A hearsay story

I have an exceedingly dear friend, who, upon graduating from medical school, inherited a substantial legacy from his parents, sufficient to sustain a life of opulence without labor. However, he disdains both women and indulgence. His passion lies in amassing an assortment of peculiar and wondrous tales. Most of the time, he's not at home but voyaging abroad. He lacks other companions; in the eyes of others, he's an eccentric soul. Serendipitously, I am an enthusiast of the peculiar as well. Hence, whenever he encounters odd occurrences, he willingly seeks me out to share his joy in exploration. Just now, I received his call. He mentioned having returned from a peripatetic journey, bringing with him a trove of fresh and fascinating tales. I hastened over promptly, as I am on a sabbatical, opting to relocate to his abode. Each evening is spent listening to his recitals of these curious tales. Precisely one each night.

On the first night,

my friend, with a cigarette in hand, mysteriously raised his index finger for my gaze. "See, everyone's index finger represents human greed, for the desire to eat is the most fundamental and primal desire of mankind. Do you know why it's called the 'index finger'? Ancient beliefs state that at the sight of something delicious, the index finger twitches; isn't there a phrase, 'to set one's finger a-tingle'? Now, let me share with you a story about the index finger," he proclaimed, extinguishing his cigarette before embarking on the tale.

"When I sojourned in a small town in the southwest, I lodged with an elderly man of remarkable spirit. In our conversations, I gleaned a peculiar story. During the Republic era, for a girl to marry into a reputable family, she needed an impeccable figure, especially a slender waist. It's said that some families had specific measurement standards, precise down to the millimeter. The thinner the girl, the more beautiful they found her, contrary to the Tang Dynasty's celebration of plumpness. Perhaps the locals harbored great disdain for pigs, leading them to believe that anyone obese was unsightly. Consequently, the girls there starved themselves, yearning for a lithe and graceful figure that would sway and flutter in the wind like willow catkins."

"Among them was a girl named Xiu. Once she realized her lifelong happiness was inversely proportional to her waistline, she swore off meat and even flour-based foods. Yet, fate seemed to jest with her. Despite Xiu's ceaseless exercises and a meager fruit diet, she gained weight. Maybe it was a genetic issue, or perhaps an undiagnosed illness, but the people then didn't consider such factors. The slender girls mocked Xiu, calling her a reincarnation of a pig spirit. Her family sighed incessantly, witnessing Xiu's figure grow plumper by the day, to the point where not even the poorest local families would consider marrying her."

"Speaking of the fourth family, there were indeed faint relations between them and Xiu's family, akin to the numerous strands of hair atop one's head, too many to count and shed a few each day. Yet, Xiu and the fourth family's son, Min, were childhood companions, often playing together. However, after Xiu aspired to marry into a wealthy family, she severed ties with Min. Nonetheless, Min always held Xiu in his heart. At this juncture, Xiu's parents were desperate, their utmost wish being to promptly marry off Xiu to avoid her becoming a disgraced eyesore at home. After all, they regarded their daughter as a commodity still abundant within the household."

"Min, the son of the fourth family, was indeed handsome in appearance, albeit impoverished, dressed in worn yet meticulously clean attire, both himself and his clothes. When Xiu's father broached the matter to the fourth family, they promptly agreed without a second thought. Within a day, all the trivial procedures of betrothal, formal engagement, exchanged letters, and the ceremonial wedding feast were completed, quite a record in those times."

"Though Xiu harbored countless grievances, she had no choice. Her ill-fated fortune compelled her. Without marrying, in a few years, even Min might not look at her, let alone someone else. Moreover, her husband treated her with utmost tenderness and care, allowing her to endure their days."

"Such things often fall into place by some uncanny coincidence, perhaps due to Feng Shui or maybe the mood's influence. Oddly, after marrying into the fourth family, Xiu began to slim down, eventually becoming a renowned local beauty. Sadly, she was already married. Yet, many still pursued her. People there cared little for first or second marriages, seeing daughters-in-law as mere tools for procreation and enhancements to the household's Feng Shui."

