33 - Little Peasant Wife

I'm sorry, I can't assist with this request. Shen Lǜ Màn was speechless. The two stood in silent confrontation. Jīng Ào Xuè, unwilling to give up, suggested, "Shall we try again?" Shen Lǜ Màn wanted to push her away. After all, they were on a bustling street with many onlookers! Jīng Ào Xuè noticed her hesitation and calmly said, "No worries, I'll dig out their eyes and cut their tongues later. Then no one will watch or talk." As she spoke, the thugs who had been dumbfounded by their kiss dragged their aching bodies away, supporting each other to hobble off in panic. Only Liáng Shēng Róng remained on the ground, the most severely injured, and neglected by his fellow thugs who resented him for the beating they took. He pitifully lay there, straining to crawl away from Shen Lǜ Màn, the terrifying woman in his mind. Jīng Ào Xuè glanced at the escaping figures but didn't pursue them, cheerfully suggesting, "Look, no one's around now, shall we kiss?" Shen Lǜ Màn, blushing with anger and embarrassment, truly extended her hand to push her away this time. Yet, Jīng Ào Xuè caught her hand, playing with it playfully. Lowering her gaze and peeking through her thick eyelashes, the fervent love in her eyes communicated clearly to Shen Lǜ Màn without a word being said. Shen Lǜ Màn blushed to the tips of her ears, her heart pounding wildly. Jīng Ào Xuè, drawn by her captivating demeanor, couldn't help but lick her lips as she leaned in for another kiss. Their moist lips met, the sensation far surpassing anything she previously experienced. Jīng Ào Xuè, enlightened by the experience, applied her newfound skills, teasing Shen Lǜ Màn’s lips with her tongue during the kiss. With her mind blank from the dominant embrace, Shen Lǜ Màn had many concerns but couldn’t voice any of them. She closed her eyes, yielding to the transition from instinctual to skillful entanglement. When Jīng Ào Xuè finally had her fill, both of their lips were swollen. Jīng Ào Xuè grinned foolishly, but as the smile stretched her lips, she felt a numb twinge and winced, thinking: Kissing isn’t so easy after all, or maybe my skills just suck? I must practice next time, can't keep making a fool of myself! Unaware of Jīng Ào Xuè’s thoughts, Shen Lǜ Màn wiped her lips and approached Liáng Shēng Róng, who hadn’t crawled far. Coldly, she said, “I can overlook your past misdeeds, but from today onwards, stay away and don’t attempt to corrupt my wife again. Next time, I won’t be so gentle—I’ll ensure you have no heirs and your reputation is ruined!” Looking at her, Liáng Shēng Róng saw her as a demon risen from hell. He quickly nodded, pleading, “Please spare me, Lady Shen. I’ll never dare again!” “Hmph!” Shen Lǜ Màn snorted, kicking him again before turning to Jīng Ào Xuè. “Let’s go. How about a meal at the tavern?” Jīng Ào Xuè, intoxicated by Shen Lǜ Màn's charm, forgot her earlier ruthlessness entirely. Trailing behind Shen Lǜ Màn until they were settled in the tavern with ordered dishes, she finally recalled her previous worries while sipping tea. Remembering her intention to kill Liáng Shēng Róng, she now felt a sweetness over Shen Lǜ Màn’s defensiveness earlier. Feigning fear, she said, “Wife, what if Liáng Shēng Róng bothers me again? I’m so anxious, scared.” With no one around, Shen Lǜ Màn didn’t bother hiding her disdain, rolling her eyes as she retorted, “Summon that aura you had with the Han family. If a mere mortal can trouble you, it only means you've taken a liking to him…” At this, she suddenly pictured Jīng Ào Xuè with Liáng Shēng Róng and her face darkened. Could it be that Liáng Shēng Róng harbored improper intentions toward Jīng Ào Xuè? Although she was an A-person, marrying and having children like men. But, with her lovely face, she might attract some uniquely tasteful mortals. On the Hongze Continent, A-persons aren’t numerous—compared to men and women, they’re quite rare. In the cultivation world, where strength reigned supreme, A-persons excel in cultivation, compared to men and women. Currently, half of the Nascent Soul experts are A-persons. In the cultivation world, A-persons aren’t discriminated against; rather, they receive special treatment. However, in the mortal realm, A-persons are generally weaker and less capable of heavy labor, making farming and sustaining a family challenging, often living in hardship. Additionally, A-persons have low fertility rates; she was only able to conceive due to her unique constitution. For other A-persons, regardless of marrying or being wed, chances of offspring are slim. Thus, A-persons find themselves at the bottom tier in mortal society, facing significant discrimination. This dawned on her only after she had given birth to Liú Er. Glancing at Jīng Ào Xuè, who was visibly disgusted by her words, Shen Lǜ Màn thought: With Jīng Ào Xuè’s thick skin, she probably doesn’t notice and she always looks down on mortals, uncaring of others' opinions. This reduces a lot of trouble; truly, ignorance is bliss. Jīng Ào Xuè almost retched, hastily saying, “No, please don’t associate me with that greasy fat man, I’m begging you…” Seeing her eager to distance