Su Li’s arrival with Su Yuan triggered a series of rising wolf whistles.
"The village chief really wasn’t lying, this ti the rchandise is the best ever..."
The village chief’s eyes shimred with pride as he said, "So, those who want to find a bride for their sons, start making your offers..."
Su Yuan felt humiliated, treated as if she were nothing but goods for people to pick and choose from.
She was terrified, feeling the disgust of many pairs of eyes scraping over her body again and again.
"You can’t do this, it’s illegal. I’m telling you, let go right now, and I, I can pretend nothing happened, otherwise..."
Su Li was sowhat perplexed by the girl’s way of thinking.
She seed very scared, but her actions were... as if deliberately provoking these people who had already lost their conscience.
Of course, Su Li knew she didn’t do it on purpose; was she simply... reckless?
Did she really expect that her few words would provoke a sense of guilt in these people?
Before Su Yuan could finish speaking, the village chief, grinning with yellowed teeth, spat and slapped Su Yuan’s face, turning it to one side.
Instantly, her delicate cheek swelled up like a stead bun.
Yesterday, both the village chief and the won who kept watch at night had unspokenly avoided hitting Su Yuan’s face while teaching her a lesson.
Today, however, there was no such concern.
Boos continued from below, with young n yelling loudly, urging, "Uncle, go easy; don’t hurt the woman..."
The village chief swore, "You son of a bitch, she’s not even your wife yet, and you’re so protective? Got enough money prepared?"
The young man laughed loudly, "Plenty of money, even dug into my parents’ funeral savings... Uncle, if you damage her, you’ll have to take less from ."
"Spit, you all just think about taking advantage of ..."
Su Yuan quieted down then, shrinking her shoulders and persistently hiding behind Su Li.
The young man’s wolf-like, presumptuous gaze from earlier made her feel very uneasy, her whole body uncomfortable, with no trace of relief for having been spared the beating.
Su Yuan bit her lip, casting aningful glances at Su Li now and then.
She didn’t understand why, given that this girl was much prettier than herself, why...
Under the village chief’s guidance, the village’s single young n brought out all their family savings.
During this ti, there was another farce.
A man in his thirties almost ca to blows with a young man who had just co of age.
"Gangzi, you got married last year, why are you still competing with us?"
"That woman couldn’t take a beating, started looking for death after a few hits... Now I’m single again, why can’t I participate? The village chief said it himself, the highest bidder wins, and I’ve got money..."
"You’ve already had a taste of won, can’t you give us a chance?"
"No way, I haven’t had a chance to father offspring yet..."
Were it not for the village chief’s authority, the village’s single n might have all erupted into a fight.
Even those who already had wives at ho looked longingly at the two won at the front.
If they had a little more savings at ho, they’d also like to trade in for a new one...
The one at ho wasn’t anywhere close to the appeal of these two.
And the won, watching their husbands and fathers-in-law’s undisguised covetous expressions, glared bitterly at Su Li and Su Yuan several tis.
If it weren’t for the village chief and other n watching, they would probably want to rush forward and tear the little seductresses who lured their n to shreds.
Su Li’s drooping eyelids concealed the piercing cold light in her eyes.
All people rooted in corruption...
These won, clearly victims themselves, had now one by one turned into abusers, foolishly thinking of dragging more innocent won down into the abyss.
But she didn’t know, without the original owner standing in front at this ti, Su Yuan faced the darkest side of the won in the village directly, and she might wonder if these people were still worth saving....
Quickly, the two highest bidders erged.
One was a dark and skinny man with a pockmarked face and seemingly unsound legs.
He offered thirty thousand.
The other was quite sturdy and plain-looking, but among a group of stamring n, he was considered decently handso.
He only had twenty thousand.
The rest were in bits and pieces, a few thousand here, ten thousand there... all the savings of entire families over many years.
From this, it was evident that the village was truly poor.
The skinny man made it clear he wanted Su Li, though his mother wasn’t too keen on it.
"Son, the price is too high this ti, let’s wait for the next one, after all, as long as a woman can bear children, that’s all that matters..."
"No, I’m already in my thirties, I’ve never even slled a woman before, and this ti she really is beautiful...."
Su Yuan glanced at Su Li with pity, seeming sowhat triumphant.
Su Li: "....." Is she sick in the head?
In such a situation, what’s there to be proud of....
The skinny man and the other man, the two highest bidders, were blooming with joy... the others all looked at them with envy.
They then turned and cursed at their own mothers or grandmothers, quite discontent.
"You old bags, it’s all your fault for not being competent.... If we had a bit more money, she would’ve been mine...."
Similar gripes were not uncommon.
These won, like placating ancestors, bore it all with a grin, apologizing in low, humble voices and making promises.
Their glances toward Su Li and Su Yuan were filled with added resentnt.
It was all the fault of these two wretches.... If only they could scratch their faces.
However, they could only entertain such thoughts; the village chief would never allow it.
The two won fetched a good price, and the village chief made a tidy profit, naturally overjoyed.
He was not only the most influential person in the village but also the richest.
By arranging brides for the local n, he had earned quite a bit over the years.
The village chief took a puff of his tobacco pipe and laughed, "Today’s a happy day, tonight I’ll host, everyone eat and drink well.... Let the two young n consummate their marriages, so we can add a few more boys to our village soon...."
With the village chief’s words, the previously displeased mother of the skinny man finally showed a smile.
The others were also happy; even without won, a free al was good enough.
By evening, the entire village was in a festive mood, with various foods being carried out from the village chief’s house.
What was considered delicious food here was only relative to those from deep in the mountains in this village.
To city folks, it would certainly not be palatable.
Large chunks of root-like items, stead cornbread, uncut slabs of white pork....
Lacking oil, salt, and seasoning...
But to the villagers who rarely had enough to eat, it was already the best al possible.
Such occasions happened a few tis every year.
----------------
Outside, there was joy, but the mood didn’t reach inside the earthen house at all.
Su Yuan and Su Li were still locked in the sa earthen house where they started.
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