USWHC -Chapter 16 An Oddball Family (Part 6)

Old Madam Ji carefully looked Zhu Jie up and down, as if weighing whether she actually had money.

“No. Let her marry our Erhan!” Old Madam Ji declared firmly once again.

“Why? How is this any different from human trafficking?” Zhu Jie was truly stunned. What was wrong with this family? Were they really this desperate for a wife?

Old Madam Ji smugly replied, “If you don’t want to be our Erhan’s wife, that’s fine. Come on, pay the money then!” As she spoke, she stretched out her hand, looking exactly like a debt collector.

“Heh… heh!” Zhu Jie sneered twice, her jaw practically dropping to the floor. “Money? None! Want me to marry him? Dream on!” With that, she suddenly tried to jump up from the chair.

Seeing her bristle as if she were about to carve a bloody path out of there, Old Madam Ji felt a flicker of fear. She trembled as she pointed with her bony finger. “Erhan, why aren’t you holding your wife down?!”

Ji Yi was clearly stunned for a moment. Seeing Zhu Jie about to rush toward Old Madam Ji, he finally hurried over.

Zhu Jie had just been about to teach that shameless old woman a harsh lesson. Before she could even feel a gust of wind, however, she suddenly sensed a chill behind her—a powerful force she couldn’t ignore.

She turned around, but it was already too late. She only felt the hand behind her descend with the weight of a thousand pounds, strong enough to move mountains. Before she could fight back, she was lifted up and then—thump!—pressed right back into the chair.

Zhu Jie stared in shock at Ji Yi standing calmly behind her.

At first she had only thought that a rural farmer might naturally be a bit stronger than most people. But that move just now made her instantly wary.

Could he know martial arts?

Zhu Jie secretly gathered her strength, trying to get up from the chair. Yet no matter how she moved, the two hands on her shoulders felt like two mountains pressing down on her.

Seeing Zhu Jie pinned down like a little chick under Ji Yi’s grip, Old Madam Ji burst out laughing proudly.

“Girl, I advise you to just accept it! Be a good wife to my son—what’s so bad about that? Just look at our Erhan, so strong and sturdy! He definitely won’t treat you poorly!”

“Ha! You want me to be your son’s wife?” Zhu Jie sneered. Even if she lost, she wouldn’t lose face. Seeing everyone staring at her, seemingly waiting for her answer, she deliberately dragged out her words before spitting fiercely, “In your dreams!”

Unfortunately, while she won the verbal battle, she completely lost her freedom. The furious Old Madam Ji directly ordered Ji Yi to lock her in a room.

Zhu Jie nearly burst into tears.

Seriously?! Why am I so unlucky? Of all people, I had to run into this family?!

“I will not marry you!” Zhu Jie lifted her chin stubbornly and said disdainfully to Ji Yi, who sat silently across from her.

“Don’t worry. I don’t want to marry you either.”

At that moment, only the two of them remained in the room. Sitting face-to-face, they truly found each other equally unpleasant to look at.

Hearing this, Zhu Jie was stunned. She looked at him in disbelief. “Then why did you grab me?”

“Mother’s orders are hard to disobey.” Ji Yi simply sighed faintly, as if capturing her had been a great grievance for him as well.

Seeing his reaction, Zhu Jie’s eyes turned slightly. Her voice immediately softened.

“Then let me go.”

Although they had only clashed briefly, Zhu Jie had already realized that if they fought head-on, she probably wouldn’t stand much of a chance. So she decided persuasion might work better.

But Ji Yi gave no answer. At the same time, he showed no intention of untying her either. Zhu Jie couldn’t quite figure out what he was thinking.

“Well, seeing that you’re such a skilled hero… which martial arts sect do you belong to?” Zhu Jie decided to first probe his background.

Unexpectedly, Ji Yi replied coldly, “What sects and rivers and lakes? I’m no hero, and I don’t know how to dance.”

Zhu Jie froze for a moment. Seeing his honest, somewhat simple expression, he genuinely seemed not to understand.

“No way… could it be you’re just born with incredible strength?”

She only meant it as a casual joke, but Ji Yi actually replied seriously:

“That’s right. I was born able to kill a cow with my bare hands. So you’d better behave and stop making me angry.”

Born able to kill a cow?

Was he trying to intimidate her?

Zhu Jie was truly startled. She stared wide-eyed at the seemingly simple and honest man in front of her.

Was he joking… or not?