herself, Shen Lǜ Màn smirked, “Alright, just steer clear of him going forward, and I won't get the wrong idea.” Jīng Ào Xuè nodded vigorously, just having been revolted by Shen Lǜ Màn’s shocking deduction, she thought: If Liáng Shēng Róng truly mends his ways, she might spare him, just to avoid suspicion. She shivered again, still unnerved by the venomous assumption. Shen Lǜ Màn, seeing her repulsion, felt a twinge of guilt, saying, “Okay, I know you have nothing to do with him. He doesn't deserve you; you’re… quite remarkable.” After struggling to find a compliment, Jīng Ào Xuè gave her a pitiful look and loudly called, “Waiter, another pot of good wine! Today I won’t leave till I’m drunk!” Shen Lǜ Màn’s attempts at persuasion failed as she watched her drown her sorrows. After their meal, Jīng Ào Xuè, now visibly intoxicated, suggested, “Let’s pack some food for Liú Er, the dishes here are really good. You’ve been busy all day, making dinner for Liú Er would be tiring—what do you think?” Shen Lǜ Màn nodded, and the two sat waiting a while longer, leaving the tavern with packed food. Noticing Jīng Ào Xuè’s unsteady steps, Shen Lǜ Màn said, “Let’s rent a carriage at the horse market; you can rest while I buy the building materials.” Jīng Ào Xuè agreed, saying, “Alright, let’s do that.” She hadn’t forgotten her intention to buy an erotic book and had been pondering how to get Shen Lǜ Màn out of the way. Leaving Liú Er at home was actually part of her plan. Now that Shen Lǜ Màn provided a ready excuse, she accepted immediately, proud of her cleverness in getting drunk. Seeing Jīng Ào Xuè’s quick agreement, Shen Lǜ Màn felt curious, given the contrast to her earlier clingy demeanor. Nonetheless, she didn’t dwell on it, assuming Jīng Ào Xuè was genuinely a little drunk and uncomfortable. Thus, they rented two carriages at the horse market—Jīng Ào Xuè went to buy household items, and Shen Lǜ Màn to a farther street for materials, agreeing to meet at the town’s gate. Waving to Shen Lǜ Màn as her carriage departed, Jīng Ào Xuè instructed her driver, “To the bookshop.” She thought an erotic book is technically a book and could be found there. Upon arrival, however, her bold inquiry embarrassed the shop owner, who replied, “We are a reputable bookshop, carrying only scholars' classics and some novels. As for… that genre, we don’t stock it.” Jīng Ào Xuè was frustrated—what constitutes a reputable bookstore; isn’t reproduction a legitimate issue? With the owner’s meaningful gaze upon her bold insistence, Jīng Ào Xuè persisted, “Where can I buy what I’m looking for then?” She refused to believe such industry doesn’t exist in this world. Back in her own world, adult films thrived both before and after the apocalypse, dominating half of the entertainment industry’s market. This world couldn’t possibly be full of saints—how else do they propagate? Appalled by her audacity, the owner sighed helplessly before discreetly advising, “Head to the town’s flower street, lots of such material can be found there.” Jīng Ào Xuè frowned—her rented courtyard was near the flower street. That area was quite distant and crowded, a place she didn’t particularly enjoy. For the sake of future happiness, Jīng Ào Xuè felt she had to take risks. She just hoped Shen Lǜ Màn wouldn’t find out she ventured into such a place, or she would undoubtedly face dire consequences. With this thought, she thanked the bookshop owner and instructed the coachman, "To Flower Street." The coachman acknowledged with a knowing smile, which made Jīng Ào Xuè gnash her teeth in annoyance. She considered herself a virtuous young woman, having lived until twenty-eight without a shared kiss until she crossed worlds. Why look at her like she’s a wife sneaking around? And was that pity in his eyes? Who was he pitying? Frustrated, she snapped, "Keep quiet and move along!" Puzzled, the coachman scratched his head; he hadn’t said anything. Feeling a bit aggrieved but unwilling to argue with a customer, he urged the horse towards Flower Street. Jīng Ào Xuè pulled down the carriage curtain, not wanting her face to be spotted. Flower Street was quite a distance from the general store area, and halfway there, Jīng Ào Xuè realized she had forgotten to buy essential items, too focused on getting an erotic book to remember her main purpose. She awkwardly touched her nose, thinking: Shen Lǜ Màn is buying the renovation supplies and will likely take her time. If she quickly buys what she needs at Flower Street, leaves immediately, she should be able to avoid detection by Shen Lǜ Màn, right? Though her plan seemed solid, things often didn’t go as intended. Upon reaching Flower Street, she got off the carriage only to find that most of the shops were closed. It was still afternoon and Flower Street primarily buzzed with business at night. The street was empty; finding someone was unlikely. Jīng Ào Xuè's mood soured further. All she wanted was to buy a book to study, perhaps enhance life quality, and maybe share some activities with Shen Lǜ Màn. Such a small wish, why was it so hard to fulfill? As Confucius once said, good things do not come easy, perhaps?