Du Jianshan turned to look at the distant woods and pondered, "Do you think our lives will get better and better in the future? How long can we survive on hunting in the mountains and fishing in the sea?"
Amin said earnestly, "I heard from people in the village that there are some new ways to make a living in the city now, such as opening a small shop, growing some vegetables, and selling some things, which can make the income more stable."
Old Li laughed: "Sigh, young man, you have ideas, that's hope. We old folks are still thinking about how to make our children's lives better."
Du Jianshan's gaze was firm: "No matter what, we have to do the work at hand first. If we catch these rabbits today, the villagers' meals will be much better when we get back tonight."
Ah Ming, holding the rabbit, smiled broadly: "Brother Du, I'll help you clean these rabbits and make a pot of soup. We'll all have a good meal together tonight."
Du Jianshan laughed heartily: "That kid A-Ming knows how to manage money and works efficiently. Just wait, tonight you'll definitely have a good meal."
Old Li patted Amin on the shoulder: "Don't just think about eating, hurry up and finish your work. We have to get back before dark, because the mountain roads are hard to travel after dark."
Du Jianshan turned and walked towards the village, muttering to himself, "The scenery on this mountain is nice, but we can't just look at the scenery. We need to pay more attention, hunt more, and try to make our lives better and better."
On the way, Amin skipped along with Du Jianshan: "Brother Du, do you think we could open a small shop in the future and sell some of the wild game and seafood we hunt?"
Du Jianshan laughed: "That's a good idea, but we need to have some capital first. We haven't saved much money from this little bit of work, so let's take it slow."
Aming said excitedly, "I can help out, and I can even learn to do some small business. Once I learn, I can get my family involved and we can all do it together!"
Du Jianshan remarked with emotion, "It's good that you young people are so energetic; we old folks are counting on you."
As dusk fell, the mountain breeze began to carry a chill. The young people walked and talked, their pace quickening.
Old Li sighed, "Traveling is not easy, but that's life for us. We have to work hard to make a good living."
Du Jianshan nodded: "Yes, we have to go beachcombing again tomorrow to see how the tide is and whether we can catch more fish and shrimp."
Ah Ming stood on tiptoe and asked, "Brother Du, which is more profitable, beachcombing or hunting?"
Du Jianshan smiled and patted his head: "There are many ways to make money, the key is whether you can stick to it. Beachcombing is quick but unstable, hunting is slower but can supplement your food supply. We need to do both."
Old Li chimed in, "Yes, the sea is rough, and hunting in the mountains is dangerous; each has its own risks."
Several people immediately gathered around, their faces showing rare smiles. Wang Tieniu took a bite, the aroma of the meat was irresistible, and the taste was delicious. At that moment, he felt as if he had returned to the days when he was a child, going hunting in the mountains with his father, and a warm feeling welled up in his heart.
"Brother Du, where did you hunt this rabbit?" a young man asked curiously.
Du Jianshan looked up and laughed, "It's in the woods not far away. Yesterday, Er Gouzi and I were hiking in the mountains when we found this rabbit deep in the dense forest. Speaking of which, this rabbit is quite clever. We didn't notice it at first. We have to thank Er Gouzi for his sharp eyes."
"Er Gouzi?" Wang Tieniu asked casually.
One of the men pointed to the burly man next to him, whose face was covered in mud: "That's him, Er Gouzi. He's the most alert guy in our beachcombing team. He has sharp eyes."
Er Gouzi scratched his head modestly: "No, no, we all worked together to get this rabbit to eat."
"By the way, Wang Tieniu, how have you been adjusting these past few days?" Du Jianshan asked with concern after taking a sip of water.
Wang Tieniu smiled and said, "It's alright. We city folks are used to getting up early and warming ourselves by the fire in the mountains. It was really tough for us at first, especially going to the beach. It was my first time stepping in the mud, and the soles of my shoes were almost worn out."
"Haha, that's right, beachcombing isn't just bragging." Er Gouzi chimed in, "This mud is full of loaches, crabs, and clams. You have to be patient and know how to read the water ripples and tides to catch the real treasures."
“You guys are all veterans, I have a lot to learn from you,” Wang Tieniu exclaimed. “These past few days, following you around the mountains and the sea, I’ve realized how amazing this place is. Especially in the morning, the beach stretches as far as the eye can see, teeming with lively seafood, it’s truly exciting.”
