I Overhear Animals' Thoughts to Feed My Family

Chapter 23: Chapter 23: Sugar Water

Zhao Wendong shot up excitedly, pumping his fists in the air.

"Hahaha, Mom, Dad, I have an idea! I’ll go up the mountain tomorrow to check it out!"

He finally remembered the crucial piece of information he had forgotten. Yesterday, when he was looking for Zhao Dashan, the fox had one more thought, but he had been so focused on finding his father that he’d missed it.

Now he remembered what the fox had been thinking.

’Is having a gun such a big deal? I know where to find one too.’

What did this mean?

It meant the fox knew where to find a gun, and that place was most likely near the gully where Zhao Dashan had his accident.

He would go investigate tomorrow. If he could really get his hands on a gun, he could go back to hunting on the mountain.

"You’re going up the mountain tomorrow?"

His family looked at the suddenly excited Zhao Wendong, confused. Zhao Dashan’s brow furrowed even deeper.

"Yeah, don’t worry, Dad. I’ll take the gun. Our family’s gun isn’t completely broken yet. It can definitely fire one more time, no problem!"

The gunstock was cracked, but it could definitely fire one more shot. ’After that, though, the gun would probably be useless.’ Zhao Dashan lay on the kang bed, thinking it over. He didn’t say anything more. He was laid up on the kang now; his only hope was for Zhao Wendong to step up. His second son wasn’t the sharpest tool in the shed, and while the eldest was a decent farmer, he was hopeless when it came to hunting.

Zhao Wenjun looked like he wanted to say something but held his tongue. He wanted to declare that as the eldest brother, going up the mountain was his responsibility. However, he was well aware of his own hunting skills—it would be a wasted trip. He could never in his life match the skill Zhao Wendong had shown when he shot that wolf yesterday.

He wanted to say a few words of concern, but he was too proud to get them out. In the end, Zhao Wenjun simply got up and went back outside to tend the fire.

Chen Yanmei carefully wrapped the money in her handkerchief, still worried about Zhao Wendong. Her youngest son had finally started to turn his life around; she was terrified that he, too, would have some kind of accident.

"My boy, how about we don’t go to the mountain?"

"Look, our family has over six yuan now. That’s enough to buy a lot of grain!"

Zhao Wendong shook his head and told them what he had seen and heard at the grain station today.

"Over six yuan seems like a lot, but given the current situation, it won’t even buy a hundred jin of sorghum."

"It’s still more than two months until spring. Even if we eat just a little at a time like we used to, for a family of eight, it will only last us another month or so."

"Besides, if we don’t have enough to eat, how will Dad’s bones heal? Where will the adults get their strength? How will the children grow?"

"After I go up the mountain, you all need to eat properly. Don’t skimp on food. Don’t worry, who do you think I am? I’m Zhao Wendong! I’ll definitely bring back some game and get us more to eat!"

Chen Yanmei fell silent. Her youngest son was becoming so capable, contributing to the family. She should be happy. Besides, Zhao Wendong was speaking and acting with more and more authority now; even Zhao Dashan was subtly starting to defer to him.

Song Xiaoyu patted Chen Yanmei’s hand.

"Ma, let’s go make some sorghum flatbreads now. Third Brother can take them with him into the mountains tomorrow."

"Okay!"

Chen Yanmei nodded, wiping the tears from the corners of her eyes.

Zhao Wendong’s eyes flickered. He was still thinking about what Aunt Wang had said that morning, and he’d been watching his eldest brother and sister-in-law closely since he got back. Just now, when his sister-in-law reached out to pat his mom’s hand, he finally noticed something.

The Silver Bracelet his sister-in-law always wore, the one Chen Yanmei had passed down to her when she got married, seemed to be gone...

"Oh right, Mom, here’s the coarse salt I bought today. Use plenty of it, or we’ll have no strength!"

Zhao Wendong took out the things he’d bought. He handed the coarse salt to Chen Yanmei, then deliberately handed the soy sauce and white sugar to Song Xiaoyu.

When Song Xiaoyu reached out to take them, he saw that both her wrists were indeed bare. Zhao Wendong knew what had happened.

’No wonder Eldest Brother’s family suddenly had an extra bag of millet yesterday. So Sister-in-law traded her bracelet with Aunt Wang for it. And she even lied, saying her parents had sent it.’

’This won’t do. Sister-in-law loved that bracelet. I have to get it back for her.’

"Alright, I’ll add extra salt for my boy, so he has energy for his work!"

After taking the coarse salt, Chen Yanmei looked at the things in Song Xiaoyu’s hands with some surprise.

"Aiya, my boy, why did you buy sugar too!"

"Hehe, I had a craving. Next time we have millet porridge, everyone can stir in some brown sugar. Imagine how delicious that’ll be!"

Hearing Zhao Wendong’s words, Little Tuanzi scrambled up from the kang bed with a WHOOSH. Shitou sat up straight too.

"Suggie, Little Tuanzi wants to eat suggie!"

