grew even darker, and a storm began to brew.
"Xiao Shan! Are you involved with her?"
"Who taught you to speak such vulgar words?" Xiao Shan couldn't help it. These words sounded too disgusting, not something Xue Niang would say.
If she really angered him to death, he, Xiao Shan, could have any woman he wanted. Even if the princess of the Qiang Kingdom was presented to him, he wouldn't even deign to look at her. Would he want a military prostitute?
Who was he looking down on?
"How much do you look down on me to make yourself look like this! They are just a bunch of ignorant villagers, what can they do to me? Are you stupid!"
"Who dares to look down on you? You are so capable..." Xue Niang mumbled, "All the women's eyes are on you, like they're looking at pork, with green light flashing in their eyes..."
Xiao Shan: "..."
"Xue Niang, I want you to remember, no matter what happens, you must not hurt yourself. Even if I am beaten today, sent to prison, or beheaded, you are not allowed to save me at the cost of harming yourself. Do you understand!"
"But—"
"No buts. That's not saving me, that's destroying a man's dignity! To be saved by a woman sacrificing herself is something only an incompetent man would do."
But aren't husband and wife one body? Xue Niang felt a little wronged. She was thinking of him, was that also wrong?
"You know, this world is very cruel to women. Even if I die, I don't want you to be hurt again, Xue Niang, promise me."
"You're overthinking it. I only made a few scratches today. If I had to pay a greater price, I don't think I would do it. If you want to die, then die. If you die, I'll find a man stronger than you to rely on, and no one will dare to bully me."
Xiao Shan was choked with anger.
Why was this dead girl so stubborn!
"Then let me tell you, in the entire Great Jing, no one is more capable than me! The person who can take my life hasn't been born yet!"
"Yes, you are so capable, you even dug up that person's concubine."
This, why did it go back to the concubine? What was so good about that thing?
Xiao Shan felt it was difficult to talk to Xue Niang. She was fine outside just now, but now she was contradicting him everywhere.
"Xiao Shan! Why aren't you talking anymore? Are you guilty!?" Xue Niang looked at Xiao Shan, her face puffed up.
Xiao Shan's mind was full of question marks: "What am I guilty of?"
Suddenly, a flash of inspiration struck him. He looked carefully at Xue Niang's expression, her hesitations, her unreasonable and awkward behavior. Recalling her previous words, his heart suddenly became clear.
"I did see her in the enemy military camp before. I saw her again in the city a few days ago. I had suspicions and followed her to a courtyard, where I saw Liu Demao. This woman saw me, so she couldn't be kept alive. Moreover, she wasn't a good person. On the surface, she followed Liu Demao, but in reality, she was involved with another man. The child in her belly might not even be his. That Liu Demao is a complete cuckold!"
After Xue Niang heard this, her complexion clearly improved. She pursed her pink lips, tilted her head, and glanced at Xiao Shan arrogantly, "So, you had no relationship with her before?"
Xiao Shan was already overjoyed in his heart, wishing he could immediately embrace and cherish her.
"She's a military prostitute from an enemy country. What relationship could I have with her? Not only do I have no relationship with her, but I have no relationship with any woman. I'm not afraid you'll laugh, but I'm still a virgin at my age."
Xiao Shan looked proud, as if it were a glorious thing.
Is it true or not? Why didn't she believe him?
"A woman whose lips I've kissed..."
Xue Niang looked at him, her gaze expectant, waiting for him to continue.
Xiao Shan leaned close to her ear, "Only you."
Xue Niang's fingers twitched, and she turned her head away, a blush rising on her face, "I, I'm not that easily fooled."
Xiao Shan pulled her into his arms and sighed, "It's true. I, Xiao Shan, wouldn't stoop to lying to coax you. I don't know what's gotten into me. When I see you, I'm like an ant seeing sugar, stuck and unable to escape."
Xue Niang squirmed, "I don't believe you. You're so old, how many women have you had! You're so glib!"
Damn girl! Calling him old again! Where was he old? Which man was stronger than him?
He didn't say any more. He rubbed his face against Xue Niang's hair, moving downwards. He passed the wound on her neck and gently licked it. Xue Niang trembled and frantically pushed his head away with her hand.
Xiao Shan then kissed her injured hand.
"Xiao Shan..."
Her trembling voice carried a maiden's unique softness and charm. Xiao Shan felt stimulated and his actions became more fierce.
He turned Xue Niang's face towards him and kissed her slightly parted pink lips. His tongue probed into her mouth, sweeping wildly until their small and cute tongues intertwined, merging together.
"Mmm..."
The temperature in the room rose, and ambiguous sounds lingered.
Xue Niang fell into a deep sleep. Her rosy face looked like a ripe apple. Because her lips were a little swollen, she looked like she was pouting, both seductive and charming.
Xiao Shan smoothed her hair for her. His hand lingered on her neck for a while before he took out the ointment and reapplied it.
How could anyone bear to be so rough on such a tender neck? This habit of self-harm must be corrected.