Cursed

Crouching down until he was at her eye level, Song Zhuyu inquired with a gentle and patient tone, "The color of devils? Do you know what your Mama means by that?"

"Hmm, it's exactly what she means…" Yanyan fiddled with the hem of her skirt, pouting. "She told me… it's a color that represents evil. But how could that be? It's such a pretty color and—"

"Yanyan!" Ma Boliu's voice boomed from the distance, startling the little girl. "What are you doing there? Are you skipping your lessons again?!" Even before Ma Boliu reached them, the little girl with twin pigtails had already turned tail and bolted away with a yelp, prompting her father to yell after her back, "Go back to school, or I will have Teacher Ma punish you!"

"Aiyah, I'm very sorry, Mr. Song," Ma Boliu bowed his head and apologized profusely, sighing. "I don't know why she's so naughty. She always plays around instead of studying like she should be. It's a real headache. I hope she hasn't offended you?" 

"No worries, Mr. Ma, she's such a sweet girl," Song Zhuyu offered a reassuring smile, though inwardly his mind was racing.

The color of devils? Was it the reason why Ma Boliu had given him such a peculiar look upon seeing him for the first time?

Song Zhuyu racked his brain trying to recall Ma Boliu's wife, but she hadn't really left any lasting impression on him. All he could remember was a vague image of a woman with shoulder-length hair, wearing a polite smile on her face as she served them food. She had indeed seemed a little taken aback when she first saw him, but at that time, Song Zhuyu had not sensed any hostility from her, and he was quite confident in his observation skills.

Or was it her who was too adept in concealing her real emotions?

Turning his attention back to the middle-aged man before him, Song Zhuyu's smile deepened, "She simply mentioned that she liked my hair, and I told her that I'm born with it."

Ma Boliu's expression faltered for a second before he swiftly masked it with a light laugh. "...That girl is really too mischievous. It must be because you look too much like the prince in her storybooks. Please do not take it to heart if she says something similar in the future. But oh…" a glint of pure curiosity flashed in his eyes. "I'm asking this because I don't meet city folks often, but the color of your hair is truly unique. It's unlike anything I've ever seen before. Are there many people like you or…"

"Hmm…" Song Zhuyu pretended to think for a while before responding, "I don't think so. People in our country are mostly born with black or dark brown hair. I… might be a special case?" He tilted his head with a soft chuckle. "You have no idea the amount of trouble I've gotten myself in because of my hair. When I was in school, my teachers always misunderstood and told me to dye it black…"

Song Zhuyu continued to speak while keenly observing the minute changes in the expressions of the man before him, and so far he had nearly confirmed one thing— for Ma Boliu and his wife, red was an ominous color.

As for the rest of the people on this island, Song Zhuyu needed more interaction with them to make sure. 

But why? He pondered. For most people, red typically symbolized vitality, luck, and new beginnings. Hence, the new year posters and decorations were mainly dominated with red. There were even people who deliberately went out of their way to dye their hair red, though the color was never quite the same as Song Zhuyu's. The crimson of Song Zhuyu's locks was deep, rich, and vivid, just like the color of fresh blood.

Was it why it had become synonymous with 'color of devils'? 

Well, Song Zhuyu could only probe for more information if he wanted to obtain answers.

For the rest of the morning, Song Zhuyu and Chen Ru spent their time on the field. In order to immerse himself in the role of a researcher, Song Zhuyu studied the diversities of crops planted by the islanders while demanding Chen Ru to jot them down. He also observed the irrigation systems and rainwater tanks. 

When it was time for lunch, they took a break and settled in a nearby hut, enjoying a simple yet healthy meal of rice, steamed peas, and fried cauliflower. 

At this point, Song Zhuyu had seamlessly integrated with the villagers, though he still had difficulty remembering each of their names. It became even more challenging when eighty percent of them were sharing the same surname – Ma. 

"Have you had enough, Xiao Song?" Lao Si asked. "You ate so little. Is this how city folks eat?"

Song Zhuyu chuckled, "It's just a force of habit, Uncle. Please stop piling up food in my bowl. Here, here, you should feed my assistant more. He has worked hard today." He swiftly directed the attention to Chen Ru, who was already on his second bowl to replenish his drained energy.

"Oh, you're right! Xiao Chen, look at you! You're so small and skinny. Eat up, eat up! You must grow as tall and sturdy as your Boss!"

Chen Ru almost choked on his food when he heard that. "T–Thank you, Uncle…"

As tall and sturdy as Father Song? He was afraid that it was simply impossible. He could count with one hand the number of people, in both real life and on television, who matched Song Zhuyu's height and physique. It wasn't merely a matter of diet or exercise anymore, but a factor of genetics – one thing he couldn't change no matter what!

Song Zhuyu set down his empty bowl and took a sip of water before speaking, a faint smile playing on his lips. "The island and its people are truly beautiful. I'm so glad that I chose to come here, of all places. I bet the scenery will look even more breathtaking from the summit…" He turned to Ma Boliu, inquiring, "...won't it, Mr. Ma?"

Ma Boliu was caught off guard by the sudden question. "You… want to go to the summit?"

"Of course," Song Zhuyu gave a meaningful smile. "I'd like to know everything about this island… inside out."

A disconcerting silence settled over the table as the villagers exchanged uneasy glances. Even an airhead like Chen Ru could sense that something was amiss. "What is it?" he asked curiously. "Is there something special at the summit?"

"Err, I wouldn't say 'special'…" Ma Boliu scratched his head, hesitant to divulge this matter to outsiders, but he was promptly interrupted by Lao Si.

"Forget it, Boliu. They're going to stay here for a while, so they will find out sooner or later." 

The other islanders nodded in agreement, though traces of discomfort remained on their faces.

Song Zhuyu immediately straightened up, his fists tightening in anticipation. Would he finally learn some hidden secrets about this island? 

Ma Boliu released a long sigh as if surrendering. "I know this may sound strange, but…" he began tentatively. "Our summit is off-limits to everyone, both our people and outsiders alike. There's a man who lives there and he…"

Sensing Ma Boliu's reluctance to continue, Lao Si took it upon himself to finish the sentence, "He is cursed. Anyone who comes into contact with him will be cursed as well, so you'd better keep your distance from him." He warned with a serious look. "I'm telling you this for your own good."

"C–Cursed?" Chen Ru exclaimed in shock. "What do you mean by that? How can a person be cursed?!" 

"A demon…" another villager chimed in with a tinge of fear, causing Song Zhuyu's heart to skip a beat. "He carries the blood of a demon in his veins."

.

.

A/N: hi everyone, I'm doing a poll to decide DS' first reward art, which will be free for everyone to view as I will post it in my discord gallery. 

First choice: Song Zhuyu and his wife

Second choice: Song Zhuyu and the demon's mark

Please drop a comment to let me know which one you'd prefer to see ^^