It was a leap month in summer — the hottest time of the year.
At the entrance of the village stood a row of great willow trees, their long branches drooping low. It had rained the night before, but the rain hadn’t soaked deeply enough; not a hint of breeze could be felt. The morning sun slowly climbed over the back of the mountain, drawing up the dew and mist, and the heat grew stifling — as if the whole world were trapped inside a steaming bamboo basket.
A small wooden bridge, built from a few round logs, stretched across the river that ran through the village. The damp weather had soaked the wood through, and the edges were covered with lush green moss from which a few tender, white mushrooms had sprouted.
Creak… creak…
The planks of the bridge swayed lightly underfoot, giving off faint groaning sounds. Four or five village women crossed the bridge, seizing the brief coolness before the full heat of the day set in. They squatted by the riverbank to wash their laundry.
The young women hiked up their skirts and rolled up their sleeves, revealing round, strong arms and graceful curves. They laid the clothes on the flat washing stones and beat them rhythmically with wooden rods, chatting and laughing in small groups. Any man who happened to pass by couldn’t help but stare a few extra moments, his eyes fixed — until his wife dragged him away by the ear.
“Isn’t today the day Zhou Dalang goes to the Ye family to propose?”
“Ye Ning must have accumulated immense blessings in his past life to be this lucky now. The Zhou family’s one of the wealthiest in the whole village — they raise so many pigs! People have been lining up to propose matches to their eldest son, but he only has eyes for Ye Ning!”
“Well, who can blame him? Ning Ger is so handsome — that figure, that face — no one else can compare. Zhou Dalang has money, and Ning Ger has looks. Quite a perfect match, I’d say.”
“But I heard that last winter, when it was freezing cold, Ning Ger fell into the river and caught a bad illness. I’m afraid he might—”
“Shh! How can you say that out loud? Don’t talk nonsense.”
“The Zhou family’s Dalang doesn’t mind, so why are you worrying yourself sick? He’s truly devoted to Ning Ger. Today, he’s personally coming to propose, and he even plans to transfer five mu of farmland over to Ning Ger as a token of sincerity before the wedding. Five mu! They’re probably signing the deed right now.”
After crossing the small wooden bridge and walking through the gourd-shaped village, one would find the Ye family’s courtyard at the very end of the path — a main house in the center, with a few side rooms to the left and right, all surrounded by a wooden fence enclosing a patch of dirt road.
Under the eaves hung strips of precious cured meat, saved for special occasions. During the New Year, they would take the sharpened kitchen knife and slice off only the thinnest piece. Even now, the meat showed just a shallow cut on the surface. Dried bamboo shoots and mushrooms were laid out along the wall, though this year’s damp weather had re-moistened them, making the shriveled shoots stretch out again. A few hens, their feathers dusty and unkempt, wandered lazily across the yard, strutting right past Ye Ning’s feet.
Ye Ning blinked slowly as he took in the small courtyard. This was not the apocalyptic world he knew. Here, the trees were green, food and water were plentiful, and there was no pollution, no mutation — it was a peaceful paradise, exactly the kind of life he had once dreamed of.
However…
“Ning Ger!” A middle-aged woman poked her head out from the main house and waved him over. “What are you standing there dazing for? Come inside quickly! Zhou Dalang has come to propose!”
When he didn’t move, she grabbed his arm and dragged him into the main room. Turning toward the well-dressed man inside, she smiled cheerfully. “Zhou Dalang, oh my, please don’t laugh at us. The weather’s been so stifling lately, and Ning Ger’s health hasn’t been the best, so he’s come a bit slowly.”
The matchmaker beside them immediately chimed in with a grin, “Look at him! Just look at that face! Ning Ger’s such a fine-looking young man — he and Zhou Dalang are truly a perfect match. If you ask me, once Ning Ger marries into the Zhou family as Fulang*, he’ll be living the good life from then on!”
Note: Fulang is term used for wife.
Fulang? Married out?
Ye Ning’s mind buzzed with fragments of memories that weren’t his. This wasn’t the post-apocalyptic world he knew — it was the setting of a farming novel. And in that story, he was just a minor side character, a nobody with no connection to the main plot. In this world, “Ger” referred to men who could marry other men — and not only that, they could even bear children….
