◎Dangers of the Deep Mountains◎
After feeling upset for a while, Tao Hua secretly wiped away her tears, put a smile back on her face, and returned to the courtyard to stack the bowls and chopsticks.
When Wei Dahu returned from cutting bamboo later, they could return them to her two uncles’ families together.
Sanhua followed behind her. Seeing her cautious expression, Tao Hua chuckled and explained, “The one who brought the eggs was my second brother. I just felt a bit sad that I didn’t know he had come yesterday.”
Sanhua nodded, though she didn’t fully understand. She had been worried she’d said something wrong.
Tao Hua went inside to look around. The cabinet was completely empty, with only a few wild fruits on the table. She picked out the larger ones and gave them to Sanhua to enjoy as a sweet treat.
Not long after, Wei Dahu returned carrying two bundles of bamboo, followed by a dejected-looking Chen Sanshi.
It was hard to say whether he was lucky or unlucky—he had run into Wei Dahu carrying bamboo down the mountain halfway up the trail and was immediately dragged back down. Wei Dahu had scolded him the entire way: “You don’t have enough meat on your bones to even fill a wolf’s teeth. Do you think the deep mountains are like the little hill behind your house? At worst, you might run into a couple of snakes and still have a chance to escape. Try running into a wild boar in there—you won’t just run, I’ll be digging through dung piles tomorrow looking for your remains, praying to the heavens you haven’t been digested too thoroughly.”
Chen Sanshi was so scolded he nearly buried his head in his chest.
Wei Dahu waved for Tao Hua not to help, lifting his arms to toss the two bundles of bamboo from his shoulders to the ground. After stretching his shoulders, he glared at Chen Sanshi, his expression fierce. “If you dare go into the deep mountains again, I won’t even tell your father—I’ll break your legs myself!”
Chen Sanshi was nearly frightened to tears.
“What’s going on? Speak properly—why are you scaring him like that!” Old Man Wei glanced at Chen Sanshi, who was secretly wiping away tears, and quickly reprimanded his son.
“This reckless fool went climbing into the deep mountains with Li Dalang. I ran into them halfway up the mountain. Li Dalang said they were going to trap pheasants—since when do you need to go into that mountain for pheasants? I think they were planning to hunt wild boar. That Li fellow had a big machete strapped to his waist.” After saying this, Wei Dahu shot another fierce glare at Chen Sanshi, making him tremble all over.
He wasn’t afraid of his two older cousins from his uncle’s family, but he was terrified of this cousin from his aunt’s side. When his face turned cold, it was truly frightening—more terrifying than the tigers in the deep mountains.
Old Man Wei frowned. Earlier, Sanhua had said her brother Sanshi and Li Dalang had gone up the mountain to hunt. He’d assumed they were just going to trap pheasants or something. But from what Dahu was saying, it sounded like they wanted to go into the mountains to hunt wild boar??
What nerve!
“Where’s that Li boy?” he asked Wei Dahu.
Wei Dahu remained silent, his face cold. Seeing the tense atmosphere, Chen Sanshi quickly chimed in, “Brother Li originally didn’t want to come down, but Dahu said he’d encountered two wolves the day he hunted the boar. I think he got scared, because he followed us down the mountain afterward, taking a different path.”
Old Man Wei nodded, instructing him not to go into the mountains alone again. If he wanted to trap pheasants, he should go to the small hill behind the village—there were pheasants there too.
Chen Sanshi nodded repeatedly. He wanted to say he hadn’t gone into the mountains alone, but judging by his uncle’s expression, it seemed he didn’t think much of Li Dalang either. Going into the mountains with him was practically the same as going alone.
Tao Hua brought out two bowls of water, which Wei Dahu naturally took. His throat bobbed as he gulped down the entire bowl in two mouthfuls.
Chen Sanshi also accepted the water and hurriedly thanked her, "Thank you, cousin-in-law."
Tao Hua shook her head with a smile. "No need to thank me. Take your time drinking."
How could Chen Sanshi dare to drink slowly? He hastily gulped down two mouthfuls of water and, seeing Wei Dahu go to move the table and chairs, quickly set his bowl down in the main room and ran over to help him.
"Tao Hua and I will return the table, chairs, bowls, and chopsticks to Uncle's house," Wei Dahu said.
Tao Hua had already finished packing up. She placed the cleaned bowls and chopsticks into a wooden bucket and saw Wei Dahu carrying the table on his shoulder. As she walked over with the bucket in both hands, he took it from her before she could reach him.