"Hey, enough talk. After this meal, we'll be heading to even farther places tomorrow." Du Jianshan stood up, patting the dirt off his hands. "The weather's been good these past few days, and the tides are cooperating too, making it a great time for beachcombing. Everyone'd better hurry."
“Speaking of beachcombing, I’d like to ask how the work is divided here?” Wang Tieniu asked, leaning closer. “I see some brothers are in charge of digging, and some are in charge of scooping. Everyone is cooperating quite well.”
Du Jianshan nodded: "Yes, beachcombing is a skillful job. Some people are responsible for scouting ahead and observing the tides and terrain; those digging in the mud are responsible for finding seafood hidden in the mud; those using nets are responsible for catching fish and shrimp swimming in the shallow water. Others are responsible for carrying and sorting. Finally, everyone works together to settle accounts. Fairness, reasonableness, and teamwork are key."
"It sounds professional," Wang Tieniu exclaimed. "I've only just realized that beachcombing is no simple job like those in the city. We have to keep an eye on the tides all the time, or we'll come back empty-handed."
“That’s right!” Du Jianshan said excitedly. “Whether you’re going to the beach or the mountains, it’s the same. You have to understand the right time, the right place, and the right people. You can’t just have strength without brains. I remember last time, Er Gouzi and I went to the mountains. We ran around all day without any luck. But on the third day, we turned a corner and there was a dense forest in front of us. Rabbits were hopping around there. It seemed like luck, but it was actually the result of careful observation and perseverance.”
"Then I have a lot to learn from you guys." Wang Tieniu clenched his fist. "If we brothers work together, we'll definitely achieve good results."
Old Zhao, who was sitting nearby, sipped his soup and chimed in with a smile, "Young man, you're right. In our area, unity is the most important thing. Look at Old Li over there. Even though he's getting on in years, his cooking skills are still top-notch. The soup he made for lunch today was incredibly delicious."
"Old Li?" Wang Tieniu looked at the old man with curiosity.
Old Zhao laughed and said, "It's that guy with gray hair and a face full of wrinkles. He's been hunting for most of his life, and his cooking is also top-notch around here."
"Come on, Lao Li, tell everyone how you made this soup!" Du Jianshan invited.
Old Li smiled, picked up the bowl, took a sip of soup, and then slowly said, "This soup isn't complicated. It's made with rabbit bones and some wild vegetables from the mountains. It needs to be simmered for several hours to bring out that aroma. To put it simply, making this soup requires patience and a calm, unhurried approach."
“We need this kind of patience whether we’re out in the mountains or out at sea,” Er Gouzi continued. “Everything in the mountains takes time; you can’t rush it. Like when I went out to sea with my dad, the first time I went into the water, I was shivering from the cold, but I gradually got used to it and was able to find more good things.”
"Yes, yes, patience and meticulousness are both indispensable." Du Jianshan nodded. "These next few days, let's take advantage of the good weather and catch more seafood so we can all get together tonight and have a good meal!"
Everyone laughed, and the atmosphere immediately became much more relaxed.
Looking at his brothers sitting around him, Wang Tieniu suddenly felt a sense of security. He thought that although he was new, as long as he learned from them and worked hard, he would definitely find his place in this land of mountains and sea.
"Brother Du," he suddenly said, "do you think we hunters and fishermen have any special rules? For example, how do we resolve difficulties or disputes?"
Du Jianshan thought for a moment and said, "These rules aren't actually that complicated. The most important thing here is loyalty. We should reason things out first and not just rely on fists to solve problems. If there's a dispute, we should sit down and talk it out. We should lay everything out in the open and not let conflicts escalate between brothers. When difficulties arise, we should work together to find solutions and share the burden. Remember, we are a team, not individual heroes."
“That makes sense.” Wang Tieniu nodded. “I used to live in the city and I’ve never seen such rules before. I feel that the brotherhood between us in the mountains and seas is much stronger than the complicated social niceties in the city.”
“Hey, that’s right.” Old Zhao interjected again, “You young people should spend more time with us veterans. Our experience has been honed over the years.”
