The Beautiful Brother of the Orion’s Family (Wearing Book) - 65

 

| TBBOTOF | 65

This time, Wei Dong wasn't heading to Yongning Town; he was driving the mule cart towards Yong'an Town.

Tang Xu sat cross-legged beside him, looking puzzled.

"When you mentioned finding people to enter Dayou Mountain, I thought you were going to see that boss Wu. Didn't you say he had asked you to hunt tigers before?"

 Wei Dong grunted in response but shook his head. "I can't go with them."

"Why?" Tang Xu asked, bewildered and curious.

Wei Dong looked at him as if he were looking at an innocent little bunny, equally puzzled.

Usually, his husband appeared very shrewd, at least when he was arguing with someone, his mind was definitely quick. But when it came to understanding people's intentions, he seemed to lack caution, or rather, he didn't anticipate things in advance.

As long as he wasn't provoked, he could be a very gentle and adorable rabbit, but once provoked, he would immediately turn into a hedgehog, with sharp quills ready to strike anyone who touched him.

It wasn't Tang Xu's fault. As someone born and raised in the socialist era, where harmony, friendship, and filial piety were emphasized, he had never encountered the darker sides of human nature. He had been educated to follow the examples of Lei Feng, to do good deeds, and to live in harmony and love.

Even though he had encountered some unfair treatment, there were also many kind deeds happening around him. Since he was young, his parents and grandparents had taught him to be kind to others and to himself, as there were still many genuinely good people in the world. Being sincere with others would always lead to good returns.

Tang Xu had always followed this principle. Just as Wei Dong thought, as long as he wasn't provoked, he would never actively seek trouble. But once someone crossed his bottom line, he would definitely fight tooth and nail.

This temperament couldn't be categorized as good or bad; Wei Dong, in any case, liked it a lot.

Wei Dong was almost the opposite in temperament to Tang Xu. Perhaps it was because he had experienced too much unfair treatment when he was young, seen the fickleness of human nature, and had his heart pricked by close relatives, which had shaped his cold and tough heart.

He liked to think of the worst-case scenarios and anticipate all possible dangers, then figure out the most feasible solution and avoid fatal pitfalls.

It was this approach that had helped him navigate through many treacherous situations when dealing with people. Now, when Tang Xu asked him why he didn't go to see the old boss Wu, Wei Dong smiled. But it was a sinister smile.

Tang Xu felt his scalp tingle from Wei Dong's smile and furrowed his brows, slapping his thigh. "Stop smiling so creepily!"

Wei Dong immediately stopped smiling and grabbed his hand, interlocking their fingers tightly. "Guess how much a live tiger can be sold for?" 

Tang Xu was stunned, his mind filled with warnings of at least five years imprisonment with no maximum limit.

Shaking his head, he reminded himself that there was no protection of animals here.

He guessed, "Ten thousand taels of gold!"

Wei Dong: "..." it's higher than what he expected, his husband is indeed something. Tang Xu saw the stiff lines on his face and knew he had guessed too high.

"Then, ten thousand taels of silver?"

Wei Dong grunted in agreement, explaining, "The price isn't high for a dead tiger. Even if you can sell it in parts, it's only worth three or four thousand taels at most." 

Tang Xu nodded; a tiger's body was valuable.

"How about selling it alive?"

"You just shout out the price, and whoever offers the highest gets it," Wei Dong explained. Then, seeing Tang Xu giving him a sidelong glance, he chuckled, "What? What do you want to say?"

"Why don't you go cooperate with that old boss Wu?" Tang Xu could vaguely guess, but he wasn't entirely sure.

Wei Dong sneered, "Last time they asked me to catch a tiger, I refused. If I go to them again, not only will they offer less money, but there will also surely be a bunch of troubles, and they're not reliable partners. It's not safe."

Tang Xu's eyes lit up with understanding. 

He realized Wei Dong was afraid that someone would try to destroy the bridge after crossing the river, or a mantis stalking a cicada, but it doesn't know there is an oriole behind him. "Can you trust the people you're approaching?"

Wei Dong saw that Tang Xu understood his concerns and nodded. "Yes, we have a deep bond of friendship. When we got married, they were the ones carrying the sedan chair."

Tang Xu looked puzzled.

He tried hard to recall the four big men who carried the sedan chair at their wedding, but he only remembered that they were all tall and muscular, similar to Wei Dong, and nothing else.

"Why didn't you tell me about this?" Tang Xu felt excluded and indignant. 

Wei Dong's face turned cold. "Why should I let them see my husband?" 

Tang Xu: "..." Indeed, his husband had eyes as sharp as needles. He couldn't even make a fuss; it was so frustrating!

"Then can you tell me why you have such a deep bond of friendship?"

Wei Dong felt tired from talking too much to others but had extreme patience with Tang Xu. If he wanted to know, then Wei Dong would tell him.

"Five years ago, I went hunting in Xiaoyu Mountain. The snow had just melted, and I couldn't find any deer herds. I was planning to try my luck in Dayou Mountain. But I don't know if it was good luck or bad luck; I didn't encounter any deer herds but encountered those four brothers who almost got bitten to death by a black bear." 

Tang Xu widened his eyes. "Four brothers?"

"Yeah, not born from the same mother, but raised by the same mother, four brothers." Wei Dong noticed his curiosity and explained further. "Granny Pan never got married and had many relatives' children to take care of. She would take them in and raise them herself, even though life was quite tough."

"Are there still people who don't want sons?" Tang Xu felt that while it might be common to give away daughters, giving away sons didn't sit right.

Wei Dong shrugged. "There are always some people who keep having children despite not being able to support them. When there are only two adults in the family, having a bunch of kids every year only divides the land further. It's not like ancestral land can be sold, and renting it out doesn't bring in much money. 

So, some people give their children away, supposedly 'sending' them but actually just finding someone else to raise them. They're happy if they get a bag of grain a year in return. And then there are those who completely cut off contact, only to return when the child is older and can help with work. " As he spoke, his tone was filled with disdain.

Tang Xu listened with his mouth agape, unable to deny that there were indeed shameless people like that, and quite a few at that.

"Were all the children Granny Pan adopted in this situation?"

"Not all, but most were similar. When I met her, she had a total of eight boys and girls to feed. With so many mouths to feed, Granny Pan had to work in the fields and do odd jobs to support them. Now, there are only four left." There was no need to elaborate on what happened to the other four, and Tang Xu understood.

He sighed, "Those are truly despicable people."

"Well, those four brothers went into the mountains to find herbs for Granny Pan. They got lost and ended up in Dayou Mountain instead of Xiaoyou Mountain. If they hadn't encountered the black bear, they wouldn't have realized they had gone deeper into the mountains." 

Wei Dong thought of the four brothers, each more reckless than the last, and shook his head in speechless dismay. 

However, the slight curl of his lips revealed his current mood. "When I arrived, the eldest had a chunk of his scalp torn off by the bear, the youngest was covered in blood on his face and body, and the other two were lying on the ground soaked in blood, unable to even scream. I couldn't just stand there and watch the bear eat them, so I went up to help."

Helping came at a cost; Wei Dong himself was injured in the process. However, because of his intervention, the four brothers were able to recover and, later on, they managed to kill the bear together.

Although they didn't find the herbs they were looking for, they returned with the bear's head, which fetched a good sum of money. Wei Dong took half of the money, while the other half was given to the four brothers to take back to Granny Pan for her medical treatment and to support the children.

However, after that incident, the four brothers ventured into the mountains less frequently. Even when they did, they avoided Dayou Mountain and instead roamed around Xiaoyu Mountain.

Wei Dong was one of the few who enjoyed taking risks; it seemed like he was naturally fearless and drawn to danger.

Recently, however, since he had been spending time with Tang Xu, leading a peaceful life, he found it hard to resist his adventurous spirit. That's why he had started venturing into the deep mountains again.

When he said he was chasing after a herd of deer into Dayou Mountain, Tang Xu could tell by his bright eyes during the bear hunting story that he was the kind of person who was drawn to danger, even if he knew the risks involved.

He sighed again, feeling weary.

