When Zhao Ce glanced at her, Su Caier became distracted. She thought he found her too expensive. After all, her husband was drunk yesterday and probably didn't get a good look at her. She quickly said, "Although the betrothal gifts are expensive, I, I am very capable of doing work!"
Zhao Ce looked at her helplessly. Expensive? The little girl in front of him was sitting with her back to the light. She looked thin with a small body, a palm-sized face, and small features except for a pair of big, sparkling eyes.
She had just wiped away some tears and her little nose was red. She occasionally pursed her lips, revealing a small dimple. She looked pitiful and adorable.
Zhao Ce had to admit that this little girl was indeed quite good-looking. Was 100 copper coins still expensive? Zhao Ce himself asked his uncle for five taels of silver to marry a wife, but ended up spending it all on a courtesan who had gone through many hands. What could be considered expensive?
When Zhao Ce's gaze fell on her again, the girl straightened her small body and nervously swallowed her saliva. She blinked her eyes and quickly looked down again. Zhao Ce asked, "How old are you?"
Su Caier answered in a small voice, "I am almost sixteen years old." She thought for a moment and added, "Although I am a bit thin, but I, I can have children."
Zhao Ce looked at the person in front of him helplessly. This small body looked like a fifth or sixth-grade elementary school student. He himself was just a child, but she was saying she could have children.
When he thought of his uncle who was bringing people over in the afternoon, Zhao Ce felt a pang in his heart. He brought her back yesterday and spent the night together.
Even if he knew he didn't do anything, this little girl's innocence was definitely not easy to explain. In ancient times, it was not like modern times. The more backward the place, the more strict the feudal thinking was.
For this peasant girl who lost her innocence, the only way out was probably a dead end. Even if his uncle only took her to ask for a refund, he didn't plan to send her away in the end. If things got out of hand, this little girl would be ruined. After all, in ancient times, a woman's reputation was the most important thing. A man with a bad reputation could still survive, but a woman with a bad reputation couldn't survive anywhere.
Zhao Ce sighed. He couldn't just push this living little girl into the fire pit. He decided to keep her for now. After all, it was just one more mouth to feed.
As for whether to be his own wife or sister, it doesn't matter. Thinking about it, Zhao Ce said, "You stay here for now." "I'll talk to my uncle in the afternoon." Su Caier's eyes lit up and she happily said, "Thank you, husband." Husband... Hearing this little girl calling him husband, Zhao Ce couldn't help but feel amused.
On the first day of his time travel, he already got a husband title. And it's still from this little kid. Just as he was thinking about it, "Gulu Gulu..." The sound of a rumbling stomach came.
The little girl next to him reflexively covered her own belly, looking a bit shyly at Zhao Ce. "Are you hungry?" Zhao Ce asked. Su Caier stuttered, "N-no, not hungry..." She hadn't eaten anything since yesterday.
When she woke up in the morning, she was so hungry that she couldn't bear it, so she drew water from the well and drank a spoonful of cold water directly. She had just drunk a spoonful of cold water when she came out of the kitchen earlier. How could she be hungry again so soon?
Looking at the little girl in front of him, with her ears turning red and looking embarrassed, Zhao Ce couldn't help but chuckle. This little girl is really funny. Clearing his throat, Zhao Ce said, "Didn't we say we can eat once the food is ready?" "Let's go, let's eat first."
Upon hearing his words, Su Caier quickly responded, "Okay, we can eat now." Zhao Ce led the way to the kitchen, and Su Caier followed closely behind.
After taking a few steps, she suddenly remembered something and slowed down her pace. Zhao Ce walked for a while and turned back. He saw the little girl, who had just had a rumbling belly, walking slowly.
"Didn't you say you were hungry? Walk faster," Zhao Ce urged. Su Caier looked anxious upon hearing her husband's urging. "I-I will, right away." After speaking, she quickened her pace. However, Zhao Ce noticed that something seemed off with her walking. Why does it look like she's taking deep steps with one foot and shallow steps with the other? Seeing Zhao Ce staring at her legs, Su Caier couldn't help but stop moving her legs. Her two little feet, wearing old straw shoes, moved shyly.
"W-what's wrong?" Su Caier asked softly. Zhao Ce hesitated and asked, "Did you bump your leg just now?" Su Caier nervously replied, "No." "My leg...has been bad for years." "Husband knew about it yesterday." When he brought her home yesterday, her cousin also mentioned that she had problems with her legs.
At that time, her husband had heard it too. Moreover, the two of them walked back home together, with Zhao Ce walking in front with his long legs.
Su Cai'er had to almost run to keep up. Along the way, her husband also noticed. But upon seeing her husband's surprised expression, Su Cai'er hesitated and said, "My cousin and husband talked about it yesterday." "Husband doesn't remember?" Only then did Zhao Ce realize what the little girl meant when she said the dowry was expensive.
Yesterday, the original owner was foolish and drunk. How could he have cared about so much? In normal families, the bride's dowry was usually only one or two hundred wen.
But this little girl had a physical disability, which was why she said it was expensive. An unmarried girl with a physical disability would probably even be rejected by widows living in the remote mountains.
So despite Su Cai'er's pretty face, she had not yet married because of this reason. The villagers all called her "little lame girl", and local matchmakers would usually just shake their heads and leave upon hearing her name.
After thinking it over, she quickly pleaded, "Although my legs are not good, it doesn't affect my ability to work. I will work hard and not let my husband waste the dowry."
After Su Cai'er finished speaking, she waited anxiously. She could now be sure that her husband probably really didn't remember yesterday. Would he still keep the promise he made just now to let her stay? She felt sad, she did not want to deceive her husband... Su Cai'er lowered her head, seeming to be awaiting her sentence. The judge was Zhao Ce himself. Zhao Ce snapped out of his thoughts, looked at the little girl who had lowered her head again, and only left himself with a small swirl of hair.
He cleared his throat. He was now Zhao Ce, so he shouldn't scold himself. A slight disability was not a big deal. "Forget it, let's not talk about this anymore. Let's eat first."
After speaking, he turned around and continued walking. Su Cai'er raised her head in confusion. Although her husband seemed to be unaware of what had happened, he did not seem to care like other people. He did not look at her with strange eyes nor did he fly into a rage.
She did not feel like she had deceived him. He just passed over it lightly. Looking at the tall and thin figure of the man in front of her, Su Cai'er clenched her small fist behind her. Her husband was really good! She would work hard and repay him!