Chapter 74 : Rabbit Meat

As Liu Lixin stepped out, he bumped into Aunt Geng. News of the quarrel in the Zhuang household had spread like wildfire throughout the brigade. Rumors swirled, with some saying the fight between the sisters-in-law had nearly caused Jiang Hongmei to lose her baby, while others claimed Cheng Yanyan’s child had been lost instead.  

The gossip reached Chen Xianyun, who, curious, went to Old Lady Qi to get more details. “I doubt it was just a trivial argument,” she remarked. “Wu Meili is not the type to fight openly. She’s always felt inferior for not having a son and usually avoids confrontation.”  

Jiang Li hinted, “I heard people mentioning something about pork this morning.”  

Chen Xianyun paused from sewing cotton shoes and clapped her hands in realization. “It must have been a fight over meat!”  

Old Lady Qi, her eyes narrowing in thought, added, “It’s not just that. One night, when I got up, I saw the second son of that family carrying something big that looked like pork.”  

“Mom, are you sure? Where would they get the meat coupons?”  

Old Lady Qi’s expression remained composed. “Not all meat needs coupons.”  

“The black market?”  

Chen Xianyun clutched her chest in shock. “Mom, let’s not talk about this anymore. Try these cotton shoes and see if they fit.”  

“There’s no need, your work always fits perfectly,” Old Lady Qi reassured her.  

At that moment, Qi Shaoqiang walked in, carrying a bundle tied to the back of his bicycle. “Mom, I brought the cotton you wanted.”  

Chen Xianyun, inspecting it, broke into a smile. “This cotton is excellent, white and clean! We can make two or three sets of clothes, just right for Lizi and your grandma.”  

Old Lady Qi waved it off. “I don’t need new clothes. Just take apart my old padded jacket and wash it. Use the cotton to make two for Lizi.”  

“That’s fine,” Chen Xianyun agreed.  

Qi Shaoqiang then pulled out a small cloth bag like a magician. Inside, Jiang Li found it was full of chestnuts, small but perfectly round.  

“Where did you get these chestnuts?” she asked in surprise.  

“They just arrived at the supply and marketing cooperative. We still have some sugar at home, how about I roast them for you tonight?”  

“That sounds great!”  

The mention of chestnuts reminded Jiang Li of the wild chestnut forest on the mountain. “Let’s go to the mountain after dinner. I wonder if anyone else has discovered it.”  

“I doubt it,” Qi Shaoqiang replied confidently.  

After eating, the two set off with backpacks. The crisp autumn evening air grew cooler as they climbed higher into the mountains.  

Noticing Jiang Li shivering, Qi Shaoqiang draped the thick jacket he had brought over her shoulders. Taking her hand, he said, “The mountain path is rough, stay behind me.”  

Suddenly, the bushes ahead rustled. Startled, Jiang Li gasped, “What was that? A snake?”  

Qi Shaoqiang squinted and saw a flash of gray-brown fur. “Not a snake, looks like a rabbit.”  

Jiang Li’s excitement grew. Since the Mid-Autumn Festival, they had run out of meat coupons, and the black market had tightened. The family had been surviving on a monotonous diet of radishes, leeks, eggplants, and cabbages, with the occasional egg as a treat. She had been craving something hearty.  

Before she could speak, Qi Shaoqiang pulled a sharp bamboo stick from his backpack and threw it with precision, striking the rabbit’s hind leg. After a lengthy chase, he returned triumphantly with the plump hare in his hands.  

“It’s a male rabbit, fattened up for autumn, it must weigh five or six kilograms!”  

“I want to make double pepper rabbit and spicy rabbit heads,” Jiang Li said eagerly.  

Though unfamiliar with the dishes, Qi Shaoqiang smiled indulgently. “We’ll make it however you want.”  

The chestnut forest was their main goal, so Qi Shaoqiang led the way. Using a flashlight, they soon found the ground littered with brown, spiky fruits. While some were rotten, they managed to collect a decent haul, filling half their backpack.  

