Chapter 1691 - 1518: Female-Dominated Society 22
Chapter 1691: Chapter 1518: Female-Dominated Society 22
Speaking of which, Dong Xinxian was genuinely out of options, which led him to lower his status to become a servant at Qi Guan Mansion because he had caused trouble.
Initially, Dong Xinxian hoped Qi Guanshuang would come looking for him, but who knew that Qi Guanshuang vanished without a trace, clearly not sparing him a thought.
Dong Xinxian waited for an entire month without a sign of Qi Guanshuang. He couldn’t stand the hardships of running a noodle shop anymore, and more importantly, he was attracting an increasing number of women.
These women weren’t all respectful, allowing him to choose slowly. Some wealthy and influential women, seeing that he wouldn’t relent, attempted to forcefully take him as a concubine.
In his past life, Dong Xinxian had Fang Miaozhen as a backing, allowing him to remain indifferent towards the pursuing women and maintain an aloof persona.
But now, Dong Xinxian had no power, no influence, no support; any random woman could make him cry out to no avail, let alone maintain any cold demeanor.
Ultimately, Dong Xinxian, albeit unwillingly, was forcibly taken from the noodle shop back to the mansion by a woman reportedly related to the Capital Governor, from a wealthy family, becoming a servant without even attaining the status of a second husband.
This woman wasn’t new to such kidnapping affairs, only that she was clever enough to avoid targeting men with backgrounds.
With Dong Xinxian being alone, kidnapping him was no cause for concern, and indeed, without causing any trouble, Dong Xinxian disappeared silently.
Initially, Dong Xinxian was unwilling to accept this, but once taken to the mansion, he knew how to assess the situation. Since things were irreversible, he might as well make the best of it.
Dong Xinxian felt that although this woman who took him was somewhat crude, she lacked intellect. If he could win her heart, his future might not be any less glamorous than being the main husband.
Unfortunately, though Dong Xinxian had grand ideas, the woman turned out to be a lustful fiend with sadistic tendencies, fond of whipping people.
In the mansion, including the main and second husbands, plus servants, there were over thirty people; none dared to approach her. Initially, Dong Xinxian contemplated how he might compete with so many men for her favor.
He prepared to contest for the woman’s affection, but then the other men cast him complex glances that unnerved him. At first, Dong Xinxian couldn’t understand why.
It wasn’t until Dong Xinxian was covered in wounds and helped with medicine by men residing in the same courtyard that he understood their gaze.
It was the gaze of hope, because Dong Xinxian being chosen meant they were spared from serving and being beaten by this difficult and tyrannical wife.
Since Dong Xinxian was newly captured, he attracted much of the woman’s favor, resulting in new injuries piling on old wounds, never allowing any healing.
Dong Xinxian’s skin was once nurtured to perfection, as smooth as silk, fair like porcelain, soft to touch, leaving red marks with slight pressure.
To cultivate such good skin, Dong Xinxian had spent considerable effort from childhood to adulthood. Yet, within merely two months of being with this woman, his skin was ruined.
Now Dong Xinxian’s skin was crisscrossed with scars, no longer smooth, but uneven and rough.
Only now does Dong Xinxian realize that the fatigue from running a noodle shop was insignificant compared to being whipped daily.
While working, he had servants to help share the burden, so he wasn’t terribly exhausted, but being beaten, no one shared in his suffering.
Now Dong Xinxian wished for the woman to quickly fancy another man; once she did, he could be just like the other men in the courtyard, freed from beatings.
Luckily, due to Dong Xinxian’s ruined skin, the woman lost interest in him, soon bringing another man into the mansion.
Living unscathed was still tough for Dong Xinxian; though spared from beatings, he was required to start working.
After losing favor, Dong Xinxian was driven from his private courtyard and grouped with four other unfavored servants in a small space.
His dwelling was cramped, without even a single attendant serving him.
In the entire courtyard, there was only one servant responsible for cleaning, not attending to personal needs.
With no choice, Dong Xinxian had to begin washing clothes and doing chores himself, but such hopeless days were unbearable, prompting thoughts of escape.
Since losing favor, the mansion no longer guarded him tightly, preventing him from escaping; thus, Dong Xinxian’s escape plan progressed smoothly, so much that he left without anyone seeking him.
Dong Xinxian managed to escape, yet he was penniless, worse off than when Fang Miaozhen cut off his funds; reopening the noodle shop was too fearful for Dong Xinxian.
Eventually, Dong Xinxian considered selling himself, unwilling to end up in a brothel or Chu Hall; moreover, given his skin’s condition, such places wouldn’t offer a good life.
Contemplating thoroughly, Dong Xinxian decided to sell himself to a wealthy family, becoming a servant, hoping to slowly heal his skin.
Though scarred, Dong Xinxian had studied skin nurturing methods since youth; given time, while scars might not fully disappear, they could become less pronounced and smoother.
Restoring his original state was impossible, but he could ensure touch wouldn’t reveal roughness; perhaps, he could find a wealthy woman.
With this thought, Dong Xinxian sought a human trafficker specializing in wealthy family business to sell himself; thanks to his good looks, he quickly found a family.
Coincidentally, this family belonged to Qi Guanshuang, chosen personally by Lanting.
Having suffered, Dong Xinxian devoted himself to learning from Lanting, soon standing out among the servants around her, receiving her special training.
Only after following Lanting did Dong Xinxian learn he would be serving Qi Guanshuang; he initially knew his destination was Qi Guan Mansion.
Though the surname Qi Guan was rare, it was not nonexistent, so initially, Dong Xinxian didn’t associate it with Qi Guanshuang, but upon realizing it was indeed Qi Guanshuang’s residence, Dong Xinxian’s schemes resurfaced.
Dong Xinxian retained the same thought, believing he understood Qi Guanshuang deeply thanks to Fang Miaozhen’s analysis of Qi Gongshuangshuang’s character and flaws.
With this knowledge, Dong Xinxian was confident in his ability to capture Qi Guanshuang, and considering the wealth of the Qi Guan Family, if he could become their main husband, he wouldn’t worry anymore in his lifetime.