Granny Pan's house was located at the edge of the town, with a small courtyard and adobe houses that looked old and low. The yard wasn't very big, but there were quite a few chickens, ducks, and geese crowded into a corner, making constant noise. There were also many vegetables growing in the yard, with two large water tanks placed side by side against the wall, and several farm tools hanging on the fence.

Cluck cluck cluck~

Cluck cluck cluck~

Sounds came from the backyard, which sounded familiar to Tang Xu; it was the same noise as when he fed the pigs usually.

"Granny Pan!" Wei Dong shouted from outside the fence.

Tang Xu blinked and turned his head to ask, "What are the names of those four brothers?"

"The eldest, second, third, and fourth. Granny Pan said there were too many children in the family, so she couldn't remember their names. She decided to name them in the order they were born." 

Tang Xu paused for breath and raised his thumb. "So, does it mean that the eldest isn't necessarily the oldest?" His question left Wei Dong puzzled.

"I don't know. They all looked about the same age to me," Tang Xu recalled, unable to remember what the four brothers looked like. He had been too focused on their muscles and such, which was his mistake.

Wei Dong's shout brought Granny Pan, who was feeding the pigs in the backyard, out.

Granny Pan appeared to be in her fifties, with gray hair and a thin figure, but she seemed spirited.

Perhaps her eyesight wasn't great, as she squinted for a while before recognizing Wei Dong. Then, her face lit up with joy. "Is that you, Dongzi?"

After spotting Tang Xu getting off the cart, she was even more surprised. "Oh my, who's this handsome young man?" 

Tang Xu smiled warmly, "Thank you, Granny."

Wei Dong put his hand on Tang Xu's shoulder, pulling him close, and introduced him to Granny Pan. "This is my husband."

"Yes, yes, they've come back and told me. You've married a celestial beauty!" Granny Pan chuckled and led the two into the yard, asking, "Why are you here at this hour? Is there something wrong?"

Wei Dong nodded. "Have they gone to work in the fields?"

"Yes, the eldest took them to harvest beans. If you have urgent matters, go to the fields and call for them," Granny Pan said, pulling Tang Xu to the table and urging him to sit down. "You can go yourself. Your husband can stay here and shouldn't be running back and forth."

"Just call me Xu Ge'er, Granny," Tang Xu said obediently.

His appearance, in theory, wasn't very appealing to elders, being a bit too flashy. But his personality, as long as he wasn't arguing with someone, could really charm people.

"Not only is he good-looking, but his name also sounds nice. I'll bring you some plums, they're sweet!" Granny Pan smiled and turned to go to the kitchen to wash the fruits for Tang Xu.

Tang Xu turned to Wei Dong. "You go find people."

Wei Dong nodded and hurried off with the cart to the fields.

Granny Pan was chatting happily with Tang Xu, while on the other side, Wei Dong found the four brothers and explained his intentions to them, asking if they were willing to accompany him up the mountain.

"Do you want to capture it alive?" Pan, the eldest, asked nervously, afraid of Wei Dong's affirmative answer.

Wei Dong indeed nodded. "I've already made an iron cage at the blacksmith's shop. It's been sitting there for so many years and finally it can be put to use," he explained. Pan, the eldest, looked conflicted.

Pan, the second, and Pan, the third, were excited.

Pan, the fourth, remained expressionless. There was a reason for his lack of expression. When he was bit by the bear, his life was saved but half of his face was destroyed, leaving him with no facial expression on the other half.

The four brothers exchanged glances. It was clear that Pan, the eldest, didn't want to go, but Wei Dong's request was a matter of life and death, he wasn't the type of person that would take them to feed the tiger.

Pan, the second, and Pan, the third, had adventurous spirits similar to Wei Dong's, but they refrained from going into the mountains again out of fear of worrying their elderly mother.

Pan, the fourth brother, despite his disfigured face, had a somewhat solemn personality. He glanced at Wei Dong and stated firmly, "I'll go." 

Wei Dong had saved him from a claw swipe; without him, he wouldn't have just lost half his face but also his life.

Pan, the second, and Pan, the third, also nodded. "We'll go too."

Pan, the eldest brother, frowned. "Don't act impulsively!"

