Chapter 47: A Bit Unlucky

“Lili, have you eaten enough?” Lu Baozhen’s childish voice echoed through the quiet “new” room.

Big red double happiness characters were pasted on the earthen walls; the bed was red, covered with a quilt embroidered with dragons and phoenixes, its fabric worn thin and patched from repeated use.

The little girl sat cross-legged on the bed, her hair tied into two small pigtails, wearing a bright red cotton round-collar shirt.

She was talking to her own hand.

“No,” the black carp spoke, its voice also childlike, like that of a five- or six-year-old, gender indistinguishable.

Lu Baozhen’s face crumpled in worry.

“Go find Gu Dacai and Gu Ercai,” the black carp said. “If any one of them accepts you, I can give you everything you want.”

To charm the innocent human child, its tone turned seductive: “Piles of White Rabbit milk candies, endless dresses, beautiful hair clips—you want anything, I’ll give it to you.”

Lu Baozhen wanted it all.

But.

She hung her head, pouting: “Big Cai and Er Cai won’t even look at me.”

The black carp fell silent.

It urged the child: “Try harder.”

Lu Baozhen didn’t understand. She propped her chin, puzzled: “How do I try harder?”

The mark on her tiger’s mouth trembled violently—the carp was deeply stirred.

Communicating with human children was exhausting.

“Go play with them.”

Lu Baozhen’s head sank lower. She wanted to cry, voice trembling: “Big Cai and Er Cai run away when they see me—I can’t catch them.”

The black carp fell silent.

Lu Baozhen didn’t want to disappoint her friend. “What if you eat my stepmother’s luck instead?”

“...”

After tonight, your stepmother’s forehead will turn dark—what luck does she have left?

“Your stepmother will become a jinx,” the black carp said in a sweet, soft child’s voice, uttering chilling words.

It added: “The Gu family’s third branch has the best luck in the whole village. You must become friends with them—or your sweet candies, beautiful dresses, and hair clips will vanish.”

Lu Baozhen stared at her fingers, voice thick with tears: “But I don’t know how.”

The black carp had no patience for babying children. It threatened: “If you can’t do it, I’ll find another friend.”

With that, it vanished instantly.

“Lili!” Lu Baozhen cried out.

No answer.

After a long while, she wiped her tears and whimpered: “I’ll be friends with Big Cai and Er Cai. Lili can only be mine.”

The black carp was satisfied. Its shadow flickered past.

In an instant, a White Rabbit milk candy appeared before Lu Baozhen.

“It’s White Rabbit!” Lu Baozhen’s watery eyes lit up with delight.

She jumped up, shouting: “Lili!”

The black carp didn’t respond. But Lu Baozhen grew even more determined—to be friends with Big Cai and Er Cai, to help Lili find “food.”

Thinking of Gu Mu’s pitiful state, the little girl wasn’t afraid—she giggled.

Those who refuse her wishes will be punished.

“Lili, thank you for getting back at her.”

She meant Gu Mu’s punishment for rejecting her.

The black carp murmured softly: “We’re best friends.”

Its mouth opened wide, a tiny black hole, uttering the sweetest words.

Ah-ba ah-ba, fan fan.

Lin Zhao didn’t know any of this yet—but now awakened, she understood how evil Lu Baozhen truly was: a classic case of “follow me and prosper, defy me and perish.”

Whoever made her unhappy, she made unlucky.

What puzzled Lin Zhao was: how did Lu Baozhen make people who disliked her suffer?

Gu Dacai was learning characters with his mother. When he asked a question and got no reply, he looked up and saw his mother staring blankly. He set down his flashcard and asked: “Mama, what’s wrong?”

“Cai, do you know who your grandmother saw before she got hurt? Or who she spoke to?” Lin Zhao had planned to ask Gu Mu later, but her curiosity was too strong.

And

With some dangerous person secretly watching, she couldn’t calm her mind.

Gu Dacai thought carefully. Seeing Gu Ercai sneak a spicy strip, he snatched it away, his expression serious: “Er Cai, Mama’s asking you—think about it too.”

Gu Ercai was a child who multitasked—he was eating the spicy strip but hadn’t ignored his mother; he knew exactly what Lin Zhao had just asked.

He shoved the strip into his mouth and sucked his fingers hard.

“Mama should’ve asked me sooner—I know,” he said clearly.

Lin Zhao’s face brightened. “Tell me.”

Gu Ercai said: “Lu Baozhen.”

It really was her!!

Lin Zhao’s eyes flashed with understanding. She asked: “Did your grandmother tell you?”

“Someone saw,” Gu Ercai said.

A look of disgust crossed his plump little face. “Mama, isn’t Lu Baozhen the jinx that Auntie Sheng said about? Everyone near her gets unlucky?”

Lin Zhao: “Huh?”

She distinctly remembered the original novel saying Lu Baozhen was a blessing, bringing good fortune.

