Ma Chunmei walked over with her hands on her hips and a sarcastic expression on her face. Her eyes were fixed on the meat in Ayiguli's basket, her eyes practically bulging out of their sockets with jealousy.

She had just finished her work and was exhausted when she arrived at the company and heard that Du Jianshan had killed a bear and was even sharing the meat!

She immediately came over hoping to get something for free, but when she arrived, she saw Du Jianshan stuffing such a big piece of good meat into Ayiguli's mouth!

The fire in her heart suddenly flared up!

Du Jianshan didn't even raise his head, and said indifferently, "What's it to you?"

Ma Chunmei choked for a moment, then put on a high-pitched voice and pretended to lean closer: "Comrade Du~ Look, we're all educated youth, you hunted such a big bear, shouldn't you share some with me? I don't want much, just..."

She reached out to grab the remaining meat from the cutting board.

Du Jianshan slammed a cleaver down on the cutting board with a "smack," just an inch away from her fingertips, which startled her so much that she screamed and pulled her hand back.

"What are you doing? Trying to kill someone!" Ma Chunmei screamed.

Du Jianshan sneered: "Who do you think you are? You think you're worthy to come here and take things for free?"

Ma Chunmei's face contorted with rage as she pointed at Ayiguli: "Then why does she deserve it? Huh? Are you having an affair with her? Are you cheating on her?"

Upon hearing this, those around him immediately frowned.

Aygul's eyes reddened with anger: "You...you're talking nonsense!"

Du Jianshan's eyes turned cold, and he retorted directly: "My help to Comrade Ayiguli is out of revolutionary friendship! A lazy, greedy, and foul-mouthed piece of trash like you doesn't deserve my help!"

Ma Chunmei's face turned ashen from the scolding, and she threw a tantrum, saying, "Fine! You two are having an affair! Everyone, look! Du Jianshan is having an affair with this Uyghur woman! He even offered her meat in public! Shameless!"

The more she cursed, the more offensive her words became. Du Jianshan, too lazy to waste words with her, kicked the sand beside him, and with a "whoosh," it flew all over her face.

"Pah! Pah!" Ma Chunmei ate a mouthful of mud, jumped up and down in anger, turned around and shouted into the crowd, "Ma Jinbao! Your sister has been bullied! Where the hell have you been?"

Ma Jinbao had been hiding in the crowd pretending to be dead, but when she called out to him, he had no choice but to stand up. However, when he saw Du Jianshan's cold eyes, his legs trembled.

Du Jianshan has been in the countryside for half a month, and he has been beaten three times already!

Looking at Du Jianshan now gives me a headache.

"Sis... let's just forget about it..." he said cowardly.

"Useless thing!" Ma Chunmei cursed angrily, shoving him: "Go! Beat him up!"

Ma Jinbao stumbled forward two steps after being pushed, met Du Jianshan's gaze, swallowed hard, and suddenly cried out "Ouch!" clutching his stomach: "I...I have a stomachache! I'm leaving now!"

After saying that, he turned and ran, faster than a rabbit.

Ma Chunmei was furious and pointed at Du Jianshan, screaming, "You wait! I'm going to find the company commander right now!"

"I'm accusing you of having illicit relationships! Beating up a former educated youth! Let's see how long you can keep up your arrogance!"

"Look what you've done to my brother!"

"Either you give me some of the meat, or I'm going to sue you!"

"You're undermining collectivism by only distributing to others and not to us! You're undermining our enthusiasm for work!"

Wang Tieniu watched from the side with his eyes wide open.

Good heavens!

I've seen shameless people, but I've never seen anyone this shameless!

That's a really bad accusation; anyone who didn't know better would really think Du Jianshan had wronged them!

"Have you no shame! My brother Shanzi can give the meat he cuts to whomever he wants, why should I give it to you?"

"You shamelessly come here wanting things? Dream on! If you want food, you should trade for it. Why should you freeload?"

"Is it because you look like a toad? Or because your voice sounds like a firecracker?"

Ma Chunmei's face flushed crimson, and she pointed at Wang Tieniu, trembling, "Fine, fine, you're bullying me too! You've gone too far! I'll..."

"What's all this fuss about?"

Before he could finish speaking, a sharp shout came from afar.

