บท 3: Being Beautiful Is a Sin
Mister Zhong couldn't wait to show his son Jing Yi to the other villagers. His wife had still been asleep, when he took the boy out of her arms. But hardly had he opened the door, the agitated voice of his neighbor Miss Lian greeted him: "He was as beautiful as Pan An, but he claimed to be a daoist. And when he headed off, he vanished as soon as he took one step outside into the night."
"That doesn't sound like a daoist, but like a demon", remarked Mister Pi, who lived two houses further down the road and liked to put on the air of a well-traveled and cultured man. However, the only thing that traveled well were the rumors, he picked up with fondness and spread even further. A demon, that helped with the birth of the Zhong's child, was to his taste.
Qiu Ling, who had hidden his figure and rested, disregarded by the humans, against the Zhong's door, sighed, when he saw Mister Zhong furrow his brow. If he had known, that the people would make something like that of his help, he wouldn't have vanished so fast the previous night. Instead he would have waited until Miss Lian stopped her pursuit on her own. But who would have known, how long she would've followed him through the night? What if something had happened to Jing He in that time frame?
"What demon?" Mister Zhong slammed the door and hurried to the throng of people, that had gathered at the village's square. "Didn't he wear the robes of a daoist? And aren't daoists cultured men? You ought to be ashamed of yourself, Lian Mei, to spread a rumor like that, instead of being happy for your neighbor, that mother and child survived!"
The neighbor of the Zhong's grimaced. "What rumors? I only said, he had a face as beautiful as Pan An's. Mister Pi said, he had to be a demon!"
Mister Pi coughed. "A cultured man like me would never spread rumors! Most probably, you're exaggerating, Miss Lian. Certainly, the daoist was —"
"Ask Madam Zhong! She also saw him."
"My wife had other fish to fry than examining a stranger's face!"
"You —" Miss Lian clenched her fist. She couldn't believe what Mister Zhong indicated.
"Hmpf!" Angrily, he turned away and looked at the child in his arms instead. His fury instantly made way for a smile and he stepped into the middle of the throng. "That's our son: Jing Yi! Jing like the friendly spirit, that helped him", he explained with another glance at Miss Lian. "And Yi as in righteousness."
"A good name, a really good name." Mister Pi ran his hand over his chin and examined the child, that slept placidly. A smug expression occupied his face, as if he had a brilliant idea. And indeed: "Maybe you should make that Jing as in quiet. Really, what an obedient child."
Qiu Ling snorted. Was that the kind of environment Jing He had to grow up in? Those humans left a bad impression with him. Maybe I should take him away?
The village women surrounded Mister Zhong, gripped Jing Yi's small hands and laughed delightedly. In his human life Jing He was as favored as he was as the crown prince of the nine heavens.
Maybe not. It seems those women will let him have a good life.
Qiu Ling sneaked closer to the humans and peered over Mister Zhong's shoulder. Jing He, Jing He … How long can this trial take? He longed to return to the nine heavens and continue the life they had there.
The newborn opened his dozy eyes and smiled brightly. Qiu Ling's heart leapt. Did Jing He recognize me? But that can't be. He drank the water of the river of forgetfulness, prior to descending into the mortal realm. All memories of his previous life are lost. He'll only remember, when he ascends again at the end of his mortal life.
Apart from that, he had hidden from the gazes of the mortals and Jing He was one of them for the time being. Probably one of the women had wakened him and he enjoyed the attention.
Qiu Ling's gaze darkened, thinking of what that meant for the future. He snorted again and returned to the door, from where he could keep an eye on Jing He.
Finally, the villagers went to work. Mister Zhong, too, returned to the house, gave his son back to his wife, and went to feed the animals.
Only Madam Zhong and her son were still in the village. Qiu Ling smiled, took a seat at the other side of the room and closed his eyes. For now, he couldn't do anything but wait.
He didn't suspect, what happened on the paddies.
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