ARC 2: Stepmother in the Seventies ✦ c71~116 (46)
✦ 30
Translator: InkyDragon (https://inkydragontranslation.wordpress.com)
The whispers that started as murmurs grew into a cacophony of speculation. “Possessed?” one man scoffed. “Or maybe they’ve gone stark raving mad?”
“Insane? Both of them at the same time?” another scoffed. “That’s stretching it a bit, wouldn’t you say?”
“Who knows what mischief they got themselves into?” chimed in a third. “Maybe this strange illness is payback for all the trouble they’ve caused.”
A sly grin spread across the faces of those who had been on the receiving end of Second Dog Li and Fatty Cui’s bullying.
…
The agonising itch that had plagued their bodies finally began to wane as spring peeked through the winter’s grip, three long months after their encounter. By then, both men were haggard shadows of their former selves, especially Fatty Cui. He had shed pounds at an alarming rate, and the experience seemed to have miraculously knocked some of his arrogance out of him.
Once recovered, their wariness towards Gu Shi Chu had morphed into outright fear. They avoided her like the plague, their gazes darting away whenever their paths crossed at work. Gu Shi Chu found this highly satisfying. Bullies like them needed a healthy dose of fear, a constant reminder that strength should be used to protect, not exploit. Months of agonising itch were her punishment, a far cry from jail time or exposure. After all, Gu Shi Chu wasn’t entirely heartless.
Nearly two years had passed since Gu Shi Chu and Ji Ming Tao’s paths first intertwined. Theirs wasn’t a relationship built on whispered sweet nothings. Theirs was a physical connection, an exploration of bodies rather than hearts. Yet, a silent understanding bloomed between them, a quiet intimacy that felt like that of an old married couple, except for the inconvenient fact that public displays were strictly forbidden.
Even Zhang Wei Hong, a frequent visitor to Gu Shi Chu’s home, remained blissfully unaware of the deeper currents flowing beneath the surface. Perhaps it was her own obliviousness, or maybe it was the practised air of casualness that Gu Shi Chu and Ji Ming Tao cultivated.
Spring had sprung, melting the mountain snows. Beasts like wild boars and black bears, roused from their winter slumber, found themselves starving in the barren mountains. Desperate for food, they ventured down, with some even coming dangerously close to the village.
Panic erupted when villagers spotted a blind bear wandering their fields, sending them scrambling to alert the village chief.
- (Asian black bears have poor eyesight, which is why they call them blind bears. However, the bears are not actually blind. I remember first reading Asian novels and thinking, “Why do so many novels have blind bears? Do they have some kind of disease that causes blindness or something?” XD.)
The village buzzed with urgent preparation. The chief rallied the strongest men, arming them with makeshift weapons from the wooden warehouse – hoes, sickles, anything that might fend off the blind bear that had descended from the mountains. It was a creature of terrifying strength, a threat to the village’s safety. The chief was determined to kill it before it claimed a victim.
Although eager to help, Gu Shi Chu was barred from joining the hunt. Women weren’t allowed. Ji Ming Tao, however, was among those chosen. Gu Shi Chu, resourceful as ever, concocted a potent anaesthetic from herbs in her space. She instructed Ji Ming Tao to smear it on the bear’s wounds when the opportunity arose.
Ji Ming Tao silently accepted the vial of greenish paste. He had long since learned that Gu Shi Chu possessed mysterious abilities, but he respected her privacy. If she wanted to share her secrets, she would in her own time.
Gu Shi Chu, amused by his unquestioning trust, couldn’t resist teasing him. “You believe me so easily? No questions asked?”
Ji Ming Tao met her gaze, a hint of amusement in his eyes. “Would you tell me if I did ask?”
Gu Shi Chu grinned. “Not a chance.”
Ji Ming Tao’s expression said, *Just as I thought.*
Gu Shi Chu playfully pinched his cheek. “Why won’t you let me tease you?”
Then, turning serious, she warned him, “Be careful not to touch this herb, not even a single drop. It’s a powerful sedative for wild beasts. The effects on a human would be… Well, let’s just say you’d sleep for a very long time.”
Ji Ming Tao nodded, his eyes filled with concern. “Stay home these next few days,” he urged. “The blind bear is still out there, and we don’t know where it might appear. Promise me you won’t take any risks.”
Although confident in her ability to outsmart a black bear, Gu Shi Chu appreciated Ji Ming Tao’s concern.
“Of course,” she assured him, “I value my life dearly. You be careful too. If you can manage to throw the medicine in its mouth from afar, that’s ideal. But don’t risk it. You are more important than this sedative. Use your best judgement.”
“I will,” Ji Ming Tao promised.
The village held its breath as the men set out. The air crackled with tension and worry. Even the children’s games fell silent, their usual laughter swallowed by the anxious atmosphere.
Two long days passed. Then, a sudden burst of excited shouts and footsteps announced the hunters’ return. They had slain the bear, but victory had come at a cost. Two men were gravely wounded, and the others bore various injuries.
The sight of the bloodied men, carried back by their comrades, sent their families into hysterics. The village doctor was ill-equipped to handle such serious wounds, and the chief ordered them to be rushed to the city hospital.
Those with minor injuries received basic treatment; hospital visits were a luxury few could afford.
Despite the casualties, the mood was one of relief and gratitude. The hunters had returned alive, with no missing limbs. And they had brought back a three-hundred-jin black bear! Enough meat to feed the village for days.
- (1 jin (斤)= 1 catty = 500 grams, 1 liang (两) = 50 grams)
Everyone set to work butchering the bear, but Gu Shi Chu hurried home to check on Ji Ming Tao. She found him with torn, bloodstained clothes.
“What happened?” she asked, alarmed. She knew Ji Ming Tao was quick and agile. Surely he hadn’t been injured in a group effort against a bear?
“A bear claw got me while I was pulling someone out of harm’s way,” he explained calmly. “It’s not deep. Just a scratch.”
Gu Shi Chu scoffed. “Not deep? Then why does it reek of blood?” She yanked up his shirt, revealing several deep gashes on his waist. The flesh was mangled, the wounds raw and gaping.
“You call that ‘just a scratch’,? Do you have to lose a kidney before you admit you’re hurt?” Her voice was sharp with worry.
Ji Ming Tao chuckled, glancing around to make sure they were alone. He took her hand, his voice softening. “I’m used to this. It’s nothing.”
His words, spoken with such casual acceptance, did little to ease her worry. Instead, a wave of tenderness washed over her. “It doesn’t mean it doesn’t hurt.”
He lowered his gaze as his heart swelled with warmth. The pain was real, but in that moment, her concern was a balm he hadn’t realised he needed. Showing vulnerability wasn’t so bad after all.
─── ❖ ── ☆ ── ❖ ───
( )………( )
(๑✪ᆺ✪๑)
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