Company Commander Chen Jianshan strode over with a dark face, his gaze sweeping over everyone before finally landing on Ma Chunmei: "It's you again? Instead of staying put after work, what are you doing here howling like a ghost!"

During this period, Ma Chunmei's work has been so disruptive that not a single day has been peaceful.

He spends all his time complaining in the fields.

This gave him a huge headache.

If it weren't for the shortage of educated youth in the past two years, he would have preferred to return the goods directly.

As soon as Ma Chunmei saw the company commander arrive, tears streamed down her face like a faucet being turned on. She slapped her thigh and wailed, "Company commander! You have to stand up for me! This Du Jianshan... he's bullying me!"

"He cheated on his wife! And he even hit people! Look at him, he brought back bear meat, and everyone in the team got some, but he didn't give any to me and my brother!"

"Isn't this targeting us? He's undermining unity and destroying productivity! I... I don't want to live anymore!"

She got more and more excited as she talked, and finally plopped down on the ground, slapping the ground and kicking up dust: "He's got a lousy gun and thinks he can do whatever he wants! He even threw dust into my eyes!"

“My younger brother, Jinbao, is terrified of him and doesn’t dare to utter a sound! Company Commander, if you don’t do something about this, how will my brother and I survive in Baiyangbao?”

Aygul watched from the side, her face turning pale with anger, her lips trembling.

She was gentle by nature; she had never seen such a shrew who twisted the truth so blatantly.

She mustered her courage and stepped forward, her voice soft but clear: "Company Commander! Ma Chunmei is talking nonsense! Comrade Du kindly shared meat with everyone, but she just came up and grabbed it, and... and she even slandered people!"

"Comrade Du didn't hit her or touch Ma Jinbao at all! She's just being unreasonable!" She pointed at Ma Chunmei: "She hurled awful insults!"

Du Jianshan sneered and slammed the boning knife in his hand onto the cutting board with a crisp clang that drowned out Ma Chunmei's wailing.

"Ma Chunmei, did you fish your mouth out of a cesspool? It stinks worse than bear dung! Dividing the meat?"

"Have you ever contributed a single bit to the collective? You've been slacking off and cheating every day, and you still have the nerve to ask for meat?"

"Let me tell you, this kind of meat isn't even fit for feeding a dog! Don't you want to live? If you want to die, get lost and stop disgusting people here!"

“Listen to this! Listen to the company commander! He’s cursing me to die!” Ma Chunmei pointed at Du Jianshan, crying and screaming, rolling on the ground: “He’s insulting me! He’s targeting me! He’s having an affair with that Uyghur girl! He’s protecting her! Company commander, you have to investigate!”

"Enough!"

Chen Jianshan suddenly roared, like a thunderclap, making everyone tremble.

The veins on his forehead bulged, and he pointed at Ma Chunmei, who was throwing a tantrum on the ground, his fingers trembling with anger.

“Ma Chunmei! I’ve been putting up with you for a long time! Tell me yourself, since you came to Baiyangbao, when have you ever done any work properly?”

"Which meeting don't you disrupt? You're the best at shirking responsibility and spreading rumors!"

"Comrade Du Jianshan risked his life to hunt the bear, and he's willing to share it with everyone—that's a favor! Not sharing it with you is his right!"

"What right do you have to cry, make a scene, and threaten suicide here? And to slander homosexual relationships? I think you have a serious problem with your thinking!"

The two rushed over like the wind, their feet crunching on fallen leaves, the branches rustling.

In the distance, Wang Tieniu arrived panting, carrying two buckets of water, and bumped into Ma Gan and Du Jianshan.

"The water's here!" Wang Tieniu shouted, slowing his pace.

The wind howled outside the window, and sand lashed against the windowpanes, making a creaking sound. Du Jianshan looked at the branches swaying in the wind and suddenly laughed: "What's the rush? Let's find out the situation first, and we'll talk when the wind stops. Tomorrow morning we'll go up the mountain together, and maybe hunt a few wild rabbits and bring back some fresh meat."

Old Li smiled and waved his teacup: "Well said, don't just rely on tea and steamed buns to get by, we need to nourish our bodies too."

Du Jianshan got up and walked to the door, kicking away the dirt on the threshold: "I'll go get some lime and sprinkle it in the corners of the wall to prevent insects from getting in. You keep an eye on the fire and make sure the flames don't escape."

Old Li chuckled and shook his head: "You're such a meticulous person. Sprinkling lime in the corner sounds clean, doesn't it?"

The sandstorm gradually subsided, and the outline of the distant mountains could be seen through the window, blurry yet resolute. Du Jianshan stepped outside, his feet sinking into the dried earth, breathing in the air mixed with sand and dust.

"Old Li, tell me, in all these years of hunting in the mountains, has it ever been as tough as this time?" he asked casually.

Old Li picked up a bag of lime and said as he walked, "What's hard to endure is not the hardship itself, but the lack of willpower. Look at those wild rabbits on the mountain. A few days ago, the heavy snow blocked the mountain, and they had to find places to hide. It's even harder for us to find them on the mountain."

Du Jianshan nodded: "Yes, I heard that the people in the next village are also planning to go out to sea to catch some fish. The tougher our lives are, the more we have to persevere."

Old Li suddenly stopped and turned to look at Du Jianshan: "Have you ever thought about changing careers? Going to the city to work and earn some money?"

Du Jianshan smiled, his eyes resolute: "I have no such plans. Hunting in the mountains is our roots. Even if life is tough, we can't lose this spirit. I'm not used to the city life; these mountains and the sea are the best for us."

Old Li sighed and shook his head: "You're a very stubborn kid. But I admire you."

The two continued walking towards the village entrance. Although the sandstorm was less intense, it still felt chilly. Du Jianshan squatted down, picked up a handful of lime, and sprinkled it in the corner of the house. The grayish-white powder shimmered faintly in the twilight light.

"Old Li, do you think it's possible for us, who go hunting in the mountains, to one day leave the mountains and see the outside world?" he suddenly asked.

Old Li stroked his beard, a glint in his eyes: "Maybe, but that'll have to wait until our children grow up and are capable of making their way in the world. For the rest of our lives, let's stay and protect this land."

Du Jianshan nodded: "Being able to live in this beautiful land is a kind of happiness."

Zhao Youcai's stick-thin body, as light as a scarecrow, was swung around by a tremendous force!

"Bang!"

Zhao Youcai fell heavily to the ground, nearly spitting out a mouthful of blood, and his vision went black.

"You...you dare to hit me?" Zhao Youcai struggled to get up, clutching his shoulder, his eyes filled with disbelief.

Du Jianshan stood there, like a mountain, his face expressionless.

"If you keep your mouth shut, next time it won't be an over-the-shoulder throw." His voice wasn't loud, but it was like ice water poured over your head, making it hard to breathe.

"Are you trying to rebel?! I'm the commune's propagandist!" Zhao Youcai jumped up, his eyes wide as saucers.

"If you were really a propagandist, you should know what it means to respect people." Du Jianshan's voice remained calm, but the coldness in his eyes grew inch by inch.

The villagers standing nearby were dumbfounded, and no one dared to utter a sound. Even the wind seemed to have stopped, with only a few sparrows fluttering past at the edge of the woods.

"What's going on?" A gruff voice came from afar.

Village Party Secretary Uncle Shi walked briskly across the field ridge, sweat still dripping from his forehead, with two young men behind him carrying hoes.

"Uncle Stone!" Zhao Youcai exclaimed as if he'd seen a savior. "You have to be the judge! This Du Jianshan, he... he actually dared to hit me!"

Uncle Stone's expression changed, and he turned to look at Du Jianshan, "Jianshan, what's going on?"

Du Jianshan stood ramrod straight, his face cold and stern. "His mouth is too foul. He insulted my mother and dragged my father into it."

"What did I say? I just said—" Zhao Youcai was interrupted by Uncle Shi raising his hand before he could finish speaking.

"Shut up! You know your mouth, it's fine to joke around normally, but this time you've hit a nerve, no wonder you attacked me as soon as you saw the mountain."

Zhao Youcai's face turned red and his neck bulged. "But he can't lay a hand on me!"

"Do you have any evidence?" Uncle Stone glared at him. "If you hadn't provoked me first, would Du Jianshan have laid a finger on you?"

"Hmph!" Zhao Youcai gritted his teeth, glared at Du Jianshan, and slunk away.

