[Volume 1] Chapter 20- Destiny

Coming home, Jiho opened the courtyard gate and walked inside, not sensing any movement behind her. She glanced back, saw Su brothers, who stood frozen outside the gate.

"What happened? Come inside," Jiho said as she walked inside. Mers looked at each other and followed behind her.

"Thank you so much for everything, wife," the blue-haired mer came forward and bowed, pressing his lips as he called her wife.

"It's okay, just rest today; you guys are already injured," Jiho rubbed her head, not used to being called a wife, and patted lightly at the mer's shoulder before walking forward.

After showing them to the guest room, Jiho stated, "Make do with it for now; I will clean your rooms tomorrow."

"No, it's already enough. Thank you," one of the Su brothers muttered, pursing his lips.

'How can we ask for more than this?' he looked at Jiho with shy eyes.

After Jiho informed them about the toilet and water tank, she left the room, closing the gate behind her.

After she came back to her room, putting the basket beside the table, Jiho looked up. "Come out," Jiho's voice turned colder than ever, but there was no movement in the room.

"I said come out now, you old bastard!" she shouted, leaping to avoid an attack. A hole formed where she stood moments before.

"Hah, trying to kill me now," she remarked, a bead of sweat rolling down her face as she confronted the person in front of her.

**Some time ago**

As Jiho walked back from the county town, she heard someone scream, discovering it was a marriage or, in simple language, the selling of people. She recognized the voice but didn't care about relations; after all, it's not new in this drought—people always sell their mers and sons. Suddenly, a pain in her head gripped her, and as she tried to leave, she saw a mer being dragged. What was shocking was each hit on him intensified the unbearable pain in her head.

"It can't be," she mumbled, walking forward to confirm the truth, only finding some relief when she grabbed a fat woman involved. Jiho found another clue that whenever someone said bad things about mers, she felt a pang in her heart.

"Yes, she can marry anyone. So why does she need to marry Jin..." Jiho glared at the woman, who continued with her insensitive remarks.

"Don't you dare to call them jinx," when she felt a little relief, another one came.

"Village chief, we also think what she said is true. Why would she lie for them when she doesn't even know them well?"

'Damn shut up already, ugh my head.'

"How did you know I don't know them?" Jiho couldn't contain her anger, experiencing intense pain with every uttered word.

"What do you mean, Scholar Li? Everyone knows you and Su's brother have never met before, so..."

'Shut up or I will kill you definitely.'

**In the present time**

"Hahah, come on, my dear student. If you die with this, there is no way you are my student," the old man descended, wearing a teasing smile.

"So old man, what are you doing here?" Jiho's voice was still cold as she looked at the man in front of her.

"Huhu, now that my student is married, she does not need this old master, huhu," as he covered his face.

"Shut up already," Jiho said in an annoyed voice.

"You... just tell me what the meaning of this is," Jiho rubbed her forehead.

"What do you mean?" he teased, glancing around the room and sitting on the bed.

A smile formed on Jiho's lips, and she grabbed him by the collar. "How about I burn some sticks and paper money for you."

"Oh, you mean that. It's not like it's my fault," he avoided her eyes and looked around.

"Oh," Jiho replied, her expression conveying 'like the hell I believe you.'

"Come on, believe me. I am not lying. It's not my fault this time; it's your fault for breaking the promise," he said, pointing at her.

"What the hell do you mean?" Jiho frowned.

"Stop frowning like that. You have not forgotten how you ended up in this world, right?" he pointed at her head. Suddenly, Jiho remembered.

"But what does it have to do with them?" Jiho asked in confusion.

"It's because they are destined to be with you," his voice turned serious.

After a moment of silence.

"Hah, destiny, hahaha," Jiho laughed bitterly, recalling her family's desire for her death because of destiny. The old man has seen Jiho from childhood; he already knows what she suffered because of the so-called destiny, "Jiho, not everyone is like Ji family. Try to give them a chance, and for yourself too," he turned away as his voice turned calm.

"I..." Jiho pursed her lips. Jiho knows when the old man spoke in this tone it means something really important. Suddenly feeling a tight grip on her wrist, Jiho looked up and saw her master's smiling face.

"What are... ahhhhhh," before Jiho could comprehend anything, burning pain surged through her wrist, making her feel like thousands of hot needles are piercing her hand. After a while when the pain ceased.

"Hah, hah," Jiho panted, looking up to find the old man's body becoming transparent, and he parted his lips.

"It's a little wedding gift from me, My child. Bye," he waved, then disappeared.

Jiho, still standing there in a daze, her eyes were bloody red. After regaining her senses, she saw her hand still shaking and a cut mark appear on her wrist.

"It can't be," she mumbled, rubbing it. After recognizing, she closed her eyes and opened them after a while.

"Hahaha, you damn old man," she clenched her fist, "I...", Jiho stopped midway, remembering her master's words before falling into this world. A sudden determination formed in her eyes as she gritted her teeth.

**Back to the present**

KNOCK, KNOCK.

"Who could it be?" the yellow-headed mer asked, others looking toward the door.

Soon, the blue-haired mer opened the door, finding Jiho with a pile of things.

"Uh," all mers stood up, observing Jiho with beds and blankets. 'Does she want to sleep here too?'

"Can you move?" Jiho passed through the blue-haired mer and walked inside, making everyone see the beds and blankets she was carrying. After glancing at each other, the yellow-haired mer tried to gain courage and parted his lips.

"Um, even though we are...husbands and wife, I don't think..." The yellow-headed mer stopped in the middle as he saw Jiho changing bed covers and making another thick bed on the floor.

"Hmm?" Jiho looked at him with a confused expression as she clapped her hands to dust off.

"Did you say anything?" Jiho looked at the yellow mer.

"N...o," his voice became lighter than before.

'What's wrong with him?' Jiho looked at him with a blank expression. After she left the room and returned with a basket and a wooden box.

"Here, I think you guys also haven't eaten anything, right?" As she passed the basket to the yellow-headed mer, who looked at her a little shocked.

'From that bitc...I mean that fatty, they must not have gotten anything.'

Seeing them still frozen, "Make do with it. I'll make something good tomorrow," Jiho stated, rubbing her ears and looking towards them.

Jiho: 'Huhu, my one-day meal was gone, huhu.' Jiho chewed her handkerchief inside while maintaining a smiling face outside.

**Master:** "Haha, now my revenge starts." He rubbed his hands.

Mers: How sweet.

(I hope you like it, and comment to let me know your opinions (￣(ｴ)￣)ﾉ)