The woods grew quiet, save for a few birds chirping in the branches. Du Jianshan and his companions, carrying the rabbits they had just caught, slowly made their way back along the mountain path.
“The deer ran too fast, and the wind wasn’t blowing right today, so we couldn’t catch up,” sighed A-Guang, the fastest hunter in the team. “If I hadn’t tripped over that bush just now, I might have been able to get a little closer.”
"Don't be discouraged, A-Guang. Mountain deer are naturally very alert. We'll find a good spot next time and try again," Du Jianshan patted him on the shoulder, encouraging him.
Old Zhang chimed in, “There aren’t only deer and rabbits in these mountains. We also need to keep an eye on wild boars these days. The village chief said pork is in short supply, so we have to do our best.”
“Wild boars are tough to deal with; they’re incredibly fierce. Last time, I almost got knocked down by one.” Ah-Qiang frowned. “We need to prepare some sturdy spears.”
“Yes, we need to have a clear division of labor: some people guard the road, and some people lie in ambush.” Du Jianshan nodded. “Before we set off next time, I’ll discuss it with the village chief again and prepare some traps and weapons.”
The group walked and chatted as they went. The mountain path widened, and in the distance, they could vaguely see smoke rising from the chimneys of villages. The air was filled with the fresh scent of earth and leaves, which brought them peace of mind.
“When we get back tonight, don’t rush to rest,” Du Jianshan suddenly said. “We still need to process the rabbits, and then go back to the beach at dawn. We’ve caught quite a few fish in the past few days, which will supplement our food supply.”
"Yes, it's almost time to go beachcombing. The kids in the village are all looking forward to the seafood we bring back," A-Guang said with a smile.
"By the way, when going beachcombing, you have to pay attention to the tide times. We didn't catch the tide yesterday and almost didn't get anything." Old Zhang frowned. "We have to keep a close eye on the weather and the water flow, and we can't waste any more energy."
“That’s right, we must not let our guard down while we’re out at the beach. It’s windy and there are many reefs along the shore, so we need to look out for each other,” Du Jianshan reminded them. “Besides, with the frequent storms these days, we have to be careful when we’re out at the beach.”
They slowly walked into the village. At the entrance, several houses had already lit their lights, and wisps of smoke rose from their chimneys, bringing a warm and inviting atmosphere.
"Let's go back and hang the rabbits up to dry. We can distribute them to those in the village who need them tomorrow," Du Jianshan suggested.
"We need to change up our meals these days, otherwise the kids will get tired of them," A-Qiang said with a smile.
"I'm going to make rabbit soup tonight, with some wild vegetables from the mountains, to help me recover," A-Guang said with a smile, patting his belly.
"Great idea! I have some dried chili peppers, scallions, and ginger at home. I'll help prepare the ingredients tonight." Old Zhang readily agreed.
Everyone went their separate ways home, busy with their tasks. As night deepened, the village quieted down, with only the occasional barking of dogs and the rustling of leaves in the distance.
The next day, just as dawn broke, Du Jianshan and several young men carried fishing nets and bamboo baskets and headed towards the sea.
A gentle sea breeze blew, and the sea shimmered. Du Jianshan gazed at the vast ocean, his eyes shining with determination.
"We need to get there early this time, the tide is rising fast, we have to race against time," Du Jianshan said.
"Yesterday I learned a new knotting method that makes the net more secure, so we can catch more small fish in the sea," A-Guang said excitedly.
"Don't just focus on catching fish, you also need to pay attention to the changes in the tide and the sky," Old Zhang reminded. "Beachcombing is fun, but safety comes first."
Everyone worked together, some pulling nets, some catching crabs, and some collecting seaweed. The sounds of the seaside rose and fell, busy yet orderly.
"Look, there's a seashell area over there!" A-Qiang pointed to a shallow beach. "Let's go over and see if we can pick some up."
“We can exchange the seashells for salt. The village doesn’t have enough salt, so we can’t neglect the salt exchange,” Du Jianshan said.
Time passed slowly, and the baskets gradually filled with a bountiful catch. Everyone's faces were covered in sweat, but their smiles were radiant.
"This beachcombing trip was quite successful; I can bring back several meals for the village," A-Guang said excitedly.
