Zhang Jie’s death cast a shadow over the Nian family, though the spread of food on the table left everyone with no appetite. It was unthinkable to have such an abundance of meat on the table before. Xing Yun’s eyes were red, tears still streaking his cheeks, and he found it difficult to accept the outcome. “Brother Zhang… he was too pitiful… *wuwuwu*.”
Nian Jiaojiao frowned and asked, “Though a married son is like spilled water, now that the person is dead, why is Brother Zhang’s maternal family not showing up?”
Xing Yun, his sobs intermittent, choked out, “*Wuwuwu*, he, he, he…”
Seeing his younger brother struggling to form a coherent sentence, Xuan Yi stepped in to explain. It turned out that Brother Zhang was not a native of Qinghe Village but of the neighboring Lin Yuan Village. His father had been abandoned by his mother and had brought Brother Zhang to Qinghe Village to settle. Brother Zhang’s father had passed away from illness last year, so there were no other relatives to look for him.
The next day, Nian Jiaojiao’s family went to Brother Zhang’s grave. The tomb was located in a desolate area outside Qinghe Village, with graves scattered haphazardly around. Brother Zhang’s grave was one of them. A crude wooden plank was tilted in the center of the small mound, the scribbled characters barely decipherable as “Zhang Jie.”
After Nian Jiaojiao and her four husbands paid their respects, Yu Chuan brought ink and a new wooden board. Nian Jiaojiao then wrote “Zhang Jie” on it. In the bottom right corner, she also inscribed two lines: “Life is truly difficult, what then is death?” This quote was from Tao Yuanming’s epitaph, “Self-Sacrifice.” Reflecting on Tao Yuanming’s life, it was filled with poverty, optimism, sorrow, and leisure. When the god of death took Tao Yuanming’s hand, he cast a final glance at his living self, uttering, “Life is truly difficult, what then is death!”
After finishing, Nian Jiaojiao placed the wooden plank upright in the center of the mound. She then bowed her head in silent mourning for a few seconds before preparing to leave with her four companions. However, just as they turned to go, a group of people arrived in a great commotion, led by a woman in her early forties.
“Damn it! Zhao Mazi! Where is Zhao Mazi!”
“Yes! Zhao Mazi, get out here!”
Nian Jiaojiao’s heart stirred as she pondered their identity. If they were looking for Zhao Mazi, they should be going to Zhao Mazi’s home. Why were they at the cemetery? The only connection here to Zhao Mazi was Brother Zhang’s grave. Could they be Brother Zhang’s relatives from the neighboring village?
As Nian Jiaojiao pondered, a sharp-eyed woman in the group spotted her. She suddenly pointed at Nian Jiaojiao and exclaimed, “There! There!”
The woman’s shout drew everyone’s attention to Nian Jiaojiao. The group quickened their pace and soon reached them. The leading woman, upon seeing Nian Jiaojiao, pushed her forward unexpectedly. Nian Jiaojiao stumbled to the ground, and Yu Chuan and Xuan Yi immediately shielded her.
“What do you think you’re doing?!”
Facing Xuan Yi’s questioning, the woman sneered and addressed Nian Jiaojiao on the ground, “Zhao Mazi, you caused my son’s death. How will you account for this to our Zhang family?”
Nian Jiaojiao was taken aback. So, they had mistaken her for Zhao Mazi. Supported by Xing Yun, Nian Jiaojiao remained calm and said, “This is the first time I’ve met someone who can’t even recognize their own daughter-in-law.”
Hearing Nian Jiaojiao’s words, Aunt Zhang scrutinized her, half-believing, “You’re not Zhao Mazi. Why are you at my son’s grave?”
Nian Jiaojiao pushed aside the bodies blocking her and looked directly at Aunt Zhang, stating, “ My husband was good friends with Brother Zhang, and we came to pay our respects. Since when is paying respects a crime?”
Aunt Zhang saw Nian Jiaojiao’s clear gaze and realized she didn’t appear as “shifty” as others had described. She began to whisper with the person beside her. “Cousin, what’s going on? Is this Zhao Mazi?”
The woman referred to as cousin shifted her gaze, unable to confirm. She whispered back, “I, I don’t know either. I only heard others describe Zhao Mazi’s appearance. This person really doesn’t look like her…”
Aunt Zhang, hearing this, couldn’t help but chide, “Then why were you yelling just now?”
The rebuked woman seemed wronged, “I just said over there, Zhang Jie’s grave is over there. Look, isn’t it…” As she spoke, she pointed to the wooden plank. Although they were illiterate, they could recognize a few names.
After hearing her cousin’s explanation, Aunt Zhang’s lips twitched. Her cousin had never been very bright since childhood, which was truly a disgrace to their Zhang family. Realizing she had indeed made a mistake, Aunt Zhang felt awkward but also unwilling to lose face. Her expression stiff, she said to Nian Jiaojiao, “We mistook you. Have you seen Zhao Mazi? We’re looking for her.”
Xing Yun tugged at Nian Jiaojiao’s clothes. Nian Jiaojiao looked into his eyes, and her husband’s starry gaze clearly conveyed his aversion to Aunt Zhang. Although Zhao Mazi was a bad person, this Aunt Zhang was undoubtedly not a good one either. She had abandoned Zhang Jie and his son long ago, forcing them to hunt for a living. Now that both father and son were dead, she only showed up with people, clearly with ulterior motives.
Nian Jiaojiao, however, seemed to have an idea. Smiling, she offered them advice, “So it’s Aunt Zhang. We’ve met without prior acquaintance.” Seeing that Nian Jiaojiao wasn’t holding a grudge for the earlier push, Aunt Zhang relaxed considerably.
“Indeed, meeting without prior acquaintance. Since you are friends with Jie Wa’er, you are my juniors, and we can speak more freely.” Aunt Zhang was truly opportunistic. Now they had become her juniors. Nian Jiaojiao scoffed inwardly but maintained a pleasant smile. “Aunt Zhang, Zhao Mazi should have gone to Shanshui Town. Isn’t searching for someone everywhere like finding a needle in a haystack?”
“Yes, we’ve already searched several places in vain,” Aunt Zhang nodded. “I think you should just wait at her home. No matter what, she has to return home, right? Moreover…” Nian Jiaojiao appeared hesitant to speak. Aunt Zhang eagerly asked, “Moreover what!?”
Seeing that she had piqued their interest, Nian Jiaojiao looked as if she were in a difficult position. “Moreover, Zhao Mazi doesn’t know how long she’ll be in town, especially since she’s been going to town for fun lately.” Upon hearing that she frequented the town for entertainment, Aunt Zhang’s suspicions were seemingly confirmed, and she subtly inquired, “Oh? I heard this daughter-in-law of mine was very poor. Where is she getting so much money now?”
“Auntie, this is just my guess and not necessarily true. Recently, I saw Zhao Mazi in fine silks and brocades, living a life of luxury, spending money lavishly. She seems not to be lacking money at all. I suspect she might have found a way to make a lot of money…”