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Mandated to Find a Husband
墨書 Inktalez
In the early summer season, the faint mist that gathered in the morning could not block the pale light of dawn breaking from the eastern horizon. A ray of sunlight had already pierced through the cracks in the clouds and illuminated the earth.
"Help! Song Pearl has fallen into the Fish Pond!" A girl's shrill voice shattered the surrounding silence.
In the fields south of Song Family Village, several farmers were bent over, busy working the land. This season, with favorable weather and suitable temperatures, the grass in the fields grew faster than the crops, and they needed to clear it away early.
Amidst the green seedlings, a winding path led to a house standing deep within a wheat field. From a distance, smoke rising from its chimney mingled with the lingering morning mist, enveloping the area and giving it an ethereal, fairy-tale-like quality.
Only those working nearby knew that this misty place was not inhabited by fairies but was often haunted.
This was because there was a pond nestled among the crops, where Will-o'-the-wisp would flit about after dark. If anyone happened to walk nearby, the Will-o'-the-wisp would follow them for quite a distance.
When land was contracted out, some brave souls attempted to lease the pond for fish farming but were unsuccessful. This only added to its mystique, and as a result, the pond was abandoned for several years until Song Shiting, who had been working away from home, returned with his paralyzed wife and two daughters. The village leased him the pond at a low price.
The wasteland by the pond had gone untended because no one dared to cultivate it. Song Shiting sold his old house in the village and built a new one by the pond for easier management of the Fish Pond.
Since Song Shiting settled here, villagers had not heard of any unusual occurrences at the pond. Observant individuals noted that the frequently jumping Will-o'-the-wisp had also ceased to shine.
With his aquaculture skills, Song Shiting raised Fish Fry in the pond that grew plump and healthy. After selling several batches, he gradually paid off his debts incurred from his wife's medical treatment.
This made the villagers somewhat envious; they admired Song Shiting's good fortune in taming evil spirits.
However, on this misty morning, Song Shiting's daughter, Song Pearl, fell into the pond.
A young man working in the distance heard the child's cries and dropped his hoe to run toward the pond, while a silvery Pearl Fish swiftly swam from the bottom of the water toward the surface.
A voice came from the water's surface: "Pearl, you must repay what you owe me."
It was a girl's voice, and as it traveled through the clear water, it became deeper. The Pearl Fish, moving swiftly, was momentarily distracted when a body fell from above and crashed down on her, causing her to lose consciousness...
When she woke up again, she found herself out of the water, lying in a completely white space.
As she saw a person in a white coat approaching, she thought that they would strike her down, but instead, the person simply lifted her hand, tied a tube around her arm, and tapped on it twice. She felt pain as the needle's tip pierced her skin, followed by the sound of liquid flowing through the tube.
Her hand? She tried to lift it; wasn't this Song Pearl's hand? This hand had held her and put her back into the water. Therefore, she recognized her. Even as a fish, one understands gratitude. So when she noticed Song Pearl falling, she wanted to help.
However, she had been distracted by a phrase and knocked unconscious, becoming Song Pearl.
She knew that soon a nurse in a white coat would come in pushing a cart with medication and syringes. They would call out "Song Pearl" or check her name against a list to confirm it before opening a bag to give her an IV.
When she opened her eyes for the third time, the person taking care of her was a middle-aged man in his thirties whom she recognized. He was the father of this body and the contractor of the pond, Song Shiting.
She remembered that Song Shiting had always been a tidy and efficient farmer, but now his stubble had grown long, making him look disheveled. His eyes were bloodshot, showing signs of anxiety and exhaustion.
"Pearl, come drink some rice soup," Song Shiting said as he entered with a steaming large cup and sat down by the bedside.
Since waking up, Song Shiting had called out "Pearl" countless times without receiving any response. She knew he wasn't calling for her specifically; although she shared the name Pearl, she was not Song Pearl.
Song Shiting understood Song Pearl's timid nature and introverted personality and initially didn't think much of it. However, seeing her lying there without saying a word and staring blankly at the ceiling made him very anxious.
"Still not eating?" A doctor entered and looked at the motionless Song Pearl. He asked Song Shiting, "Have you taken her temperature?"
"Her temperature is normal, but she hasn't eaten anything and keeps her eyes wide open without blinking. She doesn't talk to me, and even when I call her name, she doesn't respond. Could she have entered a vegetative state?" Song Shiting put down the bowl of rice in his hand.
"Don't think too much. All her medical examinations are normal. If you trust us, she can be discharged now. I estimate she'll start feeling better on the way home," the doctor said as he finished examining Pearl and spoke to Song Shiting.
Song Shiting looked at the doctor and then at Song Pearl, remaining silent for a moment before saying, "Then let's discharge her." It seemed he was responding to the doctor, but it also felt like he was speaking to Pearl.
The doctor nodded, and Pearl's eyes shifted slightly, though no one noticed.
After the doctor left, the half cup of rice soup remained steaming on the table until a nurse came over to give an injection and it was finally taken away.
The two bottles of IV drip were quickly finished, and by this time, Song Shiting had completed the discharge procedures.
Pearl was carried on Song Shiting's back as they left the hospital.
There were many vehicles on the road. Pearl felt they had been walking along the wide road for a long time before finally reaching the bus station and boarding a bus heading to town.
Once on the bus, Song Shiting found a suitable spot for Pearl to sit down and sat next to her. The bus was quite simple, and Pearl felt dizzy from the strong smell of gasoline and sweat that hit her face, causing her to close her eyes involuntarily.
"Pearl, are you thirsty?" Song Shiting asked as he unscrewed the cap of a water bottle and brought it to her lips.
