Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
“What good reputation does our family have?” Ma Biao said irritably. “With such a thing happening, who wouldn’t be laughing at me? I don’t want to find another woman, and in the future, don’t bother about my affairs.”
Faced with her son’s negative attitude, Aunt Mei was infuriated. She gave Ma Biao a fierce glare. “Your father passed away early, and your sister-in-law can’t give birth to a son. Our family is relying on you. If you don’t get married, how will the Ma family continue its lineage? Do you want me to die with no face to see your father? If your dad knew about your behavior, he would beat you even as a ghost!”
Aunt Mei had been dealing with witch doctors recently. She initially had some belief in the supernatural, but now she had no doubt.
Perhaps it was because Aunt Mei had already given most of the family’s savings to the witch doctor. If she didn’t believe in the witch doctor’s theories about ghosts and gods, wouldn’t it mean that all that money had been spent in vain?
So, Aunt Mei had no choice but to believe. Otherwise, the faith in her spiritual world would completely collapse.
Aunt Mei’s threats did not affect Ma Biao. He had already had enough. He didn’t like Ah Hui in the first place. She was a child who had yet to mature and didn’t match his preferences. When he touched her, she reacted like a frightened quail, as if she wished she could hide her head in her pants. Faced with a wife like this, Ma Biao had no desire at all.
What frustrated Ma Biao even more was that Ah Hui had suddenly been possessed. Before he could figure out what was going on, the oddly dressed witch doctor had come to his house and started tormenting his family and the wife he didn’t like.
During the two days of the ritual, Ma Biao felt like a clown. All the neighbors in the vicinity came to watch. The witch doctor claimed that driving away the fox demon required the “fire” of the human body, so their family had no choice but to welcome the neighbors to watch the witch doctor exorcise Ah Hui.
As he observed the excited onlookers, Ma Biao felt like he was the subject of mockery. Everyone was probably laughing at him.
What was even more humiliating was that the witch doctor had Ah Hui strip naked and jump into the water tank!
Although Ma Biao didn’t like Ah Hui, she was still his wife. How could any man tolerate his wife undressing and jumping into a water tank in front of everyone?
At that moment, Ma Biao felt like a thousand bees were buzzing in his head. He watched Ah Hui struggle like an ugly frog in boiling water. He despised the woman who had brought him shame and even wished that she would be scalded to death.
In the end, Ah Hui, who had been soaked in boiling water for over ten minutes, was pulled out by Mei Lian and a few women. Her skin was alarmingly red, resembling a fragile blood balloon that might burst upon the slightest touch.
After the ritual, Ah Hui’s condition didn’t improve. Instead, it worsened. The witch doctor claimed this was due to the immense magical power of the fox demon possessing Ah Hui.
Ma Biao no longer cared to investigate whether the witch doctor’s words held any truth. He wished to bring everything to an end.
“Let that woman die quickly.” he silently prayed.
Watching her son’s lifeless expression, Aunt Mei felt both angry and distressed. She was well aware that Ma Biao did not like Ah Hui, but the cost of marrying a woman in their village was too high.
A few years prior, Ma Biao’s father had met with an accident, depleting all their savings to cover the medical expenses. Where could they find the money to secure a wife for Ma Biao?
Subsequently, Aunt Mei heard of people from a neighboring village purchasing women from elsewhere. After inquiring, she discovered that the cost of obtaining a woman from other regions was merely a third of the local dowry.
Aunt Mei promptly decided to approach human traffickers and procure a woman.
The process of negotiating with the traffickers proceeded smoothly. Ah Hui was healthy and had a big butt. She looked very suitable for childbirth. Aunt Mei was very satisfied with all these.
However, Ma Biao did not like Ah Hui at all. He even felt that Aunt Mei did not respect him at all. She did not treat him as a human at all. She only treated him as a tool to complete the task of carrying on the family line. She did not care about his feelings at all.
In the living room, the mother and son faced each other. Aunt Mei clenched her teeth, her eyes brimming with tears. “Everything I’ve done was for your good!”
“I don’t need it! I detest that woman, and I detest you too!” Ma Biao panted heavily and erupted in anger.
Aunt Mei’s anger caused her chest to heave with emotion as she slammed the table.. “Then what do you like? Do you prefer the woman who just arrived in our home?”