PCJ – Chapter 98 Harmony Talisman

“Classmates, I have good news for everyone. The higher authorities have approved the construction of a new teaching building for our Meizi’ao Primary School. The new building will be built on the small hill next to our current site. However, due to limited funds, the school has decided that we will handle the groundwork and landscaping ourselves. We hope you will explain this to your parents. The school isn’t misappropriating funds; it’s just that the budget only covers the building itself. The necessary infrastructure costs must be borne by the school. Considering the financial situations of our students’ families, we’ve decided to save this money by doing the work ourselves. Let’s uphold our tradition of self-reliance and use our own hands to build our school,” Gong Ziyuan announced at the end of the school day.

The first graders wouldn’t be the main workforce; they would mostly be helping out here and there. The primary labor would naturally fall on the older students. However, the younger ones would still have tasks, like helping transport soil and bringing water. Don’t underestimate the strength of older primary school students—many rural kids start school late, and by the sixth grade, they’re often thirteen or fourteen years old, nearly adults. Carrying over a hundred pounds is no problem for them.

The younger kids were ecstatic; they were still at an age where they loved to work. Compared to sitting in a classroom, they preferred the open skies. Zhang Jiaohua also had a big smile on his face.

After school, a group of young kids gathered on the small hill outside the school gates, the future site of the new teaching building.

“Chen Dianzi, sing us a song. I’ll give you a wrapped candy,” one of the kids offered, pulling a candy from his pocket. But when Chen Dianzi reached for it, the kid pulled his hand back. “You have to sing first before you get the candy!”

“Hehe, okay, I’ll sing,” Chen Dianzi said, eyeing the candy and swallowing a bit of saliva.

Chen Dianzi was still as erratic as ever, and the clothes given to him by Zhang Qigao’s family were now dirty and shiny. His pants had several new holes.

Clearing his throat, Chen Dianzi started to sing, “In past years, oddities were few, this year they’re plenty. Benches climb walls, lampwicks break pots. The moon rises in the west, the sun sets in the east. People ask mice for rice, stones roll uphill in the river.”

The group of kids laughed so hard they almost fell over. After finishing his song, Chen Dianzi also laughed foolishly and held out his hand for the candy.

The kid who offered the candy said, “I didn’t say you’d get the candy after just one song. You have to keep singing.”

Angry at not getting the candy, Chen Dianzi jumped up and looked ready to go wild, scaring the kids into running away quickly.

“Who told you to tease him? Are you tired of living? He’s a lunatic; if he goes mad and beats you to death, he won’t be held responsible,” Ma Lishong came over and chased all the kids away with a few shouts.

Chen Dianzi wasn’t happy, though. “Candy! I want the candy!”

Zhang Jiaohua and Mute were also watching the commotion from the side.

“Chen Dianzi is really crazy. Good thing the principal showed up, or there’d be trouble. Ma Dongqiao is such a troublemaker. Last time Ma Sibao killed a snake king, it was also Ma Dongqiao who stirred things up,” Mute said, clearly disdainful of Ma Dongqiao’s antics.

Zhang Jiaohua said nothing, watching Ma Lishong lead Chen Dianzi away.

“I’ll give you candy, I’ll give you candy.”

Hearing that Ma Lishong would give him candy, Chen Dianzi smiled foolishly and followed him.

“As the saying goes, there are thick and thin bamboos in the mountains, tall and short lotuses in the water, ten fingers of different lengths, how can two arms be the same length? Don’t say there are no legless snakes, some do become dragons and ride the clouds. As the old saying goes, ‘Ten years east of the river, ten years west of the river…'” Chen Dianzi sang perfectly as he walked, not showing a hint of madness.

Zhang Jiaohua was puzzled by Chen Dianzi’s behavior.

When Zhang Jiaohua entered his yard, he saw a bicycle parked there and knew his uncle had arrived.

“Uncle!” Zhang Jiaohua shouted as he ran into the house.

Just then, someone walked out of the house and bumped right into him.

“Jiaohua, you’re back?” Liu Biao lifted Zhang Jiaohua, tossing him high into the air and catching him perfectly as he came down, making Zhang Jiaohua laugh happily.

“Uncle, have you made up with Aunt?” Jiaohua, as always, knew exactly which sensitive topic to bring up.

Liu Biao’s face turned a bit awkward; he hadn’t even spoken a word to his wife yet.

“Jiaohua, your aunt loves you the most. Can you say something nice to her for me?” Liu Biao put Zhang Jiaohua down and nudged him toward his room.

Last night, Zhang Jiaohua and Xi’er had slept in the newly made bed, while his aunt slept in his room. Liu Biao had undoubtedly faced a cold reception.

Zhang Jiaohua laughed, “Uncle, I can’t help you with that.”

“Little rascal, if you can make your aunt forgive me, I’ll give you candy,” Liu Biao tried to bribe him.

Zhang Jiaohua’s eyes twinkled, and he came up with an idea.

“Uncle, I have a way to make sure you and Aunt never argue again,” Zhang Jiaohua said, thinking of the Harmony Talisman.

The old Taoist priest had been very serious when teaching him about the Harmony Talisman, repeatedly warning that it should only be used for married couples and not given out carelessly, lest it bring bad karma. Zhang Jiaohua figured it would be fine for his uncle and aunt since they were married.

“Do you really have a way? Tell me quickly,” Liu Biao asked eagerly.

“I need both of your birth dates and some hair. That way, I can draw the talisman. After that, you and Aunt will never fight again,” Zhang Jiaohua explained.

“Really?” Liu Biao was skeptical.

“Believe it or not,” Zhang Jiaohua said as he walked into his room and put his school bag on the desk.

“I believe you, I believe you. Jiaohua, haven’t I always treated you well? For the sake of all the candies I’ve bought you, you have to help your uncle this time,” Liu Biao pleaded. He wasn’t eager to apologize to his wife, so if this talisman thing could work and spare him the awkwardness, he was all for it. As for whether they’d really never fight again, Liu Biao wasn’t too concerned. He knew Zhao Lanying was keeping an eye on him to gauge his feelings, giving him a small punishment to make him more mindful in the future. She wasn’t looking to create a lasting rift, which was why she hadn’t run back to her parents’ house. If she did, it would escalate things and leave a scar in their relationship, even if they reconciled eventually.