Chapter 13: This is the First Time I’ve Heard Someone Say Wild Boar Can Be Found in the Mountains

Shen Xuezhú locked the gate and headed straight to the back mountain.

The back mountain was a rocky one, with high stones, and only the foot of the mountain could be used for planting.

The three plots of land weren’t as good as she had imagined. They were all overgrown with weeds.

It seemed that the land wasn’t that great.

Otherwise, Lu Kaifu wouldn’t have assigned these three plots to her.

Since her family didn’t have a sickle, and she didn’t want to borrow one from others, she figured she could buy one in the town tomorrow, as she was planning to go there anyway. There was no need to borrow one today.

She preferred not to borrow things from others if she didn’t have to.

Since she had already come to the back mountain, Shen Xuezhú didn’t want to leave empty-handed. She recognized bamboo shoots, which she knew how to pick.

However, in this village, as soon as bamboo shoots appeared at the foot of the mountain, the villagers would rush to pick them all.

There were no bamboo shoots left at the foot of the mountain, so she decided to venture further into the mountain.

Further in, there was more grass and thorns, and few people ventured there.

She looked ahead, and there was still a path leading deeper into the mountain, worn by people walking there.

However, the grass on both sides of the path reached up to waist height.

For Shen Xuezhú, this wasn’t a big deal. She was just passing the time, and picking a few bamboo shoots to take home could be an easy meal.

…

Shen Xuezhú walked a bit further into the mountain, where she saw some large trees.

To her surprise, deep in the mountain, there were two people holding hands around such thick trees, although she didn’t recognize these trees.

Shen Xuezhú had keen hearing and caught the faint sound of a pig squealing.

The sound seemed to be getting closer to her.

Realizing what was happening, she quickly moved to the side.

A wild boar, weighing over 200 pounds, charged into a thick tree. With a pained screech, it collapsed and lay dying.

That was a close call! If she hadn’t reacted quickly, the boar would’ve crashed into her from behind, and she might not have survived.

Did the boar think she was intruding on its territory, which is why it charged at her?

Thinking about it, Shen Xuezhú didn’t dare to pick any more bamboo shoots. She hurried down the mountain.

The wild boar would die soon.

Shen Xuezhú thought about going to the village to find a couple of people to help carry the boar back.

She knew there were two hunters in the village: one was Niu Laosan, and the other was Zhao Laoda, who drove the ox cart and was the older brother of Zhao Laer.

She first went to find Zhao Laoda.

The family said he was out hunting.

So she couldn’t ask Zhao Laoda for help.

She then went to Niu Laosan’s house.

“Niu San Ge (Brother Niu), is he home?” she asked.

“Who’s looking for my third husband?” Niu Laosan’s wife came out to ask.

“Sister-in-law, it’s me, Xiaoshan’s wife.” It was the first time Shen Xuezhú referred to herself as Xiaoshan’s wife, and she felt a bit shy.

She had heard about the incident two days ago when she hit Lu Xiaoshan.

At first, she thought Shen Xuezhú was too soft and wouldn’t stand up for herself. She hadn’t expected that, out of a strong desire to protect her daughter, she would dare to hit someone.

She had even beaten Lu Xiaoshan badly, then immediately split up the household. Now, she had a new respect for Shen Xuezhú.

She didn’t like people with soft personalities. Whenever she met someone like that, she didn’t want to talk to them or even acknowledge them.

Niu Laosan’s wife looked Shen Xuezhú up and down. “Oh, so you’re Xiaoshan’s wife! My husband is eating right now.”

“Today, I don’t know what got into him. He insisted on finishing the work in the field before coming back to eat. Even after I scolded him, he wouldn’t listen. He told me to eat first.”

“I was so hungry that my stomach hurt, so I didn’t wait for him. I ate with the kids first.”

Shen Xuezhú wasn’t sure what to say, but she kept a faint smile on her face.

Just as she was about to speak, Niu Laosan’s wife asked, “Xiaoshan’s wife, what do you need from my husband?”