"Let me carry it. You're already shouldering the table," Tao Hua quickly reached for the bucket, but Wei Dahu, holding the upturned table legs with one hand and the bucket with the other, teased, "Underestimating your man's strength will cost you."
Tao Hua, thinking of something, blushed deeply and glared at him indignantly. "What nonsense are you talking about!"
"Hmph." Wei Dahu gestured toward Sanhua with his chin and instructed her, "Help your cousin-in-law carry the stools. If you do a good job, I'll buy you some treats next time I go to town."
Sanhua's eyes lit up, and she replied crisply, "I'll definitely carry the chairs properly!"
"I'll carry the chairs properly too. I want treats as well," Chen Sanshi chimed in sourly.
"I specially picked out a few bamboo sticks that won't hurt when hitting you. Don't say your cousin doesn't care about you," Wei Dahu kicked him lightly on the backside. "After eating so many steamed buns for free, you still want to carry chairs? Aren't you ashamed? Hurry up and carry the table!"
When their grandfather divided the family property back then, he did so fairly, so no disputes arose. As a result, the two uncles had always remained close. The eldest uncle inherited the ancestral home, while the second uncle built a new house not far from it. The two families lived close by and interacted frequently.
In farming households, tables and chairs were limited in number, as there was no extra money to buy more. The eldest uncle's family only had one dining table, which had been borrowed the day before. That morning, the family had squeezed into the kitchen or squatted in the yard with their bowls to eat.
Wei Dahu brought Tao Hua not only to return the table and chairs but also to introduce her to his relatives.
Seeing Wei Dahu bring his new wife to visit, Uncle Chen (Eldest) and Aunt were overjoyed and quickly welcomed them inside.
Wei Dahu guided Tao Hua to greet everyone one by one. She addressed the eldest uncle and aunt, as well as her two male cousins and their wives, and also met the children of her two cousins.
The eldest uncle spoke little, but Aunt was extremely warm and even brought Tao Hua a bowl of sweet water to drink. Holding her hand, she said earnestly, "What a fine girl. It's our Dahu's fortune to marry you. The two of you must live well together from now on."
Tao Hua smiled and nodded in agreement, her demeanor gentle and obedient.
Aunt grew fonder of her the more she looked at her. "Dahu's mother passed away early, and all these years it's just been the two of them, father and son, living a rough life. That young man doesn't understand anything, and he's not the type to drop by for idle chatter. When he was little it was fine, but as he grew up these past years, he hardly ever visits his aunt's home. Now that you've married into the family, come by when you're free to chat with me, do some needlework with your two sisters-in-law. Don't you dare pick up his habits, visiting less than twice a year—it looks like he doesn't even want to acknowledge us as relatives!" Aunt started off speaking kindly, but gradually grew a bit heated toward the end, all of it directed at Wei Dahu.
Wei Dahu felt his head swelling like an ox's, quickly explaining, "Aunt, don't be angry. I'll come bother you more often from now on."
Tao Hua also nodded repeatedly. "Don't get tired of me later on."
Aunt shot Wei Dahu a glance, cheered up by a few soothing words, and called her two daughters-in-law to prepare a meal, intending to keep them for lunch.
Wei Dahu and Tao Hua hurriedly declined, using the excuse of needing to return tables and chairs to Second Uncle's house as they quickly stood up to take their leave.
How could they possibly stay for a meal? No one's household had surplus grain.
Aunt couldn't stop them, standing at the door scolding and laughing, but in the end didn't insist on keeping them, only telling Tao Hua to visit more often when she had time.
When they went to Second Uncle's house to return the tables and chairs, they found Second Uncle was the opposite of First Uncle—he was outspoken and straightforward, while Second Aunt was quiet and reserved. After Tao Hua greeted them, Second Aunt found an excuse to return to the kitchen to busy herself.
In the main room, Wei Dahu mentioned Chen Sanshi going into the mountains, which made Second Uncle so angry he immediately took off his shoe to beat his son. "What?? He dared to go deep into the mountains alone to hunt wild boar? Where did he get the guts?! Is he trying to make his old man bury his own son? I'll beat you to death, you unfilial brat!!"
Seeing this, Wei Dahu quickly grabbed Tao Hua and left, leaving Chen Sanshi to be chased around the yard by his father.
Tao Hua watched the commotion with amusement, smiling all the way home. She hadn't expected both uncles' families to be so good-natured, and seeing that the relatives were easy to get along with, the stone in her heart finally settled.
Wei Dahu, seeing her lovely smile, wanted to hold her hand. Tao Hua refused, glancing at him. "What are you doing?"