"Don't rush back. We still need to clean the fishing nets and repair the leaks," Du Jianshan instructed.
"Beachcombing and hunting are two sides of the same coin; neither can be dispensed with," Old Zhang remarked.
As the sun set, everyone returned to the village with a bountiful harvest. Villagers gathered around, asking about the day's events, their faces filled with anticipation.
"There's something delicious to eat!" the children cheered.
"Thanks to you all, the village has been able to hold on like this." The village chief said with a big smile, patting Du Jianshan on the shoulder.
"If everyone works together, life will definitely get better and better," Du Jianshan replied with a smile.
The aroma of stewed rabbit soup filled the air, and seafood was laid out on the table. Everyone ate and chatted about their future plans.
The man was a propaganda team member from the county, wearing a slightly worn blue cloth uniform with a faded red armband on his left sleeve. He snapped his notebook shut, his face turning from pale to white, then back to red, and managed to squeeze out, "I... I was just following the rules. Any problems weren't my decision; they were orders from above."
"The higher-ups?" Du Jianshan scoffed, staring coldly at him. "When did the higher-ups ever give you permission to curse at us mountain people like that? Who gave you permission to take pictures of other people's wives and then go back and write nonsense?"
Upon hearing this, the commune members who were standing around whispered among themselves, and several old men puffed on their pipes, their brows furrowing.
A middle-aged man in a coarse cloth jacket hesitated for a moment, then stepped forward and whispered, "Brother Du, it's not good to make a big fuss about this... People from the county are not to be trifled with."
"People from the county are people too, not emperors!" Du Jianshan said coldly. "We're mountain folk, we dress plainly, and we speak frankly, but that doesn't mean we're shameless!"
The propagandist opened his mouth, but ultimately said nothing. Behind him, a young cameraman shrugged and quietly packed away his tripod, not even bothering to put the lens cap on properly.
A young woman among the commune members suddenly teared up and whispered fiercely, "That day they insisted on taking pictures of me, calling me some kind of 'original ecological working woman.' I said I didn't want to, but they surrounded me and kept snapping away. In the end, the newspaper still printed a picture of my back as I bent over picking up firewood, with a hole in my clothes..."
"Is this all you've got for propaganda?" Du Jianshan asked coldly. "Do you know how many times her mother-in-law scolded her when she got home? She said she was a disgrace, a vixen, and that she went out and flaunted her charms."
The propaganda officer panicked and waved his hands repeatedly: "I...I really didn't mean it. We were just writing according to the script, following the provincial standards..."
"Standard?" Du Jianshan took a step forward, his shoulders sinking slightly as if a mountain was pressing down on him. "Then you write an article as I say, writing that you entered the village without greeting anyone, randomly taking pictures of people, writing that you walked in without knocking and pointed your camera at women to take pictures, do you dare?"
"I...this..."
The propagandist took a step back, his legs buckled, and he almost fell, but was caught by the person behind him.
At this moment, a steady voice interjected: "Alright, stop making a scene. He was in the wrong, but we can't really hold him down. After all, he didn't come here to cause trouble."
The speaker was Chen Wanyou, the village party secretary. He was wearing an old felt hat, a gray coarse cloth jacket buttoned up tightly, and a pair of liberation shoes that had come unglued, with some cotton wadding showing at the heels.
Du Jianshan squinted at him and said, "Uncle Chen, if you think I've gone too far, just say so, and I'll back down."
Chen Wanyou shook his head, his tone softening: "You're not wrong, they're wrong for not treating us like human beings. But if things get too big and the higher-ups really investigate, every household in our village will be in deep trouble."
Du Jianshan was silent for a few seconds, then turned to the propagandist and said, "Apologize."
“I…” the propagandist’s lips trembled.
"Apologize to the people in our village."
The propagandist's face flushed red and then turned pale. Finally, she gritted her teeth and said, "I'm sorry, it was my fault for not working properly and causing trouble for everyone."
The young woman wiped away her tears, turned and walked away, followed by several old women who hummed along, "Now they know what they were wrong with."
Du Jianshan stopped looking at him and said in a low voice, "The village has been rushing to the mountains these past few days. Tiger dens, bear caves, and yellow muntjacs have all come out. If you really want to do some publicity, come up the mountain with me and work with me for a few days. No taking pictures randomly."
