I Overhear Animals' Thoughts to Feed My Family

Chapter 25: Chapter 25: Grandparents

Granny Liu’s grandson, Zhao Baozhu, had his eyes light up.

"Brother San, are you going up the mountain again? Are you going to hunt wolves?"

Yesterday, every household had received a share of wolf meat. Zhao Wendong’s name was on everyone’s lips, young and old alike, and for once, it wasn’t in a curse. Naturally, Zhao Baozhu had also heard of Zhao Wendong’s heroic exploits: the prodigal son had returned, tying up Third Master Zhao to rescue Zhao Dashan and even killing a lone wolf.

"Silly kid, hunting wolves isn’t that easy. I just can’t sit still, so I’m going up the mountain for a walk."

"Oh..." Zhao Baozhu sounded a little disappointed.

Zhao Wendong smiled and pulled out two roasted potatoes.

"Here, Baozhu!"

"Wow, roasted potatoes!"

A look of pleasant surprise spread across Zhao Baozhu’s face as he reached out and took them.

"Haha, give one to your sister. Don’t hog them all, you hear!"

"Okay, I will! Thanks, Brother San!"

"Hehe, Granny Liu, look at your grandson. He’s so polite, anyone who didn’t know better would think he’s from the city!"

Zhao Wendong said, teasing Granny Liu with a smile.

Granny Liu was inwardly pleased, her wrinkled face breaking into a wide smile.

"You little scoundrel. How have you gotten even wilder since you woke up!"

Zhao Wendong knew the truth in his heart. ’I’m not wild. I’ve been through life and death and know what the next few decades will bring. After struggling alone for decades only to be reborn, there’s very little that can stir my emotions anymore. Sometimes, it feels like I’m standing on a roof, just watching the world go by below.’

"Hehe, we’re off, Granny Liu! My big brother here is strong, so don’t be afraid to put him to work!"

His words once again earned him a string of laughing rebukes from Granny Liu.

He glanced down at Sister Baozhu and her mother, who were standing there silently with their heads lowered. That was just their nature—shy and introverted.

Knowing their personalities, Zhao Wendong didn’t dare joke with them. He just said goodbye, left Zhao Wenjun there, and then led his second older brother out of Granny Liu’s home.

The moment they stepped into the courtyard of the house next door, a woman’s domineering voice could be heard coming from inside.

"I told you to eat, so eat! Why are you always hiding it? What are you saving it for, to hatch it?!"

It was the voice of his aunt, Wang Jinzhi.

Zhao Wendong quickened his pace, yanked the door open, and went inside.

Zhao Dahai’s home was a three-bay mud-brick house, with a central room that served as the kitchen, flanked by a room on either side.

For this era, it was considered a rather large home.

The larger east room housed Zhao Dahai’s family of five, while the smaller west room was for Zhao Wendong’s grandparents.

Zhao Wendong’s grandfather was named Zhao Chuanhe. In his generation, he was an outstanding master of the mountains. It was precisely this skill that allowed him to marry a young lady from a wealthy family during a time of turmoil—that lady was Zhao Wendong’s grandmother, Ye Qingmei.

A century ago, the Ye Family had been a famous and prestigious clan. The entire Northeast had produced only a few provincial scholars, and one of them was a Ye. Of course, that was all ancient history now; everyone was an honorable farmer these days.

The old couple—one a rugged villager, the other a lady from a prominent family—had spent their lives treating each other with the utmost respect, never once raising their voices in anger. In his previous life, when he was the only one left and on the brink of starvation, his grandparents had given him all their hidden rations, telling him to live on. They then starved to death, hand in hand, on the kang.

It was thanks to that last life-saving portion of food from his grandparents that Zhao Wendong had survived the final winter of the three disaster years.

"Heh, what’s all this, Aunt? You’re so loud this early in the morning. Anyone who didn’t know better would think bandits had broken in!"

Zhao Wendong saw his aunt, Wang Jinzhi, standing at the door to the west room with her hands on her hips. Her words had clearly been directed at his grandparents, so his own reply carried a sharp edge.

"Oh, Dongzi! What are you doing here?"

Wang Jinzhi’s eyes darted away. She had a domineering personality and, in all her years married into the Zhao Family, she never let anyone push her around. The sole exception was Zhao Wendong; he was the only one she was truly wary of.

The Zhaos’ were a family of honest, simple folk, so no one knew how they ended up with a black sheep like Zhao Wendong. From a young age, he was always getting into fights—with the local kids he called "little Japanese," and with kids from every other village. As he got older, he became a notorious loafer. Despite being lazy and having a terrible reputation, he was truly wild. He ran with a pack of unsavory friends, and whenever he threw a fit, no one in Dragon King Pond could control him.

"What’s it to you, Aunt? What do you mean, ’what am I doing here?’ Is this the imperial palace? A foreign country? Am I not allowed to come? Or am I not allowed to visit my own grandparents?"

Zhao Wendong shot back at her without a hint of courtesy. Wang Jinzhi just stood there, her face turning ugly, unsure whether she should stay or go.

"Who is it? Is that Dongzi?"

An old woman’s voice came from inside the room. A thrill shot through Zhao Wendong. He rushed forward, practically leaping into the west room and nearly knocking Wang Jinzhi over.

"Granny, it’s me!"

An old woman and an old man were sitting on the kang in the west room. The old woman was hunched, but her graying hair was combed perfectly straight. The old man wore a flat cap, his face covered in white stubble. Each of them was holding a cornbread bun.

