Snow Niang, upon regaining consciousness, seemed to have forgotten what had just happened. She questioned him with a playfully angry tone, as if throwing a childish tantrum as she usually did.
“Mm,” Xiao Shan observed her expression. “Does your head still hurt?”
“It doesn’t!” Snow Niang caught a whiff of something burnt and looked into the pot. The rabbit meat was stuck to the bottom!
“Xiao Shan! Quickly add water!” She anxiously reached for a ladle.
Xiao Shan strode to the water缸, scooped up water, and poured it into the pot, eliciting a sizzling sound.
Snow Niang appeared very vexed. “It’s all burnt, it must taste awful. Why are you looking at me? Stir it quickly, you clumsy fool!”
“Snow Niang, you, did you remember something just now?”
She had returned to her usual self, showing no unusual signs, which made Xiao Shan feel very strange and increasingly uneasy. He feared something was wrong with her mind.
“Just now?” Snow Niang looked at Xiao Shan with confusion, then a spark of anger ignited in her eyes, her delicate features coming alive.
“I almost forgot! Did you just scold me? You’re indiscreet but won’t admit it. You have too much strength and nowhere to put it, helping a married woman fetch water, and then you blame me for talking nonsense. You’d do such a thing and still have the nerve! You, what are you doing?”
Xiao Shan’s face darkened as he approached step by step. Snow Niang panicked and took a step back, bumping into the stove. Xiao Shan grabbed her waist and pulled her back.
“Do you want to throw yourself into the pot and stew?”
“What, it’s all your fault—”
“There’s meat now.” Xiao Shan’s large hand caressed Snow Niang’s waist. “So smooth. I wonder if the injuries on your body have healed completely?”
Though he asked a question, he gave no indication that he expected Snow Niang to answer.
“I need to check.”
These days, to put her at ease, and to spare himself further torment, he had allowed her to change her clothes and wrap herself in the quilt. By the time he finished his work and got into bed, she was often already drowsy. Apart from holding her through the quilt, he had been as chaste as a monk observing his vows, not taking any advantage at all.
What, was he jealous of a village woman? Did Snow Niang lack confidence in herself?
Snow Niang was both ashamed and angry. “You dare!”
“What is there that I don’t dare? You are my woman, your entire being belongs to me. I listen to you about everything else. If I had to ask you about this, what kind of man would I be!”
Xiao Shan’s movements were ghostly. He touched a point on her body, and Snow Niang found herself completely unable to move. This sensation was long overdue.
“Xiao Shan, this is in the kitchen!” Snow Niang’s voice trembled, her eyes following Xiao Shan’s fingers in terror. Would he really undress her in the kitchen?
“The kitchen is good, it’s bright, and we can watch the rabbits. Don’t worry, I can hear anyone approaching within 300 meters. It’s just us here. We are husband and wife. Shh, stop talking. You know it’s useless.”
Xiao Shan no longer paid attention to Snow Niang’s expression; his entire focus had shifted to his hands.
Snow Niang closed her eyes, her teeth chattering with shame and anger.
He was right; when he was overbearing, no one could resist.
“Snow Niang, you probably don’t know how alluring you are. The first time I bathed you, you were covered in wounds, pitifully thin. But for some reason, I just liked you. I touched you several times.”
Snow Niang: “……”
Xiao Shan had unfastened Snow Niang’s thin clothes, opening them on both sides and pulling them down to her shoulders. Her skin was like ice and her bones like jade, flawless.
It was impossible to find such a perfect body in the world. Where it should be large, it was large; where it should be small, it was small. If she gained weight, she was slightly plump; if she lost a bit of weight, she was thin.
Snow Niang heard his heavy breathing and closed her eyes even tighter, not daring to open them. A shameful heat surged through her.
“Tell me, how did you grow like this? Why won’t you let me live…”
Xiao Shan’s eyes were red as he bent down.
An electric current shot through her entire body. Snow Niang’s eyes snapped open, her mouth agape, but she was speechless.
She heard a slurping, gnawing sound.
Xiao Shan’s head was right before her eyes.
Fireworks exploded in her mind, leaving her lost and disoriented.
She saw their intertwined shadows cast on the wall… the shadow of his bent back and hunched posture resembled a colossal beast feasting on its prey.
“Xiao Shan, I’m scared… I’m scared…” Snow Niang felt as if she were floating in the void, unable to find solid ground. Yet, she couldn’t move, which only intensified her panic.
“Please, I’m uncomfortable…”
Xiao Shan finally released her and looked up. His eyes, filled with desire, were unlike his usual gentleness. She even felt they were somewhat ferocious.
He no longer concealed himself, openly surveying his territory inch by inch, even checking her back completely. He licked his lips, ignoring the water stains on his clothes, and slowly buttoned her up.
“You’ve recovered very well, no scars. Only the wound on your neck still needs a few more applications of medicine.”
His voice was hoarse and deep, with a hint of a blush-inducing softness.
His hand reached to wipe away the tears from Snow Niang’s eyes. “When the new house is built and your body is mostly recovered, we’ll have a simple wedding. You’ll be my legitimate wife. You need to be prepared.”
Snow Niang’s body could move again, but she remained standing there blankly.
She was angry about Xiao Shan’s coercion just now.
But she had no right to be angry.
If he had married a normal woman, perhaps they would already have children. Why would he need to accommodate, to wait, to use such methods to force her?
But she, she didn’t like being manipulated while motionless. That feeling of not being in control was truly awful.
She would rather he held her and acted recklessly than be acupunctured, like a lamb being led to the slaughter.
“Snow Niang…”
Seeing her stillness, Xiao Shan went to pull her, but Snow Niang flung his hand away.
Xiao Shan’s gaze darkened. Was she still resisting him?
“Xiao Shan, I don’t care about the wedding or not. If you don’t respect me in your heart, if you look down on me, then ‘wife’ is just a title, a formality, no different from a servant.”
Snow Niang clutched her clothes and ran out of the kitchen.
Snow Niang was angry. She didn’t eat dinner and went to bed fully clothed.
Xiao Shan was distressed and frustrated.
She wouldn’t even let him place his hand on her quilt.
He also heard her muffled sobs. When he touched it, the pillow was indeed wet.
“Snow Niang, I was wrong. I’ll never acupoint you again. I’m just used to being rough and thinking too directly. I truly don’t disrespect you. My heart aches for you, how could I?”
“I also didn’t help any other woman fetch water. You misunderstood. Perhaps last time I saw her being too slow and delaying things, I helped her lift it from the well curb. I didn’t even see clearly if she was round or flat.”
“You’re wronging me. When I get anxious, I make mistakes. Don’t be angry anymore. Or else, I won’t move, you can do whatever you want to me.”
……
Xiao Shan scratched his ears and cheeks, mumbling incessantly all night. Finally, he heard Snow Niang say in a muffled voice, “You stink, go wash up quickly.”
Xiao Shan then grinned, responding loudly, “Alright! I’ll go get you the rabbit meat first. I’ve picked out the burnt parts. Eat a little, it’s very fragrant.”