After Old Ji’s matter was settled, all the medicines Song Wei had saved up were purchased by the brigade leader. The price she offered was slightly cheaper than what the hospital charged.
“Are you really planning to take those two wolves with you?”
The brigade leader might not have had much formal education, but having lived in the mountains all his life, he could easily tell the difference between wolves and dogs.
When they were chubby little pups, the distinction might not have been clear, but as the two wolf cubs grew, their differences from dogs became increasingly obvious.
The wolves in the nearby forests were quite large, and these two cubs were growing fast—now they were as tall as Lin Zhen’s calves.
“Are you allowed to bring them on the train?”
Lin Zhen shook his head. “No, so we’re not planning to take the train.”
Hearing this, the brigade leader said no more and simply issued them an introduction letter.
“I’ve written it for one month.”
“Thanks, Uncle Lei. Also, we’ll have to trouble you to look after Old Ji while we’re gone.”
The team leader nodded. “Got it. Everyone’s quite fond of Old Ji now.”
Although most people only approached him for medical treatment, behind the scenes, they were showing their gratitude in their own ways. The cowshed where Old Ji stayed had undergone some repairs. The broken walls were patched up, the leaky roof fixed, and the torn windows were covered with new paper to block the wind.
The kang had also been expanded and reinforced.
Occasionally, firewood, a couple of eggs, or vegetables like radishes and cabbages would mysteriously appear at the cowshed’s entrance at night.
Although no one openly admitted to helping, families who had been treated by Old Ji quietly left these things, sometimes bumping into each other and awkwardly pretending not to notice.
Even those who were selfish and ungrateful didn’t report the matter, knowing they’d be ostracized by the village if they did.
Thanks to Old Ji, life at the cowshed had significantly improved.
This was precisely what Lin Zhen and Song Wei had hoped for.
After receiving the introduction letter, they entrusted their two sika deer to the brigade leader and his family for care. Then, with their belongings and companions in tow, they headed to the city.
In the City
“Brother Peng.”
Lin Zhen went to the freight station to find the truck driver who had agreed to give them a ride. He handed over a pack of cigarettes as a gesture of goodwill.
“Thanks for helping us out on this trip.”
The man Lin Zhen addressed as Brother Peng was a middle-aged man with a square face. Accepting the cigarettes, he laughed heartily and exchanged words with Lin Zhen, showing no signs of unfamiliarity.
“What help? My nephew wrote to me from the army, asking me to look out for you. We’re all on the same side—there’s no trouble at all.”
He glanced at Song Wei and patted Lin Zhen on the shoulder. “You’re lucky, Brother Lin. She’s one of those educated youths, right? You can tell she’s different from the girls in our countryside.”
Lin Zhen chuckled. “We just got engaged. Her brother is also in the army, though stationed in the south. Since it’s the New Year and things are quiet in the team, we thought we’d visit her family.”
Most people naturally admired soldiers. Upon hearing that Song Wei’s brother was also in the military, Brother Peng’s impression of them improved even further.
Song Wei greeted him warmly, calling him Brother Peng, just like Lin Zhen did.
“That’s not a dog, is it?”
Lin Zhen nodded. “My fiancée found them in the mountains. There was no mother wolf around, so she thought they were dogs and brought them back because they looked pitiful. Their eyes weren’t even open then. Later, when we realized they weren’t dogs, we couldn’t bear to abandon them after raising them for so long. Don’t worry—they’re well-trained and won’t bite anyone or mess up your truck.”
Brother Peng nodded. “That works for me. They look pretty clean too. Luckily, my cargo this time isn’t food.”
“There’s not too much cargo this trip, so I can clear a spot in the back for you. Come on, I’ll show you.”
After expressing their gratitude again, Lin Zhen and Song Wei settled into the cleared space at the back of the truck. They laid out the quilts they had brought along for comfort.
The truck was loaded with cotton, all packed in large black bags. The soft and warm cargo provided a cozy backrest.
Although the back of the truck was cold, the cloth covering it blocked most of the wind.
Lin Zhen even bought a few hand warmers for the trip.
Song Wei tested the setup and nodded in approval.
“It’s more comfortable than sitting in a hard-seat train compartment.”
Of course, it couldn’t compare to a sleeper train in terms of warmth, but the truck had fewer people, less odor, and no risk of their belongings being stolen.
Heidan, was thrilled. It was his first time on such a large vehicle, and he ran up and down excitedly, his eyes sparkling.
“When I grow up, I want to drive a big truck like this!”
Lin Zhen patted his head. “Good ambition.”
Meanwhile, he was deep in thought about his own future.
Should he become a police officer or a truck driver?
Both professions had their pros and cons.
Police officers were government employees, a status that truck drivers couldn’t match. However, the salary was fixed and modest, with inherent risks.
Lin Zhen wasn’t afraid of danger—he had faced far worse on the battlefield. Even now, with a fiancée, he wasn’t worried.
His fiancée was more capable in a fight than he was. If something happened, she’d have his back.
Truck driving, while also offering a fixed salary, had its hidden perks. After mingling with various truck drivers recently, Lin Zhen had picked up on the industry’s unspoken rules. Truck driving could be quite lucrative.
Long-haul drivers, in particular, earned significantly more than police officers. Based on conversations with others, Lin Zhen estimated that a truck driver’s actual income could be quite substantial.
However, the job wasn’t easy. Long-haul drivers often spent weeks away from home, and the long hours behind the wheel increased the risk of accidents. Certain routes were also prone to robberies.
“What’s on your mind?”
Song Wei nudged him with a wolf pup and broke his train of thought.
Lin Zhen snapped back to reality and shared his dilemma with her.
“What do you think I should choose?”
Song Wei simply asked, “What do you want to do?”
Lin Zhen thought for a moment. “I’m leaning toward being a truck driver.”
He had served in the military, and transitioning to a police officer after being injured felt like a downgrade—not in terms of profession, but in terms of the intensity and action he was accustomed to.
Compared to investigating cases in one place, he preferred the thrill of venturing into dangerous territory, facing challenges head-on. Even if it meant harsher conditions, it felt more fulfilling.
Still, he hesitated.
“I’ll think about it more. Let’s decide after we get back.”
Leave a Reply