“Jianshan,” Uncle Shi looked at Du Jianshan, his tone softening, “you need to control your temper. Everyone knows that your father’s matter is a scar on your family, and we’ve all avoided talking about it. But if you keep resorting to violence like this, and things escalate, you’ll be the one who suffers.”

Du Jianshan pursed his lips and nodded. "I know."

Uncle Stone sighed, "You still have your old hunting rifle?"

"Yes, it's fixed." Du Jianshan glanced at the mountain shadows to the west, a glint of light flashing in his eyes. "There's some movement on the mountain; I'm going to check it out tonight."

“There are a lot more wild boars in the woods lately, and they’ve been robbing the crops of the villagers on the east side of the mountain.” Uncle Shi nodded. “If you can really catch a few, the commune will definitely have something to say about it.”

“That’s exactly what I was planning to do.” Du Jianshan’s voice wasn’t loud, but it carried a certainty. “We need to clear the woods before the autumn harvest so that the villagers can feel at ease.”

"Alright, go ahead then, be careful." Uncle Stone patted him on the shoulder. "You've got guts, kid. Don't let your guts go astray."

Du Jianshan nodded slightly.

As dusk fell, a mountain breeze blew, and the grass at the edge of the woods rustled softly.

He returned home, pushed open the wooden door, and found his mother mending a tattered cloth bag inside, the lamp wick burning dimly.

"Mother, I'm going into the mountains tonight."

"Back in the mountains again?" Her mother didn't look up, but her tone carried a hint of worry. "Didn't you say you heard wolves howling last night? You just fixed your gun—"

"It's alright, I've hunted three times, the gun is fine." Du Jianshan took off his coat and pulled out the gun wrapped in black cloth from the corner. "I just wanted to check out the nest."

The mother finally looked up, her face weathered by time. "Your father used to be like this. He'd say he was going to visit his family, but he never came back."

“I won’t end up like him.” Du Jianshan paused. “I will come back.”

The mother sighed, her eyes slightly red. "Jianshan, I know you're upset, but your father... doesn't want to see you always carrying this burden alone."

"Mother, we rely on the mountain for our livelihood now. If I don't come down from the mountain, who will have meat to eat?"

The mother's nose tingled with emotion, and she didn't try to persuade him any further.

Du Jianshan packed some dry rations, put on an old blue cloth jacket, and headed up the mountain as darkness fell.

The moon had not yet risen, and the woods were eerily quiet.

He walked lightly along the forest path, his ears constantly listening to the sounds around him.

He heard a soft rustling sound and immediately ducked into the bushes.

"Swoosh, whoosh—"

Not far ahead, several wild boars were rummaging through the decaying leaves, their snouts pushing up the ground.

He held his breath, slowly raised his hunting rifle, his eyes sharp as an eagle's.

"Smack!"

Gunshots ripped through the night sky, and a wild boar fell to the ground.

The remaining wild boars were startled and scattered in a chaotic manner, causing an uproar in the forest.

Du Jianshan rushed over, and after confirming that the prey was dead, he quickly tied its four hooves and dragged it along with a rope he had prepared beforehand.

Suddenly, several intermittent footsteps came from the other side of the woods.

"Who?" He cautiously ducked behind a tree, raising his gun slightly.

"Don't shoot! It's me!"

A figure emerged from the other end of the woods, his face covered in sweat.

It was Ma Dahan, an old buddy from the village who had trained with Du Jianshan in the army.

"Da Han? What are you doing here?"

“I heard you were going into the mountains tonight, so I thought I’d come along and lend a hand,” Ma Dahan said, panting. “Perfect timing, I also spotted the wolf den.”

Where?

"Over on the east side, there's a newly collapsed hole with at least three cubs inside. The mother wolf isn't there during the day."

Du Jianshan's eyes lit up. "If we really want to take down this den, we have to wait for the mother wolf to come back and then finish it off with one shot. Otherwise, the wolf cubs will be a disaster when they grow up."

Ma Dahan nodded, "I didn't bring anything today, I'm just here to watch and help out."

"Let's go, take this pig back to the mountain pass first, then we'll go hunt the wolves."

The two of them dragged the pig along while talking in hushed tones.

"Do you still remember how your father saved those mountain people back then?" Ma Dahan suddenly asked.

“I remember,” Du Jianshan said in a low voice. “He rescued the child from the wolves, and in the end… he was bitten to death.”

