Nan Jin's 17th Book

Jiang Xiaotian is the village beauty, but her stepmother is forcing her to marry a fool. With nowhere else to turn, she knocks on the door of Chen Tiejun, an old bachelor at the edge of the village who has three kids in tow.

The central conflict: Chen Tiejun is a veteran, and his seniority means Jiang Xiaotian has to call him Uncle. He is devoted to raising his fallen comrade's orphans and has sworn never to marry. But this young girl keeps wandering around in front of him in an ill-fitting long shirt, making his heart flutter.

The climax: To repay his kindness, Jiang Xiaotian helps him look after the children and mend his clothes. One night, while sewing his trousers by lamplight, she accidentally pricks her finger. With tears in her eyes, she puts it in her mouth. Chen Tiejun can no longer keep up the act. He scoops her up, tosses her onto the kang, and grits his teeth. “Why are you calling me Uncle? Call me husband! Tonight, I'll show you just how much I like women!”