Joy Turns to Sorrow, Mrs. Thompson Gets Beaten

Mrs. Thompson turned her head and saw John Thompson’s dark face, his fist swinging straight for her: "You shameless woman! So you’ve been thinking about that handsome young lad, huh?"

Mrs. Thompson was punched so hard she got a black eye, clutching her face and rolling on the ground, crying out, "I didn’t! I’m innocent!"

John Thompson was always hot-tempered. Hearing Mrs. Thompson say she’d marry the handsome lad if she were ten years younger, he was furious. He didn’t care that this was his own home—he flipped Mrs. Thompson to the ground and slapped her face back and forth, cursing, "Filthy woman! If I don’t beat you for three days, you’ll tear the roof off! You’re just asking for trouble. I can’t feel at ease unless I hit you!"

"Ouch! Stop hitting me!" Mrs. Thompson’s face swelled up like a pig’s head.

More and more villagers gathered to watch, but John Thompson was too angry to stop. He beat Mrs. Thompson hard in front of everyone. Mrs. Thompson covered her face, both in pain and fear, thinking, how can I show my face after this? She wished she could disappear into the ground.

"Lucky, what’s going on?" Lily Evans came looking for Lucky, who’d been gone fetching water for a long time. She arrived just in time to see this dramatic scene.

Lucky scratched his head. "Mrs. Thompson just told me that a woman needs a beating every three days, or she’ll tear the roof off. She said she should be strung up and beaten. Then her husband came and started hitting her. Darling, do you think they’re afraid I’m too simple to understand, so they’re putting on a show for me?"

Lily Evans let out a sound of surprise, then quickly realized what had happened. Clearly, Mrs. Thompson was still scheming, trying to get Lucky to hit her, but somehow ended up angering John Thompson and got beaten herself.

Almost as if on cue for Lucky, John Thompson, unsatisfied with beating Mrs. Thompson on the ground, actually pulled out a rope and strung her up on a nearby tree, whipping her with a belt.

John Thompson looked like a raging demon. None of the villagers dared intervene. In this era, everyone assumed a husband beating his wife was a family matter, and outsiders had no right to interfere.

Mrs. Thompson screamed and wailed as she was beaten. Lucky frowned and said, "Darling, I won’t listen to her. I could never bear to hit you. You’re so good to me—how could I hurt you? I just want to cherish you."

Lily Evans smiled softly and reached out to pat Lucky’s head. "You silly man. I know you’d never hurt me. You’re the best husband anyone could ask for."

Lucky grinned, his eyes shining with devotion. "Darling, I’ll always protect you. Even if the whole world turns against us, I’ll never let anyone hurt you."

The villagers looked at Lucky and Lily Evans, some with envy, some with admiration. Their love was obvious to everyone.

Mrs. Thompson, still dangling from the tree, glared at Lucky and Lily Evans. She muttered, "What a pair of fools—one’s simple, the other’s sly. Just you wait!"

John Thompson finally stopped beating Mrs. Thompson, panting heavily. He warned, "If you ever say something like that again, I’ll make sure you regret it!"

Mrs. Thompson whimpered, nodding quickly, afraid to provoke John Thompson any further.

Lily Evans took Lucky’s hand and led him away. "Let’s go home, Lucky. We don’t need to watch this anymore." Lucky obediently followed, still worried for Lily Evans.