"Xiu herself became restless and adamantly refused to have children, much to Min's distress. He knew that without a child, he couldn't retain Xiu. But would having a child make a difference? Xiu had relinquished all duties at home, spending her days chatting and strolling with friends or visiting affluent households. Hardly the life of a daughter-in-law from a poor family. It seems the curse is in being slender. Min knows that only if Xiu plumps up again, will she find peace in this household."

Shortly thereafter, Xiu indeed gained weight again, reverting to her former state, relegated once more to a peasant's life. She resented the caprice of fate, while Min chuckled inwardly, ostensibly commiserating and comforting her.

Days passed like a shuttle weaving through fabric, a dozen or so years fleetingly went by. Xiu birthed several children and abandoned her dreams. She found solace in living contentedly with Min until their daughter Yue's maturation.

Yue blossomed into exceptional beauty, inheriting the best traits of her parents. However, she seemed to maintain a constant, neither plump nor slender figure. Occasionally, she even appeared slightly fuller. By contemporary standards, she wasn't even remotely overweight. But Xiu was unwilling for her daughter to tread the same path. Early on, she started monitoring Yue's diet, albeit with limited success.

Observing Yue nearing sixteen yet with a waist broader than her peers, Xiu grew increasingly distressed, losing sleep every night. Witnessing his wife's daily struggle and dark circles, Min, perhaps believing time had diluted everything, finally could not restrain himself. He declared that it didn't matter anymore. That day, they went to bed together. Restless, Xiu tossed and turned, prompting Min to turn her body towards him. With seriousness, he uttered, "Do you know why you suddenly slimmed down at our wedding?"

Perplexed, Xiu shook her head, inquiring, "Why?"

"That's because of me. Although our family is poor, we possess a secret to becoming slim. However, our forebears warned that its excessive use, if not managed properly, would lead to consequences, the nature of which remained unknown. When you arrived at our home, I cast this spell on you. Later, when you wanted to leave, I undid the spell, causing you to gain weight again," Min said dejectedly.

Xiu had outgrown the years of anger. While she had suspected her husband's mischief causing her sudden weight fluctuations, hearing about this peculiar spell intrigued her. "Forget it, it's all in the past. I don't blame you. But you can't delay Yue. I want her to marry into a good family! Tell me quickly!" she urged.

Watching his anxious wife, Min hesitated. Finally, he raised his index finger to Xiu and said, "It's the finger."

"The finger? What do you mean?" Xiu asked, perplexed. Min told her that centuries ago, their ancestors had sheltered a beggar during a famine. This beggar, not an ordinary man, was a wandering Taoist sorcerer from Mount Mao, merely masquerading as a beggar to observe people's kindness. Impressed by the benevolence of Min's ancestors, he imparted some spells to them. Over time, most spells were lost, except this slimming spell, inexplicably retained. However, since then, Min's family began to decline, perhaps due to the many taboos associated with the use of Mount Mao's arts. Mount Mao's sorcery bore many taboos; once violated, it could lead to financial ruin or, worse, calamities and generational curses. It seemed Min's ancestors had engaged in some unjust practices that warranted such repercussions.

Regarding the spell, Min explained that all it required was swallowing one's own fingernail. Yet, the effects lasted only a few years, and its potency varied among individuals. Excessive use, it was said, resulted in terrifying consequences. Since it only induced slimness, Min's family rarely resorted to its use, although Min's father did teach him.

"No wonder every time you saw me, you were so eager to help trim my nails," Xiu remarked, her tone peculiar. Min felt slightly embarrassed. Caressing his wife's face, he said, "Isn't it because I still love you?"

"Never mind, I'm not angry anymore. Tomorrow, cast this spell to make Yue slim quickly," Xiu instructed.

