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Night had fallen.
The children of the Tan family, after a day of rowdiness, were all sound asleep.
Wan Chunmei gently draped a thin quilt over Little Qiyue and Tan Liujin, then nudged Old Tan, who was snoring away.
“Hey, Old Tan, Old Tan.”
Startled awake by her voice, Old Tan sat up quickly and asked, “What’s wrong? What happened? Is something the matter?”
Wan Chunmei glanced toward the inner room, confirming there was no movement, then whispered cautiously to Old Tan, “Old Tan, do you think Sanyuan’s illness has fully recovered? Should we ask someone to help us look for him?”
Old Tan immediately responded, “Look for what?”
Wan Chunmei lowered her voice, making sure the children in the inner room couldn’t hear. “Of course, to find the child’s biological parents.”
Upon hearing this, Old Tan lay back down, tugged the quilt over himself, and said, “What’s there to look for? People who could abandon their own child can’t be any good. Since we’ve raised him, he’s as good as our own. Don’t bring this up again.”
Wan Chunmei pinched him sharply and retorted, “Are you stupid? That jade piece Sanyuan has is worth a fortune. He must come from some wealthy family. If we can find his real parents, he wouldn’t have to suffer alongside us anymore.”
As she spoke, her mind wandered back to the years they had spent taking the child from place to place seeking treatment. Her eyes gradually filled with tears. “That poor boy… it’s us who’ve held him back. If it weren’t for us, his illness wouldn’t have dragged on this long.”
Seeing her like this, Old Tan’s heart softened. He slowly sat up, wrapped an arm around her, and said gently, “Alright, alright, I’ll listen to you. Next time we’re in town, I’ll take that jade pendant and ask around.”
Wan Chunmei wiped her eyes and nodded. “That’s more like it.”
Only then did Old Tan let out a sigh of relief, pulling Wan Chunmei closer into his embrace.
The next morning.
News of the village head’s wife accidentally falling and blinding herself had spread throughout the entire village.
Aunt Chen, who loved a bit of excitement, stood at the door of the Tan family, chattering away. “That Sister Liu really has terrible luck. A fall is one thing, but to hit her eye on a rock! They say her eyeball even burst. Talk about being cursed for eight lifetimes!”
The daughter-in-law of Old Zhang from the village entrance smirked and raised her eyebrows. “Isn’t it just karma for all the bad deeds she’s done? Otherwise, why would something like this happen?”
Aunt Chen nodded enthusiastically. “Exactly, exactly.”
That Liu woman had always relied on her husband’s position as the village head to boss the other women in the village around, earning their resentment.
Now that misfortune had struck Liu, no one was more delighted than them.
Inside the house, Wan Chunmei was breastfeeding and overheard their gossip. She didn’t feel particularly happy about it, though. Instead, she softly said to little Qiyue, “Our Qiyue, you must never grow up to be like them—kicking people when they’re down or harboring a mean heart.”
Little Qiyue seemed to hear her, clenching his chubby little hands twice and suckling faster.
Wan Chunmei chuckled, playfully poking his tiny, round cheeks.
Outside, Aunt Chen occasionally glanced toward the house, her face full of jealousy. “That Wan girl really has it good. Sure, she’s poor, but her husband dotes on her, and her son is so well-behaved.”
Her tone carried a sour undertone.
Old Zhang’s daughter-in-law, though young, was sharp enough to catch the implication. She deliberately raised her voice and said, “What good is a doting husband if you’re all starving? And what use is an obedient son if he’s just a fool? Aunt Chen, if you ask me, your life is still the best in Fengping Village.”
Aunt Chen and Uncle Chen, though older and not as physically capable as others, had sons who were quite accomplished.
Their eldest son worked as an assistant at a pharmacy in the county, while the second son was a cook in the household of Magistrate Cao. Although they didn’t farm much land, their days were prosperous, with no worries about food or clothing, and even a bit of extra money to spare.
Feeling proud of herself, Aunt Chen raised her eyebrows and said smugly, “Life is all about fate. I was just lucky to have a few good sons. Unlike some people, no matter how many sons they have, it’s all for nothing!”
Perhaps their voices were too loud, disturbing little Qiyue, who couldn’t nurse peacefully. She furrowed her brows ever so slightly, as if displeased.
Suddenly, a sky that had been clear and cloudless was split by a bolt of lightning, which struck a tree right next to Aunt Chen and Old Zhang’s daughter-in-law.
In an instant, sparks flew, and the small camphor tree was entirely consumed by flames, reduced to ashes.
Although Aunt Chen and Old Zhang’s daughter-in-law narrowly escaped harm, both were utterly stunned.
Especially Old Zhang’s daughter-in-law, who stared wide-eyed in shock. She slapped her own mouth several times and exclaimed, “Good heavens! I swear, words really can’t be spoken carelessly—this is literal divine retribution!”
As soon as she finished speaking, her legs gave out, and she collapsed onto the ground.