How did she become a jinx in Gu Ercai’s eyes?!

Gu Ercai puffed out his cheeks, indignant: “I don’t care if she’s a jinx—I hate her!”

“She’s the one who made Grandma bleed! I hate her so much!” Gu Ercai blamed Lu Baozhen for Gu Mu’s injury and despised her intensely.

“It’s not that...” Lin Zhao wanted to explain, to discourage superstition, but Gu Ercai cut her off.

The child huffed twice, then continued: “She asked Grandma why my brother and I didn’t go to her house. She asked if she could play with us. Grandma knew we didn’t like her, so she said ‘another day.’ Then Grandma fell.”

Here, Gu Ercai sighed heavily, wishing he could eat another spicy strip.

“If only I’d gone with Grandma—I’d have stopped her from falling.”

He was a real boy—he would’ve protected Grandma.

Lin Zhao sensed something odd.

She thoughtfully asked: “Wait—you said she asked your grandmother if she could play with you?”

Gu Dacai said: “That’s exactly what Grandma said! I remember too!”

“Mama, is something wrong?”

Something was wrong!

Very wrong!

In the village, kids who wanted to play just went over—no one asked parents for permission first.

Strange.

Very strange.

Lin Zhao’s mind raced. Suddenly, she grasped something—her eyes blazed.

Could it be she wanted something from Big Cai and Er Cai—and the barrier was... Grandmother’s approval?

The theory was absurd—but it made sense. If she had a fortune wheel, Lu Baozhen having strange luck wasn’t surprising.

In that case, some of the novel’s absurd plot points suddenly made sense.

“Mama?” Gu Dacai tilted his head.

Lin Zhao kissed her eldest son hard on the cheek, her expression light: “You’ve helped me so much.”

Gu Dacai’s pale face flushed pink—he couldn’t believe Mama loved him so much.

Lin Zhao turned and saw Gu Ercai’s greasy little hand reaching again for the open bag of spicy strips.

“Gu Ercai!”

No child was immune to fear at hearing their full name.

Gu Ercai yanked his hand back instantly, sat up straight, eyes darting—to the ceiling, the bed, the cabinet—anywhere but his mother.

“...” You’ve turned cover-your-ears-and-steal-the-bell into an art form.

“No more today,” Lin Zhao took the bag, glancing at Gu Ercai. “Especially you, Gu Ercai—if your throat hurts, don’t come crying to me.”

At that moment, Gu Ercai believed spicy strips were the tastiest thing on earth. He licked his lips, hissed twice, and softened his voice to beg.

“I’m not afraid of a sore throat—Mama, just one more, please～～”

“Stop your begging—it won’t work!” Lin Zhao smiled sweetly, sealed the remaining half-bag, and handed it to Gu Dacai. “Gu Dacai, you and your brother were supposed to split it evenly. Gu Ercai ate half—this half is yours. Time for bed. Eat it tomorrow, okay?”

Gu Dacai took it, beaming: “Okay, thank you, Mama.”

Lin Zhao patted his head. “Go wash up and sleep.”

Gu Ercai and his brother left the room, heads drooping, their tiny backs radiating pitiful sadness.

For the first time in his five-and-a-half years, the greedy child felt regret—just thinking of no spicy strips tomorrow made him miserable.

“Ying, ying, ying!!”

Lin Zhao stepped outside to use the latrine and heard those three heavy, emotionless “ying” sounds—she couldn’t help but laugh and sigh at once.

If you can’t whimper, then don’t whimper.

She held back her laughter and went to the outhouse.

Da Zai glanced at his mother’s retreating back, grabbed his brother’s hand, and whispered, “We’ll eat together tomorrow.”

Seeing Er Zai about to speak, he quickly raised his index finger to his lips and shushed.

Er Zai imitated his brother’s shush, his eyes bright with laughter, and whispered, “Thanks, Brother. I’ll just have one.”

He looked utterly regretful. “I’ll never be greedy for food again.”

“Mm.” Da Zai said. “Listen to Mom. Don’t make her angry.”

“Mm.”

The next day, Lin Zhao dropped the children off at the old family home and rode her bike to work.

She hadn’t been gone long when the Lu family’s house erupted in commotion.

Yuan Bao ran to the Gu family’s old home to rouse them. “Twins, there’s a show—come watch?”

Er Zai loved a good spectacle—he shot out the door like a bolt, his sandals scraping sparks from the dirt.

A few steps from the gate, Yuan Bao added, “The entertainment today’s courtesy of the Lu family. Hurry, hurry, let’s grab good spots—otherwise we won’t stand a chance against the adults.”

At those words, Er Zai clamped his legs together and slammed on the brakes; his sandals skidded half a meter across the mud, his body pitching forward, arms flailing like windmills—until he twisted himself into a crooked sugarcane skewer.

He snapped upright.

He waved at Yuan Bao.

“You go. I’m not going.”

Yuan Bao blinked in surprise. “Why not?”

