Chapter 76
The potential of a person is limitless.
Zhuang Zhixi felt that even when he was a child and secretly followed his older brother and sister, he had never run this fast. But thinking that ahead lay pig trotters, he felt that he could still manage to push himself a bit more, or even twice more. After all, those were rare pig trotters, sothing they couldn't usually buy.
The two of them were panting heavily, though in reality, it was just Zhuang Zhixi who was panting. Ming i's breathing was steady and strong.
Working in the dical office, Zhuang Zhixi was more of a slacker compared to Ming i, who spent her days selling tickets on buses, constantly walking up and down. However, this didn't dampen his enthusiasm. He quickly followed his wife, and the two of them finally reached their destination.
It was undeniable that their speed had played a significant role.
When they arrived, no animals had shown up yet. Of course, it might also be because there were no fierce animals like tigers or wolves on this mountain. Zhuang Zhixi quickly picked up the four pig trotters and the pig tail, placing them in the basket. He was so excited that he almost wanted to dance: "Oh, look at our luck! Did we just score a jackpot?"
Ming i couldn't help but laugh. "Of course."
This ti, they had truly encountered sothing good—sothing that was hard to co by. It was rare to hear of anyone being so lucky as to score such a great find. The joy of scoring a jackpot was beyond imagination.
Zhuang Zhixi looked around and remarked, "They must have been here specifically to hunt this wild boar."
Ming i: "How do you know?"
Zhuang Zhixi: "Look at the surroundings. It's perfect for ambushing, and those kids brought such dangerous things up the mountain. They must have been well-prepared."
Ming i observed and nodded in agreent with Zhuang Zhixi's words. She sighed, "I think..."
Zhuang Zhixi: "Hmm?"
Ming i: "They were probably here to kill the wild boar, and it has nothing to do with us. It's best that the wild boar was taken down. Otherwise, such a fierce creature could easily injure people. Mother often goes up the mountain, and if she encountered it, it would be bad. Fortunately, it's been taken care of."
Zhuang Zhixi: "Exactly."
The two of them relaxed. At that mont, Zhuang Zhixi's eyes suddenly wandered. He said, "Wife, do you think they can carry it?"
Ming i: "I doubt it."
This wasn't about looking down on them. Although today they encountered five young boys, they all looked quite young. Even if they took turns carrying the wild boar, it wasn't so small pig. Even Ming i could tell that the wild boar must weigh over 200 pounds.
Carrying it for a while might be fine, but getting it into the city would be quite challenging.
Ming i hesitated and said, "What are you thinking?"
Truly, a wife knows her husband best.
She stared at Zhuang Zhixi: "You're not thinking of continuing to score another jackpot, are you?"
Zhuang Zhixi: "Why not?"
He rubbed his hands together: "I think they'll get tired and probably cut off the pig's head. Even though it's not cut now, I think they'll give up on the head sooner or later."
Ming i: "But what if we get seen by them?"
Young people have a lot of energy, and if a conflict arises, it wouldn't be good.
She wasn't afraid of fighting, but beating up bad people was one thing; picking on kids was another.
Zhuang Zhixi: "We'll quietly follow behind. After they cut off the head, there's nothing else to cut. We'll pick up the head and leave."
Ming i made the decision: "Let's do it."
The two quickly followed the footsteps. These boys were heading directly down the mountain, but they weren't taking the sa path up the mountain as Ming i and Zhuang Zhixi. Instead, they were taking another route. Zhuang Zhixi and Ming i followed closely. Ming i: "Hey, look."
She pointed and saw a clump of wood ear mushrooms.
Ming i: "These are delicious. Let's pick them on the way back."
"Alright."
The two continued to follow. Zhuang Zhixi: "If we go down this way, it's a bit farther from the city."
Ming i: "Maybe they're not kids from the city?"
Zhuang Zhixi wasn't sure. He said, "Who knows? Looking at their clothes, they should be. But never mind, let's not worry about them. We... hey, look, the pig's head!"
Their prediction was correct. By the halfway point on the mountain, the pig's head had already been cut off. It seed they had taken a long ti to do it, as the marks were still fresh. The two decisively scored another jackpot.
Ming i was thoroughly satisfied. Although they hadn't hunted the wild boar themselves, being able to pick up so many good things without doing anything was quite a joy.
Zhuang Zhixi: "If we could et kids like this every ti we go up the mountain, I think we could live a good life without doing anything."
Ming i teased: "You're dreaming."
Of course, he was dreaming.
Such good fortune only cos once in a blue moon.
This was because the boys were young. If they had been hunters or villagers, they wouldn't have had a chance to score such a find.
"Let's go. We'll head back."
Swish, swish, swish.
