32. Thanks to the Ancestors

The marriage prospects of the eldest brother have truly been a rocky road. Now nearing thirty, he remains a bachelor, and his situation has cast a shadow over his younger brothers as well.

At eighteen, he was engaged, but his fiancée fell ill and passed away just before the wedding. Two years later, a match was made again, only for the girl to suffer a fatal accident shortly after. Rumors began to spread that he was cursed and brought misfortune to his partners. Later, Grandmother went to great lengths to arrange another match, but the day after they met, the girl broke her leg and came to their home to cause a scene. After paying for her medical expenses, that engagement also fell through. Since then, no matter how good his prospects, no one has dared to introduce him to anyone.

The second brother had a few potential matches later on, but for reasons unknown, each woman fell ill right before the wedding, leading to the engagements being called off. Consequently, marriage has become increasingly difficult for all of them.

Now, at seventeen, she finds all her brothers still unwed, including her older brother in the military, who is twenty-three and shows no signs of settling down. In the past, she was too young and simple-minded to worry about such things, but now that her brothers treat her so well, she, as their sister, feels a genuine sense of urgency.

Her words left Grandma Liu momentarily stunned.

If it had been anything else, Grandma Liu wouldn't have even considered it, but the thought of her eldest grandson approaching thirty and still single made her hesitate. However, it was only for a moment before she firmly shook her head.

"No. That job was bought with your parents' lives. It can only go to you or your third brother. Your older brother doesn't need it; let it sit for another two years."

"But Grandma, it’s such a waste to let the job sit idle. Besides, who knows if I’ll even want to work in two years? Why not let the eldest brother take it? He could earn a good wage, which would make life easier for our whole family. Maybe with a steady job, his luck in love might finally change too?"

Seeing the old woman still wavering, Jiang Ruo snuggled into her arms and began to coax her. "Grandma, please say yes. We’ve already wasted so many years; we can't afford to waste any more. Think about how much money that is!"

Mentioning money touched a nerve; Grandma Liu realized how much they had missed out on. Still, it was something her youngest son and his wife had sacrificed their lives for... she needed to think it through.

"Grandma..." Jiang Ruo rested her head on the old woman's shoulder, rocking her arm and drawing out her voice in a pleading tone.

"Alright, let me and your grandfather think it over properly."

Jiang Ruo knew when to stop; she understood that a job was no small matter. "You must discuss it well with Grandfather. Think about the salary—we can't afford to take such a loss!"

"You child," Grandma Liu chuckled, though she truly took the matter to heart.

Satisfied, Jiang Ruo performed a small "magic trick," pulling a jade gourd from under her pillow. "Grandma, look..."

In the dim moonlight, a flash of green light flickered, startling Grandma Liu into sitting bolt upright.

Her movements were so agile that it was hard to believe she was nearly sixty. Had Jiang Ruo not been prepared, she might have been caught off guard by the sudden motion.

"The jade gourd..." Grandma Liu whispered in the darkness, her voice filled with suppressed excitement. "Thank the heavens, thank the ancestors! It’s finally found!"

Even in the dark, Jiang Ruo could see the look of relief and joy on her grandmother’s face. She felt a surge of gratitude that she possessed such a charm.

"Quick, put it on," Grandma Liu urged, unable to wait. She personally fastened the jade gourd around her granddaughter's neck, a wide, irrepressible smile on her face. "Now, I can finally rest easy."

"My dear child, where did you find it?" Grandma Liu asked, carefully tucking the gourd inside the girl's clothes.

"Grandma, you won't believe it, but it was right here..." Jiang Ruo lifted her thin quilt and pointed to a spot under the hem. "It was here. I don't know when a small hole appeared. While you were all out in the fields today, I looked carefully and finally found it inside the quilt. I have no idea when it slipped in."

"In the quilt?" Grandma Liu realized with a start. "No wonder. Who would have thought to look there?" She sighed, "Good, good. As long as it isn't lost."

"I'll have to weave a stronger cord for you tomorrow; this one is too thin," she added, still uneasy.

"I'll listen to whatever you say, Grandma," Jiang Ruo replied obediently. "Grandma, what would have happened if it were truly lost?"

"Pah, pah, pah! Don't say such things; speak only of good omens," Grandma Liu, who had just relaxed, tensed up again, staring earnestly at her granddaughter in the dark.

"Grandma, is this jade gourd really that important?" Jiang Ruo persisted.

Grandma Liu replied, "Have you forgotten? The Taoist master said you must not be without it before you turn eighteen; it is your protective talisman."

"Grandma, why don't I remember that?" It was true; there was no trace of this in the original owner's memories, and the confusion in Jiang Ruo's eyes was genuine.

"Don't blame yourself. You were so delirious and plagued by nightmares when you first came back that it’s normal not to remember. But you must take care of it, understand?"

"Mhm," Jiang Ruo nodded submissively. "Don't worry, Grandma, it was just an accident this time."

Having received the answers she wanted, Jiang Ruo pulled her grandmother back down to bed, hugged her arm, and closed her eyes. "Grandma, you should go sleep with Grandfather tomorrow. I'll be fine."

"Alright..." With the gourd back, Grandma Liu felt at ease. She replied, and when she looked at her granddaughter, the child had already drifted off to sleep. She closed her eyes too, but sleep eluded her. Her mind was filled with thoughts of her granddaughter's dreams, and she resolved to discuss them with her husband tomorrow.

The child's dreams had always been accurate, and having the same one for several days in a row left Grandma Liu feeling deeply unsettled.

The next day was another busy one, but Grandma Liu stayed home to tidy up with her daughter-in-law instead of going to the fields. They cleaned the front and back yards and washed the tarpaulins, laying them out in the sun to dry. Jiang Ruo helped as well. According to her grandfather, the autumn harvest would begin within the week, and the days ahead would be even more grueling.

As for Da Ni, she spent her entire day in her room reading, only emerging for meals. Jiang Sijun, who usually enjoyed browsing books, wasn't as intense; he only read in the morning and spent the rest of the day working in the fields with the family.

The day passed in a flurry of activity. That night, unable to hold it in any longer, Grandma Liu told her husband about their granddaughter's dreams.

Grandfather Jiang, who had been struggling to keep his eyes open, sat bolt upright at her words, wiping his face vigorously as all traces of drowsiness vanished.

"You mean to say the child has been having the same dream for days?" His voice carried a tremor of worry.

"Yes, old man. Do you think it might come true? Otherwise, why would she have bought so many things all at once?" At the thought of the dozen bolts of fabric in the chest, Grandma Liu couldn't help but feel anxious.

"Tell me everything again, carefully..." Grandfather Jiang didn't answer, his expression growing increasingly grim.