Clouds and Moon Shadow

Chapter 3 Escape from Marriage

"Ah--------" A scream broke the dull silence.

Holy crap! What a huge face!

It was almost touching the tip of Gu Qingyue's nose!

Of course, the scream wasn't from Gu Qingyue. How could a top-notch special agent like her lack this kind of on-the-spot adaptability?

The scream came from that "big face." The person Gu Qingyue kicked over in a moment of instinct was none other than her savior, Aunt Rong!

"We're doomed," Gu Qingyue thought guiltily.

She really didn't mean it; it was just a conditioned reflex.

Watching the figure slowly slide down the opposite wall, Gu Qingyue couldn't help but swallow.

"Aunt Rong, I'm so sorry," Gu Qingyue said, catching her breath. "Would you believe me if I said I just had a nightmare?"

That kick had used up all her strength; she must have been chased relentlessly by those men all night, which was why she kept thinking about fighting back.

"Guess what, cough cough------", Aunt Rong said, grimacing as she held her back.

The people around who were awakened turned to look at Gu Qingyue, their eyes filled with disbelief. This skinny boy's strength was incredible!

Gu Qingyue: ......

Aunt Rong limped over, squatted down, looked her up and down, then down again, and closer still. Gu Qingyue's feet started itching again, and she wanted to kick her again. What should she do?

She's not used to people being so close to her!

"Boy, what were you doing, fidgeting around instead of sleeping properly?" Aunt Rong's gaze shifted to the restless little foot. A small, tan-colored dog was embroidered on the shoe, its tongue lolling out as it stared at her.

Gu Qingyue lowered her head guiltily.

Aunt Rong closed her eyes, rubbed her lower back, plopped down next to Gu Qingyue, and then touched Gu Qingyue's forehead, her eyes brightening.

"The fever has subsided, that's great! Go to sleep now! You'll be fully recovered by dawn."

"Aunt Rong, let me rub it for you, I'm sorry," Gu Qingyue quickly put her hand on Aunt Rong's waist.

A clear muddy footprint was imprinted on her side. Fortunately, Gu Qingyue was weak at the time, had not eaten for almost two days, and was injured, so she didn't have much strength to begin with.

If it were my past self, well, I wouldn't even dare to think about it!

Rong Qingqing's eyelashes trembled, and finally, under Gu Qingyue's gentle push, she closed her eyes and fell into a deep sleep.

Gu Qingyue secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Although she wasn't a good person, kicking over her savior as soon as she arrived wasn't her style.

She still has some basic principles.

Suddenly remembering how Aunt Rong addressed her, Gu Qingyue lowered her head and examined her body in the dim light outside.

The twelve-year-old body was so thin that it was completely genderless, with an unremarkable chest, wearing a gray coarse cloth shirt, covered in dirt, and with hair combed in a boy's style.

Of course, his hair was already a mess by then, so it wasn't wrong for Aunt Rong to call him "boy"!

Sigh, although the original owner was worn down and became thin and timid by that family, at least she was still intelligent. When she ran away from the marriage, she didn't forget to change her hairstyle to a boy's and wear boy's clothes. She had some brains. She sighed again that it was such a pity about the original owner.

Gu Qingyue narrowed her eyes, her mind racing. Now that she was no longer hungry, she felt much better. So what should she do next?

Or maybe I should go back to the village? Join the power struggles within the family? Taking down those awful relatives should be pretty exciting, right? Uh, forget it, no interest!

No, no! I almost forgot that I have to marry that old scholar who's old enough to be my father when I go back?

而自己肯定是不嫁的，那是去暴揍那老秀才一顿？让他不敢打自己主意？

That's right. The original owner initially escaped because her grandmother sold her to a scholar who was nearly forty years old. It was called being a second wife, but everyone in the surrounding area knew that this was the scholar's third time being remarried!

She couldn't help but recall the night before she ran away.

Gu Qingyue squatted under the window, listening to her grandmother and second uncle discussing how to sell her. To this day, she still feels a chill in her heart that is almost frozen.

