Sauver la belle-femme

Chapitre 1

Chapter 1

In July in the south, wherever there is a patch of grass, mosquitoes can gather into a huge "dark cloud" that could swallow a person whole.

Xu Chacha scratched the mosquito bite on her cheek and sighed.

She was wearing a thin T-shirt with a Hello Kitty print on the chest that was almost washed out, and there were a few small holes in the neckline. Her youthful face was fair and clean.

He was carrying a basket full of melons, his ten fingers were red from the wooden handles, and he was sweating profusely. His soft bangs, mixed with sweat, stuck to his forehead, covering his round, deer-like eyes.

Xu Chacha gritted her teeth and walked step by step with difficulty. Her expression was unchanged, but she was complaining in her heart.

She really knows how to time travel. Why not earlier or later? She just happened to time travel when the original owner of this body was kidnapped and sold to the countryside.

On her first day after transmigrating, Xu Chacha knew her situation from her surroundings and the memories she received from the original owner of the body.

She transmigrated into the body of a cannon fodder female supporting character in a novel. Originally, she was the only daughter of the Xu family, a perfume tycoon in City A, a genuine young lady of wealth and honor. She should have enjoyed a lifetime of luxury and wealth, but when she was three years old, she was abducted and sold to the countryside due to the negligence of her nanny. After many twists and turns, she was not found by her biological parents until she was fifteen years old.

In the original storyline, when the original owner was found and brought home, the Xu couple had already adopted a girl from the orphanage as their heir.

Because of the inferiority complex accumulated from years of living in the countryside, and because she was afraid that her adoptive sister would take away her place in the family, the original owner regarded her adoptive sister as an imaginary enemy and targeted her every day. However, she had lived in the countryside since she could remember, and her emotional intelligence and methods were nowhere near those of her adoptive sister who had been navigating the business world for many years.

In the end, she not only failed to gain anything, but also disappointed and disgusted her biological parents, who even severed ties with her, only providing her with basic living expenses each month.

When Xu Chacha first read this novel, she paid more attention to it because the original owner of the body shared the same name as her. She was genuinely angry when she saw the original owner doing stupid things with such unyielding stubbornness that even ten donkeys couldn't pull her back.

She remembered what she said back then.

"It's infuriating! She clearly had the female lead's script but ended up as a cannon fodder supporting character. Even if you just grabbed a normal person off the street, they wouldn't end up this miserable."

Good grief, she was just saying it, but they actually brought her here?

"Hurry up, stop dawdling!" A heavy voice accompanied the slap on Xu Chacha's back. She stumbled forward quite a distance before stopping, but the melons in her basket lost their balance and rolled out two of them.

Xu Chacha was startled and hurriedly ran after him, but the man who had patted her back grabbed her ear from behind and roared, "You little brat, can't you be of any use! You can't even do this simple thing right, I really regret spending so much money to buy you!"

The man worked in the fields year-round and had a strong grip. When he pinched Xu Chacha's delicate earlobe, which was only seven years old, it quickly turned purplish-red, burning as if her skin and flesh had been torn apart.

Xu Chacha had never been treated like this before. She frowned, pursed her lips, and tried her best not to cry or say anything.

She had seen men beat dogs before; the more pitiful the dog cried, the harder and more enthusiastically it beat the dog. She had been hoping to escape her misery as soon as possible, but she didn't want to end up like that poor little dog.

Xu Chacha remained silent and expressionless. The man twisted her hand for a while, then got tired and let go. He then kicked her, saying, "Go pick it up now, or you'll regret it if you miss the morning market."

Xu Chacha staggered from the kick, her hip throbbing with pain. She limped over to pick up the melon that had rolled away, wiped off the dirt, put it back in the basket, and then silently followed the man.

She has been here for almost a week, and every day her adoptive parents are herding her around doing farm work and housework like ducks.

She had considered escaping, but the village they lived in was too remote. It was a poor, backwater village where news of someone's death would take half a month to reach the town. The road to escape was difficult and long, and she was watched like a pet 24 hours a day. She was woken up early in the morning to work and locked in the woodshed with only one bed at night.

Xu Chacha was submissive and rarely resisted her adoptive parents because she was always waiting for an opportunity, an opportunity to go to town.

There's a police station in town, not far from the market. If she could sneak out to call the police while the market is crowded and no one is watching, she might have a chance to survive.

The stalls at the morning market are all about grabbing a spot; whoever arrives early and quickly gets the best location. But Xu Chacha's adoptive father was domineering and directly grabbed a good stall at a crossroads, squeezing out the flower vendors who were originally selling flowers there.