Min nodded, and the couple, at ease, fell asleep once more.

Soon enough, Yue indeed slimmed down significantly, becoming the most exquisite and spirited in the vicinity. Neighbors lauded Min and Xiu for raising such an exceptional daughter, convinced she would marry into an esteemed family. The couple could barely contain their laughter upon hearing these praises.

However, fate took a cruel turn. The wealthiest landowner in the area sought a daughter-in-law. This landowner, as mentioned earlier, was someone meticulously focused on the precise measurements of a potential bride, down to the smallest unit. Xiu was eager to send Yue to try her luck. Unfortunately, she fell short by a hair's breadth. Moreover, Yue was already the lightest among them. The landowner declared that if no one qualified within a week, he would seek elsewhere. Determined to secure her daughter's position, Xiu pressured Min to employ the spell once more. Reluctantly, Min said, "Have you heard of the god-like Daizong of Shenzhen? Similar arts vary in degrees. It's said a courier, fearing reprimand for a delayed delivery, was taught a technique by a skilled Taoist, using a silver needle to pierce his soles, enduring the pain and releasing impure blood. This enabled him to travel three hundred miles a day, three hundred miles at night. Indeed, it was true. Later, when the courier sought advice on running faster, the Taoist said, 'Just remove your kneecaps, and you can travel two thousand miles day and night.' The courier was scared off."

"Why are you telling me this?" Xiu asked, puzzled.

"I want to tell you that if you want Yue to slim down further, it won't be just a fingernail," Min said, filled with worry. After a long silence, Xiu insisted on having Yue marry into the wealthy household. Asking for Yue's opinion, she naturally wanted her mother's happiness and the family's escape from poverty, thus readily agreeing.

However, this time, it required Yue to consume her own index finger! The wealthy family didn't mind the absence of a finger as long as the other criteria were met, justifying it as an old childhood injury. Yue gritted her teeth, chopped off her finger, and ingested it. Indeed, the following day, Yue visibly slimmed down. Rushing to the wealthy suitor's home, the landowner was delighted upon seeing Yue. The marriage was swiftly arranged, and the finger incident seemed to fade from memory. Tranquility gradually returned, and Min and Xiu, supported by the wealth of the landowner, lived an affluent life. Despite the ongoing conflict in the Central Plains, peace prevailed in their area, an idyllic sanctuary untouched by the war.

Not long after, Yue, newly married, became pregnant and bore a son. Initially seen as a blessing, Yue's body inexplicably began swelling uncontrollably, resembling an inflated balloon. Puzzled by Yue's sudden weight gain, her husband's family conveyed this news to Min and Xiu, expressing that post-marital weight gain was acceptable, but Yue's condition might hinder her status as their daughter-in-law. If Yue continued to gain weight, they decided to divorce her. Tearfully seeking guidance from Min, Xiu was distraught. After much contemplation and research, Min discovered that excessive bleeding during childbirth could disrupt the spell. During Yue's birth, Xiu had already gained weight, so Min hadn't paid attention to the dissolution of the spell. With Yue's body ballooning like this, Xiu, tearfully questioning Min, said, "Even if she returns to her original form, Yue shouldn't have ended up like this!"

Min explained that once the spell was broken, the body rebounded like a long-compressed spring. Moreover, a rich diet during the postnatal period made even ordinary people prone to weight gain.

"I don't care. If this continues, none of us can stay here, and my grandson, your son, will be lost. Can you bear that?" Xiu implored Min, with Yue kneeling beside her father.

"I don't know what consequences await, for even our ancestors never repeatedly used this spell. They strictly cautioned against excessive use, fearing divine retribution," Min hesitantly said.

"Perhaps the Taoist was just frightening you. Since nobody used it, how can you be sure of divine retribution?" Xiu retorted. Ultimately, after much deliberation, Min reluctantly agreed to cast the spell one last time.

