Du Fan was a little embarrassed.

But thinking of his elderly mother and son at home, he blushed and rubbed his hands awkwardly.

"My mother told me that you... caught a big one while hunting in the mountains yesterday, Brother Lin? I also want to go up the mountain and hunt some game, but my family is too poor, so I have no choice." Du Fan lowered his head more and more as he spoke.

People are often reluctant to share the hunting spots they have access to.

These days, it's not easy to even have enough to eat at home, let alone go hunting, where you can at least get meat.

If you're going to be stingy and calculating, you should take the game you hunt to the city to sell and exchange it for some more affordable beans and brown rice, so you can eat it for longer.

Lin Weiming didn't make things difficult for him, and readily said, "I went to the old locust tree in Xishan yesterday. I saw traces of gazelles and rabbits there. Go take a look, maybe you can catch some."

"Thank you, Brother Lin!" Du Fan looked up, his eyes brightening considerably.

Seeing the little girl sitting next to Lin Weiming, Du Fan smiled at her.

He was busy working outside every day and hadn't seen Lin Wanyue much, but he had heard his mother and wife mention that the Lin family had taken in a little girl, which was a waste of food.

"Uncle, please don't go." Lin Wanyue stared at Du Fan for a long time, then tugged at his sleeve.

The little girl's voice was soft and sweet. Du Fan, who also only had a son, had no resistance to such a well-behaved little girl. He squatted down and looked at Lin Wanyue, asking softly, "Why can't we go?"

"Brother Lin, your daughter is so cute, it makes me want to raise one too," Du Fan praised.

“That won’t do. My daughter is so wonderful; I couldn’t have given birth to one myself.”

I found it all on the street!

Lin Weiming showed no embarrassment whatsoever; his face was full of smugness, making him look incredibly irritating.

“It’s dangerous up in the mountains.” Lin Wanyue was just as straightforward as her father. “You’ll be in trouble.”

Du Fan: "..."

Suddenly I don't find this little girl cute anymore!

Lin Wanyue had just noticed a faint cloud hanging over this uncle's head. People like this are most likely to encounter bad luck; they're the kind of people who can step in dog poop as soon as they step outside.

Staying at home may not guarantee protection from danger, but it is certainly much safer than going up the mountain.

Lin Wanyue felt that since her father could chat so well with this uncle, he must not be a bad person, so she couldn't help but remind him.

Du Fan gave a somewhat forced smile and said goodbye to Lin Weiming, "Brother Lin, you go ahead with your work, I'll be going now."

These past few years have been tough for everyone, and the Du family is no exception. His mother is old, his wife isn't strong or capable, and they have a five-year-old son to support, so they can't help him with the burden.

Du Fan supports his family on his own, and life is really tough.

If we could go up the mountain and hunt the various game, life would probably become much easier.

Lin Weiming knew this, which is why he readily told him the location.

"Wanwan, you shouldn't speak so bluntly in the future. People have their own difficulties," Lin Weiming began to lecture his daughter.

Xuefu came out carrying a basket of clothes and asked curiously, "But what happened?"

Lin Weiming then told her what had just happened.

“Wanwan, there must be a reason for saying that. Wanwan, tell your mother, why do you think he will be unlucky?” Xuefu asked softly.

Lin Wanyue knew that Du Fan hadn't listened to her, so she pointed to her forehead and said, "Uncle, this place is dark inside, you'll have bad luck."

"..."

Oh my?

This little girl can even read faces?

However, since it was just something a three-year-old child said, Xuefu didn't know if it was true or not, so she didn't take it to heart: "Wanwan, go play with your brothers."

"Sigh..." Lin Wanyue let out a long sigh like a little adult.

Xuefu and Lin Weiming couldn't help but laugh at her.

To everyone's surprise, as evening approached, the village head's son started beating drums and gongs, drawing all the able-bodied men in the village to the village head's house.

Lin Weiming was also called over.

It turned out that Du Fan hadn't returned since he left home that morning. His wife and mother had searched the fields and alleys, but couldn't find him.

There was no other way but to come here and ask the village head for help.

Du Fan's wife's eyes were red from crying. "My Du Fan said he was going hunting in the mountains and would be back in the afternoon. He didn't even bring any food... But we haven't seen him since. We're really sorry to trouble you all."

None of the young men in the village refused; they all lit torches.

Lin Weiming's expression was somewhat solemn. He held up a torch and looked towards the direction of the Western Hills.

Could it be... that Wanwan was right this time?

Du Fan encountered danger on the mountain, so he hasn't returned yet.

Xishan is a rather large mountain. When ordinary people go hunting on the mountain, they go to familiar places and return early after nightfall.

Otherwise, the wild beasts in the mountains would likely perish if they smelled the scent on a person.

Lin Weiming stepped forward and said, "Du Fan came to me this morning and asked where I got my rabbit. I'm afraid he also went to the old locust tree area."

"An old locust tree? That's a ghost tree," an older man muttered.

Even young men felt a chill run down their spines.

But in order to find Du Fan, they braved the howling cold wind of the night and headed towards the old locust tree.

Many hands make light work. Under the dim light of the fire, someone with sharp eyes finally spotted the bloodstains on the ground.

My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!