Chapter Twenty-Nine: Induced Labor

I still remember it clearly—when Liu Dagen’s old father died, there wasn’t even enough money to buy a coffin. White Liu and Ash Stepmother actually put up their own money for the funeral. When Liu Dagen jumped out to accuse White Liu at the time, Ash Stepmother cursed him soundly. From that moment, you could tell exactly what kind of man Liu Dagen was.

I was panting as I walked up to Liu Dagen. He glared at me furiously and snapped, “What is it, Xie Yuan? Here to cause trouble again? I’m warning you, if you dare—”

I clenched my fist and slammed it straight into the bridge of his nose. He cried out in pain, clutching his face as he staggered backward. The other villagers’ faces changed at once and they closed in around me, cursing me with every foul word they knew. It all boiled down to how my father had brought wolves into the house, driven out his own parents, and dragged in the two of us as calamities. I was no better, they said, and should be locked up with the rest.

Ash Stepmother saw me and, her voice weak and hoarse, pleaded with me not to do anything rash. Not to make a scene.

My chest ached with grief.

At that moment, Granny Li and the scholar walked over and placed themselves between me and the villagers. Liu Dagen’s hand was covered in blood—his nose was already bleeding. Shaking with rage, he threatened, “Teacher Wang, I’ll go get Zhou the Elder. Have this brat arrested!”

Teacher Wang—he was the one the village party secretary had called in. Zhou the Elder must have meant Zhou Gang. I already had no patience for Liu Dagen; he was like a cur wagging his tail for any bone Zhou Gang tossed him.

Teacher Wang frowned and shook his head. “Step aside, all of you,” he said. “I have some questions for Xie Yuan.”

Liu Dagen froze. The other villagers exchanged looks but said nothing, moving off to the side. Liu Dagen slunk away, eyes full of resentment.

“How are things, Xie Yuan?” Granny Li’s eyes searched mine.

My heart felt heavy as a boulder. I told Granny Li what had happened. Because of Teacher Wang’s presence, I didn’t mention anything about Chan Shu. I simply said that Old Zhou and the five ghosts of the village chief’s family—all except the youngest son—were working together to protect that vengeful ghost.

Everything matched what Granny Li had said before. White Liu really had stolen a lifespan; he took it for Ash Stepmother, saying she wouldn’t survive the day but needed to live one more. I’d nearly had my own life stolen by White Liu as well, but an accident prevented him from succeeding.

I told Granny Li how I’d almost managed to douse the evil spirit with what was in the bottle, but White Liu returned too quickly, and the bottle was smashed. Finally, I explained about the cat taking the urn and the skull inside.

Granny Li’s face went pale. She turned to look at Ash Stepmother on the woodpile. “Get her down,” she said. “I need to check her pulse.”

I nodded repeatedly. “We must keep Ash Stepmother safe—she can’t be allowed to come to harm.”

But just then, Teacher Wang’s brow furrowed deeply. “No,” he said.

Granny Li’s tone shifted, rare for her. “What are you planning?”

Teacher Wang took a deep breath. “We can’t be sure how quickly the ghost fetus will develop. But White Liu is willing to risk his own grandson’s life to extend his daughter’s—after tomorrow, that thing will be fully formed. We can’t let her survive until then.”

My face changed. I stared at Teacher Wang. “If you dare lay a hand on Ash Stepmother, I’ll kill you.”

My voice was rough, heavy with threat.

Granny Li’s expression darkened. In a low voice, she said, “Wang Xuan, how can you be so extreme? Do you really want to kill someone—an innocent person?”

Teacher Wang looked torn, his face clouded with struggle. “Granny, the ghost fetus is too sinister. We have no way to deal with it. White Liu and the demon have escaped—we don’t know when they’ll return. If the demon reincarnates into the fetus, the entire village will be doomed.”

“We induce labor and destroy it,” Granny Li said suddenly.

My heart skipped a beat. Induce labor—does that mean a forced miscarriage?

A look of contemplation flashed in Teacher Wang’s eyes, quickly replaced by respect for Granny Li.

I asked, worried, “Granny, will Ash Stepmother be all right?”

She patted my head. “Don’t worry. As long as I’m here, nothing will happen to her.”

“Someone help me get her down. And wake up Zhou Gang. Tell him we’re preparing to induce labor for White Liu’s daughter—have him get everything ready,” Teacher Wang called out, his voice loud.

The other villagers exchanged uneasy glances. They hadn’t heard the rest of our conversation. Only Liu Dagen’s face was alight with excitement. “That’s right! Make her suffer!” he shouted gleefully, then rushed into the village chief’s house.

The house, hastily repaired after the fire, was barely livable. The other villagers didn’t move, clearly waiting for Zhou Gang.

A minute or two later, Liu Dagen emerged with Zhou Gang. Zhou Gang’s expression was all sly satisfaction. “Brilliant move, Teacher Wang,” he said. “Not only can we vent my uncle’s anger, but we can torment White Liu’s daughter and force him out.”

Liu Dagen grinned viciously, glaring at me. Oppression bore down on my chest.

Ash Stepmother leaned weakly against the woodpile, two clear streams of tears running down her bloodless cheeks. The chief’s house might be habitable, but it wasn’t suitable for an induced labor.

Teacher Wang said the labor should take place at my house. We’d surround the place with people—if White Liu dared return, he’d never leave again.

I clenched my fists. Inducing labor early would ruin White Liu’s whole plan. He wouldn’t take this lying down. Especially now that he was wounded—if he appeared, perhaps Granny Li and Teacher Wang could capture him. A few villagers helped Ash Stepmother down, and I hurried to support her, carrying her on my back.

This time, Zhou Gang didn’t stop me. Instead, he looked at me with mocking disdain. Liu Dagen slunk up and hissed, “Still feeling tough? Your brother, your father’s concubine, even the child in her belly—none of them will survive.”

I kept my head down, silent.

Ash Stepmother wept quietly on my back as we walked home. Granny Li and Teacher Wang walked beside me.

“Is your father all right?” Ash Stepmother’s weak voice drifted to my ears.

Swallowing my discomfort, I replied softly, “He’s still at home. The shock was too much—he hasn’t spoken or eaten.”

I felt more tears soaking my back.

I asked softly, “Auntie, did Granny Li and the others tell you everything?”

After a long pause, she answered with a faint “mm.” Then, with a pained, bitter smile, she whispered, “It’s all so complicated. I never imagined my father would do something like this… to go so far for that thing…”

She fell silent. That thing? My heart thudded—auntie had known about it before? Was it the demon?

Just then, we’d walked halfway home, only two or three minutes from my door, when someone blocked our path.

Wang Erjun stood there, expressionless, and beside him was the old village party secretary, leaning on his cane. The old secretary’s face was twisted with rage; he glared at us, then raised his cane and swung it at Zhou Gang’s face.

Before Zhou Gang could react, Liu Dagen lunged to block the blow. Wang Erjun rushed up and tried to yank Ash Stepmother off my back.

“Zhou Gang, aren’t you afraid your uncle will never rest in peace? How can you do something so heartless—inducing labor, bringing harm to the innocent?”

It all clicked—Wang Erjun must have gone to fetch the party secretary! He’d overheard our conversation.

“He’s possessed,” Granny Li suddenly said.

I dodged aside. Wang Erjun gave me a chilling look. “Xie Yuan, the child in Ash Stepmother’s belly is your own little brother. Are you really going to let him die?”