Ma Dahan's eyes were also a little red. "He's a real man."

Du Jianshan gritted his teeth, "So I have to live a decent life, otherwise I'll let him down."

Their shadows stretched long in the moonlight, and the wind in the woods carried a crisp, refreshing scent.

He quickly dressed, slung his hunting rifle over his shoulder, slung his backpack over his shoulder, and strode downstairs.

In the yard, the three hunting dogs had been pacing back and forth in their pen. When they saw their owner appear, their tails whipped like whips.

"Heizi, Huanghu, and Lao San are all in good spirits." Du Jianshan smiled and patted their heads. "They went up the mountain to work today!"

Before long, Lin Dagui, Wang Jiu, and the young man Achu from the village entrance arrived.

"Big brother, we agreed last night that we'd leave first thing this morning," Lin Dagui said, panting. "You got up early enough."

“We’re hunters, so we have to get up early,” Du Jianshan said with a smile. “The sandstorm has just passed, so the terrain in the mountains has probably changed a bit. We need to go and set an example as soon as possible.”

“Yes, we need to find the rabbit hutch, the pheasant path, and the badger den again,” Wang Jiu replied.

Achu clutched a small leather bag in her hand. "This is sulfur and soybean powder that my father asked me to take with me before he left home. He said it was for repelling snakes."

"Well done." Du Jianshan patted him on the shoulder. "Your father is an old hunter, so you have to listen to what he says."

After they finished getting ready, the group, with their dogs in hand, headed into the mountains in the dim light of dawn.

Meanwhile, Ahua wasn't idle either. She cooked a pot of porridge in the kitchen, reheated the leftover salted fish from last night, called her mother, and hurried towards the seaside.

At the village entrance, I met Cuilan and Chuntao, two young women carrying baskets on their backs. They smiled and said, "Ahua, are you going to the beach so early too?"

Ahua nodded: "The wind was strong last night, so the tide must have receded a lot. Maybe there are more mudflats on the beach. We need to see if any new tidal channels have opened up."

Chun Tao said in a low voice, "My husband said last night that he heard a sound like waves crashing against the rocks at the beach. With such strong winds, the crabs must be hiding deep inside."

“If they hide deep, let’s dig.” Ahua gritted her teeth. “When the tide comes in, razor clams, mantis shrimp and clams will all be out of the water. As long as we find the right channel, we won’t have to worry about not catching anything.”

The three walked towards the beach, talking as they went. The wind had just stopped and the sky and sea were one color, and the moist, salty smell mixed with the fresh scent of grass roots wafted towards them.

Ahua squatted down and touched the sand; it was cold and damp, and it sank in when pressed.

“A new tidal channel has appeared here.” She pointed to a patch of dark, wet sand and said, “Look at the water ripples, the seawater washed over here last night and is now receding. Dig this way.”

Cuilan looked up into the distance: "Hey, wasn't there a reef over there? Where did it go?"

Ahua squinted and looked for a while: "It's not gone, it's half buried in the sand."

Chuntao sighed, "The sea really changes when the wind blows."

Ahua rolled up her trouser legs: "We have to adapt too. We need to see where we can go quickly and where we can make a good harvest. It all depends on who has the sharpest eyes and quickest hands."

As she spoke, she rolled up her sleeves, picked up a shovel, and walked toward the new ditch.

The three of them had been working for a short while when they heard Ahua exclaim, "Look! There's a newly opened eye on this clam!"

Pointing to a small cluster of bubbling sand holes, she deftly inserted a shovel and turned over the sand, digging out three or five plump razor clams in one go.

"Wow, this head is much bigger than the one we found a few days ago!" Cuilan exclaimed, bending down in delight. "This place is truly a treasure trove!"

Ahua laughed happily, "Let's go, dig down this tidal creek, we're sure to have a good harvest."

While the three were locked in fierce battle on the beach, things were also raging in the mountains.

When Du Jianshan and his group reached the halfway point of the mountain, Hei Zi suddenly let out a low growl.

"Don't move!" Du Jianshan immediately waved his hand and squatted down.

He followed the dog's gaze and saw a series of messy footprints winding down the sand not far away, disappearing into the pile of rocks.

