rustling sounds.
The sound was very faint, like something rubbing against a bush.
Amian heard it too and exchanged a glance with Meng Chijian. The latter first glanced at the gate and saw that the bolt was in place. Amian gestured for him to squat down, while she climbed onto his shoulder and carefully peeked out from behind the courtyard wall.
Upon seeing this, I immediately broke out in a cold sweat.
Under the moonlight, there were two pupils that shimmered with green light; it was a huge wolf!
“It’s a wolf, circling around our house,” A-Mian said anxiously as she returned to the ground. “It must have smelled the hens in the backyard and wants to eat our chickens.”
Meng Jing was completely at a loss: "What should we do? How could there be wolves in the village?"
"The snow came early this year, and I guess the water on the mountain has frozen over long ago. We haven't found any prey either, so we came down the mountain. It's been more than ten years since we last came down." Meng Chijian took out a wood-chopping knife and torch from the woodshed, and then brought out a ladder.
When a wolf enters the village, people usually shout loudly to warn everyone. Meng Chijian was about to climb the ladder to warn them when A-Mian, like a little monkey, climbed up the wooden ladder first. She still only showed her eyes, carefully observing the giant wolf's movements.
It crouched down, its ears twitching constantly, displaying an extremely wary and alert demeanor. Moreover, it cleverly remained hidden among the bushes and shadows.
“I knew this wolf was unusual as soon as I saw it. I’ve heard people say that wolves hold grudges,” A-Mian said as she climbed down the ladder. “We can’t let it know that it was us who called out. What if it brings its pack to seek revenge?”
Meng Chijian said, "It's fine if it's just one or two chickens, but I'm mainly worried that it might hurt someone."
“I have a way to let everyone in the village know there are wolves, but the wolves won’t know it’s us who shouted.”
"good."
Amian first took Mengjing's box of firecrackers, then took out an iron spoon and an iron pot. "First, I used the firecrackers to lure the wolf away from our house, and then I banged the pot hard."
One after another, firecrackers exploded over the courtyard wall, throwing the giant wolf into a panic.
Ring ring ring! Ring ring ring!
"Who's making such a racket in the middle of the night?! It's so noisy!"
Only then did A-Mian pinch her nose and shout, "Wolves! Wolves have entered the village!"
Then several more firecrackers were thrown out.
At this time, many people in the village were awakened (people in the village go to bed early, especially those who don't want to waste firewood), and a tense atmosphere immediately spread after learning that there were wolves.
It was a chaotic mess, with lots of noise and splashing.
The wolf had already fled, running towards the back of the mountain, and soon disappeared from sight.
That night, no one in the village dared to sleep. They gathered all the able-bodied men, armed with hoes, sticks, machetes, torches, and other tools, and divided them into groups of five or six to patrol the village.
Meng Er's family rushed over, and his wife, who was usually beautiful, was disheveled with red eyes. Their house was rather low, and they were terrified after learning that wolves had entered the village. Meng Er was also called to patrol.
"I was terrified! The three of us were too scared to stay at home. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw that wolf trying to carry my little Tanggao away!" Second Sister-in-law picked up the little girl from the bamboo basket and shook her. "Luckily you found her in time, otherwise who knows what might have happened."
Amian nodded, and Meng Chijian also went out on patrol. Before leaving, he checked everything. At this time, the doors and windows were tightly closed, and Amian's family and her second sister-in-law's family were all hiding in Meng's mother's room, and the door was also firmly closed.
Tiger said, "Impossible! I'll use a stick to chase the wolf away and protect Mother and my sister!"
Second Sister-in-law was still in shock. "I was terrified on the way here. Meng Er said the wolves were driven back to the mountain, but I don't know if that's true."
Amian said, "I saw the wolf run very fast and disappear in a moment. If it still can't find food on the mountain, it might come back. And that wolf was particularly big..."
After listening for a while, Meng's mother slapped her thigh and said, "It might be one of those wolves that came down from the mountain more than ten years ago! Back then, the village was plagued by wolves for a period of time, and many villagers were injured. There were no hunters in the village, so we had to ask a hunter from the next village to come and set up many traps. After catching two wolves, the wolves gradually stopped coming down from the mountain."
"How scary." Ah Mian thought of those eerie green eyes.
However, Meng Er and Meng San did not return. At this moment, Er Sao was in tears, sobbing as she said, "If anything happens to my family... I don't want to live anymore. Me and A Mian, you can have all our land. I know you are kind-hearted and will definitely be able to raise my Hu Zi and Xiao Tang Gao. Just don't let them go hungry and cold, or be slaves to others..."
Amian said confidently, "They will definitely be fine."
Second Sister-in-law exclaimed in surprise, "This... how can this be said... Amitabha, Amitabha, may all the gods protect us..."
The patrol team, though comprised mostly of able-bodied men and with a relatively even number of members in each group, still faces a dilemma: if they were to encounter wolves head-on, unity would be key, but the cowardly ones might only think of their own survival and abandon their companions! In a crisis, anything can happen.
"He's very capable, and he'll definitely put his brothers together. He's definitely more trustworthy than anyone else."
As her sister-in-law listened to her speak, she gradually calmed down. She hugged her two children tightly, lost in thought.
Meng Jing leaned against A-Mian, "But... each group only patrols for an hour, why haven't they come back yet? A-Mian... what if something happens to Third Brother..."
Patrols certainly can't just be conducted near one's own home; they have to patrol the entire village.
“He’s so powerful, and he even brought a machete and a club, how could anything happen to him? Besides, he promised me that he would take us to see the slaughter of the New Year’s pig tomorrow, have you forgotten?” Ah Mian muttered to herself, “He never breaks his word. Second sister-in-law, of course you should raise your children, otherwise they will be so pitiful, losing their father and then their mother.”
Tiger threw himself into his mother's arms and wailed, "Mother, please don't abandon us..."
Amian added, "And even if something happens to him, I will still live on."
Click.
The iron lock on the wooden door was turned open, revealing that the people talking inside hadn't noticed the commotion at the door.
They turned their heads and saw that standing outside the door were Meng Er and Meng San, who had just returned from patrol.
Meng Er rushed into the house, knelt down and hugged his family, saying, "We set up some simple traps on the edge of the village, which caused the delay."
"Do you know how scared you were?!" Second Sister-in-law punched them repeatedly.
A-Mian turned her head and looked at Meng Chijian through the wooden door.
Meng Chijian calmly walked to her side. A-Mian opened her mouth as if to say something, but he only said, "You've been up all night, go to sleep. Tomorrow I'll take you to see the slaughter of the New Year's pig."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
