Chapter 74

The hunting dogs were still barking and trying to pounce on Qin Qingman and her younger brother. Their movements were so obvious that everyone stared at the siblings in surprise.

“Well, I guess the two of us don’t quite seem to be liked by dogs,” Qin Qingman explained helplessly.

Everyone looked at the struggling hunting dogs, then turned their attention to the calm siblings standing in the crowd. After a few seconds of silence, someone spoke up to defuse the tension, “Looks like Qin Qingman and her brother are going to have an even better year ahead.”

“Right, the dogs are barking so fiercely at them. It’s clear they can sense their good fortune.”

“I think so too. Our hunting dogs are smart, they must know that Qin Qingman and her brother are going to have a better life, and that’s why they’re acting like this.”

“Yes, I’ve heard that Qin Qingman plans to build a house next spring. It’s a big deal here, and the dogs are already barking so fiercely even before the house is built. That surely means next year will be prosperous for their family.”

“Right, even more prosperous.”

The people in the village spoke auspicious words, and their gazes toward Qin Qingman and her brother were filled with goodwill. It was a mysterious thing when dogs barked at people, because someone who was liked by people might not necessarily be liked by all animals.

Qin Qingman felt relieved as everyone was being kind and didn’t say anything unpleasant.

Chuchu made a firm decision: she wouldn’t take the wolf cub out for walks until it had grown teeth. Otherwise, if it ran into these hunting dogs in the village, it wouldn’t stand a chance. These dogs were said to be so fierce they could fight wild boars.

Some of the game they had brought back this time had been hunted with the help of these hunting dogs.

“Woof woof woof—” The hunting dogs couldn’t understand human speech. They sensed an eerie aura coming from Qin Qingman and her brother, and to drive away the fear in their hearts, they barked furiously at them.

The barking grew louder and louder.

Qin Qingman quickly picked up Chuchu, fearing that the dogs might break free of their leashes and hurt the child.

“Stop barking, we’re all from the same village. Even if you’ve never seen Qin Qingman before, you’ve seen her now. Stop barking, stop barking, it’s giving me a headache,” Zhang Yongfu, the master of the hunting dogs, hurried over to calm them down. He even brought some pig bones to feed the dogs.

No one objected to feeding the hunting dogs the pig bones.

These hunting dogs were heroes. 

On the mountain, the hunting dogs were not only more alert than humans, but their vision and hearing were also far superior. When they encountered prey, they could pounce on it to help with the hunt. For example, the few small rabbits they brought back were hunted by these dogs alone.

“Qin Qingman, we caught some rabbit skins this time on the mountain. When I get home and cure them, I’ll give them to you so you can make a hat and ear muffs for Chuchu. Rabbit fur is warm,” Zhang Yongfu said, feeling bad that his dogs had scared Chuchu, so he decided to gift her the rabbit skins.

The few rabbits had been hunted by his dogs. Although the meat would be shared with the village, the rabbit skins belonged to his family, and he had the right to make decisions about them.

“Uncle Zhang, that’s too kind. There are only a few skins, you should keep them for yourself. Chuchu already has a hat, so there’s no need to make a new one,” Qin Qingman felt it would be inappropriate to accept the rabbit skins from Zhang Yongfu.

The dogs were barking at her and Chuchu, and the others were unsure of what was going on. Did she not know what was happening?

“By the way, Secretary, after you all went up the mountain, one night we heard wolves howling. The sound was very loud, and it seemed to be quite close to our village. It made me so nervous that night, I didn’t even dare open the door to look outside.”

The hunters from the village had all returned, and while waiting to divide the meat, some of them spoke about what they had heard a few days ago.

“Yes, I heard the wolves howling too. It was in the dead of night. I didn’t dare open the door even for a look.”

“To be honest, don’t laugh, but that night when I heard the wolves, I was too scared to even go to the bathroom. I reinforced all the doors and windows with several large logs, just in case the wolves got into the village while the head of the house wasn’t around.”

“You all heard the wolves too? I thought my ears were playing tricks on me.”

“It wasn’t a mistake, the wolf howls were so clear.”

Zheng Anguo and the others who had been hunting up the mountain overheard the conversation and quickly interjected, “There were wolves howling outside our village?”

“Yes, I heard the sound came from not too far from here. As soon as it got light, I organized a team to go check. We didn’t find any wolf tracks inside the village, but we saw some on the hill outside. We didn’t tell anyone because we didn’t want to cause panic, but for the past few days, we’ve increased the patrols around the village.”

Qian Xiangyang, who had stayed behind in Kaoshan Village, was reporting to Zheng Anguo.