Xu Chacha was in charge of math, giving change, and putting bags on the melons. She was assigned to sit at the very back, with a wooden stand in front of her. Her adoptive father and mother stood on either side of her, like a doorman guarding the gate. If Xu Chacha made any extra movements, they would slap her on the head as a warning.

The original owner had escaped many times before, and each time she was caught and brought back, she was severely beaten. Although she became much more obedient as she got older, these two people always kept a very close watch on her.

Xu Chacha originally planned to use the restroom during lunch break to find a chance to escape, but her adoptive mother followed her closely, watching her like she was a prisoner.

When Xu Chacha sat back down at her stall, her expression was noticeably more anxious.

It was getting late, and the morning market closed early. They would pack up and head back around 2 or 3 pm, and there would be fewer and fewer customers at that time. Plus, he hadn't eaten much all day, and his bruised palms and the groin he'd been kicked were still aching.

Fear and physical pain combined made Xu Chacha feel so wronged that she wanted to cry.

If she doesn't succeed this time, how long will it be before she gets another chance? And even if she does get another chance, will she be able to escape? Is she destined to live in this environment until she's fifteen?

"Hey Mu Bai, come take a look. This bracelet is really pretty." A female voice rang out from the left, and Xu Chacha looked up.

They were a group of young people whose attire and appearance were completely out of place in this small town. They were full of vigor, and a few of them were wearing school uniforms and looked like high school students. Some of them were carrying a heavy drawing board, and others were taking pictures at the front of the group. They were probably art students who came to the town for sightseeing and inspiration.

The girl named "Mu Bai" was probably the one walking at the back of the group.

Her fair skin stood out in the crowd. The sunlight made her skin, exposed outside her short sleeves, appear thin and translucent. Unlike the people around her who were panting or sweating profusely, there wasn't a drop of sweat on her face or neck. Her long, black hair was tied up high, with strands occasionally swaying with her movements. Her profile, as she looked down at her phone, was sharply defined, and her upturned nose gave her a noble air.

Because of her classmate's voice, she looked up and glanced at Xu Chacha. Her eyes were slightly long and narrow, and when she looked up at people, there was a hint of flirtation. But upon closer inspection, there was no emotion in her light-colored eyes.

"Hmm," she responded softly, then quickly looked down at her phone again, seemingly uninterested in anything.

Xu Chacha's heart tightened; she desperately wanted to shout for help to attract the group's attention.

There were only a few customers around, and their melons had long been sold out. It was very likely that these students were her last hope for the day.

"I remember your mom really likes these ethnic-style handmade trinkets, right?" the girl who spoke earlier said again. "Why don't you go over and take a look, maybe buy some?"

This time, Wen Mubai finally stopped. She seemed to think for a moment, then nodded gently. The girl knew that this meant she agreed, so she quickly pulled her arm and walked to the bracelet stall next to Xu Chacha and the others.

Wen Mubai seemed to dislike being led by the arm, so she quickly pulled her hand away, turned off her phone screen, put it in her pocket, and walked slowly toward Xu Chacha, her eyes full of nonchalance.

Help! Help!

Xu Chacha kept repeating this to herself, her heart pounding faster and faster with nervousness, as if it were about to burst out of her throat.

"Young lady, you've come at the right time. I'm about to pack up and pack up. I can give you a discount on these last few items so you can take them home cheaply."

"How much?" Xu Chacha asked, her voice devoid of emotion.

"Originally it was thirty each, now I'll sell it to you for fifteen. Take as many as you want."

As the stall owner said this, Xu Chacha heard her adoptive mother chuckle, and then she and her adoptive father leaned over to look at the stall next door, where they whispered to each other.

"They were selling them for ten yuan each this morning. They're just taking advantage of how easy it is to fool students."

"She's a schoolgirl, why not take advantage of her?" The adoptive father chuckled.

Xu Chacha felt a little thirsty and her hands were trembling slightly. While her adoptive parents were looking at the group of students, she reached behind her back and secretly took out a charcoal pencil hidden in her shoe and drew a few strokes on the banknotes in her purse.

Watching the two of them closely, Xu Chacha carefully completed all of this, already so nervous that she was about to vomit.

She quickly suppressed the stiffness in her facial muscles and forced a smile at Wen Mubai, "Sister, buy some of our cantaloupes, they're so sweet and delicious!"

Her voice wasn't fully developed yet; it still sounded a bit childish, sweet and crisp, but the drawn-out ending notes made it sound somewhat trembling and uneasy.

Wen Mubai lifted his eyelids, glanced at the cantaloupe basket with no interest, and casually glanced at the girl wearing Hello Kitty when he looked away.

Her little face was fair and tender, and her eyes and bright eyelashes, like black grapes, were curled and thick, just like a doll displayed in a shop window. There was a little bit of sweat on the tip of her nose and some dirt on her cheeks, but it did not affect the adorable appearance of the little baby.