A sound ca from nearby. Ming i imdiately said, "There's movent."
A wild chicken appeared. Ming i's hand was faster than her mind. The kitchen knife in her hand flew out and hit the wild chicken, which fell to the ground, instantly dead.
Ming i: "Wow, I'm so amazing."
Zhuang Zhixi: "Clap, clap!"
Ming i chuckled. The two quickly picked up the wild chicken. Ming i said, "See, I told you there were fierce animals around, which is why the smaller animals ran away. Now that the wild boar is dead, the wild chicken ca out."
Zhuang Zhixi was puzzled: "Wild boars don't eat wild chickens, do they?"
The two city-bred kids were deeply pondering the question of whether wild boars eat wild chickens.
However, there's nothing that can't be solved by giving up.
It wasn't a big deal, so they quickly stopped thinking about it.
"Let's go back and pick the wood ear mushrooms."
The two quickly headed back.
"It really is true that you can live off the land. Do you think the villages at the foot of the mountain know there are so many good things here?" Ming i sighed. Zhuang Zhixi glanced at his wife and said, "Of course they know."
Zhuang Zhixi thought more clearly than his mother on this matter. He said, "There are no villages directly next to this mountain. The closest ones are a bit of a distance away, but not too far. Even so, it doesn't stop them from coming up the mountain. It's a bit far for us city folks, but for them, it's not too bad. They definitely know. Otherwise, where did all the mountain goods sold at the old pigeon market co from? But now, with stricter regulations, everyone is more careful."
Ming i agreed with this view, but she also said, "But if they all co up the mountain, why are there still so many good things here?"
Zhuang Zhixi: "This mountain isn't very high, but if only one or two villages co to pick, it shouldn't be completely stripped bare, right?"
Ming i: "That's true."
Zhuang Zhixi added, "I even think that the pond our mother found might be known by others. But like us, they don't dare to catch too much. They don't have the conditions. After all, it's not easy to find the right balance."
Catching too much could be accused of overharvesting.
If you try to hide it completely, it's not easy. If you try to sell it on the black market, it's risky. So if others have also found this pond but are taking it slow, that wouldn't be surprising.
Ming i: "Well done, Zhuang Zhixi. I think you have a good way of looking at things."
Zhuang Zhixi laughed and said, "That's right. You should know who I am. I'm quite capable."
This man was boasting again, not at all shy. He was quite calm, saying, "I think that although I may not be as strong as you physically, when it cos to using my brain, I'm not lacking at all."
After saying this, he even clapped for himself, laughing, "Hey, aren't we a perfect match—one strong, one smart?"
Ming i: "Pfft."
She poked Zhuang Zhixi's shoulder and said, "Stop it, don't be so full of yourself."
"How am I being cheeky? Everything I said is true."
Zhuang Zhixi and Ming i finished packing up the last of the wood ears and said, "Let's head back. We've walked quite far, so let's start making our way back."
The distance they had covered was indeed considerable. While they hadn't felt it much during their run and chase, now that they had stopped, the vast distance beca apparent. Ming i exclaid, "What a wonderful day!"
She jokingly said, "Do you think if we encountered a venomous snake like last ti, we'd strike it rich?"
Zhuang Zhixi: "Don't scare like that."
He pretended to be frightened, saying, "I'm not as brave as you. Sure, making money would be great, but I prefer a bit more stability. If this kind of thing happened a few more tis, I'd be scared to death."
Ming i giggled, and Zhuang Zhixi pouted, "Are you laughing at ?"
Ming i replied cheerfully, "Not at all."
Whether she was telling the truth or not, only she knew. However, her eyes, brimming with laughter, gave her away. It was clear she was teasing him.
Zhuang Zhixi said "nacingly," "Just you wait. I'll deal with you tonight."
Ming i: "Hmph, I'm not scared of you."
Zhuang Zhixi teased, "Then don't beg for rcy."
Ming i's cheeks flushed slightly as she said, "When have I ever begged for rcy? I won't stoop to your level."
Zhuang Zhixi: "Hehe."
Ming i: "Hmph."
She pouted, "What do you an by that? You're 'hehe'-ing at ."
This laugh sounded quite annoying.
Zhuang Zhixi: "Wife, aren't you being a bit too bossy? I can't even 'hehe' without you getting upset."
He pulled Ming i closer and said, "Given your bad behavior, I've decided to teach you a lesson twice tonight."
Ming i slapped Zhuang Zhixi's hand, and he pretended to cry out in pain, "You're bullying like this? Waaah, I knew you were a bad person. Tonight, I'm going to teach you a lesson three tis..."
Ming i: "..."
This man was truly shaless.
She decided not to engage with him and quickly took a few steps forward.
Zhuang Zhixi laughed, "Why are you walking so fast? Wait for , wife."
The more he said, the faster Ming i walked.
Zhuang Zhixi: "My lovely wife, if you keep this up, I'll have to do it four tis..."
Ming i was speechless. She stopped and challenged him, "Four tis? Are you sure? Are you sure you have the stamina?"
She mockingly looked him up and down and snorted, "You're bragging."
Zhuang Zhixi: "!!!"
He stared at his wife in shock. Had he just been mocked?
Well, he couldn't let this stand. He declared firmly, "Tonight, I'll show you!"
With a fierce expression.
Ming i: "Hehe."
She let out a cold laugh.
Zhuang Zhixi: "Hey, you can doubt my laziness or my stamina, but you can't doubt my abilities."
Ming i: "Heh."
Her laugh was incredibly mocking.
Zhuang Zhixi: ...He couldn't stand this. As a man, you could say whatever you wanted about him, but you couldn't say he wasn't capable. He was definitely capable, as he had proven himself before. He felt very wronged and wanted to prove himself again.
"When we get ho..."
He couldn't prove himself right now, so he could only make empty threats.
Ming i: "Comrade Zhuang Zhixi, as a... oh, forget it~"
Suddenly, Ming i darted past Zhuang Zhixi and shot off like a rocket. Her movents were incredibly fast, like a rabbit on the run. Ming i dashed forward, and Zhuang Zhixi quickly followed. In a few quick steps, Ming i had captured their prey—a wild goat.
Ming i held the goat down and called, "Quick, co help!"
The wild goat wasn't as quick or agile as a wild chicken or rabbit. It hadn't managed to escape much when Ming i pounced on it. She quickly grabbed so willow branches and tied it up.
There were plenty of willow trees on the mountain, which was quite convenient. At least when encountering a prey, they had sothing to use.
Zhuang Zhixi quickly helped his wife tie up the goat. Both of them were a bit disheveled, but the joy of their catch was overwhelming. Ming i shook Zhuang Zhixi's arm and exclaid, "We're rich, we're rich!"
Zhuang Zhixi nodded, fully agreeing. He muttered, "Our luck is really good, isn't it?"
Ming i pointed to her nose and said, "It's my luck."
Zhuang Zhixi agreed with this. His mother had been to the mountain many tis, and even his sister-in-law had gone with her, but they had never had such a big catch. However, every ti Ming i went to the mountain, she had great luck.
Moreover, it seed that this luck was exclusively Ming i's. For example, if it were him, his mother, or his brother... they probably wouldn't have been as quick or skilled as Ming i in capturing a venomous snake or a wild goat.
They might not even have been able to spot a wild boar's hoofprint, let alone catch one.
Their estimation of the location and the actual spot could be vastly different.
But with Ming i around, everything was different.
Ming i had an impeccable sense of direction and could navigate the mountain paths easily. Her high combat skills also made her a reliable partner. Zhuang Zhixi, who was less skilled in this area, felt very safe and secure by his wife's side.
"Wife, you're amazing."
Ming i: "Of course I am."
She was so proud she could hardly contain herself. "I didn't expect my luck to be this good. Who knew this silly goat would just pop out like that?"
Although the wild goat had only briefly shown itself, Ming i had spotted it instantly. Her eyes were like magnifying glasses, always sharp and accurate.
Ming i chuckled and said, "Let's go. Today, we're going to have a great feast and decide how to handle this goat. Should we kill it or keep it alive?"
Zhuang Zhixi: "We have to kill it. There's no place to keep it, and if you try to raise it in the yard, you can bet soone will report you."
He was quite clear about this.
It wasn't that people were inherently malicious, but everyone was like this.
Where did this goat co from? How did it end up here? People were very suspicious.
Ming i frowned, "But if we kill it, with this hot weather, it won't keep well."
Zhuang Zhixi: "Let's leave it to Comrade Zhao Guihua when we get back. I wonder if providing such a big wild goat will exempt us from paying our living expenses for a few months. Didn't we agree that small ga like wild chickens and rabbits would be shared, but bigger catches like this would belong to the individual?"
Ming i laughed, teasing, "Oh, look at you. Once you got married, your loyalty shifted."
Zhuang Zhixi: "How is that shifting loyalty? Isn't my sister-in-law looking out for herself too?"
He spread his hands, "I'm married now, so of course, I have to think about my own family."
Ming i chuckled softly, "You're... sothing else."
She scratched her head as they walked, "Do you think your mom will think I've corrupted you?"
Zhuang Zhixi stood tall and confidently said, "That's impossible. My mom knows what kind of person I am. If anything, it's who's corrupting you, not the other way around. To be honest, in other families, they might bla the daughter-in-law, but you can rest assured with my family. My mom might have a bad temper, but in this regard, you can trust her completely. She knows better than anyone."
Ming i: "You're quite proud of yourself."
Zhuang Zhixi: "Why shouldn't I be? I'm not doing anything wrong."
Ming i: "That's true."
Everyone looked out for their own family.
They were doing fine now, but once they had kids, everything would cost money.
Ming i scratched her head, recalling her mother-in-law's words—children were money-sucking monsters.
Ming i didn't fully understand, but she was greatly impressed.
This was the reality of raising children—it was expensive.
As Ming i and Zhuang Zhixi walked back along the path, Ming i spoke softly. Don't let her strong combat skills fool you; she still had a bit of her mother's gentle nature. She spoke in a soft, sweet voice that made her seem easy to take advantage of, but anyone who knew her even a little bit understood the truth.
In these tis, there were no truly weak people.
Ming i: "Do you think they'll have any luck?"
Zhuang Zhixi was quite reasonable: "My dad will definitely catch sothing. He has a knack for fishing, and there are plenty of fish in this pond. He won't co back empty-handed. As for the others... I'm not so sure. My older brother and sister-in-law have been to the mountains many tis, but they've always followed my mom's lead. If they're on their own, I can't predict how well they'll do."
He spoke frankly: "Wild rabbits and chickens are hard to catch. My mom managed to catch so before because she used a strategy. You caught yours because of your speed and precision. But my older brother and sister-in-law... to be honest, I don't have much hope for them. They'll probably just pick so wild fruit. Look, they're taking advantage of again. I may complain a lot, but I'm the one who always ends up losing out. Can't a person who loses out complain?"
Ming i chuckled softly.
Zhuang Zhixi: "I used to take advantage of him when I was a kid, and now I've paid him back in full."
He sounded quite resentful.
Ming i looked at Zhuang Zhixi in surprise and said, "What did you do when you were a kid? Co on, tell so I can laugh."
Zhuang Zhixi: "..."
Ming i: "Tell , tell ."
She really wanted to know about Zhuang Zhixi's childhood.
Zhuang Zhixi: "When I was a kid..."
He drew out the words, and Ming i urged, "Go on."
Zhuang Zhixi laughed and then said, "I was actually a good kid."
No one believed that.
"I really was a good kid. I didn't cause much trouble, but I was pretty clingy with my older brother and sister. They were older, so they didn't like having as a tagalong, but I always managed to keep up. They couldn't shake off no matter what. Back then, our family was poor, and there wasn't much to eat. My brother and sister would often find ways to get food outside. Co to think of it, Hutou is a bit like my older sister. She would eat anything, even wild vegetables, and once almost got food poisoning. Luckily, it was just a scare and she was fine. They would pick fruit, catch sparrows, or get a small fish from the river, and they never ate alone... not that they didn't want to. Those two always tried to sneak a bite, but they could never escape my sharp eyes. I was always sticking to them, so I usually got most of the share. If they didn't give it to , I would cry. They ended up splitting a small portion between them, and I got the larger share. If I didn't get my way, I would cry, and my older brother and sister would get scolded because of ."
Ming i: "..."
This kid really seed a bit annoying.
"When I was little, my mom would divide the food equally among us. Every ti she did, I would quickly stuff my share into my mouth and then look pitifully at my older brother and sister, with tears in my eyes. I would act as miserable as possible. My older sister saw through my tricks after a few tis and started stuffing her food quickly too. But my older brother... every ti, he would give half of his share. Later, when he got older and could find food on his own, I ended up taking even more advantage of him. Hehe."
He sighed, "My older brother was really good to before he got married."
Ming i: "So you don't like your sister-in-law because you're jealous. You're jealous that she took your brother away from you."
Zhuang Zhixi pouted: "I'm not like that."
Ming i: "You totally are."
Zhuang Zhixi chuckled: "I'm really not. I may be a bit petty, but you can't say that about . It's hurtful."
Ming i grinned: "Are you sure?"
Zhuang Zhixi spoke firmly: "Of course not. The main reason is that she has no boundaries when it cos to helping her family and even tried to sche against . Otherwise, I wouldn't care. Honey, you can't misunderstand ."
Ming i: "I didn't."
As they walked and talked, the journey didn't seem long at all.
Ming i and Zhuang Zhixi had a fruitful day, and Zhuang Zhiyuan's prediction turned out to be spot on. Zhuang Zhiyuan and Liang ifen didn't catch any ga, but they still had a decent harvest. Besides picking a lot of wild cherries, they also found a large patch of mushrooms, though they were just the common kind.