"Tell me, does Master Xu even look at Yue'er? She's so skinny, she barely has any meat on her bones," Grandma's voice came out with disdain.

"Mother, you don't know this. Master Xu saw Yue'er in person. Although she's a bit thin, she's so beautiful!" Second Uncle was extremely excited, sounding like he couldn't wait to send her to Master Xu's bed so he could count the silver as soon as possible.

"Yes, that girl is very beautiful; you can't find another one like her for miles around," Grandma replied reluctantly.

"So, Master Xu's steward said that our Yue'er is... a beauty that could topple kingdoms. Yes, her figure is also slender. Although she's a bit thin, she'll definitely turn out great with some care," Second Uncle said with great confidence.

"The agreed-upon dowry is sixty taels. Mother, you should ask around. Which girl in the surrounding area can afford such a high dowry? Master Xu takes it very seriously."

There was a moment of silence in the room, then Grandma's voice rang out again, "Then let her come into the family in ten days. We've done right by our fourth son. He brought her home back then, but then abandoned her. We've found her a good home. It's better than letting her stay at home and waste food. Tell your wife to tell Yue'er to only need to gather three bundles of firewood starting tomorrow. Let her rest and recover so she won't be returned."

Uncle's sheepish laughter came from behind: "Goodness, Mother, how should we divide the money? I put in a lot of effort."

Gu Qingyue: ......

The overwhelming sadness, despair, fear, and endless sorrow reminded her of when her adoptive parents were still at home. Although they weren't exactly kind to her, they hadn't abused her either, and there was at least a sliver of warmth in their presence.

Under the moonlight, she secretly ran out of the house and, after asking around from her neighbor Erniu, Gu Qingyue learned that it was the Xu patriarch who her aunts and second aunts often cursed, the one who had a particular fondness for taking in pretty young girls, the notorious old pervert in town!

As for how perverted he was, Erniu couldn't explain it clearly. She only said that she overheard her grandmother saying that Master Xu liked to play tricks with young girls. What were tricks?

Erniu said she didn't understand at all; she was only nine years old.

As for why he married several wives within a few years?

That's because every second wife didn't live long, and as for how they died? A little girl like her wouldn't know either.

Although she is no longer afraid of that vampire family, Gu Qingyue said that she couldn't be bothered to see their faces again!

Gu Qingyue gently rubbed her fingers. What should she do next?

Should we continue searching for adoptive parents?

The original owner's adoptive parents were searching for their lost younger brother when they came to Mingzhi County. However, four years have passed, and they have both disappeared without a trace, their fate unknown.

Where can we find it? The entire county of Mingzhi was massacred by the Nanzhao people.

“What troubles!”

Gu Qingyue scratched her head with both hands until it was a mess, still not knowing where to go next.

She was an outsider, and didn't even know what year or month it was or who was the emperor!

Apart from the fact that his own Xinghua Village belongs to Mingzhi County, he knows nothing else about this area, except that the Nanzhao Kingdom's southern barbarians often harass and plunder it!

Gu Qingyue scratched her face vigorously, thinking hard, but her brain was almost turned to mush and she still couldn't find any useful information.

It's not easy to make a living anywhere!

After thinking for a long time, she sighed helplessly. She was already exhausted from her years as a secret agent. Would it be okay to give up this time?

I remember my best friend, who always stayed in her dorm reading novels, saying that transmigrating meant either becoming a noblewoman or a capable peasant girl, a money-making machine, with a million ideas for farming, opening shops, and making money. And what about her now? Which one is she?

Gu Qingyue used all her self-control to prevent her restless index finger from pointing at the sky and cursing the earth.

After a whole night of tossing and turning, dawn finally broke.

The chirping of birds could be heard outside, and sunlight streamed in through the drafty, dilapidated temple. It should have been a wonderfully refreshing day.

But, "Gurgle—" as soon as she opened her eyes, her stomach rumbled uncooperatively, and her stomach cramped in waves. Gu Qingyue pursed her lips and rubbed her stomach.