Chapter 91: Handsome Men and Beautiful Women, Repaying a Life-Saving Favor

“The water should be ready. Let’s bring it over to Dad and the others.”

After placing the fish properly, Xiulan walked into the house and spoke to Lin Heng.

“Alright, you hold our daughter, and I’ll carry the water,” Lin Heng nodded.

“Wait a moment, I’ll go inside and change my clothes. You should change too—you’ve been wearing that outfit for days.”

Xiulan reminded him, considering that there were many people in the courtyard, and they should pay attention to their appearance.

“Alright, you watch our daughter while I go take a bath.”

Lin Heng agreed, grabbing a basin and soap before heading out.

After taking a cold shower and scrubbing his body and hair with soap, he felt much more refreshed.

He changed into shorts and a short-sleeved shirt, along with cloth shoes that Xiulan had personally made for him. Instantly, he looked much more dashing and pleasing to the eye.

Xiulan also put on some lip balm, tied her hair into a high ponytail with a middle-parted fringe, exuding the gentle yet capable charm of a girl-next-door.

“Wife, you look beautiful,” Lin Heng couldn’t help but give her a kiss.

“Let’s go,” Xiulan rolled her eyes at him.

Xiulan carried their daughter while Lin Heng scooped hot water into a wooden bucket and used a shoulder pole to carry it to the old house.

By now, the sun had dipped halfway below the mountain ridge, casting the entire western sky in a blood-red glow.

There were fewer people gathered at the entrance of the old house, but still around twenty to thirty, making the space feel crowded.

“Make way, be careful not to get burned by the hot water!”

Lin Heng called out as he carried the water buckets forward.

“Lin Heng is here! Looking sharp today!”

“Heh, not only does he look good, but his hunting skills are top-notch.”

“Exactly! Otherwise, how could he have taken down such a huge wild boar?”

“They make a perfect couple. Just look at Xiulan—they really match each other.”

With Lin Heng and Xiulan all dressed up, they were undoubtedly a handsome man and a beautiful woman.

The Lin family had good genes. Despite growing up with limited food and clothing, Lin Heng still stood at 1.78 meters tall, with well-defined features and a sharp, chiseled face.

Xiulan, from Lüshui County, had been nurtured by its abundant water. She stood at 1.68 meters, with a slender figure and delicate, beautiful features, embodying the gentle refinement of a Jiangnan woman.

Together, they were undeniably a couple blessed with both looks and talent.

Many women were present, including Jin Yan.

In the past, they had all looked down on Lin Heng. When Xiulan married him, they pitied her, thinking she had been deceived and was too naive to realize it.

Even those who weren’t as pretty as Xiulan took pride in their husbands being diligent and hardworking, feeling superior to her.

But now, these women were filled with envy.

Lin Heng had returned and was now living a stable life. In just over a month, the Lin family’s situation had completely turned around.

Liu Lan, Li Caifeng, and the others secretly wished they could take Xiulan’s place. After meals, they often wondered why they hadn’t recognized Lin Heng’s potential earlier—what a luxurious life it would be to eat meat every day!

After all, he had at least a middle school education, which clearly set him apart from the uneducated men in the village.

Jin Yan stood to the side, watching Lin Heng and Xiulan, feeling a pang of regret for not marrying him.

She thought Lin Heng might glance at her, perhaps flaunting his success.

But he didn’t spare her a single look. His gaze remained on his wife, child, and the large wild boar. And when he finally did glance in her direction, it was with an indifferent expression, as if he were looking at a passing stranger—without any hint of pride or emotion.

That stung a little.

After all, he had once proposed to her. How could he now look at her without the slightest ripple of emotion, as if she were nothing more than a passing breeze?

“Dad, the water is here. Are we ready to scald the pig?”

Lin Heng had no such complicated thoughts and didn’t know what others were thinking.

“Pour it into the tub. The water inside the house is ready too,” Father Lin nodded.

Lin Heng poured the water into a large wooden tub with a two-meter diameter, then went back home to carry the remaining hot water.

Xiulan, meanwhile, entered the house to chat with Bi Caiyun.

His eldest brother, Lin Yue, had also boiled water at his house. Only after combining water from all three households was there enough.

“Dad, have you weighed it yet? How heavy is the pig?” Lin Heng asked after setting down the buckets.

“We did. It’s not just 250 pounds—it’s 280 pounds!”

Tian Baishun said with a smile.

“No wonder it was so heavy—I could barely lift it!” Lin Heng grinned.

“Come on, let’s get this pig into the tub!”

Butcher Li Niu called out to the crowd. The pig’s snout had already been looped with a rope.

Father Lin and four or five others stepped forward, gripping the pig and shouting in unison:

“One, two, three—lift!”