Chen Yanmei slapped Little Tuanzi’s bottom, letting out a classic Northeast scolding, "I think *you’re* the candy."

Seeing tears welling up in Little Tuanzi’s eyes, and then looking at his nephew drooling beside her, Zhao Wendong’s heart ached for them. He waved his hand magnanimously!

"Eat! We’ll eat it now! But eating it straight will make your teeth fall out. Mom, mix some sugar water for them to drink!"

"Ai, you... You’re such a spendthrift!"

Chen Yanmei gave Zhao Wendong a helpless, exasperated eye-roll. She found two large bowls, poured half a spoonful of brown sugar into each, and then scooped boiling water from the pot with a gourd ladle, filling both bowls. Just like that, the sugar water was ready.

"Ooh! Drink suggie, drink suggie!"

Little Tuanzi’s face blossomed with joy. She clapped her hands nonstop, and Shitou also wore a look of eager anticipation.

Seeing the two little ones unable to stop themselves from leaning forward, Chen Yanmei’s face turned stern.

"Both of you wait! It’s too hot right now. Drink it in a bit."

After that, the room was filled with Little Tuanzi’s questioning, repeated every few moments.

"Mama, is it cool yet?"

"Mama, is it still not cool?"

This made Zhao Wendong roar with laughter. He couldn’t help but pick up Little Tuanzi and spin her around and around.

"Ooh, flying, flying! Little Tuanzi is flying! Hehehe!"

After they played for a while, Chen Yanmei finally said they could drink it. Little Tuanzi and Shitou immediately dashed over, waiting obediently for their sugar water.

"Ya! So sweet, so sweet! It’s delicious!"

"Third Brother, you try some!"

Zhao Wendong played along, walking over to Little Tuanzi and letting her feed a spoonful of sugar water into his mouth. The taste was just so-so, much worse than soda.

"Third Brother, is the suggie yummy?"

"Mhm, it’s delicious. Go ahead and drink up, Little Tuanzi!"

Little Tuanzi’s eyes crinkled into slits as she smiled, and then she looked toward the rest of the family.

"Mama, you drink!"

"Papa, you drink too!"

"Eldest Brother, Sister-in-law, you drink! Second Brother, you... you drink a little less..."

GULP, GULP. Zhao Wenwu drained his bowl in a few gulps and set it down... empty.

Little Tuanzi’s eyes went wide with disbelief.

"Second Brother, you... how could you drink it all?"

Tears started to well up in Little Tuanzi’s eyes, but she was a sensible child and held them back, not letting herself actually cry.

Chen Yanmei once again reached for the feather duster.

"Zhao Wenwu, don’t you know to leave some for your little sister?"

Zhao Wenwu giggled mischievously as he ran.

"It was too good! I couldn’t help myself."

"Auntie, drink mine!"

Shitou handed his sugar water over. Little Tuanzi smiled through her tears and said in her high, childish voice.

"Let’s drink it together!"

The rest of the family was touched by the two little ones’ actions and smiled, all except Zhao Wenwu, who was clutching his rear end and yelping as he got spanked.

"Stop your yelping! Look how filthy you are, go wash your hands!"

Zhao Wendong looked at Zhao Wenwu with disgust. Unexpectedly, Zhao Wenwu’s eyes widened, and he turned the tables on his brother.

"Filthy Girl is even dirtier than I am, and you said you wanted to marry her!"

CLANG!

Outside, the gourd ladle in Chen Yanmei’s hand fell to the ground, spilling water everywhere.

"What? Second Son, what did you say?"

Not even bothering to pick up the ladle, Chen Yanmei rushed into the room and grabbed Zhao Wenwu.

"I said Third... Third wants to marry Filthy Girl!"

SWISH!

Six or seven pairs of eyes all shot toward Zhao Wendong.

Zhao Wendong slapped his forehead, speechless. ’Why did I have to open my big mouth and call my second brother filthy? Now I’ve really done it.’

"Zhao Wendong, what’s going on?"

"That’s right, who is this ’Filthy Girl’ your second brother mentioned?"

"How far have things gone between you two?"

Zhao Wendong pulled the blanket over his head. ’Fuck, I’m screwed. Looks like I won’t be getting any sleep tonight.’

"My boy, get up and tell Mom, which family’s girl have you taken a fancy to?"

Chen Yanmei forgot all about making the flatbreads. She yanked the blanket off Zhao Wendong and asked anxiously.

Zhao Wendong could only resort to his ultimate stalling tactic.

"Mom, I have to get up early to go up the mountain tomorrow!"

"I’m sleepy now, I need to sleep! Otherwise, I won’t have any energy for the mountain tomorrow. Can we talk about this after I get back?"

"Don’t listen to my second brother’s nonsense. It’s not even a sure thing yet!"

After speaking, he shot an angry glare at Zhao Wenwu. Zhao Wenwu saw it and made a triumphant face back at him.

"Are you planning to spend the night on the mountain tomorrow?"

Zhao Dashan suddenly asked.