Zhao Wendong hurried forward and took his granny’s hand in his.

"Dongzi, you’re here! Have you eaten? Here, take this cornbread bun, quick, you eat it!"

The old woman lifted the bun and tried to stuff it into Zhao Wendong’s mouth.

Zhao Wendong quickly turned his head away, shaking it from side to side.

"I’ve eaten, Granny, I’ve already eaten. You go ahead and eat."

When Zhao Chuanhe saw that it was Zhao Wendong, a happy smile spread across his face as well.

"Dongzi! What brings you here!"

Zhao Wendong took his grandfather’s hand with his other. Both of the old folks’ hands were nothing but skin and bone, without a trace of flesh on them.

"What do you mean, Grandpa? Am I not allowed to come? Is this place a Japanese pillbox?"

"Get revenge on the Japanese? They all ran home already, what revenge is there to get!"

Ye Qingmei swatted her husband, exasperated.

"Dongzi, this old man’s hearing is getting worse and worse. Don’t pay him any mind!"

"Oh, and Wenwu is here too!"

The old woman’s smile grew even wider when she saw Zhao Wenwu, who had followed him into the room.

"Granny, we’re going up the mountain and we’re short one set of gear. We came to borrow Grandpa’s."

"Going up the mountain again? Alright, Granny will go get it for you. My grandson is so capable now, you can even hunt wolves."

As she spoke, the old woman started to get off the kang to help find the gear, but Zhao Wendong stopped her.

"Don’t trouble yourself, Granny. Just stay put on the kang. I know where it is."

When Wang Jinzhi heard they were there to borrow something, her expression soured even more.

Zhao Wendong shot her a sideways glance. ’How truly evil could people from this era be?’ he thought. ’His aunt was just overbearing, petty, and a little calculating, that’s all.’

"Aunt, I heard you talking about them when I came in. What did they do?"

Hearing this, Wang Jinzhi replied, her voice filled with a mix of indignation and anger.

"Your grandpa and grandma are really something else. They never finish the food I give them. They’re always hiding it away, saving it. Anyone who didn’t know better would think I’m an unfilial daughter-in-law! Just now, I looked away for one second, and they were about to hide these cornbread buns again."

A pang of sorrow shot through Zhao Wendong’s heart. So, the last bit of food that saved his life in his previous existence had been saved by his grandparents, one mouthful at a time, from their own rations.

With a sigh, Zhao Wendong took out the couple of pounds of corn flour and a few potatoes he had brought with him and placed them on the kang.

"Grandpa, Granny, you two have to stop skimping. What will you do if you ruin your health by going hungry? I brought this food for you. Eat your fill, don’t save any of it. When we come down from the mountain in a few days, I’ll bring you more."

Zhao Chuanhe kept exclaiming in surprise.

"My, that’s so much food! Where did you get it all?"

Ye Qingmei just patted Zhao Wendong’s hand happily, not saying a word.

Wang Jinzhi’s eyes lit up. ’Zhao Wendong might say it’s for his grandparents,’ she thought, ’but in the end, I’ll be the one who decides what happens to it.’

Pleased with this thought, a smile returned to her face and her voice became warm.

"Dahai! Zhao Dahai!"

Zhao Wendong’s uncle, Zhao Dahai, emerged from the east room at her call. He had been lazing on the kang to wait out the winter and hadn’t even bothered to get up when he heard Zhao Wendong arrive.

"Go get Father’s mountain gear! Wendong and Wenwu need it!"

Zhao Dahai was taken aback. He wondered why his wife was suddenly so enthusiastic, but when he saw the food on the kang, he instantly understood.

A few moments later, Zhao Dahai brought in Zhao Chuanhe’s complete set of gear from the storage shed. The couple then tactfully retreated to the east room, leaving the two brothers alone with the old folks. Before she left, Wang Jinzhi’s eyes lingered on the food for several long moments.

Zhao Chuanhe started directing Zhao Wenwu on how to put on the leather pants and jacket, while the old woman held Zhao Wendong’s hand and chatted.

"Dongzi, that wolf meat they handed out yesterday... did you really kill it?"

"Yep. What do you think, Granny? Pretty amazing, right?"

"Amazing! So amazing! My grandson is incredible. Granny is so happy for you!"

Zhao Wendong’s eyes darted slyly.

"Hehe, Granny, in that case, why don’t you tell me where you’ve hidden all the food you’ve been saving?"

The smile vanished from the old woman’s face. She pursed her lips and shot Zhao Wendong a glare.

"You little brat! If you’re trying to get your hands on my hidden food, Granny won’t be happy with you!"

"HAHAHA!"

Zhao Wendong roared with laughter, bending back and forth. He was only teasing her to make her happy, but he also wanted to help her out. Just a moment ago, he had heard the thoughts of a mouse under the floorboards.

’So the food is hidden in the rafters! I’ll go steal it tonight.’

Seeing Zhao Wendong laugh at her, the old woman swatted him twice in mock anger, but then couldn’t help but start laughing herself.

"You old lady, so protective of your food! Did you think I’d really take it from you? Come here, Granny, I need to tell you something!"

Pulling his grandmother closer, Zhao Wendong lowered his voice.

"Granny, you and Grandpa have to stop saving your food. You’re already not getting enough to eat; what’ll you do if you make yourselves sick? I want you both to live for many more years so I can properly take care of you!"

"And stop hiding your grain in the rafters. It’s about to be eaten by mice!"

"What! How did you know that?"