Chapter 144: The Young Stall Owner

After Lin Heng changed his clothes, Xiaoxia ran over and hugged his legs. “Daddy, lift me up!”

“Alright, here we go!” Lin Heng picked her up by the legs and spun her twice in the air.

“Yay!!” Xiaoxia cheered.

“Daddy, again!” As soon as Lin Heng put her down, she wanted more.

After playing three times in a row, and giving her a kiss, Xiaoxia finally quieted down and snuggled into Lin Heng’s arms.

“You don’t need to work this hard here too,” Xiulan said, looking at the mosquito bites on his arms with concern.

Lin Heng smiled and said, “I couldn’t resist the itch when I saw them. But I’ll stop for today. Tomorrow we’ll just have a quiet day.”

Hunting, like fishing, becomes addictive. The thrill of the battle with animals makes one lose themselves in the moment, unable to stop.

“That’s perfect. Tomorrow is the 15th of August. We’ll go to the village for the fair,” Xiulan nodded.

Outside, the men were still discussing animatedly while the women had gone to the kitchen to boil water. The children were gathered around the wild boar, drooling.

As soon as Lin Heng appeared, holding Xiaoxia, he became the center of attention.

Xiulan’s father and three brothers were full of admiration for him, and some villagers cast appreciative and envious glances his way.

“Lin Heng, what should we do with this wild boar? You and Xiulan should take some back, maybe preserve it as cured meat,” Chen’s father said, grinning.

“We’ll just eat it here. I’ve already killed two wild boars this year, both bigger than this one, and I’ve still got more at home,” Lin Heng smiled.

“Bigger than this one?” Chen’s father was surprised.

“Yeah, one weighed over 300 pounds, the other about 150 pounds,” Lin Heng nodded.

“Over 300 pounds? How big was that? How long would it last?”

“No wonder you could kill it with one shot. You must have experience,” the others chimed in.

“Come on, tell us how you got it!” A group of people surrounded Lin Heng, eager to hear the details.

Lin Heng briefly explained, and everyone couldn’t help but give him a thumbs-up.

They also couldn’t avoid feeling envious. So much meat, how long would it last?

If they knew Lin Heng had turned the pork into lard to make soap, they probably would have been too heartbroken to speak.

By now, the sky had completely darkened, but it wasn’t dim at all. The yard was still bright and clear.

This was because the moon was exceptionally bright tonight. The sky was a deep blue, with only a few stars scattered around.

After a while, the neighbors reluctantly left. Fish were a common meal here, but meat was a rare treat, only eaten every ten days or so.

“I looked at this goose. It’s healthy, just a bit sad from losing its mate. Xiulan, how do you want to cook it?” Chen’s father asked Xiulan.

In the past, though Chen’s father had doted on Xiulan, he was always the one in charge at home. Now, he couldn’t help but ask for Xiulan and Lin Heng’s opinion.

This, of course, was because Lin Heng had proven himself capable, and in his heart, he had accepted that his daughter and Lin Heng were more capable than he was.

“Half stewed, half stir-fried,” Xiulan thought for a moment and replied.

“Alright, your mom and the others are boiling water. We’ll kill it and let your mom cook it,” Chen’s father nodded and agreed with a smile.

Once the water was boiling, Xiulan’s fourth brother went to handle the goose, while her father and two older brothers worked on slaughtering the pig.

Xiulan took Lin Heng’s dirty clothes and shoes and washed them with hot water. They were covered in muddy sludge, but it wasn’t difficult to clean.

Lin Heng, on the other hand, held Xiaoxia as he watched Chen’s father and the others butcher the pig.

When the pig’s hair was cleaned off, they weighed it.

“Fifty-six pounds, not bad,” they all grinned.

“Mainly, the meat is tender and delicious,” Lin Heng nodded.

This wild boar was probably less than a year old, and its meat was much more tender than that of older boars.

The roasted suckling pig from last time had been incredibly fragrant, so good that you couldn’t stop eating.

“Indeed, young pigs are the best,” Chen Guodong nodded in agreement.

When Chen’s father began to gut the wild boar, Lin Heng handed him his forged steel dagger. “Dad, use this knife.”

Chen’s father took the knife and tested it. He was surprised. “This knife is great! It’s so fast.”

“It’s forged steel, cost me five yuan,” Lin Heng smiled.

“No wonder. This knife is really good,” Chen’s father nodded and began using it to gut the pig.

When the pig’s stomach was opened, the lung and heart were taken out, and the damage caused by Lin Heng’s arrow was clearly visible.

The lung was completely pierced, and the heart had been penetrated three centimeters deep. The pig’s belly was full of dark blood from the internal bleeding caused by the arrow.

