Chapter 30: Trick You, and You’re a Dog

They had originally planned to go catch yellow eel tonight, but after a round of drinking, everyone was feeling dizzy, and the risk of stumbling into the fields was too high. Lin’s father and mother were trying to convince Lin Heng’s third uncle and his brother-in-law to stay, but both of them knew there was no space left at Lin’s house due to the crowd, so they were determined to leave.

After some back-and-forth, they still insisted on leaving.

“Quan Wa, take the remaining bamboo rat to Hong Cui…”

Lin Heng’s mother caught up with his brother-in-law, Li Baiquan, and handed him the bamboo rat.

“I told you to cook it all, big sister, why are you still leaving so much? I don’t want it,” Li Baiquan waved his hand, refusing to take it.

However, it was just politeness. He was actually very grateful to his big sister for leaving so much bamboo rat; it would save him from getting scolded when he got home. Otherwise, his wife might not even open the door for him.

Lin Heng’s mother knew this as well, so after a bit of back-and-forth, she forced the bamboo rat into his hands and sent him off.

On the other side, Lin Heng’s father did the same with his third brother. The adults always liked to push back and refuse, and Lin Heng found it amusing. But the relationships were indeed built through these small struggles—today you help me, tomorrow I help you.

“Lin Heng, let’s go catch the yellow eel tomorrow. I can barely walk straight now,” Lin Yue, holding onto the railing, laughed while urinating.

“Anytime works,” Lin Heng smiled, as he had drunk less and was only lightly tipsy.

The night was dark, with a crescent moon hanging in the sky and misty clouds. The stars were barely visible, almost hidden. Lin Heng’s third uncle lived nearby, just over a kilometer away, while his brother-in-law lived on the mountain, farther away, but for country folk, this wasn’t a big deal; walking in the dark was common.

Looking at the small basin-like Fengshu Village, Lin Heng felt a sense of nostalgia. The river in the distance reflected the silver-white moonlight, and the sound of flowing water could be faintly heard.

The surrounding mountains, grass, and trees swayed slightly, and the chirping of grasshoppers and crickets was bothersome. Lin Heng kicked a stone, and the cricket stopped chirping. A few steps later, the insect began its song again as if challenging him.

Lin Heng sighed and turned away. If it were in the past, he would have caught the cricket and killed it on the spot for being so audacious.

Back inside, Lin Heng’s mother, Caiyun, and Xiulan had already cleaned up the dishes, and Lin Heng’s father and elder brother had been put to bed.

When Xiulan saw Lin Heng come in, she came over to help him rest. “Did you throw up? Why were you outside for so long?”

“No, I was just watching the stars,” Lin Heng smiled, holding his wife’s hand. His palms were a bit rough from working, but the back of his hands were still smooth.

“Then wash your feet and rest,” Xiulan said, looking at him without hesitation.

“Is our daughter asleep?” Lin Heng asked again.

“We still have work tomorrow, and today isn’t a safe period,” Xiulan said, glancing at him cautiously.

“Where are you thinking?” Lin Heng pinched his wife’s face, then whispered in her ear, “Besides, even if it’s the dangerous period, you still don’t believe in my control…”

Xiulan’s face immediately turned red, and she hurriedly covered his mouth. “Stop talking, it’s so embarrassing.”

Lin Heng found it funny. They had already been together many times and had a child, but she still felt shy talking about such things, almost like a little girl.

“I was just joking, let’s go. Grab the flashlight, and I’ll take you to catch something good.”

“Catch the yellow eel?” Xiulan asked, puzzled. What else could they catch at night except for yellow eels?

“Good stuff. Just grab a flashlight and a plastic bottle and come with me,” Lin Heng said mysteriously, smiling.

“What is it? I want to go too,” Caiyun came into the room and asked curiously.

“Go get some rest. Besides, we only have two flashlights left, and there’s none for you,” Lin Heng flatly refused her.

“Alright then.” Caiyun reluctantly nodded but was still curious. “What are you really going to catch?”

“You’ll know tomorrow morning.”

Lin Heng refused to say more, taking Xiulan, who had the necessary things, and heading out. He reminded her not to lock the door.

“Woof woof~”

As they left, Xiong Ba, the dog, tagged along, useful for warning of any danger.

Xiulan, pulled by Lin Heng, curiously walked toward the woods behind their house.

“Honey, what exactly are we catching? If we’re hunting, you didn’t bring a slingshot or bow and arrow,” Xiulan wondered aloud, still puzzled. However, she didn’t resist being led by Lin Heng; it felt strange but pleasant to be with him.

Lin Heng shined the flashlight under a tree and soon found his target—a cicada nymph just coming out of the ground.

Summer was the best time to catch cicada nymphs, though not many people here did so. In fact, it wasn’t until later, when the internet spread awareness, that this delicacy reached other parts of the country.

“This is what I’m catching!” Lin Heng showed the cicada nymph to his wife.

“Can you sell it?” Xiulan blinked, curious. She knew that the shed exoskeletons of cicadas were used in traditional medicine and could be sold, so she instinctively thought this might be valuable.

“No, you can eat this!” Lin Heng smiled. At this point, cicada nymphs weren’t being sold; people here hadn’t developed the habit of eating them.

Xiulan’s eyes widened in surprise. “What??”

Seeing her reaction, Lin Heng chuckled and pinched her hand. “It’s really delicious, quickly, help me catch more.”

Xiulan hesitated. “I’ll help catch them, but you can eat them. I’ll never eat this; it’s too scary.”

“Alright,” Lin Heng didn’t argue. He knew that once his wife tasted it, she would change her mind, just like when he tried deep-fried scorpions in his past life—nervous at first, but then loving it after the first bite.

“There’s so many! Honey, are you sure these aren’t poisonous? Can we really eat them?”

Since no one was catching cicada nymphs in this era, Xiulan couldn’t help but doubt.

“Of course they’re edible,” Lin Heng laughed. If she saw the scorpions and centipedes eaten in other regions, she’d probably be scared out of her wits.

“Anyway, I won’t eat them. You can have all of them.” Xiulan kept looking for more.

“Just wait, tomorrow night you’ll be begging me to come back and catch cicada nymphs,” Lin Heng said with a smile.

“That’s impossible. These look disgusting,” Xiulan said confidently.

“What if you do want to come tomorrow?” Lin Heng asked with a grin.

Xiulan replied without thinking, “That won’t happen. If it does, you can do whatever you want.”

“That’s what you said. Trick you, and you’re a dog,” Lin Heng laughed slyly, already imagining his wife’s reaction tomorrow.

Xiulan, confident in her belief, raised her smooth chin and smiled, “You’re the one being tricked.”

“Woof woof!!”

Xiong Ba was running around the forest, sometimes pausing to look around, seemingly keeping watch for the couple.

The forest behind their house had no game to offer, and even the sounds were rare.

After half an hour of searching, Xiulan came over with a bottle. “I’ve caught about two hundred. Is that enough?”

“That’s enough, that’s enough.” Lin Heng nodded repeatedly. He had also caught about half a bottle. “Let’s sit on the rock and rest for a while, then we’ll head back.”

They had reached the halfway point of the mountain as they continued their hunt.

“Alright!”

(End of Chapter)