Qin Qingman felt incredibly relieved upon hearing this. Luckily, Xiao Hei had been clever enough not to cause trouble for her.

“The wolf you’re talking about, we’ve seen it and heard its howls. It’s a large silver wolf. A few days ago, we heard its howls on the mountain too. It seems like it was calling its pack to migrate,” Zheng Anguo recalled hearing the wolf’s howl on the mountain a few days ago and speculated about the cause.

“Why did it come so close to our village to howl?” Many people in the village didn’t understand. The whole situation felt very strange, and everyone had been extra cautious when coming and going these past few days, afraid that something might be following them.

Chuchu listened carefully to the conversation, and when she heard this, she instinctively tightened her hold on Qin Qingman’s neck.

She was nervous.

Qin Qingman understood what the child was worried about and quickly and subtly reached out to gently stroke her back.

Qin Qingman herself wasn’t worried, because she suspected that Xiao Hei and the others might have really left.

Besides, the wolf cub was covered in shiny black fur, and no one would make the connection between the cub and Xiao Hei.

Sure enough, Qin Qingman was right not to worry. After thinking for a moment, Zheng Anguo answered the villagers’ questions, “It seems like there was only this one wolf pack on the mountain. They’ve been around for quite some time, and I suspect they’ve marked Kaoshan Village as part of their territory. Before leaving, they would definitely patrol their land.”

“That’s quite possible. Animals mark their territory in a way that’s different from ours.”

“Secretary, did that wolf pack really leave?” someone asked, worried that the wolves might return.

Zheng Anguo didn’t dare make any promises. After thinking for a moment, he responded, “I can guarantee they’ve migrated, but as for whether they’ll come back, I can’t make that guarantee, because no one can control the movements of a wolf pack.”

“That wolf pack is truly formidable. I heard that even the blind bears on the mountain were hunted by them.”

Someone remembered the battle between the wolf pack and the blind bears on the mountain.

At that moment, the villagers turned their gaze to Qin Qingman, their eyes filled with envy. It was as if the bear hide had been obtained by Qin Qingman’s husband.

Qin Qingman understood their envy and quickly explained, “We got it by luck. Wolves don’t eat bear skins, and the hide was torn up pretty badly, but it’s really good quality. Ah Ling sent it to be cured, and later on, we can piece it together to make a coat.”

Everyone in the village knew that Qin Qingman’s family had gotten the bear hide, so it couldn’t be hidden.

Besides, once the bear hide was made into clothes, someone would definitely recognize it, so it was better to admit it openly now.

Once the matter was made clear, there was less jealousy.

Qin Qingman knew that although Kaoshan Village was united, everyone still had their own little thoughts. After all, human hearts were the most complicated.

“Qin Qingman and her husband really know how to live. If it were me, I’d definitely keep the bear hide too. Even if it’s all torn up, it’s still valuable. It’s warmer than a cotton jacket.”

“That’s right. My Grandpa’s old leather coat is warmer than a cotton jacket.”

“Exactly, leather seems to be more effective against the cold around here.”

By explaining things clearly, Qin Qingman found that there wasn’t much jealousy. As long as the bear hide wasn’t intact, most people were accepting of it.

The conversation then shifted. After a few more discussions, everyone started praising Qin Qingman and her husband for being good at living well, and they assured her that their future would be prosperous.

Qin Qingman smiled and thanked everyone for their auspicious words.

Soon, it was time for Qin Qingman and her brother to divide the meat.

Their family only consisted of two people, so logically, they wouldn’t receive much. As Zheng Anguo was dividing the meat, he thought about Wei Ling. After a moment’s consideration, he decided to give them an extra portion, but he also explained the reason to everyone.

“Qin Qingman’s husband is a soldier. The last time we went hunting and encountered the wolf pack, he was the one who led the rescue. Although it’s the soldier’s duty to save civilians, we who were rescued must show our gratitude. So, today, let’s give the Qin family an extra portion of meat. But let this be the last time.”

Zheng Anguo made his explanation clear and reasonable.

The extra portion for Wei Ling was because of his act of saving people, not because he was the son-in-law of Kaoshan Village.

If he hadn’t made this clear, everyone would have probably thought that the son-in-law was getting special treatment, and that would have made things difficult for the village leaders.

By explaining things clearly, no one had any complaints.

After all, Wei Ling had saved not just one or two lives, but an entire group from Kaoshan Village.

“Secretary, I agree that Qin’s family should get an extra portion. The meat may not be much, but it’s a token of our appreciation. We wish for a close relationship between the military and the people.”

