The Butcher's Little Husband - Chapter 12

Lately, Tian Xiaoman had been feeling uneasy. The closer the engagement day drew, the more nervous he became. The thought of getting married filled him with uncertainty.

Could he really bear the responsibilities of a family? Was he ready to marry a man he had only met once? What if his future family was not as easy to get along with as he hoped? And would he still be able to enjoy his freedom at home?

These thoughts occupied his mind throughout the day, often mixed with expectations and shy anticipation about marriage—emotions buried beneath a sense of helplessness that he did not even fully notice.

One day, as he was daydreaming as usual, he heard someone calling him from outside the courtyard gate. His father was in the fields, and his Amu was at the market, so he went out alone to check.

Who could it be? Xiaoguo? Probably not. Xiaoguo had not eaten the food he made yesterday and had gone home angry. According to their usual pattern, they would not have seen each other again so soon.

Curious, he opened the gate and found someone he had not seen in days—Tian Xiu’er.

“You still dare to come here?” Tian Xiaoman asked, stunned. His reputation had been ruined, and it was likely Tian Xiu’er’s doing. He had not gone to confront him yet, but here he was, daring to come to him!

“Xiaoman, let me in first,” Tian Xiu’er said, lowering his gaze and putting on a very obedient appearance, softly pleading.

“No!” Tian Xiaoman replied, still remembering how Tian Xiu’er had tricked him last time. He would not fall for it again. “If something happens in my house again, won’t the whole village say I killed someone?”

“Xiaoman, this is about Brother Zhang Bin. Don’t you want to hear about it?” Tian Xiu’er’s eyes held a hint of madness. He lowered his voice, trying to tempt him.

“Oh, Scholar Zhang? I don’t want to hear it! I have nothing to do with him!” Tian Xiaoman said dismissively.

His feelings had changed. Last month, Scholar Zhang was always on his mind, but now he could not care less.

In truth, something had happened recently. Zhang xiucai had become engaged—to a ger from the neighboring village, the son of Master Qian. As far as his own wishes were concerned, he certainly did not want to marry some ignorant village ger. What he longed for was the elegant romance of a talented scholar and a beautiful companion, the charm of a red-sleeved attendant in his study, not being bogged down day after day by mundane matters of rice, oil, and salt.

But his ambitions outstripped his ability. Though he was considered a talented scholar in their village and nearby villages, in their academy he was nothing special. There were others with more talent and better family backgrounds, and even the teacher’s gers did not choose him.

After the incident with Tian Xiaoman, fearing that his secret affair with a prostitute might be exposed and tarnish his reputation, he hastily agreed to Master Qian’s marriage proposal. It was not his ideal match, but it would provide stability.

Tian Xiaoman had not heard about the engagement yet, as his Amu had purposely kept it from him. He had even asked Yang Xiaoguo not to mention it, and Tian Xiaoman had been staying home for a while.

Even if Tian Xiu’er told him now, he would not care.

But Tian Xiu’er cared deeply. He had been in love with Zhang Xiucai since he was young. After finally defeating Tian Xiaoman in the competition for his affection, a new rival appeared. Tian Xiu’er’s mind was clouded by expectations. He never considered that if Zhang Xiucai looked down on Tian Xiaoman, why would he be interested in him?

He had come to ask Tian Xiaoman to step in and ruin Zhang Xiucai’s engagement, all while staying in the background so that if anything went wrong, he would not be blamed.

Sometimes, Tian Xiu’er even envied Tian Xiaoman for his personality—doing whatever he wanted, saying whatever was on his mind, and not caring about others’ opinions.

What surprised Tian Xiu’er, however, was that Tian Xiaoman did not care about the matter at all.

“Stop blocking my door!” Tian Xiaoman said. “I’m getting married soon, and I don’t want my husband to know about this.” Seeing Tian Xiu’er’s distraught expression, Tian Xiaoman added, “Tian Xiu’er, I suggest you give up! He… doesn’t like people like us.”

Deep down, Tian Xiaoman still felt a little inferior—after all, the person he once liked had dismissed him as worthless.

Tian Xiaoman’s words struck a chord, and for a moment, a flicker of insecurity crossed Tian Xiu’er’s mind.

“Give up?” Tian Xiu’er muttered to himself. How could he give up? He had liked him for so long…

From that day on, after Tian Xiu’er left, Tian Xiaoman could not shake a strange feeling. He thought Tian Xiu’er would not give up so easily. Back when he and Zhang Xiucai had not even had much of a relationship, Tian Xiu’er had already gone so far as to jump into the river to frame him. Now that Zhang Xiucai was actually about to be married, he was bound to do something!

Sure enough, on the night before Zhang Xiucai was to bring the betrothal gifts to Master Qian’s family, he was suddenly discovered with Tian Xiu’er, tangled together in a dilapidated hut at the edge of the village.

For the sake of Zhang Xiucai’s reputation, the villagers demanded that the Zhang family use “incompatible birth charts” as an excuse to withdraw from the Qian engagement, and that Zhang Xiucai choose a date to marry Tian Xiu’er instead.

As for Tian Xiu’er, because of his improper behavior, he was punished to kneel in the ancestral hall for half a month.

The Zhang family, of course, was unwilling. How could they let that shameless fox spirit marry their son? If he entered, it could only be as a concubine, not the main wife!

In the end, Tian Xiu’er got what he wanted and married Zhang Xiucai. However, it was far from the ideal outcome he had envisioned.

Upon hearing the news, Tian Xiaoman was certain Zhang Xiucai had been framed. He could not imagine that Scholar Zhang would do something like that, especially at such a critical moment. He also wondered how Tian Xiu’er had managed to pull this off.

If it had been him, even if he never married, he would never have stooped to being someone’s concubine.

But soon, Tian Xiaoman’s mind was filled with other thoughts, for his engagement day was fast approaching…