"We're not acting impulsively. Dong Ge wouldn't harm us," Pan, the fourth brother, replied. Then, he looked at Wei Dong. "Are you sure you can catch it?"

Wei Dong thought for a moment before nodding. "It's possible, at least half. If we can't catch it alive, we can still kill it. I injured its front leg yesterday; it should be hiding in the mountain valley."

Pan, the eldest brother, opened his mouth to speak, but Wei Dong raised his hand to stop him. "I know you're worried that we won't come back from the mountain. I came here to ask for your assurance. Even if I go alone and manage to kill it, I'll still get hurt badly. That's why I thought of having you guys accompany me."

Pan, the eldest brother's face turned red. "Dongzi, I'm really scared."

"It's okay," Wei Dong glanced at the other three. "If you're sure about going, you need to go back and talk to Granny Pan. If she agrees, we'll leave immediately."

All four brothers nodded in agreement.

Pan, the eldest brother, actually thought that this matter probably wouldn't succeed. After all, the incident from back then had made their mother cry for a long time, especially considering that the fourth brother's face couldn't be healed. 

In the Pan household, Tang Xu was gnawing on a large plum, which was very sweet, with plenty of juice and thin skin.

"Granny, where did you pick this plum? It's delicious," Tang Xu asked.

"The third child picked it from Xiaoyu Mountain. If you like it, I'll have Dongzi pick some for you later," Granny Pan replied, licking her lips, then she asked, "Did you come over for something this time?"

Tang Xu nodded. As a family member, he couldn't hide the dangerous matter of going to hunt tigers in the mountains. Otherwise, if something really went wrong, nobody could bear the responsibility. "Wei Dong went to Dayou Mountain yesterday and encountered a tiger."

With just this sentence, Granny Pan's expression changed several times.

Tang Xu sighed inwardly but continued, "He injured the tiger, so he came today intending to invite the four brothers to join him in hunting the tiger in the mountains. I'll go with him too."

Granny Pan didn't seem willing at first, but as soon as she heard that Tang Xu was going too, she was surprised. "Dongzi agreed to let you go with him?"

"Even if he doesn't agree, I have to go," Tang Xu finished gnawing on the plum in his hand, put the pit in his palm, and squeezed it. "I must go with him, or else I'll marry someone else."

Granny Pan was taken aback and said helplessly, "Why insist on doing such a dangerous thing?"

Tang Xu chuckled, "Granny, I'm very worried about him, but I know I can't stop him. Since we got married, he has never gone hunting in the mountains. Over time, he has been itching to go to the mountains. If I try to stop him, he might sneak out one day and end up dying in an accident in the mountains. I'd be devastated. It's better to let him go. If he can catch some prey in the mountains, it's a win. If not, it's just a way for him to satisfy his craving."

Granny Pan replied, "But he doesn't have to hunt tigers. Tigers can eat people!"

"Don't they say fortune favors the bold? If Wei Dong came to find the four brothers, he probably has that intention," Tang Xu said, sweeping his eyes around the courtyard. "Granny, I know you're worried, and I'm worried too. But I still hope you'll agree to let them go with Wei Dong. I can't guarantee anything else, but at least if they encounter danger, Wei Dong will definitely sacrifice himself to let them escape."

Tang Xu knew his request was unreasonable, but he couldn't let Wei Dong go to the mountains alone.

He admitted his selfishness.

The atmosphere suddenly became tense.

When Wei Dong and the four brothers from the Pan family returned, they saw the two sitting in the courtyard in silence.

The Pan brothers had seen Tang Xu when they carried the sedan chair that day. They were stunned by his face for a long time, especially third brother Pan. He had been talking about it for several days after returning.

Now seeing Tang Xu here, they were all surprised and turned to look at Wei Dong. He hadn't mentioned Tang Xu was here.

Wei Dong shrugged, indicating that he didn't want his husband here either.

"Mom, Dong ge said he wants to take us into the mountains to hunt tigers," Second brother Pan walked over to his mother's side, holding her hand. "If big brother doesn't want to go, we'll go."

Granny Pan glanced up at her other three sons standing not far away, sighed heavily, and said, "Alright, go ahead, come back early." 

