Chapter 32: Feudalistic Superstition or Scientific Truth

Things that can’t be seen can be treated as non-existent, but once they enter your eyes and heart, no matter how tightly you shut your eyes or shake your head, you can’t get rid of them.

Zhao Ke wasn’t someone who liked to suffer losses.

Liu Guangzhi and Zheng Guangmei clearly didn’t treat Shu Gen’er well, yet they had taken him away right in front of her. She’d only vented a little frustration under the pretext of it, but the real problem remained unresolved.

How could Zhao Ke possibly feel at ease?

Especially with Zhao Yunyun constantly nagging her instead of doing anything useful—

“Shu Gen’er’s stepmother said she wished he’d just died out there.”

“His dad acts like he didn’t hear a thing and does nothing!”

“Even his little brother bullies him…”

After a litany of such complaints, Zhao Yunyun would angrily ask Zhao Ke, “Where’s your old sneaky streak? Think of all the times Zhao Feng took the blame for you, or the beatings he took on your behalf!”

Zhao Jianguo walked in, puzzled. “What blame? What beatings did Zhao Feng take for her?”

Zhao Yunyun immediately clamped her mouth shut, then covered up after a brief pause, “Third Uncle, you misheard.”

Zhao Ke looked at her helplessly.

What was the point of hiding it? Did hiding it even matter anymore?

Zhao Jianguo didn’t press for an answer. Instead, he scolded Zhao Ke directly, “Scissors aren’t something to mess around with. Next time you’re upset, don’t lose control like that.”

Zhao Ke obediently agreed, promising to behave and not let anyone catch her slipping up again.

Her words weren’t exactly upright, but Zhao Jianguo didn’t seem to mind. He nodded and went back inside.

Zhao Yunyun: “…”

All that panic for nothing. Third Uncle’s parenting style was truly one of a kind.

“Zhao Yunyun…”

Zhao Ke’s dangerous tone sounded by her ear, making Zhao Yunyun shiver. She chuckled awkwardly. “You know how my loose tongue is—it’s worse than the gaps in my family’s barn…”

Zhao Ke flicked her on the forehead. “You said it yourself—I’m sneaky. I’m just a powerless Women’s Director now. When it comes to family matters, I don’t have much authority to intervene. Of course, I have to approach it with reason.”

“We’ll deal with the immediate issues first, then work on it secretly…”

Zhao Yunyun’s eyes gradually lit up. “You mean…”

Zhao Ke squinted. “Let’s first figure out Shu Gen’er’s situation. Tomorrow, we’ll meet in the courtyard to exchange information.”

Zhao Yunyun readily agreed. “Got it.”

The two parted ways, each going home to gather information from their families.

The next day, while Zhao Ke was busy thickening paste in the courtyard, Zhao Yunyun showed up, looking around furtively.

Zhao Ke was speechless. “Why are you sneaking around like you’re part of some spy operation?”

“Don’t say that!” Zhao Yunyun jumped, startled. “What if we really got arrested? I still want to marry Fu Zhiqing and become a city wife.”

Zhao Ke gave her a knowing look. “So you’ve finally revealed your sinister motives?”

Zhao Yunyun muttered defensively, “What’s sinister about it? At least I’m not pretending.”

“You can speak up; the team committee’s just me right now.”

“You should’ve said so earlier.” Zhao Yunyun seemed to have been holding it in and finally raised her voice. “I asked my mom yesterday. Shu Gen’er wasn’t born dull—he became that way after a fever when his educated youth mom left.”

Zhao Ke said, “My dad mentioned that Liu Guangzhi brought him to the clinic too late, so it wasn’t treated in time.”

Zhao Yunyun curled her lip. “You don’t know the half of it. Chen San’er said Shu Gen’er’s mom wanted to return to the city, but Liu Guangzhi wouldn’t let her. So when she was supposed to be working, he left Shu Gen’er to keep an eye on her. She gave him sleeping pills and snuck away.”

“Liu Guangzhi blamed Shu Gen’er for it. Early in the spring, he even kicked him out of the house. Shu Gen’er huddled by the firewood pile for warmth, crying so pitifully that the neighbors could hear it clearly. If Old Chen hadn’t gone over, Liu Guangzhi wouldn’t have done anything about it.”

Her voice grew angrier as she spoke. “I bet that’s when he got sick from the cold.”

No wonder Shu Gen’er was afraid of medicine and listened to Liu Guangzhi so obediently.

Shu Gen’er had become foolish, completely unaware of any blame. His heart and eyes were filled with thoughts of his father, longing to have a home to return to.

Unfortunately, the person he wholeheartedly valued may still hold resentment toward him.

