Su Xiaoliu yanked her hand back forcefully, subtly smoothing the crease between her brows. She forced a perfunctory smile and said, "If he owes you money, go after him. Don't block my way. I need to wash my face." With that, she tried to walk around him.
The middle - aged man shifted his feet and blocked her path. He grinned and said, "Don't go."
Su Xiaoliu grew a bit anxious. Just as she was about to cry for help, a wooden bucket came flying through the air. With a "thud", it hit the man's face.
The water in the bucket splashed all over the ground. Su Xiaoliu quickly took the opportunity to run back.
Looking up, she saw Situ Qianyue looking at those men with a hint of anger. He said unhurriedly, "Why are you blocking my wife? If you have something to say, why don't you come in and talk to me?"
The middle - aged man looked up at him with gritted teeth. Just as he was about to flare up, he saw Su Xiaoliu rushing out of the old temple again. She shouted, "Stop arguing! How much does he owe? I'll pay for him!"
She lowered her head and rummaged through the purse she carried with her, counting the silver pieces. Then she heard the man say, "A thousand taels of gold."
Su Xiaoliu's hand that was rummaging through the purse suddenly stopped. She looked up at Situ Qianyue in disbelief and said slowly, "A thousand taels of gold... What did you spend it on?"
Situ Qianyue looked at her innocently and said, "I only borrowed ten taels of gold. The extra was added by them later."
Su Xiaoliu took a deep breath. She was sure that her father must have married her off to the poorest man in the world. Because the essence of being poor doesn't lie in whether one has money, but in how much debt one owes others.
Su Xiaoliu put away her purse. She said to those men in a negotiating tone, "Well, here's a little bit of money. You can take it first. Come back in a few days, and I'll give you the rest. Is that okay?" In a few days, she would surely have found a way to leave. Let them go after this extremely poor husband.
The middle - aged man said impatiently, "Miss, do you think I'll believe such nonsense? He's owed me for half a year. You still married such a poor man. Are you so desperate that you can't find a husband?"
Although Su Xiaoliu didn't feel much affection for this extremely poor husband, hearing him say this, she not only felt indignant for him but also got angry herself.
She raised her eyebrows, and her voice involuntarily rose. She said, "Whether I want to marry him or not is none of your business! Have you ever calculated how much of the thousand taels of gold is really yours?"
"Boss, stop wasting your breath on her. Beat them up. Come back next time and see if they'll pay." One of the attendants in green clothes grew impatient and tapped his stick on the ground.
Seeing the stick, Su Xiaoliu's confidence faded away.
"Fine, beat them up first." The middle - aged man tapped his stick in his hand and suddenly laughed menacingly.
Su Xiaoliu was scared by them. She grabbed Situ Qianyue and ran into the old temple. She slammed the wooden door shut and found a wooden bolt to block the door.
"Quickly get out through the window and go to my father's place!" Su Xiaoliu pulled him anxiously to the window.
The wooden door was being kicked and banged on violently, accompanied by continuous curses.
Situ Qianyue turned around and looked at the door. His dark eyes fixed on the wooden bolt that was almost shaken off. He said, "Why don't we fight them? I can beat them."
Su Xiaoliu pulled him. She glanced at the door and quickly coaxed him, "I know you can beat them, but brute force can't solve everything. You need to use your brain, okay?"
Situ Qianyue lowered his head and looked at her. His eyes were smiling, which made her ears feel a bit hot.
Su Xiaoliu lowered her head guiltily. Thinking of the way she had scurried around with the chamber pot, she didn't care about anything else. She just kept tugging at him and said anxiously, "Quickly come with me."
"Fight them." Situ Qianyue stared calmly at the door and smiled faintly.
Su Xiaoliu let go of his hand. She looked at him seriously and said, "You can beat them, but what about me? Do you want to see me get hurt?"
"No." Situ Qianyue withdrew his gaze, looked at her, and shook his head.
Su Xiaoliu grabbed his sleeve again and said, "Then listen to me and come with me."
