“Let me tell you, Laidi…” He slowly crouched down, reeking of foul odor as he leaned closer to me. “Since you were little, I could tell you’d grow up to be a beauty. Who would’ve thought no one would want you even at thirty-five?”
“What…?”
“Your mom told me everything—that there’s something wrong with your head.” He grinned, baring his yellowed teeth, his breath reeking unbearably. “If you behave, I won’t hit you. Otherwise, I’ll come every single day until I beat you into submission.”
“Beat me… into submission…?”
I couldn’t believe something like this could still happen in today’s society. In my ten years as a lawyer, I’ve faced threats and even house arrest, but no one ever dared lay a hand on me outright.
“L-Listen to me first…” I clutched my stomach, forcing my voice steady. “There’s nothing wrong with my head… No matter how much money you gave my family, I’ll pay you back double if you let me go. I won’t let you lose a single cent—I can even write you an IOU right now…”
“Pay me back?” The butcher, Ma, reached out with a grimy hand and lifted my chin obscenely. “You’re my wife now. We’re a married couple—your money is my money. What’s there to pay back?”
“That’s… not how it works?” I struggled to keep my voice from shaking. “Marriage requires a legal certificate… If you really want me as your wife, we should go to town and register… Otherwise, no one would even know we’re married, right?”
Ma fell silent for a long moment before flashing an ugly smile.
“See? You really are sick in the head,” he sneered. “I got a matchmaker, paid your old man the bride price, and they both agreed. Who are you to refuse? Ain’t you some educated city girl? Don’t your books say ‘parents’ orders, matchmaker’s words’? Huh?”
“‘Parents’ orders, matchmaker’s words’…?”
I almost laughed. What year was this? Had I traveled back in time?
It was hard to say whether this was good or bad—progress had happened too fast.
It created a rift within the same generation. Those who kept up with the times thrived, while those left behind remained stuck in the past.
I remembered how, as a child, making a phone call meant going to the village’s only communal office. Now, a phone the size of a palm could “scan” away any obstacle.
Yet in the same province, people could hear both the capitalist slogan “Love her? Get her the first milk tea of autumn!” and the archaic notion of “parents’ orders, matchmaker’s words.”
It just showed how fast things had changed. Some refused to keep up, abandoned in the dark corners of time.
“Anyway, you took my money—you’re my woman for life,” he pinched my face hard. “Pretty girls in the village at sixteen or seventeen go for 100,000. Don’t push your luck.”
Honestly, I was terrified.
From his perspective, he wouldn’t back down.
As the village’s notorious thug, no one would willingly hand their daughter to him—that’s why he was still single in his fifties.
Now, he’d “bought” me, and he wasn’t about to return me.
How was I supposed to escape?
He was far stronger than me. The only upside was that he hadn’t raped me—yet.
But that was inevitable.
“Then… at least let me tell my friends in Chengdu,” I gritted my teeth. “If I disappear, they’ll call the police. Just let me tell them I got married—people should know, right?”
“Damn, you’re really sick…” Ma’s eyes filled with disgust. “I’ll say it again—we’re married. You’re my wife, got it? Who the hell calls the police over a wedding?”
“Married?!” I couldn’t hold back anymore. His logic was airtight—he wouldn’t listen to reason. “Are you deaf? There’s nothing wrong with me! I just don’t want to marry in this village—is that a crime?!”
Ma sighed, his breath foul. “You don’t wanna marry here? What, city men any better? Everyone knows you’re just some lawsuit-happy shrew there—sounds miserable. Now you don’t gotta sue nobody. Free pork at home, just pop out some kids for me. I won’t even take another wife.”
Absurd. Absolutely absurd!
Was that supposed to be… a confession? A proposal?
*I’ll give you pork, you give me babies.*
What kind of deranged person says something like that?
He was insane.
If I kept resisting, things would get worse. I’d already made my refusal clear—maybe I should pretend to comply for now.
“But… what kind of marriage starts with locking someone up?” My voice trembled. “Let’s talk outside. Just don’t keep me locked in here, and I’ll agree to anything, okay?”
I thought it was the most desperate plea I could make.
Then his greasy, stinking hand struck my face again.
*SMACK!*
“You think I’m stupid? Every city girl we buy says the same damn thing!” Ma spat. “Just wait. Five days without food, and you’ll be begging to be my wife.”
What…?
As he stood to leave, I grabbed his arm.
“Hey! Without food or water, I won’t last five days—three at most!” I tried reasoning from his perspective. “You want me as your wife, right? Then you can’t let me die. If I die, your 100,000 goes to waste!”
He snorted. “Five days? Even a pig wouldn’t starve that fast. You telling me you’d die?”
“I’m human, not livestock!” I clutched my stinging cheek. “At least give me water. I haven’t had any in hours.”
After a pause, he shoved me to the ground with brutal force and left, locking the door behind him.
This was bad. He saw me as livestock.
He might actually let me starve to death.
To my surprise, minutes later, a bottle of water and a nearly expired packaged bread were tossed through the barred window.
I checked the seals—both unopened. Probably safe.
If Ma was meticulous enough to drug them, I’d have no choice but to accept my fate.
I devoured the bread and water, feeling slightly better. But how was I supposed to escape this six-square-meter prison?
How long would I be trapped here?
Wait—Xiao Sun?
I suddenly remembered him. It was already night—he’d lost contact with me this morning. Would he realize I was in danger?
No… hard to say.
To him, this was my hometown.
He’d never guess my own parents sold me to a butcher.
And he’d never imagine that Zhang Chenze—the lawyer whose cases in Chengdu started at 20,000 yuan—had been sold for just 100,000.
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage