I Overhear Animals' Thoughts to Feed My Family

Chapter 42: Chapter 42: Exchanging the Bracelet

"Hahaha."

Zhao Wendong’s expression made both of them laugh, but then Third Master Zhao’s old face fell.

"Spit it out. What’re you here for now!"

"Hey, Third Master, you’re as fickle as a dog’s mood. Your expression changes in a flash."

"That’s just how I am."

Third Master Zhao wore an expression of complete indifference, leaving Zhao Wendong feeling like a dog trying to bite a hedgehog—there was no place to start.

"Fine, fine, you win. But when I get that diesel fuel back, don’t you dare ask to use any of it!"

The moment Zhao Wendong finished speaking, Zhao Weiguo’s eyes lit up.

"You got the diesel fuel?"

"Yup. My friend said he could get me a barrel, and he’ll definitely come through. I trust him. I’m going to pick it up tomorrow."

He then explained that he wanted to use the horse-drawn sleigh and mentioned he also wanted to haul some other things back at the same time.

"Alright, go ahead. Just watch the horse carefully. Don’t let anyone steal it."

"Don’t worry. My big brother and second brother are coming with me tomorrow. I’ll have my big brother watch the sleigh specifically."

Zhao Wenjun was steady and reliable. As soon as Zhao Weiguo heard he would be the one watching the horse-drawn sleigh, he was immediately relieved. He then remembered his idea of setting his daughter up with Zhao Wendong, but as a father, he couldn’t say it outright. So, he beat around the bush.

"Dongzi, have your parents talked to you about that Lin Zhiqing? Have you thought it through? She’s not right for you."

"Who says? She’s the most suitable person for me, and I’m going to marry her!"

After saying his piece, Zhao Wendong took his leave, leaving the two highest-ranking cadres in Dragon King Pond staring at each other. Zhao Wendong wanted to go to the seaside to see Lin Zhiyin again, but it had only been two days since he last saw her. He had nothing to give her and worried they’d have nothing to talk about, so he decided to just go home. He’d visit her tomorrow after he got back from the Commune.

’It was important to remember that the Educated Youth of this era weren’t like the city youth who would be forcibly sent down a decade later. The vast majority of them now had volunteered to work in the countryside and help build up the villages. The villagers’ hostility toward Lin Zhiyin was largely a product of the times. If he kept going over to bully them, it wouldn’t look very good.’

Remembering his sister-in-law’s Silver Bracelet, Zhao Wendong went straight home, grabbed a few things, and headed for Aunt Wang’s house.

"Oh, Dongzi’s here!"

When Aunt Wang saw Zhao Wendong walk in, her heart skipped a beat. ’Don’t tell me this kid has actually taken a liking to my daughter?’

While greeting Zhao Wendong, she waved at her daughter, Wang Yuanyuan, signaling for her to hurry up and slip away. Wang Yuanyuan didn’t understand and looked completely bewildered. Zhao Wendong saw all this clearly, and the smile on his face grew even brighter.

"Ahem, Xiaoyuan, didn’t you say you were going to your older brother’s house? Why don’t you go now!"

Seeing her daughter had absolutely no rapport with her, Aunt Wang had no choice but to speak up.

"Huh? Oh!"

Wang Yuanyuan finally caught on, put on her padded cotton jacket, and left. Before she went, she gave Zhao Wendong an awkward smile.

The moment Wang Yuanyuan was gone, the smile on Zhao Wendong’s face vanished. He mimicked Third Master and let his expression change in a flash.

"Aunt Wang, what’s the meaning of this? I just got here and you send Sister Xiaoyuan away. Don’t you know I’ve turned over a new leaf? Are you looking down on me?!"

Aunt Wang gave an awkward laugh. "No, no, it was just a coincidence. Dongzi, don’t overthink it. What brings you here? Is something wrong?"

Zhao Wendong’s gaze swept over her wrist, then shifted to Uncle Wang on the kang bed, whose snoring had stopped.

"Aunt Wang, I am actually here for something. My sister-in-law’s bracelet... it’s with you, isn’t it?"

Aunt Wang’s expression changed. She touched the bracelet on her wrist and looked at Zhao Wendong nervously.

"I traded millet with your big brother for this. Dongzi, what are you planning to do?"

"Hey, Aunt Wang, what are you so nervous about?"

"Aunt Wang, let’s discuss this. You traded just over three jin of millet for my sister-in-law’s bracelet. I’ll trade you five jin of wild boar meat for it now. How does that sound?"

Aunt Wang breathed a sigh of relief. As long as he wasn’t going to just snatch it, it was fine. She started calculating in her head. She would definitely profit from this deal; five jin of meat could easily be traded for six jin of millet. But she really, really adored this bracelet, and for a moment, she was hesitant.

Uncle Wang, on the kang bed, couldn’t keep up the pretense any longer. He sat up, feigning that he had just woken up.

"Oh, Dongzi, when did you get here? Quick, come sit on the kang."

"It’s okay, Uncle Wang. I’m just here to discuss something with Aunt Wang. I want to trade for my sister-in-law’s bracelet back."

"Trade it! Woman, hurry up and give the bracelet back to Dongzi. I told you already, we all live in the same village. You should have just lent the grain to Wenjun. That kid Wenjun, too... just dropping the bracelet here as collateral and running off."

Zhao Wendong smiled and nodded.

"Then thank you, Uncle Wang!"

Aunt Wang reluctantly took off the bracelet. Zhao Wendong tucked it securely into his pocket, then pointed at the meat he’d left by the door. "I’ll be going then, Uncle Wang, Aunt Wang. The meat is right here. Oh, and Uncle Wang, Aunt Wang, if anyone asks, there was no trade. We just left this here as collateral for borrowing grain."

With that, he quickly left. After Zhao Wendong was gone, Aunt Wang looked at her husband with some resentment.

"Husband, what was that all about? Five jin of meat is a lot, but you can’t put a price on something you truly love! You know how much I adored that bracelet."

"What the hell do you know, you spendthrift! Let me tell you, even if Zhao Wendong had come empty-handed to ask for it, you would’ve had to give it to him, understand? Fending off those wolves before might have been luck, but what about the wild boar now? Who can claim they can keep getting game like that? That kid’s on a roll right now. It’s incredible. When a street loafer like him gets serious, he’s beyond what ordinary people can compare to. His luck is soaring, and you can’t afford to offend him, you hear? Who knows when we might need to ask him for a favor."

Aunt Wang was indecisive by nature. Hearing her husband’s words, she nodded. Then she remembered how she’d sent her daughter away and started slapping her thigh in regret. Zhao Wendong wasn’t bad-looking—he was even fair-skinned, which was rare. If he really was becoming successful, wouldn’t he be the perfect candidate for a son-in-law?

Zhao Wendong returned home with the Silver Bracelet in his pocket. Little Tuanzi and the others were petting Xiaobai. Zhao Wenjun and his wife were busy with housework. Zhao Wenwu was fast asleep on the kang, his snores thundering through the room. Zhao Wendong couldn’t find a chance to return the bracelet, so he decided he’d have to give it to his big brother tomorrow on the way to the Commune. Seeing his second brother sleeping so soundly, he started to feel drowsy himself. He flopped down on the warm kang bed and fell into a deep sleep.

When he woke up again, the sky outside was already pitch-black. Zhao Wendong had been roused by a delicious aroma, and he sniffed the air hard.

"What smells so good?"

"Third Brother, it’s chicken soup! Delicious chicken soup!"

Little Tuanzi had sharp ears and a quick wit, and she thoughtfully supplied Zhao Wendong with the answer.

Zhao Wendong swept her up in a hug. He was just about to dote on her when he took another hard sniff.

"Damn, Little Tuanzi, you need to hold that fox less. You reek of its musky smell."

Little Tuanzi pouted, but before she could say anything, Chen Yanmei jumped in.

"You’re like a crow standing on a pile of coal, only seeing how black others are and not yourself! As if you smell any better."

That one sentence completely shut Zhao Wendong down; he had no comeback at all. In this day and age, people could barely fill their stomachs, so who had time to worry about hygiene? The more he thought about it, the itchier he felt, but he could only tuck away his myriad thoughts for the time being.

The wild pheasant Xiaobai had chased down yesterday had been cleaned, chopped into small pieces, and blanched. After that, it was stir-fried with ginger slices for a few minutes until the meat firmed up, and then stewed with the few seasonings they had. It had been simmering for a long time and was now ready to be served.

Steam filled the outer room as the savory aroma of the pheasant soup wafted through the small earthen house. Seeing that Zhao Wendong was awake, Chen Yanmei lifted the pot lid to serve dinner. The pheasant soup was a light golden color with a few beads of oil floating on the surface; it looked delicious.

The main dish for tonight was this pot of pheasant soup. Accompanied by a few other dishes, it once again made for a table laden with food. Looking at so much to eat, Song Xiaoyu felt a persistent sense of unreality. Just a few days ago, Zhao Wendong had been unconscious, their family’s rice vat was empty, and her father-in-law had risked his life in the mountains, getting injured and nearly dying. How was it that only a week later, they were eating their fill every day—and having three meals a day at that?

Chen Yanmei first ladled a bowl of chicken soup for Zhao Dashan, then another for Little Tuanzi. Finally, she filled the two Showa Water Bottles that Zhao Wendong and the others had brought back with chicken soup and started to put on her padded cotton jacket.

"I’m going to take some over to Er Gou’s family and to Mom and Dad’s. Er Gou’s mother and our parents are getting on in years, so this will be good for them."

Zhao Dashan nodded. Zhao Wendong, in turn, casually asked about Er Gou’s mother.

"How’s my third aunt doing?"