“I still remember how I felt when we were facing the wolf pack. I was so nervous, I didn’t even dare to breathe. The wolves were terrifying, and their presence was overwhelming. I could even smell blood in the air. I’ve wanted to thank them for a long time.”

“I also agree that Qin’s family should get an extra portion. Without Qin Qingman’s husband, we might have suffered much greater casualties.”

“I agree.”

“I agree as well.”

Once Zheng Anguo had clarified his reasoning, everyone agreed, and even those who had felt a little dissatisfied earlier now had no complaints.

“Girl, here, take this. It’s the extra portion for your husband.”

The additional piece of meat was placed into the wicker basket that Qin Qingman was holding.

“Thank you, thank you for your kindness,” Qin Qingman said, chatting with everyone for a few moments before quickly heading home with Chuchu.

Their family had received their share of the meat, and their task for the day was done.

Before they even entered the house, the two siblings exchanged a knowing glance. They both had a feeling that things had likely gone awry at home. As soon as they approached, they noticed how much quieter it was than usual.

The two geese in the hall were silent, and even the two sheep in the pen weren’t eating their feed.

The only possible explanation for this unusual silence was that the wolf cubs had been causing trouble again.

“Sis, do you think I can smack Dudu’s bottom?” Chuchu recalled the mischievous behavior of the wolf cubs, and couldn’t help feeling a bit of an itch to take action.

Qin Qingman thought seriously for a moment before replying, “Dudu’s still small, we need to teach it first. If it still misbehaves after being taught, then we can smack its bottom.” After all, there’s plenty of meat on the little cub’s bottom, so a few smacks wouldn’t hurt.

“Got it, sis.”

Chuchu understood what Qin Qingman meant.

The siblings then pushed open the main door of the hall.

It was quiet inside, not a sound to be heard, and there were no signs of anything being destroyed. The siblings both let out a sigh of relief—thankfully, the wolf cub hadn’t managed to break through the door of the east room.

After putting down the frozen meat in the snow, they tidied themselves up before opening the door to the east room.

Although they had mentally prepared for the worst, the sight of the room in complete disarray still made them both gasp.

Everything in the east room had been scattered all over the place.

Not only had the bedding on the kang been thrown to the floor, but anything that could be knocked over had been toppled.

Chuchu quickly ran inside to pick up his bedding, but when he saw how much it had been trampled, he couldn’t help but think that if the wolf cub’s teeth had been able to work, his bedding would definitely have been shredded into pieces.

“Sis, don’t stop me today. I’m going to smack it!”

Chuchu was furious.

Qin Qingman gave Chuchu a helpless look and said, “We need to find Dudu first.”

The east room was in such a mess, yet they still couldn’t find the wolf cub. The doors and windows were all securely shut, so where could the little cub have gone?

Reluctantly, the siblings began searching the east room.

They searched all around but still couldn’t find it.

Thinking back to the fierce hunting dogs in the village, both Qin Qingman and Chuchu’s faces turned pale. If the wolf cub had run outside and encountered those dogs, it would have been a miracle if it survived.

“Dudu—”

Qin Qingman had no choice but to call out for the wolf cub.

Their search area expanded from the east room to the hall and west room, and eventually, to the entire house.

The siblings carefully searched every corner, but still, they couldn’t find it.

“Gurgle, gurgle—” Chuchu, sweating profusely, drank from the enamel mug for a long time. He had searched the entire house, even crouching down to look beneath the wardrobe, and had even poked his head into the stove flue in the east room, but he still couldn’t find the wolf cub.

“Sis, could it be that Dudu really ran out?” 

Chuchu no longer felt confident. He frantically tried to remember and even wondered if they had left the door improperly closed when they went out earlier, allowing the wolf cub to run out with them.

Qin Qingman also had her doubts. 

She took the water that Chuchu handed her, drank a few sips, then wiped the sweat from her forehead with her hand. “No, I have to go outside and look.”

“Sis, what if we try using goat milk again?”

Chuchu realized that the usual methods might not help find the wolf cub. He thought of the cub’s favorite food.

“I think that could work.”

Qin Qingman quickly put on a cotton coat and took the bucket to the sheep pen to milk the goat.

This time, she didn’t milk much—just enough for a bowl before stopping. She then returned to the house and poured the goat milk into the wolf cub’s bowl.

The wolf cub was very protective of the bowl it ate from. Every time it finished drinking milk, it would carefully lick the bowl, probably marking it with its saliva to leave its scent.

“Dudu, it’s time to eat. If you don’t eat soon, I’ll finish it.”

Chuchu squatted in front of the wolf cub’s bowl and called out. He didn’t believe the wolf cub could resist the temptation.

Then, the siblings both heard the sound of running footsteps.

