Wang Xiaolong's illness was like the wealth-obsession madness that people in the village often spoke of.
Only, he wasn't driven insane by watching others make money but by seeing other families hold wedding celebrations.
It was as if a nerve suddenly got crossed, and he couldn't help causing a commotion whenever he was in that specific setting.
Just like now, when he returned home and saw the neighboring courtyard decked out with lights and decorations, he almost seemed possessed as he walked in.
In the courtyard, Liu Erleng had already drunk too much and was sprawled over the table, vomiting and crying, causing the others around the table to burst into continuous laughter.
His son, Liu Dajun, was also a bit tipsy, dressed to impress, with a big red flower pinned to his chest while he leaned back in his chair, bragging with his rambunctious friends.
Seeing Wang Xiaolong enter, a few of the toadies immediately stood up.
They all knew about Wang Xiaolong's simpleminded illness, and to prevent him from making a scene, they shouted, "Get out of here, you idiot!"
"Fuck off, or I'll beat you to death."
One of them even picked up an empty wine bottle directly.
But just as he was about to throw it, Liu Dajun laughed and said, "Today's my wedding day, so let's not wave around weapons."
"Jun, you know about Wang Xiaolong's stupid illness; I was just worried he'd cause trouble," a person beside him muttered.
Liu Dajun waved his hand dismissively, "You can't hit a fool. If you push him to the edge, he could kill you, and he wouldn't even be held responsible."
Wang Xiaolong was about the same age as these men. When he was younger, he did well in school and was sensible, becoming the 'child from someone else's family' that parents often talked about.
While other parents merely spoke casually, Liu Dajun, living next door to Wang Xiaolong, would get compared to him every time he did something wrong or scored a zero. Liu Erleng would not only make the comparison but also inevitably take a broom and give him a beating.
Over time, whenever Wang Xiaolong was mentioned, it resulted in Liu Dajun getting hit.
Thus, a seed of revenge had been planted in his heart long ago.
Especially after Wang Xiaolong became foolish, he first schemed to snatch two acres of good farmland from the Wang Family and, recently, when he wanted to marry and build a new house, he took two rooms from Wang Xiaolong, complaining that his own place was too small.
On normal days, too lazy to dispose of the family's garbage, he would simply toss it over the wall into Wang Xiaolong's yard.
At this moment, seeing Wang Xiaolong come in, he began to calculate again.
Liu Dajun's eyes flickered, and he gestured, "Xiao Long, want to see the bride?"
The word 'bride' seemed to have some magic power over Wang Xiaolong; he nodded vigorously, saying, "I do."
"Then come over and drink a few bowls of celebratory wine," said Liu Dajun.
Hearing this, everyone was a bit puzzled.
But when they saw Liu Dajun mixing chili oil and alcohol together into several empty bowls, they all revealed a playful look.
Unaware of this, Wang Xiaolong, eager to see the bride, walked over to the table with a foolish grin and picked up a bowl to drink.
The village's alcohol was strong, and the chili peppers were homegrown, very hot. Mixed together, they felt like countless blades burning his throat.
"Hot... water... water."
Wang Xiaolong's face was flushed red from the spiciness, and he gasped for breath with his mouth wide open.
Liu Dajun smiled, showing his teeth, and poured mustard oil into the water from the side, "Here, drink some beverage."
The combination of chili oil and alcohol had already made Wang Xiaolong suffer, and after drinking a bowl of mustard oil, his nerves started twitching, with tears streaming uncontrollably.
He pushed through the crowd violently and ran towards the faucet.
But the Liu Family's well had long been broken, and not a drop of water came out.
In a frenzy, he fanned his tongue and ran towards the bucket of water in the house.
Perhaps running too hastily, he stumbled at the doorway, falling into a mess of spilled vegetable soup and rotten leaves, dirtying himself all over.
Seeing this, Liu Dajun and the others burst into laughter.
"Enough, leave that idiot alone, let's continue drinking," someone said.
"Jun is the man! This is way more fun than beating him up," another added.
As everyone laughed, they sat back down and continued to eat and drink.
But within the house, Wang Xiaolong, who had stumbled in, immediately clung to the bucket.
He grabbed a gourd ladle and drank from it eagerly, reducing the burning sensation somewhat.
"Xiao Long, what's wrong with you?"
At that moment, a pleasant voice came from the inner room. It was the bride, Liu Qian.
She was fair-skinned, beautiful, and leggy, famous in the neighboring villages for her stunning looks.
However, her eyes were also bright red at this moment.
Liu Qian had not married willingly. Her father was a gambler, who not long ago had been swindled out of tens of thousands by Liu Dajun in a rigged game, unable to pay back the high-interest loans and ended up mortgaging her to him.
Just now, sitting in the room, thinking about ending up with that bastard Liu Dajun for cheap, she was overwhelmed with sadness, and had even thought about suicide.
As she was about to go out and look for a pair of scissors or a kitchen knife, she saw Wang Xiaolong with his face all red, guzzling down water.
Wang Xiaolong looked up at her.
Beneath the red wedding dress, Liu Qian's delicate body appeared exceptionally graceful and touching.
Her fair skin and delicate features emitted a captivating charm.
Perhaps because the weather was too hot, two buttons on her neckline had been undone, revealing a glimpse of her proud bust, tugging at one's heartstrings.
The red wedding attire was almost Wang Xiaolong's nightmare.
Every time he saw it, he would become obsessed, treating it as if it were his bride that had run away.
"Hug the bride, go to sleep."
In the middle of talking, he directly went into the inner room and, without any discussion, hugged Liu Qian.
Liu Qian didn't dodge. She had always known about Wang Xiaolong's situation, and long before, she had also admired him greatly.
He was good at studying, and he was handsome too.
What a pity, he had gone foolish!
"Xiao Long, did Da Jun bully you?"
"Drink...pepper water, very spicy," Wang Xiaolong responded vaguely, also holding tightly to Liu Qian, the faint scent from her body making him sink deeper.
Liu Dajun was too heartless.
He had previously seized the Wang Family's land and house, and now he was toying with Wang Xiaolong like this.
Liu Qian sighed. Wang Xiaolong was pitiful, but wasn't she as well?
She clearly did not want to marry Liu Dajun, yet now she was about to be desecrated by him.
"Go to sleep."
Wang Xiaolong had completely mistaken Liu Qian for his bride who had run away two years ago, and with a silly laugh, he also took off his still damp T-shirt.
The scorching summer meant that they were already wearing little, and on top of that, he had given away his outer pants to Li Qiao'er earlier.
So, by the time Liu Qian reacted, he was left only in his underwear.
His well-defined muscles and dark complexion exuded a unique masculine charm.
It made Liu Qian stare in a daze.
"You also take off everything."
After Wang Xiaolong finished with his own, he reached out to unbutton her wedding dress.
"Stop...stop it right now."
Liu Qian pushed Wang Xiaolong's hands away and quickly said, "You'd better leave right now; I am not your bride."
Liu Erleng and Liu Dajun, the father-and-son duo, were infamous bullies in the village, and even the village chief was wary of them.
If they saw Wang Xiaolong coming to the bridal chamber and trying to undress the bride, they would probably be furious enough to commit murder.
But Wang Xiaolong hadn't thought that much. There was only one thought in his mind.
That was, to embrace the bride and enter the bridal chamber!
The hand that was pushed away reached out again.
Rip.