"Go up the mountain?" The propagandist's face turned pale upon hearing this. "Isn't that dangerous?"
“If you think your life is precious, then don’t come,” Du Jianshan said. “But if you make up another sentence, I guarantee you won’t be able to get off the mountain.”
After saying this, he turned and walked away, his footsteps crunching on the dirt road.
In the evening, Du Jianshan and his group returned to the village, their clothes covered in mud and weed juice, with several pheasants and two tied-up weasels dragging in their baskets.
A fire was lit in the yard, and a pot of wild vegetable and pork bone soup was bubbling away.
"Brother Jianshan, how do we deal with this weasel? Should we peel it?" the young Xu Xiaolin asked.
"Keep them to sell in the city, the pharmacies will buy them. Peel them and hang them on the tree to dry." Du Jianshan said, tossing a piece of pickled mustard greens into the pot.
At this moment, the propagandist also came over awkwardly and asked in a low voice, "Can I...can I have a bowl of soup?"
Xu Xiaolin glared at him: "You can't stand this taste?"
Du Jianshan didn't say anything, but simply gestured for him to sit down.
"Thank you, thank you..."
The propagandist, holding an enamel bowl, squatted by the fire, drinking until he was sweating profusely, his face flushed red, whether from the spiciness or from feeling guilty, it was hard to tell.
"What's your name?" Du Jianshan asked.
“Wang Wenbin… Wang, the Wen of culture, and Bin, the Bin of civilization.” He answered haltingly.
"His name sounds refined, but what he does is anything but," Du Jianshan retorted.
Wang Wenbin chuckled awkwardly, "I'll be more careful in the future..."
The firelight flickered as Xu Xiaolin, munching on a cornbread, suddenly asked, "Comrade Wang, how come your camera is so good? Can it take pictures of night scenes?"
"Barely, but you'll need to use flash," Wang Wenbin replied while taking a sip of his drink. "What do you want to photograph?"
"Next time you go hunting, you take the pictures. The wolf and tiger you hunt will be much more interesting than the pictures of my sister-in-law gathering firewood."
Du Jianshan smiled with narrowed eyes and said in a low voice, "That depends on whether he has the guts."
Wang Wenbin's face turned pale, and he almost choked. He waved his hands repeatedly, saying, "I'm... okay, I can keep up with you guys."
“Alright,” Du Jianshan said slowly. “Then tomorrow before dawn, you’ll come with us to catch that one-eyed bear. It bit two sheep at the south end of the village last night and is waiting for us to deal with it.”
“…One-eyed bear?” Wang Wenbin’s hand trembled, and half the soup spilled out of the bowl.
"What, you're scared now?" Xu Xiaolin raised an eyebrow.
Wang Wenbin swallowed hard, and finally nodded with a forced smile: "I dare, I'll go with you."
A few soft laughs suddenly rang out by the fire. Du Jianshan didn't say anything more, but simply added another piece of firewood to the fire. Sparks flew up, illuminating his face in half-light and half-shadow, making him look like a rock.
The propagandist, dressed in a crisp woolen cadre uniform with an aluminum Mao Zedong badge pinned to his chest, appeared to be only in his early twenties, yet his face still bore the arrogant air he had displayed earlier. Now, under Du Jianshan's intense gaze, he felt a little uneasy, his throat bobbing, but he couldn't find the words to reply.
"I... I was just following orders—" He blushed and stammered.
"Did your superiors give you permission to swear? To point fingers at those weathered, hardworking old commune members?" Du Jianshan kicked aside a stone, his voice like a nail hitting the ground, "What's your surname?"
The man instinctively took a step back. "My surname is Liu, Liu Qiming, I work at the county cultural center..."
"A cultural center?" Du Jianshan sneered. "Is this the kind of quality people at a cultural center have?"
"I...I'm newly assigned, I've only been here two days." Liu Qiming clenched his fists, somewhat resentful, yet not daring to truly argue back.
"Then you'd better learn the rules of this mountain village first." Du Jianshan stepped closer, standing a head taller than him. "Mountain people are rough, but they can still be reasonable. You come up here and say our village is conservative and backward, that we don't even change our washing water, and you even criticize us for being 'ignorant.' Do you know that this water was just carried back from twenty miles away in the mountains? It takes four hours to change it once!"
