Chapter 9: You Wretched Girl, Just You Wait

Seeing the sorrowful look on his mother’s face, Lin Dawei found the words of reproach stuck in his throat. He rubbed the back of his head, curiosity flickering in his eyes.

“How did that ugly girl get so strong last night? She kicked me clear across the room—it was terrifying. Is she possessed or something? She’s never been that aggressive before!”

Hearing this, Lin’s father immediately barked, “Be quiet! Watch your mouth!”

These days, any talk of superstition was strictly forbidden. Speaking of ghosts or spirits was dangerous; if the wrong person overheard and reported it to the authorities, they would be in serious trouble.

Lin’s father recalled an old friend whose five-year-old child had fallen ill with a mysterious sickness. The anxious grandparents secretly consulted a so-called spiritual master, who claimed the child was possessed by a malignant spirit and prescribed steaming the child in a pot for thirty minutes to drive it out. The grandparents, afraid to tell their son and daughter-in-law, waited until they’d left for work, then lit a fire and put the child in the pot. At first, the child thought it was a game and didn’t cry or fuss. Assured, the grandmother left to chat with a neighbor. Lost in conversation, she returned an hour later to a horrific scene—her beloved grandchild had been cooked alive.

Afterward, her friend’s wife lost her mind, the grandmother hanged herself in guilt, and the friend was dismissed from the factory because of the scandal. The so-called spiritual master vanished with the money, never to be found. The incident caused a major uproar; factories posted notices and broadcast warnings, strictly prohibiting superstition and promising severe punishment for any such behavior.

Remembering this, Lin’s father grew stern. “Dawei, never speak of such things again—do you hear me?”

“I know,” Dawei muttered, clearly unconvinced.

“Why are you scolding the child?” his mother interjected. “He was only curious.”

She went on to explain, “I’ve told you both before, that girl’s always been strong—you never took it seriously. She could carry a big bucket of water at three, and she’s always been fearless and wild. If I hadn’t kept her in check all these years, she wouldn’t have been so obedient. I thought her spirit had been broken, but last night proved otherwise.”

As Lin Dawei listened, something came back to him. After being knocked out the night before, he’d regained consciousness for a brief moment—just in time to see the ugly girl, vicious and wild-eyed, sprinkling salt on his mother’s face and snarling, “Since you ruined my face back then, I’ll ruin yours too.” The cold, menacing words had terrified him so much he’d fainted again.

Now, hearing his mother speak, Dawei blurted out, “Mom, was it on purpose when she got scalded and disfigured? Did you mean for that to happen?”

A flicker of guilt flashed through his mother’s eyes, but she snapped, “What kind of question is that? Am I so heartless as to harm my own child?”

Dawei pursed his lips and said nothing. As long as his mother was good to him, he didn’t care about that ugly girl.

Lin’s father said, “Now that we’re all injured, let’s just rest in the hospital. We’ll deal with everything else later.”

His mother asked, “What about the cannery?”

“Don’t worry,” Lin’s father replied. “I’ve already asked Old Chen to speak to the supervisors. We’ll be granted sick leave.”

“That’s a relief,” she sighed, though her mood soon soured. Healing would take weeks, and half a month’s wages would be lost. That wretched girl was nothing but a scourge, always bringing misfortune.

Lying in bed, Lin’s mother recalled the past. From the moment that wretched girl was born, people had whispered that she looked nothing like her or Old Lin. At first, she’d refused to believe it, but as the girl grew, her features became more striking—so different from theirs. Some gossips even suggested she’d had an affair and borne another man’s child.

When these rumors reached Old Lin, he was furious. The household was thrown into constant turmoil. In truth, Lin’s mother had her doubts—she’d had a first love in her youth, but they’d been separated by famine. Years later, they’d met again, both married to others. They rekindled their feelings in secret for a time before parting for the sake of their families. Shortly after he left, she discovered she was pregnant. She’d also been with her husband during that period and didn’t know whose child it was. But when Lin Xiaodou was born, her features were nothing like her husband’s. As rumors spread, Lin’s mother grew fearful. To protect her reputation and keep peace at home, she decided to abandon Lin Xiaodou.

So, when Lin Xiaodou was three, she deliberately instructed her to carry a basin of boiling water, allowing the scalding liquid to pour over the little girl’s face. That was her plan. Only by disfiguring the girl could she silence the gossip about her looks. The girl’s strength and untamable nature made her even harder to control—this would break her spirit and make her obedient. She thought everything had gone smoothly and that she had the girl firmly under control. Never did she imagine the girl would one day rebel.

As Lin’s mother touched the burning scar on her own face, her gaze darkened with malice. If she’d known the girl would be so hard to tame, she would have ended her life back then—none of this trouble would exist now. She bitterly regretted her decision.

The wretched girl probably lashed out in desperation, she thought. Once this madness passed, she’d be docile as before. Then, she’d marry her off to that fool’s family and let them torment her. Lin’s mother eagerly anticipated the day the girl would kneel before her, tearfully begging for help.

Hmph. Just you wait, you wretched child!