Chapter 18: Awakening of Wisdom

"Hunting?"

"The village is redistributing farmland this month, and once that's done, spring plowing begins. Why go hunting in the mountains at a time like this?" Chen Ling asked, feeling puzzled.

Once the Awakening of Insects passes, the hoe never rests. Things were about to get very busy. Even those who planted winter wheat had to start preparing for irrigation. Moreover, they were currently dealing with the major task of reallocating farmland. Under such circumstances, the men of the house usually wouldn't easily leave.

"My family hasn't had meat all winter, and my fifth sister has to take her exams this year. She'll be heading back to school in a few days," Liu Ni'er said, wiping his nose with his sleeve and grinning. "My dad said that no matter what, he had to make sure Fifth Sister got a couple of meals with meat before she returned to school. He went up into the mountains alone yesterday after lunch."

"Xian-ge used to be quite the expert at catching rabbits and pheasants, but with so many children at home these past few years, he's been working odd jobs elsewhere to make money. It’s been several years since he last set foot in the mountains," Wang Susu added.

As she spoke, she gently nudged Blackie and Little Gold away from the jar of goat's milk. The two little creatures were only a few days old, but they were incredibly clever. After finishing a small bowl of milk, they still wanted more. They first whined and fussed around Wang Susu, and when they realized she wouldn't give them any, they followed the scent to the jar, trying to help themselves. They knew the goat's milk, spiked with water from the mountain spring, was a good thing, and their greed was insatiable. Seeing their little bellies were already round as balls, Wang Susu refused to give them any more. Ignoring the pitiful looks from the two puppies, she pushed them aside and lifted the jar away.

"Woof, woof, woof..." Seeing their meal being taken away, Blackie and Little Gold were having none of it; they barked loudly and began tugging at Wang Susu's pant legs.

Chen Ling, seeing this, felt a bit annoyed. He walked over and gave each of their little heads a light flick. "Hey, you two little ingrates! You act all cute and fawning when there's food, but when there's none, you start barking at people... If I’d known you were this unruly, I wouldn't have brought you home."

Whether they truly understood him or it was just a coincidence, at Chen Ling's scolding, the two little things acted like children caught doing something wrong, looking bashful and crestfallen as they trotted over to him. Tails tucked between their legs, they whined softly and nuzzled his legs, as if begging for forgiveness.

Wang Susu watched with astonishment. "A-Ling, don't they really think of you as their parents? They're so small, yet they seem to understand everything you say. When I talk to them, it doesn't work at all."

"Maybe it's because I was the one who brought them home, and they've remembered my scent," Chen Ling said with a helpless laugh. In his heart, he suspected it was mostly due to the mountain spring water; besides making plants grow rapidly, it likely held unknown benefits for animals as well.

He then put on a stern face and warned them, "If you dare do that again, I’ll give you away immediately."

The scolding made the two little things look even more pitiful, and they didn't dare nuzzle his legs anymore. They crouched on the ground, their dark, watery eyes looking at Chen Ling with such grievance that they looked on the verge of tears.

Wang Susu couldn't bear it and intervened. "Alright, A-Ling, they're only a few days old. A couple of words are enough; don't be too harsh. Dogs have the best memory when they're young. One scolding is enough to make them not dare to do it again." She then gently stroked their little heads. "Blackie, Little Gold, be good, or your master won't want you anymore."

This time, the two little ones were much better behaved. After Wang Susu petted them, they even rolled over to expose their bellies and played with her, licking her hand with their soft, pink tongues. After roughhousing with her, they trotted over to Chen Ling one after the other, tails wagging, and whined as they nuzzled his hands. Their eyes and their cries were completely different from before, as if to say, "Look, we’ve accepted this mistress, so please stop being angry."

The contrast left Chen Ling quite surprised. He realized that after drinking the spring water several times, these two little ones must have gained a spark of intelligence. One had to know that while Border Collies are famous for their high IQ, they aren't this intelligent when they are just puppies.

"I told you, those two puppies must think Uncle Fugui is their mom and dad. That's for sure."
"I'm going to find two unweaned puppies to keep, too."
"Me too."

The little children nearby had been watching for quite a while, and the more they saw, the more envious they became. However, their comments left Chen Ling feeling quite depressed. Having two clever, spirited puppies was something to be proud of, but the way these little rascals put it, the whole thing lost its charm.

"Liu Ni'er, hurry up and take everyone home," Chen Ling said, standing up to shoo them away. "If it gets dark, your families will all be out looking for you, and then you'll be in for it!"

The children saw that it was indeed getting late. Every household was starting to eat, and they could already smell the aroma of dinner drifting through the air. They reluctantly began to walk out of the courtyard.

"Uncle Fugui, I'll come see the puppies again another day."
"Me too!"

In the eyes of the adults, Chen Ling was generally someone to be avoided, but the children didn't see it that way. He was idle all day; in the summer, he used to catch cicadas with them, and at night, he’d use a flashlight to help them hunt for bird eggs. The children loved playing with him.

"Liu Ni'er, wait a second."

Just as the boy stepped out of the gate, Chen Ling suddenly remembered something and called him back. He cut a piece off the pork he had just bought, wrapped it in oil paper, and said, "Here, take this home for dinner. Your fifth sister is about to take her college entrance exams; eat more meat to build up your strength."

Liu Ni'er, usually the most boisterous and thick-skinned of the lot, suddenly froze. He looked at Chen Ling, then at Wang Susu, and bowed his head, staying silent for a long moment.

"What's wrong? Why the long face?"
"Hurry up and take it home. It'll be dark soon, and if you don't go back, your mother will get worried."

Chen Ling held out the pork, but Liu Ni'er pushed it away.

"Uncle Fugui, I don't want it."
"You child, others are polite to your uncle, why are you being so formal?" Chen Ling frowned. "Take it, quickly."

Wang Susu added, "Liu Ni'er, your uncle is giving it to you, just take it."

"I don't want it. My family still owes a huge debt." Liu Ni'er shook his head stubbornly. "My dad said you shouldn't take things from others for free. Things taken for free are the hardest to pay back."

"Hey, I'm telling you to take it for your fifth sister to eat. When did I ask you to pay me back?" Chen Ling raised an eyebrow. He knew Liu Ni'er's family was struggling—with so many kids, they hadn't had meat all winter. Wang Lixian had even gone into the mountains to hunt just so his kids could have a bit of meat. That was why he wanted Liu Ni'er to take some back. Who knew the kid would be so stubborn?

"Just take it. In a little while, I'm going to need your help with something."
"What? What do you need me to help with, Uncle Fugui?" Liu Ni'er’s spirits lifted, and he looked up.

"I'll tell you when the time comes. Hurry up and take the meat home." Chen Ling shoved the pork into the boy's arms and pushed him toward the gate.

"Alright, Uncle! If you need anything, just say the word. I'll make sure to get it done beautifully for you!" Liu Ni'er sniffled and patted his chest.

"Alright, alright, I know. Go home now!" Chen Ling waved him off.

Seeing Wang Susu standing behind him, he smiled and said, "When we got married, Xian-ge helped us quite a bit. Now that his family has so many mouths to feed and he's had a hard time, even hurting his back while working, we should help out a little where we can."

"Mhm." Wang Susu, hearing Chen Ling mention their wedding, looked at him steadily for a few seconds and replied in a soft, gentle voice.