The sun had already risen above the mountain, and the two sisters had a simple breakfast of corn porridge and a boiled egg. Xu Feng was still asleep, and Lin Xixue kept his share warming in the pot. Wang Xiuli came over with Dou Ding to cut fabric, wanting to finish early so her son could wear his new clothes sooner.
“Is Xu Feng at home?” came the voice of Shou Shan, the village watchman, from outside the yard. Lin Xiyue, being pregnant, found it inconvenient to get up, so Lin Xixue got up and knocked on Xu Feng’s door.
“Get up, Xu Feng, Shou Shan is outside calling you.” Lin Xixue knocked several times but received no response. Lin Xiyue told her sister to push the door open and call him. Since it was broad daylight, Lin Xixue didn’t think much and pushed the door open.
What she saw was Xu Feng lying on a somewhat worn bamboo mat, a thin blanket over his stomach. The room was sparsely furnished, practically empty. This was actually Lin Xixue’s first time entering his room.
“Wake up, Xu Feng, Shou Shan is outside calling you.” Xu Feng didn’t show any signs of morning grumpiness, but he hadn’t expected to see Lin Xixue as the first person when he opened his eyes. After seeing that Xu Feng was awake, Lin Xixue adjusted her breath and walked out.
Lin Xiyue was completely focused on Wang Xiuli’s hands and didn’t notice her sister’s flushed face. But Wang Xiuli, being an experienced woman, immediately noticed the blush on Lin Xixue’s face and, distracted, pricked her own finger with a needle.
He got dressed quickly and strode outside, where Shou Shan was already growing impatient. “Why are you taking so long to get up? Since there’s nothing important today, want to go fishing in the river?” Hearing such an entertaining plan, Xu Feng was immediately excited. Back in the day, he was known in Xu Village as the ‘White Streak in the Waves,’ his fish-catching skills unparalleled.
After all, when it came to unorthodox tricks and mischief, people like him were the experts. “Then eat a bowl of porridge quickly. We’ll gather at the west end of the village.” After saying that, Shou Shan didn’t linger and went off to gather the next buddy.
Xu Feng returned to the kitchen, gulped down the reheated corn porridge, and roughly peeled the egg, stuffing it into his mouth in one go. “You all take your time cutting the fabric. Shou Shan called me to go fish in the river. When I get back, we’ll have fish to eat.” Seeing how excited Xu Feng was, Lin Xiyue didn’t dampen his enthusiasm. She just reminded him to be careful. As long as he was playing with the Village Chief’s son, it was unlikely he would get into trouble.
A small river flowed right between Xu Village and Qin Village. It could be said that this river divided the two territories. Xu Feng wasn’t the last to arrive at the west end of the village. After waiting for a while, a group of seven or eight young men gathered and headed to the riverside. Besides the usual hunting buddies, there were two other young men from the same village who were close friends.
The atmosphere along the way was lively. Shou Shan took the lead in opening the conversation, “Jianjun, you’re offering sixty kilograms of pork as a betrothal gift. You should finally be able to get yourself a wife, right?” “It’s doable, Brother Shou Shan, but even if I get a wife, the meat will all be eaten by the mother-in-law and brother-in-law! These days, who doesn’t crave pork?” Jianjun’s words made sense. If you encountered a greedy mother-in-law, even the bride wouldn’t get a piece of meat.
“Why not just marry the mother-in-law instead?” Xu Feng’s witty remark sent everyone into fits of laughter. “Hahaha! You really are something!” A bunch of young men chatting like this—it was bound to get rowdy.
“Brother Shou Shan, when are we going up the mountain to slaughter that big boar? We can’t let the mother-in-law and brother-in-law eat all the meat, while the wife we bring home gets none!” The one speaking was another hunting buddy who also had someone he fancied. Shou Shan glanced at the sun. Although he already had a wife and child, he hadn’t even bought his wife a new dress last New Year. Just thinking about it made him feel guilty.
“Tonight’s moon will likely be full. Let’s strike while the iron is hot!” With Shou Shan’s words, it was clear tonight would be a bloody affair. As they chatted, they unknowingly approached the river. New chapters come out on novelping . com first.
The sun wasn’t too harsh yet, and there were quite a few village women doing laundry by the riverside. On their side were the wives from Xu Village, while across the river were those from Qin Village. Xu Feng couldn’t help but wonder if these guys were really here to fish or just to ogle the women.
Looking carefully, he was surprised to see the village beauty, Qin Huairu, washing clothes across the river. Next to her was her cousin Qin Jingru, who looked about seventy percent similar. Because Qin Huairu was bending down to wash clothes near the river… Indeed, there was a reason why Qin Huairu was the only girl from Qin Village who could marry into the city.
All the young men’s gazes, including Xu Feng’s, were fixed on Qin Huairu. But they didn’t dare stare directly and only snuck glances now and then. “Shou Shan, if you catch a big fish, save one for me!” It wasn’t clear which village wife said this, but Shou Shan surely recognized her.
“I won’t give it to you. Otherwise, Brother Aimin will think I have my eyes on his wife!” Shou Shan’s answer made the village wives laugh until their sides hurt. “So what if you have your eyes on me? It’s not like he uses me much anyway!” Goodness, Aimin’s wife really had guts to talk like that.
“Then forget it. My own wife wouldn’t agree either!” “Hahaha!” Another burst of laughter echoed.
The other young men envied how Brother Shou Shan could joke and flirt with these village wives so easily. Unlike them, who blushed like virgins just talking to a married woman. Xu Feng, however, wasn’t familiar with them. Otherwise, he wouldn’t leave the river without making the village wives blush today.
After chatting for a while, the young men began showing off their physiques. Leaving only a pair of big shorts on, they dived straight into the water. The river wasn’t wide, and two young men swam back and forth just to attract Qin Huairu’s attention. Xu Feng shook his head and smiled but said nothing. Qin Huairu’s goal was to marry into the city. These guys were dirt poor—trying to show off in front of her was pointless.