Jiang Nan Fang personally took the woman to the hospital and settled her in.
Soon, Zhang Gong came to meet her.
"The local customs here are quite interesting, similar to a documentary I saw before."
"Do you know how the brides in the village come about?"
"Don't play coy with me, just say it directly."
Jiang Nan Fang was not in the mood for jokes.
Zhang Gong said, "They're snatched. Bride-snatching is popular here."
"As long as it's a girl they fancy, regardless of her family background or appearance, snatching her home makes her his. They can live together without any marriage registration."
Jiang Nan Fang remembered watching a documentary about Nepal a long time ago, which seemed to mention this kind of bride-snatching.
She never expected to witness it herself one day.
"So? Did you find out anything else?"
"Nothing else. This was the most interesting part, so that's all they told me."
"This has nothing to do with our project, so it's better not to say anything."
Jiang Nan Fang was anxious to return and handle the subsequent matters and had no time to waste here.
She instructed Zhang Gong.
"I'll transfer 500,000 yuan to you first. Compensate them at the agricultural land price."
"If that's not enough, double it. If it's still not enough, find a lawyer. You handle it. I really need to return to Nancheng tomorrow."
Zhang Gong agreed, and Jiang Nan Fang prepared to leave the next day.
However, that evening, the woman's youngest son visited the inn.
He held a wooden carving of an indescribable shape and spoke to Jiang Nan Fang in a jumble of words.
She didn't have her phone and couldn't understand him. Out of politeness, she accepted the item.
Then, the man clapped his hands happily, muttering "Tomorrow, tomorrow!"
She couldn't understand.
Just then, the innkeeper came in.
Jiang Nan Fang stopped him and asked him to translate.
The innkeeper said, "He says your mother will be discharged from the hospital once you've passed the test."
"?"
"He also said he'll pick you up tomorrow, see you tomorrow."
Could it be that they just wanted to see Jiang Nan Fang's attitude towards buying the land?
Seeing her sincere attitude, they would negotiate a deal with her tomorrow?
Jiang Nan Fang clasped her hands together and bowed to him: "Thank you."
She booked her flight for the next afternoon.
After breakfast the next morning, Jiang Nan Fang went to the door to find the driver, preparing to take everyone to discuss the land transaction with the woman.
As soon as she appeared, a crowd rushed forward, covered her mouth without a word, grabbed her hands and feet, and carried her away.
What was this? In broad daylight, where were they taking her?
Many people coming and going in the town saw this scene, but not a single person intervened. Instead, they stopped to watch as if it were a spectacle.
This was bad.
Jiang Nan Fang suddenly remembered what Zhang Gong had said yesterday.
Could it be.
Was the item she accepted yesterday a token of betrothal?
Today, was she being snatched to become a bride?
A bride to whom?
The woman's child?
Was it the eldest, or the second, third, fourth, or fifth?
In some places, a wife could marry several brothers simultaneously.
Oh my god, she dared not think about it.
The thought of falling into a wolf's den made Jiang Nan Fang want to go mad.
She struggled with her hands and feet, making loud noises, trying to break free from them.
But who knew these mountain ruffians were so strong!
No matter how much she struggled, she was still carried into the village.
The villagers were already lined up to welcome her.
Seeing her being carried in, they all grinned with their pearly white teeth.
Jiang Nan Fang finally understood completely.
It turned out that the woman had decided to make her her daughter-in-law the moment she saw her, which was why so many complications had arisen later.
What kind of place was this, to have such unwritten rules?
Was there no law?
Being carried in while being watched by everyone, like a joke, she was taken into the woman's house.
It was a very primitive wooden house.
There was only a bed and a table in the room.
As soon as Jiang Nan Fang was put down, she bolted for the exit.
However, she was blocked at the door by everyone.
"Let me out! Who agreed to marry you? What right do you have to drag me here?"
"Do you know this is illegal? I'm not from here, and snatching people is illegal for us Han Chinese! Don't force me to report to the authorities! Let me out quickly!"
She recognized the eldest brother. He understood Mandarin and would definitely know what she was saying.
However, he completely ignored what Jiang Nan Fang was saying.
He pushed the younger brother, who looked somewhat simple and honest, towards Jiang Nan Fang and reached out to close the door.
The men and women, old and young behind him, who hadn't seen enough, laughed and refused to leave.
Jiang Nan Fang was furious.
She glanced back at the table, where several teacups were placed. She casually picked up a plate and smashed it on the ground with a "clang."
"Let me out! I am already married and have children, so I cannot stay here! Let me out, quickly let me out!"
But no matter what she said, the man turned a deaf ear.
He pushed the neighbors behind him, wanting to help them close the door.
Jiang Nan Fang went to push the "groom."
"Go tell them! I'm already married and have children, so I can't marry you. Moreover, I know martial arts and can fight!"
"My friends will find this place soon, tell your brother quickly, let me out!"
The "groom" stared at her with his innocent big eyes, unmoving.
Seeing his indifference, Jiang Nan Fang, in anger, rushed towards the door again.
However, he grabbed her back.
"Don't touch me! Let me out, let me out, quickly let me out!"
Jiang Nan Fang struggled out of his grasp and swung her fist.
But the muscles of someone who worked often were as tight as stone. Her fist hurt, but he didn't react.
The people outside laughed even harder.
Because in their culture, the fiercer the bride struggled, the better a girl she was considered.
If Jiang Nan Fang didn't make a scene, they wouldn't have anything exciting to watch.
Since she couldn't get out the door, Jiang Nan Fang tried to climb out the window.
She couldn't get out the window, so she started smashing things in the room.
Only when she was exhausted and everything was destroyed, and everyone had seen enough, did they gradually disperse.
The door was locked from the outside.
Jiang Nan Fang leaned against a pillar, looking weakly at the "groom."
"Get out, I don't want to see you, don't force me to act! Stay away from me!"
The "groom" didn't know if he understood. Seeing that everyone had left, he walked towards her without hesitation.
She no longer had the strength to fight him.
Jiang Nan Fang secretly calculated.
As he walked step by step towards her and was about to get close, she fiercely kicked him in the stomach.
"The groom" cried out in pain, immediately clutched his stomach, and knelt on the ground.
Jiang Nan Fang hurriedly tried to pull the door.
However, no matter how she pulled or kicked, the door wouldn't open.
The window was also sealed shut from the outside.
Thus, the poor her was left facing the groom, staring at each other.
Zhang Gong was extremely worried that day.
He heard from the innkeeper that reporting to the authorities was useless, as bride-snatching was permitted here, and they wouldn't intervene no matter who snatched Jiang Nan Fang.
With nowhere to turn, he could only call Zhan Bei Jue.