Not to mention the surprise of the four brothers at how easily their mother agreed, even Wei Dong was very surprised. However, his gaze shifted to Tang Xu, obviously thinking about who would help out in their absence.

Tang Xu raised his eyes and met his gaze, smiling, "Don't look at me, just now I promised the old lady that if we encounter danger, even if you have to sacrifice yourself, you have to let them run first."

Wei Dong nodded vigorously, "Mm."

Tang Xu looked at the other four and asked, "Are you all going?"

Pan, the eldest, blushed under his gaze, and the other three weren't much better. Pan, the youngest, even turned his body sideways, afraid that he would see the half of his face that was injured, and his ears turned red.

Tang Xu had just noticed the posture of the fourth eldest Pan, but he hadn't paid attention when speaking, and now he noticed the problem carefully.

He didn't find anything unusual; the makeup of the zombies in movies was scarier than scars.

"We three will go," Pan, the second eldest, raised his hand and pointed, "Eldest brother will stay at home to accompany mom." 

Tang Xu nodded and stood up, "Let's go then."

The four Pan brothers were surprised and asked simultaneously, "Are you going too?"

"Yeah, if I don't go, what am I doing here?" Tang Xu nodded naturally.

"What are you doing going if it's so dangerous?" Pan, the eldest, shouted, and Wei Dong raised his hand and slapped him.

The burly man staggered forward a step from the slap, grimacing as he rubbed his arm. "How could you agree? If he goes into the Dayou Mountain like this, what if something happens?"

Wei Dong remained expressionless, "I said I wouldn't let him, but he said if I didn't let him go today, he'd go back to his mother's house and marry someone else tomorrow. Should I not let him go?" 

Pan, the eldest, suddenly widened his eyes, "Ah?"

Granny Pan patted Tang Xu's shoulder from the side, "You're scaring people with your words."

"I'm not scaring anyone," Tang Xu turned to look at her, "Granny, I'm serious. If he dares to go into the mountain without me today, I'll dare to go back to my mother's house tomorrow, and the day after tomorrow, I'll find someone else to marry. Anyway, regardless of anything else, there are definitely many people who want to marry me just because of my face."

Wei Dong's eyelid twitched uncontrollably, jumping so much that he couldn't help but raise his hand to press it down. Tang Xu shot him a sideways glance, and Wei Dong quickly lowered his hand. With this exchange of glances, the people nearby were all mesmerized.

"Alright then," Pan, the eldest, took a deep breath, "I'll go too!" 

Tang Xu raised an eyebrow, "Why the sudden change of heart?"

Pan, the eldest, waved his hand helplessly, "If Dongzi and the other three are going, then I'll go too. Now that you're going with them, how can Dongzi protect so many people alone? Besides, I've killed blinded badgers before."

Wei Dong nodded, "Alright, then I'll go to the blacksmith's shop."

"What are you going there for?" Tang Xu walked over to him, squinting, "You're not thinking of running into the mountains by yourself, are you?" 

Wei Dong pinched the soft flesh on his cheek and tugged, "How dare I? Just wait, I'll go over and pick up the trap."

"A trap?" Tang Xu was surprised, "When did you set a trap?"

"After I survived meeting a tiger last time," Wei Dong let go of his hand and rubbed the area on his face where he had pinched himself red, "Be good, I'll be back soon. Wait for me to enter the mountain from this side later."

Tang Xu nodded, noticing the two backpacks on the cart, one packed by Wei Dong and the other by himself. He turned to the four brothers and said, "We'll probably have to stay in the mountains for a while. Aren't you guys planning to bring some things?"

The four brothers glanced at each other, then went to pack their belongings. Granny Pan came out of the house with a backpack and handed it to Pan, the third eldest, along with a small pouch of money. "Go buy some steamed buns, buy plenty and take them with you."

Pan, the third eldest, nodded, "Okay, Mother, get us some more pickled vegetables."

Tang Xu's backpack was packed full. On the top layer were over twenty large steamed buns, two bamboo tubes filled with pickled bamboo shoots and pickled radishes. Below were several packets of seasoning, two large packs of jerky, and an empty water jug. 