“These are badger marks.” Lin Dagui squatted down and touched them. “The mud is fresh and hasn’t dried completely yet. I guess it came down the mountain last night in search of food.”

Wang Jiu nodded: "Look over there, there are still some pine needles that have been turned over. They must have pushed the ground up quite a bit."

Du Jianshan stood up: "Let's split up and check from both ends. Achu, come with me to check the cave entrance. Lao Gui and Lao Jiu, go down and see if there are any caves."

The four of them split up to search, exchanging information with each other from time to time as they looked around.

"There's hair here!" Ah Chu shouted, holding up several coarse black and white hairs.

“The badgers are definitely active here.” Du Jianshan glanced around. “We need to remember the terrain this time and set a trap another day.”

Lin Dagui's voice came from his side: "There are digging marks on this sandy area below, but they're not deep. It's probably just someone passing through."

“Write it down.” Du Jianshan frowned. “The waterways and wind paths in the mountains have changed. Badgers, pheasants, and rabbits all need to be relocated. We won’t hunt today; let’s figure out the routes first.”

At noon, they sat in a valley eating dry rations.

"This sandstorm has really washed this mountain clean." Wang Jiu took a sip of water. "We have to find all the badger and rabbit dens that we used to know so well."

Du Jianshan leaned against the tree trunk and nodded: "Yes, we live off the land, we can't do without using our brains. Today, I noted down three badger tracks, two new pheasant trails, and that new rock crevice. I'll draw a map when I get back."

Achu's eyes lit up: "Brother Du, I'll draw a map at home with red and blue ink later, and we'll memorize all the new terrain."

"Well done!" Du Jianshan slapped him on the back. "You're smarter than me."

By the time they descended the mountain and returned to the village, it was already evening. Ahua had just returned from the seaside, her basket brimming with goods.

"Your harvest is quite good," Du Jianshan said, smiling at her.

"It's alright." Ahua wiped the sweat from her forehead. "Our beach has a newly formed low-lying area with clams everywhere. I'll take you to see it if you don't believe me."

Du Jianshan chuckled: "Okay, I'll go beachcombing next time too."

Ahua laughed, "You're probably not as good at beachcombing as I am. You should go back to chasing your badgers in the mountains."

The two chatted and joked back and forth, the wind blowing from the village entrance carrying a faint scent of sea salt and mountain grass, and the warm sunlight of the summer evening shining on their faces.

Du Jianshan grinned and patted Wang Tieniu on the shoulder: "Don't talk back, you're new here and don't know the rules. This job of hunting in the mountains and the sea is exhausting, you have to keep clean, a hot wash will make you feel refreshed."

Wang Tieniu scratched his head and rubbed his arm: "Hey, I understand now. I just arrived, how would I know these rules?"

Ma Gan shook his hand, turned around and shouted towards the kitchen, "Let's go, don't waste time, hurry back!"

The two ran towards the kitchen one after the other. On the way, Wang Tieniu muttered to himself, "Hot water, hot water, what are they for? Seawater is so salty, hot water is much better than any other kind of water."

Du Jianshan laughed: "Silly boy, this hot water isn't for drinking. It's for washing our faces and hands. We've been working in the mountains and by the sea, and we're covered in mud and salt water. We need hot water to wash ourselves to feel better."

Wang Tieniu nodded: "I see. I thought it was for cooking."

In the kitchen, Old Li was filling the pot with water and adding firewood to ignite the stove. When he saw the two of them arrive, he put down the firewood in his hand and said, "That's right. Hurry up and fill the pot with water. It's still cold. Boil more hot water. The mountain people all need it."

Wang Tieniu held the scalding hot bucket, steam rising from his mouth: "This hot water is so hot, I almost had to cover my hands."

Du Jianshan laughed and said, "It's not easy to travel through mountains and seas. If we find even taking a hot bath troublesome, how will we get any work done in the future?"

Wang Tieniu chuckled: "You're right, the hot water may be scalding, but it warms the heart."

Ma Gan shouted from outside, "What are you all still standing there for? Hurry up and bring the water back, it's getting dark, and we have to get up early tomorrow!"

The two quickly returned to the courtyard, carrying hot water. Ma Gan put the bucket aside and said, "Leave it here. We'll use it to bathe tonight. We need to wash ourselves clean tomorrow so we don't bring salt water into the mountains."