Pearl opened her eyes and took a few sips from the spout, feeling somewhat relieved. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught a glimpse of surprise on Song Shiting's face and quickly turned her head to look out the window.
Outside the bus window were vast green fields of crops stretching endlessly. The green trees by the roadside rushed past as cars kicked up dust and cyclists flashed by outside.
When the bus stopped again, there were only a few people left inside. Song Shiting carried Pearl off the bus once more.
Song Shiting looked around and found a Tricycle at the intersection. After some haggling, he paid the fare, placed Pearl in the open compartment, and climbed in himself.
The agricultural Tricycle sputtered and emitted smoke as it turned onto a dirt road leading to the countryside. The dust raised by the vehicle made Pearl cough several times, prompting her to quickly cover her mouth and nose with her hand.
The Tricycle stopped at the entrance of a village. Song Shiting leaned out and asked the driver, "Didn’t we agree you would take us to our doorstep? Why are we stopping here?"
"You don't live in the village; Nanhu is still five roads away, and the path isn't good. If you want me to take you there, it'll cost an extra two yuan," replied the driver, turning his head. The black mole on his chin made his expression seem somewhat stiff.
Song Shiting, being simple-minded, didn’t argue further. He jumped out of the vehicle, picked up Pearl, and carried her into the village.
Pearl lay on Song Shiting's back. Although she felt dizzy from the bumps of the Tricycle, she still tilted her head curiously to look at the uneven houses around her. Having always been surrounded by water, she found it refreshing to see the neatly stacked earthen walls and tiled roofs.
Her gaze fell upon a man carrying water who was walking towards them. He had a sturdy build and a dark face adorned with a smile.
The man stopped to greet Song Shiting: "Brother Song is back! Is Pearl doing well?" He then made a funny face at Pearl, squinting his eyes until only two shiny black lumps remained on his face.
Song Pearl set aside her curiosity and stared blankly at the man making faces at her with her big dark eyes.
"She's doing well," Song Shiting replied, pausing to talk to the man. "Thanks to Brother Wang for helping out."
The man's name was Wang Baoguo. On the morning when Song Pearl fell into the water, Song Shiting was not home as he had gone to grind flour in the village. Wang Baoguo was working in a nearby field with his wife when he heard the cries for help and rushed over to rescue Pearl. If he hadn't acted quickly, Song Pearl might have lost her life.
"Don't mention it; we’re all neighbors," said the man carrying water, waving his hand dismissively. He then turned to Pearl and said, "Girl, call me uncle."
"Uncle." Pearl didn’t remember Wang Baoguo saving her but reflexively called out "uncle."
"You truly are a benefactor to Pearl!" Song Shiting said excitedly to Wang Baoguo, "Pearl hasn't spoken since she woke up!" Pearl was also puzzled; she had not made a sound since waking up. Just now, this person had made a funny face to scare her, and in her moment of disgust, she let out a noise.
Wang Baoguo looked at Pearl's somewhat comical expression and laughed heartily, "Not at all, it's just that the girl is lucky and has a strong fate. Look, she's being polite this time; before, whenever she saw me, she would run away."
Song Shiting also laughed and said, "That's because you used to scare her for no reason."
Hearing Song Shiting say this, Pearl recalled some memories about Wang Baoguo. He had a good heart but liked to scare children. However, the village kids were not afraid of him; Song Zhenbao was especially fearless. If Song Zhenbao encountered him, he would throw stones or run over to kick him.
Once, Pearl had picked up a fish that Wang Baoguo had caught. She cried loudly, and Song Shiting got so angry that he found Wang Baoguo and gave him a beating, forcing him to apologize to Pearl.
How did she have these memories? Pearl was curious. She realized that although she had always lived in the water, she was not unfamiliar with the people and events of this village; everything that Song Pearl knew, she knew as well.
Upon reflection, ever since Song Shiting's family moved here, Song Pearl had liked to sit by the pond talking to herself about the village and her daily life.
And as this fish, whether in deep water or diving down, could clearly hear Song Pearl's words.
A familiar scent wafted through the breeze. Pearl looked into the distance and saw Song Shiting carrying her along the weedy path toward Nanhu.
Pearl knew that Nanhu was not a lake; it was a wasteland with a small pond surrounded by reeds and lotus leaves located in the southern part of the village. It was unclear who named it Nanhu first.
As for the rumors about ghosts haunting the pond, Pearl, who had lived in the pond for many years, truly did not know anything about it.
She could already see the wheat fields behind those few tile-roofed houses; the fish pond in front of the tile-roofed house was not far away. That was her home as Pearl Fish.
Pearl pushed against Song Shiting's shoulders with both hands and kicked her legs wildly, struggling to get down.
Song Shiting seemed to understand her thoughts and asked a question before putting her down on the ground.
As soon as Song Pearl's feet touched the ground, she quickly ran towards the direction of Fish Pond. The weeds along the way tangled around her ankles, but with a strong effort, she broke free, feeling a sharp pain where she had been caught. Ignoring it, she continued to run forward.
Just as Song Shiting let out a sigh of relief, he realized that Song Pearl was not heading home but was instead running towards Fish Pond. Alarmed, he hurriedly ran after her.
Breathing heavily, Song Pearl arrived—almost there—just three steps away, two steps, one step. Excitedly, she lunged forward…
But there was no familiar sensation as she had imagined, no sound of splashing water. A powerful force pushed her back several steps, and she fell heavily to the ground.
It hurt! Before Song Pearl could move, Song Shiting picked her up. Her mind cleared a bit, and she stopped struggling. She wasn't a fish; what was the rush? Did she want to drown herself again?
With his daughter in hand, Song Shiting walked briskly towards home, frowning. He had a vague feeling that something was off with Song Pearl, as if she were possessed!
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