Ye Ning, a straight man to the core, stiffened at the thought. But in the next moment, he quietly exhaled in relief. The original Ye Ning, eldest son of the family, had two younger brothers — the second, Ye Zhu, was also a Ger, while the youngest was a regular man. Because Ye Zhu was plain-looking and nowhere near as attractive as his older brother, Zhou Dalang had chosen Ye Ning and didn’t spare Ye Zhu a second glance. Out of jealousy, Ye Zhu had pushed Ye Ning into an icy river that winter.
Although the original Ye Ning had been rescued, his body had been severely damaged. The doctor had said that from then on, he would never be able to conceive children again. For a Ger, that was a massive disgrace. Unable to bear the humiliation, the original Ye Ning grew weaker and weaker until he eventually passed away.
Ye Ning, sharing the same name and appearance, had taken over this body right at that moment — replacing the one who had died in misery.
Unable to have children? Ye Ning secretly breathed a sigh of relief. For a straight man, that was actually fantastic news.
Zhou Dalang, meanwhile, was a portly man with a shiny mole on his face that made him look like a gossiping matchmaker himself. His small, beady eyes roamed up and down Ye Ning, scrutinizing him like a piece of pork or a cut of lamb — anything but a person. At last, he nodded in satisfaction and rubbed his long-nailed fingers together.
The matchmaker said eagerly, “Zhou Dalang is truly devoted to your Ning Ger — he never once looked down on him for…”
As she spoke, she darted a glance toward Ye Ning’s flat stomach, subtly hinting at his inability to bear children.
“Yes, yes, yes!” Father and Mother Ye nodded repeatedly, even stooping and craning their necks humbly. “We understand… Ning Ger’s illness is really… well, truly unfortunate…”
Mother Ye quickly added, “It’s our Ning Ger who’s not capable. In the future, if Zhou Dalang ever… wants a child, Ning Ger will never stop him. He’s such a virtuous and considerate one.”
At last, Ye Ning spoke, his tone calm and even. “If this marriage troubles you, it doesn’t have to happen.”
As a straight man, how could he possibly become someone’s Fulang? Calling off the marriage suited him perfectly.
The moment his words fell, everyone turned to stare. Father and Mother Ye looked as if the sky had collapsed, Second Brother Ye Zhu’s eyes went wide with delight, Zhou Dalang was stunned, and the matchmaker stood there completely dumbfounded.
Everyone in the village knew about Ye Ning’s affection for the Zhou family’s eldest son. Other than the Jiang family living up north at the edge of the village, the Zhou family was the wealthiest household around. They never had to worry about food or clothing. Although Zhou Dalang was a bit plump, in times like these when many couldn’t even fill their stomachs, being chubby was a sign of good fortune. For a man, some extra weight only made him seem more prosperous—and even more desirable as a husband. Countless people would have broken their heads just for the chance to marry Zhou Dalang. If Ye Ning hadn’t been blessed with such fine, delicate looks, the Zhou family would never have agreed to let their eldest son marry a frail and sickly man like him. They wouldn’t have nodded to this marriage in a million years.
Ye Ning, who had always been the one taking the initiative and flattering the Zhou family, suddenly changed his tone completely—turning his attitude upside down. How could that not shock everyone?
“You wretched boy!” Mother Ye screamed. “What nonsense are you saying? Are you still half-asleep and talking in your dreams?”
Father Ye was equally furious, as though Ye Ning had said something that went against heaven and reason. He stomped his foot and scolded, “When your elders are talking, where do you think you get the right to speak? How did our Ye family raise such a disrespectful, ill-mannered Ger!”
The matchmaker, seeing the awkward atmosphere, quickly tried to smooth things over. “Oh dear, oh dear! It’s so hot today, I’m sure Ning Ger must have misspoken. He didn’t mean that, of course not. What kind of Ger wouldn’t want to marry into a good family, right?”
Without giving Ye Ning a chance to respond, the matchmaker continued, “Zhou Dalang has truly gone all out to marry Ning Ger! He’s even planning to gift him five acres of fertile land before the wedding! He came today just to bring Ning Ger along to inspect the fields. If Ning Ger finds them satisfactory, we’ll sign the land deed right away, and the marriage will be settled!”
