USWHC -Chapter 38 Sweet Words That Could Fool Someone to Death (Part 8)

“What? Second Sister-in-law, are you feeling sorry for my brother?” Ji Mei teased from the side.

When she asked that, Zhu Jie’s face reddened slightly. After all, he was a living person—she wasn’t some cold-blooded creature. Seeing him like that, how could she not feel a little sorry?

Unexpectedly, her reaction triggered a burst of laughter.

“Oh my! Our Erhan has finally endured long enough—he’s actually married a wife who cares whether he’s cold or warm!” Sister-in-law You covered her mouth, smiling ambiguously.

“Why don’t you go down and accompany him then?” Elder Brother Ji said with ill intent.

But before Zhu Jie could say anything, Old Madam Ji cut in sharply, “What are you talking about? Is that how an elder brother speaks? Xiao Zhu is a new bride!”

“That’s right! I think you’re the one who wants to go down there,” Sister-in-law You added, giving her husband a hard poke. “Little Sister Zhu is such a delicate young lady—how could she endure that kind of hardship?”

Elder Brother Ji was stunned. Suddenly everyone had turned their arrows toward him and were treating the newly arrived Zhu Jie with great care.

Zhu Jie also felt a little embarrassed. Since they had all said so much already, it wouldn’t be appropriate for her to keep speaking up for Ji Yi. She could only give him a sympathetic, comforting look.

Yet inwardly she secretly rejoiced. At least this family was finally treating her like a human being now. Unlike Ji Yi—his status in the household was practically worse than a cow.

After stumbling along for quite a while, the group finally arrived at the town.

With the New Year market approaching, many people had come, and the small town was unusually lively today.

But the moment Zhu Jie and the others got off the cart, everyone’s attention was immediately drawn to them. Before long, a large crowd had gathered around.

“Oh my! Whose daughter is this? She’s really beautiful!” an auntie wearing a flower-patterned padded jacket shouted loudly.

Her voice was already booming, and with that shout, even more people were drawn over. Everyone turned their heads to look at them—or more precisely, at Zhu Jie.

Soon several more middle-aged women and young wives came over. Clearly they already knew the Ji family. One of them tugged Old Madam Ji’s sleeve and asked, “Auntie Ji, whose girl is this? I’ve never seen her before.”

Seeing their envious and astonished expressions, Old Madam Ji puffed out her chest proudly and said with great satisfaction, “She’s the new wife our Erhan just married. Well? Isn’t she pretty?”

The crowd was even more shocked when they heard this. More people pressed forward, openly sizing Zhu Jie up and commenting right in front of her.

“No way! Erhan actually got married?”

“Tsk tsk, this wife is way too pretty! We’ve never seen a girl like this in all the nearby villages. She must be from somewhere else!”

“Erhan, you lucky brat! How did you manage to find such a beautiful girl?”

“Is she a fairy?”

The constant exclamations of amazement drowned out everything else, turning the market into something like a forest full of chirping sparrows.

The aunties were praising her enthusiastically, but Zhu Jie merely smiled shyly. A hint of bashfulness even appeared in her bright eyes, instantly stunning everyone present.

“Look at this girl—she’s embarrassed now!” the auntie in the flowered jacket teased again.

“She’s a new bride after all! Er Gou’s mother, look at you—you’ve embarrassed her!” Old Madam Ji quickly stepped in to smooth things over.

Hearing that name, Zhu Jie couldn’t help glancing more carefully at the auntie in the flowered jacket.

So this was the one who had eaten human flesh? She really couldn’t tell at all! She looked just like an ordinary rural auntie. How could someone like her have dared to eat a person?

Er Gou’s mother chuckled foolishly. “Listen to you—I wouldn’t dare!”

As she spoke, she gave Old Madam Ji a hearty punch and added, “Well, this is good now. Erhan has a wife—so you must be happy. Looks like my Er Gou has no chance of marrying your Meizi anymore. But that’s fine; I’ll go home and tell that boy to give up the idea!”

Hearing this, Zhu Jie looked up in confusion at Ji Mei beside her.

But Ji Mei immediately revealed a proud expression. Not only was she not shy, she even looked slightly disdainful when glancing at Er Gou’s mother—as if Er Gou had never been worthy of her in the first place.

However, Er Gou’s mother seemed not to notice Ji Mei’s arrogance and continued joking:

“Since you’ve married a new wife, Sister Ji, you must treat her well!”