Jiang Li was delighted. “Chestnuts are so versatile! You can stew them with chicken, bake them into cakes, or even roast them in the fire while cooking.”  

Qi Shaoqiang peeled one and handed it to her. “Fresh chestnuts are naturally sweet. Try this.”  

“Delicious!” Jiang Li exclaimed. “They’re even good raw.”  

With a bounty of chestnuts and a wild rabbit in tow, Qi Shaoqiang decided not to linger as night fell. Taking Jiang Li’s hand, he led her carefully down the mountain, the chill air invigorating but sharp against their flushed faces.  

Jiang Li skipped down the mountain, full of energy, when she accidentally bumped into a tree. A sweet fruit fell and hit her on the head.  

Catching the aroma, she dabbed her finger in the fruit’s juice and tasted it. “It’s a persimmon,” she exclaimed.  

Qi Shaoqiang took out a handkerchief and gently wiped her face. “Silly girl, even after getting hit by a persimmon, you’re still grinning like that.”  

“How could I not be happy? It’s like a gift from the heavens!” Jiang Li replied, her mood soaring. She began to wonder if her luck had turned for the better since traveling through time, a far cry from her previous life of hardship.  

Qi Shaoqiang climbed the tree and picked all the persimmons from one side, leaving the rest for the birds perched on the branches. The wild persimmons were much smaller than cultivated ones but sweeter.  

By the time they descended the mountain, the sky was dark. Chen Xianyun let out a sigh of relief when she saw them return. Although it wasn’t yet winter, and wild animals were not as active, one could never be too cautious.  

Jiang Li shared their haul of chestnuts and persimmons with Chen Xianyun like a child showing off treasures. After tasting one, Chen Xianyun nodded in approval.  

Meanwhile, Qi Shaoqiang had already skinned the rabbit they caught earlier. He salted it and set it to marinate overnight.  

That night, Jiang Li dreamed of rabbit dishes, the aroma so vivid it made her drool in her sleep.  

—

It was past midnight when Jiang Hongmei stirred awake. Her throat was parched, and her lower body ached with every movement.  

Beside her, Zhuang Xiaobao and Zhuang Xiaoyu slept with their hair in disarray.  

“Xiaoyu, pour me some water,” she called weakly.  

Zhuang Xiaoyu opened her eyes but pretended not to hear, turning over to continue sleeping. Jiang Hongmei gritted her teeth, reached for the kettle, and poured herself a bowl of water.  

As she drank, her hands rested instinctively on her belly. She had woken briefly earlier in the day while Liu Lixin was still present and learned she was pregnant.  

Now, the realization settled in. ‘I have my own child,’ she thought. But uncertainty clouded her joy. ‘What will Zhuang Guoliang think? Will he be happy?’  

The door creaked open, and Zhuang Guoliang entered. Noticing she was awake, he flopped onto the bed without a word and fell asleep.  

“Guoliang,” Jiang Hongmei called anxiously, “are you happy that I’m pregnant?”  

He turned over impatiently. “Go to sleep. We’ve got to be at the pig farm in two hours.”  

The pig farm had become a sore subject in the family. The eldest brother and his wife refused to partner with the second branch anymore. Cheng Yanyan, the second wife, confidently announced that her brothers would join her at the pig farm, and from then on, everyone would handle their own business.  

Zhuang Guoliang was fed up with the disputes. “It’s all pointless,” he muttered.  

The mention of the pig farm ignited Jiang Hongmei’s anger. “Cheng Yanyan, that black-hearted woman, pushed me! She wanted to kill our son! Guoliang, we won’t partner with them anymore. I won’t let her get away with this, I’ll sue her!”  

Her words spilled out in a fury, but Zhuang Guoliang remained silent, growing increasingly agitated. Finally, he snapped, “Can you stop making trouble? If you sue her and the authorities get involved, what will happen if someone exposes the truth about the pig farm?”