After I Lost My Memory, I Was Coaxed into Marriage by a Yandere - Chapter 3

Recalling the events of last night, Chi Wei only remembered Xiao Yanyi biting her. After that, she had become incredibly drowsy and fallen fast asleep.

Waves of warm breath now brushed against the skin of her neck. It was strange; while being drunk the previous night was one thing, the usually early-rising Xiao Yanyi had actually not woken up yet today.

Appreciating the meticulous care she had received over the past few months, Chi Wei lifted the quilt and moved cautiously off the bed. She intended to wash up and prepare breakfast for Xiao Yanyi and Xiao Tan. While creating a gourmet meal might be difficult, she was perfectly capable of cooking a simple pot of clear congee.

Chi Wei felt her way to the washbasin. Reaching out, she touched a towel soaking in the water. She wondered why there were water and a towel in the basin so early in the morning.

“Do not touch that; it is dirty. I used that to wipe your body last night,” Xiao Yanyi’s urgent voice rang out by her ear. She fished Chi Wei’s hand out of the basin and took a dry cloth to wipe it clean.

Chi Wei had no recollection of such a thing.

“Last night, you had a fever and were delirious. It is normal not to remember. Go outside and sit for a while; I will make breakfast now.”

Chi Wei did not remember having a fever. However, since Xiao Yanyi was awake, Chi Wei did not want to cause any trouble. She nodded slightly and felt her way out of the room.

Xiao Yanyi stood before the washbasin for a moment. She raised her hand to rub her temples as if trying to dispel a memory she did not wish to recall. The towel in the basin was the one she had used the previous night to clean the water stains from Chi Wei’s abdomen; she had carelessly forgotten to put it away.

After breakfast, Xiao Yanyi left for the bookstore, leaving Xiao Tan and Chi Wei at home.

“A-Chi, what is troubling you?” Xiao Tan’s voice chirped in Chi Wei’s ear.

“It is nothing. Why are you not out playing?” Chi Wei’s toes touched the ground, bringing the swing to a steady halt. A gentle breeze brushed her face and the sun felt warm. It was a beautiful day, neither too hot nor too cold; normally, Xiao Tan would not stay indoors.

Xiao Tan squatted on the ground nearby, doodling aimlessly. Her voice sounded listless. “I have no copper coins. I cannot even afford a meat bun. A-Chi, can you take me out to buy a roast chicken?”

Chi Wei stood up and searched her person, but she found nothing. All the household money was kept by Xiao Yanyi.

“It seems you have no money either,” Xiao Tan’s voice trailed off despondently. Chi Wei gave an awkward smile. “How about you play on the swing for a while? When A-Yan comes back, she will surely have money for you.”

Xiao Tan hugged Chi Wei’s leg and muttered softly, “She… never mind. A-Chi, when are you going to go out and earn money? I have not tasted roast chicken in forever.”

Chi Wei felt helpless. “My eyes have not healed yet. I am afraid no one would want to hire me.”

“But fortune-telling does not require clear sight! Many fortune-tellers are blind to begin with,” Xiao Tan said, propping her chin in her hands. Recalling a secret she had overheard while visiting a neighbor in town, her eyes suddenly lit up.

Chi Wei was stunned. She pointed at her own nose. “Are you saying I used to make a living as a fortune-teller?”

Xiao Tan thought to herself that while it was not exactly the same, it was close enough, and much safer than what Chi Wei actually did.

“Yes, yes! It was very profitable!” she answered readily.

Chi Wei smiled bitterly. “Unfortunately, I remember nothing now. I am afraid I cannot take up the trade of fortune-telling again.”

Xiao Tan said mischievously, “That is not true. Did you not say that as long as someone gives you their birth dates and times, you can hear a deity relaying the words to you?”

Chi Wei was skeptical. “Is there truly such a magical thing?”

As they were speaking, Xiao Yanyi walked out of the kitchen. Seeing her, Xiao Tan immediately patted Chi Wei’s leg to signal her to stop talking. Although Chi Wei did not understand why, she obediently dropped the subject.

Xiao Yanyi walked over and instructed the two of them to stay at home. She was going to the county seat to pick up some books, a trip that would take a significant amount of time. She mentioned there was lunch left in the pot; if they grew hungry, they should eat first and not wait for her.

Chi Wei warmly told Xiao Yanyi to stay safe and carry enough water. Meanwhile, Xiao Tan turned and ducked into the nearby shed.

