Su Xi wiped away his tears, “Xiao Lian, don’t be like this. She gave more silver coins this time. We can save some for your dowry and buy household items.”
“She’s a bad woman,” Xiao Lian grumbled about Jinyu, a complaint he had repeated that morning.
Su Xi’s face showed anger as he held Xiao Lian’s hand, “Don’t say that. Thanks to her, we’ve survived these past two years. We can’t repay her, but at least we shouldn’t resent her.”
“But she makes your body suffer such serious injuries,” he said indignantly.
“This is my choice. She saved us and cared for us. Without her, I don’t know how many would have touched me. Now, only she has, and I’m lucky. I’m grateful to her. Don’t blame her.”
Xiao Lian lowered his head, hugging Su Xi. “I understand. But you’ve given her your innocence; your body belongs only to her. Why can’t she marry you?”
Su Xi, still feeling bodily pain, smiled bitterly, “As long as you can marry into a good family, I’ll be satisfied.”
“I only want to be with you. I don’t want to marry,” Xiao Lian lay in Su Xi’s arms.
Su Xi patted Xiao Lian’s back, sighing, “You must marry into a good family. You must be happy!”
Xiao Lian remained silent. Su Xi looked at the old bedding, a complex emotion crossing his eyes, “It’s late autumn. Tomorrow we’ll go to the market to buy some household items and bedding. Winter is coming, and you will spend several nights here each month; I can’t let you catch a cold.”
“Brother,” Xiao Lian looked up.
“What do you want to say?”
“I want to work with you.”
Su Xi’s anger rose, firmly refusing, “No.”
“Brother.”
“Xiao Lian, I forbid you from saying such things again. You will marry with a pure body,” Su Xi said, truly upset by his brother’s words.
Tears welled up in Xiao Lian’s eyes, “But every time that woman comes, you fall unconscious. I’m afraid you’ll suddenly leave me. You always say it doesn’t hurt, but I know you’re in pain. If I can bear some of it, you won’t hurt so much.”
