Chapter 17

"Chapter 17: Bringer of Fortune."

"Mrs. Zhang was feeding Xiang Xiang goat milk in her room. Hearing the noise, she quickly placed Xiang Xiang on the kang and went to the main room to pull out her two sons. She wanted to carry Ding Li as well, but was stopped by Tang Shi."

"'My son doesn’t need your care.'"

"The mother and her two sons returned to the eastern wing."

"Mrs. Zhang asked in a low voice, 'What happened?'"

"Ding Li Chun replied, 'Grandfather said that Uncle Five made a face, refusing even to hold Xiang Xiang. Uncle Five complained, what's so great about a girl, questioning why everyone dotes on her. When brother Li Lai turned one, grandfather only hosted five tables of guests, but for this girl, he's hosting twelve. Grandfather got upset, saying ten grandsons couldn't compare to this one granddaughter. It's his money and he'll spend it as he pleases.'"

"Ding Zhao's generation consists of sons from three branches. Ding You Cai is the eldest, followed by Ding Zhao, then Ding You Shou, Ding Qin, and Ding Chi."

"Ding Li Ren added, 'Uncle Five asked grandfather for twenty taels for business, but was refused and told not to squander money. Uncle then threatened to borrow from 'Uncle' Xue Da Hu in the provincial city. Grandfather said if he dared to approach the Xue family, he would no longer be considered his son, threatening to break his legs. Uncle Five sat on the ground, crying and calling for ‘mother’. Grandfather got even angrier, throwing stools and teacups at him.'"

"While they were discussing this, Ding Chi, with his wife and child in tow, rushed out of the main room and then out of the yard. Ding Zhao went out to try and calm the situation."

"Chi, it's getting dark now, we might not be able to enter the city gates. Apologize to your father and leave tomorrow."

"I don’t want to stay in this house. The old man never cared for me as a son..."

"The yard fell into silence."

"Mrs. Zhang knew that only Xiang Xiang could cheer up the old man, so she took the three children to the main room."

"Ding Zhuang was sitting in a chair, grumbling. He was about to take his anger out on his grandsons when he saw his daughter-in-law come in with his granddaughter."

"Upon seeing the little one, all his anger dissipated in an instant, and he reached out to hold Xiang Xiang."

"'My treasure, I still have you.'"

"Ding Li Ren immediately said, 'Grandpa, you have not only sister but also my big brother and me.'"

"Mrs. Zhang arranged the stools and swept the room clean with a broom."

"Ding Zhao returned after a little more than two quarters of an hour."

"'Don't worry, dad, I convinced Chi to go to Uncle Three's house for tonight.'"

"Ding Zhuang snorted, 'Nonsense. Even if they slept on the mountain, I wouldn't care. What's there to worry about?'"

"Ding Zhao added, 'Dad, you were too hasty earlier. We should have listened to what business Chi wanted to do…'"

"Ding Zhuang replied, 'Do you still not understand Chi’s nature? He aims too high and falls short. He’s dreaming of ‘big business’. He’s nearly squandered his wife’s dowry and now eyes my money. Poor Li Lai, saddled with such useless parents. One's a daydreamer, the other's a fool, neither caring for the child. Li Lai is only a year younger than Li Ren, yet he barely speaks, knows nothing but eating…'"

"Ding Li Ren bragged, 'I can count to one hundred and recite poems…'"

"Seeing his father’s stern look, he quickly fell silent."

"At night, Mrs. Zhang asked Ding Zhao, 'Do you think your younger brother will really go to the provincial city to borrow money from the Xue family?'"

"Ding Zhao replied, 'The Xue family’s matriarch despises my mother and maternal grandmother. They won’t acknowledge him. Chi knows this well, he's just trying to provoke dad. Both Uncle Three and I advised him to start with small business and work his way up.'"

"Mrs. Zhang continued, 'I don’t understand what Tang Shi is thinking, just letting her husband squander her dowry. Father-in-law scolding him is for her own good, yet she’s unhappy, saying he’s overstepping. She never controlled her husband before, so she shouldn’t now.'"

"Ding Zhao commented, 'Chi followed a wandering Taoist for a few days to learn face-reading and got obsessed. He insists Tang Shi has a fortune-bringing face, even claims she’s a great boon. Fooled her into losing her virtue and then marrying into our family, using her dowry for some 'big business.' Tang Shi, silly as she is, believed him and let him squander away. If Chi really could read faces, I’d fry tofu on my palm.'"

"Initially, Xiang Xiang felt some sympathy for Ding Chi. Neglected by his biological father due to his mother's background and raised by an aunt, his character was unlikely to be sunny, and resentment towards his father, favored elder brother, and niece was understandable. Just like her past life, where she harbored more than just resentment towards her negligent parents."

"Now, she realized Ding Chi wasn’t just flawed in character, distant from his family, but also impractical and arrogant, constantly dreaming of striking it rich."

"Tang Shi was indeed naive, allowing her husband to run amok."

"Tang Shi’s family was quite affluent, owning two shops and a candied fruit workshop in the county town. Being the only daughter with a younger brother, she was quite pampered by her family despite her simplicity."

"Somehow, Chi managed to charm her and got her pregnant."

After the Tang family found out, they gave Ding Chi a good beating, but their daughter, not being very clever, still insisted on marrying him. They reluctantly agreed to the marriage and provided a dowry that included a small house in the county town and a hundred taels of silver, along with some jewelry.

Tang Shi’s father wanted to take Ding Chi into their business, but Ding Chi disdained the Tang family's modest enterprise and chose to go solo. After three years of trying, not only did he achieve nothing, but he also nearly squandered the hundred taels of dowry...

It started to rain in the middle of the night, the droplets rhythmically tapping on the roof tiles.

Ding Xiang was startled awake by the sound, humming and murmuring. In the past two days, she had begun to control her bowel movements a bit. If changed on time, she wouldn't soil her diapers.

Mrs. Zhang and Ding Zhao woke up to the noise, one changing diapers and the other heating sheep milk in the kitchen.

Although Ding Zhao and his wife took meticulous care of Ding Xiang, she eagerly awaited the day when she could sleep separately from them.

Some things were just too awkward.

The autumn rain continued for several days, bringing cooler weather.

Ding Zhuang also went to the forge to work. He would take breaks to rush home to check on Ding Xiang, then hurry back to the forge.

Ding Xiang found it amusing, somewhat resembling maternity leave benefits of her previous life.

Seeing her father-in-law's exertion, Mrs. Zhang suggested she could carry the child to the forge at noon to see them. Ding Zhuang refused, suggesting they wait until next spring when the child was older and the weather warmer.

When the forge was not busy, Ding Zhao would carry a banner advertising his treatment for boils and pimples around the town, or go to Linshui County to find work.

In modern times, where hygiene is better and people bathe more frequently, diseases like boils and carbuncles are rare. Ding Xiang had never seen such ailments in her previous life. In ancient times, however, due to poorer conditions and infrequent bathing, such diseases were more common.

Not all those who suffered from these diseases were unclean; other factors also contributed, such as obesity and diabetes.

People did seek Ding Zhao for treating their boils, providing him with a second source of income. Though not much, it was better than nothing.

Ding Xiang thought her father was smart and studious, wondering why he didn't follow his mother's last wish to study and take the imperial examinations.

To spend time with their sister, Ding Li Chun and Ding Li Ren frequently got scolded and beaten, and even the family dog Blacky wasn't spared from kicks.

From early morning, the house was filled with shouting and yelling.

Time passed joyously amid chaos, and before they knew it, the end of the twelfth lunar month arrived, with the fragrance of the wintersweet plant at the corner of the wall filling the air.