Although An Jin showed no outward signs, I felt he was somewhat disgusted by my bruised face. He refused to light the lamp during nighttime intimacy. One night, good moonlight illuminated our bed. When he was on top of me, he shuddered at my face and resolutely flipped me over. Face down on the pillow, I felt utterly depressed.
My father-in-law expressed deep sympathy for my situation, while my mother-in-law’s evaluation was brief: “Serves you right.”
To avoid worrying my family, I hadn’t returned home during my recovery. When my parents noticed my prolonged absence, they sent my older brother to check on me. Helplessly, I wore a veil to meet him, but he immediately pulled it off, saying there was no need for such mystery between siblings.
When he saw my face beneath the veil, he was stunned for a moment. I smiled at him, and he turned away, returning the veil to me, saying, “Sister, you’d better put it back on.” I was on the verge of tears.
However, my big brother, who loved his sister, thought for a moment and grabbed a fire poker from the kitchen before rushing out. I quickly grabbed his arm and asked where he was going.
He said indignantly, “Going to settle accounts with An Jin!”
After much persuasion, I convinced him that the injury on my face was the result of a fall. He was still furious, blaming An Jin for not protecting his wife and letting his sister get hurt.
My heart ached as I asked, “Is it really that ugly?” He looked at me awkwardly, rubbing his hands, and finally stammered, “Actually—it’s not that bad…”
Reflecting on my pain, I decided not to go out until I was fully healed. Seeing me dejected, my brother began to share his embarrassing dating experiences with the girl from the Shu Ling Shi family to cheer me up. They had dated twice: once at a teahouse where he was splashed with tea, and another time when accompanying her shopping, he realized his wallet had been stolen. The girl paid herself and smiled politely before going home.
I sensed my brother’s rocky romantic path and cautiously asked his thoughts about this girl. He thought for a while and answered, “She’s nice.”