Still, it was quite good. After all, as long as they weren't poisonous, they could eat them.
Mushrooms were a great find. In the winter, fresh vegetables were scarce and mostly limited to cabbage and radishes. They had learned how to make pickled cabbage from Auntie Wang, which added another dish to their nu.
But mushrooms would be a nice addition. They could be stewed in the winter, offering a change of taste.
The couple picked for a long ti and then, under the sun, headed back. Zhuang Zhiyuan was in high spirits: "I bet our harvest is even better than Zhixi's."
He was unusually chatty: "Last ti they caught a wild chicken and rabbit, he bragged about it to at least ten tis. I don't believe they'll always be so lucky. This ti, it's our turn to brag."
His smile was radiant, but Liang ifen wasn't as optimistic. She whispered, "I think Sister-in-law Ming i is quite capable."
Zhuang Zhiyuan: "Yeah, I know that, but they have to co across the animals first. I don't think there are that many wild rabbits on the mountain. We haven't seen a single one all morning."
Liang ifen: "Uh..."
She timidly said, "I saw one. It dashed by so fast, it was gone in a flash."
"Hmm? Did you?"
Zhuang Zhiyuan hadn't seen it, but Liang ifen had. The rabbit had moved like a sprinter, vanishing in an instant. Before she could react to chase it, it was already out of sight.
She was quite frustrated.
"Yes, it was too fast. We didn't even have ti to react before it was gone."
"See? It's not easy to catch."
Liang ifen: "..."
But, but, for Ming i, wasn't it easy to catch?
Liang ifen wanted to argue, but seeing her husband so cheerful, she swallowed her words.
She was conflicted. On one hand, she hoped Ming i and Zhuang Zhixi had a big harvest so they could benefit from it. But on the other hand, she didn't want them to have a big harvest because... she glanced at her husband. He would be disappointed, wouldn't he?
Seeing him so happy now, she really didn't know what to hope for.
Zhuang Zhiyuan and Liang ifen walked back together. Compared to Zhuang Zhixi and Ming i, who chatted all the way, they were much quieter. This was the difference between an old married couple and a newlywed one. As for Zhao Guihua and Old Man Zhuang, who were even older, they were quite harmonious.
They had their tasks divided, and after a morning's work, both Zhuang Zhiyuan's and Zhuang Zhixi's families had good harvests, and their side was no exception.
Old Man Zhuang caught quite a few fish, and Zhao Guihua roasted so, giving each child one. The fish had many bones, so Zhao Guihua carefully watched the two kids eat. After they finished, she didn't give them more. However, for the kids, getting a fish as a snack for picking up so firewood and wild vegetables was quite a treat.
Hutou asked cheerfully, "Granny, what should we do with the fish we caught at ho?"
Zhao Guihua: "We'll roast one each for lunch today, and the rest we'll take ho to make dried salted fish."
Hutou nodded happily: "Salted fish is good too."
Zhao Guihua looked at Hutou and thought how easy it was to please kids these days. As long as there was food, everything was fine. Hutou got married quite late. When his child was born, she was already quite old and couldn't take care of the baby. By the ti the child could run, jump, and eat on their own, it was already the 1990s.
She couldn't take care of the child, but she lived with Hutou, and his wife hired a nanny because she couldn't manage alone.
Even with several people taking care of the child, alti was always a struggle.
The child wouldn't eat this, wouldn't eat that.
Just for eating, little Hutou got scolded a lot.
It was a struggle to get kids to eat these days. Life had gotten better, and it seed like kids had started to beco picky eaters. Now that tis were tough, kids would eat anything. Zhao Guihua barely noticed in the corner of her eye that Xiao Yanzi was up to sothing and shouted, "Xiao Yanzi!"
Xiao Yanzi, who had been about to pop so wild greens into her mouth, dropped them instantly to the ground.
Zhao Guihua sighed and tapped her forehead. "What are you doing eating that?"
Xiao Yanzi's eyes sparkled. "I just wanted to taste it."
"Eating it raw like that will upset your stomach. You need to blanch it and dip it in sauce at ho." Zhao Guihua was exasperated. She couldn't take her eyes off these kids for a second before they started shoving things into their mouths. "Don't you rember what happened to your brother when he ate those wild berries by the road? He ended up in the hospital. If you don't listen, you'll end up there too, taking the nastiest dicine and getting the most painful shots."
Xiao Yanzi's face turned serious imdiately. "Xiao Yanzi will be good. Xiao Yanzi won't eat random things."
Zhao Guihua continued, "If you get sick, you'll get shots."
Xiao Yanzi instantly beca well-behaved. No kid liked taking dicine or getting shots.
