Cursed Husband, Cursed Child, But Rich

When I was in my teenage years, I blossomed into someone quite captivating, with curves that caught the eye, full and enticing, a figure that seemed to call for attention. My face too had its charm, and they often said I looked like the White Snake from the TV shows. I dreamed of meeting my own handsome scholar by the West Lake, just like White Snake, and living a life of eternal love. Ah, but then again, White Snake and Xu Xian didn’t exactly live happily ever after. So, perhaps we could share a few blissful nights instead. At this thought, a flush crept across my cheeks. One day, a relative came to visit. It was my aunt, who was out looking for a house for me. With a heart full of good intentions, she spoke of my future, suggesting that on the other side of the mountain, there was a family who could offer me a good life. There was a fine young man there, she said, who would become my husband, and from then on, I would never go hungry again, living a warm and comfortable life. My mother smiled, happy at the prospect. She said, if I married well, the family would also get a nice sum of money, and we could eat better food. Plus, I wouldn’t need to eat up the family’s grain anymore. I followed my aunt, setting out on the long journey to this distant place. “A Xiu, marry a good man, have a few sons, and you’ll live well for the rest of your life,” my aunt said as we walked. Her words made me uneasy. I had never left my hometown, and I had no idea what kind of future awaited me. The mountain road was rugged and difficult to walk, and we traveled for three whole weeks. Finally, we arrived at the place my aunt had spoken of— a village slightly bigger than my hometown. My aunt led me to a house, where a middle-aged woman stepped out of the yard and sized me up. "This must be A Xiu? You're quite a pretty girl," the woman said, taking my hand and leading me inside. Inside sat a young man who looked to be about five or six years older than me. He stared at me blankly, and a chill ran through me. This was it? This wasn’t what Aunt had promised. My disappointment was hard to hide. The family wasn’t wealthy, and the man wasn’t particularly handsome either. "A Xiu, this is your future husband, A Fu," Aunt introduced.