Chapter 28.1

The sound of his heartbeat grew louder and louder, to the point where Wei Ling was afraid it might wake Qin Qingman. He wanted to shift his body, but his arm was resting under her head. If he moved, he was certain he would disturb her.

In a state of indecision, Wei Ling’s breath grew slightly heavier.

Just then, Qin Qingman stirred a little.

Wei Ling immediately shut his eyes in fright, pretending to be asleep. He wasn’t sure how to face Qin Qingman.

But in the end, Qin Qingman only shifted slightly and didn’t wake up.

When Wei Ling opened his eyes, he noticed that Qin Qingman had moved slightly away from him, her head no longer resting on his arm. He realized that if he was careful, he could move without waking her.

Letting out a sigh of relief, Wei Ling cautiously shifted his body away from Qin Qingman.

A few minutes later, Wei Ling got up. After standing, he didn’t rush to go outside. Instead, he covered Qin Qingman with all the cotton clothes on him, then added more wood to the fire pit, letting the flames grow stronger. Only when the warmth in the hut increased a little did he carefully open the door and step outside.

As soon as he closed the hut door behind him, Wei Ling exhaled sharply, releasing the tension he had been holding in. Then, he smiled.

His clear, bright smile was full of innocence.

On the other side, while Wei Ling was breathing a sigh of relief, Qin Qingman slowly relaxed her tightly clenched fists, then opened her eyes.

She looked at the empty hut, and suddenly, her hand covered her face.

Her face became unbearably hot in just a few seconds, flushed bright red, like a persimmon hanging on a winter branch.

Realizing what had happened, Qin Qingman’s heartbeat began to accelerate.

Her pulse reached the same frantic pace that Wei Ling had felt earlier.

In fact, she had already woken up when she moved, and the moment her mind returned to consciousness, she realized that her position with Wei Ling wasn’t right. Perhaps she had rolled into his arms in search of safety and comfort. She felt so at ease while she slept.

The night before, she had sworn that she wouldn’t take advantage of him, but in the end, she had done just that. How could she face Wei Ling now?

Not daring to face him, she could only pretend to still be asleep.

And this act of pretending had to be done with skill, to make sure he wouldn’t notice. So, as soon as her mind cleared, Qin Qingman carefully and naturally turned over, moving away from Wei Ling’s embrace, thus preventing any awkwardness when they both woke up.

As she thought about it, Qin Qingman suddenly smiled to herself.

In fact, she and Wei Ling were almost ready to get married. Yet, at this moment, she still felt so shy and innocent. It was truly rare.

The good mood filled Qin Qingman’s heart with a sweet, expectant feeling.

What she didn’t know, however, was that Wei Ling had already realized she was pretending to sleep.

As a martial artist, his senses were sharp—his hearing and eyesight were both exceptional. He could tell the difference between the breathing sounds of someone asleep and someone awake. So, Wei Ling had long since noticed that Qin Qingman was just pretending to sleep. But since neither of them wanted to embarrass the other, they both silently accepted the situation and allowed for the mutual understanding between them.

Outside the hut, Wei Ling didn’t intend to go far. He had originally planned to practice some martial arts, but after finishing washing up, he saw Xiao Hei walking towards him with a proud stride.

This was the first time Xiao Hei had come to find him on its own.

With some confusion, Wei Ling didn’t immediately follow Xiao Hei. Instead, he returned to the hut and knocked on the door. Three knocks echoed, and then he explained to Qin Qingman, who was inside, “Qingman, Xiao Hei is here. It might have something to discuss with us.”

Already awake, Qin Qingman responded quickly, “Give me three minutes, I’ll be done right away.”

There was already a kettle of snow water warming up over the campfire. Qin Qingman quickly washed up and opened the hut door.

“Let’s go.” She assumed something had happened to the black wolf and it was in a hurry.

Seeing Qin Qingman hurry out, Wei Ling immediately noticed her anxious mood and explained, “Xiao Hei’s wife is fine. Xiao Hei isn’t in a hurry at all. It’s probably just here to show off something to me.”

