Xiao Qinghe also looked taken aback.
Yuchuan strongly nodded, âI swear by the parents in my grave, really!â
Her drained shoulders stiffened, âYouâre always using your parents to swearâ¦â
âOnly to show how serious the matter is.â
âAlright.â She asked calmly, âWhen did this happen?â
âA while ago. It was the day when I went to sell goods, came back quite late, and made thirty copper coins.â
âThat was indeed some time ago.â Su Qingyue nodded, âSo, am I free now?â
âYes.â He nodded. Actually, he had first taken her deed of sale to the townâs government office and only after that did he tear up the contract. Although she was no longer a slave, in the Household Marriage Registration records at the governmentâs office, she was his⦠Xiao Yuchuanâs wife.
This was done behind everyoneâs back. Second Brother and Fourth Brother were both oblivious.
Except for him and those involved in the Marriage Registration, nobody knew.
Xiao Qinghe was confused, âThird Brother, the deed of sale of Second Brotherâs wife has always been kept by Second Brother. How did you find it?â
âThe day Second Brother kept the deed of sale, I happened to see him wrap the contract with a piece of cowhide paper and put it into a mouse hole on a beam in the backyard thatched cottage.â He said, âI found it and tore it up. To prevent Second Brother from finding out and scolding me, I stuffed another piece of paper I picked up on the street some day into that hole. Second Brother canât read, so any piece of paper with writing on it would do. He wouldnât know if it wasnât the deed of sale.ân/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om
ââ¦â Su Qingyue did not know what to say, âWhy did Second Brother hide my noble deed of Sale in the thatched cottage?â
âNo one would look thereâ¦â Xiao Yuchuan said, âHad I not seen it right then, I wouldnât have known that he put it there.â
âJust happened to see?â She looked at him skeptically.
He smiled sheepishly, âNoâ¦no, I was following Second Brother.â He didnât want to admit that he had initially planned to sell her behind Second Brotherâs back, so he spied on Second Brother to see where heâd put her deed of sale.
She did not inquire further into why he was following Second Brother. After thinking for a moment, she said, âNow that the deed of sale is goneâ¦â She glanced at Third Brother and Fourth Brother, âYou are surnamed Xiao and I am surnamed Su. We have no relation now, right?â
Xiao Yuchuan wanted to say that their relationship was significant; she was his registered wife. However, after stealing a glance at Fourth Brother, he realized neither Second Brother nor Fourth Brother agreed with his secret marriage registration, and he didnât agree with them eitherâ¦
They even argued about it secretly behind her back several times.
He had secretly registered the marriage a long time agoâ¦
Yet pretended to be arguing about who was going to register⦠If this were revealed, Fourth Brother and Second Brother would certainly be furious with him. Unless it was absolutely necessary, he would not expose it.
Xiao Qingheâs eyes were filled with melancholy sadness, as Second Brother had prophesied, without her deed of sale, she could not be retained, could she?
Well, thatâs okay.
He always wished for her happiness, âQinâ¦Qingyue, if you want to leave the Xiao Family, you can. Donât worry about the money.â
Looking at his handsome face, filled with sadness and worry, close to tears, she said, âFourth Brother, it seems like you canât bear to let me go?â
âWife, I wonât let you go!â Xiao Yuchuan forcefully hugged her and put his head on her shoulder, âWithout the deed of sale, I still wonât let you leave! I want you to be my wife for life!â
She twisted his hand away, âGet lost, I donât know you.â
He cried out in pain, âWife, if you use a bit more force, youâll break my handâ¦â