Chapter Ten: When the Sister Makes a Mistake, the Brother Suffers

“Over the years, it’s not like no one in the village has ever hunted a wild boar, but who has handed it over to the authorities? You can’t just bully us because we’re honest. I’m telling you this now: if anyone dares to mess with my wild boar, I’ll be going to the commune tomorrow. Don’t blame me for exposing all the ways you’ve been undermining the country all these years.”

What the hell? Do they really think she's a brainless pushover that anyone can just bully?

Anyone else would have agreed to this.

But once that door is opened, greedy people will only become more and more demanding.

"Auntie, someone did hunt a wild boar back then, but that boar was small..."

Lin's mother snorted coldly: "So whoever hunts the biggest pig should share it with the villagers? Why should they? Because they're ugly?"

"Captain, I only have one question for you. If we divide this pig in half today, will other people also get a share of the animals they hunt in the mountains?"

As Lin's mother spoke, her gaze swept over everyone, and they all lowered their heads as if they were being stared at.

"If you can't do it, then stop talking nonsense. Girl, take your wild boar and let's go home."

Lin Baozhu easily hoisted the basket containing the wild boar onto her back and followed her mother briskly down the mountain.

"etc……"

"Auntie, this wild boar is so big, your family definitely can't finish it all. Why don't you share some with us? Look, everyone was just helping out on the mountain to search for the treasure, wasn't they?"

Upon hearing this, Lin's mother stopped in her tracks, the frost on her face softening slightly. She narrowed her eyes and slowly asked, "How much are you planning to offer?"

"The pork at the supply and marketing cooperative is 45 cents a pound, but you need a ration coupon to buy it. Although wild boar meat isn't as tender as domestic pig meat, how about 45 cents a pound? Auntie, do you think that's a good deal?"

Lin's mother immediately chimed in: "The meat from the supply and marketing cooperative is indeed 45 cents a pound, and you need a coupon! If you want some, we'll charge you 45 cents a pound. You don't need a coupon. Just come to my house and weigh it."

Lin Baozhu listened from the side, her mind racing: 45 cents a pound of wild boar meat? If she'd known it was this cheap, why bother with all this effort? This wild boar looked to weigh 500 pounds, and at most it would sell for around 200 yuan. It wasn't worth the effort she'd put in on the mountain. She vowed never to hunt again!

When the brigade leader saw that Lin's mother had relented, he secretly breathed a sigh of relief—this Aunt Lin really wouldn't suffer the slightest loss, but it's no wonder, these days who doesn't live frugally?

The road down the mountain was difficult to walk. Lin Erlang stayed close to Lin Baozhu, while Lin Sanlang carried Qin Haifeng on his back and followed behind. The strong men in the village took turns carrying the wild boar, panting and groaning as they moved down the mountain. The heavy boar's body made the wooden poles creak.

"You silly girl, you went up the mountain without a word! You were lucky this time, you only ran into a stupid wild boar. What if you had encountered a tiger or a pack of wolves? You're not allowed to go up the mountain again! If you want to eat meat, your second brother will go to the supply and marketing cooperative to save up some coupons for you!"

Lin Erlang's tone was harsh, with a hint of reprimand, but the lingering fear in his eyes was unmistakable.

Lin Baozhu waved her hand dismissively: "Second brother, I just wanted to catch a couple of rabbits to add to the family's meal, but who knew I'd run into this wild boar. It's stupid, but your sister is clever, otherwise how could I have lured it into a tree? After the boar finishes eating, I'll go... Ouch! Mother, let go, let go, your daughter's ears are going to be ripped off!"

Lin's mother glared at her: "You brat, you think you're so high and mighty just because you managed to hit a pig?"

Lin Erlang chuckled to himself, "Serves you right for running around disobeying orders. You got lucky this time, but will you be so lucky next time?"

Upon hearing this, Lin's mother released Lin Baozhu's ear and grabbed Lin Erlang's arm, saying, "Why did your sister go up the mountain? It's because we're running out of food. Besides, if you brothers were capable, would your sister have taken this risk? In the end, it's because you're all incompetent."

Lin Erlang fell silent immediately—every time his little sister made a mistake, it was always the older brothers who got scolded, and the reason was always, "If you were more capable, would Baozhu have to suffer like this?"

The captain walked beside them, looked at the family, and smiled, saying, "Baozhu, it's the breeding season for wild boars now, and they're all very fierce. Apart from those old hunters, who would dare to go up the mountain at this time? Don't be reckless in the future."

"Yes, Captain," Lin Baozhu replied, covering her ears.

When the villagers heard that the Lin family had killed a big wild boar, men, women, and children all flocked out to the village entrance to see the spectacle.

When they saw four strong men carrying the bloodied wild boar past, they were all so frightened that they took two steps back.

"My goodness! Is this pig some kind of spirit? We've never seen one this big before, even when the village organized strong men to hunt in the mountains."

A large group of people marched towards the Lin family's house, where the butcher was already waiting in the yard with his tools.

Several strong men worked together to lift the wild boar onto a wooden frame, then used an iron hook to hook its jaw and hoist it up...

The Lin family's courtyard was spacious, surrounded by a mud-brick wall, and even with dozens of onlookers crowding in, it didn't feel cramped. Lin's mother leaned close to Lin Baozhu and whispered, "Daughter, how about we keep half of this pig instead of selling it all? It's almost Dragon Boat Festival, so let's save up some gifts for your second brother and visit the leader's family to see if we can get him a better job at the factory."

"Mother, you can handle it as you see fit. I don't care about these things." Lin Baozhu agreed verbally, but she had other plans in mind. She had already taken in a female wild boar in her space. Once she found an opportunity, she would get a male one. Before long, the family would not have to worry about not having meat to eat.

The courtyard was bustling with activity; the women who came to buy meat all carried baskets filled with money and coupons, their faces beaming with smiles.

Some people are happy, while others are jealous.

Just like Zhu Zi's wife, who was queuing up, she had been urging others to classify the wild boars as village collective property while they were on the mountain today. As a result, she was not only scolded by Lin's mother, but also received a severe scolding.

Watching Lin's mother carry the weighed half-wild boar into the house, he smacked his lips with envy, his heart burning with jealousy.

"Why didn't you join in the commotion just now? If you had really made a scene, the wild boar might have been divided up, and we wouldn't have had to spend money to buy it!"

The woman in line nearby was immediately displeased: "Zhu Zi's wife, what are you saying? Bao Zhu risked her life to hunt this wild boar, why should we get it for free? If you're envious, let Zhu Zi go up the mountain and hunt one too, we'll still be happy to pay you 45 cents!"

Although buying meat costs money, it doesn't require coupons, and it's at the supply and marketing cooperative's price, so they're already getting a good deal.

These days, who isn't tightening their belt to make ends meet? Lin Baozhu has the ability to hunt wild boars and exchange them for money; that's her skill, and no one else can find fault with it.

Zhu Zi's wife choked and turned red in the face. She glared at the woman and wiggled her hips as she moved forward—who cares? Pork that doesn't require coupons and only costs 45 cents a pound. I'll buy at least two more pounds today.

The Lin family's courtyard was bustling with activity, but the Bi family's courtyard on the other side of the village was so tense it felt like water could be wrung out of it.