“Later, Liu Guangzhi, burdened by having Shu Gen’er as a ‘drag,’ couldn’t find a wife, so he married the harsh and unreasonable Zheng Guangmei from a remote area.”

Zhao Yunyun frowned. “Before giving birth to Liu Xiaobao, Zheng Guangmei had a miscarriage. After that, she kept saying that Shu Gen’er was a jinx, so many people in the village started avoiding him.”

Even the children would bully him.

Zhao Ke pondered thoughtfully: a jinx…

Zhao Yunyun sighed. “How could Shu Gen’er’s mother be so heartless? When I asked her about it, my dad got so angry. It was my mom who secretly told me that my dad has come a cropper^[1]Have had an unexpected and embarrassing failure. twice with Zhiqing women, which is why he has no good opinion of them.”

Regarding that Zhiqing woman, Comrade Yu Xiulan had told Zhao Ke about it.

At first, the Zhiqing woman had written a letter of introduction to return to the city to visit her family, with the pretext of Liu Guangzhi knowing about it. Zhao Xinshan had agreed to it.

But unexpectedly, the Zhiqing woman’s family had already found a new match for her. Upon returning to the city, she immediately married and never returned.

The most pitiful one was still Shu Gen’er.

However… Zhao Ke fixed her gaze on Zhao Yunyun. “Did you go to see Chen San’er? Stay away from him in the future.”

Zhao Yunyun clicked her tongue. “If it weren’t for Shu Gen’er, I wouldn’t bother with him.”

“Just don’t get close to him, and don’t provoke him.”

“Got it, got it.” Zhao Yunyun then asked, “What do you plan to do? Chen San’er said Shu Gen’er was still sleeping in the bean stalk pile yesterday.”

Zhao Ke glanced at her watch. “I’m going to Fang Jie’s house. Want to come?”

“Go to her house for what? If I were being bothered by a second wife like that, I’d be hiding, not going anywhere.”

“Let’s focus on the matter at hand. It’s about my sister, and even the second wife has been involved.”

Zhao Yunyun reluctantly replied, “I’m not going…”

“It’s related to helping Shu Gen’er.”

Zhao Yunyun immediately changed her tune. “Then what are we waiting for? Let’s go.”

A few minutes later, at Zhao Er Nai’s house—

Zhao Er Nai stood at the door with a broom, watching Zhao Ke and Zhao Yunyun warily. “What are you two here for, debt collectors?”

Zhao Yunyun gave Zhao Ke a look: See? They’re clearly not welcome.

Zhao Ke ignored her, smiling as she said to Zhao Er Nai, “Er Nai, I’m the Women’s Director of the Production Team, and we’re relatives. It’s only natural I come to visit and check on the pregnant woman who’s about to give birth.”

Zhao Er Nai still blocked the doorway with her broom, eyes full of suspicion.

She couldn’t imagine that anyone would forget old grudges.

And looking at Zhao Ke’s smile, she felt uneasy.

Zhao Yunyun felt a little awkward, but Zhao Ke asked nonchalantly, “Is Fang Jie home?”

Upon hearing the noise, Zhao Fangfang came out, holding her waist, and greeted them somewhat uncomfortably. “You two are here.”

Zhao Er Nai hurried over to support her. “What are you doing out here? They’re not important enough for you, a pregnant woman, to welcome them.”

Zhao Ke naturally followed her into the yard, noticing her large belly, and asked, “Fang Jie, you’re about to give birth, right?”

Zhao Yunyun followed quickly, knowing that with someone bolder to support her, she had nothing to fear.

Zhao Er Nai gave Zhao Ke a glance before saying, “It’s time; she could give birth anytime now.”

She helped Zhao Fangfang back into the house, then returned.

“Have you found a midwife?” Zhao Ke asked, sounding like she truly cared about the pregnant woman, her questions all focused on her well-being.

Zhao Er Nai let out a strange laugh. “What would a young girl like you know? You don’t need to worry about this.”

Zhao Yunyun lowered her head, silently mimicking her, “What would a young girl like you know…”

Zhao Ke elbowed her, then seriously said to Zhao Er Nai and Zhao Fangfang, “Have you heard about the Wang family’s Er Sao’s miscarriage? Er Nai, I assume you’ve heard?”

“Why?”

Zhao Ke explained, “My dad’s not good with gynecology, and our Production Team doesn’t have a professional midwife. That means the risks during childbirth are higher, which is why I’m here to remind you.”

Zhao Er Nai waved her hand dismissively. “We’ve already hired Granny Qian from our Production Team. You two were delivered by her, so there’s no problem.”

