I Am A Husband Curser, And You Are A Wife Curser. - Chapter 24

Chapter 24: Zhen Laifu

After dinner, Yang Tongchuan and Yang Tongshan discussed buying a dog.

“That’s fine. Your sister-in-law isn’t afraid of them, so go ahead and buy one,” Yang Tongshan agreed. After the recent incident, he felt that having a good guard dog was necessary.

The next day, Yang Tongchuan asked his colleagues for advice on where to find one. Everyone suggested he look for a hunter in the countryside; dogs raised by hunters were known to be intelligent and intuitive. After making some inquiries, Yang Tongchuan visited a well-reputed hunter whose dog had just birthed a litter.

The puppies were good, but they were far too small; he would have to wait a few months for them to be weaned. By chance, he spotted a “Five-Black” dog (a dog with black fur, tongue, roof of mouth, paw pads, and claws) kept in a cage in the corner. The dog was handsome, with glossy black fur that shone as if oiled, without a single stray hair, and bright, spirited eyes.

“Senior, is this dog for sale?”

“I can’t sell this one. It broke a hind leg once. Although it’s healed now, it can’t handle heavy labor or chase horses for hunting anymore. I’ve kept it as a watchdog for the house.”

“Bring it out for a look. I don’t need it for hunting, just for guarding the house.”

The hunter led the dog out for a few paces. There was indeed an issue with the right hind leg; it walked normally, but as soon as it ran, it tucked the leg up and moved on three paws. Yang Tongchuan felt the leg; it was thin, lacking the muscular build of the left one.

“See? I don’t cheat people. That leg will never be the same,” the hunter said.

“How old is it?”

“Exactly one year. If it weren’t for the leg, it would’ve been an expert hunter.”

“I’ll take him. He’s enough for a watchdog. Give me a discount.”

Eventually, Yang Tongchuan brought the Five-Black dog home at a bargain price. Father and Mother Yang took an immediate liking to it; since it would stay in the courtyard, the leg wasn’t a problem. Xiangxi was a bit scared at first, but seeing how docile the dog was, he slowly warmed up to it. The eldest sister-in-law had expected a puppy, so the kennel she built was too small; she and Yanzi set about resizing it.

Father Yang chose a name that symbolized guarding the house: Zhen (to suppress/guard), so they called him Zhen Laifu.

Zhen Laifu adapted quickly. Within an afternoon, he had explored every corner of the courtyard. When he encountered family members, he would even approach them and roll over to show his belly. It wasn’t until evening, when a visiting neighbor was so startled by his fierce bark that she tripped over the threshold, that the women of the house realized this black dog wasn’t just “good-tempered.” Because of the scare, Yang Tongchuan brought home a thin iron chain and a leather collar; the dog was tethered during the day and let loose at night.

As June passed, the weather grew sweltering. With Xiangxi’s belly growing larger, Yang Tongchuan wanted to take him out to get some loose-fitting clothes made. Xiangxi thought it unnecessary, suggesting they just alter his old ones since he wouldn’t wear them after the birth anyway.

“Don’t settle. You can wear them again when you’re pregnant next time.”

Xiangxi hit him in frustration; the current one hadn’t even arrived, and he was already thinking about the next. Ultimately, they went to the tailor shop. The shopkeeper’s spouse came out to take measurements. Being experienced, he left plenty of room in the garment so it could be worn through the autumn. They ordered three sets, and though Xiangxi winced at the cost, his own sewing skills were too poor to do the job himself.

On their way back, they ran into Xiang Qiang.

“Brother? What are you doing here?” Xiangxi asked. At this hour, his brother should have been at the docks.

“I’m buying flour. Business at the market has been good, and we ran out.”

“The market? You’re not at the docks?” Xiangxi feared he had run into trouble.

“No more docks. Too much trouble for too little money. Your husband helped me find a stall at the West City Market. The rent is fair, and there’s business morning, noon, and night. We’re earning much more than before. Didn’t he tell you?” Xiang Qiang had been there for a few days, and business was blooming.

“I haven’t had the chance to tell him yet,” Yang Tongchuan interjected.

While on patrol, Yang Tongchuan had noticed a wonton stall at the market had gone vacant because the owner was too old to continue. He checked the rent—it was higher than the docks, but the foot traffic was immense and the customers had more spending power. He had discussed it with Xiang Qiang, and it was actually the sister-in-law who made the final decision to take the leap.

Now, the couple had added small wontons and “oil-residue” (pork crackling) cakes to their menu. Their income had surged. They even hired an elderly neighbor for ten wen a day to watch their two children.

Shocked, Xiangxi followed his brother to the new stall. His sister-in-law was busy wrapping wontons for the evening rush. “Xixi! You’re here! Sit, sit. Have you eaten? I’ll boil some wontons for you.”

Before Xiangxi could refuse, the wontons were in the pot. He whispered to Yang Tongchuan, “Why didn’t you tell me sooner?”

“I wasn’t sure if it would work out. I wanted to wait until they were settled.”

Xiang Qiang brought over the oil-residue cakes and the steaming wontons. Xiangxi watched his sister-in-law; she was wearing a pair of small silver earrings and looked much healthier than before. Life was clearly going well.

Xiangxi, distracted by his family, didn’t notice how hot the soup was. Just as he was about to take a bite, Yang Tongchuan stopped him. “Careful, it’s hot.” He took the bowl, blew on it carefully to cool it, and then handed it back. He even broke the large cake into smaller pieces so Xiangxi wouldn’t overeat and get indigestion.

Xiang Qiang looked up and caught this scene. It was clear as day: Xiangxi was being very well cared for.