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Shen Zi’an had been working in town that day, helping out at a shop where the owner’s wife had given birth to a son, a joyous occasion that led to the shop closing for the celebration.
After receiving some money as a gift, Shen Zi’an hurried to buy meat buns for Su Zhi, eager to have a meal together. However, as he entered the village, he noticed people giving him strange looks. Sensing something amiss and observing the crowd heading towards his home, he felt a sense of foreboding.
“Zi’an, quickly go back and check on your wife! Something has happened to her!” an elderly man advised him, gazing at Shen Zi’an with a mix of pity and compassion, recognizing the hardships the young man had faced losing his mother at a young age and now dealing with a jinx for a wife.
Shen Zi’an didn’t hesitate and immediately ran back home. Upon arrival, he saw a crowd gathered around his house, with more people streaming into the backyard. He had to push his way through the crowd, who parted to let him pass, their sympathetic gazes weighing heavily on him. As he reached the front, he witnessed Su Zhi being pelted with dirt and stones by several children.
The sight filled Shen Zi’an with a surge of anger, his fists clenched tight with a loud crackling sound. He let out a thunderous roar, nearly charging forward to confront the children if they hadn’t been kids.
The children were all frightened into stopping their actions, with Fourth grandson even managing to hit his own foot with the stone he was holding, causing him to yelp in pain.
Shen Zi’an’s expression darkened further as he thought about the pain caused by a stone hitting the foot – if that could hurt so much, how much worse would it be to throw it with force? The size of the stone, almost as big as an egg, was quite intimidating!
“Zi’an.”
Su Zhi had been hit a few times, fortunately only with clods of dirt, not stones. Though it stung, it wasn’t causing any serious injuries. She had been considering seeking refuge inside the woodshed but was relieved to see Shen Zi’an return. Despite no longer being a child emotionally, she still felt a sense of distress.
Shen Zi’an, seeing Su Zhi calling out to him with a look of distress in her bright eyes, hair speckled with dirt and a yellow leaf, felt his heart wrench. Rushing over to her side, he inspected her carefully.
“How are you feeling? Any pain? Did they scare you?” Shen Zi’an bombarded her with questions, afraid she might be hurt but also worried she might be holding back.
People often feel more upset when comforted, and Su Zhi, despite her composure, had slightly reddened eyes, exuding a sense of vulnerability. However, the warmth in her heart grew as she felt reassured by Shen Zi’an’s presence and concern.
“I’m fine, I’m just glad you’re back. Zi’an, they brought in an old Taoist who labeled me as a jinx. Third Sister-in-law claimed that I’m the reason for her child’s and her husband’s health issues, and she even implied that Second Sister-in-law’s lack of a son was my doing,” Su Zhi gently explained. She wasn’t complaining but rather wanted Shen Zi’an to understand the situation and observe his reaction. In this era, people placed great importance on such beliefs – would Shen Zi’an care about her destiny despite her illness and appearance?
“Don’t listen to their nonsense,” Shen Zi’an replied, frowning. Normally reserved, his anger now made him appear intimidating. The children who had thrown stones had retreated behind the adults, knowing Shen Zi’an’s strength – he was known for being able to take down wild boars and hungry wolves. The adults, too, hesitated, wary of provoking him.
The old Taoist, under Shen Zi’an’s stern gaze, felt a sense of unease, realizing he had stirred up trouble. Would he end up being beaten by Shen Zi’an? That would indeed be a significant loss for him!
Under Shen Zi’an’s piercing gaze, Shen Zhang shi trembled, but she managed to maintain a facade of calmness. She moved closer to Shen Youfu, not wanting to invite trouble at this moment. Letting the patriarch handle the situation seemed like a safer option.
Sun Shi, still pretending to be unconscious, aimed to instigate conflict between Shen Zi’an and his parents. Creating chaos would make it easier to drive them out.
Chunhua, trembling and cowering, dared not meet Fourth Uncle’s eyes, fully aware of her wrongdoing but feeling powerless in the situation.
Shen Zhu cleverly positioned herself on the other side of Shen Youfu, whispering softly, “Dad, Fourth Brother looks angry; I’m scared. He wouldn’t actually hit someone, would he?”