“Impressive. Two years ago, the old man from the Wang family in the village used a shotgun and killed a boar, but it didn’t die immediately. They searched for three days and couldn’t find it.”

Chen’s father looked at the pig’s heart and shook his head, sighing. The more he looked, the more he realized how accurate Lin Heng’s shot had been.

After removing the internal organs, the meat was quickly cut into pieces, salted heavily, and placed in a wooden barrel. They sprinkled on some Sichuan pepper, fennel seeds, and white wine, then left it to marinate overnight. Tomorrow, they would smoke it.

By the time the pig was finished and the food was almost ready, they quickly stir-fried the wild boar meat and also made a stir-fried goose dish. The soup hadn’t been able to be made in time due to the rush.

After tasting it, Lin Heng couldn’t help but nod. The goose meat had an exceptional taste.

It was delicate and rich, not greasy or tough. Even though Xiulan’s mother’s cooking wasn’t the best, the goose was still cooked very well, and the flavor was fresh and delightful.

Among all the bird meats he had eaten, the only one comparable to this goose was golden pheasant, but golden pheasants weigh less than two pounds, while a goose could weigh five or six pounds.

“No wonder they say, ‘The scent of goose meat makes immortals want to die of longing,’ it’s so good,” Lin Heng remarked.

It was a shame that geese didn’t rest near Hongfeng Village, or else he’d be tempted to catch a few more.

“Lin Heng, have a drink!” Chen’s father raised his cup.

“Alright,” Lin Heng nodded and took a sip.

Since they were eating by candlelight, they didn’t plan to drink for long. After a few sips and some rice, they were ready to wash their feet and rest.

Lin Heng held Xiaoxia and told her a story. He had told these fairy tales so many times that he had them memorized.

“Lin Heng, I see you’re the one feeding Xiaoxia and putting her to sleep. You’re the one doing all the work?” Chen’s mother asked, looking at him.

“Yes,” Lin Heng nodded, deliberately not explaining further.

Chen’s mother immediately started blaming Xiulan, grabbing her hand and saying, “Daughter, this is your fault. Lin Heng is already working hard enough earning money outside—this kind of work should be done by us women.

You need to learn to feel sorry for your own man. What will you do if such a good man gets worn out?”

Xiulan replied, “…It’s not like that. He does it voluntarily. I try to take over, but he’s not willing.”

She looked at Lin Heng, hoping he’d help explain, but Lin Heng just blinked innocently, pretending not to hear or see anything.

“Don’t you dare bully my son-in-law in front of me. Look how well-behaved he is. You used to be such a good girl—has Lin Heng spoiled you by being too sweet?” Chen’s mother lectured, holding her daughter’s hand earnestly.

Xiulan gave Lin Heng a fierce glare. Now she saw it clearly—she was the outsider here.

“And don’t you dare glare at him. No glaring. Come on, let’s have a good talk.” Her mother gave her a look.

She had no choice but to nod in agreement, promising her mother all sorts of things before finally sending her out of the room.

After seeing her mother off, Xiulan locked the door behind her. Her beautiful eyes fixed on Lin Heng as she slowly walked up to him with a smile playing at her lips. “Having fun, hubby?”

“No, I was just being honest.” Lin Heng grinned. Seeing that his wife was about to give him a piece of her mind, he quickly said, “Our daughter’s almost asleep.”

“Then go on and finish putting her to sleep first.” Xiulan gave him another fierce glare.

The three of them lay down to rest. Lin Heng placed their daughter on the inside and, after lulling her to sleep, had just lain down when his wife’s soft hand gently turned his head toward her.

“My mom told me to take good care of you. Said you’re still young, so from now on I’ll sleep holding you and take care of you properly,” Xiulan said softly.

“No, no—I’ll go explain everything to Mom tomorrow,” Lin Heng said quickly.

“No explaining. The more you explain, the worse it sounds. Quiet now. Go to sleep.”

Xiulan patted his face and pressed half of her body against him, her long leg thrown across his waist, forbidding him to move.

She knew exactly how to handle Lin Heng. This way, he couldn’t sleep at all—the more he lay there, the more fired up he got.

A gentle woman didn’t need to get angry to torment someone. She knew exactly how.

“I was wrong, wifey!” Lin Heng bit her ear, and immediately she went limp.

“Don’t mess around. Dad and Mom are sleeping in the main room on a floor mat.”

Feeling Lin Heng’s wandering hand, Xiulan quickly grabbed it.

She snuggled her face against his and said softly, “Be good. Wait until we’re back in our own house. There’s not even any toilet paper here.”

Lin Heng thought about it and agreed. He couldn’t exactly wipe things on his clothes afterward.

At this time, most rural households still used corn cobs for toilet paper. Even having paper was rare.

