I Am A Husband Curser, And You Are A Wife Curser. - Chapter 16

Chapter 16: Testing the Waters

Yang Tongshan knew Ming Le’s temperament well. She had been spoiled by him to the point where it was impossible for her to actually agree to him fathering a child elsewhere. Her so-called “concession” was merely a desperate test.

The issue of progeny had been a chronic ache in their hearts. In recent years, as Ming Le’s sisters and peers began having their second or third children, her anxiety had reached a breaking point. Her father-in-law buying that young maid had been the final straw; now, Ming Le treated their marital intimacy like a grim military task. After every session, she would prop her hips up or even stand on her head, refusing to let him help her clean up, insisting on “retaining” everything for as long as possible.

Yesterday, when he returned, he even discovered Ming Le secretly keeping a jar of live scorpions. She claimed an “old miracle doctor” told her it was a secret folk remedy: swallowing a live scorpion after intimacy would guarantee a son. Yang Tongshan had been so furious he nearly smashed the jar over that old fraud’s head.

“Instead of torturing yourself, why don’t you focus on fussing over our new brother-in-law?” Yang Tongshan held Ming Le in his arms, letting her tears soak his inner garment. “Feed him all those tonics you hate. When he’s nourished and healthy, he can have several children. When the time comes, we’ll pick the one we like best and bring them over to raise as our own, alright? Ming Le, forget it. Let yourself go.”

Yang Tongshan planned to talk to his father-in-law tomorrow. He wanted to urge the old man to sell that maid at the country estate as soon as possible, so she would stop being a thorn in Ming Le’s heart.

The next morning, Mother Yang noticed that neither of her daughters-in-law looked well. One had bloodshot eyes, clearly having cried all night; the other looked as though he had been drained of all energy by a demon, looking ready to topple over with a single gust of wind. Mother Yang felt so stifled she couldn’t even finish her breakfast.

In the morning, while Xiangxi was napping, Yanzi came to call him, saying someone was at the door looking for him.

Who would be looking for him? Xiangxi didn’t know. He went to the door and saw an old neighbor from the alley. The man had come to deliver a message: “Your sister-in-law is about to give birth. Your brother wants you to come back and take a look.”

Xiangxi immediately wanted to rush back, but Mother Yang, having overheard, stopped him. “Slow down, don’t go back empty-handed.” She arranged for Yanzi to pack some brown sugar, red dates, and other tonics, and secretly tucked two taels of silver into Xiangxi’s hand.

“In case the birth is difficult, use this money to get a doctor.” Mother Yang remembered her own experience giving birth to Yang Tongchuan; it had been perilous and had damaged her constitution permanently. She knew childbirth was a walk through the gates of hell, and silver was often the price for a life.

Xiangxi rushed home with the goods. When he arrived, he found Bao’er playing in the mud in the courtyard and his brother boiling water in the kitchen. Inside the house, his sister-in-law was already crying out in pain.

“Brother, how is it?”

“The midwife says it looks okay. But the baby is premature, a few weeks early. She’s afraid he’ll be hard to raise.”

“Why so early?”

“She said… it was from overwork.” Xiang Qiang squatted on the ground in agony.

Xiangxi picked up Bao’er to soothe him. The brothers sat in the courtyard from morning until afternoon. Finally, the midwife’s joyful news came out: “It’s a boy! It’s a boy!”

But the brothers outside didn’t hear a baby’s cry. The sound of the midwife slapping the infant’s bottom to prompt a cry echoed out into the yard. Xiang Qiang waited in breathless anxiety until finally, a thin, weak wail broke the silence. The first hurdle was cleared.

After the midwife bathed the baby and cleaned up the sister-in-law, Xiang Qiang finally went in to see his son. The baby was premature, wrinkled like a little old man, and barely the size of Bao’er’s cloth tiger.

“He’s small, but that cry sounds healthy enough. Just nurture him well,” the midwife said. She had seen babies even smaller than this; this one was considered lucky. However, the baby’s body was covered in bruises—likely a sign of the struggle inside the womb.

After giving the midwife her red envelope, Xiang Qiang sat on the kang bed holding his son, grinning like a fool. Xiangxi sent the midwife off, then went to the kitchen to brew a pot of warm tea with the red dates and goji berries Mother Yang had provided.

“Sister-in-law, have some water.”

“Thank you, Xixi.” Though exhausted, the stone in her heart had finally dropped now that the child was safe.

Xiangxi cooked a pot of noodle soup for the family. As the sky grew late, he couldn’t stay overnight, so he bid them farewell. Before leaving, he tried to give the two taels of silver to his brother.

“Xixi, I appreciate your mother-in-law’s kindness, but I can’t take this. If I take this money, you won’t be able to hold your head up in the Yang household.”

“Brother, it’s fine. I’ll pay her back when I return.”

“That’s not how it works. Be good. Knowing you are living well is enough for me. Go on, get back.” Seeing Xiangxi’s fine clothes, Xiang Qiang knew his brother was being treated well, and he refused to become a burden.

Xiangxi returned to the Yang house before sunset. The first thing he did was return the two taels to Mother Yang and convey his brother’s gratitude.

“Was it a boy, a girl, or a ger?” Mother Yang asked.

“A boy. He’s a bit small because he was early, but the midwife said he’ll be fine.”

“Amitabha. Don’t worry, back in the day, we often had premature babies. As long as they can cry and eat, they’ll survive. Also, Er-lang sent word earlier. He has to go to the neighboring county for a case tonight and won’t be back for a few days.”

“Did he say what kind of case?”

“He didn’t. He’s had to go away for cases before, it’s quite common.”

Mother Yang was comforting Xiangxi, but she was also comforting herself.

The nights without Yang Tongchuan were strange. Xiangxi tossed and turned, unable to sleep. Every time he closed his eyes, he imagined Yang Tongchuan getting into trouble. “Pah, pah, pah! Bad luck away, good luck stay!” He took out the sandalwood beads and spent the night chanting “Amitabha” just like Mother Yang.

The second day, Yang Tongchuan didn’t return. Nor the third. By the fourth day, Xiangxi couldn’t sit still and wanted to go to the yamen to ask around. Father Yang refused. “Let the eldest brother go inquire. You stay here.”

Xiangxi waited at the door in agony. When Yang Tongshan finally returned, Xiangxi rushed forward. “Brother, how is it?”

“The yamen only says they are working a case out of town and haven’t returned yet. They won’t say anything else.”

Xiangxi’s heart was in his throat. He lost weight visibly over those few days. Finally, that night, after the family had all lain down, a loud pounding came from the front door.

“Father! Mother! Xixi! I’m back!”

Xiangxi was the first to charge out. He opened the door to see a dirty but physically whole Yang Tongchuan. Xiangxi threw himself onto him, hugging him tight. Yang Tongchuan, seeing his spouse the moment he got home, couldn’t have been happier.