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The air was thick with the chirping of insects and birds, still tinged with the stench of blood.
Gu Nan released Su Niannian, intending to send her back to the Educated Youth camp first before calling Li Ergou over to drag the wild boar.
The boar lying on the ground had long since drawn its last breath.
“Let’s go. I’ll take you back first.” After tossing the boar’s carcass into a thatched hut halfway up the mountain, Gu Nan turned to Su Niannian and said.
These thatched huts, scattered along the mountain’s backside, had been built by the villagers during past hunting trips into the hills.
During the winter, when food was scarce, some villagers would venture into the mountains to hunt. If they failed to catch anything, they would often spend the night in the thatched huts and continue their hunt the following day.
“How about you go find Li Ergou first? I can wait here for you,” Su Niannian suggested, hoping to send Gu Nan away so she could secretly return the little creature to the space.
“No way.” The mountain was far too dangerous—there had just been a pack of wolves and even a tiger. There was no way Gu Nan would feel at ease leaving Su Niannian alone here.
Seeing the serious and resolute look on Gu Nan’s face, Su Niannian realized he wouldn’t agree to leave her by herself.
So, she gave up trying to insist.
She simply replied, “Alright,” and followed Gu Nan down the mountain.
Although Gu Nan had injured his calf, after Su Niannian had bandaged it, he no longer felt any pain.
If it weren’t for the bloodstains on his pants, Gu Nan might’ve completely forgotten that he’d just been wounded.
What exactly did his little girl use on him?
How could it be this effective?
It really felt like magic.
After Gu Nan brought Su Niannian back to the Educated Youth camp, she handed him her carefully wrapped water flask.
“Take this and have a drink,” Su Niannian said. She knew Gu Nan would definitely head back up the mountain with Li Ergou soon to haul the wild boar.
They might even have to make a trip to the county town afterward.
Although Su Niannian wanted Gu Nan to go home and get some rest, she knew he wouldn’t listen to her no matter what she said.
So instead, she gave him some spiritual spring water to drink—it would help restore his strength and accelerate healing.
“Alright.” As Gu Nan took the flask, his fingertips brushed against Su Niannian’s hand.
Her skin was soft and delicate.
Every time Gu Nan had any physical contact with Su Niannian, he couldn’t help but feel a flutter in his chest.
“Be careful.”
“Got it.”
Su Niannian watched Gu Nan’s retreating figure for a moment before turning back toward the Educated Youth camp.
It looked like there’d be no chance to retrieve the little creature today—she would have to wait until tomorrow.
When Su Niannian returned, Huang Yingying hadn’t gone to sleep.
Instead, she was watching through the window.
Seeing a man escort Su Niannian back, Huang Yingying couldn’t help but feel a surge of excitement.
So even without my setup, that shameless tramp Su Niannian still ends up sneaking around with some countryside bumpkin.
If it hadn’t been for the dim moonlight, she might’ve seen the man’s face clearly.
Still, as long as she reported Su Niannian’s secret late-night rendezvous with a “mud-legged peasant” to Gu Nan, he would surely grow disgusted with her.
He would never want a woman like that.
And when that happens, won’t my chance come?
Taking advantage of the fact that Su Niannian hadn’t come inside yet, Huang Yingying quickly lay down and pretended to be asleep.
Su Niannian washed her hands in the courtyard before heading back into the house to sleep.
Meanwhile, Gu Nan had already found Li Ergou, and the two of them worked together to haul the wild boar down from the mountain.
“Brother Nan, there’s blood on your shirt and pants—did you get hurt?” Although Li Ergou had always trusted Gu Nan’s skills…
Still, the wild boar in their hands weighed at least one hundred to one hundred and fifty kilograms so even if Gu Nan had been injured, it would’ve been understandable.
It was just that the wound would need some treatment, that’s all.
“No,” Gu Nan replied.
It wasn’t that he was deliberately hiding anything—
But after leaving the Educated Youth camp, he’d realized while walking that the pain in his leg was completely gone. So he took a moment to check the injury.
What he found stunned him.
The wound on his leg now looked like an old one, at least ten days healed.
A gash that should have still been red, swollen, and inflamed… was already nearly closed, with just a thin scab remaining.
If he told others that he had been injured today, it would be impossible to explain.
The little girl had her own secrets, and as long as she didn’t volunteer them to him, Gu Nan had no intention of prying.
No matter what secrets she held, as long as he stood by her side and protected her, that was enough for him.
He didn’t care about anything else.
As long as the little girl was willing to stay by his side for even one more day, he would do his best to make her life better.
Gu Nan and Li Ergou placed the wild boar onto the donkey cart.
They hurried the donkey cart toward the county town. Though it was already the late hours of the night, the glass factory had already been informed.
There were people there to receive them.
After all, such matters were better handled quietly in the night.
The wild boar was weighed on the scale, coming in at a total of 136.5 kilograms. Since it was the gross weight, it included the pig’s head, hooves, and other less valuable parts, so it was sold to the glass factory at 0.91 yuan per half kilogram.
They sold a total of 122.5 kilograms.
Gu Nan handed 40 yuan to Li Ergou, who received it with a big smile.
In fact, Li Ergou didn’t do much, yet he got 40 yuan for free, which made him very happy.
40 yuan was more than his family could earn in a long while after the deductions for food rations. The whole brigade hadn’t handed out that much to anyone.
Now, just by coming out with Gu Nan for a trip, he had earned 40 yuan—it felt almost like finding money on the ground.
Gu Nan would occasionally take some goods to the county town to sell. In the beginning, he would go to the black market, but even though it was a hidden place, it wasn’t safe.
Getting caught for speculative trade could lead to severe consequences.
Later, Gu Nan got in touch with a few factories. It was difficult for these factories to obtain such large amounts of meat through regular channels, so they quickly reached an agreement.
Otherwise, the factory workers would often complain about not getting enough meat.
This was a deal made privately, which was relatively safer.
After the transaction was complete, Li Ergou drove the donkey cart and returned to the village with Gu Nan.
By the time Gu Nan got home, the sky was already lightening.
He quickly washed up, then went back to his room to change out of the bloodstained clothes.
When Gu Nan checked his arm wound, unsurprisingly, it was in a similar condition to the one on his leg—almost completely healed in such a short time.
What exactly had his little girl done to achieve this?
After finishing the water in the bottle, Gu Nan cleaned it out.
He also washed his bloodstained clothes, careful to hide them so his mother wouldn’t see and worry.
Before long, the sky began to brighten.
Gu Zhi got up to prepare breakfast.
“Out hunting all night again?” Gu Zhi asked when she saw him hanging up his clothes, knowing they were dirty from hunting.
“Mm,” Gu Nan replied with a nod.
“Go lie down for a bit, I’ll call you when breakfast is ready.”
“Okay.” Gu Nan returned to his room and lay down for a short while.
After breakfast, Gu Nan grabbed some malted milk and mixed it with hot water, then poured it into the water bottle. He planned to give it to Su Niannian when he saw her.
With the bottle in hand, Gu Nan headed out, ready to start his work for the day.