Liu Qiming opened his mouth, clearly not expecting that there was such hardship behind the simple phrase "washing water".
From the crowd, a thin, old woman stepped forward, trembling, and said in a soft voice, "I carried water this morning and my shoulders are all chafed... My grandson even asked me why there were leaves in the water, and I said it was the wind... You educated people don't understand, and you can't curse me."
“That’s right!” Aunt Zhang Er shouted in agreement. “Look at my hands, they’ve turned white from being soaked in water! Even if we’re rough people and don’t understand reason, we can’t let you come up here and start cursing us.”
“That’s not what I meant…” Liu Qiming tugged at his sleeve, sweat beading on his forehead. “I just meant… I just felt I should improve…”
"Progress isn't something you can just talk about." Du Jianshan took a step back, looked around, and said, "Progress is something you have to achieve with a hoe and a pickaxe!"
He paused, then continued, “If you’re really capable, stop your nonsense. In these remote mountain villages, practicality is key. If you want the villagers to change their water supply, build them a canal and bring down even just a small stream of fresh water. If you can do it, our village will treat you to ten meals of stewed pork. If you can’t, don’t talk about ‘backwardness’ or stand on your high ground and start cursing.”
"That's right!"
"Exactly! Jianshan's words are truly pleasing to the ear!"
A round of applause erupted from the crowd, and several young men stood up straight, their eyes burning with enthusiasm.
Liu Qiming gave an awkward laugh and said softly, "I...I'll go back and write a self-criticism..."
Du Jianshan ignored him and turned to wave to the crowd: "Everyone, disperse and go about your business. It gets dark quickly in the mountains. We still need to set a trap on the south slope today. I heard that a wild boar was spotted there a few days ago."
"Hey! I'll go!" Zhang Erhu's eyes lit up, and he immediately shouldered the basket. "I've been wanting to try my luck for a while. Last night I dreamed of a sow with her belly sticking out, which must be a good omen!"
"You're just dreaming," Li Mancang laughed from the side. "The sow's belly is big, how can you carry it back? Aren't you afraid of getting covered in mud?"
"Mancang, stop being so foul-mouthed!" Zhang Erhu chased after him, furious, and started hitting him.
Everyone laughed, and the atmosphere eased a bit. Only Liu Qiming stood there, his face flushing red and then turning pale, before finally lowering his head and silently walking towards the village.
Du Jianshan glanced at him, said nothing, but walked slowly toward the edge of the woods.
"Brother Jianshan!" Wang Cuixiang came running over with a basket, panting, and said, "Why don't you come over for lunch? My mother stewed some deer bones. She said you brought her firewood the other day, and she insists you try her cooking."
Du Jianshan chuckled: "How dare I steal your mother's deer bones?"
"You're so stubborn!" Wang Cuixiang glared at her. "If you don't go, she'll think you look down on her!"
"Alright, I'll set the trap and head over there later."
Wang Cuixiang blushed, murmured an "Mmm," and turned to walk away quickly.
Zhang Erhu came up and bumped him with a wicked grin: "Hey, Brother Jianshan, Cuixiang has her eye on you."
"Get lost!" Du Jianshan kicked him.
The group entered the woods laughing and joking. The sunlight dappled through the trees, sparrows fluttered up to the branches, and the calls of wild rabbits echoed in the distance.
"Erhu, give me the string and put it over the pig passage under the old locust tree." Du Jianshan pointed ahead, "I left footprints here yesterday, they're fresh, the mud hasn't dried yet."
"Alright!" Zhang Erhu squatted down and deftly pulled out the thin steel wire.
"Brother Jianshan!" Li Mancang suddenly whispered, "Listen, there's a noise."
The group immediately stopped. There was a "crack" sound, like a dry branch being broken, followed by several muffled thuds from the grass.
"Don't make a sound," Du Jianshan whispered, gently taking the hunting fork off his back.
Zhang Erhu's eyes lit up, and his lips twitched slightly: "Wild boar?"
“It looks like it.” Du Jianshan gestured to him. “You go around that side, and we’ll make a circle around you.”