Wei Dong said there were streams in the mountains, so drinking water would be convenient. He also took two flint stones in case making fire became difficult.

Wei Dong came back quickly, but the iron cage had rusted. Originally black, it was now covered in black and yellow rust, with rust all over when touched.

Pan, the third eldest, brought back dozens of large steamed buns from the stall where they bought them, steaming hot. "Let's go." It was almost noon, and if they delayed any longer, they wouldn't make it into the mountains before dark.

On the cart, the cage was placed, and the big mule followed them up the mountain. Despite pulling such a heavy iron cage, it ran effortlessly. Tang Xu sat sideways on the cart, turning his head to look at the burly men walking beside them.

Each one was stronger than the last.

Resting his chin on his hand, he asked, "Have none of you gotten married?"

Pan, the fourth eldest, turned his face and met his gaze, half of his face flushing red, while the other side, free from scars, also blushed deeply. He raised his hand to cover his face, avoiding eye contact.

Tang Xu furrowed his brow and said softly, "I don't find you ugly, nor do I find your scars frightening. You don't need to avoid me."

Pan, the fourth eldest, was taken aback, turning to look at him, and asked, "You're not afraid?"

Tang Xu was also taken aback, puzzled, and asked back, "Afraid of what? Your face wasn't injured by me. I'm not worried about you seeking revenge against me, so what is there to be afraid of?"

Pan, the fourth eldest, looked bewildered, his eyes dazed. "You're not afraid of my face? It's so ugly."

Tang Xu shrugged nonchalantly, then turned to look at Wei Dong, glanced at the other men, and finally back to him, scratching his head awkwardly. "Well, you know, I'm not marrying you, so what you look like doesn't matter to me."

Pan, the fourth eldest, had built up his courage to speak up, only to receive such a response. There was a moment of silence, followed by someone chuckling, then bursting into laughter. Wei Dong, who was leading the way, turned back and ruffled Tang Xu's hair, earning a slap.

"I asked you guys a question earlier, but you haven't answered me yet. Have none of you gotten married?" Tang Xu noticed their cheerful laughter suddenly stopped as soon as he spoke.

Pan, the eldest, wiped the oily sweat from his face, his forehead glistening. "Marry? With no money and no house, who would marry us?"

"Yeah, who would marry us brothers?" Pan, the second eldest, joked self-deprecatingly. "If someone finds us attractive and then hears my name, they just roll their eyes and leave."

Pan, the third eldest, nodded in agreement. "Yeah, we're all just a year younger than Dong ge, about to turn twenty, and still haven't married. "

Pan, the fourth eldest, raised his hand and pointed to his own face. "Unless I marry a blind woman."

Tang Xu nodded, "When it comes to wanting to marry, if your face isn't enough, you need money. Why do so many beautiful girls end up being concubines for wealthy men?"

The four brothers looked at him eagerly.

"Because of money, of course. Do you think it's because they're truly in love with the old man? If you want to marry, just have a matchmaker come over, offer ten taels of silver as a betrothal gift, and build a new house. Of course, if you want to marry the daughters of high status, ten taels won't be enough."

The four brothers laughed. Pan, the eldest, said, "Who would have the luck to marry a daughter of high staus? I'd be overjoyed if I could marry a girl from our village." 

"Yeah, that's right," Pan, the third eldest, nodded.

Pan, the second eldest, shrugged, "With ten taels, you could marry a girl from the town. Why marry someone from the village?" 

"What's so good about the girls in town? I don't see anything special about them," Pan, the third eldest, retorted. 

Pan, the fourth eldest, glanced at Tang Xu but remained silent.

At that moment, he was rebuilding his confidence and didn't have any thoughts about marriage.

"Husband~~~" Tang Xu cooed towards Wei Dong.

Wei Dong startled, shaking his body and turning to look at him, "Huh?"

The four brothers from the Pan family felt their bodies go numb.

Who could bear this!

"I'm hungry," Tang Xu shook his legs, "Are we going into the mountains now?" The mule was strong and energetic; even climbing uphill was effortless.