"Besides, if you fill up on this now, what will you do when there's at for lunch?" Zhao Guihua had a bit of blind faith in Ming i. "Maybe they'll co back with a wild chicken or rabbit. Do you like at or grass better?"
Xiao Yanzi was decisive. "at!"
She wasn't a little rabbit; why would she like grass?
She loved at, especially rabbit at.
The little girl's mouth watered as she swallowed hard, and Hutou also started to daydream.
They hadn't been idle this morning. They had helped dig wild greens, gather firewood for lunch, and done many other things. If it weren't for the grilled fish they had eaten halfway through, he would be starving by now.
Hutou patted his stomach and said, "Grandma, when are we having lunch? I'm hungry."
"Xiao Yanzi is hungry too."
Zhao Guihua replied, "Wait a bit. They haven't co back yet. Those guys have been out for quite a while."
"Mom, we're back!" Zhuang Zhiyuan and the others arrived first. Seeing Zhao Guihua, they excitedly showed off their haul. "Mom, look at our good catch! We got a lot of mountain cherries and mushrooms. If we dry these mushrooms, they'll be perfect for stewing with chicken."
Zhao Guihua exclaid, "Oh, that's great!"
Hutou asked, "Dad, where's the chicken? Chicken, chicken?"
Zhuang Zhiyuan: "..."
Who would have thought that his own son would be the one to call him out? What a disappointnt.
"The chicken... we'll get it later."
Hutou looked suspiciously at his dad. He wasn't a four or five-year-old easily fooled child anymore.
Zhuang Zhiyuan coughed awkwardly. "What are you looking at? Do you have a problem? There are no wild chickens in the mountains. Even if there were, do you know how hard it is to catch them? They're not like dostic chickens; wild chickens are tough. They don't just run; they can fly. It's incredibly difficult to catch them. It's not that we didn't try; there just aren't any."
"What's not there?" Zhuang Zhixi's voice ca from behind, and they returned almost at the sa ti as Zhuang Zhiyuan, though from a different direction.
"Uncle, my dad said there are no wild chickens in the mountains. I... huh?"
Hutou's voice trailed off.
Everyone's gaze froze.
It was Zhao Guihua who reacted first, exclaiming in surprise, "Where did you get a goat from?"
She was utterly shocked.
There were goats in these mountains?
She rembered hearing in her previous life that there wasn't much in these mountains.
Where did this rumor co from?
She stared in disbelief at her youngest son and daughter-in-law, her gaze finally settling on Ming i. "Where did you catch it?"
Not "you," but "you."
As a mother, she knew her son well.
It couldn't have been Zhuang Zhixi; it must have been Ming i's doing.
Ming i replied, "In the mountains, of course. We went quite far, hehe."
Zhao Guihua couldn't help but give her a thumbs up. "You're really sothing."
Hutou and Xiao Yanzi looked at each other, murmuring, "Are we going to have goat to eat?"
Zhao Guihua nodded. "Yes, we'll have goat. Isn't your auntie amazing?"
Hutou and Xiao Yanzi nodded quickly, gazing at their auntie with admiration, thinking she was the most amazing person in the world. No one else could compare—not their mom, dad, or even grandpa.
Well... Grandma could be amazing too, but she didn't catch the goat, so Auntie was still the best.
Hutou asked, "Auntie, are you a fairy?"
Ming i grinned proudly, lifting her chin. "If you want to say that, I won't object."
Her smug expression made everyone laugh. Zhao Guihua sighed, "This goat is really sothing."
She was rummaging through the baskets when she suddenly saw a big pig's head. This startled Zhao Guihua.
Zhuang Zhiyuan peeked over. "What the...!"
Even a gentleman couldn't help but swear.
"Where did this co from?"
Zhuang Zhixi perked up, imdiately launching into the story of how they found the wild boar, got scared, and were about to leave when they heard a loud noise. He was a great storyteller, turning a simple event into a thrilling tale that had everyone wide-eyed.
Zhao Guihua asked, "So, did a few guys with guns take it down?"
Zhuang Zhiyuan added, "They couldn't carry it, so they chopped off the limbs and head and left it?"
Liang ifen exclaid, "What a waste! Such good stuff!"
Old Man Zhuang, who had stopped fishing, genuinely marveled, "You guys sure have great luck."
The two kids didn't understand much, but they knew that soone had left this behind. Their big, confused heads wondered why anyone would leave such delicious at behind. Could it be that there were people in the world who didn't like at?
Inconceivable!
Everyone was shocked, each with their own thoughts.
But Zhao Guihua thought even more.
Based on the description, it sounded a lot like the group of young n from the big compound who, in her previous life, had discovered a fishpond and caught a lot of fish, then proudly marched into the city.
