Chapter 21

"Chapter 21: The Curse"

"Another woman laughed, 'Oh, this little girl knows you're scolding her grandfather and is angry. Even as a blacksmith, they have money, living better than us.'"

"Wu Xiashi pursed her lips, looking at Ding Xiang and said, 'Blacksmith Ding didn't brag; this little girl really is too beautiful, not resembling the Ding family at all. She always smells of medicine, surely a sign of poor health. They say children who are too beautiful are heavenly beings facing tribulations on earth, and they won’t live long before heaven takes them back...'"

"Xie hastily interjected, 'Don’t talk nonsense, my second uncle is right here...'"

Before she could finish, a loud shout came from the courtyard, "I'll curse your ancestors! How dare you curse my granddaughter, I'll kill you."

It was Ding Zhuang's voice.

Wu Xiashi, terrified out of her wits, bolted away. Ding Hongbi, notorious in Gu An Town for his fierceness, wasn't someone many dared to provoke.

Moments later, Ding Zhuang charged out, pursuing Wu Xiashi.

During the festive season, Ding Xiang didn’t want Ding Zhuang to fight, and she started to wail loudly.

Hearing his granddaughter crying, Ding Zhuang reluctantly stopped. Still feeling indignant, he bent down, picked up a stone, and threw it at Wu Xiashi, hitting her ankle.

Wu Xiashi stumbled, enduring the pain as she hurried away.

"Ding Zhuang, cursing under his breath, walked back, while Ding Shan came out to calm him down."

"Upon Ding Zhuang's return, word of his chasing Wu Xia Shi had already spread through the village, with Ding Qiao and Ding Li Chun preparing to search for him."

"Ding Qiao advised, 'Dad, it’s the New Year, let's not get angry over some foolish woman.'"

"Ding Zhuang, eyes bulging, said, 'Do you know what that wretched woman said? She cursed Xiang Xiang to be taken by the heavens. If Xiang Xiang hadn’t cried out in fear, I would have beaten her to death.'"

"Hearing this, both Ding Qiao and Ding Li Chun became furious, grabbing household tools as weapons. One wielded a wooden stick, the other a fire poker, ready to fight."

"Ding Li Ren, realizing his sister was being bullied, picked up a large rock."

"Were they about to engage in a group fight?"

"Ding Xiang, though moved, didn’t want them to fight. Whoever gets hurt, it’s not good, especially her young brothers."

"She hugged Ding Zhuang’s neck, crying loudly without tears, her voice seeming to say 'afraid.'"

"It sounded like she was saying 'scared.'"

"Zhang Shi also came to pull Ding Qiao back, saying, 'Don’t frighten Xiang Xiang. That foul woman doesn’t warrant you men getting involved. I’ll go and curse her ancestors another day.'"

"Even the gentle Zhang Shi was angry enough to curse."

"Amidst the commotion, there was a knock at the door."

"Ding Li Chun ran to open it, and a man in his thirties entered."

"Holding a piece of salted meat, he bowed and said, 'Uncle Ding, brothers, sorry about that. That foul woman has a dirty mouth; I’ve already beaten her. Her ankle's swollen from Uncle Ding’s stone, she won’t dare again. This meat is to apologize, don’t let it upset you.'"

"It was Wu Xia Shi’s husband, Wu Er Fa."

"Ding Zhuang pushed him, causing him to stumble, 'Son of a bitch, how dare you come to my house.'"

"Had he not been holding Xiang Xiang, Ding Zhuang would have hit him."

"Ding Qiao, glaring furiously, said, 'My daughter is our treasure. Your wife dared to curse her with such foul words. Believe me, I’ll stab you both if you test me.'"

"With two towering men glaring at him, Wu Er Fa trembled in fear."