With a single coordinated effort, the massive wild boar was hoisted into the wooden tub.

One person pulled the rope tied to its snout, another held onto its tail, and they began scalding the pig in the hot water.

This step was to loosen the pig’s hair for easier removal. After scalding one side, they flipped it over to do the other.

Normally, this process took about ten minutes, but since it was a wild boar, it needed twenty minutes.

Once it was adequately scalded, they began scraping off the pig’s bristles. In rural areas, people used a black volcanic stone, about the size of a fist, covered in tiny pores and extremely rough in texture.

Holding the stone, they scrubbed the pig’s skin, removing the hair along with some old skin, revealing a layer of smooth, white flesh.

“Alright, everyone put in some effort!”

With all the bristles removed, they collectively lifted the pig out of the tub.

They placed a wooden pole across the middle of the tub and laid the pig on top. The pig’s head and tail rested on the tub’s edges, while its belly faced downward, draped over the pole.

If this had been a domesticated pig, they would have set off firecrackers at this point and placed a small bowl in front of the pig’s head as an offering to the Kitchen God.

But since it was a wild boar, they skipped this step.

The butcher picked up a sharp knife and first sliced along the pig’s spine—this step was called “checking the fat.”

“This pig is fat—three fingers’ width of lard!” Li Niu chuckled.

“That’s a big boar for you—eats a lot, so it’s bound to be fat,” Tian Baishun laughed. Thick fat meant plenty of oil, indicating a well-fed pig.

After checking the fat, the butcher proceeded to remove the pig’s testicles, then cut open its anus, pulling out the intestines and tying them off with a rope to prevent any accidental mess.

Then came the task of chopping off the pig’s head. Watching the butcher skillfully slice through the meat and cleave the bones had an almost artistic beauty, akin to the legendary butcher dismembering an ox.

After the head was removed, the tail was cut off and placed in the pig’s mouth—a tradition symbolizing completeness, “having both head and tail.”

Next, the ring of meat around the pig’s neck was also removed. Locally, this cut was called the “neck loop,” and about five or six pounds of it were immediately sent to the kitchen—enough for a feast today.

At this stage, the initial process was complete. The butcher took out two iron hooks and pierced them into the pig’s chest.

“Come, give me a hand,” said the butcher, Li Niu.

Lin’s father and the others stepped up to help, lifting the pig and hanging it vertically on the rack they had set up.

Then, the butcher took out a bone-cleaving knife and sliced open the belly, removing the heart, liver, spleen, lungs, and other internal organs one by one.

“Give me the large intestines—I’ll handle them,” Li Baiquan said with a smile as he took on the task of cleaning them.

This was a technical job, requiring the intestines to be turned inside out for cleaning—something not everyone could do.

“I’ll handle the small intestines,” Lin’s father said, taking on that task.

The small intestines, too, needed to be turned inside out and thoroughly cleaned.

“You guys were too rough—the intestines and liver are both damaged,” Li Niu said, shaking his head as he noticed some fecal matter inside the pig’s body.

“Heh, you have no idea how fierce this wild boar was. Even after two gunshots and two arrows, it still wouldn’t go down—it nearly knocked Old Tian over!” said Tian Baishun, shaking his head.

“That’s just poor marksmanship. If it were me, I’d have shot it right in the head with one bullet,” Li Niu boasted loudly.

Lin Heng chuckled but didn’t comment. This butcher was used to bragging—he had no idea how terrifying a 200-pound wild boar could be.

“Hmph, if you came across one, you’d be lucky if your legs didn’t go weak,” Tian Baishun scoffed at him.

“Heh, I’ve slaughtered five or six hundred pigs. What’s one wild boar to me?” Li Niu said dismissively.

Tian Baishun couldn’t be bothered to argue with an amateur.

Though Li Niu lacked experience with wild boars, his butchering skills were impeccable. In his hands, the pig was carved up like a work of art, each piece cleanly separated.

Lin Heng set his eyes on the two large chunks of pork fat, while Tian Baishun was more interested in the pig’s reproductive organs.

In just half an hour, the pig was fully butchered—ribs, legs, belly meat, and all were neatly divided.

“Alright, the pig’s been cut up. How do you want to split it?” Li Niu asked Lin Heng after finishing his work.

Everyone’s eyes turned toward him. Xiu Lan, Cai Yun, Liu Juan, and a group of others also came over to watch.

“We’ll go in order as agreed. Each person picks one at a time—Li Baiquan first, then Lin Heng, then Lu Honghai, and I’ll go fourth,” Tian Baishun declared.

With that, Lin’s father brought out four large bamboo baskets for everyone to collect their share.

“Alright then, I won’t be polite,” Li Baiquan said as he grabbed a hind leg first.

