Chapter 56: Into the Water

“Li Bixian! What do you think you’re doing!”

“Don’t be impulsive!” Ye Shuilian shouted loudly from one side of the bridge.

Beside Ye Shuilian, Li Dagou was so angry he howled, “You worthless girl!”

“Think you’ve grown wings now? Daring to threaten suicide?”

“If you’ve got guts, jump! If you don’t die today, you’re nothing but a stray mutt!”

“Who are you calling a mutt?” Ye Shuilian slapped Li Dagou hard on the shoulder.

“If you can’t speak properly, then just shut your mouth! No one’s mistaking you for a mute!”

Ye Shuilian glared at Li Dagou fiercely, then turned toward Li Bixian, her tone softening:

“Daughter, don’t be rash. I know it’s hard to accept right now~”

“But trust your mother, your father and I would never harm you. What’s so bad about marrying the village chief’s son?”

“Even if he’s a little slow, their family is well-off…”

It turned out that early this morning, Li Bixian had been bound by Ye Shuilian and Li Dagou, forced to marry the village chief’s foolish son, Jin Hanhang. That was why, when Zeng Xiaofan came to rent the fields, the chief Jin Youcai had brought gifts.

But Li Bixian was tied up and locked away, her mouth stuffed, unable to call for help—she could only listen to Zeng Xiaofan’s voice.

Tonight, as Li Dagou and his wife escorted her to the chief’s house for the wedding chamber, Li Bixian seized a chance to escape under the pretext of needing to relieve herself. She broke free, tried to run, but was blocked at one end of the bridge by Li Dagou and his wife, and at the other by chief Jin Youcai and his foolish son.

Li Bixian stood at the bridgehead, threatening to die, and called Zeng Xiaofan in her final moments...

At this moment, Li Bixian’s heart was utterly dead, and she screamed,

“Don’t come any closer!”

“If you move forward, I’ll jump!”

Before anyone else could react, the chief’s foolish son, Jin Hanhang, began clapping gleefully:

“Hooray hooray…jump in the water…take off clothes, take off, jump, won’t get wet…”

“Sister’s big, big, take off looks nice…so pretty…”

“Take it off for Daddy to eat…”

“Daddy loves Hanhang…Daddy eats first…”

As he spoke, Jin Hanhang picked his nose and ate it, drooling,

“Tonight in the wedding chamber…Daddy will strip sister’s bottom and cover her wound…”

“Hanhang will watch and help…”

“If sister doesn’t listen, Hanhang will hold her down for Daddy…”

“Hehehe…Hanhang is the best! Hanhang is the best!”

“Hooray!” Jin Hanhang cheered and clapped again, looking at chief Jin Youcai, waiting for praise.

But everyone present looked disturbed, Jin Youcai himself was embarrassed.

Though the fool’s words were muddled, everyone understood.

This wasn’t about marrying off his foolish son—Jin Youcai simply wanted Li Bixian for himself under his son’s name...

The crowd grew, and someone with mischief in their eyes asked Jin Hanhang,

“Hanhang, your dad wants to cover sister’s wound?”

“Did your dad tell you where her wound is?”

“Hanhang…Hanhang knows!” Jin Hanhang grinned smugly.

Jin Youcai quickly cut him off, “What nonsense!”

“Go home, stop embarrassing us!”

“No, no! Hanhang knows!”

“Daddy said…sister’s wound is below…”

“Right down there…Daddy’s afraid she’ll bleed, has to cover it first, then patch it up…”

The crowd burst into laughter.

Li Bixian, hearing this, grew more anxious and ashamed, shouting,

“Dad!”

“Mom!”

“Did you hear that?”

“The fool just told you—Jin Youcai has no good intentions! You’re forcing me to die!”

Ye Shuilian’s face darkened, full of hesitation.

But Li Dagou stepped forward, hands on hips, barking,

“Ah! You worthless girl! Do you have a brain?”

“Hanhang is a fool! Of course he talks nonsense!”

“Can you take a fool’s words seriously?”

“I’ll tell you straight!”

“Today you’ll marry whether you want to or not!”

“If you don’t, how will I pay my gambling debts?”

“If you don’t, how will your brother return home?”

“Get down! Don’t make me beat you in front of everyone!”

“Worthless girl! You think you deserve respect?” Li Dagou rolled up his sleeves, ready to strike.

A tear of despair slipped from Li Bixian’s eyes. No more hesitation remained—she turned and jumped into the river with a splash!

“Ah!! Help!!” Now Ye Shuilian was truly frantic, screaming in panic.

Villagers rushed to the bridge, peering down.

But it was summer, the river swollen and fierce, the waters quickly swallowing Li Bixian’s figure.

“It’s over! It’s over!!”

“What will we do? Is there anyone who can swim, save my daughter!”

“My foolish daughter, how could you be so reckless…”

Ye Shuilian wailed and rolled on the ground, but not a single person dared enter the water. The current was too strong, it was night—no matter how skilled, it was dangerous.

Jin Youcai snorted, indifferent to Li Bixian’s fate, and coldly told Li Dagou,

“If she dies, the hundred thousand bride price must be returned in full!”

“Handle it yourselves!”

With that, Jin Youcai turned to leave, hands behind his back. The villagers shook their heads.

“Poor child...”

“Yes, the current’s swift, the night is dark—her chances are slim…”

“What a tragedy…”

Everyone murmured, convinced Li Bixian was doomed. Even Ye Shuilian cried out in despair,

“Daughter! How pitiful your death is!”

“It’s your mother’s fault!”

“Wuwuwu…”

“But I had no other way—your brother was tricked into Myanmar, if we don’t pay, they’ll cut off his hand!”

“I had no choice but to accept their bride price…your mother ruined you!”

Ye Shuilian cried harder and harder, genuine remorse written all over her face. The villagers shook their heads,

“Regret is useless now…too late…”

Just as everyone believed Li Bixian had no hope, suddenly a graceful figure leaped from nowhere, diving from the bridge into the turbulent river below!

Everyone was stunned:

“Who is that?”

“Does he not value his life?”

“He actually jumped in to save her? He’s too bold!”

“It’s over, another one’s going to die…”