Father and Mother Ye’s eyes gleamed, reflecting pure greed. They nudged Ye Ning eagerly. “Ning Ger, hurry up and go with Zhou Dalang to see the land. Go on, don’t be stubborn! Is this really the time for you to throw a tantrum?”
Father Ye said with a sycophantic smile, “Zhou Dalang, about checking the land… Ning Ger doesn’t really understand such things. How about I come along too?”
Zhou Dalang’s small, beady eyes shifted uneasily. “Ah, that’s not really necessary. It’s all going to be Ning Ger’s land anyway, right? As long as he likes it, that’s what matters. Besides, once we’re married, won’t all of Zhou family’s land be his too?”
“Yes, yes! Hahaha… yes, yes, yes!” Father Ye’s face split into a grin, instantly fooled.
But Ye Ning wasn’t so easily deceived. Zhou Dalang’s stammering and insistence that he go alone already made him wary. In the story he’d read, the Zhou family were not good people. Who knew what they might be plotting? Ye Ning wasn’t some love-struck fool—he naturally had his guard up.
Ye Ning was someone who had transmigrated into a book, and in his mind, he knew the general outline of the story. His body’s original owner wasn’t the main character. According to the plot, after marrying Zhou Dalang, he would be tricked into signing a contract of servitude. Once the Zhou family grew tired of him, they would sell him off. He’d wander from place to place, suffering until his tragic end.
The Zhou family was absolutely not a good match. Moreover, as a straight man, Ye Ning had no desire whatsoever to marry another man.
Though he felt disgusted inside, he didn’t expose the truth right away. His parents were desperate to curry favor with the Zhou family. In their eyes, the Zhous were living Buddhas—kind enough to “take in” their worthless son. Speaking out now would only make things worse for him.
Ye Ning glanced at the sun outside and said calmly, “It’s too hot out there. Let’s not rush to see the fields. Why don’t we take a look at the land deed first?”
“The land deed…” Zhou Dalang’s expression stiffened again. His eyes darted nervously before he finally pulled a folded paper from his sleeve. After fiddling with it for a long while, he spread it open on the wooden table and said, “Sure, sure. Let’s look at the deed first.”
There weren’t many literate people in the village. Usually, when it came to land deeds or property divisions, one had to go into town to find someone who could read and write. The Zhou family, however, kept a few clerks around who handled their accounts and documents.
The matchmaker exclaimed cheerfully, “Look, look! A land deed! Oh my, Zhou Dalang really is generous—five acres of fertile land! With that, not only will Ning Ger have a secure future, but even your younger Zhu Ger will have something to rely on when he grow up and marry, isn’t that wonderful?”
“Pfft…” Ye Ning suddenly laughed. His face was thin, his chin slightly pointed—not sharp or mean, but finely sculpted. It was the face of a beautiful man. When he smiled, the pale skin of his cheeks took on a faint blush, and that touch of warmth made him look alive and captivating. Zhou Dalang was instantly dazed, his heart pounding wildly like a trapped moth beating its wings inside his chest.
But he didn’t realize—Ye Ning’s smile wasn’t one of amusement. It was cold. It was mockery. It was disdain.
Ye Ning tapped the document lightly with a slender fingertip. “Zhou Dalang, what’s this character?”
Zhou Dalang wasn’t well-read, but he could recognize a few characters—especially the ones he’d seen on deeds before. Sweat gathered at his temple as he forced out, “That’s ‘field’. Yes, field.”
Ye Ning pointed to the second character. “Then this one must be ‘contract’, right?”
Zhou Dalang forced a laugh. “Yes, yes, yes! That’s right—‘contract,’ as in ‘field.’ A land deed, of course it’s a deed.”
Ye Ning’s smile slowly faded, ice forming over his delicate features. “If that’s so, then what’s this third character?”
A real land deed only had two characters in its heading—‘field contract.’ But this document had three. Zhou Dalang was taking advantage of the fact that no one in the Ye family could read, lying through his teeth.
His true intention was simple: say some pleasant words today, lure Ye Ning out alone, have his way with him until it was too late to turn back, and then swap a deed of sale for the supposed land contract. Once Ye Ning signed it, both the land and his body would belong to the Zhou family. After that, Zhou Dalang could do whatever he pleased.
What Zhou Dalang had taken out wasn’t a land deed at all—it was a contract of servitude.
