A Call That Changed Her Entire Life

In the days that followed, Donny treated Emily very well. He provided for whatever she needed - food, medicines, comfort. Donny kept his father at bay and tried to make Emily feel as comfortable as he could.

As Emily tried to make conversation with Donny one day, he nodded at her, trying to comprehend what she was saying. "Tell me what I can do for you?" he asked, as that was all he could offer to her in exchange for her willingness to play with him.

"Nothing, yet." she said. Emily knew Donny would never hurt her but she decided not to reveal too much as his mother was not as kind and genuine as him.

They played together for a while before Mrs. Yang appeared at the door, "Donny, we are going to harvest potatoes. Do you want to join us?" asked Mrs. Yang.

"Of course!" Donny answered, excitedly.

"Okay, good boy," said Mrs. Yang, who always treated him like his little boy. Mrs. Yang's eyes were warm with motherly love until they landed on Emily. Reluctantly, she said, "Hey, you... come with us too. We never feed idle people."

"Umhm.. Got it." Emily nodded her head lightly, feeling obliged and dutiful.

But Donny disagreed with his mother, refuting, "Mommy, how can you make my fairy do such hard labor? She is so beautiful. My fairy. She shouldn't work!"

"Oh, is it? Who will support your fairy if she doesn't do her part? You? What would you do? Give her your food and starve?" she asked back. One could detect the casual contemptuousness regarding Emily in her voice.

"Of course I will! I support her," Donny said with that serious conviction of a child, puffing out his chest with pride. "I swear to support her," he repeated.

Mrs. Yang was amused at her little boy's determination and pulled his ear gently, saying, "Right now, you yourself need my support. How will you support others? You really are going to follow the old saying, 'once the son is married, the mother is forgotten!' Hahahahaha," laughed Mrs. Yang.

'You have not married her yet, my silly boy. How could you protect her like this?' Mrs. Yang thought in her mind. For one second, she even did not know whether it was right or not to keep Emily here.

Her smiling eyes shifted to Emily, becoming narrow and cunning. "You'd better not try to escape. This is our territory. You cannot escape! Don't even think of it!" She pointed her forefinger at her, intimidating.

"My fairy will not escape, mother. She likes me. She is different from all the other girls here..." Donny refuted loudly, grabbing her mother's arm.

silly boy! How could you fully believe what others say..." Mrs.

out of the room. The arrangement was that one of her ankles would be tied with

body. Mrs. Yang was convinced Emily wasn't strong enough to break free.

girl Donny will marry!' She imagined others saying behind them. Mrs. Yang thought of the stupid girls of the village, who despised her boy. Surely, they would be jealous when

got a lot of admiration and envy, just as they had wanted. It was surprising no one cared about the rope around

would surely escape if she got a chance. That

wild animals in the forest beyond the mountain. Even if she crossed the

where did you find such a beautiful girl?" one

else jumped in. "She is just like a lady from a big

you take a concubine, right? And such a beautiful one

interrupted. He noticed his wife's face darkening and felt an urgent need to explain, "Don't be stupid! You know, I only love my sweet wife. This girl is

wife! Wow" said one villager.

couldn't believe it, especially the young boys. In fact, they were angry thinking an idiot like Donny was going to marry

is the village head!' one young man thought in his

Emily as they knew she was another poor soul who had been tricked into the village just like what happened to them in the past. They were doomed to be trapped in this living

someone, bear

as she was going to marry a complete idiot. Everyone could foresee the terrible future

do manual labor. How will she survive?" "Maybe she'll give birth to a child soon? But I highly doubt that,"

mean is there any

beautiful face! I would marry her simply to look at it day and night. What a pity! She

She gloated over the fact that her son was going to get something those boys never could. They would probably just end up

and she was going to marry her son! No one could have such

not stay for too long. Soon, the crowd scattered and everyone returned to harvesting potatoes.

had such little food she had no strength to work. Yet, she tried to learn how to dig out the potatoes like other villagers did but only succeeded in finding a few.