Chapter 75: My Heavens, What Beautiful Hands!
As Huang Qi stepped out, he saw his grandfather anxiously pacing at the doorway, leaning on his cane and muttering something.
“My granddaughter-in-law! That Zhang Lao Er slandered you as a man, and your mother-in-law is arguing with him now.”
Upon seeing his granddaughter-in-law, Huang Xinghu hurried over to explain the situation.
“What?”
Huang Qi, already feeling guilty, felt his legs go weak upon hearing this, almost collapsing to the ground.
“You… what’s wrong with you?”
Old Master Huang asked curiously.
Seeing his grandfather’s kind face and recalling his purpose for cross-dressing, Huang Qi gradually found his courage. He straightened his expression and replied, “I’m fine.”
“That’s good, hurry and help your mother-in-law and shut those scoundrels up.”
Old Master Huang breathed a sigh of relief.
As Huang Qi approached, he didn’t rush forward but hid in the shadows to observe. He needed to assess the situation first.
“Did I not disguise myself well enough? Did that guy really see through my disguise?”
Huang Qi speculated as he observed. If the other party truly had irrefutable evidence, his going out now would only cause more trouble.
…
Not far away, around twenty villagers were pointing and watching the commotion.
“Zhang Lao Er, I’ll give you a warning. My daughter-in-law comes from an unusual family background. If you slander her like this and cause trouble in the future, I won’t be able to help you.”
Li Fen warned him.
“Stop trying to scare me! You should call him out first to prove his gender.”
Zhang Lao Er arrogantly lifted his chin. He was thin and small, clearly having never had enough to eat since childhood.
“What right do you have to ask my daughter-in-law to prove anything? Look at your own pathetic appearance. If you don’t find a way to make a living, you won’t even have your next meal, yet here you are, meddling in other people’s business.”
Li Fen said with a cold laugh.
“What? Guilty conscience?”
Zhang Lao Er relentlessly pressed on, instigating the surrounding villagers: “A few days ago, when Old Man Huang celebrated his birthday, everyone saw clearly. His so-called daughter-in-law’s hands didn’t look like a woman’s, and she was covered from head to toe, not saying a word. This is clearly an attempt to conceal her gender!”
The surrounding villagers fell into thought upon hearing this. After a moment, they nodded thoughtfully. The Huang family’s daughter-in-law’s behavior that day was indeed very strange. Thinking about it now, it was indeed a possibility.
“Didn’t my husband, Huang Kairong, tell everyone earlier that our daughter-in-law couldn’t speak and wasn’t convenient to see people because her face was swollen?”
Li Fen patiently reiterated.
“Do you think I don’t know? That’s because you conspired beforehand.”
Zhang Lao Er stated with a forceful tone, as if he were a judge.
“Conspired? What conspiracy?”
Li Fen was baffled.
“That person is an actor you hired! To avoid being ridiculed by everyone, you found a man to pretend to be your daughter-in-law to save face.”
Zhang Lao Er concluded with self-importance.
“Are you out of your mind? You’re talking nonsense. If he’s an actor you hired, why would he have spent so much money for the Huang family?”
Li Fen was amused by the foolishness of the person in front of her.
The surrounding villagers nodded in agreement. From this perspective, it indeed didn’t make sense.
“That’s what you gave him.”
Zhang Lao Er replied without thinking, seemingly having done his “homework” in advance.
“You think too highly of our Huang family. We don’t have that kind of nerve or ability to spend so much money just to save face.”
Li Fen said with an uncommitted smile.
“Yes, Zhang Lao Er, are you crazy? Who would spend so much money just for the sake of face? Wouldn’t it be better to buy dozens of bags of rice and flour with that money?”
“Indeed, who here doesn’t know the Huang family’s situation? Even if they had the thought, they wouldn’t have the money!”
“Zhang Lao Er, aren’t you just jealous because they found a daughter-in-law? There’s no need. If you were smarter, you’d apologize quickly and kowtow a few times. Then the Huang daughter-in-law might be able to introduce you to a second or third marriage.”
“Yes, their daughter-in-law is from a wealthy family and must know many girls.”
…
The surrounding villagers began to side with Li Fen.
“Everyone, listen to me. Of course, they wouldn’t be willing to spend so much money just to save face, but what if it was to save Huang Qi’s life? Don’t forget, Huang Qi is almost thirty. If he doesn’t find a partner, he’ll have to join the army. Times are different now. The Xihui Dynasty is at war. What are the chances of returning alive? But now it’s different. With a partner, he won’t have to go to his death.”
Zhang Lao Er added calmly.
The surrounding villagers instantly fell silent, whispering to each other.
“This Zhang Lao Er does have some logic. If it’s to save Huang Qi’s life, spending such a price is worth it.”
“But this is treason, which is punishable by death.”
“Huang Qi is, after all, Huang Kairong’s only son. If he dies, his lineage will be broken. If it were you, would you not consider that?”
…
The villagers were completely convinced by this reasoning and turned to Zhang Lao Er’s side again.
Li Fen was dumbfounded. She hadn’t expected the other party to be so thorough in finding trouble with her family, with reasons that were more convincing than the last.
Huang Qi, hiding in the shadows, also marvelled. He really couldn’t understand why this rascal was so determined to cause trouble, as there was no enmity between them.