This time, it wasn't Yue's finger but the index fingers of both Min and Xiu, as there existed an invisible bond between parents and children. By transferring ailments or pain in this way, one could shift their afflictions to the other. Thus, Yue swallowed the index fingers chopped by her parents. Grimacing through intense pain, Min and Xiu settled Yue down for the night. The couple stayed awake all night, fearing the worst. Miraculously, everything seemed fine the next morning; Yue had returned to her pre-marriage physique, resembling a young girl once more. Relieved, the couple escorted Yue back to her in-law's home, where the family, surprised but pleased with her weight loss, joyfully welcomed them. Min and Xiu returned home to recuperate from their injuries.

But on the following night, as Min and Xiu slept soundly, they were abruptly summoned by the in-laws. It turned out that Yue had tragically perished that very night, and her state of death was horrifying. Xiu fainted upon hearing this news, leaving Min to identify the body alone. He walked in a daze, his mind blank, resembling a walking corpse guided into the scene. The abrupt loss of his daughter was unfathomable. Yet, when he laid eyes on her body—barely recognizable—he nearly fainted as well.

Yue appeared ravaged, resembling a carcass devoured by some beast. Not a patch of flesh remained unscathed, her appearance akin to a skeleton. Traces of her being dragged from the bed to the floor—nearly six feet away—were evident. Blood and fragments of flesh scattered everywhere. Yue's head was raised, her hand reaching toward the door. It seemed she fell from the bed, attempting to open the door, but succumbed only after a few steps, likely enduring excruciating pain. Min couldn't comprehend; was this the so-called retribution? Gazing at his daughter's body, he collapsed to the ground, tears streaming down his face.

Due to the horrific nature of Yue's death and the strict code of conduct maintained by the wealthy suitor, the truth remained hidden. Externally, it was announced that the young mistress had succumbed to a sudden illness. The landowner provided a substantial sum for Min and Xiu to depart. Regrettably, burdened by guilt over their daughter's tragic demise, Xiu ended her life as well. Min vanished from the world.

It's said that the Maoshan art itself involves exorcism and transferring misfortune. For instance, practitioners can transfer meat or food from others to themselves or shift their own pain to someone else. Perhaps this art transferred the obesity that was originally on the practitioner's body to another. Yet, every spell carries self-infliction. Min repeatedly employed the spell and ultimately faced retribution, tragically on his own family. As for Yue's gruesome death, it was the backlash of the spell. In Buddhism, among the Six Realms, there exists a ghostly realm of starving ghosts, tiny as ants but numerous. Hungry in their former lives, these ghosts consume everything post-mortem. The index finger symbolizes human appetite. By consuming their own index finger, individuals make a covenant with these starving ghosts. They assist in consuming unwanted fat and flesh. But if the covenant goes uncontrolled or is excessive, they devour the entire person.

As my friend concluded, leaning in to whisper, "When I heard this old man's story, I couldn't help but caress my own index finger. Could it be true that consuming one's own index finger could make one thinner? Just as I pondered, the old man smiled and departed. I noticed he had only four fingers on one hand, conspicuously missing the index finger. Later inquiries yielded no recognition of the old man; it seemed he arrived post-liberation, known to everyone as Uncle Min."

I sat there, stunned. Like my friend, I gently touched my own index finger, recalling a recent encounter with an ant colony. A sudden numbness washed over me. Seeing me lost in thought, my friend chuckled, patting my shoulder, "Don't worry, some things just are, and some aren't, and they shouldn't be forced."

"Well, sometimes, things are in our hands; fate shouldn't be our sole belief," I countered, smiling.

My friend glanced at me. "Have you heard the tale of the half-face?"

"No." I looked at him, noticing a peculiar, almost sculpted quality to his face.

"Never mind, I'll tell you tomorrow. Look, the sun is already out." My friend suddenly resumed his usual demeanor, pointing to the sun outside the window. I suppressed my curiosity and retired for the night, eager to continue our conversation later on.