Chapter Forty-Four: Bewildered

The person I least want to face right now is Uncle Zhuzi. It’s not because of the care he’s shown me, nor is it because I’ve discovered how deeply he has hidden himself. Rather, it’s because every time he sees me, he wears an expression of helplessness, as if to say, “I’m doing this for your own good—why can’t you appreciate it?” Of course, I know he’s acting in my best interest, but surely I have the right and duty to pursue the truth myself.

“Uncle, my mother has already told me—it was she who asked you to persuade me. I know you’re looking out for me, but I can’t stop investigating this matter. If you truly care about me, just tell me what’s really going on. There’s no need for anything else,” I said directly to him.

“You stubborn child,” he sighed. “Fine, I’ll stop interfering. I only came to tell you: investigate if you must, but first, don’t get involved with that Tang fellow; second, keep your distance from Chen Shitou.” With that, perhaps realizing I didn’t want to talk any more, he turned and walked away.

I didn’t want to see him, but watching him leave like that made me feel uneasy inside. When I got home, Han Xue had just returned from school. As soon as she saw me, she asked angrily, “What have you been busy with these past two days? You’re like a dragon—never showing your face!”

“It’s still the same matter. The more I learn, the more complicated it seems. I don’t know when it will end,” I sighed.

“Is it convenient for you to talk to me about it?” Han Xue asked.

“It’s not really convenient right now. I haven’t sorted it out yet. Once I do, I’ll tell you.” I knew that saying this would make Han Xue angry, but there was no other way. After all, it’s better for one person to be exhausted than for everyone to be on edge.

Just then, Chen Sankui waved to me from the door. I said to Han Xue, “Go wash up and wait for dinner. I’ll step outside for a moment.”

Outside, Chen Sankui handed me a piece of paper. “These are the birth dates for both of us. Please ask the master to calculate—see if there’s any fate between me and the girl!”

“Alright, I’ll do it right away.” I was quite excited to have gotten the girl’s birth date so easily, but I kept calm in front of Sankui.

“If things work out, you’ll definitely get something good out of it,” Sankui said with his usual careless air.

“Something good? I’m helping you for free—what could you possibly do for me?” I asked him.

“Don’t underestimate me. My family is about to strike it rich!” he said proudly.

“Strike it rich?” I was taken aback.

“Shh! Don’t tell anyone! I overheard my father chatting with my eldest brother. Our family’s big opportunity is coming! The old man is very mysterious—don’t let anyone else know. I’m heading home now, just remember to ask the master to help me out!” With that, Sankui left, but his words left me in shock. We had already discovered many suspicious points about Chen Shitou, but ever since he brought that girl home, his family had become reclusive. If it weren’t for the girl’s clever plan to make Sankui the go-between, I might never have met him at all. Outsiders have no idea what Chen Shitou’s family is up to, but now Sankui tells me that Chen Shitou says his family’s big opportunity is about to arrive. Anyone else hearing that would probably laugh—how could the poorest family in the village suddenly have a big opportunity? And all because they’re keeping a trafficked girl at home? Dream on! But to me, those words carried a special meaning—it meant that the usually quiet Chen Shitou was about to make a big move.

Thinking of this, I felt a renewed sense of tension. I glanced at Han Xue in the courtyard; these busy days had left me little time to talk with her, but now all I could do was offer her a guilty smile, for I needed to find Fatty to discuss this situation. If necessary, I’d even have to consult my eldest brother, Sun Zhongmou.

When I reached Fatty’s place, I handed him the slip with Sankui and the girl’s birth dates. What I was most anxious to confirm was whether this girl shared the same fate as Xu Ailing, the fool—a destined Yin girl. Fatty understood the importance and didn’t dare slack off, quickly calculating the results. Soon, he looked puzzled. “No, it’s not as we guessed.”

“Not a destined Yin girl?” I was stunned.

“No, but this girl’s birth date is excellent. Just by looking at it, you can tell her family is prosperous, with a wealthy lineage. She’s a strong blessing to her husband, too—after marriage, she’ll greatly boost her husband’s career,” Fatty said.

“Are you sure you didn’t make a mistake? Check it again!” I said to Fatty. I was afraid the girl might be a destined Yin girl, but now that she wasn’t, I felt a sense of loss, because it meant all our previous theories would have to be overturned.

“Who do you think I am? Fatty never errs when calculating birth dates. Honestly, I wondered from the start—how could there be so many destined Yin girls? It’s precisely because this fate is rare that it’s so legendary. I didn’t think Chen Shitou could simply find one in Xinye, let alone another. That’s why we had our doubts,” Fatty explained.

Far from resolving anything, these birth dates only deepened the mystery. Fatty asked, “Whose other birth date is this?”

“Chen Shitou’s third son,” I replied, then explained how I’d gotten the girl’s birth date. Afterward, I said, “Chen Shitou claims his family’s big opportunity is coming. I thought he meant he’d sacrifice the girl to the river god and get a reward, but now that she’s not the legendary Yellow River Lady, it’s strange—what big opportunity is this?”

“Maybe Chen Shitou wants to marry the girl to one of his sons. I can see her fate clearly, and so can he. Maybe the big opportunity is that she’ll bring prosperity to the family?” Fatty wondered aloud.

“Is a girl’s blessing really that exaggerated?” I asked incredulously. Could the poorest family in the village suddenly win five million in the lottery and become the richest in Fudigou overnight?

“Not at all. These things are intangible benefits, gradual improvements. If it were that dramatic, everyone would stop working and just search for blessed wives on the streets,” Fatty said.

“I have a bad feeling—Chen Shitou is definitely planning something big. No matter what, we mustn’t let anything happen to that girl,” I said to Fatty.

“King of Thieves, I never thought you’d turn out to be such a romantic. Don’t worry, I’ll keep an eye on their family these days—nothing will happen. As for you, go find your brother, Sun Zhongmou, and tell him about our meeting with Tang Renjie,” Fatty said.

I’d been hesitating about whether to tell my brother about seeing Tang Renjie, but Fatty’s words prompted me to ask, “Why now?”

“First, to prove my innocence. I hate being falsely accused. Second, it’s a good way to test his reaction. With his temperament, if you tell him someone wants to kill him, he won’t just sit idly by,” Fatty said.

“Alright, I’ll go later. By the way, Fatty, what do you think is really on my brother’s second floor? You once said he could navigate the Twelve Ghost Caverns because he’s the King of Water Ghosts, but according to Elder Liu, what’s on the second floor is crucial!” I asked Fatty.

Fatty had been here a while, partly drawn by my brother’s mystery, so he knew about the second floor’s secrets. When I asked, his face grew serious. “How should I know? The story belongs to the water ghost clan—every trade has its own rules. Even someone as knowledgeable as me can’t know everything, right?”

Leaving Fatty’s place, I went straight to my brother’s. I thought he’d blame me for staying close to Fatty, but when I saw him, I couldn’t tell whether he was angry or not—his expression was always the same, whether angry or calm. I told him about my visit with Fatty to Tang Renjie and what we’d learned there. My brother listened quietly, his face unchanged.

“What do you think, brother?” I asked.

“I don’t know,” he replied softly.

“Don’t know?” I stared at him, wondering what kind of answer that was.

“You can tell Tang Renjie and have him pass it on to Elder Liu. The rules I set for myself won’t change,” my brother said.

“You mean, as long as it’s within three times, and they pay one hundred thousand, you’ll help them enter the Twelve Ghost Caverns?” I clarified.

My brother nodded.

I was confused again. Was my brother afraid? That seemed unlikely. Or maybe I was overthinking it—perhaps he simply insisted on his own rules?

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