Chapter 9: Fortunate Encounter

After dinner, Zhao Weimin hoisted the deer leg he had just taken down and headed out.

It was impossible to ask someone for a favor without bringing a gift.

Especially lately, with clothes and food in short supply, a deer leg was no small token.

Uncle Zhao, known as Zhao Dabao, lived in a blue-tiled house at the foot of the mountain.

As soon as Zhao Weimin arrived, the big wolfdog at the door started barking.

To be able to keep a dog at his age meant that Uncle Zhao's family was at least not going hungry.

After all, he was in charge of the supply and marketing cooperative, so food was never scarce.

But how good the food was, or whether they often had meat, was another matter.

Along with the barking, a woman’s sharp voice rang out from the yard, “Stop barking, Ergou! Why are you always yapping for no reason?”

From the darkness, a middle-aged woman briskly appeared, chewing on a cornbread as she walked.

When she saw Zhao Weimin standing outside the yard, she instinctively hid the cornbread behind her back.

Then she smiled warmly and greeted him, “Weimin, it’s so late—what brings you here? Have you eaten? If not, come in and have something!”

“Auntie!” Zhao Weimin noticed her little gesture but pretended not to, smiling as he greeted her. “I’ve eaten. Tonight’s meal was deer meat.”

“Deer?” Auntie was surprised, then when she saw the deer leg on his shoulder, her smile grew wider. “Come in quickly, child. It’s freezing outside and you’re dressed so lightly. Come in and warm yourself by the fire.”

With that, she opened the door and pulled Zhao Weimin inside the courtyard.

Then she called toward the house, “Old man, Weimin is here!”

“Don’t be so formal,” Zhao Weimin said as he stepped in and set down the deer leg from his shoulder. “I caught a deer today and thought of you all, so I brought this over.”

“Oh wow!” Auntie’s eyes gleamed as she looked at the deer leg. “That’s quite a big one. Where did you get it?”

“Just lucky, really. It got scared and ran headfirst into a cypress tree, so I got a lucky break.”

He deliberately left out the hunting details, saying only it was luck.

He wanted to avoid causing them any trouble by helping them out with meat.

“Well, you sure were lucky,” Auntie said, accepting the deer leg with a smile, then called loudly again into the house, “Old man, Weimin’s here!”

This time, a middle-aged man wrapped in a heavy coat hurried out from inside.

The man was none other than Uncle Zhao, Zhao Dabao.

His face was framed by a full beard, his skin fair with a yellowish tint.

Thin and lean, he still had a cigarette tucked between his lips.

Seeing Zhao Weimin, he quickened his pace.

When he reached Zhao Weimin, he laughed heartily and patted his shoulder. “You really made time to come see old Zhao?”

Zhao Weimin chuckled, “I was busy with family division matters recently and couldn’t come. Today I caught something and thought to bring it along for you.”

Auntie, still outside the kitchen, grinned and showed the deer leg she held, “Old man, look at this deer leg—must weigh at least five jin.”

Zhao Dabao turned his head to look at the leg. “Your wife isn’t well. Keep it for her to nourish herself, why give it to us?”

“My wife can’t eat much. I brought some so everyone can have a share.”

“All right, all right!” Zhao Dabao laughed and patted his shoulder again. “Come inside quickly. Why are you dressed so lightly? You must be tough against the cold. Wife, get Weimin a coat.”

With that, Zhao Dabao pulled Zhao Weimin inside.

Inside, a stove burned brightly, filling the room with warmth instantly.

Without hesitation, Zhao Weimin hurried to the stove, sitting down to feel its heat.

“Have you eaten?” Zhao Dabao asked after shutting the door, then sat down beside him. “If not, ask your auntie to fix you something. It’s simple—just some cornbread made from cornmeal.”

“I’ve eaten.”

Zhao Dabao smacked his forehead. “You must have eaten better than me tonight, ha ha!”

The uncle and nephew both stretched out their hands to warm them by the fire.

Just then, the door opened again, and Auntie came in carrying a military coat, draping it over Zhao Weimin’s shoulders. “Weimin, wear more when you go out. It’s freezing, and you don’t know how you survive dressed like that.”

With the coat wrapped around him, he felt the warmth deepen.

Zhao Weimin pulled the coat tighter, enjoying a long, comfortable breath by the fire.

“Weimin,” Auntie sat down beside him, “I heard you and your older brother and sister-in-law have divided the family estate?”

The matter of the Zhao family division was the talk of Beiling.

After all, the eldest brother, Zhao Dajun, was a forest ranger and attracted some attention.

Moreover, Lin Qian was beautiful, and many people paid special attention to their family.

“Yes,” Zhao Weimin sighed feigning regret. “We couldn’t get along anymore, so we had to split.”

Zhao Dabao took two puffs from his cigarette, frowning. “How come things couldn’t go on smoothly?”

“Sigh.”

Zhao Weimin told them about Lin Qian being bullied at home.

He also shared the unfair treatment the couple endured.

Hearing this, Zhao Dabao angrily slapped his thigh. “Families should unite, not scheme against each other. Your sister-in-law is really failing her role!”

“Who says otherwise?” Auntie chimed in, her voice dropping to a whisper, as if sharing a secret. “When Dajun married Zheng Qiuhua, I said she was no good. Turns out I was right. She’s lazy at home and even bullies her sister-in-law.”

Village elders usually lowered their voices when gossiping behind someone’s back.

Though they were outraged now, what they would say when they saw Zheng Qiuhua in person was another matter.

So Zhao Weimin paid no mind to her words.

As the conversation flowed, he mentioned how Lin Qian had been beaten today.

At this, Zhao Dabao’s anger deepened. “Zheng Qiuhua is lawless. Even after the family split, she comes to your brother’s house to cause trouble, hits people, and steals—she’s a robber.”

“Sigh!” Zhao Weimin sighed again. “What can I do? My wife told me to let it go. After all, my brother is a forest ranger and has a gun. If he really gets angry and shoots me, I wouldn’t know where to seek justice.”

“The gun is meant for hunting and protecting the people of Beiling. Do you think he’d use it to shoot someone?”

“Uncle Zhao, you don’t know what it’s like when you’re not around. At home, my brother calls all the shots. He’s used to being domineering. There are quite a few people in Beiling who dislike him, and even his wife has turned arrogant. If it weren’t for the gun in his hand, he’d probably have been beaten to death outside long ago.”

“Is that so?”

As village party secretary, Zhao Dabao could not tolerate such behavior.

He immediately decided the rifle should be confiscated.

But Zhao Weimin didn’t forget to remind him, “The forest patrol isn’t under your jurisdiction. It’s better not to get involved. Let it be.”