Zhang Erhu nodded, crouched down, and crept to the right. Li Mancang, on the other hand, went to the left, holding a machete in one hand and lightly patting his thigh with the other, signaling that he was ready to charge.
With a sudden "whoosh," the bushes rustled, and a gray-backed wild boar burst out, its snout steaming and its eyes bloodshot.
"It's this beast!" Du Jianshan roared, raising his hunting fork to charge forward!
"Moo—!" The wild boar bellowed and pounced, its hooves kicking up a patch of mud.
Du Jianshan moved with lightning speed, dodging the first pounce. He then swung his hunting fork at the boar's chest, striking its snout squarely. The boar cried out in pain and stumbled back two steps.
"Go!" Zhang Erhu shouted, slashing the wild boar's hind leg with his machete. The boar let out another miserable cry, roaring angrily as it lunged at Li Mancang.
Li Mancang moved nimbly, dodging to the side and then delivering a heavy blow to the pig's back!
"Cut the neck! Don't cut the back!" Du Jianshan shouted as he charged forward, swinging his fork again, hitting the pig squarely in the neck!
"Crack!" The sound of bones breaking rang out, and the wild boar collapsed to the ground, struggled a couple of times, and then fell silent.
"Phew..." Zhang Erhu wiped his sweat. "Oh my god, that scared me to death! If it had bumped into me, I would have had to go home in bed today."
Li Mancang was also panting heavily, "This thing is even bigger than the last one!"
Du Jianshan bent down to look at the pig's teeth and nodded: "It's a male, weighing at least a hundred pounds."
"We've struck gold!" Zhang Erhu slapped his thigh. "I'll be stewing pig's head tonight, and I've already prepared the wine!"
The three of them, one after the other, tied up the pig's leg, attached it to a wooden stick, and carried it back to the village.
The sun was already setting in the west, casting a golden hue over the woods. In the distance, several children were hopping and chasing sparrows on the hillside, the sky high and the clouds light, a gentle mountain breeze blowing.
Du Jianshan looked up at the mountaintop, a thought suddenly occurring to him.
The propagandist, surnamed Qiao, was from the county. He wore gold-rimmed glasses and a gray woolen uniform with the words "Propaganda Team" embroidered on the cuffs. When Du Jianshan glared at him, his face froze, his lips twitched, and he forced a smile: "Comrade, I'm just working according to the orders from above. How could I dare to be disrespectful in the slightest?"
“I accept that I didn’t cultivate this land well, that it was left barren, and that I wasted the collective’s resources.” Du Jianshan pointed to the land under his feet. “But I can’t ignore your words that say that the people in this area are ‘backward in their thinking, stubborn, and cannot be reformed’.”
His voice wasn't loud, but every word was like a nail, hammering into people's hearts.
Propaganda Officer Qiao opened her mouth, about to argue, but was interrupted by Du Jianshan: "Before you came, did you ask our team leader? Did you look at our work statistics for this month? My old mother has leg pain and came to turn the soil with a cane, and you, with just one sentence, labeled her a 'backward element'?"
The commune members looked at each other, and the air seemed to freeze.
“Yes, the Du family has worked harder on this land than anyone else.” Zhao Laosi stepped forward and said in a low voice, “Take the rain the night before last, for example. There were puddles in the fields of the team. It was Du Jianshan who dug the ditches in the middle of the night wearing a raincoat. I saw it on the opposite slope.”
"And last time we chased a sika deer into the mountains, we guarded the pass for seven days and seven nights straight. Who dares to say we were slacking off?"
“We’re not just working here, we’re also protecting ourselves from wolves and wildfires. You’ve been here for two days, and you probably still don’t know all the mountain roads.”
The voices grew louder and louder. At first, they were just whispers, but later some people stood behind Du Jianshan and spoke frankly.
Propagandist Qiao's face turned even paler. He pushed up his glasses and said in a low voice, "I... I didn't mean that... There's some material that needs to be written. I wrote the draft in a bit of a rush. I'll revise it later."
"Revise?" Du Jianshan sneered. "You've already submitted the manuscript, what's there to revise? If one article of yours can make the whole village bow their heads and admit their mistakes, then that's not propaganda, that's criticism and struggle."
"This...this matter, I'll go back and report to the team leader for re-verification," Propaganda Officer Qiao said, forcing a smile.
