Chapter 41: The Annual Pig Slaughter (Part 1)

During the cold winter months, meals were kept simple.

After all, aside from Mu Fugui, no one else had much physical labor to do.

Without work, they naturally ate less.

Since Mu Fugui had to help with the pig slaughter for the brigade in the morning, Liu Shuangcui made a slightly bigger breakfast than usual.

Once they finished eating, Mu Fugui left first. Mu Mian followed shortly after and went to call Xu Lele.

The little girl had said yesterday that she would come to fetch her, but after waiting for a long time, she never showed up.

Mu Mian had to make a trip to the brigade leader’s house, thinking Xu Lele had forgotten.

It turned out she hadn’t—she had an upset stomach and was still squatting in the toilet.

Mu Mian waited for quite a while before Xu Lele finally came out.

By the time the two of them brought Shiyi to the square, a large crowd had already gathered. There were both adults and children, all there to watch the excitement.

Xu Lele groaned in frustration. “If I had known, I wouldn’t have gone to the toilet! Now all the good spots are taken!”

Mu Mian comforted her. “Well, when nature calls, you have to go.”

That wasn’t something anyone could hold in.

Just as she spoke, Mu Mian spotted Shi Xiaolian in the crowd. She grabbed Xu Lele’s hand and ran. “There’s still space over there! Let’s go find Shi Xiaolian!”

One minute later…

The three girls stood in a row with the puppy at their feet.

Mu Mian nudged Shi Xiaolian with her elbow. “I’m surprised you came. I thought you weren’t interested in this kind of thing.”

Shi Xiaolian replied, “Once they finish, they’ll be distributing the meat.”

Mu Mian immediately understood. Coming early meant she could get a better cut of meat.

To Shi Xiaolian, it wasn’t about watching—it was about the pork.

Shi Xiaolian glanced at her. “Why aren’t you with your dad? What are you doing over here?”

Mu Mian pointed with her chin. “There are too many people on my dad’s side. I can’t squeeze through.”

Mu Fugui wasn’t the only one helping with the slaughter today.

There was also a young man named Tang Chengye, Grandpa Tang’s grandson. He had some basic hunting skills—not much, just a little more than their family dog.

Last year, Mu Fugui had done the slaughtering alone, with Tang Chengye only assisting by holding the pigs down.

This year, the brigade had raised more pigs, and if Mu Fugui had to handle it all by himself, it would take half the day.

So Tang Chengye was also given a knife. Two people working together would be much faster than one.

Finishing early also meant they could distribute the meat sooner. Another reason was…

It was freezing cold outside.

If they spent half a day in the open, their hands and feet would go numb.

A proper slaughterhouse had designated areas for butchering livestock, shielding workers from the wind and snow.

The brigade didn’t have such facilities. Every year, the slaughter was done outdoors.

While it was lively and fun, it was also bitterly cold.

—

The three girls had barely exchanged a few words when a sharp, ear-piercing squeal suddenly rang out.

The loud cry startled Shiyi, who had been happily running around.

Just moments ago, he had been full of excitement. Now, he was frantically dashing around Mu Mian’s feet in panic. After circling twice, he shoved his head between her legs, leaving his rear end sticking up in the air.

It was as if, as long as he couldn’t see anyone, no one could see him either.

Mu Mian clicked her tongue. “What happened to all that bravery? Weren’t you acting fierce with the little chicks?”

Despite her teasing, she bent down and scooped the puppy up.

Once in his owner’s arms, little Shiyi wasn’t scared anymore. Feeling emboldened, he even turned toward the pigs and let out a few high-pitched, puppy-like barks.

Mu Mian laughed.

So this was what it meant to act tough when you had backup, huh?

Xu Lele, still focused on the pigs, stood on her tiptoes to get a better look. “Doesn’t Uncle Fugui’s pig seem bigger?”

Mu Mian nodded. “Probably.”

Xu Lele retracted her gaze. “I thought so. Even its squeal sounds louder.”

Big pigs or small pigs, it didn’t matter—kids loved watching pig slaughtering all the same.

A few men worked together, and before long, the pig was pinned down on the wooden board.

Xu Lele was thrilled. “They’re going to kill it again!”

As she spoke, she eagerly pulled her friends closer for a better look.

Mu Mian quickly reminded them, “Don’t get too close. If they can’t hold it down…”

Before she could finish, her eyes widened in shock. She had meant to warn them that pigs slaughtered for the New Year were usually very strong. If it managed to break free, anyone standing too close might get knocked over.

However, before she could say another word, Tang Chengye plunged the knife into the pig—but he missed the mark by quite a bit.

Instead of blood flowing smoothly into the waiting basin, it sprayed out in a thin, forceful stream—just like a man relieving himself.

The pig wasn’t dead yet. In an instant, it began struggling violently, its strength so great that the men holding it down were barely able to keep it in place.

Tang Chengye’s knife was jolted from his grip and fell to the ground. Panicking, he pressed down on the pig’s head with both hands.

Shouts and exclamations erupted all around.

“My heavens!”

“Oh my god, why is this pig so strong?!”

“Back up, kid! Watch out, or it’ll knock you over!”

“Aiya, the blood is spraying everywhere! Such a waste!”

