To bring the wild boar and wild chickens back to the barren land, Song Jin and Xiao Dali finally discussed it and decided to work together.
Originally, Song Jin had thought she might be able to slack off a bit, but the meeting point with the rest of the village’s strong laborers was still two li away in the barren field. Since it wasn’t far from the barren mountain, she didn’t have the thick skin to let Xiao Dali carry everything alone.
Xiao Dali chopped down a dry tree as thick as a bowl’s mouth with his woodcutter’s knife.
They tied the wild boar’s legs together and threaded a trunk through them as a makeshift pole.
With a harvest weighing nearly four hundred jin, the two of them used all their strength and had to make two trips before they finally carried everything back to the barren field.
By the time it was the hour of Si, the village’s strong laborers had all returned. The moment they saw the wild boar and wild chickens lying on the ground, they were all shocked and thrilled, looking at Song Jin with admiration.
“My heavens! That wild boar must weigh at least three hundred jin! Aunt Song, how are you so incredible? Your luck is heaven-defying!”
“Eight wild chickens are at least thirty jin too! If this were before the famine, they could be sold in town for several taels of silver.”
“Before this, we all thought there was no way out—but now, this gives us hope.”
“Exactly!”
Nearly a hundred strong laborers gathered around the wild boar, chattering excitedly for a full quarter of an hour. Only after that did they finally stop, and Song Jin’s face had already turned red from embarrassment.
As the leader, Xiao Changchun was even more excited than anyone when he saw the boar, but after calming down, he remembered his heavy responsibility.
Bang bang bang bang! He struck the wooden clapper and loudly shouted:
“Everyone line up! Count heads! Count today’s harvest!”
Since he had brought everyone out of the village, he had to bring them all back—one person less would not do.
That was his duty.
The strong laborers immediately lined up and began counting people, then inventorying the day’s harvest.
The final tally: one wild boar, eight wild chickens, forty-eight eggs, three sacks of leaves, one sack of bark and roots, five loads of dried reeds, two bamboo stalks, and three loads of firewood.
Although they still had not found a water source, everyone was disappointed—but the moment they thought of the wild boar and chickens, their spirits lifted. On the way back, they walked with light steps and high morale.
Nearly a hundred people had left at Mao hour, and they returned by Wu hour.
When they arrived back at the Xiao village rest site, they discovered that the other refugee groups from different villages—who had temporarily banded together—had all ignored the village chief and Third Uncle’s advice and chosen to head north instead.
Those refugees were also afraid of the rat plague epidemic and no longer dared to continue eastward, but they were also unwilling to go south.
The south was simply too far, and the journey too long and exhausting. They felt they could not endure it.
The village chief and Third Uncle had tried to persuade them, but after they refused, they could only let them go.
Song Jin and the others felt a bit regretful when they heard this, but soon they were swept up again by the excited cries of the women, children, and sick and elderly.
The wild boar and wild chickens had successfully lifted the village’s low morale.
Men, women, old and young—all were crying and laughing as they gathered around to watch Xiao Changchun and the others butcher the boar.
A wild boar weighing over three hundred jin—originally the village chief and Third Uncle couldn’t bear to finish it in one day. But now it was summer; if they kept it overnight, it would spoil.
Fortunately, the eight wild chickens were still alive and could be kept for a day or two.
The village chief and Third Uncle looked at the boar, then at the chickens, and both of them burst into tears again.
Third Uncle said tearfully:“Waaah… good, good! With this, our whole village can survive four or five more days!”
The village chief added:“Madam Song, you’ve truly changed for the better. You’re a lucky star! Good… good!”
He originally wanted to add: From now on, stop causing trouble and live well with Second Young Master.
But before he could speak, Song Jin seized the opportunity and said:
“Village Chief, I found the wild boar and chickens, so our family wants the chicken feathers. Also, please give me some of the water we handed over last night—I’ll make salt later. Unseasoned pork won’t taste good.”
The village chief instantly stopped crying.
He was shocked that she actually knew how to make salt.
Did he hear that right?
Third Uncle, remembering her great contribution, didn’t wait for the village chief to react and immediately returned the water pouch to her, even adding ten wild eggs.
“This water was originally saved for emergencies, but now that we’ve found food, you should take it back. These ten eggs are also for your family and Dali’s family. This time, we owe it to both of you.”
These things were originally hers anyway, so it was reasonable for her to take them back.
Song Jin agreed as well and accepted the water and eggs.
While everyone gathered excitedly around the slaughtering of the boar, Song Jin carried the eggs and water toward Xiao Yanzhi’s family and Xiao Dali’s household.
Xiao Dali was telling the children about how he and Song Jin had searched for food in the barren mountain.
But when the four children heard that Song Jin had single-handedly captured and killed a wild boar, their expressions instantly changed.
Especially Xiao Yanzhi—his emotions were unreadable.
Xiao Shui Shui pouted and ran over to hug Song Jin’s legs:
“Mother! Shui Shui almost couldn’t see you again!”
She had finally gotten a new mother—she couldn’t lose her so easily.
Xiao Mu lowered her head and followed behind, apologizing:
“I’m sorry! I didn’t say thank you… and I called you a bad woman…”
Xiao Huo Huo stared at the eggs in Song Jin’s arms and swallowed hard:
“I’m sorry! I shouldn’t have ignored you…”
Xiao Jin Jin nervously twisted her clothes and also said:
“I’m sorry! I shouldn’t have led them wrong…”
Song Jin stared at the four children in shock, as if she had seen a ghost.
Her mind was full of: Where am I? Who am I? What am I doing?
What exactly had she done?
Why were they all apologizing to her?
What was she supposed to do now?
She wasn’t used to suddenly being a mother!
Cough cough cough…
She instinctively turned to look at Xiao Yanzhi. Seeing him staring at her without blinking, she almost choked on her own saliva.
After a long moment, she finally found her voice:
“Good children are those who know how to apologize after making mistakes. I should also apologize to you. I was the one who was wrong before—I shouldn’t have been so bad and tried to sell you. I’m sorry. I won’t do it again.”
The four children, already nervous, suddenly had red eyes.
Song Jin panicked.
“Hey, hey, why are you crying? Are you hungry? I found some eggs—I’ll boil them for you right now. Your sisters, Ruyi and Jixiang, will also get some!”
Then she turned to Xu Shi for help:
“Sister-in-law, please watch them for me. I’m going to boil the eggs…”
And with that, she fled in panic.
Forgive her—she really didn’t want to be a “free bonus mother”! Wasn’t this supposed to just be a team survival journey?!