Situ Qianyue blinked his eyes and said, "Okay."
Su Xiaoliu pushed him out of the window and then jumped out herself.
Just as they got out of the window, the door of the old temple was kicked open.
"Let them get away!" There came the angry sound of a man smashing the door in the old temple.
On the long street, the voices of people were in an uproar, and it was extremely bustling.
Su Xiaoliu pulled Situ Qianyue along the street. They were both wearing wedding robes, which was very eye - catching.
Su Xiaoliu glanced around and said to him, "Let's go to the pawnshop first to pawn something. Then I'll take you to buy clothes and change out of these." It was really not Su Xiaoliu's plan to go back to her parents' place right after getting married.
Situ Qianyue nodded slightly and said softly, "Okay."
Su Xiaoliu looked at him and asked, "Where are your parents?"
Situ Qianyue blinked his dark eyes. He shook his head gently and replied, "They've both passed away."
Su Xiaoliu didn't continue this topic. She pulled him and walked silently on the street, ignoring the strange looks from others.
She really didn't want to get married again, especially to a useless and poor husband. So, after helping him pay off the debt, she would find a way to leave.
In the pawnshop.
The shopkeeper carefully examined the jade bracelet back and forth. After a while, he looked up and asked, "How much do you want to pawn it for?"
Su Xiaoliu held up five fingers. Under the shopkeeper's slightly surprised gaze, she said slowly, "Fifty taels."
The surprise in the shopkeeper's eyes disappeared. He smiled and said, "Miss, fifty taels? Five taels would be more appropriate."
Just as Su Xiaoliu was about to speak, Situ Qianyue handed over a silver hairpin. He said, "What about with this? Fifty taels."
Su Xiaoliu frowned. She grabbed his hand and snatched the silver hairpin. Looking into his eyes, she said, "Don't imitate me. Don't pawn things randomly." For a moment, she felt something was amiss. She looked at the silver hairpin in her hand and thought it looked familiar. "This silver hairpin..."
Situ Qianyue interrupted her. He turned to the shopkeeper and said, "Give my wife fifty taels for the bracelet. It's really good jade."
Su Xiaoliu nodded in satisfaction and felt relieved that he had spoken up for her sensibly.
Unexpectedly, the next second he said, "Although it's a bit inferior to my hairpin."
Su Xiaoliu pulled down the corners of her mouth and said to the shopkeeper, "Sell it for good. Thirty taels."
With a "snap", a deal was made.
"Wife, I don't like black."
Situ Qianyue turned around and tugged at the uneven part of his clothes.
Su Xiaoliu looked up. For a moment, she was in a daze. Was this extremely poor man actually the most beautiful man?
The black robe with gold trimmings on him had a hint of enchantment. His black hair was tied up on one side with a silver hairpin. His dark jade - like eyes showed a look of dissatisfaction. His slightly pointed chin was lifted, and his rosy, diamond - shaped lips were extremely charming. When he took a gentle step, the bell on his waist jingled softly.
Su Xiaoliu came back to her senses. She reached out and retied his loose belt and said, "Isn't black nice?"
"White is nicer." He looked up at the white robe hanging on one side.
"This young master has really good taste." The shopkeeper's wife happened to hear what he said. She walked over with a smile and looked at Su Xiaoliu. "Miss, your husband really knows his stuff. This white robe is made of the finest silk..."
"No, we'll take this black one." Su Xiaoliu was used to this kind of tone. She interrupted the shopkeeper's wife without even looking up.
Su Xiaoliu took out some silver pieces and put them on one side. She said to Situ Qianyue, "Let's go."
Just as she pulled Situ Qianyue and turned around, she heard two young girls nearby pointing at her and whispering, "Look at that woman. She's dressed so gaudily, but she makes her husband wear black. It's really strange when they walk together..."
Su Xiaoliu turned back and said to the shopkeeper's wife who was introducing clothes to others, "Please get that white robe for me."
Situ Qianyue looked at her, and the smile on his lips became even more charming.