Chapter 35

In the sunlight, the bars of gold reflected a dazzling light that made the two squint.

Yu Xiangyang clicked his tongue in amazement at the sheer number of gold bars. “Wow, so many! Cheng Jingmo, you have two choices: either escape with the box or take me with you. Which do you choose?”

“I choose to shoot you.”

Dong Minghao and the two other soldiers heard the gunshots and came down from the mountain.

Everyone’s eyes widened at the sight of so many gold bars!

“Quick, close it, close it! I’m afraid I’ll commit a crime!” Dong Minghao covered his eyes, pained by the golden gleam.

Everyone burst out laughing.

Cheng Jingmo had picked these people because they were reliable in every way, and he trusted them.

He closed the box. “Everyone, search around, see if there’s anything else.”

They searched the area but found nothing else.

Cheng Jingmo looked at the sun, estimating it was around eleven in the morning.

He picked up the box and stood tall. “Attention, everyone! Fall in!”

They lined up.

“Let’s head back to the team!”

They climbed up the cliff and returned to the base.

On the way, Dong Minghao grumbled, “We’ve been hunting wild game every day, but haven’t even tasted a single bite!”

Cheng Jingmo thought about the two at home. This week, there was no meat at home; they must be craving it badly.

“Everyone, rest for half an hour. If you want to eat meat, figure out a way to get some.”

As soon as he finished speaking, Dong Minghao ran off, and the two other soldiers went to catch wild rabbits.

Yu Xiangyang said, “Give me the box, you go catch something, don’t let my sister go hungry!”

Cheng Jingmo handed the box to Yu Xiangyang.

Within half an hour, everyone had some success, coming back with wild chickens and rabbits.

Cheng Jingmo caught two wild chickens and two wild rabbits. He told Yu Xiangyang, “Take two of these home.”

Tomorrow was Sunday, so Yu Xiangyang could rest at home for a day.

When they returned to the base, it was already past four in the afternoon.

They waited in the office to report. As soon as Commander Hao Yi stepped into the office, he said, “You lot! I sent you to catch wolves, and you brought back wild rabbits and chickens too! The whole army is drooling over them. How are you going to share?”

They had left the wild game in the mess hall’s kitchen, and word had spread.

Cheng Jingmo reported the completion of their mission. When he opened the box, the commander and the political commissar were stunned.

Political Commissar Ma Dacheng analyzed, “This must be gold left behind by the warlords who occupied Nancheng and fled deep into the mountains. These items are too heavy and conspicuous to carry, so they hid them there, planning to retrieve them later, not expecting us to find them.”

Commander Hao Yi had the finance department count the gold bars in front of everyone, record the number, seal them, and lock them in the safe.

“Congratulations on completing the mission. I’ll report the gold bars to higher authorities and await their decision. Everyone, good job. Go home and rest.”

Cheng Jingmo gave Yu Xiangyang a wild chicken and a rabbit, keeping the other two for himself.

When he got home, Yu Xiangnian was cooking in the kitchen.

Seeing him return, she immediately ran out, “Cheng Jingmo, you’re back!”

Her face was lit with a smile he hadn’t seen in a long time, bright and warm, warming Cheng Jingmo’s heart as well.

For the first time, he felt the warmth of being awaited at home.

When she saw the dried blood on his clothes, her smile froze, “Are you hurt?”

“No, it’s wolf blood.” Cheng Jingmo held the chicken in front of her, “How should we cook this?”

Yu Xiangnian’s eyes lit up at the sight of the chicken, “Did you catch this wild chicken?”

“Yes.”

“Braised chicken!”

As Cheng Jingmo was handling the chicken under the outdoor faucet, Xiao Jie excitedly ran home.

“Uncle, you’re back!”

He looked just like Yu Xiangnian had a moment ago.

“Tonight, we’re having braised chicken!” Yu Xiangnian announced proudly.

Xiao Jie ran outside to look around and then asked, “Uncle, isn’t there also a rabbit?”

While playing outside, he had run into Dong Minghao, who had told him, “Your uncle caught a wild rabbit and a wild chicken. Go home and eat!”

Cheng Jingmo hesitated before saying, “I gave the rabbit to someone.”

“To whom?” Xiao Jie and Yu Xiangnian asked in unison.

Cheng Jingmo glanced at Yu Xiangnian. “I ran into Comrade Wu and gave it to her.”

At the mention of Wu Xiaomin, Yu Xiangnian’s face immediately darkened.

Well, well, Cheng Jingmo!

I stay home taking care of the child and doing chores, and the first thing you do after being away for a week is to visit your sweetheart and give her the best, leaving the leftovers for home!

When the braised chicken was ready, Yu Xiangnian didn’t eat a single piece during dinner.

“Auntie, why aren’t you eating? This chicken smells delicious.”

Yu Xiangnian pouted, “I want to eat rabbit!”

Cheng Jingmo muttered to himself, wishing he had given Wu Xiaomin the wild chicken instead.

“I’ll catch one tomorrow,” he said.

“I want the one you caught today!”

“I’ll find a similar one.”

“But it won’t be the same rabbit!”

Cheng Jingmo: “…”

Rabbits all taste the same. Why insist on that one?

Maybe it was just a particularly good-looking rabbit.

Still, he patiently said, “I’ll catch its twin brother, identical to it.”

As silly as it sounded, Cheng Jingmo said it with complete seriousness.

Yu Xiangnian felt both angry and amused, her face tightening. “Even a twin rabbit isn’t the same rabbit!”

Cheng Jingmo: “…”

Seeing Yu Xiangnian not eat a single bite of chicken, Cheng Jingmo felt uncomfortable. He decided he must catch a similar-looking rabbit for her tomorrow.

After dinner, Yu Xiangnian sulkily returned to the bedroom.

Cheng Jingmo took a bath and then started doing the laundry.

The laundry basket was full of Yu Xiangnian’s clothes, but none of Xiao Jie’s.

Xiao Jie explained that Yu Xiangnian washed his clothes every night after he changed.

Cheng Jingmo knew Yu Xiangnian loved cleanliness.

The day after their wedding, she had laid down many rules, one of which was: they must bathe and change clothes every day.

For someone who disliked washing clothes, Yu Xiangnian washing Xiao Jie’s clothes daily made Cheng Jingmo feel even guiltier about not bringing home rabbit meat today.

Later that evening, after Yu Xiangnian had taken a bath, Cheng Jingmo, waiting in the main room, tried to make conversation.

After an hour or two, Yu Xiangnian’s anger had mostly subsided.

“Comrade Yu Xiangnian, your dream was accurate. There was indeed a wolf with a missing left ear.”

This successfully caught her attention.

“Tell me about your wolf hunt,” she said.

After hearing Cheng Jingmo’s story, Yu Xiangnian realized she could foresee some future events.

She had a special ability!

But this ability only appeared sometimes and was beyond her control.

“Okay, got it,” Yu Xiangnian said, preparing to return to the bedroom.

“Yu Xiangnian,” Cheng Jingmo called, looking a bit embarrassed. “Do you like bayberries?”

On his way back today, he had seen several bayberry trees with ripe fruit.

He planned to pick some while catching a rabbit tomorrow.

“Is the bayberry patch far?” Yu Xiangnian asked.

“Through the bamboo forest, then another two or three kilometers.”

“That’s not too far.” Yu Xiangnian thought for a moment. “How about we invite some friends and have a picnic?”