Chapter 4 - It’s like This (1/2)

”Ah, what? A demon?” Madam Ouyang couldn't quite believe, what her neighbor had told her.

”Yes, indeed! Miss Lian saw him with her own eyes. He helped with birthing the child of the Zhongs.”

Madam Ouyang still wasn't convinced. ”Why should a demon do something like that? What would be in it for him? Who knows, what Miss Lian really saw there.”

Her neighbor pursed her lips. ”If I only knew! Maybe he's planned something for the child.”

Madam Pan from the other side of the village butted in: ”Maybe the parents promised him something. Aren't the Zhongs already married for five years? It's quite strange they only got a child now.”

Madam Ouyang shook her head and continued to distribute the water. ”The Zhongs are good people.”

”Good people need children, too”, her neighbor Madam Hou responded to the suggestion. ”It could very well be, that they couldn't see any other way. I'm just curious what they offered the demon in return?” She exchanged a glance with Madam Pan. But this time, even she didn't have an answer.

The women fell silent and continued to work all with their own thoughts in mind. Meanwhile, Mister Pi, who just passed the paddy, accelerated his steps. That was definitely a message, one had to look into! An incense stick later, he reached the paddy, where his neighbor and Mister Pan worked.

He grabbed his rake and took a spot not far from them. He only managed to stay silent for a moment, then he propped his arms up on the handle of the rake and looked around to make sure Mister Zhong wasn't in the vicinity. ”Ah, Mister Mao, Mister Pan, did you hear? Yesterday night, the son of the Zhongs was born.”

The two men nodded, without pausing their work. The birth of Zhong Jing Yi wasn't news anymore.

Mister Pi scrunched up his face. Those men obviously didn't appreciate his effort! He continued to work, but after a few steps, he stopped. ”Aiya!”, he exclaimed and glanced at them. ”I hope, the Zhongs won't get problems because of that.”

Mister Mao, who had heard the exaggerated rumors of his neighbor often enough, paid him no heed. But Mister Pan stopped and turned around. ”Why should the Zhongs get problems? It is good, that they have a son now. They waited long enough.”

”Exactly, exactly!” Mister Pi hurried toward him and leaned forward conspiratorially. ”That in itself is the problem! You wouldn't believe, that Madam Zhong got pregnant after all that time just like that, would you?” Again, he looked around surreptitiously, but the other men were all quite a distance away and nothing could be seen of Mister Zhong. ”The Zhongs seem to have asked a practitioner for help.”

”A practitioner?” Mister Mao turned around, too. It wasn't often that one heard of a true practitioner at their village. ”Like an daoist immortal? Where is the problem with that? A bit of heavenly assistance should rather help their child, no?”