Chapter 004: A Deceptive Marriage?

The woman truly seemed to have no intention of putting on any clothes; she simply wanted to lie down and get some sleep. Yet just then, a startled cry rang out at the doorway.

It was Aunt Sun from next door. She often dropped by for a chat and would bring Song Ye some treats whenever she had something tasty. But today, to her shock, she found a beautiful young woman, not a stitch of clothing on her, sitting right in front of Song Ye—the village’s solitary bachelor.

This was unthinkable!

In the traditional little village of Autumn Whisper, if a man saw a woman in such a state, he was expected to take responsibility and marry her. That was the only way to preserve the woman’s reputation—as well as his own, and the village’s.

“Girl, quickly, cover yourself!” Aunt Sun rushed into the house, wrapped the woman in a quilt, and then promptly shooed Song Ye outside. In no time, she returned with a long hemp robe from her own home, which she handed to the woman to wear.

Having done all this, Aunt Sun left the woman inside and, her expression grave, went to confront Song Ye.

“Where did this woman come from? You rascal! Oh, what a mess you’ve made. But what’s done is done. You’ll have to marry her now—only then can we protect her, yourself, and the good name of Autumn Whisper Village.”

“I must inform the village chief at once!”

Before Song Ye could utter a single protest, Aunt Sun had already hurried off to summon the chief.

Soon, the chief arrived with several village elders in tow, and the small courtyard was instantly crowded. The woman, now clothed, stood beside Aunt Sun, her gaze filled with lively curiosity as she observed her surroundings.

The village chief’s face was heavy with concern. Both Song Ye and the woman were outsiders, but the incident had occurred within Autumn Whisper Village. If it was not handled properly, rumors would spread and the village’s reputation would suffer. The young women of the village would be looked down upon by those from neighboring villages.

The chief turned to the woman and asked for her name.

She replied that her name was Qin Xiyi.

Song Ye, however, had a feeling she was lying; he doubted that was her true name.

The chief then asked where she was from and whether she had any family.

The woman explained she was a refugee from Dan City, her family lost, entirely alone in the world.

Indeed, there had been recent conflict near Dan City, leaving many displaced.

With that, the matter seemed easier to resolve.

“In that case, let me act as your witness. Within this month, the two of you will be wed here. What do you say?” The chief looked from Qin Xiyi to Song Ye.

Song Ye was stunned. Marriage was a major life event—was he really about to marry a female NPC in this game world?

Before he could gather his thoughts, Qin Xiyi responded cheerfully, “Very well! If we’re to marry, then so be it!”

Song Ye was taken aback. This woman was truly extraordinary—so nonchalant about marriage? Yet in her eyes, he saw no sincerity, only calculation. Was she here to trick him into marriage? But he was nothing more than a forgotten novice player in this world—penniless, with no land or prospects. What could she possibly gain from marrying him?

He pondered for a moment and came to a likely conclusion—perhaps she simply fancied his looks!

With the bride’s agreement, the chief made the decision. “Then it’s settled.”

By now, Song Ye’s opinion hardly mattered. To those present, the conclusion was obvious: Song Ye and Qin Xiyi had already crossed a line. A man and a woman alone in a room, with the woman unclothed—anyone would assume the worst. In the real world, Song Ye might have excused himself with a simple “I was studying a foreign language!” but here, such an explanation would be useless.

Naturally, then, everyone wanted Song Ye to marry the outsider as soon as possible, before rumors could take root. Otherwise, the reputation of every unmarried woman in Autumn Whisper Village might be tainted. After all, in every era, rumor is an invisible but deadly weapon.

And so, Song Ye’s marriage was decided for him in the most hasty fashion. Qin Xiyi was to stay at Aunt Sun’s house until the wedding, when Song Ye would bring her home in proper ceremony. The chief even generously offered to lend his two donkey carts for the wedding procession—no small honor in this village, where those carts were the equivalent of a Rolls-Royce in the modern world.

As dusk fell and the crowd dispersed, Qin Xiyi left with Aunt Sun, and the little courtyard grew empty once more. Song Ye gazed up at the night sky, finding the whole affair utterly surreal.

To think he would marry here—did it mean he was destined to settle down in this world for the rest of his life?

He couldn’t fathom why Qin Xiyi had agreed to the marriage—after all, they’d known each other less than an hour. Yet she remained utterly unconcerned, as if it meant nothing to her. In fact, Song Ye suspected she had no intention of truly marrying him; the chance of her fleeing on the wedding day was high.

There was always a certain imperiousness in her eyes, a disregard for everything. She had fallen from the sky, her black dress disappearing at will—she called it the “Nine Nether Robe of Profound Abyss.”

Clearly, she was no ordinary woman.