The women

(Baonghean) - The weak autumn sun cast a chilly glow over the air, filtering through the branches and leaves of the trees in front of the temple gate. Three women, by chance, met. They squeezed through the crowd, trying to walk quickly, each in a different direction, until finally they stood together before the incense burner. They offered their gifts together; one brought a package of cakes and incense sticks, another expensive fruits and sweets, and the third simply a few oranges and starfruit from her garden. Then they lit the incense, knelt, and one by one expressed their wishes...

A woman in rather worn clothes, with skin dotted with freckles and her hair tied low at the back, stepped forward. Next came a young woman with a delicate face, a slightly pale complexion, and neatly dressed. Finally, the most beautiful woman of all, with an oval, fair face, dark eyes, and long, curved eyelashes, wore an elegant black velvet dress. They walked slowly, each lost in their own thoughts.

Approaching the foot of the mountain, the woman with long hair glanced across the road where a man with a paralyzed leg was sitting. She walked past, then paused beside a sign that read "fortune telling," hesitantly asking for a reading. The man spoke in a conditional tone:

- I'm just reading the fortune, not answering questions. If you agree, shake the cards three times!

The woman took the card holder and shook it three times. After the cards fell onto the mat, the man looked at the thin cheekbones of the long-haired woman and declared:

- She was born with an unattractive appearance, and later had to marry a man who was paralyzed in both legs. Fortunately, he loved his wife. Kudos to her for her hard work and willingness to endure hardship, so things are alright. Perhaps, however, her children are what truly worry her!

The woman with long, black hair nodded slightly. It was true, just as he had said. She was born ugly, and when she reached marriageable age, her family married her off to a disabled man. At that time, her husband's grandparents were still alive, but after they passed away, she was the sole breadwinner. Out of love for her husband, she didn't hesitate to do any job, from plowing fields for hire to washing dishes and even carrying heavy loads. Her husband, though confined to a wheelchair, helped her tend the garden, pick vegetables, and cook meals. They loved each other dearly, yet ironically, after more than ten years, they still had no children, leaving her constantly worried and anxious...

The fortune teller continued:

- You should cut your hair short!

She didn't answer; she'd been growing her hair out since she got married.

"Cut your hair!" he repeated. "You shouldn't do too much work. Your health is poor; you should only take care of the garden, the chickens, and the ducks. Do some handicrafts, and then someone will help you. That's how you'll have children..."

She nodded slightly in thanks, took a green banknote from her pocket, placed it in the cup next to her, and then stood up and left.

While the long-haired woman was listening to the fortune-telling, the pale-faced woman and the elegant woman came and sat beside her. They seemed to have a connection.

When it was the pale woman's turn to cast her fortune, the man declared:

- Your family is well-educated and knowledgeable. You married someone you knew and loved since you were young. But after two years of marriage, your husband developed a gambling and drinking habit, neglected his work, and ignored his family, pawning everything in the house. Recently, he even beat you. Your husband is currently hospitalized because he can't pay his debts, right?

Yes, that's right!

- You don't need to go around performing rituals to ward off bad luck anymore. Now, go home and encourage and take care of your husband. When he's healthy, he should quit his current job. Your husband is inherently kind and honest, but he associated with unhealthy colleagues, leading him astray. Turning back to manual labor might still be possible...

The pale woman bowed her head, said thank you, placed a green banknote in the bowl, and then left.

The third woman's fair, smooth, and plump face betrayed impatience. The man glanced at her, then subtly curled his lips:

- Your family is blessed with wealth and prosperity, money flows in like water, your husband loves you dearly, and your children are well-behaved. Yet, you've developed a bad habit of gossiping and destroying other people's family happiness. You also look down on everyone, so your friends have distanced themselves from you. Recently, you've even been targeted for revenge. And yet, you still haven't realized your mistakes!

Hearing this, her beautiful face turned pale with displeasure, she put the money in the cup and was about to leave. Immediately, the man stopped her:

- Take the money back, I won't accept it. If you don't mend your ways and abandon your bad habits, your husband will soon go bankrupt, and your children will become spoiled. At that point, even if you begged ten people, no one would help. Those two women before were destined for you; if you could help them, you would also be able to help yourself!

When the three women were out of sight, the man stood up, stretched, looked up at the sky, which was covered by pale gray clouds, and then gently shook his head...

Short stories byLam Thi Khanh Ly(Vinh City)