“Honestly, if my daughter-in-law weren’t a woman, I would believe your nonsense.”
Li Fen said with lingering fear.
“Stop being stubborn. Tell your so-called daughter-in-law to come out and say a few words. Anyone can tell if she’s a man or a woman. Her teeth should be healed by now, right?”
Zhang Lao Er directly made his demand.
“Her teeth are indeed healed, and she has been speaking with us at home. But I still say, what right do you have to ask her to prove if she’s a man or a woman?”
Li Fen asked with disdain.
“If she doesn’t come out, it means she’s guilty.”
Zhang Lao Er used a provocation tactic.
“Everyone, fellow villagers, think about it. Which man has no Adam’s apple like my daughter-in-law? And which man has such large breasts like her? You’ve all seen these things.”
Li Fen reminded them loudly.
“Heh, there are many men without Adam’s apples. I don’t have one.”
Zhang Lao Er lifted his chin.
Everyone observed closely and found that this fellow’s Adam’s apple was indeed not obvious.
“As for the breasts, if you give me a few steamed buns, I can stuff them to be bigger than his.”
Zhang Lao Er added.
The villagers nodded casually again upon hearing this, as these things couldn’t prove a person’s gender.
“I can’t be bothered to argue with a scoundrel like you.”
Li Fen was completely silenced. She didn’t want to waste any more words, so she turned to leave.
“What’s wrong? Guilty conscience? Treason is punishable by death. I’ll definitely go to the yamen to expose your family’s little trick then.”
Zhang Lao Er shouted loudly, as if he had an irreconcilable feud with the Huang family.
“Don’t go too far.”
Li Fen stopped, trembling with anger.
“It’s good that you know fear. Honestly admit to your deception, and repent early. Perhaps you can still save your life.”
Zhang Lao Er said with fake sympathy.
…
“So this guy inferred I was a man based on those insignificant physical characteristics? I thought he actually had some skills. If he’s just a brute, then I’m not afraid.”
Upon hearing this, Huang Qi understood the situation. Seeing his mother at a disadvantage, he decided not to remain silent any longer. He walked out directly and spoke, “Do you really want to hear my voice?”
The countryside was naturally quiet, and Huang Qi’s current girlish voice was exceptionally clear, echoing all around, like pearls and jade dropping onto a jade plate, lingering on.
The villagers turned towards the sound, their faces showing enjoyment. It was like hearing heavenly music and having their ears temporarily enlightened. They couldn’t remember how long it had been since they had heard a young girl’s voice in the countryside.
“How about that? Have you got nothing to say now?”
Li Fen’s confidence returned, and she questioned Zhang Lao Er.
Zhang Lao Er was dumbfounded, then his face turned red. He didn’t know how to respond for a moment.
“Zhang Lao Er, now let’s see what you’ll do!”
“Hurry up and admit your mistake! Otherwise, if they get angry, even the Jade Emperor can’t save you.”
“Serves you right! This is what happens when you look for trouble for no reason! You worthless scoundrel!”
…
After coming to their senses, the villagers spoke up one after another.
“Why aren’t you talking? Weren’t you quite talkative just now? Did all the excrement in your stomach flow back into your mouth?”
Huang Qi pressed forward step by step.
Zhang Lao Er’s face turned green then white, but he still retorted: “So what if it’s a woman’s voice? What actor these days can’t imitate a few female voices? In the county town’s opera troupes, there are plenty of people like you. It’s a pity that while voices can be changed, physical characteristics cannot, just like your hands.”
“To tell everyone the truth, my hands are rough because I do a lot of chores at home.”
Huang Qi reiterated the same statement.
“Do you take me for a three-year-old? I’m talking about thick and large, not rough and coarse. If you have the guts, take off your gloves and let everyone have a good look. Can a woman have such thick and large knuckles?”
Zhang Lao Er questioned with apparent logic.
Li Fen fell into thought upon hearing this. Even she had to admit that a person’s voice could be disguised. Setting that aside, her daughter-in-law’s gender was indeed a mystery. Those hands alone did not look like a woman’s.
Li Fen thought of her daughter-in-law’s secretive behavior and actions in the past few days, and a hint of doubt began to appear on her face.
“Who do you think you are? Why should I show you?”
Huang Qi sneered.
“Not showing it to everyone is a sign of guilt.”
Zhang Lao Er said shamelessly.
Huang Qi turned to look at his mother, then at his grandfather peering from a distance, and finally realized that he had been outmaneuvered by this rascal.
“If you want me to take off my gloves, you’ll have to turn around.”
Huang Qi took a deep breath.
“Why?”
Zhang Lao Er asked confusedly.
“As I said, you are not qualified to see them.”
Huang Qi reiterated.
Zhang Lao Er fell into contemplation. Given his goal of exposing the other party, and since those disgusting man’s hands were nothing worth seeing, he turned around, muttering: “Please, fathers and elders, open your eyes and don’t be fooled by this hermaphrodite.”
Only then did Huang Qi remove his gloves, revealing a pair of slender jade-like hands. His skin was dazzlingly white, his slender fingers were as tender as dripping water, and his pink nails revealed a hint of feminine charm. The delicate and exquisite appearance was like a work of art.
“My heavens! What beautiful hands!”
Successive gasps of astonishment filled the air.
