The two sisters were well-fed and content, their flushed faces appearing even more vibrant and moving than usual. Seeing this, Li Xiu was deeply touched. He made up his mind that he would provide them with a better life.
"You’ve both had a hard day. Get some good sleep," Li Xiu said softly.
Yang Ruixue and Yang Ruiling exchanged glances, both looking hesitant.
"Husband, why don't we just sleep on the floor?" Yang Ruiling asked timidly.
In the past, they had always slept on the floor while Li Xiu had the bed to himself. His sudden warmth left the two sisters feeling unaccustomed to the situation.
"Nonsense!" Li Xiu frowned. "We are married; how can we not sleep together? Tonight, we’ll all share the same quilt!"
As he spoke, Li Xiu pulled the two women onto the bed. The sisters were momentarily stunned, their pretty faces turning slightly red, unsure of what to do.
The bed was humble, topped only by a straw mat. Li Xiu lay in the center, with Yang Ruixue and Yang Ruiling on either side, both of them lying stiffly. Li Xiu could even feel their delicate bodies trembling slightly.
In truth, Li Xiu was just as uneasy. Although his predecessor had married these two sisters, he had never truly consummated the marriage. Beyond the fact that they were very young at the time, a major reason was that his predecessor had been waiting for them to grow a bit older so he could sell them to a brothel and earn more silver. After all, a maiden’s virtue was the most valuable asset. Thinking of this, Li Xiu cursed his predecessor in his heart once again.
Li Xiu turned his head back and forth, looking at Yang Ruixue and Yang Ruiling. In the dim moonlight, he could clearly see a hint of shyness and anxiety on their faces. Like two flower buds on the verge of blooming, they were delicate and lovely, stirring a sense of protection within him.
Li Xiu reached out and touched their arms. Both women shuddered. Li Xiu pulled his hand back and made no further moves. He knew the time was not yet right. Their favor toward him was still far too low. If he forced it, it would only backfire and make them fear him more. Besides, these two girls were his wives; they weren't going anywhere. There would be plenty of time in the future; there was no need to rush.
Li Xiu let out a long, slow breath and closed his eyes.
Just then, someone knocked on the door.
"Knock, knock, knock!"
In the quiet night, the sound was as loud as a bell. Li Xiu’s eyes snapped open as he turned toward the door. "Who is it?" he asked in a low voice.
A hesitant voice came from outside: "Brother Li Xiu, it’s me, Sister Chunhua."
Li Xiu immediately recognized her as the wife of Li the Scoundrel. Sister Chunhua was known throughout Xiaoshan Village as a beautiful young woman; despite being married, she still possessed a graceful, lingering charm. Her husband, Li the Scoundrel, was a true rogue who frequently beat her.
Upon hearing it was Sister Chunhua, Yang Ruiling’s pretty face darkened. "Husband, it must be that Li the Scoundrel has beaten Sister Chunhua out of the house again," she whispered. "That Li the Scoundrel is nothing but a villain."
She dared not say anything more. She still remembered that the old Li Xiu was just as much of a scoundrel as he was, constantly beating and scolding his wives at the slightest provocation. She cast a secret glance at Li Xiu, her eyes filled with trepidation.
Li Xiu noticed Yang Ruiling’s expression and sighed inwardly. It seemed the psychological trauma caused by his predecessor would not be wiped away anytime soon.
"Don't worry," Li Xiu said, his voice gentle and reassuring. "I won't ever beat or scold you sisters again." With that, he climbed out of bed and walked to the door. "I'll go see what's happening," he added.
Li Xiu opened the door, and a cool breeze wafted in, carrying a faint fragrance. By the bright moonlight, he saw Sister Chunhua standing outside. With her willow-leaf eyebrows, phoenix eyes, button nose, small mouth, and an oval face, she was naturally pleasing to the eye. Even in her rough, simple clothes, her curvy figure could not be concealed. At that moment, a vivid red palm print was clearly visible on her fair cheek.
"Li Xiu, Brother Li Xiu..." Sister Chunhua kept her head bowed, her voice trembling so much she could barely speak. "Li the Scoundrel, he... he hit me again." She paused, then added in a tone bordering on begging, "He insists that I come to you to seek a way to conceive a child. If I don't get one, he'll kill me."
She hadn't wanted to come, but that beast Li the Scoundrel was capable of anything when he went into a frenzy, and she was truly terrified.
Looking at the pitiful woman before him, Li Xiu cursed Li the Scoundrel a thousand times over in his heart. Seeing that Li Xiu remained silent for a long time, Sister Chunhua assumed he was unwilling. Finally hardening her resolve, she hung her head and sank to her knees. After a long moment, she looked up, her face flushed with shame: "Brother Li Xiu, I beg you..."
"Get up, quickly get up."
"Thank you, thank you."
Li Xiu recalled that Sister Chunhua had a young daughter, though not her own. Just who was responsible for this infertility? Could it be that Li the Scoundrel was the one with the problem? In this ancient society where men were held superior to women, infertility was always blamed on the woman. What a load of crap!
"Chunhua, before I can treat this, I need to know one thing: is it Li the Scoundrel who has the issue?"
Sister Chunhua’s face turned bright red at the question. She nodded.
"Then I'll write you a prescription. Take the medicine I prescribe, and I guarantee you'll be able to have a healthy baby boy."
Li Xiu started to write the prescription, but his home was so poor there wasn't even a brush, ink, or paper to be found. Just as he was wondering what to write on, Sister Chunhua spoke again: "It’s useless. Li the Scoundrel is like a bow with no arrow..." Her face turned an even deeper shade of red.
"Hiss!"
That made things difficult. So, the man had the gun but no bullets—treating the woman would be useless!
Seeing Li Xiu in a bind, Sister Chunhua gathered her courage and said, "I heard... I heard Li the Scoundrel say that your method for curing infertility involves... getting into bed..."
"Stop, stop right there!" Li Xiu waved his hands. Dammit, what kind of person was this Li the Scoundrel? What kind of twisted logic was that?
"Brother Li Xiu, please... help me. Otherwise, I’ll be beaten to death when I get home!" Sister Chunhua fell to her knees again, tears streaming down her face.
Li Xiu turned the matter over in his head and quickly said, "Get up, get up. Sister Chunhua, just go home and tell him that I’ve taken care of it. Do you understand what I mean?"
Sister Chunhua was a smart woman. She stood up and deliberately messed up her hair...
"Go on back, quickly," Li Xiu urged her again.
...
Sister Chunhua returned home. Seeing his wife with her hair disheveled, Li the Scoundrel stared at her and asked, "Is it done?"
Sister Chunhua nodded.
"What did that fellow Li Xiu say?" Li the Scoundrel asked again.
"He said... he said that this time, you're guaranteed to have a fat baby boy!" Sister Chunhua said, her face flushed red.
Li the Scoundrel said nothing more, his knuckles cracking as he clenched his fists. Sister Chunhua’s heart skipped a beat—the scoundrel was colluding with bandits again and meant to kill!