Chapter 11: The Cousin Is a Lewd Man

Zhang Shen narrowed her eyes and looked for a moment, "Are you... Tiezhu?"

Gu Tiezhu blinked his triangular eyes, nodding vigorously, "It's me, not an outsider!"

"Aunt, open the door quickly and let me in."

Zhang Shen, holding the door panel, said suspiciously, "It's so late, did your parents send you?"

Gu Tiezhu hurriedly waved his hands, "No! I came on my own."

He lifted a basket to show Zhang Shen, "I picked these wild mulberries this afternoon on the mountain, they're sweet, and I thought of Xixi first, so I specially kept the best ones to bring to her."

The basket indeed contained mulberries, though so few you could see the bottom of the basket.

Zhang Shen said coldly, "Wait a moment," closed the door, walked over to Xixi and whispered a few words.

This cousin had never cared about Xixi before, and recently the two families had completely fallen out.

At this moment he suddenly showed up to fawn over them; he must be up to no good!

Gu Xixi, after hearing that, stood up and said, "Cousin has come to bring gifts; let's hurry out to greet him."

Zhang Shen exclaimed, "Is that okay?"

"A grown man entering our house at night, and Xiao Chen just happens to be not here..."

Gu Xixi gave Zhang Shen a reassuring smile, "Aunt, don't worry."

She reached out and pulled open the big door, "We're just eating, sorry to keep you waiting, cousin."

Gu Tiezhu saw Xixi and immediately put on a smile, "I thought you were angry and unwilling to see me."

Saying that, he again handed over the bamboo basket.

Xixi took the bamboo basket and said, "We're all family; what's there to be angry about?"

"It's just that the cousin has been thinking of my love for fruit and specially brought them over this late."

Gu Tiezhu had seen Xixi at home that morning, only then realizing he hadn't paid attention for a while; this girl had grown up, and upon closer look she had some beauty, her figure also graceful and well-proportioned.

At this moment the night was hazy, her tone gentle and warm like a spring breeze, her eyes lowered and a light smile, seeming shy.

Gu Tiezhu's body went numb on one side, and he blurted out, "Good sister, you know I've been thinking of you; why not let me in so we can have a good talk?"

Zhang Shen turned pale with fright, like a hen protecting her chicks, she stepped in front of Xixi, "What words can't wait until daytime to be said?"

Xixi glanced at Gu Tiezhu, smiled faintly, and turned and walked away gracefully.

Gu Tiezhu was already dumbstruck.

In his eyes, the cousin's earlier gaze was clearly hesitant to speak, yet both refusing and welcoming.

Zhang Shen swiftly bolted the door, hurried back and said, "Good my daughter, you didn't see his lecherous look? Although same-surname cousins shouldn't marry, one can't be sure he doesn't have ill intentions!"

Gu Xixi held the bowl and drank porridge, "I know he has ill intentions, and I know why he's come."

"Precisely because he's my cousin, even if he does something disgraceful, he doesn't need to marry me; he just needs to push the blame onto me, and many will believe it."

Zhang Shen puzzled, "Then why do you still give him a pleasant face?"

Gu Xixi lowered her half-closed eyelids, calmly said, "If he dares to harbor such deadly thoughts, he should pay the price."

Zhang Shen became even more bewildered.

"Price? What price?"

Zhang Shen certainly didn't know; in the original book's plot, Gu Tiezhu, in order to seize Gu Xixi's farmland, found excuses to trick her into going to the small grove.

He laid hands on Gu Xixi, deliberately messing up her clothes and hair.

Then he threatened her that if she didn't give over the farmland, he would raise a clamor so the whole village would know they had an affair.

At that time Gu Xixi's heart was wholly set on Mu Nan Zhao; she didn't want Mu Nan Zhao to misunderstand, so she endured the humiliation in silence.

Afterward, she was repeatedly threatened by Gu Tiezhu, and successively sold her family's three mu of fertile fields to him.

But for some unknown reason, this matter eventually became known to the whole village.

With the evidence of the three mu of land Gu Xixi had given away for free, plus Gu Tiezhu's own embellished words, everyone was certain that Xixi was shameless, and even after marriage she still seduced her own cousin.

Mu Nan Zhao was mocked by the villagers as a "cuckold slave", "a sickly weed raised by his wife, he deserves not to dare to fart".

Idle ruffians and bachelors from nearby villages even dared to flirt with Gu Xixi in front of Mu Nan Zhao.

A wife he had never loved, who only brought him shame.

No wonder Mu Nan Zhao ultimately felt such hatred toward Gu Xixi.

Thinking of this, a flicker of coldness flashed in Xixi's lowered eyes.

She does not harm others, but if someone comes to her door intending to harm her, then don't blame her for striking back fiercely.

Early morning, Zhang Shen came out holding a chamber pot, and before she could finish her yawn, a figure ahead startled her.

"Yo! Xiao Chen!!"

"You, you didn't run away?"

Mu Nan Zhao stood with his hands behind his back beneath the west courtyard wall; he turned around, his smile aloof.

"I just went out to clear my mind, came back late at night; why did you think I'd run away, Zhang Shen?"

Zhang Shen glanced at the intact door bolt on the gate, "The door was locked—how did you get in? I didn't hear any movement in the middle of the night..."

Gu Xixi had just gotten up when she heard this conversation; she didn't even have time to tidy her hair, and hurriedly pushed open the window.

"Aunt, I'm hungry; later I still need to take people to reap wheat—can we eat earlier?"

Zhang Shen had always looked after Xixi's daily trifles; upon hearing the child was hungry, she immediately set aside other matters.

"Fine, I'll wash my hands and go start a fire to fry you a fried egg to nourish you!"

Xixi nodded obediently.

If we let Zhang Shen keep probing, Mu Nan Zhao would inevitably become suspicious, and it wouldn't be impossible for him to develop a murderous intent.

Mu Nan Zhao gazed at Gu Xixi, seeming to bear a teasing expression, "Zhang Shen worries I've run away."

"And you, you don't have anything to ask?"

Xixi earnestly said, "We are not a married couple; you can go wherever you like, no need to report before or after."

Mu Nan Zhao snorted coldly, "Only spent a single cash coin; no wonder you're so generous."

Xixi watched his retreating figure as he flicked his sleeve and left, then decisively closed the window.

At breakfast, Mu Nan Zhao unexpectedly sat at the table without needing Zhang Shen to fetch him.

As Gu Xixi sat down, she casually said, "If you don't want to eat with us, from now on let Zhang Shen bring your meals to your door."

"No need." Mu Nan Zhao bit into a sorghum steamed bun, seeming perfectly fine.

"Since we've become a family, eating and drinking together is only natural."

"A family?" Gu Xixi almost choked, thinking she had misheard.

Before her surprise had subsided, she heard Mu Nan Zhao continue, "Reaping wheat, I'll go with you."

Before Gu Xixi could speak, Zhang Shen clapped her hands in approval.

"Good! Since you're my fiancé, you ought to protect Xixi."

"Besides, Gu Lao San and his wife aren't pushovers; even if they summon help and a fight breaks out, we have nothing to fear!"

Mu Nan Zhao looked at Xixi, "Could it be that you don't like me following you?"

Xixi choked: "……"

After last night, his attitude suddenly became earnest; there must be some hidden motive.

With the aim of drawing as much hatred as possible, Xixi nodded reluctantly, "Then please trouble yourself to come along."

Walking on the small path, Gu Xixi noticed that more people were greeting her.

Soon she realized that the villagers' enthusiasm was actually directed at Mu Nan Zhao.

"Xiao Chen is also going out."

"You're not hurt? We were still preparing to go home and visit you!"