"He quickly apologized, 'I won’t let it happen again. If that wretched woman speaks nonsense again, I'll deal with her first.' He then smiled at Ding Xiang, saying, 'Little Xiang Xiang is not only smart and pretty but also has a face of fortune. She’ll be just like Feng Su Zhen, a female top scholar and a lady of rank.'"

"Ding Zhuang's boastful claims of his granddaughter becoming Feng Su Zhen or a female top scholar, spread through every corner of Bei Quan Village like a reckless winter wind."

"These words flattered Ding Zhuang. Seeing his frightened granddaughter, he no longer wished to fight. For her sake, he realized he couldn’t make too many enemies in the village or offend people too harshly."

"He said, 'Take the meat back, we don’t need it.'"

"With Ding Zhuang's softened tone, Wu Er Fa finally relaxed. He insisted on leaving the tied-up meat with Ding Qiao before leaving."

"The salted meat, weighing over three pounds and Wu Er Fa's pleasant words, somewhat appeased Ding Qiao’s anger. He handed the meat to Zhang Shi."

"Inside the house, Ding Qiao advised, 'Dad, we know Xiang Xiang’s worth. Let’s just be quietly happy about it. Don’t brag about her outside, it might invite jealousy.'"

"Ding Zhuang, eyes bulging, retorted, 'Nonsense. Old Wang from the west of the village brags about his grandson despite his behavior. I, Ding the blacksmith, am a well-known figure in Gu An Town. How can’t I praise my beloved granddaughter? If anyone dares to speak ill again, I’ll thrash them, women included.'"

"Ding Qiao replied, 'People gossip behind our backs, like that woman today. You didn’t hear her, so we were helpless.'"

"Ding Zhuang, considering this, agreed, 'Alright, alright, I’ll keep my praises to myself.'"

"Hearing Ding Zhuang's promise, Ding Xiang happily hugged his neck, not minding his beard."

"Ding Zhuang laughed heartily, 'My little smart one, did you understand what grandpa said?' He clicked his tongue, 'How did my granddaughter get so clever? One day, she'll be a top female scholar...'"

The entire family was left speechless.

In the afternoon, Zhang was busy in the kitchen, the two younger brothers were out playing, and Ding Zhuang, holding Ding Xiang, sat cross-legged on the kang bed with Ding Zhao, chatting about how much the blacksmith shop had earned that year.

In Gu'an Town, there was only one iron shop, and with Ding Zhuang's formidable presence, no one dared to default on payments or demand protection fees. Excluding various taxes and charges, the shop could earn around twenty-odd strings of cash annually. This year, with Ding Zhao away for most of it, they earned just sixteen strings after taxes.

The harvest from the fields was decent, and after selling the surplus grain and paying taxes, they netted eleven strings...

Suddenly, the courtyard gate sounded, signaling the return of Ding Chi and his family.

The three of them went straight into the house to greet Ding Zhuang.

Ding Xiang got a clear view of all three.

Ding Chi was tall and thin, bearing a strong resemblance to Ding Zhao. Perhaps due to his thinness, his eyes appeared larger, his nose higher, giving him a slicker and somewhat more attractive appearance.

Tang, entering this home, seemed as if she had walked into the wrong place. Accustomed to the rough-skinned, shabbily dressed countrywomen, Ding Xiang was somewhat dazzled by her.

She wore a silver-red satin embroidered cotton jacket with a red-gold plum blossom hairpin, three silver lotus hairpins, and her makeup was rather bold and colorful.

She was also attractive, with big eyes, a high nose bridge, and plump lips. Slightly plump with a hint of a double chin, her well-fitted clothes accentuated her curvaceous figure.

However, her eyes were a bit too far apart and her philtrum a bit long. As she entered, she stared blankly at Ding Xiang, not seeming particularly bright.

Little Ding Li was chubby and round, with a large face, a button nose, and an upturned mouth, a typical Ding family child, resembling Ding Lichun and Ding Liren’s younger brother.

Upon entering, his eyes immediately fixed on the plate of sesame soft cakes on the kang table.