Wei Dong nodded, "We'll go around that mountain over there. There's a path where we can take the cart. We'll unload the cage there." He reached out, and Tang Xu jumped off the cart and walked hand in hand with him.

"What about the mule?" he asked.

They couldn't just leave their big mule tied up there waiting for wild beasts to come and gnaw on it.

"Bring it into the mountains. It's easier to enter the Dayou Mountain from this side than from our side. The path isn't as steep," Wei Dong squeezed his hand and said, "We'll find a place to eat when we're hungry later."

Tang Xu sat back on the cart and took out a steamed bun to hand it over. But since Wei Dong's hands were dirty, he lifted it up to feed him instead. "Here, eat, take a bite first, then we'll find a water source."

Wei Dong nodded and led the mule towards the water source.

Tang Xu had thought they were going to a small stream, but Wei Dong led them to a small waterfall instead.

It was a true small pond with a waterfall. The rushing water was exceptionally clear, and they could see many stones at the bottom through the water!

"This place is amazing!" Tang Xu was captivated by the beautiful scenery. Looking around, he spotted a large leaf tree not far away. "Husband, darling, there's a snake over there!"

Wei Dong was startled, turning to look in the direction he pointed. A black and yellow snake was coiled around a tree branch, spitting venom towards them.

"You..."

"You use the machete to chop it down, and I'll roast snake meat for you! I brought seasoning packets!" Tang Xu's eyes gleamed as he stared at the snake, which was thicker than his arm. Oh, roasted snake meat, he wanted to eat it.

Unable to resist, Tang Xu swallowed hard.

Wei Dong was obedient like a little guard; whatever his husband said, he would do.

Tang Xu stared at Wei Dong's knife sheath and pursed his lips. He found it amusing how Wei Dong cherished those knives like they were his wives. Even if they weren't used, he would still take them out to polish them until they shone brightly.

Taking aim, Wei Dong's arm muscles bulged as he swung the sharp knife. With a swift motion, the long blade whizzed through the air, making a sharp sound. With a loud crack, the snake, along with the thick tree branch it was coiled around, was chopped off and fell to the ground.

Tang Xu's sharp eyes caught sight of two rabbits darting out from the grass as the branch fell.

"There, rabbits!"

Wei Dong took off the slingshot hanging from his waist, picked up a few stones, and followed Tang Xu's direction. In no time, he came back with two rabbits in hand.

The snake that had been chopped off was also brought back by Pan, the fourth eldest.

Tang Xu rubbed his hands with a grin, "Let's make a fire!"

The four brothers from the Pan family watched as Tang Xu skinned the snake and the rabbits, used the knife to separate the snake's body, and dug out its gall bladder and internal organs, all while covered in blood. 

Tang Xu bent down to wash his hands and the meat in the pond, the blood attracting fish from the pond. He excitedly shouted again, "Wei Dong, over here, fish! Spear them!" 

Wei Dong used a tree branch to spear the fish, busy with Tang Xu's instructions.

Tang Xu turned his head and drew a circle on the ground with his hand. "Eldest brother Pan, dig a firebreak here. It doesn't need to be too deep. Second brother, start the fire. Third brother, clean the fish. Fourth brother, skewer the fish."

He couldn't let only his man do all the work. The four brothers looked blankly at him, listening to his orders and doing as they were told. Then, they enjoyed the delicious grilled rabbit, grilled fish, and grilled snake meat that they had never eaten in their lives.

Oh, and grilled steamed buns!

Turns out grilled steamed buns could be so delicious and fragrant!

"You're really amazing, Brother Xu!" Pan, the second eldest, with his mouth full of oil, gave a thumbs up to Tang Xu.

Tang Xu chuckled, holding a rabbit leg in his hand. "When you're in the mountains, you have to use what's available. If we had a pot, I'd even consider making soup."

"We don't have a pot, but there's bamboo in the mountains." Wei Dong sat beside him, wiping the black ash off his face. "Snake meat is quite tasty."

"With seasoning, it's not fishy. Otherwise, it would have a strong smell. This snake meat is a bit tough, but it's quite chewy." Tang Xu handed the rabbit leg he had nibbled on to Wei Dong. "Eat up."

