Three ex-husbands and a marriage

Saving Man Chiu

After Mingling finished exploring the house, the girl was seated down and served delicious food. The plates of noddles and stir fries made her mouth water. The food was so delicious that she nearly swallowed her own tongue as she shovelled it into her mouth. Mingling's leisurely and carefree confused Hu Xuan. He tried to warn her over and over but she ignored his words.

This relaxed attitude pushed Hu Xuan further on edge and he doubly guarded against the 'wife', constantly expecting to be attacked at every turn. Bai Mingling's nativity led to an explicable confidence in her judgement and she assumed the girl probably works for her second brother. This was further confirmed when she observed the girl's subservient and accomodating attitude. Furthermore, she felt that the girl's eyes was devoid of jealousy and hidden agenda which was not typical of a wife whose husband just brought home a woman.

Truthfully speaking, Mingling secretly hoped that the girl would send a message to Second Brother so he could come to rescue her. Actually, she is more worried about the crazy man who is still stuck up in the hot air balloon. She worries about what Man Chiu would do once he recovers and finds her gone.

The man is so unpredictable and unreasonable that he would surely think she abandoned him to save her own skin. Worse still, he might think she is on his sisters' side and part of the plot to kill him and therefore take her out as revenge. Not to mention, she does not want to back to his country and be tortured! Whichever way she looks at it, Man Chiu is a problem.

In short, she felt she needed backup. Right now it seems like that her Second Brother has mysterious connections and powers to save her. It was only once her stomach is full did she consider her next moves carefully and address the issue of rescuing Man Chiu. Her conscience didn't allow her to leave him to die and she still needs to leave herself a way out in the future.

So Mingling switched on her charm and convinced Hu Xuan to climb up and rescue the mad man. Of course despite his own feelings, Hu Xuan could not say no to Bai Mingling and neither could his 'wife'.

After they finished eating lunch they packed the ropes and knives for their rescue mission. The trio walked over to the hanging air balloon. Hu Xuan was tense and listened on as Mingling and the girl casually chatted. The girls was oblivious to the man's eavesdropping on every word they said.

"That day Hu Xuan didn't turn up to the wedding in time, he left me at the altar without ceremony and left to deal with months of embarrassment and shame. All his Mother and Grandma had explained was that he left with his maid. Was it you?" she asked.

"Miss Bai, indeed it was I. Though the facts was not completely true as I have been his bed warmer for many years but because of the difference between our statuses he could not give me a title," she said.

"You are very lovely to look at, say, what is your name?" asked Mingling.

"Thank you Miss, but compared to your extraordinary looks, I am very ordinary. When I was sold to the Hu family, they gave me the name, Xiao Shi," she replied.

"Xiao Shi, that is a nice name. There is no need to praise me, just so you know, I don't blame you for what happened. But it doesn't quite add up," said Mingling.

"Doesn't add up?" asked Xiao Shi.

"Say, why did he persisted to marry me when all he needed to do was to not participate in the selection? Instead of eloping and risking the Emperor's wrath that could mean the execution of all three generations of the Hu family, wouldn't it be easier to not go in the first place?" asked Mingling.

Xiao Shi paused for a few seconds, her mind processing Mingling's words before she smiled knowingly.

"Miss Bai, why don't you ask me directly what you want to ask?" she said with a tone of relief as if a tonne of weight has been lifted off her shoulders.