From what he knew of Xiao Hei, if something had happened to its wife, the wolf would have been howling from far away, not strolling over proudly like this. The fact that Xiao Hei was still in such a good mood and even had time to roll around in the flowers meant there was nothing to worry about.

After hearing Wei Ling’s explanation, Qin Qingman finally saw Xiao Hei, who was covered in messy fur after rolling around in the flowers.

“No need to rush. Let’s take our time and enjoy the scenery along the way.” Wei Ling said as he naturally tucked a strand of Qin Qingman’s hair behind her ear and, in the same motion, took her hand.

With their hands now intertwined, the awkwardness was gone, replaced by a sweet sense of connection between them.

“Awoo—”

After waiting for quite some time, Xiao Hei finally grew impatient. It raised its head from the flowers and saw that the two humans were still being affectionate. With a snort, it trotted over and nudged them both with its head, then proudly marched ahead, leading the way.

Seeing Xiao Hei’s behavior, both Wei Ling and Qin Qingman laughed.

It seemed like Xiao Hei’s wife really was fine. If something had happened, Xiao Hei wouldn’t have looked so smug.

The three of them—one wolf, one man, and one woman—walked at a leisurely pace. As they walked, Wei Ling’s expression shifted slightly. He began to suspect where Xiao Hei was heading.

Sure enough, after about ten minutes, they arrived at a forest not far from the lake.

Because this area was close to the lake, the snow on the ground had already melted and seeped into the earth, revealing many green lichen plants. Their vibrant green stood out in stark contrast to the surrounding snowy landscape, drawing attention.

What caught their attention even more was the sight of a dozen wolves crouched by a dead tree.

Seeing so many wolves again, especially when they all turned their heads in unison to look at them, made Qin Qingman instinctively move closer to Wei Ling.

Taking advantage of the moment, Wei Ling wrapped his arm around Qin Qingman’s waist, reassuring her, “Don’t be afraid.”

Though she wasn’t afraid, Qin Qingman’s face turned slightly red, and she remained silent.

“Awoo—” Xiao Hei, who had been leading the way ahead of Wei Ling and the others, suddenly threw its head back and howled. The howl was long and high-pitched, carrying a chilling aura of bloodlust.

Even Qin Qingman, who hadn’t interacted much with Xiao Hei, sensed something was wrong.

Tightly gripping Wei Ling’s arm, her heart rate suddenly sped up.

“Xiao Hei and the others are hunting.” Wei Ling said, leading Qin Qingman a little further away to get a better view of Xiao Hei, who had already run off to join the pack of wolves.

“Hunting?” Qin Qingman blinked her large, watery eyes, scanning the area around them. She couldn’t see any prey nearby.

“There’s a tree hole under the dead tree.” Wei Ling pointed in that direction.

“In the tree hole?” Qin Qingman was stunned for a moment, then widened her eyes. She understood. Whatever prey had attracted this many wolves to surround it was certainly no small animal. The only possibility, as the locals often mentioned, was a bear—specifically, the Northeast’s infamous “Xiong Xia Zi” (a local term for a black bear).

Seeing that Qin Qingman had understood, Wei Ling began explaining the situation of the black bear.

After hearing this, Qin Qingman wasn’t as anxious.

Though so many wolves were surrounding the black bear, the bear was known for its tough skin, thick flesh, and immense strength. Wolves, unless food was incredibly scarce, would rarely provoke a black bear. One swipe from the bear could easily kill a wolf.

“I was actually wondering how to deal with this black bear without causing trouble for the villagers, but I didn’t expect Xiao Hei to solve it for me so efficiently.” Wei Ling said.

He reached out and gently cupped the back of Qin Qingman’s head, pulling her closer to him.

By now, the wolves had begun attacking the slow-moving black bear in the tree hole. The scene was brutal and bloody, not something a girl should watch.

Qin Qingman understood that Wei Ling had only good intentions, so she didn’t refuse. Instead, she shifted to a more comfortable position, resting her head against his chest and allowing her weight to be supported by him.

