He sighed and earnestly advised, "I know you're quite capable now, even daring to kill the wolf king. But I still have to say something you won't like to hear: the dangers in the mountains are no joke. No matter how strong you are, can you outnumber a pack of starving beasts?"
"Take my advice, go back and find Big Head Brother. He may be a bit rough around the edges, but he's a loyal friend. If the brothers follow him, at least they'll have someone to look after them. These days, there's strength in numbers."
Zhang Cheng understood that Tie Zhengzi was genuinely concerned for him, but he had his own plans.
He didn't want to be tied down, and he certainly didn't want to be burdened with a bunch of kids.
He only gave a vague response without making a clear statement.
Tie Zhengzi was a shrewd man. He could tell that Zhang Cheng was unwilling, so he stopped trying to persuade him.
His expression turned serious, and his voice lowered even further: "Er Gouzi, let me give you another piece of information. This year's snowfall is just too much. We humans are short of food, and the wild animals in the mountains are even more lacking."
"A while ago, before we encountered any wolves, we saw fresh bear droppings in the mountains!"
Black bear, also known as black bear!
Zhang Cheng's brows furrowed instantly.
Black bears should be hibernating during this season, so why are they out and about?
Unless... he was woken up by hunger!
A hungry adult black bear is far more dangerous than a wild boar, and even more terrifying than a few scattered hungry wolves!
"Furthermore," Tie Zhengzi continued, "wolves rarely come down to such outlying areas in the past... That's why we were careless when we went into the mountains before and didn't arrange for anyone to keep watch."
"I have a feeling that there's something sinister about this year. Be very careful if you go into the mountains alone!"
Zhang Cheng felt a chill run down his spine.
In his previous life, he lived in a daze, hiding in a dilapidated house and barely surviving, knowing very little about the outside world.
Unexpectedly, in addition to the wolf attack I remember, there were also signs of black bears appearing that winter!
It seems that the survival crisis brought about by this heavy snow is more severe than he had anticipated.
Just then, Tie Zhengzi's wife walked in quickly, carrying a fairly well-maintained double-barreled shotgun and a heavy cloth bag.
"Brother Er Gouzi, the gun and bullets are right here."
Zhang Cheng got up and took the shotgun and bullet pouch. They felt heavy in his hands, and he estimated that there were at least twenty or thirty rounds.
Now that we have plenty of ammunition, I feel much more at ease.
"Er Gouzi, remember what I told you, safety first! If you're not feeling well, just hang out with Brother Da Nao and the others for a while. Next spring, I'll take you to the factory and give you a stable job!" Tie Zhengzi was still giving him his uneasy instructions.
"Okay, I understand. Brother Tie Zheng, take good care of your injury. I'll be going now."
"Okay." Tie Zhengzi nodded, then said to his wife, "See Er Gouzi off for me."
...
At the same time, in the mud house in the backyard.
Er Ya had already finished washing Shi Yangyang's hair and face.
When she brushed aside Shi Yangyang's wet, messy hair and saw his clean face, she was completely stunned.
Her eyes widened, and she circled Shi Yangyang twice, her mouth agape enough to fit an egg.
After a long while, she couldn't help but exclaim in surprise, "My goodness... Sister-in-law, you... you're so beautiful!"
Although Shi Yangyang's hair was still wet and stuck to her cheeks, and her skin looked rough and dull due to lack of care, her features were as exquisite as a person who had stepped out of a painting.
Delicate eyebrows, a pert nose, small lips, and especially those large, clear, and bright eyes that looked exceptionally bright after being washed clean, were now looking at her with a hint of bewilderment and timidity, their long eyelashes fluttering like two small brushes.
"Tsk tsk tsk," Er Ya leaned closer, staring at the two dimples on Shi Yangyang's cheeks that were clearly visible even when she wasn't smiling, and clicked her tongue in envy. "Sister-in-law, your two dimples are so charming! They're so adorable!"
She couldn't resist reaching out to pinch those cheeks that looked so soft and easy to squeeze.
Just then, footsteps sounded at the door.
With a creak, the dilapidated wooden door was pushed open.
Zhang Cheng appeared at the door, carrying two hunting rifles on his back and a bullet pouch in his hand.
He saw the scene inside the room at a glance, and his eyes lit up when they fell on Shi Yangyang's refreshed face.
Immediately, his gaze shifted to Er Ya, who was facing away from the door and marveling at Shi Yangyang, and his eyes instantly turned cold and sharp.
That gaze was like a knife piercing Er Ya's back.
Er Ya was startled and turned around abruptly.
When she saw Zhang Cheng's cold gaze and the hunting rifle that had suddenly appeared on his shoulder, she was terrified, her heart pounding in her chest.
She instinctively took two steps back, covering her protruding belly with her hands, her voice trembling with tears: "Er...Er Gouzi! You...you can't hit me! I...I'm your sister-in-law!"
In her panic, she blurted out, "The child in my belly... is from your Zhang family!"
Looking at Er Ya's frightened appearance, and then at Shi Yangyang, who was neatly groomed and blinking her big eyes at him, Zhang Cheng couldn't help but smile slightly, and his gaze softened a little.
He hadn't expected that Er Ya would tidy up his wife so well after he went out.
This wife is truly blessed with good looks.
Once I make money in the future, I will definitely take her away from this poor mountain village to see the big city and get her health back.
Zhang Cheng silently made a decision in his heart.
When Er Ya saw the almost imperceptible smile on Zhang Cheng's face, her heart, which had been hanging in suspense, eased a little, but she was still extremely nervous.
She stammered, "Well... um, Second Uncle... if there's nothing else, I... I'll head back now..."
After saying that, she was like a startled rabbit, carefully sticking to the wall and trying to stay as far away from Zhang Cheng as possible, and almost ran out of the mud house.
"Slow down! Watch your step!" Zhang Cheng called out from behind her, genuinely worried that she might trip and fall in her haste.
His shout made Er Ya run even faster, disappearing in the direction of the front yard in the blink of an eye.
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