She mentioned the “money woman,” and Zhao Ke had a vague impression of her, as if…

Eavesdropping, Zhao Yunyun leaned close to her ear. “She’s in her sixties. I saw her a few days ago, and her hair’s all white now.”

Zhao Er Nai also heard Zhao Yunyun’s words. “Granny Qian’s the one with the real experience.”

Seeing her attitude, Zhao Ke added, “I specifically looked through the childbirth pamphlet. In the past, midwives were often rough and unhygienic, leading to complications where either the mother or child had to be sacrificed, and sometimes even caused excessive bleeding or infections… But since Granny Qian has such experience, I’m no longer worried.”

She wasn’t worried anymore, but Zhao Er Nai, after hearing this, started to feel uneasy. The more she thought about it, the worse her expression became.

Meanwhile, Zhao Ke, the instigator, said goodbye and left Zhao Er Nai’s house with Zhao Yunyun.

Zhao Yunyun asked, “Are you getting back at her? You really hold grudges, don’t you?”

Zhao Ke: “…”

She didn’t want to say anything to someone with amnesia.

……………………

In the dead of night, a frail old woman walked northward, all the way to the intersection where the village’s narrow path met the main road.

She picked up a thin stick, drew a circle on the ground, then knelt outside the circle, facing north, burning paper while praying, “Ancestors, please bless my granddaughter Zhao Fangfang for a smooth delivery.”

She even lit another piece of paper and tossed it into the air to send off the little ghosts.

Simply praying to the ancestors wasn’t enough, so she murmured, “Gods and immortals, please protect my granddaughter Zhao Fangfang. If both mother and child are safe, I’ll come to fulfill my vows. Gods and immortals, protect her…”

“Er Nai, asking gods and ancestors for blessings is feudal superstition. You’d be better off trusting science.”

At the moment the second voice, other than hers, echoed through the night, Zhao Er Nai’s hair stood on end. The old woman swiftly jumped up, cursing, “Who the *** is trying to scare me? I’m an old woman buried halfway in the earth, I’m not afraid of you!”

Zhao Ke and Zhao Feng, brother and sister, crouched on the ground, looking up at her.

Zhao Er Nai, seeing their faces in the faint light of the burning paper, paused for a few seconds, then exploded into an even louder round of curses, “You two little brats, are you trying to scare me to death? I’m going to beat you both today…”

“Er Nai, keep your voice down, what if someone hears and reports you for feudal superstition?”

Zhao Er Nai’s words got stuck in her throat. After a long while, she muttered quietly, “What do you two want?”

Zhao Feng yawned, not really knowing what to do. Zhao Ke had called him out, so he just came along.

Zhao Ke picked up the stick she had tossed aside and stirred the paper, making it burn more completely.

Then, she looked up and smiled, saying, “Er Nai, I heard it. Asking the gods and ancestors is about fate. Here’s a favor I’d like to ask. I’ll pay for Fang Jie to go to the commune health clinic to give birth, how about it?”

“You’re so kind-hearted?”

But the temptation of not having to pay any money was too great, so Zhao Er Nai asked, “What favor?”

Zhao Ke walked over to her side and explained in detail.

Zhao Feng eavesdropped, and the more he listened, the more awake he became.

The next day, the women under the old locust tree were chatting idly and talking about Liu Guangzhi and Zheng Guangmei, who went to the team leader to have Shu Gen’er work.

Zhao Er Nai wore a mysterious expression, saying, “Who else but Liu Guangzhi and Zheng Guangmei would have such bad luck?”

The other women exchanged glances and asked why she thought that.

Zhao Er Nai remained silent. “They don’t allow feudal superstition now, I can’t say anything. What if I get reported?”

Aunt Dong, with a chuckle, said, “What report? Who in our Production Team hasn’t secretly gone to the graves? Reporting someone from our own village? Aren’t they just asking to be laughed at?”

The others all agreed:

“Er Nai, why keep us in suspense? Just tell us.”

“What’s there to hide?”

“Yeah, just tell us.”

Zhao Er Nai reluctantly said, “But you can’t tell anyone.”

The women all promised.

Finally, Zhao Er Nai looked at Aunt Dong. “Do you remember? Last time when your family held a wedding, there was an issue with the procession, and Shu Gen’er was there.”

Aunt Dong seemed a little uncomfortable. “Zheng Guangmei even said that maybe it was Shu Gen’er who brought the bad luck.”

Zhao Er Nai shook her head. “You’re too young. I never said Shu Gen’er was bad. Do you know why?”

“Why?”

Zhao Er Nai mysteriously uttered three words.

The women were shocked. “What? The village guardian?!”

Zhao Er Nai made a shushing motion. “Don’t spread this. In a few days, it’ll be the Wang family’s happy event. You’ll see if he goes or not…”