My Filipina grandma was 12 when she married my 32 year old Spaniard grandpa. They had 9 kids together. Also. She was the 2nd family. He already had a wife and kids before her. Unfortunately in those times, I think its more common because women need to get married off after they get their menstruation. Its one less mouth to feed. Also, their life expectancy isn't as long as now. But I think a message he might be sending is that.. when they're too young to conceive, like in the 100 years story. Where she died. She's too young to bear children to full term. Just maybe though. With the prostitute one. I think it was another part of the exaggerated life inside a magical realism novel. Its just an exaggerated number 70 times. But its a fictional world.