Under the bright, full moon, Wufu sat cross-legged on a large boulder in the courtyard, her slender neck slightly lifted as she breathed in gently, as if to absorb the essence of the sun and the moon.
Pah, what essence of the sun and moon, she was just restless and couldn't sleep, sitting there to enjoy the coolness brought by the mountain breeze.
Her home with Madam Zhou was near the edge of the mountain, all around it was eerily quiet, with only the wind rustling through the treetops, the silence making one's skin crawl.
In truth, her very being felt discontent and fear towards their dwelling; but given their circumstances, keeping a distance from crowds and the center of disputes was the wise choice. Otherwise, living in a bustling place, being drowned daily in spit and saliva, that would be truly distressing.
One must know, even their own relatives looked down upon their status!
Wufu absentmindedly plucked a foxtail grass from the cracks of the rock and chewed on it in her mouth, leaning back with her hands pressing against the stone as she gazed up at the bright moon in the sky.
So boring, how she missed the modern world's neon lights and nightlife!
Creak, creak.
Wufu's ears twitched, and she listened intently; those were the sounds of someone stepping on dry branches, someone was approaching.
At this hour, someone was actually coming close to their mother and daughter's place?
Wufu raised her eyebrows and stood up, surveying the yard. She hid behind the large water jar in the corner and casually picked up a couple of pebbles, squeezing them between her fingers.
She wanted to see who the visitor was, human or ghost. Or maybe, a wolf? A sly, lecherous kind!
It didn't take long for her to spot a head poking over the wall. If she had been her younger self, she would have probably screamed in fright by now!
No, if she were truly her younger self, she wouldn't be up in the middle of the night pretending to be a Mountain Demon in the courtyard. Wufu watched the head move back and forth, the corner of her mouth curling slightly; this was finally becoming somewhat interesting!
The moonlight was cold and bright, illuminating the face of the intruder, triggering a memory in Wufu's mind of someone she recognized: Ma Dan from Wozi Village, a notorious Rogue who always harassed young girls and wives. Wufu had been harassed by him as well.
What was this, had he developed a lustful heart and sneaked over to their house in the middle of the night?
Wufu touched her cheek, realizing she was beginning to mature. Although her monthly courses had not yet begun, her chest was starting to develop, and her face, likely inheriting more from her father combined with Madam Zhou's genes, was becoming even more attractive than her mother's. Even though she was still a bit green, in the minds of certain men with ill-intentions, that hint of greenness could be even more appealing.
Putting Wufu aside, Madam Zhou was not unattractive either. On the contrary, she was petite and gentle in nature, more pleasant to look at than the typical brawny village women.
It was tough on her, such a meek character, and yet, through all these years, she had managed to keep herself and her daughter from any disgrace.
Perhaps it was because of the protection from her father-in-law, Scholar Zhou that they had survived safely all these years.
However, with their protector gone three years ago, those petty villains could hardly hold themselves back.
If they couldn't have the young one, then the mature, charming lady was worth pursuing. And if they could have both, that would be even better.
And after having their way with them? Belonging to a family of disrepute already, one could imagine they would hardly dare to make a scene; a woman's reputation is more important than anything!
Hearing Ma Dan's mutterings to himself, Wufu couldn't help but laugh. Thinking of having both mother and daughter? Was his appetite not big enough to choke on?
Thud.
Wufu was jolted back to reality to see Ma Dan had already jumped down from the wall and was looking around cautiously. Seeing that he hadn't attracted any attention, he rubbed his hands together, a ferocious smile on his lips, and his eyes glinting as he stealthily moved towards the main house.