His family had only started buying proper supplies after he was reborn. No matter how expensive, he had to buy them—those rough corn cobs were more terrifying than sandpaper.

He let out a breath and gave his wife a long, deep kiss to satisfy himself.

He pushed things to the edge, only letting go when both of them were gasping for air.

“Sleep now. Move again and I’ll slap you.”

Xiulan was already worn out, taking two deep breaths. She was afraid if this kept going, she wouldn’t be able to control herself either.

The next morning, Lin Heng woke up to find his wife snuggled next to him again. Looking at her soft, fragrant figure, he couldn’t resist giving her a kiss.

Xiulan was awakened by the kiss. She rolled her eyes at him and rested her head on his arm, pretending to sleep for a while longer.

On the other side, their daughter Xiaoxia also woke up and flopped onto Lin Heng’s chest, giggling foolishly with drool nearly falling on him.

“Get up, let’s eat breakfast and go to the fair. It’s going to be really fun these two days,” Xiulan said as she sat up, putting on her white bra—it had gotten disheveled yesterday thanks to Lin Heng.

Then she dressed Xiaoxia, and the three of them got out of bed.

Xiulan’s parents had already been up for a while and were now preparing breakfast.

They made four simple dishes that morning. While everyone was eating, a man and a woman walked into the yard carrying things.

“Dad, Mom, we came to see you!” the woman called out, her voice loud and full of energy.

She was Xiulan’s second sister, Chen Xiuhua, who lived in the neighboring village.

She had married a good man and was capable herself. Their life was pretty decent—they could just about be considered a household earning over a thousand yuan.

“Have you eaten? Come have a bite,” Lin’s father came out smiling to greet them.

“Come join us for breakfast. Your sister Xiulan is home too—you two can catch up,” Chen’s mother said with a smile.

“What, Xiulan’s home too?” Chen Xiuhua was stunned when she heard that.

She quickly walked into the house, wanting to see what Xiulan looked like now.

She didn’t really want to catch up—she wanted to see Xiulan looking pitiful, begging her for help, so she could act superior and maybe throw her a bone.

But the moment she stepped into the room, she froze in shock, her eyes wide.

How was Xiulan dressed even better than her? And she was wearing a watch?

It felt like a dream. Back then, she had looked down on Lin Heng when Xiulan married him—he seemed like a loser, otherwise why marry so far away?

How could they be living better than her now? She couldn’t accept it.

“Second Sister,” Xiulan greeted her with a slight nod, her tone neutral.

“You’re living quite well, huh. How come this is your first time back home this year?” Chen Xiuhua asked, glancing her up and down, her tone lukewarm.

She hated Xiulan not for anything specific, but because Xiulan had inherited all the good looks from their parents, while she got all the bad features.

And on top of that, their parents had always treated Xiulan better, which only made her resent her more.

But the truth was, when they were kids, Xiulan used to cling to her sister—who was seven years older—like glue. She never noticed her parents’ favoritism and couldn’t even tell her sister disliked her.

That led to her being bullied often, dragged into trouble on purpose. Only after she grew older did Xiulan start to distance herself.

“I just came when I had time.” Xiulan smiled faintly.

“Hurry and sit, have some water. Have you eaten? I’ll make some breakfast for you,” Chen’s mother quickly offered.

“We’ve eaten. We had breakfast before we came,” Chen Xiuhua replied, shaking her head.

Xiulan quickly finished her bowl of rice, stood up, and said, “Mom, I’m taking Lin Heng to the fair for a stroll. We’ll be back later.”

“Second Sister, Second Brother-in-law,” Lin Heng greeted them and took their daughter to the kitchen.

After setting down the dishes, Lin Heng put on his still-slightly-damp shoes, and Xiulan pulled him along toward Baisha Township.

She didn’t want to say too much to her sister, so as not to put their parents in a tough spot.

“Mom, you guys slaughtered a pig?”

Chen Xiuhua’s husband, Zhao Houjun, asked curiously as he looked at the salted meat in the wooden basin.

“Killed a pig?” Chen Xiuhua was taken aback too—were her parents suddenly doing that well?

“Lin Heng, Xiulan’s husband, shot it yesterday afternoon in the reed marsh. He even got a wild goose,” Father Lin said with a smile.

“He shot it?” Chen Xiuhua’s voice cracked a little.

Since when did Lin Heng know how to hunt? She’d never heard of that before.

“That’s not all—he’s doing really well now. Opened a Procurement Station. Brought back a bunch of gifts for Mom and Dad,” added their sister-in-law Zhang Shuiqin with a sigh.

“He opened a Procurement Station? You’re kidding, right?” Chen Xiuhua was skeptical. That kind of business required serious capital.