“Pah!” Er Zai spat like the old men at the village entrance. “The Lu family made Grandma bleed and get hurt. We’re enemies with them—we’re not watching their show.”

“...Alright.” Yuan Bao sighed, disappointed.

He dashed off, eager for the spectacle, shouting as he ran, “Er Zai, wait! I’ll tell you everything after I’ve seen it!”

Er Zai tiptoed and waved vigorously. “I’ll wait for you.”

Meanwhile, at the Lu household.

Su Yuxian sat helplessly on the ground, clutching her bleeding foot, her hair wild, staring up at her sister-in-law with humiliation in her eyes.

“What are you staring at? You wicked woman! My brother shouldn’t have married you—on your very first day, you’re trying to starve our parents, our little sister, and Baozhen! How cruel you are!” Lu’s little sister immediately hurled accusations at Su Yuxian.

Lu’s mother slapped her thigh and launched into a dramatic performance, wailing to the heavens.

“My fate is so bitter! Every daughter-in-law I get is worse than the last—before, mine was a sickly thing; now this one, before marriage she seemed fine, but on her very first day, she’s smashing bowls and plates!”

She picked up the porcelain shards with a pained expression, tears streaming down her face.

“We only had so few bowls to begin with—two already broken this morning, two! How are we supposed to eat now...”

Her theatrical performance was too entertaining—the neighbors couldn’t hold back and burst out laughing.

Instantly, everyone’s attention snapped to them.

A young man scratched his head and offered advice: “It’s not like you can’t eat—just let one person finish, then the next eats. Same thing, same thing.”

After speaking, he quickly ducked back.

Su Yuxian was also aggrieved. “I didn’t do it on purpose. Would I really smash bowls on purpose?”

“Who knows?” Lu’s little sister crossed her arms. Her high, sharp cheekbones glinted with shrewdness—she looked hard to deal with.

“Maybe you don’t want to cook, so you smashed them on purpose.”

The more she thought about it, the angrier she got. She turned to Lu Yizhou, stomping her foot in fury. “Brother, look at the wife you married! On her first day, she’s already wasting family property—quickly, divorce her!”

“Enough!” Lu Yizhou snapped.

He was a soldier—he knew more than the villagers. He knew the word “divorce” was feudal residue and couldn’t be spoken.

“No talk of divorce. This is a new society,” Lu Yizhou said sternly.

Then he scooped Su Yuxian up by the waist and placed her on a stool.

“She’s your sister-in-law. Show some restraint,” he warned his younger sister.

Su Yuxian looked at Lu Yizhou, her face full of gratitude, yet still pretending magnanimity. “Yizhou, I’m fine. My little sister didn’t mean it. Today’s fault is mine—I didn’t hold the bowls and chopsticks properly.”

Lu’s little sister was furious. “Stop pretending! It’s clearly your fault!”

Her mother had said the new bowls in the house were meant for her dowry. Su Yuxian had broken two—so she’d have to replace them with two new ones, meaning Lu’s little sister lost two.

Thinking of this, Lu’s little sister wanted to tear Su Yuxian’s heart out.

Dowry was a girl’s backbone!

Su Yuxian lowered her head, playing the role of the mistreated.

The onlookers didn’t just watch—they whispered their opinions.

“Su Yuxian’s sister-in-law is really fierce. She won’t have an easy life from now on.”

“What’s wrong with Su Yuxian? Was she really not trying? Back in the Su family, we never heard of her breaking bowls.”

“Lu’s boy is decent—he treats his wife well. No wonder he’s one of the better youths who made it out. I heard he’s become an officer. Su Yuxian’s lucky.”

The villagers didn’t lower their voices—they leaned in, whispering, yet their voices were far from quiet.

Su Yuxian caught fragments of what they said, and a satisfied smile curled her lips.

Before the smile could fully form, the person closest to her said: “Isn’t this Su girl kind of unlucky?”

At those words, a moment of silence fell around the head of the brigade’s wife.

Everyone turned to her, eyes gleaming with anticipation.

“Yesterday, her wedding—Yuanshan’s mother got hurt and limped home in misery; last night, on her wedding night, she slashed her own foot with a cleaver—heard her toe nearly got cut off; today? She smashed more bowls...” The brigade’s wife cracked open weathered pumpkin seeds, her face alight with the thrill of knowing a secret.

“Who’s ever heard of a new bride so unlucky? She’s probably the worst in the entire commune.”

Others nodded, thinking it made sense.

“This Su girl really has rotten luck.”

Another added: “No worries—Baozhen’s luck is great. They say she finds money just walking down the road. So if Su’s luck’s bad, it doesn’t matter.”

At this point—

“Crash!”

The stool Su Yuxian sat on exploded into splinters; she plopped onto the ground, letting out a piercing scream.

“Ahh...!!”

The onlookers stared at each other in stunned silence.

Huh. Maybe she really is a little unlucky.