This time, they only caught two wild boars, both of which were solitary.
But when combined with the wild rabbits and pheasants, the amount of meat was still quite substantial.
“Should we take all this meat back now?”
Jiang Wenwu was reluctant, feeling it was a bit of a loss.
They had worked so hard to catch these animals, but taking them back meant sharing with so many people. Just thinking about it made his heart ache.
Lin Zhen asked him, “Do you want to take it back?”
Jiang Wenwu shook his head honestly. He didn’t want to.
Lin Zhen nodded, “Then we won’t take it back.”
Coincidentally, they didn’t want to either.
As the saying goes, the first time is unfamiliar, but the second time is familiar. Previously, they had sold the meat to the factory, but this time, after discussing with Song Wei, Lin Zhen decided to take the meat to the black market to sell.
Selling to the factories too often would draw too much attention and make them a target.
Of course, they weren’t planning to sell it themselves at the black market.
Last time, when Lin Zhen had brought goods from the south to sell here, he had established a connection with the black market’s manager.
They had maintained contact ever since.
After all, if you want connections, you have to work at it.
And Lin Zhen had the brains and ability to keep these connections alive.
Previously, some of the game they hunted had occasionally ended up in the black market.
This time, Jiang Wenwu followed Lin Zhen to the black market in town. Although their town wasn’t very big, it was still capable of absorbing the amount of meat they had.
Jiang Wenwu didn’t say a word the entire time, just watched as Brother Lin Zhen effortlessly communicated with the black market boss, feeling a surge of admiration.
He had secretly visited the black market before, but looking back now, he realized how timid he had been compared to Brother Lin Zhen.
After some back-and-forth negotiation, the black market boss sent someone to collect the goods.
“Brother, you’re really amazing. You know everything. I’ll just follow you from now on.”
To be honest, Jiang Wenwu didn’t like farming.
Compared to his older brother, he was actually quite lazy at home. Unless it was the busy farming season when he had to go to the fields, he preferred to roam the mountains, looking for fish or shrimp, or trying to catch pheasants and rabbits.
In short, he was the type who couldn’t sit still, preferring to do more exciting things.
Of course, he wouldn’t do anything like stealing or bullying others.
To many of the older folks in the brigade, he was seen as unreliable, a bit of a troublemaker.
When people talked about his older brother, they said he was honest, hardworking, capable, and knew how to live.
But when it came to Jiang Wenwu, the comments were about how lazy he was, too wild, and didn’t know how to live properly.
In short, the two brothers received completely opposite evaluations.
Although Jiang Wenwu didn’t care much about what others thought of him, he didn’t want to continue drifting aimlessly either.
Now, he felt that following Brother Lin Zhen was the best option.
Lin Zhen didn’t refuse, simply saying to him, “Alright, wait another two years. If things look better by then, I’ll take you to do something big.”
Jiang Wenwu nodded happily, thinking that the “something big” Lin Zhen mentioned was just like today—going into the mountains to hunt and sell the game.
In total, all the game they caught sold for four hundred and fifty yuan, including the mushrooms they had gathered.
Lin Zhen gave him fifty yuan.
Jiang Wenwu quickly waved his hand, “I can’t take this much. I only caught one pheasant and two rabbits. I didn’t help much with the rest, and the mushrooms aren’t worth much. Just give me a few yuan.”
“Who said you didn’t help? Didn’t you help distract the wild boar?”
“Take it. It’s not easy to come out like this.”
Jiang Wenwu instinctively glanced at Song Wei. Could he really take this money? Would Brother Lin Zhen get an earful when he got back?
Song Wei glanced at him, “Why are you looking at me? If your brother says to take it, then take it.”
In the end, Jiang Wenwu took the money, feeling a bit embarrassed, but no one knew how excited he was inside.
Fifty yuan. It was fifty yuan.
This was the first time in his life he had held so much money. Jiang Wenwu was both excited and moved.
“Brother, from now on, you’re my real brother! And sister-in-law, you’re my real sister-in-law!”
Lin Zhen tapped his head, “Are you so happy you’ve gone silly? We’re not married yet, don’t talk nonsense.”
As the three of them walked back, they stopped by the state-run restaurant to buy some good food.
Having earned so much money for the first time, Jiang Wenwu was very generous with his spending. He bought meat buns and white steamed buns for everyone at home, and even bought a portion of twice-cooked pork.
He kept grinning foolishly all the way back.
They took a detour through the mountains before returning to the brigade, otherwise, it would be hard to explain if someone asked why they were coming back from outside.
Since they no longer had the mushrooms, the three of them gathered some firewood to take back.
Wolf One and Wolf Two returned with the pack of dogs. This time, they had brought back less game, so Song Wei divided the meat among the dogs and cats that had gone hunting. Those that hadn’t gone also got a share, but it was one animal divided among several dogs.
Even when they didn’t bring back any game, they still got something, so no one was disappointed. Everyone happily welcomed their dogs back.
But there were also those who were greedy.
“They can even hunt bears, so why are they so stupid as not to bring back some bear meat? The little meat they brought back isn’t enough for anyone. They’ve gotten so fat themselves, ungrateful beasts.”
As Song Wei and the others passed by a house, they saw a woman from that household scolding her dog.
The dog seemed to sense its owner’s mood, lying at the door with its ears drooping, whimpering, its tail tucked between its legs.
Jiang Wenwu couldn’t stand it, “Auntie Mei, didn’t your dog bring back a pheasant last time? I see your dog is injured, so why are you still scolding it? Everyone in the village wants a dog that can follow Wolf One and Wolf Two into the mountains to hunt. If you’re not satisfied with your dog, give it to me!”
“Bah, you talk big. We’ve raised this dog for so long, isn’t it only right that it brings something back from the mountains? And I’ve noticed that Song Zhiqing and Lin Zhen go into the mountains with them every day. Who knows how much good stuff they’ve taken?”
At these words, Lin Zhen’s face darkened.
“Auntie, don’t speak without evidence.”
The woman puffed out her chest, “What do you mean without evidence? Everyone knows your family eats meat every few days. I bet most of that meat was hunted by our dogs, but you’ve taken a lot for yourselves, relying on those two wolf dogs of yours.”
Song Wei said, “In that case, your dog won’t be going into the mountains anymore.”
Auntie Mei immediately started shouting, “Why not? Who says it can’t go? Do you think the dogs will listen to you? What a joke.”
Song Wei gave her a cold look, “Then let’s see.”
With that, she didn’t continue arguing, and the three of them walked home.
Jiang Wenwu was still indignant, “What kind of person is that? She never complained when there was no meat, but now that there’s meat, she’s starting to nitpick.”
Lin Zhen said, “People are never satisfied.”
He had anticipated such greed.
“From now on, don’t let Wolf One and Wolf Two take them into the mountains. Otherwise, the problems will only get worse.”
Song Wei nodded in agreement.
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