He took the water pouch and went to the edge of the pond to fill it with water. Taking a sip, he found the water slightly sweet. He only drank two sips, not daring to drink more.

Drinking untreated water outside could be risky; it's best to boil it before drinking.

After they had eaten their fill and tidied up the fire pit, Tang Xu asked Wei Dong, "How much longer do we have to go?"

"Two hours," Wei Dong calculated based on Tang Xu's pace.

Tang Xu nodded. "Let's go."

When they reached the spot where Wei Dong said they could unload the cart, Tang Xu's legs were so tired they felt like jelly.

Along the way, they had cut down a thick bamboo, Pan, the fourth eldest, had caught a wild chicken, and Pan, the second eldest, had caught a wild rabbit, all placed on the cart for dinner. The water source here was a stream, with fast-flowing, crystal-clear water.

"Let's rest for a while," Tang Xu waved his hand. The last stretch of road was difficult to traverse, and the mule pulling the cart had struggled. He had walked on his own two feet. For someone as petite as him, even climbing the mountain was not easy.

Wei Dong went to fetch water for him. Tang Xu was very thirsty by now, but he didn't have time to worry whether the water was safe to drink or not. He gulped down two big mouthfuls. 

"Dong ge, has the cart been unloaded?" Pan, the second eldest, asked.

Wei Dong nodded, gesturing towards the grazing mule. It was evident that the mule had expended a lot of energy. 

Tang Xu found a rock to sit on, massaging his legs, which were feeling sore and weak.

He began scanning the surroundings again with his eyes, noticing that the air here was more humid and stifling than down the mountain. Occasionally, he could hear the rustling of leaves as the wind blew through, interspersed with the calls of monkeys. Perhaps their arrival had disturbed the peace of the forest, causing many animals to hide away. "There are fruit trees over there," Tang Xu pointed with his hand.

Wei Dong chuckled, wiping the sweat from his forehead. "Are you here to play?" 

Tang Xu pouted, "If I see them and don't pick any, I'll feel like I've missed out."

"When we catch a tiger, you can pick as many as you want," Wei Dong lowered his head and kissed his forehead. "No rush."

 Tang Xu clicked his tongue and pulled out a pack of jerky from the backpack, gnawing on a piece of tough meat. "What's your plan? Don't tell me you're just going to charge straight in; I don't think you'll succeed." 

Wei Dong stared at him, feeling like Tang Xu had something to say.

Tang Xu handed him a piece of jerky. "What? You really haven't thought of a plan?"

Wei Dong sighed, "I thought we could use prey to lure it out. If it's injured and unable to hunt, we can lure it out with prey in a place close to it, and then it will fall into the trap."

"Those are tigers, not pigs. They can jump. How deep do you think the trap should be?" Tang Xu rolled his eyes at him and gestured, "You have traveled so many times to Xiaoyu Mountain and Dayou Mountain, have you ever seen such large flowers, especially beautiful, resembling trumpets?"

Wei Dong furrowed his brow and thought for a moment. "What color are they?"

"Many colors. I've seen yellow, red, purple, black, and white ones. Anyway, there are many colors. I don't know what you call this flower, but I call it a mandrake. The whole plant is poisonous and can cause paralysis and sleepiness," Tang Xu said, looking at Wei Dong. "If we can find this flower and smear it on the prey, the tiger would probably be knocked out after eating it."

Wei Dong stared at him for a long time without saying anything.

Tang Xu blinked, feeling a bit unnerved by his gaze. He patted his arm. "Say something." 

Wei Dong took a deep breath and asked, "How do you know about this?"

Tang Xu squinted his eyes, "I dreamed about it. Do you believe me?"

Wei Dong poked his cheek, "I believe you. I believe everything you say. I think I've seen that kind of flower in Dayou Mountain." 

Tang Xu's eyes lit up, "Really?"

"Yeah, as soon as you mentioned it being poisonous and causing drowsiness, I knew." Wei Dong poked his cheek again, "Mandrake, it's a great name." 

Tang Xu grinned, indeed, a deadly yet beautiful flower.

Previous TOC Next