PWE – Chapter 49 To be a true couple

Tonight, she was originally supposed to go home with Siqiang.

But when they reached the drying field, he just couldn’t hold back anymore.

So… they did that there.

Still, she didn’t regret it. She loved Siqiang — she was willing to do anything for him.

When Hu’s mother saw how pitiful and lowly Zhan Hongxin looked, she raised her chin proudly and said coldly, “Don’t call me mother. I don’t have a daughter-in-law like you.”

“Mom, please let me be with Xiaoxin. You know how much I like her. My biggest dream now is to marry her,” Hu Siqiang said anxiously to his mother.

Hu’s mother frowned. This foolish son! Why say that now? After all, Zhan Hongxin was already his woman — who else could she marry if not him? They could afford to act high and mighty, to pretend they didn’t care about her. Then she’d have to beg to marry into their family.

And when she begged, the Hu family could set the terms — maybe even get away with paying little or no bride price.

Just as Hu’s mother was about to speak, Hu Siqiang turned to Zhan Songbai. “Uncle, I’m sorry. My mother didn’t mean what she said. Please, let me marry Xiaoxin. I promise I’ll treat her well and never let her suffer.”

Zhan Songbai’s veins bulged. He glared furiously at the rascal. “Don’t call me uncle! I have no son-in-law like you!”

“See, son? They don’t even want you! Why are you still throwing yourself at them?” Hu’s mother snorted. “Come home with me. I’ve already found you a good match — a girl from the next village. She’s far better than Zhan Hongxin in every way.”

“Mom…” Zhan Hongxin dropped to her knees and clung to Hu’s mother’s leg. “Please, I’m begging you — let me be with Siqiang! I already belong to him. If I can’t marry him, I might as well die!”

At that moment, an older villager spoke up, “Siqiang’s mother, don’t act so haughty. Since your son’s already done that with her, your family should take responsibility.”

“That’s right! You can’t just walk away after taking advantage of the girl,” another villager added.

Xiao Wange, watching all this, was quite eager to see Zhan Hongxin marry that rascal Hu.

So she stepped forward and said sharply, “Aunt Hu, our Zhan family may not be as big as yours, but we’re not easy to bully either. You’ve wronged my sister tonight, and your family must take responsibility. If not, we’ll go to town and have Hu Siqiang charged with indecency!”

Indecency…

That was a serious crime. Hu’s mother froze for a moment, panic flashing across her face.

Zhan Songbai turned on Xiao Wange in fury. “Shut up, Xiao Wange! Who asked that rascal to take responsibility? Don’t pretend to be so kind — I know you just want to see Hongxin ruined! You want her to suffer, don’t you?”

Then it hit him — maybe that talisman had been Xiao Wange’s doing. After all, she was capable of commanding spirits; pulling such a trick wouldn’t be beyond her.

“Uncle,” Zhan Zeyan said coolly, “your wife killed my mother. By rights, my family should hate yours. But since we share the same surname, we came to help today. If you don’t appreciate that, fine — we’ll keep quiet. But Hongxin’s right: besides that rascal, who else could marry her now? Or do you plan to keep her single forever?”

Zhan Zeyan’s voice was calm and cold, his gaze distant as he looked at Zhan Songbai.

Zhan Songbai’s hands clenched tightly, his eyes bloodshot with rage.

He was sure this was Xiao Wange’s doing — she must have orchestrated this whole scene, letting the villagers catch Hongxin and that rascal together just to ruin her reputation.

Earlier, when a villager ran to tell him that someone had caught the two doing that on the drying field, half the village had already gathered.

To him, it was clear — this was Xiao Wange’s conspiracy to destroy his daughter!

Some villagers began rebuking Zhan Songbai for his ingratitude, even bringing up how Xu Meifeng had murdered Wen Feilan, leaving him speechless.

Ten minutes later, the matter was settled:

Zhan Hongxin would marry Hu Siqiang in two days. The wedding would be simple, and the Hu family would pay only 70 yuan as bride price.

In Hu’s mother’s eyes, that was already generous. If it were up to her, she wouldn’t pay a cent.

Zhan Hongxin, however, was overjoyed — she clung to Hu Siqiang’s arm, smiling foolishly and saying she couldn’t wait for their wedding day. Then, she’d finally be with him forever.

Hu Siqiang was grinning ear to ear too. The woman he’d wanted for so long — he was really going to marry her! Life couldn’t be better.

Watching the happy couple, Xiao Wange smiled faintly.

As the saying goes — those who bring disaster upon themselves have only themselves to blame.

Zhan Hongxin had tried to use that talisman to harm others, but ended up trapping herself instead. This was what it meant to reap what you sow.

Once the drama was over, Xiao Wange turned and headed home, with Zhan Zeyan following silently beside her.

Behind them, Zhan Songbai’s eyes burned with hatred as he stared at their retreating figures. His chest felt like it would burst with rage.

He had gone to the temple earlier that night to ask the priest how to undo the talisman’s effect — but the priest said he only knew the activation chant, not the method to break it. The spell’s dissolution, he’d said, was up to fate.

That answer had left Zhan Songbai feeling as if the sky had fallen.

Zhan Hongxin had been his family’s only hope. He’d pinned everything on her marrying Mu Yunhao, the wealthy man who could lift their family’s fortunes.

But now? This wasn’t just an accident — it was a plot. A vicious trap set by that wretched girl, Xiao Wange!

“Dad, let’s go home,” Zhan Hongjun said quietly.

Zhan Songbai gritted his teeth, glaring at his daughter. “Come home with me!” he barked, dragging Zhan Hongxin by the arm.

“Dad, I’m not done talking to Siqiang!” she protested, pushing his hand away.

Zhan Songbai: “…”

He was livid. His precious daughter — marrying that sleazy lowlife! The thought of having to call that man “son-in-law” made him want to vomit.

He wanted nothing more than to kill Hu Siqiang on the spot.

…

Back home, Zhan Zeyan and Xiao Wange checked on little Zhao Zhao to make sure he hadn’t kicked off his blanket, then returned to their own room.

But Zhan Zeyan couldn’t sleep.

He was more awake than ever, hearing even the faint whisper of the wind outside.

Frowning, he turned his head toward Xiao Wange.

She seemed asleep, breathing steady, eyes closed.

But then her lips curved slightly, and her cool voice floated out, “What’s wrong? Can’t sleep?”

Zhan Zeyan blinked, surprised. He’d thought she was already fast asleep.

He looked at her for a moment, then said quietly, “Mm. Just thinking about some things.”

His deep, magnetic voice carried through the still night, tinged with an intimacy that made it even more alluring.

Xiao Wange opened her eyes. Even with the lights off, she could see him clearly — and knew he could see her too.

Her lips quirked in amusement. “Thinking about what? What’s keeping you awake?”

Zhan Zeyan’s gaze flickered. His thin lips pressed into a straight line. After a pause, he said softly:

“I was thinking… when will we become husband and wife in every sense?”