Shortly after Xiao Yanyi left, Xiao Tan dragged out a pole about one and a half times the height of a person. A faded white cloth banner hung from the top, swaying as she hurried over to Chi Wei. The front of the banner boldly displayed the words “Divine Calculations,” while the back read “Iron Mouth and Straight Judgments.” Next to these were rows of smaller characters mentioning things like divination, astrology, and matching horoscopes.

Chi Wei could not read any of it. She did not even realize that the ink was still wet; since the wind was blowing, she could not even catch the scent of it.

“Let us go, A-Chi. The pier is unloading cargo right now. If we go now, we might run into some shopkeepers buying seafood. We can earn enough to buy two roast chickens and have a feast,” Xiao Tan said, her mouth practically watering at the thought.

Chi Wei sat on her stool, looking conflicted. She knew nothing about her past as a fortune-teller. If she calculated incorrectly and was beaten, she did not mind for herself, but if Xiao Tan were caught in the crossfire, Xiao Yanyi would be furious upon her return. She did not dare risk it.

“Perhaps we should forget it. I truly do not remember how to tell fortunes.”

Xiao Tan stomped her feet in frustration. The neighbor had slaughtered a chicken the previous night, and the smell had nearly driven her mad with envy. “Oh, how will you support a family like this? You are only blind, not an invalid. If you do not find a way to earn money, what will you do if Xiao Yanyi decides she does not want you anymore one day?”

Chi Wei was left speechless by Xiao Tan’s words. Although they were unpleasant to hear, they were not entirely without merit.

Xiao Tan circled Chi Wei and added, “Look, there is a mark on your neck. Did you make Xiao Yanyi angry and have her bite you?”

That was no ordinary bite; it was a bit of private intimacy from Xiao Yanyi. Chi Wei’s face flushed bright red as she covered her neck tightly. “Xiao Tan! How can you call her by her full name? She is your elder sister.”

Xiao Tan snorted coldly. “Go ahead and keep her secrets. Sooner or later, she will sell you off, and you will not even know it.”

It was impossible to imagine that a person as gentle as Xiao Yanyi would have a sister like Xiao Tan. Even though Chi Wei could not see, she could imagine Xiao Tan standing there with her hands on her hips, lecturing her.

She thought that Xiao Tan was likely just worried about their future. It was just a temporary stall. In a small fishing village, not many people had spare money for fortune-telling. She would stay for half a day, and even if no customers came, she could treat it as looking after the child.

Seeing Chi Wei finally relent, Xiao Tan’s face took on a look of satisfaction. She thrust the banner into Chi Wei’s hand and took her other hand, leading the blind woman toward the pier.

Many stalls were set up by the pier. The aromas of wontons, noodle soup, and roasted flatbreads mingled with the salty moisture of the seawater, drifting lazily in the afternoon air. Business was slow, and the stall owners were relaxed. Xiao Tan’s eyes darted around; she ran to a noodle stall, said a few sweet words to the owner, and borrowed an old long bench.

The two sat down by the pier. Beside them stood the faded white banner, its characters blurred and dripping wet ink in the salty sea breeze. Passersby found the pair strange; it did not look like fortune-telling so much as a clever child leading a handsome blind person out to beg for a living.

The blind person wore a plain white robe and did not look like a beggar. She sat quietly, the lines of her profile appearing clean and somewhat aloof in their hearts sighed that she was beautiful, but it was a shame she could not see the light.

At first, Chi Wei was incredibly nervous, fearing that someone with even worse eyes than hers would come to have their fortune read. However, as time passed, she relaxed. She heard people whispering and watching the spectacle, but very few actually approached her.

The reason she said very few was that a few people did come to ask for the price, only to be scared away by Xiao Tan’s exorbitant demand of ten taels of silver. Hearing Xiao Tan’s massive demand for money, Chi Wei could not help but scratch her head. Ten taels of silver in a small fishing village could support two families of three for a whole year.

However, she did not dare ask Xiao Tan to change the price. She secretly hoped no one would pay. Unfortunately, heaven did not grant her wish.

The sea breeze grew stronger, making Chi Wei sneeze. Just as she was about to beg her little ancestor to stop playing and go home, a sharp voice rang out.

“Hey! Is this accurate? I heard you want ten taels of silver. If the calculation is wrong, my lady will break your legs!” The piercing voice made Chi Wei’s ears ring, nearly causing her to fall off the bench.

Xiao Tan’s voice immediately followed. “It is perfectly accurate! If it is not right, we will not charge you. My sister is a member of Hushi Valley, the number one mystical sect in the world. You can rest easy.”

