Chapter 6: I am your daughter-in-law (1)
As the instigator, Qu Zhen did not show a gloating smile on her face because her scheme had succeeded. Instead, she appeared somewhat caught off guard because she discovered that this fox spirit was really too tall when she stood up, at least a head and a half taller than herself. It was hard to find even a few women of this height in the entire Huang Tian Prefecture, let alone Ping’an County.
Qu Zhen’s self-esteem had been severely hit, but it didn’t matter. She felt she still had a chance to turn the tables.
“Oh my, Miss, your scarf is so beautiful. Where did you buy it?”
Qu Zhen asked with a fake smile, thinking that the fox spirit in front of her, covering her neck so tightly, was clearly trying to hide something. Perhaps she really had a skin condition.
Upon hearing her voice, everyone in the courtyard turned their eyes towards them.
Huang Qi’s mind was blank at this moment, and he was too preoccupied to answer. He just kept stroking his neck, trying to find the Adam’s apple that was no longer there.
“What’s wrong? Did I hurt you? Let me see?”
Qu Zhen was certainly not satisfied with this, so she found an excuse to rudely pull Huang Qi’s hand away.
Huang Qi was still in a daze and did not resist at all. His hand was pulled away just like that.
Upon closer inspection, the people around saw that Huang Qi’s neck was snow-white and flawless, delicate and lustrous. Forget about a skin condition; not even a pore was visible. It made his fine clothes look dull and lifeless, truly a “swan neck.”
Qu Zhen never dreamed of such a result. In comparison, she looked like a poorly developed monkey.
Qu Zhen’s face turned ashen. She threw the scarf onto Huang Qi and turned to leave.
“Is this woman crazy?”
Huang Qi was caught off guard, but he didn’t have the leisure to pursue the matter. He just sat down hastily and then stared intently into the basin in front of him.
The water in the basin was clear and still, like a mirror, clearly reflecting Huang Qi’s neck.
“No Adam’s apple! There really is no Adam’s apple!”
Huang Qi couldn’t believe it and reached out to touch it again. He also discovered that the skin on his entire neck had become like fine silk, smooth to the touch, exactly the same as the human skin mask on his face.
“Damn it, the human skin mask must have spread.”
Huang Qi quickly reacted. He slightly pulled open his collar and indeed found that the human skin mask had spread to his collarbone. The skin above was as white as cheese, while the skin below was rough and greasy, like two different worlds.
Huang Qi never expected that in just half a day, the human skin mask had completely covered his neck. He had been too focused on walking during the day and hadn’t noticed this situation at all.
“It seems my previous guess was right. If this human skin mask is left unchecked, it will eventually devour all my skin. What’s more frightening is that it seems to have some kind of effect, such as eliminating Adam’s apples.”
Due to the fear of the unknown, Huang Qi’s heart almost leaped out of his throat, yet he was powerless to do anything about it at the moment.
“Forget it, I don’t feel any discomfort anyway. If the Adam’s apple is gone, so be it. At least it will be easier to play the role of my fiancée.”
After a long time, Huang Qi could only comfort himself with a “what the hell” attitude.
Since he no longer had an Adam’s apple, Huang Qi didn’t intend to wear that bothersome scarf anymore. He felt much more refreshed.
The atmosphere afterward was relatively harmonious, but a knot remained in Huang Qi’s heart. His two younger cousins had been sitting in the courtyard flirting with their partners since they arrived and had no intention of helping, while his parents, as elders, were busy and sweating profusely.
“My grandfather is also your grandfather. Even outsiders know how to put on a show, yet you two can’t even be bothered to pretend? It’s one thing that those two so-called ‘sisters-in-law’ haven’t come yet, but why do you two cousins dare to reap the rewards without doing any work? Do you think you’re the supreme emperor? Just because you found partners? Finding a partner makes you superior?”
Huang Qi clenched his teeth, thinking that it was one thing for them to mock him, his eldest brother, as a bachelor. But now, they were so indifferent to his grandfather’s affairs, which proved that they were two unfilial descendants.