With Qin Qingman in his arms, Wei Ling explained why Xiao Hei had brought them to watch this hunting scene.

Qin Qingman had once saved Xiao Hei’s life, which was why the wolf pack had accepted the two of them. In the eyes of these wolves, they were considered companions, and companions shared in the hunt.

Upon hearing that they would share in the spoils, Qin Qingman’s eyes lit up.

She couldn’t help but feel a bit guilty, but her mouth started watering in anticipation.

She thought of a famous dish from the future: steamed bear paws.

She could have it!

Seeing the gleam in Qin Qingman’s eyes, Wei Ling felt as though his heart was being gently stirred by the long lashes framing her gaze. The sensation was so pleasant and tingling, it seemed to travel down his spine.

As Wei Ling’s thoughts wandered, the battle between the wolves and the black bear became even more intense.

The mighty roar of the bear and the high-pitched howl of the wolves reverberated through the mountain forest, carrying through the valleys and spreading to all directions. This alarming sound sent the soldiers assigned to eliminate threats in the mountains into a state of unease.

Although they carried firearms, both wolves and bears were incredibly fast. Any delay in reaction, even a slight one due to fear, could lead to dangerous consequences.

Upon hearing the sounds of the battle between the wolves and the bear, the soldiers immediately halted in their tracks.

It was clear that a fight between wolves and a bear was happening, and there was no immediate need to approach. They decided to wait for the battle to subside before venturing closer.

While the soldiers maintained their composure, several villagers who had ignored the advice and sneaked up the mountain to hunt were now terrified. Panicking, they rushed down the mountain, rolling and scrambling to get back to the village, where they breathlessly recounted the intense battle between the bear and the wolves.

Upon hearing about the wolves and the bear, the villagers were filled with both fear and curiosity. Worried that the predators might descend the mountain, everyone hurriedly secured their homes.

—o—o—o—

Chuchu was at home playing with two geese. He was alone when Li Meina, Yao Chunying, and Qin Xiang sent a few girls over from their homes. The girls weren’t there to cause trouble but to help inspect and fix the courtyard wall.

With the wolves and bears in the mountains and Qin Qingman not at home, they came to return a favor and show goodwill.

Since Chuchu was just a child, the adults didn’t mention anything about the situation in the mountains. They only helped with the fence repairs before leaving, not even entering the house to disturb him.

As he held Da Bai’s goose head, Chuchu tilted his head, sensing something unusual. Unfortunately, no one told him what was going on.

But like most children, he had his own cleverness. When the entire village locked their doors and stayed inside, Chuchu decided to climb over the courtyard wall and sneak over to Zhu Hongxia’s house to eavesdrop.

After all, Qin Jianming and Qin Jianjun often did the same kind of thing, and being a child, Chuchu had no qualms about moral guilt.

Sure enough, the matter that Qin Xiang and the others had worked so hard to hide from Chuchu was being openly discussed at Zhu Hongxia’s house.

Zhu Hongxia, who was still recovering and unable to move much, lay in bed, laughing at the misfortunes of others, expressing herself freely. “I heard that Qin Qingman went up the mountain with her man. Now there are wolves and bears in the mountains. I wonder if they’ll run into each other.”

“If they do, then they do. It has nothing to do with us.” Qin Lei said, reclining on the warm kang, lazily chewing on peanuts. He had nothing better to do in the winter and was in a bad mood after an argument with his two younger brothers. Drinking at home helped him relieve his frustration.

Zhu Hongxia shot a glance at her tipsy husband, Qin Lei, then kicked Qin Jianjun, who was sitting near her feet. “Go, get me a glass of water. I’m thirsty.”

Qin Jianjun, who had been dozing off while warming himself by the stove, was startled awake by the kick. Reluctantly, he got up to fetch the water, his ears perking up as he overheard the conversation.

Unable to resist, he asked, “Mom, do you know why my sister Qingman went up the mountain?”

Zhu Hongxia suddenly exploded in anger at Qin Jianming, shouting, “That damned girl doesn’t even recognize us anymore, and you still keep calling her sister? Are you not embarrassed?”