“Quick! Someone get two more men to help hold it down!”

Amidst the chaos, Mu Mian instinctively handed Shiyi to Shi Xiaolian and then swiftly stepped forward. She bent down and picked up the familiar butcher’s knife from the ground.

This knife belonged to her family—one that her father had discarded. She had even used it once before to stab a wild boar.

As the saying goes, practice makes perfect.

Thanks to Mu Fugui’s thorough teachings and her previous hands-on experience, she had some knowledge of the process.

Most importantly, she was strong enough.

So, in the midst of the commotion, everyone saw a startling sight.

Just as the pig was about to break free, Mu Fugui’s daughter picked up the butcher’s knife without the slightest hesitation.

With one hand, she firmly pressed down on the pig’s kicking legs. With the other, she drove the knife straight into its neck.

In an instant, the blade went in white and came out red.

She even had the presence of mind to reposition the knocked-over basin so that not a single drop of blood was wasted.

As the pig twitched twice and then fell still, the noisy crowd also quieted down for a brief moment.

Then, Mu Fugui’s booming voice rang out from the crowd. “What’s going on? Xiao Tang, couldn’t you hold it down?”

Tang Chengye snapped back to his senses, still shaken, and mumbled, “I-I guess we did in the end…”

But Mu Fugui didn’t hear him, as the people around them immediately started chattering.

“Hey, Old Mu, did you teach your daughter that?”

“As expected, like father, like daughter! So young, and she already knows how to slaughter a pig!”

“This girl is fearless! I was ready to run, but she just charged in without hesitation.”

“I have to say, her technique is exactly like her father’s!”

As the voices buzzed around him, Mu Fugui finally realized what had happened. He pushed through the crowd and rushed forward.

There, he saw his daughter standing beside the pig, knife in hand, her clothes splattered with blood.

His voice was filled with concern. “Did you get hit?”

Mu Mian shook her head. “No, the pig didn’t break free.”

Tang Chengye gave an apologetic smile to those around him. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, it moved, and my hand slipped…”

Mu Fugui patted his shoulder. “Go home and learn a thing or two from your old man.”

With such clumsy skills, he was a disgrace to the name Tang. He hadn’t inherited a bit of his grandfather’s expertise.

Not bothering to see how Tang Chengye reacted, Mu Fugui examined the large wound on the pig’s neck. Then, he ruffled his daughter’s hair, praising her. “Not bad! You stabbed it with great precision—just like your old man!”

Mu Mian, who now had pig blood smeared in her hair: “….”

Forget it. She was already dirty anyway. No point in complaining about her father’s filthy hands.

Xu Yongshou also walked over and praised her. “This little girl of yours really does everything well.”

Mu Mian beamed. “It’s all thanks to my father’s good teaching!”

Xu Lele chimed in, “My dad never teaches me anything!”

Xu Yongshou: “…”

How was he supposed to teach her? He didn’t even know how to do these things himself!

Pretending not to hear his daughter’s complaint, Xu Yongshou turned his attention back to the task at hand and instructed the nearby men, “Don’t just stand there! Get it over to the scalding pot—the water has already boiled twice!”

With that, the little mishap was quickly put behind them. The pig was carried away, and soon, another one was dragged in.

Meanwhile, Mu Mian was still holding the butcher’s knife.

A small girl, gripping a large, blood-stained knife, with splatters of pig’s blood on her clothes—it was quite an intimidating sight.

Aside from Xu Lele and Shi Xiaolian, the other children who had come to watch the commotion slowly backed away.

They glanced at each other, their eyes conveying the same unspoken thought—

This girl was getting scarier and scarier.

Before, she only fought people. Now, she dared to kill a pig with her own hands!

Better keep a safe distance. Who knows where that knife might swing next?!

Unaware that she had once again shocked the other children, Mu Mian turned to return the knife to Tang Chengye—only to see that he had silently moved to the back of the pig, choosing to help hold it down instead.

She looked at the young man in his twenties—someone she should be calling “big brother”—

The young man showed an innocent smile.

Don’t look at him—he wouldn’t dare to make the kill.

Mu Mian turned her gaze to Comrade Mu Fugui, who was adjusting the board’s position.

Sensing his daughter’s eyes on him, Comrade Mu Fugui eagerly asked, “Want to give it another try? I’ll hold it down for you, I promise it won’t break free.”

It was clear that he hadn’t given up on the idea of passing down his work to his daughter.

Whether she would inherit it in the future or not, for now, he was simply enjoying teaching her.

A woman nearby, clearly excited to watch the show, called out, “Come on, Mian girl, give it another go!”

Xu Lele, who had blind faith in Mu Mian, cheered, “Of course, Sister Mianmian can do it—one slice, one big fat pig!”

Nestled in Shi Xiaolian’s arms, Shiyi barked endlessly at the pig, occasionally wriggling as if it wanted to jump down and take on the pig itself.

But the moment Shi Xiaolian actually put it down, it fell silent.

Instead, it pawed at Shi Xiaolian’s pant leg, as if saying—

Hurry up and pick me back up!!

Shi Xiaolian: “……”

Sure enough, like owner, like dog. This dog was way too clever.

It was practically a little genius.