It wasn't just a guess; there was solid evidence. First, the timing was about right—it was around the sa ti in her previous life. Second, these kids were quite boastful, just like the ones from her past. Most people would keep such good fortune to themselves, but these guys loved to show off, proudly taking the bus and telling anyone who asked about their luck. This had led to the area being quickly depleted.
If just one or two, or even ten or eight people ca to catch fish, it wouldn't have much impact. Like Zhao Guihua and her family, who ca every day near the end of the year, catching fish for almost a month and selling them, it didn't dry up the area.
It was only when large numbers of people ca—city folk, rural folk—that the fish were all caught, even the small fry, turning the pond into a dry basin.
This ti, if they returned so proudly and were seen, more people would likely co into the mountains.
Even if they didn't show off, if others saw the pond and knew there were fish... it might end up the sa as her previous life.
Regardless, Zhao Guihua was determined. "We have to catch as many fish as we can today. Old Man Zhuang, from tomorrow on, you and I will co here to fish. If necessary, we'll set nets. We have to catch as many fish as possible."
Liang ifen didn't quite understand but nodded obediently.
As for her husband Zhuang Zhiyuan, he was the type who didn't understand but still had to ask: "Mom, why are you in such a hurry? It's not good to bring back too much. It's better to take it slow."
Zhao Guihua retorted: "Do you think I don't want to take it slow? If more people start going up the mountain, what's the point of taking it slow? Maybe it'll all end up in soone else's hands."
"More people going up the mountain?"
Zhao Guihua rubbed her forehead. This eldest son of hers, though he looked smart, was actually quite clueless. He always spouted big theories, but when it ca to these little details, he just couldn't figure them out. She was speechless, but still explained: "Do you think those few guys carrying a wild boar into the city won't be seen? Once everyone knows there are wild boars on this mountain, there will always be those who are daring. Do you think this pond will stay hidden forever? Now that no one knows, but once more people find out, will this still be ours?"
"Uh, you're right."
Zhao Guihua: "Alright, let's not talk about this anymore. I'll prepare lunch. I brought so flatbreads, let's roast them. Oh... wait, what's this? A wild chicken?"
Ming i: "I caught it."
She looked innocent: "One slash, and it was dead."
As soon as she said that, everyone turned to look at Zhuang Zhiyuan.
Little Hutou's expression was the most subtle. He said, "Dad, weren't you saying wild chickens are hard to catch?"
Zhuang Zhiyuan: "..."
Xiao Yanzi chid in: "Dad lied!"
Oh, child, why are you exposing your own father?
That's your dad!
Zhuang Zhiyuan's face turned bright red.
Major embarrassnt.
Zhao Guihua: "Let's roast the wild chicken."
The worst thing about this weather is that anything spoils quickly. But there are also good points. When the sun is strong, if you dry fish, by midday and into the afternoon, you can get them about three-quarters dry.
After four or five days, they'll be completely dry. That's much better than in cold weather.
"Eldest daughter-in-law, you pluck the chicken's feathers; Old Man Zhuang, you help the eldest and third sons slaughter this goat. We'll handle it here and then take it back to the city."
She continued: "I'll handle a few fish, third daughter-in-law, you help ."
"Okay."
Everyone imdiately got to work.
Ming i also felt a bit uneasy and asked, "Mom, slaughtering the goat here, won't the sll of blood attract any animals?"
Zhao Guihua hesitated for a mont, then looked at the two children and said, "You two, don't just stand there. See that? So dried mugwort over there, go and pick so."
The two children hurried off. Watching them leave, Zhao Guihua said, "I'll light so mugwort to mask the sll. Plus, this is near a pond, so the sll should dissipate more easily."
Ming i: "Mm-hmm."
Zhao Guihua glanced at Ming i and said directly, "This goat, by rights, should belong to you and your husband."
She then looked at the eldest son and his wife: "Didn't I tell you this before? If we co across sothing big, it's yours. Small things like rabbits and chickens go to the family."
Zhao Guihua had ntioned this before, so Zhuang Zhiyuan wasn't surprised. He nodded: "I know. This wild goat was caught by my sister-in-law, we won't take it."
Liang ifen felt a bit awkward and secretly pinched Zhuang Zhiyuan, but he seed impervious to pain. Liang ifen herself didn't dare to object.
Zhao Guihua continued: "But selling it would be a pity. I think we should keep it for ourselves. It might be a bit extravagant, but it's good for our health. Before Zhixi got married, we saved on everything, but now that you're all married, I don't need to be so strict. This goat, your father and I will buy it."
Ming i: "Ah?"
Ming i quickly shook her head: "How can I take your money? That wouldn't make sense."