Lying on the kang, unable to move due to several broken ribs, she vented all her frustration and anger on Qin Qingman.

Seeing that he had triggered his mother’s wrath, Qin Jianming quickly tried to change the subject.

“Mother, it’s just a habit to call her that. Don’t be angry. I was only curious because of what you said earlier about her going up the mountain. It’s the middle of winter, and there are no fruits or wild vegetables up there, so why would she run up the mountain?”

“Who knows? I heard from someone that they saw her and her man skiing up the mountain yesterday afternoon.”

Zhu Hongxia had her own sources of information.

There were a few gossiping wives in the village who loved to visit during the winter. It gave them a chance to sit by other people’s warm kangs and gossip about others to kill time. Despite the mess between Zhu Hongxia’s family and her two younger brothers, there were still people who came to visit.

These visitors came not only to gossip but also to watch the drama unfolding in Zhu Hongxia’s household.

Since they were all from the same village, Zhu Hongxia didn’t mind much and straightforwardly obtained the latest gossip from their mouths.

Qin Jianming had initially been testing Zhu Hongxia, but now he was more invested and asked, “She didn’t come back last night?”

He was trying to confirm if Chuchu was really alone at the house next door.

“Of course, she didn’t come back. If she had, your third and fourth aunts wouldn’t have needed to send a few girls to help fix the yard wall.” Zhu Hongxia sneered, her eyes filled with disdain. She muttered, “A girl like that, with no self-respect, staying out all night, who knows what she’s up to, tsk…”

“Shut up, with so many kids at home, keep your filthy mouth shut.”

Qin Lei scolded Zhu Hongxia, not to defend Qin Qingman, but because there were still three unmarried children in the house. It wasn’t appropriate to speak so crudely in front of them—it would set a bad example.

Zhu Hongxia glanced at Qin Lei, who looked visibly annoyed, and stopped talking.

Outside the window, Chuchu, who had overheard Zhu Hongxia’s family conversation, returned home, his cheeks puffed in anger. As soon as he entered, he slammed the door and windows shut with fury.

Then, stomping around the hall, he walked back and forth with his short legs.

He didn’t believe that his sister and brother-in-law could get into trouble on the mountain. From the moment his brother-in-law had taken down that huge wild boar, Chuchu was convinced of his strength. His brother-in-law was a soldier, a soldier with a gun, and surely, he could protect his sister.

With this confidence, Chuchu happily went to prepare food for himself.

Being home alone, he didn’t make anything complicated—just cooked some cornmeal porridge, then simmered some cabbage with the pork head meat Qin Qingman had prepared earlier. That was enough to fill him up. Not only did it taste delicious, but it also left him feeling completely satisfied.

After finishing his meal, the child let out a satisfied burp.

He had figured it out—Second Uncle’s family was jealous of his sister and couldn’t stand seeing their family doing well.

In winter, the days were short. After eating his fill, Chuchu pushed open the window and glanced outside. Seeing that the village was empty, he closed the window again, then went to the cellar to dig up some radishes, cutting them into strips to feed the two geese.

“Da Bai, Xiao Bai, you better eat well so you can protect me.” Chuchu murmured to the geese while patting their heads.

After spending some time together, he had grown very close to the two geese and now considered them his best little companions.

Once the geese were fed, Chuchu checked the window again. As nightfall approached, there was still no sign of Qin Qingman in the yard.

With a sigh, the child knew that Qin Qingman probably wouldn’t come home that night.

Reluctantly, Chuchu tidied himself up, sealed the stove, and climbed onto the kang. The wide kang was covered with two blankets. The child first fidgeted around in his own blanket for a while before finally rolling into Qin Qingman’s blanket with his eyes shining brightly.

His sister wasn’t home, and he felt a little scared. Well, sleeping in his sister’s bed was the perfect solution.

Thinking this, the child felt much more at ease, and a happy smile spread across his face. After rolling around on the kang for more than half an hour, the child, who was usually an early sleeper, finally drifted off into a peaceful sleep.