Chapter 14: That Stubborn Girl Insists on Marrying the Fool
Perhaps it was because she was too exhausted today.
Lin Xiaodou fell asleep after watching the movie for a while.
In a drowsy haze,
She felt something tiny crawling across her face.
It tickled.
Confused, Lin Xiaodou opened her eyes.
She found herself staring into a pair of miniature, glossy black eyes as round and bright as gems.
The little creature was covered in brown fur, with long, fuzzy legs, no bigger than her fingernail.
It perched delicately atop her nose, appearing both small and adorable.
Since she had always shared a special affinity with animals, Lin Xiaodou was never afraid of them.
She recognized at once that the creature before her was a jumping spider.
Placing it in her palm, Lin Xiaodou stroked its furry little head.
Her eyes curved into crescent moons as she smiled indulgently, “Hey there, little one, what brings you here?”
“Zee zee zee~”
The tiny spider waved its legs energetically, launching into a tirade of complaints.
It turned out that the little spider had noticed her earlier when she’d visited the grove.
Fascinated by Lin Xiaodou’s impressive prowess, the spider had immediately taken a liking to her.
When it saw her preparing to leave, it quickly leapt onto her and came home with her.
But as soon as Lin Xiaodou got home, she’d tossed her clothes straight into the washing machine.
The spider struggled desperately to escape the terrifying whirlpool, barely making it out alive.
It then scoured the entire house, completely exhausted, before finally finding her in the study.
But to its dismay, she was fast asleep when it arrived.
The little spider felt utterly aggrieved.
It had chosen her as its master and had nearly lost its life just to see her, yet she was completely oblivious.
In a fit of pique, the spider hopped onto Lin Xiaodou’s face.
It scratched her with its legs and kicked her several times before finally easing its anger.
Lin Xiaodou rubbed her nose.
No wonder she’d felt an itch as she slept—it was this little one throwing a tantrum.
Still, Lin Xiaodou was quite surprised.
Although she was naturally attuned to animals and had later awakened the ability to communicate with them, ordinary creatures without sentience rarely sought her out.
In her previous life, even the mice at her modern home only developed a hint of intelligence after long companionship.
Yet she’d encountered such a creature so soon after arriving in this era.
She asked, “You want to stay with me, is that it?”
“Zee zee zee~”
The little spider bounced wildly in her palm.
Its furry legs sprang high, as if shouting again and again: Yes! Yes!
Watching the excited little thing, Lin Xiaodou laughed.
“I don’t keep freeloaders. What skills do you have to earn your place here?”
In her previous life, the mice at home took care of all her leftovers and scraps.
When idle, they also helped with household chores—cleaning up cockroaches and mosquitoes, carrying rags in their mouths to wipe dust from the windowsills and corners.
Hearing Lin Xiaodou’s demand,
The jumping spider cocked its head in confusion.
After a moment, it nuzzled her palm with its furry head and blinked its big, glossy eyes, looking pitifully hopeful.
Seeing this, Lin Xiaodou’s heart nearly melted.
Oh my! It’s just too cute!
“Nope, acting cute doesn’t count!”
Suppressing her urge to squeal, Lin Xiaodou teased it on purpose.
At this, the little spider grew anxious.
Ever since its mind had cleared, it found its own kind dull and the world unbearably tedious.
Every day was the same, monotonous routine—enough to drive it mad.
Now that it had finally met a human who interested it, it was determined to stay!
“Zee zee zee~”
It chirped incessantly, trying to say: Whatever you want me to do, I’ll do it.
“Anything I say? Very well…”
Lin Xiaodou grinned, picked up her phone, and played a video for the spider:
“How about you learn this dance for me?”
In the video…
…a dog was dancing the ‘Subject Three’ routine.
The spider: ???
Is finding a master supposed to involve learning to dance?
In the end, it gave in.
It took a full hour, but the jumping spider finally mastered the moves.
Under Lin Xiaodou’s guidance, it performed the routine, sulking all the while, and was even filmed as evidence.
Though it had no idea what a video was, its master warned it:
This was now its “dark history”—if it ever misbehaved, the video would be used as punishment.
The spider didn’t understand what “punishment” entailed, but the phrase itself sounded terrifying.
It swore in its tiny heart that it would be the best, most obedient pet, never causing its master any trouble.
…
Lin Xiaodou named the little jumping spider Tiaotiao.
As her very first pet in this era, it deserved the finest treatment.
Tiaotiao was tiny, no bigger than a fingernail.
Lin Xiaodou crafted a delicate, custom villa for it.
Blue walls, surrounded by green grass and flowers, glowing lights—a cozy, dreamlike home.
Tiaotiao adored its new little house, bouncing about in delight.
Lin Xiaodou played with it for a while.
Just as she was about to prepare dinner, she sensed movement outside her space.
With a flash, she exited, and heard voices in the living room.
It seemed Father Lin, Mother Lin, and Lin Dawei had returned.
Lin Xiaodou raised an eyebrow.
They’d only spent a day at the hospital—surely their injuries weren’t healed yet.
Could something have happened?
Her gaze fell on Tiaotiao, still joyfully hopping about, and she called,
“Tiaotiao, come here. Your first mission awaits.”
…
In the living room.
Lin Dawei helped his father, who was in a wheelchair, onto the sofa and asked, puzzled,
“Dad, you’ve just had surgery on your leg. Why rush home so soon? What’s going on?”
“That’s right, Old Lin, my facial wounds haven’t even scabbed over yet. How am I supposed to go out like this…” his mother complained.
She’d never been especially beautiful, but she wasn’t ugly either.
Now, with a hideous scar running across her face, she was deeply distressed.
She’d hoped to stay in the hospital a few more days, to see if the doctor could reduce the scarring.
But her husband had insisted on rushing home, completely throwing her plans into disarray.
How could she ever show her face in public again?
If those spiteful women who didn’t get along with her saw, they’d surely mock her to death.
The mere thought was infuriating.
“When I went to the doctor for medicine today, I happened to run into Mrs. Wang, the matchmaker,” Father Lin said, glancing at the two of them.
“She told me it seems the Fool’s family no longer intends to form an alliance with us—they’re looking for another girl.”
At these words, Mother Lin grew agitated.
“That’s not acceptable! Didn’t we agree that as soon as that wretched girl’s leg healed, she’d be married off? How can they go back on their word now?”
Father Lin replied, “I suppose the Fool’s side caught wind of something and thinks the girl is hard to control, so they want to switch candidates.”
“Switch? No way! We must get that three hundred yuan bride price!”
Mother Lin’s eyes flashed with malice as she spat, “That wretched girl must marry the Fool—otherwise, I’ll never be able to vent this anger in my heart!”