Zhao Guihua: "What's the big deal? One thing is one thing. I'm not that kind of biased old lady."
Zhuang Zhiyuan then spoke up: "Mom, we really can't let you pay. If you buy it, it's still for the whole family to eat. How can we shalessly take advantage of our elders? I think this way: you tell us how much the goat is worth."
Zhao Guihua: "What are you planning?"
Zhuang Zhiyuan: "I'll buy it. As the older brother, I can't keep taking advantage of my younger brother. Normally, we pay the sa living expenses, and with two more kids, we're already at an advantage."
Liang ifen couldn't believe Zhuang Zhiyuan's suggestion and silently pinched him again, but Zhuang Zhiyuan ignored her.
Zhao Guihua looked deeply at her eldest son and felt a mix of emotions. In her previous life, she had tried hard to keep the family harmonious, refusing to split the family, but the brothers ended up with their own grievances and grew further apart. Now that they were technically split, they were actually more peaceful with each other.
It was clear they had no issues with each other. Completely different from her previous life.
Zhao Guihua didn't know what to say. In her previous life, she did a lot and was resented, but in this life, she did less and everyone thought she was fair...
She was a bit speechless but still said, "Since you insist, I'll be fair..."
She looked at the eldest son and decisively said, "Ming i, cut a leg off the goat and take it to your family. After all, you caught it."
Ming i nodded: "Okay."
Liang ifen felt bitter inside. She really didn't hold back.
Zhao Guihua: "The rest of the goat, let's price it at fifty yuan. Goat at is a bit more expensive than pork, usually around one or one-point-two yuan. Plus, you need coupons for it. This goat isn't very big, minus the bones and a leg, the remaining at should be about forty or fifty pounds. It probably won't reach fifty, but with the bones for soup and the innards, we'll just count it as fifty yuan. This way, it's like we all bought it together. You don't have to feel like you're being filial to , we have our own money too. But since you're being filial, we'll pay a smaller share, and you pay the bigger share."
She was determined to calculate clearly: "If it's fifty yuan, you each pay twenty, and I'll pay ten. Any problems?"
The two sons and their wives were all stunned, nodding blankly.
"Then Zhixi deducts his twenty, and the eldest, you give twenty to your brother, and I'll give him ten."
Everyone continued to nod blankly.
Zhao Guihua: "So this goat is considered bought together by the whole family. No one is taking advantage of anyone. Zhixi, your older brother isn't taking advantage of you. You're not taking advantage of your older brother."
Zhuang Zhixi: "..."
His mom was still the most cunning. How did she co up with this?
He hadn't even thought of this operation.
Zhao Guihua: "As for the wild chicken, pig trotters, pig head, and pig tail, these small things we won't count."
She said: "You don't have to feel like you're at a disadvantage because you have more ga than your older brother. Normally, when I go up the mountain, your sister-in-law helps, and she doesn't complain. But we can't calculate everything to the last detail, or else what's the point of being a family? It would be too cold."
Zhuang Zhixi: "I understand."
Zhuang Zhiyuan: "Mom, we get it."
Zhao Guihua glared: "What do you get? I know you, old woman that I am. Everyone says 'yes, yes, yes,' but in your hearts, you all have your own little plans. I'm just saying this in advance, so you brothers don't secretly curse each other behind each other's backs, calling each other stupid or idiots!"
Zhuang Zhixi and Zhuang Zhiyuan felt greatly wronged.
They didn't do that!
The two looked at each other. Honestly, between them, there were no grudges at all.
This mom of theirs, was she overthinking things?
Too much imagination.
Zhuang Zhixi defended himself: "Mom, I wouldn't think that about my older brother. Besides, when have you ever heard call soone an idiot?"
That's not even sothing he would say.
He was truly wronged!
Zhuang Zhiyuan also felt this wasn't right. He wouldn't hold grudges in his heart. His mom must have been watching too many dramas, she was just imagining things. What was she thinking, treating them like that? Poor brothers, they were clean and honest, yet their mom was making them out to be sothing else.
It was really... so bitter!
“Mom, we really aren’t like that, we’re a family, I…”
“Stop stuttering with your 'I' this and 'I' that. Get to work already.” Zhao Guihua decisively settled the matter, then looked down at the fish. After a mont of hesitation, she said, “We’re not cooking this fish. Let’s just dry it! Since we’ve got this freshly slaughtered lamb, it’s so fresh—let’s have grilled lamb skewers for lunch.”
“Huh?”
Everyone was surprised.
Zhao Guihua: “Giving you all so at, and you’re not happy about it?”
“Happy!”
“That’s great.”
Zhao Guihua: “Alright, start working, let’s get this party started!!”
Today is a wonderful day, hey~
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