Chapter 2: The Heartless Villagers

Chapter 2: The Heartless Villagers

That night, after chopping firewood and preparing to cook dinner, the weather turned gloomy even though it was only six in the evening. I lit a candle and suddenly heard a faint noise coming from the room. Since Wu Dazhuang hadn't returned yet, it must have been Aunt Li in the room.

Aunt Li's room was on the north side of the courtyard, where a large willow tree stood. I hid behind the willow tree and, taking advantage of the lingering light, peered into her room.

Aunt Li hadn't lit a lamp. I could vaguely see her by the bedside, holding a cloth doll in her hand. The doll's face was pierced with numerous needles. She held a needle in her right hand, repeatedly stabbing the doll, while muttering, "Shameless hussy, trying to seduce my husband. Shamelessly wanting to get into our family, just because she has her eyes on Dazhuang's money!"

I was still young at that time and didn't understand what Aunt Li was doing, but I was sure it wasn't something good. And the shameless hussy she was cursing must be the woman Wu Dazhuang was about to marry.

I decided it was best not to meddle in adult matters, which I couldn't handle anyway. I focused on finishing my chores, or else there would be no leftovers for me tonight.

Just as I finished cooking, Wu Dazhuang returned. He threw off his coat and plopped down heavily on the bench. Aunt Li hurried out to serve him, and I quickly brought the food, then stepped aside. If they weren't full, I wouldn't get to eat.

Aunt Li tentatively asked, "Dazhuang, when is the wedding?"

Wu Dazhuang, eating in large bites, replied, "The day after tomorrow. Tomorrow, my brothers will come over to set up the wedding arrangements. There's nothing for you to do, just dress nicely and don't embarrass me."

Though Aunt Li had countless grievances, she didn't dare voice them. In this village, men held the authority and women had to work. However, Wu Dazhuang was wealthy enough to buy a maid to help Aunt Li with the chores, making her relatively fortunate compared to other village women.

The wedding day was very lively, but there was nothing for me to do. I hid aside, occasionally sneaking food. I was small but not stupid; hunger was a serious matter. No one was watching me today, so why not eat my fill?

I didn't concern myself with the adults' affairs, as I didn't understand them. I just knew a new bride would soon live here, and I would call her "Second Aunt."

But unexpectedly, early the next morning at around one o'clock, something terrible happened in the village.

A man named Yang Jian was bitten to death by over a dozen dogs. They said after drinking at Wu Dazhuang's wedding, he walked home alone. Suddenly, a dog barked, followed by louder barks, attracting more dogs. Villagers, hearing the commotion, rushed out to find Yang Jian already half-dead. They tried to pull the dogs away, but the dogs seemed crazed and wouldn't stop until he was dead.

Yang Jian was mauled beyond recognition, and the village doctor shook his head, indicating there was no hope.

Later that night, while burying Yang Jian, his newlywed wife of less than a month fled. I didn't understand why until Wu Dazhuang and his men caught her and brought her back.

It turned out there was a village rule: if a husband died, his wife must also die to accompany him.

What kind of village rule was this? Was it because I was too young to understand, or were they just tyrannical?

Yang Jian's wife knelt before the village chief, crying, "Village Chief, please, let me go. I don't want to die. It's not that I don't love Yang Jian, but I'm carrying his child. I can't die."

The village chief showed no sympathy: "Hmph, I don't care about that. The village has its rules. If a man dies, his wife must accompany him."

With that, he signaled, and several village women dragged her into a small room.

I didn't know what they did inside. Did they make her drink poison? Kill her and bury her together?

It was terrifying.

The villagers gathered around Yang Jian's grave, and the women didn't dare speak out. Marrying a sickly man meant they might have to die with him the next day. Who would willingly accept that?

After a while, the village women brought out Yang Jian's wife. To my shock, she was dressed in a wedding gown with a red veil. She seemed unusually calm, walking step by step towards Yang Jian's grave.

Looking closer, I saw a large character for "ghost" on her chest.

It was clear, Yang Jian's wife had no choice but to die.