Su Mo’s lips twitched, never expecting the man before him to still remember this matter.
Scratching his head somewhat sheepishly, he said, “I don’t know what my second sister did with your waistband either. How about I go back and ask her?”
“Mm, you should ask as soon as you return!”
Qi Mohan nodded, finding a clean spot to sit down.
Although he wasn’t particularly petty, the thought of that girl saying she wanted to use his waistband for research and then gift it to someone else still made him quite uncomfortable.
Su Mo sat beside him, his eyes filled with admiration.
He had never encountered someone so remarkable before. The display of skill earlier convinced him that this man must be a martial arts master. With such impressive archery and martial prowess, how wonderful it would be if he could become his disciple.
Seeing through Su Mo’s thoughts, Qi Mohan simply smiled and pointed into the distance, instructing him to hunt the rabbit there.
Su Mo strained his eyes searching for the rabbit in the direction Qi Mohan indicated, but couldn’t spot it anywhere. Qi Mohan casually picked up a stone and tossed it, startling a rabbit that suddenly burst out from the grass.
Delighted, Su Mo took out his slingshot and gave chase.
But the rabbit was too fast. Su Mo exhausted all the stones in his pocket without even grazing the animal. As the rabbit was about to disappear from sight, Su Mo dejectedly lowered his slingshot.
Seeing this, Qi Mohan picked up another stone and threw it with force. The stone traced a beautiful arc through the air before landing, and the rabbit Su Mo had been chasing collapsed to the ground, limbs twitching.
“Wow! You can take down a rabbit without using a slingshot or bow and arrow! You’re amazing, great master! Please teach me! I’ll acknowledge you as my teacher!”
Su Mo made as if to kneel and bow in formal acceptance.
Qi Mohan waved his hand. “I don’t take disciples. Get up, I’ll just give you a couple of pointers.”
Hearing this, Su Mo froze. Such an incredible master actually didn’t accept disciples? What a pity!
Still, receiving a few pointers from him was already a great honor. He nodded rapidly.
Qi Mohan taught him hands-on: “Keep your wrist steady when exerting force, aim before you throw. It’s the same principle as using a slingshot or shooting arrows. Your strength still needs work – go back and eat more, practice weightlifting regularly, that should help. Your aim is quite good though. See that bird over there? Try hitting it with a throw…”
The man became enthusiastic offering advice, and Su Mo listened intently, then demonstrated the movements as instructed, secretly vowing to diligently practice according to the master’s words.
After spending half a day with Qi Mohan, Su Mo gained much – sometimes hunting a rabbit, sometimes a bird, then even bagging a wild boar, and finally taking down a heavyweight prize: a wild yak.
Of course, these were all Qi Mohan’s accomplishments, particularly the larger game which fell to Qi Mohan’s arrows.
“Take these back with you, build up your health. When you’ve finished them, I’ll take you hunting again!”
Having said this, Qi Mohan collected his bow and arrows preparing to leave.
Su Mo looked at him excitedly. “Great master, you don’t want any of this game? You’re giving it all to me?”
“What? Can’t you and your two sisters finish it all?”
Qi Mohan turned back, raising an eyebrow at him.
“No, no, that’s not it! It’s mainly that I feel too embarrassed…”
Su Mo didn’t know what to do.
“Take it. Consider it training for your physical strength. I’m heading back!”
Looking at the sky, it was getting late. He casually brushed the dust off his clothes.
“I’m no hero, but you can’t just give all these to me. You don’t understand—when I bring prey home, my second uncle’s whole family will be waiting. The moment they see me carrying game, they’ll snatch it away.”
Su Mo lowered his head as he explained.
“What do you suggest then?”
Qi Mohan crossed his arms, content to watch from the sidelines. He had no intention of helping carry these wild animals.
“My idea is… could you do me a favor? Just…”
Su Mo scurried over and whispered a couple of sentences into Qi Mohan’s ear. After a moment’s hesitation, Qi Mohan nodded. “Fine, I’ll find someone to help you later!”
“Thank you, thank you!”
As Su Mo repeatedly expressed his gratitude, Qi Mohan curled his lips in a faint smile, then turned and vanished in an instant using his light body technique.
Su Mo stared excitedly at the spot where Qi Mohan had disappeared for a long while before reluctantly turning back to pack up the game.
He found some vines to bundle the prey together, then clapped his hands and went to seek help from his second uncle, Su Changdong.
The new house stood at the foot of the back hill, nestled among several other households. In the past, whenever he returned with game, his second uncle’s family would always catch him red-handed. They would find excuses to confiscate his haul, then cheerfully send him on his way, leaving him swallowing his grievances. Eventually, he’d become afraid to hunt anything on the back hill.
But this time, he wasn’t afraid.
He would openly ask for their help and reclaim all the dignity he’d lost over the years.
Su Changdong, too ashamed to show his face outside, was sulking indoors. His reputation was utterly ruined—his wife and daughter disgraced, himself cursed by his mother and scorned by the villagers. The grocery store inherited after his elder brother’s death now generated no income, and he was buried in debt. Nothing went right; life had become utterly miserable.
Just as he was about to drown his sorrows in alcohol, Su Mo showed up.
“Second Uncle, I set up a Snare in the mountains earlier, and it caught several large animals. It’s too much for me to carry back alone. Could you help me?”
Su Mo adopted a humble stance the moment he entered, aware that the second branch of the family was in a foul mood. Provoking them carelessly would only bring him trouble.
Su Changdong glanced up, his gloomy eyes scanning Su Mo from head to toe, fists clenched tightly. But when he heard about the “large animals” caught in the trap, his fists loosened.
“Second Uncle, I know it’s awkward to ask for your help, but there’s a whole yak… I really can’t carry it back by myself…”
Seeing Su Changdong remain silent, Su Mo added uncomfortably.
At the mention of the yak, Su Changdong immediately grabbed a rope and pushed a flatbed cart toward the back hill.
A yak was worth good money. Selling it would ease his financial strain.
Driven by this thought, Su Changdong followed Su Mo to the back hill. His eyes lit up at the sight of four or five prey laid out on the ground.
“Humph! Since I’m helping you, these prey should rightfully be mine. Help me load them onto the cart!”
Su Changdong barked at Su Mo.
“But… but…”
“Enough of your ‘buts’! Hurry up and help, or I’ll finish you off!”
Su Changdong’s temper was notoriously short. The moment Su Mo dared to contradict him, his face twisted with ferocity.
Normally, Su Mo would have argued back if spoken to like this, but now he refrained—after all, he had come prepared!
Su Mo nodded silently and helped Su Changdong load the game onto the flatbed cart, then slowly pulled it down the mountain step by step.
Though there were other hunters in the village, none had bagged this much game since spring. The fully loaded cart of mountain catches immediately drew the attention of neighboring households. With a few shouts, crowds rushed over to look, their eyes filled with undisguised envy.
“Who… who caught all this? So much—how was it done?”
The onlookers chattered excitedly, their eyes gleaming.
Seeing this as a perfect chance to restore his reputation, Su Changdong quickly explained, “These were caught in Snares I dug on the mountain some time ago. Today, I found out that my wife and daughter had ill intentions toward the three siblings, and my conscience troubled me. I went up the mountain specially to see if I could bring some game back for them. Mo, quickly take the cart into the yard and rest. I’ll pick some out and send them over to you!”