Among all the cuts, the hind legs were undoubtedly among the best.

“I’ll take one too,” Lin Heng said, picking up another hind leg.

With the hind legs gone, Lu Honghai and Tian Baishun took the two front legs.

“I’ll take the liver,” Li Baiquan chose next.

Since the main cuts of meat were similar in value, picking the internal organs was the best bargain.

“I’ll take a piece of pork fat,” Lin Heng chose next.

“I want one too,” Lu Honghai took the other chunk of pork fat.

Tian Baishun chuckled. “I’ll take the reproductive organs—old folks like me love this stuff.”

“You sure know how to pick,” someone teased.

“Heh, at my age, eating this won’t help anymore,” another person laughed.

“Hey, old man, I’m still going strong!” Tian Baishun smirked.

In the third round, Lin Heng’s uncle-in-law chose the heart.

Since the total weight had to be balanced later, picking the heart was a smart and economical choice.

Lin Heng looked at the remaining organs—large intestines, small intestines, stomach, kidneys, and lungs.

The pancreas had already been thrown to the dogs since no one ate it.

He wanted to pick the kidneys since he liked them, but he also worried that someone else might take the large intestines, which Xiu Lan liked.

“I’ll take the large intestines,” Lin Heng decided.

His uncle took the small intestines, and Tian Baishun picked the kidneys.

Then Li Baiquan took the stomach, leaving only the lungs.

“I’ll take a slab of meat instead,” Lin Heng opted out of choosing the lungs. He also didn’t want the pig’s head—it was heavy but had little meat, even though the ears, tongue, and tail were tasty.

“I’ll take some meat too,” another person said.

With the premium parts gone, the rest started grabbing whatever meat they could. Soon, all the pork was distributed, leaving only the pig’s head and lungs.

“Since no one wants them, let’s weigh everything and see who’s short,” Tian Baishun suggested.

They brought out the scale and started weighing. The wild boar had weighed 280 pounds, so each person was supposed to get 70 pounds.

However, factoring in the pig’s fur and the meat taken for cooking, everyone’s share was reduced by 5 pounds, making it 65 pounds each.

Lin Heng had 63 pounds, Li Baiquan had 75, Lu Honghai had 58, and Old Tian had 50.

“Well, the pig’s head and lungs add up to about 25 pounds, so they’re yours, Old Tian,” Lin Heng said, handing them over.

Li Baiquan also gave some extra meat to Lu Honghai to balance the shares.

With that, the distribution was finally settled.

By then, the sun had completely set, leaving only the last traces of twilight for those who had yet to return home.

The villagers who had gathered to watch the butchering slowly dispersed, carrying feelings of envy and longing.

If they stayed any longer, they feared their stomachs would embarrass them with growls at the mouthwatering scent of stir-fried pork in the air.

Lin Heng and the others exchanged a few pleasantries, but in these times, no one could afford to be generous enough to host a big feast—life was still tough for everyone.

“Lin Heng, how much per pound? Sell me five pounds,” a woman named Jin Yan walked over and asked with a smile.

“Domestic pork prices have gone up recently—eight cents per pound. Since wild boar is rarer, I’ll charge nine cents. Do you want it?” Lin Heng asked.

“I’ll take it. That’s four yuan and fifty cents, right?”

Jin Yan pulled out a handkerchief from her pocket, unwrapping a bundle of scattered coins and bills. She carefully counted out four dollars and fifty cents and handed it to Lin Heng.

Lin Heng weighed out five pounds of pork belly for her and even let her check the scale herself.

“No need to check, I trust you. I’m leaving now,” Jin Yan said before turning and walking away.

Lin Heng carried the meat inside without paying much attention.

By then, Lin’s mother had finished cooking, and Xiulan and the others were already wiping the table and setting out chopsticks.

“Li Niu, do you want cash or pork?” Lin Heng asked.

“I’ll take cash. Just give me eight cents,” Li Niu replied. Charging eight cents to butcher a pig was considered expensive, as a day’s labor in the countryside usually earned just five cents.

“Here you go.” Lin Heng handed him the eight cents.

“Great!” Li Niu grinned and took the money.

“You shouldn’t be the one paying. I took the most meat, so I should cover it. Let me at least give you two more pounds,” Lin Heng’s uncle, Li Baiquan, said.

“Uncle, just sit down and eat. It’s only a few cents—no need to argue over it,” Lin Heng said with a wave of his hand.

After some back-and-forth, Li Baiquan still insisted on giving Lin Heng two extra pounds of meat. To him, eight cents wasn’t much, but for a farmer, it was still a decent sum.

“Dinner’s ready!”

Father Lin called out with a smile. The dishes were served, and the wine had been warmed.