Wei Dahu forcibly grabbed her hand, wrapping it tightly in his large palm. "You're my wife. Why won't you let me hold your hand?"
His grip was strong, and Tao Hua couldn't shake it off. Anxiously, she looked around, afraid someone might see and gossip. "What are you doing? What if someone sees?"
"If they see, they see. You're my wife. What does it matter if they see me holding my own wife's hand?" Wei Dahu wouldn't let her resist. Tao Hua was no match for him; even a slight movement made her hand ache.
Deep down, Tao Hua didn't mind him holding her hand. With nothing around but trees and grave mounds, and not a soul in sight, she gave in, saying softly, "Be gentler. You're hurting my hand."
Wei Dahu immediately loosened his grip. "I wasn't using much force. Does it hurt, wife? I won't hold it anymore."
As he let go, Tao Hua grabbed two of his thick fingers instead.
Wei Dahu chuckled happily, glancing at her again and again, utterly delighted. "The road from the village to our home is a bit quiet. If you ever want to go to the village to chat with someone, just tell me. I'll take you there."
Wei Dahu's fingers were thick and coarse, the calluses on his fingertips rough to the touch. The two walked side by side, with her head barely reaching his chest. They looked more like an adult leading a child than a married couple.
"What about when I return?" Tao Hua asked deliberately.
Wei Dahu replied naturally, "Of course, I'll come to pick you up and take you home."
Tao Hua was pleased to hear this, thinking him considerate. But then Wei Dahu added, "However, you might have to wait for me sometimes. I often get delayed in the mountains, so you must never go home alone. The area is surrounded by graves—you'd be scared."
"Do you go into the mountains every day? Are the mountains behind our house really that terrifying?" Tao Hua thought of how fiercely he had scolded Chen Sanshi earlier—he had truly been angry.
"I go into the mountains whenever there's nothing to do at home, to find food or hunt something to sell in town for money to buy grain," Wei Dahu said. "There are tigers in the mountains, so ordinary people shouldn't venture in."
There were tigers in the deep mountains behind their house?
Tao Hua was so frightened that her feet froze in place.
Wei Dahu tugged twice but couldn't move her. He stopped in confusion, turning to look at her. "Tao Hua, why aren't you walking?"
"You said… there are… tigers in the mountains behind our house?" Tao Hua stared at him unblinkingly, struggling to speak.
"Yes, there are tigers. It would be strange if there weren't any," Wei Dahu said with a laugh, as if it were the most ordinary thing. "Even the county magistrate can't fully explain how vast the mountains behind our house are. The county records describe them as 'layers of peaks, steep and treacherous, unfathomable.' I once passed by a tea stall and heard the storyteller there describe the mountains behind our house."
Countless ravines and towering cliffs, layer upon layer of peaks—even the areas he had explored were merely the outskirts.
He told Tao Hua, "Dahé Village is surrounded by mountains. When villagers go up to chop firewood, dig for wild vegetables, or trap pheasants, they call it 'going up the mountain.' But the mountain behind our house is different—everyone calls it 'entering the mountain.' There's a big difference between 'going up the mountain' and 'entering the mountain.' Although entering the mountain is dangerous, it's full of rare treasures. Last time, I casually dug out a snake den and sold it for twenty taels of silver."
"…"
Tao Hua instantly tightened her grip on his fingers. Seeing her fear, Wei Dahu quickly reassured her, "Don't worry, Tao Hua. I promise I won't bring these things home. Father doesn't allow it either, afraid the villagers might grow envious if they found out. Every time I hunt something, I take a different path over the mountains to sell it in town, so no one in the village knows." He dared not let them find out. This time, he had hunted a wild boar for the wedding feast, and already some were envious, wanting to try their luck in the mountains. If anything happened, there would surely be trouble.
Tao Hua was shocked that he had a habit of digging out snake dens, but even more astonished to hear that the snake he dug out had sold for twenty taels of silver!
What kind of snake could sell for twenty taels of silver??
Was the buyer kicked in the head by a donkey?
The "entering the mountain" he spoke of sounded so dangerous, yet he talked about it as casually as eating a meal. Was he exceptionally skilled and bold, or was he just a reckless young man unaware of the dangers?
For a moment, Tao Hua forgot her fear of tigers and grew deeply worried.
Filled with anxiety and concern, Tao Hua was oblivious to Wei Dahu's lack of awareness. Instead, he said to her, "In a few days, when things at home settle down, I'll take you into the mountains to pick fruit. The fruit deep in the mountains is big and sweet—you'll love it."