"Oh, little sister, you're so young and you're already out doing business with your parents?" The girl who brought Wen Mubai over saw that Xu Chacha was cute and well-behaved, and she squatted down with interest.

Seizing the opportunity, Xu Chacha picked up a cantaloupe and said to her, "Sister, you must be tired from walking. It's perfect to have a cantaloupe to quench your thirst. It's really delicious, I'm not lying to you."

Her eyes were bright and sparkling, her smile was especially sincere, and her chubby little hands held a tender yellow melon, making her look irresistible.

"Sorry, cutie." The girl picked up her shopping bag. "I bought too much stuff, I don't have time to eat anything. How about we come back to shop again next time?"

Next time? There will never be a next time.

Xu Chacha was getting a little anxious. She dragged the melon forward with both hands and said, "Sister, this melon is very fresh. You don't have to eat it right away. Take it back and eat it slowly."

She spoke much faster than before, and her voice still sounded like she was being coquettish, but the trembling and sobbing were noticeably heavier than before.

Wen Mubai, who was picking out a bracelet, frowned and turned her head to look again. This time, she didn't just glance at her casually; she carefully examined Xu Chacha from head to toe.

His hair was disheveled, his palms were worn raw, and his old, faded short-sleeved shirt stood in stark contrast to the neat clothes of the two parents beside him.

She raised her gaze a little higher, and the other person clearly noticed her gaze and looked at her intently.

The little girl's skin around her eyes was red, and the mist in her eyes looked like it was about to gather into tears and fall, but she was still trying her best to hold back, even though her eyebrows and face were almost furrowed and she looked like she was about to cry at any moment.

This commotion was naturally noticed by her adoptive parents, whose expressions changed, and they gave Xu Chacha a subtle warning look.

"If we can't sell them, that's fine. How about Mom cuts them for you when we get home?" Her foster mother leaned over and patted her head, the movement seemingly gentle but actually almost rubbing her scalp raw.

The girl who was squatting smiled and said carelessly, "That's right, little one, of course such a sweet melon should be saved for such a cute little darling like you."

Despite her adoptive father's glare that seemed to want to tear a piece of her flesh off, Xu Chacha nodded silently. "Yes, thank you, sister. I just didn't want my parents to be unhappy. Farming is very hard for them. They have to get up very early in the morning to come here to sell melons."

"It's okay, your mom won't be angry with you, you're such a good girl."

Xu Chacha's face was so stiff she couldn't make a face, she could only mutter, "I'm not good..."

She disobeyed and sent out a distress signal to outsiders, and it has already been discovered, so she will definitely be severely beaten and punished by not being allowed to eat when she gets back. If she is unlucky, she may starve to death in the woodshed.

Please, save me.

Please, please!

"How much per pound?" With a cool female voice, Wen Mubai walked over and pointed to the remaining melons.

“We’re leaving soon too, so I’ll give you a discount. You can take these melons for twenty yuan.” The foster mother started packing them into bags, as if afraid that Wen Mubai would change his mind.

"Nineteen." Wen Mu rolled her eyes without blinking and asked in a nonchalant tone, "For sale?"

"Okay, I won't make that few dollars from you students."

Xu Chacha stared intently at Wen Mubai's actions, holding her breath, "Sister, is it cash or Alipay?"

The foster mother eagerly took out a sign from her bag, saying, "Scan this, we can also pay with our phones."

Wen Mubai lowered his eyes, picked up the bag, and without even glancing at his adoptive mother, handed Xu Chacha a red banknote. "My phone is dead and turned off. Little one, can you call me?"

"Mmm, sister, I've come to give you your change."

Xu Chacha swallowed hard and groped for money in her purse with her sweaty hands.

First, there was a fifty-yuan note, then a twenty-yuan note, then a ten-yuan note... Then, under the guise of folding the money, she secretly slipped the one-yuan note, which was covered in sweat, into her hand.

"It's settled, eighty-one yuan." She handed it over with a big smile, looking just like a good girl who had helped her parents sell unsold goods.

When Wen Mubai took the money, his fingertips touched her soft palm, and then he gently tapped it.

"Thank you, I'll buy from you again next time." She didn't count the money, but stuffed it directly into her pocket.

Xu Chacha seemed to understand her words and nodded vigorously, "Okay, Chacha will wait for you here, sister. You must come!"

After hearing this, Wen Mubai smiled and said a word she would never have said before, "Good girl, little one."

Xu Chacha's eyes started to sting again, but this time it wasn't because she was scared.

It was because she knew that Wen Mubai's "next time" would come soon.

Chapter 2