The adults sat at the table, while Caiyun stayed in the kitchen with Lin Wei and the children. They had a separate pot of meat, more than enough for them.

Lin Heng took a bite of the wild boar meat. Since it was an uncastrated male, it had a strong gamey smell. Even after Lin’s mother’s careful preparation, the odor still lingered.

The meat was tough and chewy—this wild boar had likely lived for years. The skin, in particular, was nearly impossible to bite through.

The taste was unique, but compared to farmed pork, it fell short. Still, some people found it delicious—it was a matter of personal preference.

Of course, in rural areas at this time, having meat at all was a luxury. Quality wasn’t really a concern.

“Come on, let’s drink!”

Father Lin raised his cup. The wild boar meat paired surprisingly well with the wine.

Everyone ate heartily, feasting on the meat until they were stuffed, barely touching the rice.

After dinner, Lin Heng’s uncle, Li Baiquan, packed up his meat and hurried home. He needed to salt and smoke it quickly to prevent spoilage.

“Uncle, don’t forget your honey!” Lin Heng chased after him with a jar of honey, but by then, he had already crossed the riverbank.

“Keep it for yourselves. I have my own bees at home, so I don’t need it,” Li Baiquan called back from across the river with a smile.

Lin Heng had no choice but to take it back home, planning to deliver it another day.

“I should head back too. I haven’t been home in days,” Lu Honghai said as he packed up his things, refusing to be stopped.

That left only Tian Baishun, who was still picking through the meat. He carefully packed away the boar testicles, penis, and two kidneys.

Other than a pig’s head and a small piece of meat, he left the rest behind in the basket.

Turning to Lin Heng with a grin, he said, “Lin Heng, take the rest. I really appreciate you saving my life—twice. This is just a small thank-you.”

“I didn’t save you for your meat. Just take it home,” Lin Heng said, not wanting to accept it.

“This is a gift, not a transaction. It’s my way of showing gratitude. It has nothing to do with what you want,” Tian Baishun said, shaking his head before turning to leave.

Lin Heng sighed and tried stuffing the meat into his basket, but the old man suddenly sprinted off. Lin Heng couldn’t even catch up to him.

“What should we do with all this meat?” Lin’s mother, who was salting the rest to preserve it, asked.

“Just salt it for now and keep it,” Lin Heng decided.

Accepting the meat would allow Tian Baishun to feel like he had repaid his debt, preventing any further awkwardness.

After all, Lin Heng had saved his life twice. Taking some meat in return was more than fair—no one would say otherwise.

His sister-in-law, Liu Juan, stared at the remaining meat, practically drooling. She regretted not insisting that Lin Yue come along—if he had, they could have gotten a share.

“Dad, Brother, take one of these cuts each.”

Lin Heng picked out two eleven-to-twelve-pound pieces of meat and handed them to his father and older brother.

“We don’t need your meat. Keep it for yourself,” Father Lin refused.

“That’s right. You worked hard for this. We can’t take it,” Lin Yue agreed.

“Take it. You both do so much farm work—you deserve it. If you don’t, I’ll be upset,” Lin Heng insisted, shoving the meat into their hands.

Ten-plus pounds of meat was worth around ten yuan. Any more, and they definitely wouldn’t have accepted it, but this amount was just right.

“Xiulan, let’s go home.”

Before his father and brother could refuse again, Lin Heng quickly packed up the rest of the meat and carried it home.

“This is too much, Lin Heng. Even a smaller piece would’ve been fine,” Lin Yue said hesitantly. Lin Heng had given him too much, and as the older brother, he felt awkward taking so much.

“Just take it. He’s doing well—he won’t miss it. Besides, now he won’t feel guilty slacking off,” Father Lin reassured him.

“Dad’s right. Take it, Brother. You helped out so much,” Lin Heng said with a smile. Giving them some meat was nothing. His real goal was to ensure that his entire family could live comfortably and never worry about money again.

Lin Yue looked at the meat in his hands, then sighed and nodded. “Alright.”

Back at home, after putting Xiaoxia to bed, Xiulan walked into the main hall and stared at the basket still holding over a hundred pounds of pork. She felt like she was dreaming.

For the next six months, they wouldn’t have to worry about running out of meat.

“Lin Heng, are you sure it’s okay to take Tian Baishun’s meat?” Xiulan asked worriedly.

“I saved his life twice. The whole village knows it. It’s completely reasonable for him to give me some meat. This way, he repays his debt, and I get pork—it’s a win-win,” Lin Heng said with a chuckle.

“Then how should we store it? The fat is fine, but the lean meat might spoil in the summer heat,” Xiulan asked. She never expected to have the problem of too much meat.

“I have an idea,” Lin Heng said, already having a plan in mind.