“No way it’s a bluff. I mean, who brags by showing up with wearing watches for everyone to see and fifty bucks’ worth of gifts?” Zhang Shuiqin chuckled, purposely making a pointed remark. She’d long had enough of Chen Xiuhua’s bossy airs whenever she visited.

“Xiuhua, just sit down and take a break. Having a rich relative isn’t such a bad thing,” her husband Zhao Houjun tugged her sleeve, trying to calm her down.

Chen Xiuhua sat and took a sip of water, trying to settle her nerves.

After chatting with her mother for a bit, she couldn’t resist going over to look at the gifts Xiulan had brought. Whether it was the clothes or the liquor, all of it left her speechless.

And not to mention they’d brought back a whole wild boar yesterday—she couldn’t even compete if she wanted to. She just didn’t have the resources.

“Don’t overthink it. They’ve been gone a long time. We’re just happy you kids come back, even if you don’t bring anything,” Mother Lin said warmly, holding her hand.

“I know, Mom,” Chen Xiuhua nodded, but her heart was far from calm.

Why was it that no matter how hard she worked, her younger sister still surpassed her so easily—just because she was better looking?

How was that fair?

Chen Xiuhua’s chest tightened. The more she thought about it, the more unjust the world felt.

She kept replaying Xiulan’s earlier greeting in her head, and the more she thought about it, the more it felt like mockery.

But neither Xiulan nor Lin Heng had any such intention. It was all in her own head—overthinking and jealousy twisting even a simple greeting into imagined scorn.

Meanwhile, Xiulan was pulling Lin Heng along toward the river dock. They flagged down a small boat heading to Baisha Township.

“Great, now my second sister probably thinks we came back just to spite her. If I’d known she was coming back for the Mid-Autumn Festival too, I wouldn’t have come,” Xiulan said helplessly, gazing at the rippling water. She knew her sister too well—hardworking and capable, yes, but stingy and petty too.

“Who cares what she thinks? As long as we don’t get into it face-to-face, let her stew if she wants,” Lin Heng shrugged.

A lot of rural women were like that. Trying to explain or change their minds was a lost cause.

“You’re right,” Xiulan blinked, letting it go.

By water, it only took a little over thirty minutes to reach Baisha Township. After paying three cents for the boat ride, the couple disembarked with their daughter.

The soft white sand on the shore was what had given Baisha its name.

Walking on the sand, the two of them entered the township. The place was as bustling as a New Year’s market in Huangtan Town.

Lushui County had good land and plenty of people. Xiulan’s extended family of more than a dozen people had only been allocated thirty mu of farmland and fifty mu of forested hills.

Nanping County, by contrast, had poorer land and more mountains, but fewer people—so everyone got a bigger share.

“It’s so lively here,” Lin Heng said in awe as he looked around the streets of Baisha.

Vendors were shouting from every direction—selling fruits and vegetables, tables and stools, snacks and sweets, even kittens, puppies, and farm animals. There were all sorts of trinkets too, much more than what you’d find in Huangtan. The township had multiple intersecting streets packed with stalls.

Lin Heng carried Xiaoxia and wandered around behind Xiulan.

“Daddy! Yummy stuff!” Xiaoxia pointed eagerly at a stall selling candy, staring up at him with pleading eyes.

“You just ate. We’ll get something later,” Lin Heng shook his head—he couldn’t let her get spoiled.

“I’m taking you somewhere you can really show your skills,” Xiulan said, smiling as she tugged him along.

“Where?” Lin Heng asked curiously.

“You’ll see,” Xiulan said playfully. She led him to a street lined with stalls selling little toys and games.

There were ring tosses and archery games. If you landed a ring or hit a target, you could take the item home.

This sort of setup had existed since ancient times—nothing new.

Xiulan led Lin Heng to a stall where you could win prizes by shooting arrows.

The display was filled with various things—jewelry, household items, even Luban Locks and other puzzle toys.

The top prize was a white jade hairpin. Xiulan clearly had her eyes on it.

The stall owner saw Lin Heng looking interested and came over with a grin. “Wanna give it a shot? Five cents a go. Hit the designated target and you take the prize.”

“That white jade hairpin—is it real? Which target do I need to hit for that one?” Lin Heng asked, pointing at the grand prize.

“Of course it’s real. I guarantee it—ten times your money back if it’s fake. But if you want that, you’ve got to hit that tiny target ten meters away. Ten shots in a row,” the owner explained with a smile. That hairpin was mostly a gimmick; it had been sitting there for three years, and no one had ever won it.

“Alright, I’ll give it a try. Let’s start with one yuan,” Lin Heng said as he handed Xiaoxia over to Xiulan and pulled out a bill.

People nearby started gathering, curious. No one had managed to win anything from this stall yet today.

(End of chapter)