Shen Youfu, who cherished his youngest twins the most, felt compassion seeing his daughter’s pitiful expression. His discontent towards Shen Zi’an deepened – how dare his son glare at him and frighten his daughter? What a rebellious child!
“Zi’an, why are you glaring like that?! We are helping you deal with this jinx. Don’t be ungrateful!” Shen Zhang shi intervened, attempting to shift the blame onto Su Zhi.
Shen Zi’an spoke coldly, “Dad, she is my wife, not a jinx. If she were a jinx, why am I standing here fine? Do you believe the words of a Taoist over your own son?”
The villagers surrounding them started to reconsider – Shen Zi’an had been living alongside Su Zhi without any issues.
Though the third grandson was afraid of his Fourth Uncle, the thought of losing his affluent lifestyle due to that woman spurred him to speak up, “Uncle, you may be lucky, but it’s us who suffer! I refuse to live in the same courtyard as your wife. I want a good life!” He then darted into the crowd, fearing Shen Zi’an might retaliate.
The old Taoist, sensing the villagers’ skepticism, realized he couldn’t mess things up or risk losing money. Despite his fear of Shen Zi’an, he gathered his courage and decided to speak up, retreating a step and addressing him.
“This young man, your wife indeed carries a heavy burden of ill luck. From affecting her maternal family in childhood to her in-laws in adulthood, this requires some spiritual guidance to alleviate. Although she still bears a dark aura, the lightening color suggests some improvement through guidance. Not everyone is susceptible to her influence; those with strong luck can resist, but prolonged exposure may have an impact.”
The old Taoist’s eloquence, coupled with his white hair and beard, made quite an impression, truly intimidating.
“He’s quite convincing. I heard that Zhao Xiaomei was sent away in her childhood and even spent time in a convent, which might have been a form of spiritual guidance. Surprising that even the Buddhas couldn’t completely rid her of her bad luck. It shows how potent her jinx is!”
“Indeed, a jinx isn’t easily rid of even through spiritual guidance!”
“Shen Family’s Fourth Son is quite lucky. Rumor has it he caused his own mother’s demise, so being with the jinx would naturally have no effect on him!” One person said sarcastically.
“Yes, Shen Family’s couple – one righteous, the other amiable, the main household harmonious, and with the twins being auspicious – they’re untouched. Only the Second Branch is childless, and the Third Branch is filled with illness!”
“My house is right next door. My daughter-in-law had a headache the other day; could she have been affected by the jinx?!”
“My house is in the front yard, and my son fell from a tree. Could it be because of her?!”
“Our old sow…”
“Our big cabbage…”
The villagers, swayed by the words of the old Taoist, started to believe that Su Zhi was indeed a jinx. People tend to find excuses for their misfortunes, preferably blaming external factors rather than themselves. Su Zhi quickly became the perfect scapegoat for their misfortunes, with their exaggerated claims escalating to the extent where even a chicken laying eggs outside was attributed to her influence.
Shen Zhang shi couldn’t help but find the situation amusing inwardly. It had gone too far; not only had the reputation of Fourth Brother’s wife been tarnished, but now even Shen Zi’an’s role in his mother’s demise was being brought up! She discreetly signaled to Shen Zhu.
Understanding her mother’s message, Shen Zhu whispered to Shen Youfu, “Dad, with Fourth Sister-in-law’s strong bad luck, could it affect Fifth Brother?”
Shen Youfu’s brow furrowed even deeper. Among his children, he held a special fondness for the twins, especially his son, Shen Yuji, who was smart and promising. Shen Youfu had high hopes for him, sacrificing financially to ensure his education and future were secure. He couldn’t let anything disrupt this!
“What nonsense are you spouting?!” Shen Zhang shi scolded Shen Zhu insincerely, then with a concerned tone added, “Dear, don’t worry. If necessary, we can have Ziju stay elsewhere. And if he doesn’t perform well, he can retake the exams. We can work a few more years to support him. If all else fails, it’s his fate. We can’t let Zi’an suffer.”
Shen Youfu was moved by Shen Zhang shi’s words, appreciating her care for Shen Zi’an despite not being his biological son. He felt lucky to have her and made a decision.
“Nonsense! Ziju’s education is a top priority in this household. How can we let it be ruined for a daughter-in-law? Instead of suggesting Ziju move out, let Zi’an and his family leave!”