Raising sika deer was certainly a novelty, but for the adults, it was just a passing curiosity.
When Lin Zhen started milking the doe, some of the onlookers were visibly embarrassed, while others couldn’t help but tease him.
“You’re pretty good at this for a man! Watching you do this makes me blush.”
Lin Zhen laughed it off, unbothered. “Back when I was in the army, many local villages relied on livestock for their livelihood. Sometimes we’d help the herders milk their cows. At first, all the guys were so embarrassed they couldn’t even look at each other, but after a while, we got used to it.”
“Didn’t they grow crops?”
“They did, but not much. Most of the land was grassland or desert, so farming wasn’t easy. They lived off herding cattle and sheep.”
Lin Zhen went on to describe the vast grasslands, the Gobi Desert, and the harsh conditions the herders faced, from sandstorms to wolves preying on their livestock.
The villagers were fascinated. Life on the grasslands was entirely different from theirs.
“Wow, raising so much livestock! They must eat meat every day,” someone said enviously.
Lin Zhen shook his head. “Not exactly. While they do eat meat, it’s not as often as you’d think. The problem is disease. When animals are kept in large herds, illness can spread quickly. If one gets sick, it can wipe out hundreds or even thousands of them, leaving entire villages devastated.”
The group fell silent, reflecting on the challenges. They remembered the time their own village dealt with a chicken epidemic.
Farming, though hard, suddenly seemed more stable.
By now, most of the visitors had gone home, leaving Lin Zhen and Song Wei alone with the kids. Lin Zhen prepared dinner while Song Wei tended to the fire.
In one corner, the wolf pups tried to crawl around on unsteady legs, letting out soft, high-pitched howls.
“When did these little ones open their eyes?” Lin Zhen asked, scooping up the bigger pup for a closer look.
“Today. When I took them up the mountain,” Song Wei replied, then added with a laugh, “I also stumbled upon a squirrel’s stash—over twenty pounds of nuts! But the squirrel caught me. It even threw pinecones at me.”
Lin Zhen chuckled, “Wait until my leg heals; I’ll avenge you.”
Song Wei rolled her eyes. “Let’s be fair, I was the thief. If I were that squirrel, I’d be furious too. Honestly, I’d have done worse.”
Lin Zhen smirked. “Still, I’d side with you every time.”
“Fine, but let’s put those nuts to good use. Can you make pine nut candy?”
“Of course. And if you want tofu, I’ll grind some soybeans tomorrow and make it fresh.”
“Definitely! I love tofu.”
They began planning for winter provisions. Lin Zhen even suggested trying acorn tofu, though it would take a few days to prepare.
“I’ll fry up the nuts you found,” Lin Zhen offered.
“Good idea. I’ll send some to my brother too.”
“Your brother? What about the rest of your family?” Lin Zhen asked, curious.
Song Wei didn’t hide anything. She shared her complicated family situation: a selfish stepmother, a stepsister, and a neglectful father. Her brother was the only one she still cared about.
Lin Zhen’s face darkened. Though he had his share of difficult relatives, his parents had always loved him. Hearing Song Wei’s story, he felt a pang of sadness.
“So, I’ve essentially cut ties with them. Even if I can return to the city one day, I won’t go back to them,” Song Wei concluded. “But my brother is different. He’s always been good to me. He’s probably worried sick about me being sent here.”
Lin Zhen wasn’t great with words, but he wanted to comfort her. After some thought, he handed her a plate of stir-fried vegetables.
“I’ll treat you well. Not just now—but for the rest of my life.”
Song Wei laughed. “Alright, but don’t let me catch you lying. The consequences won’t be pretty.”
Though she joked, she believed him. Relationships in this era were straightforward and genuine; once someone made a promise, they often kept it for life.
Lin Zhen placed a hand over his heart. “I, Lin Zhen, keep my word. I’ll never deceive you.”
Their bond deepened, even without grand gestures or confessions.
Meanwhile, Song Wei’s brother, Song Jing, was on a train heading to the northeast.
In the military, one couldn’t leave on a whim. Song Jing had completed his tasks and obtained special leave to visit his sister. He had ten days, but with the long journey—two days each way—he’d only have about five days with her.
Sitting in his seat, Song Jing’s thoughts raced.
His gentle, fragile sister had been sent to the countryside. How was she coping? Was she eating enough? Did anyone bully her?
As he clenched his fists, his face darkened. If the Song family thinks I’ll let this slide, they’ve mistaken.
Since he can’t beat his father openly, there’s always another way.
Leave a Reply