Huang Qi had always hated unfilial people, so he really wanted to go up and kick each of them. However, in his current attire, there was no reason for him to do so.
As it was almost sunset, Huang Qi’s grandfather, the birthday star Huang Xinghu, also came out of the side room leaning on his cane. He then asked everyone he saw, “Hasn’t my eldest grandson Huang Qi returned yet? I heard he found a partner. I wonder if it’s true.”
After receiving an affirmative answer, the old man walked laboriously to the doorway, then looked at the distant mountain road against the setting sun, his eyes filled with anticipation.
Seeing this, Huang Qi was deeply moved. It seemed his grandfather had been thinking of him all along.
“Dad, you should go in. It seems he’s not coming back. Aren’t there two grandsons in this courtyard?”
Huang Qi’s Second Uncle, Huang Kaiyou, said with some jealousy.
Huang Xinghu ignored him and sat down at the doorway to wait patiently. There was a reason for his differential treatment. After his wife died, the two brothers were supposed to take turns supporting him. However, the younger son’s family had driven him out with various excuses. Fortunately, his elder son was filial; otherwise, he would have been left to fend for himself.
Huang Qi felt greatly relieved and thought, “Who told you all, from top to bottom, to be unfilial?”
Li Fen, who was observing secretly, was filled with doubts. It was almost dinnertime, but this little girl hadn’t shown up with any gifts. She had only placed her luggage in the main hall, delaying her plan to sneak a peek.
“Did she forget?”
Li Fen could only think of this possibility. But as the host, she couldn’t remind her, so she could only worry.
Seeing that dinner was about to be served, Huang Qi’s forbearance did not satisfy certain people. Instead, they provoked him again, which gave him a reason to make up his mind.
“Aunt, didn’t you say Eldest Brother was coming back? And that he found a sister-in-law? Where is she? I want to meet her!”
Huang Bo suddenly attacked Huang Qi’s mother. For him, finding a partner was a matter of great accomplishment. He felt like ants were crawling all over him if he didn’t belittle others and elevate himself in such an occasion.
“She’s coming soon! She’ll arrive any minute!”
Li Fen said with an awkward smile.
“The sun is about to set. Don’t talk about Eldest Sister-in-law. We haven’t even seen him. Won’t he even come back for Grandpa’s sixtieth birthday?”
Huang Bo sarcastically remarked.
“Aunt, are you lying? There’s no need for that. By covering for Eldest Brother like this, you’re only harming him. If he can’t find a wife, he needs to resolve it, or his lineage will end in the future.”
Huang Long chimed in with his sarcasm.
“Yes, it’s stipulated in the Xihui Dynasty that those who haven’t found a partner by the age of thirty must join the army. Our country is currently at odds with its neighbors. If he goes to the battlefield, it’s good if he can return alive. If he doesn’t, his lineage will truly end.”
Huang Bo also “kindly” reminded him.
“We were actually thinking of introducing a partner to him when he returns. Although she’s remarried and has two children, she’s more than good enough for him.”
Xie Mei, Huang Long’s partner, offered advice with feigned good intentions.
“Yes, raising children for others is better than dying on the battlefield, isn’t it?”
Qu Zhen added sarcastically.
Li Fen’s smile froze, but she couldn’t argue back.
“You should have done this long ago! Both of your cousins have found partners, but he, a cousin, is still single. How can he face this?”
“Could it be that Huang Qi is afraid to come back because of this reason?”
“Probably so. If I were him, I wouldn’t dare to come back and embarrass myself.”
…
Seeing that someone had taken the lead, the villagers started to mock him one after another. Especially those who were already married with children were the most aggressive, acting as if they were superior beings with a sense of superiority.
“Why are some people so despicable, always sticking their faces out to be slapped?”
Huang Qi sneered and slowly stood up. He had wanted to keep a low profile, but circumstances didn’t allow it.