Wang Tieniu looked around and asked, "Brother Du, how long is the work of 'moving through the mountains and seas'? Do we have to do this every day?"

Du Jianshan said calmly, “There’s no set rule for this job. Beachcombing depends on the tides, and mountain climbing depends on the weather. If we encounter heavy rain and the mountain roads are slippery, we have to reschedule. Beachcombing requires us to quickly gather the nets when the tide is low, and mountain climbing requires us to get into the mountains early and move quickly.”

Wang Tieniu nodded: "I see, you really have a lot of knowledge."

Ma Gan walked over and patted the two on the shoulders: "You two young people, learn from this. Going out to work in the mountains and on the sea is not only tiring, but also requires skill and patience. If you are impatient, you are prone to making mistakes and may even lose the job."

Du Jianshan chimed in, "Ma Gan is right. We've made a living with this skill all these years. Especially now, with fewer and fewer fish and shrimp, we have to be more meticulous in our fishing and gathering."

Wang Tieniu asked with a smile, "So, during our days of exploring the mountains and the sea, were there any particularly memorable experiences?"

Ma Gan squinted, as if remembering something, and said in a low voice, "I remember that winter, the sea was particularly cold, so cold that my hands were blistered. But the catch was very small, and everyone was starving. A young man accidentally fell into the sea and almost drowned. It was Du Jianshan and the others who rescued him overnight."

Du Jianshan nodded: "At that time, the seawater was frozen like an ice hole, and it would be dangerous for someone to fall in. Fortunately, that person reacted quickly, grabbed the fishing net, and we pulled him up quickly."

Wang Tieniu's eyes lit up: "Brother Du, you're amazing! You saved him so quickly."

Ma Gan shook his head: "Crossing mountains and seas is not only a physical job, but also requires courage and experience. You can't panic when you encounter danger; you have to stay calm."

Wang Tieniu sighed, "Hearing you guys talk about this job, I really feel like I arrived too late."

Du Jianshan patted him on the back: "Take it slow. We all started from scratch. Learn more and do more, and in a few years you'll be an expert too."

Ma Gan laughed: "Also, don't forget, fishing in the mountains and the sea is our lifeline. Only by protecting ourselves and protecting the mountains and sea can we last."

Wang Tieniu nodded solemnly: "I will definitely remember, Brother Magan, Brother Du."

Du Jianshan didn't say anything, but just glanced at him coldly, as if looking at a barking dog.

"Don't you even know where you are?" he said slowly, his voice low and deep. "At the foot of Nanshan Mountain, do you think you can just run wild with the Du family like this?"

Zhao Youcai's face flushed red and then turned pale, but he still retorted, "You think you're right? Is this hill your private property? I chased that wild boar for half the night, and I was about to catch it when you came out and interfered. That's really unfair of you!"

"You did a good job chasing the wild boar," Du Jianshan nodded. "But did you see the red flag at the entrance to the mountain path?"

"I saw it," Zhao Youcai said in a muffled voice.

"Then you still dare to go in?" Du Jianshan stared at him. "It's hunting season now. The village has issued an order that private individuals are not allowed to trespass into the mountains. Do you think you're some kind of Eighth Route Army soldier with special privileges?"

Zhao Youcai was speechless, only able to chuckle awkwardly, "Ahem, misunderstanding, misunderstanding... You see, I was just thinking about getting some meat for my mother to eat during the New Year..."

“The village will distribute them uniformly. You’d be better off using your little tricks to weave sieves.” Du Jianshan said, slinging his basket over his shoulder. “Go back. This hillside belongs to our team today. If you’re capable, go try your luck on the back hill.”

Zhao Youcai wanted to argue further, but seeing Du Jianshan covered in mud, with a few wild boar bristles still clinging to his rope, he knew the man had exerted himself terribly, and arguing would be pointless. He dusted off his backside and huffed as he walked down the mountain.

Du Jianshan stood on the mountain path, watching Zhao Youcai's figure gradually disappear into the distance, before turning around and continuing to walk deeper into the forest.

"Brother Jianshan, all done?" A young man emerged from behind the bushes. It was Li Laiwang, the village's little monkey, about seventeen or eighteen years old, with sharp eyes and incredibly fast hands.

"Yes." Du Jianshan nodded. "Are you all ready on your end?"