Chi Wei’s heart skipped a beat. She had no idea what Hushi Valley was. Cold sweat broke out on her back. Just as she was about to stand up and apologize, Xiao Tan spoke again.

“Look at this. Is this not it? A genuine member of Hushi Valley.”

The surroundings fell silent. Chi Wei managed an awkward, stiff smile, wondering what toy Xiao Tan had pulled out to fool them. She knew she should not have listened to a five-year-old; by tomorrow, Xiao Yanyi would not even be able to hold her head up in town.

Chi Wei stood up, preparing to pull Xiao Tan home. The gentle voice spoke again. “Very well. Could you please check this person’s birth chart and character for me?”

With a sudden movement, Chi Wei was pulled back onto the bench by Xiao Tan.

“Born in the year of Gui-Wei, the month of Jia-Zi, the day of Yi-Chou, and the hour of Jia-Shen.”

Chi Wei’s hands gripped the bench tightly. Despite the cold wind, she felt feverish, and cold sweat dripped from her brow. The whispers around her surged into her ears, with people questioning if she was a fraud and threatening to report her to the authorities.

Reporting to the authorities would be disastrous. Just as Chi Wei felt she was about to be drowned by the noise, a lifesaving voice echoed in her mind.

“This person comes from a wealthy family, but unfortunately, with the ‘Jia’ character in front, there must be an elder sister. He is the second son and will not inherit the family fortune.” The voice came suddenly, sounding like a young woman of about seventeen or eighteen, her tone flat and steady.

It was exactly what Xiao Tan had described; a deity was truly helping her. Without thinking, she repeated exactly what the voice said. “This person comes from a wealthy family, but unfortunately, with the ‘Jia’ character in front, there must be an elder sister. He is the second son and will not inherit the family fortune!”

The air grew still for a few moments. To her surprise, the refined lady asked again, “That makes sense. May I ask the blind master, what of his character?”

The onlookers, seeing that she had gotten one thing right, crowded closer. Chi Wei listened to the voice in her head and acted as a mouthpiece. “His character is poor, and he is unfit for important tasks. The element of ‘Zi-Water’ muddies the ‘Chou-Earth’ in his chart; he is naturally lewd and treacherous. I urge the young lady not to choose him for marriage. However, his sister is different. She is supported by two ‘Seal’ stars; though she lacks a certain warmth and favors unconventional paths, she is a person of excellent character.”

After finishing, Chi Wei’s heart sank. After all, the woman had never mentioned these were the charts of potential marriage partners. The crowd was silent, waiting for the lady to speak. Only Xiao Tan remained relaxed, swinging her legs and munching on melon seeds.

“In that case, there is no need to look at the other person’s chart,” the lady finally spoke. “I thank the blind master. Lian’er, give thirty taels of silver to the master.”

A heavy silver ingot landed in Chi Wei’s palm. Before she could even feel its warmth, Xiao Tan snatched it away. Simultaneously, the crowd erupted. People recognized the lady as Li Yuhe, the eldest daughter of the Li family shipbuilders. The crowd began gossiping about the potential marriage between the Li and Zhou families and the poor character of the Zhou boy.

Hearing this, the crowd surged forward, clamoring for Chi Wei to read their fortunes. Chi Wei thought that Xiao Tan would force her to stay until the tide came in. Instead, Xiao Tan grabbed her and ducked out of the crowd, heading straight for the roast chicken shop.

Back in the courtyard, Chi Wei sat on the stone steps, panting heavily while holding the freshly bought roast chicken. Beside her, Xiao Tan’s bell-like laughter filled the small space.

“Finally, I can eat chicken! Eating vegetables every day was going to turn me into a bamboo pole.”

Chi Wei recalled how the crowd had fallen silent the moment Xiao Tan mentioned her fictitious status as a Hushi Valley disciple. She asked about the origin of that identity. Xiao Tan said she had picked up a wooden plaque from the beach and made up the title on the spot.

Chi Wei was speechless. She took the chicken wing and sniffed it, but the smell of meat still made her feel nauseous, so she handed it back. “You eat it. I am not hungry.”

Just as the two were basking in the joy of their earnings, Xiao Yanyi’s cold voice rang out from behind them.

“Xiao Tan, you had better explain exactly where this roast chicken came from. And you, Chi Wei, you are an adult; how could you go along with her nonsense?”

For the first time, Xiao Yanyi was truly angry. Before Chi Wei could turn around with a smile to apologize, she caught the scent of thick, heavy blood.

Xiao Tan’s voice cut through the air, startling her. “Elder Sister, why are you injured?”