Du Jianshan took a step forward, raised his hand, and pulled a small shovel, as sharp as an iron nail, from his pocket, sticking it into the soil with a click: "I'm not afraid of you writing, and you have to show it to us after you've written it. If you really want to write about the real things, then stay on this mountain and go hunting, dig for some herbs, and see if what you write is still considered 'backward'!"
As soon as he said that, the commune members burst into laughter. Someone joked, "Great! If Comrade Qiao really goes up the mountain once, the article he writes could be on the cover of the newspaper!"
"Look at his fair skin and delicate flesh, we'll have to carry his luggage up the mountain tomorrow morning."
"Let alone carrying luggage, if he can husk 100 jin of corn cobs here today, I'll consider him one of my own."
Propagandist Qiao stood there awkwardly, her face flushed red, but she didn't dare to say a word.
Seeing this, Du Jianshan stopped pressuring him and simply pointed to the field behind him: "Come on, let's get back to work. What others say doesn't matter; the work we do reflects the most honest truths in the hearts of the people."
He led the way into the field, his hoe working swiftly and cleanly, digging into the soil. Zhang Tiesuo, Zhao Laosi, and Aunt Li followed silently.
After hesitating for two seconds, Propagandist Qiao gritted his teeth, squatted down, and began clumsily pulling up the weeds along the edge of the field.
"Ouch!" He had only pulled a few times when a thorny branch scratched his hand, and he immediately gasped.
Upon seeing this, Zhao Laosi calmly handed over a piece of rag, saying, "Take this and wrap it up. Working in the mountains is not like walking in the city. Over the years, our hands have never been clean."
Propagandist Qiao took the rag and was speechless for a moment.
By afternoon, clouds were gradually gathering in the sky. Du Jianshan stood up, squinted at the back of the mountain, and said in a low voice, "It's going to rain. Let's finish this half first before we leave, otherwise the rain will wash it all away and we won't even be able to see the road tomorrow."
"Alright!" Zhang Tiesuo pressed down his cloth hat. "This old man of mine will fight you to the death today."
They worked diligently, their clothes soaked with sweat, and their faces covered in yellow dust. Propagandist Qiao initially wanted to hide, but fearing criticism, he gritted his teeth and joined in the digging.
As evening approached, a sudden downpour began, and everyone scrambled to the cabin at the edge of the woods.
Once inside, a fire was lit, and several people took off their wet clothes, wrapped them in tattered sheets, and warmed themselves around the fire. Someone took out cornbread they had fried that morning and half a piece of cured meat from their bundle, cut them off from the pot, and started cooking them.
Propagandist Qiao's nose was red from the cold. He took a piece of flatbread, took a bite, and didn't say anything. He just lowered his head and ate it one bite after another.
Du Jianshan glanced at him and said in a calm voice, "People in the mountains are not afraid of hardship, nor are they afraid of being looked down upon. What they are afraid of is that no one will recognize their efforts, and that all their hard work will only result in a bad reputation."
After a moment's hesitation, Propagandist Qiao suddenly said in a low voice, "I used to think that people in the mountains were unreasonable, disobedient, and just knew how to do things blindly. But today... I know I was wrong."
“If you know you’re wrong, you have to correct it,” Du Jianshan said calmly. “It’s not just talk; it’s about going down to the grassroots, writing the truth, and doing real work.”
“I’ll go back tomorrow and rewrite all the manuscripts.” Propagandist Qiao looked up. “I’ll not only write about your stories, but also about the whole mountain area, so that others can see what real labor is.”
The room fell silent as soon as he said that.
“That makes more sense.” Zhang Tiesuo grinned. “If you actually write it down, I’ll treat you to our homemade grain wine. Drink two bowls, and you’ll be lucky if you don’t get dizzy.”
"Then you have to let me climb down the mountain alive first." Propagandist Qiao laughed, wiping his glasses with trembling hands, finally seeming to have shed that air of superiority.
"See the mountain," Zhao Laosi suddenly called out.
"Um?"
"You know... if we could really get the higher-ups to know about this, could we get some subsidies? Even just a bundle of wire or a bag of cement would be enough to repair that slope down there."
Du Jianshan didn't speak, but simply looked at the fire and nodded quietly.
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