Volume 1, Chapter 10 – Why Does My Voice Sound So Girly?

The villagers paid no mind to her words, assuming this bride-to-be of the Huang family was merely trying to scare them. After all, they were all neighbors—even if they didn’t respect the monk, they’d respect the monastery. How could she actually take this to the authorities?

“Um… daughter-in-law… are you really planning to report this to the officials?”

Li Fen asked hesitantly, unsure.

“Of course. Thieves must face the law’s judgment.”

Huang Qi swiftly wrote on paper.

“There’s no need to be so harsh among neighbors, right? It’s just a piece of meat.”

“Yeah, we’ll return it to your family. We see each other every day—why make things difficult?”

Wang Bao and his wife, still clinging to a sliver of hope, played the sympathy card.

“Please take this talisman and go to the county office immediately to report them.”

Huang Qi hadn’t expected them to be so shameless. Without hesitation, he wrote another line and handed it to Liu Keqian. Today, he was determined to make an example out of them.

“Yes, sister-in-law!”

Liu Keqian respectfully accepted the talisman.

“She’s serious?! She wasn’t bluffing after all!”

“Wang Bao and his wife are in big trouble now. Our county magistrate is strict—they’re in for a world of suffering.”

“Serves them right! They’ve always had sticky fingers wherever they go. Now they’ve finally kicked an iron plate!”

The villagers whispered among themselves, some sympathetic, others mocking.

“No, no, no! I was wrong, I admit it! Please don’t report us!”

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“That’s right, dear niece! We have elders and children at home. If my husband gets locked up, what will we do?”

Now truly terrified, Wang Bao and his wife fell to their knees, kowtowing and begging for mercy.

Huang Qi remained unmoved and motioned for Liu Keqian to leave.

Liu Keqian, gripping the talisman, strode toward the door. Though the journey was risky, he had always respected his elder brother—and his sister-in-law’s orders were to be obeyed without question.

“See you never! Once you’re in jail, you won’t be seeing anyone!”

Huang Kairong, clearly approving of his “daughter-in-law’s” ruthlessness, happily added fuel to the fire.

“Sister-in-law, please put in a good word for us!”

“Wuuu… dear niece… I’m kneeling for you! Please don’t report us!”

Wang Bao and his wife, now desperate, slammed their foreheads against the ground in apology.

“Daughter-in-law, spare them this once. Today is your grandfather’s sixtieth birthday—it’s not appropriate to involve the authorities.”

Li Fen, soft-hearted, stepped in to plead on their behalf.

Huang Qi rolled his eyes in disdain. But since his mother had spoken, he couldn’t refuse. He wrote:

“This is the last time. If it happens again, you won’t need to steal—the government will provide your three meals a day.”

“Yes, yes, yes… understood, understood…”

Wang Bao and his wife kowtowed frantically before scrambling out of the Huang household like frightened rats.

“This Huang family’s daughter-in-law is something else! I’ve never seen a woman act so decisively!”

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“That’s because you’ve got a narrow worldview. Just look at how she’s dressed—why would she care about country bumpkins like Wang Bao?”

“True. With a daughter-in-law like her backing them, who in this village would dare mess with the Huang family now?”

“The village? Be bolder—I doubt anyone within ten miles would dare cross them. I’ve never seen anyone as generous as her!”

The villagers buzzed with gossip once more. This time, their gazes toward Huang Qi were filled with awe, and their attitude toward the entire Huang family became markedly more respectful.

With the matter settled, dinner preparations resumed.

As the saying goes, money makes the mare go. Huang Qi’s generosity ensured the villagers couldn’t refuse. They rushed home, scraping together whatever they could—some even seemed ready to tear down their own roof beams if needed.

Once supplies were secured, the birthday banquet took on a lively atmosphere.

As night fell, the temperature plummeted due to the encroaching yin energy, turning the late summer evening into a bitter winter night.

Huang Qi took the opportunity to present the new clothes he had prepared for his grandfather. After all, what better occasion to wear them than his sixtieth birthday?

The moment Old Master Huang donned the pure cotton robe, warmth enveloped his body. Delighted, he paraded around the courtyard, showing off his gift to everyone—though it was clear he was prouder of his granddaughter-in-law than the robe itself.

His elderly peers watched with envy. In these times, common folk could scarcely afford such luxuries.

When dinner was finally served, the starving villagers swarmed the tables, chopsticks flashing as they devoured the feast. They stuffed their mouths to the brim, too busy eating to speak—a true gluttonous spectacle.

Huang Qi, veiled behind his face covering, couldn’t eat. Though his stomach growled with hunger, watching the villagers enjoy themselves filled him with an indescribable sense of fulfillment.

“Daughter-in-law, aren’t you hungry? Don’t just stand there—come sit!”

Li Fen hurried over, not daring to neglect her precious daughter-in-law.

Huang Qi initially wanted to refuse, but his hunger won out. He wrote:

“Mom, could you prepare a room for me? I’ll eat there. My face… isn’t presentable.”

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Li Fen, understanding a young girl’s vanity, smiled and brought a bowl of meat broth before leading her to a room in the east wing.

“This was originally my son’s room. The countryside is humble—I hope you don’t mind.”

She apologized awkwardly.

Huang Qi shook his head. How could he mind? This was his room.

Li Fen tactfully excused herself and left.

Once alone, Huang Qi locked the door and removed his veil. But as he ate, he realized the human skin mask had reshaped his mouth into a smaller, more delicate shape. He could only take dainty, feminine bites—an irritating adjustment.

The meal felt agonizingly slow. Yet when he finally stepped outside, he found the villagers still feasting, their stomachs seemingly bottomless pits.

By the time the banquet ended late into the night, two whole pigs had been reduced to scraps—a terrifying display of gluttony.

As the temperature dropped further, the villagers, shivering uncontrollably, began to leave. Before departing, they kindly helped clean up.

With the house finally quiet, everyone prepared for bed, exhausted.

Li Fen meticulously cleaned her son’s room, laying out fresh bedding for her daughter-in-law’s temporary stay.

Huang Qi, feeling guilty—since he wasn’t actually their daughter-in-law—tried to help, but his mother stopped him.

Watching her happy expression, recalling his father’s reddened eyes and grandfather’s pride, he found himself unable to reveal the truth.

“Daughter-in-law, forgive me for asking, but… why would a young girl like you come to the countryside alone? Weren’t your parents worried?”

Li Fen finally voiced the question that had been weighing on her.

Huang Qi had prepared an excuse in advance. He wrote:

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“I wasn’t alone. A few bodyguards accompanied me to the village entrance before leaving. It would’ve been inconvenient for them to stay.”

“Ah, I see!”

Li Fen nodded, though another doubt arose. “But how will you return home?”

“It’s fine. My family will send someone to fetch me later.”

Huang Qi lied smoothly. His real goal was to stay in remote Huatian Village—the perfect hiding spot from the Honghua Sect.

“In that case, stay as long as you’d like!”

Li Fen was overjoyed. Building a bond with her daughter-in-law was ideal. But then she added solemnly:

“However, I must ask a favor. When you return, tell Huang Qi to come home soon. His grandfather… doesn’t have much time left.”

“What?!”

Huang Qi gasped aloud—then froze.

His hand shot halfway to his mouth before stopping.

Because the voice that had just echoed through the room wasn’t his own.

It was soft, delicate, and undeniably feminine—like a nightingale’s song, lingering in the air.

‘Why does my voice sound so girly?!’

Panic seized him.

This new development terrified him to his core.