The sound wasn’t loud but was very hurried.

Looking up, a dark shadow fell from the ceiling beam overhead.

If Qin Qingman hadn’t realized that this dark object was the wolf cub reaching out, it would have certainly knocked the cub unconscious when it fell.

Grabbing the wolf cub by the scruff of its neck, the siblings and the cub stared at each other in silence.

“Sis, was it unable to come down just now, and didn’t want to let us see it looking silly, so it kept hiding?” Chuchu asked suspiciously, glancing at the wolf cub’s paws. The claws, which had finally started to grow, had been worn down.

Qin Qingman looked at the wolf cub’s paws, then at the high ceiling beams, and fell silent.

“Wuwuwu—”

The wolf cub, realizing it had done something wrong, didn’t dare to howl. Instead, it whimpered toward Qin Qingman, trying to please her.

The little wolf cub kept glancing at the goat milk on the ground, its small tongue eagerly licking its lips.

It was hungry.

The cub had used up a lot of energy causing a ruckus in the east room earlier, and worried it might get a spanking. So, the little creature made up its mind and tried to climb up to the ceiling beams. Being small, it managed to find a small gap and squeezed into the hall.

It was easy to climb up, but coming down was difficult. The wolf cub tried several times but couldn’t get down.

Unable to descend, it grew frustrated and began howling wildly, scaring the two geese in the hall and the sheep in the pen. It was this commotion that made Qin Qingman and Chuchu realize something was off when they returned home.

Although the wolf cub was small, being a wolf, it was very intelligent.

It immediately sensed that Qin Qingman and Chuchu were upset. Fearing a spanking, it hid silently on the beams.

If Qin Qingman hadn’t tempted it with goat milk, the cub might have stayed hidden for much longer.

“You dare to make the family worry like this? You need a spanking.”

This time, Qin Qingman didn’t protect the mischievous wolf cub. She reached out and gave its plump little backside a few hard slaps.

The cub’s rear was very soft, and the spanks had a lot of bounce to them.

Qin Qingman slapped the cub hard and still felt a lingering sense of satisfaction from the feeling, but the wolf cub drooped, deflated from the spanking.

To the wolf cub, Qin Qingman was like a mother. When it was being punished, it didn’t cry or scream like a human child. Instead, it lowered its ears and tail in defeat.

It knew it was wrong.

The cub had also been spanked by Xiao HeiWife when it misbehaved before. Now, being spanked by Qin Qingman, the familiar feeling returned.

Its big, watery eyes were full of tears.

It didn’t dare to cry, only looking up at Qin Qingman with a pitiful gaze.

Chuchu looked at the wolf cub and instantly felt a surge of pity. “Sis, why don’t we just let it go? We were the ones who left Dudu at home first. It’s just worried we might not want it, that we’d abandon it.”

Qin Qingman had initially thought the wolf cub was being too mischievous and needed more discipline. However, after hearing Chuchu’s words, she realized that while the communication between children might be unclear, their feelings were deeply connected.

She hugged the wolf cub and, without saying a word, began wiping it down with a damp towel.

The wolf cub had been darting around the beams, and its fur had gathered quite a bit of dust.

Chuchu, seeing that Qin Qingman wasn’t speaking, didn’t dare to offer any more advice. He simply helped by handing her water and towels when needed.

Once Qin Qingman had cleaned the wolf cub, she gently patted its body before placing it in front of the goat milk.

The wolf cub sniffed the tempting goat milk, then looked up at Qin Qingman. This time, it no longer sensed any displeasure from her. It gave a small, soft whine toward her. After Qin Qingman patted its head again, the wolf cub happily buried its face in the food bowl.

It was eating, focusing entirely on its meal.

The Qin household was filled with laughter once again. Qin Qingman, with Chuchu’s help, tidied up the house.

A few days later, Qin Qingman had not only finished knitting Wei Ling’s sweater but also made one for Chuchu in a fresh, vibrant green color.

The color was very refreshing and beautiful.

Chuchu didn’t want to take it off. He felt that the sweater made by Big Sister was warmer and more beautiful than any he could have bought from the Supply and Marketing Cooperative.

The wolf cub, seeing that it had no sweater of its own, became dissatisfied. It grabbed the hem of Qin Qingman’s pants and whimpered.

Chuchu couldn’t help but laugh out loud.

He had never seen a wolf in a sweater before.

Outside Kaoshan Village, after more than a week of waiting, Wan Mingxi and his family finally came over to apologize, bringing expensive gifts.

This time, not only Wan Mingxi and his wife, but also their only daughter, Wan Lin, followed behind.

However, Wan Lin’s face was full of dissatisfaction.