The Entire Mountain Is My Hunting Ground

"Alright, enough of your blabbering!"

Inside Zhang Yuanmin’s house, Zhao Jun cut him off mid-flow.

Zhao Jun didn’t care how Yong’an Village’s "Little Zhuge" had failed to kill the bear; all he cared about right now was that chainsaw.

To be honest, a chainsaw wasn’t that expensive. But this one, it mustn’t be forgotten, had been borrowed from the Forest Farm.

On any other day, it might not have mattered.

But today was already the twenty-second of the twelfth lunar month. On the twenty-seventh, the entire Yong’an Forest Farm would be closed for the New Year holiday.

Before that, however, starting on the twenty-fourth, the Forest Farm would be conducting a three-day inventory of its logistical supplies.

This chainsaw had been taken directly from the logistics warehouse, an arrangement made by Zhao Youcai through Zhao Jun’s brother-in-law, Zhou Jianjun.

Tomorrow was the twenty-third. If that chainsaw wasn’t found, then when the Forest Farm’s logistics department did their inspection the morning after, Zhou Jianjun would be in serious trouble.

"Where did you drop the chainsaw?" Zhao Jun demanded of Zhang Yuanmin.

"Brother!" Zhang Yuanmin was frantic. "I didn’t drop it! The Black Bear did!"

Zhao Jun was rendered speechless. He could only ask, "So it’s somewhere near the Black Bear’s Den, then?"

"Yes, yes," Zhang Yuanmin nodded hastily.

"Sigh!" Zhao Jun let out a heavy sigh and said to him, "Brother, you... Argh!"

Zhao Jun trailed off, not knowing what else to say.

He was truly at a loss for words. In truth, Zhang Yuanmin’s plan had been quite sound; otherwise, Zhao Youcai would never have lent him the chainsaw.

But no one could have predicted such a mishap.

Ultimately, you couldn’t put all the blame on Zhang Yuanmin.

"Alright, Brother." Zhao Jun waved a hand at Zhang Yuanmin. "I’m heading back for now."

"Brother!" Seeing that Zhao Jun was about to leave, Zhang Yuanmin leaped off the kang bed, grabbed his arm, and said, "Go back and smooth things over with your father for me! If that doesn’t work, I’ll give you the money. You can buy a new chainsaw to replace it."

"Is this about money?" Zhao Jun shook his head. "This was taken from the Forest Farm. If we don’t return the chainsaw tomorrow, my brother-in-law is going to be screwed."

At this, Zhao Jun grew anxious and added, "It’s right before the New Year. Even if you gave me a king’s ransom, I couldn’t get a new chainsaw now."

With that, Zhao Jun shook off Zhang Yuanmin’s hand and walked out.

"Brother, brother..." Zhang Yuanmin scurried after him on his short legs, but he was a slow runner. By the time he got out of the house, Zhao Jun was already out of the yard.

Zhang Yuanmin turned back into the house in defeat. He sat on the kang, a knot of anxiety making him feel utterly miserable.

Zhang Yuanmin looked up to see Yang Yufeng standing against the wall, her eyes glaring at him.

"What are you looking at?" Zhang Yuanmin ordered Yang Yufeng. "I’ve been back for ages. Can’t you see I need a drink of water?"

"And I’m supposed to get you water?" Yang Yufeng retorted sharply. "Did you do something heroic? You caused this huge mess and you still have the nerve to ask for water?"

"I..." Zhang Yuanmin sputtered, pointing at Yang Yufeng. "So I caused a mess, and now I’m not allowed to drink water?"

"Oh, you can drink," Yang Yufeng didn’t coddle him, firing back, "You go on every day about being Yong’an Village’s ’Little Zhuge,’ but you look more like a little piglet to me. You want water? Go drink some slop!"

"I..." Yang Yufeng’s tongue was too sharp; her comeback left Zhang Yuanmin speechless.

But Yang Yufeng only grew bolder, pressing her advantage. "Just look at you! You’ve gone after a Black Bear twice. Last time you almost died on the mountain, and this time you’ve caused this disaster."

"I..." Zhang Yuanmin’s face flushed red. He tried to interject, but Yang Yufeng was speaking too quickly, one taunt following another.

"’I’ what?" Yang Yufeng rolled her eyes at him. "If that chainsaw isn’t found, you’ll have screwed over the Zhao family’s son-in-law. Just wait and see how Zhao Jun’s dad deals with you."

Just a moment ago, Zhang Yuanmin had been seething, ready for a big fight with Yang Yufeng. But upon hearing her last sentence, he was so frightened he plopped right back down on the kang.

...

Zhao Jun rushed out of Zhang Yuanmin’s house, starting at a brisk walk that soon turned into a run.

He entered the yard, then the house, and without a word to Wang Meilan, he headed straight for his room, opened the kang-side cabinet, and pulled out his gaiters.

Wang Meilan was surprised to see her son return in such a flurry. When she followed him into his room, her eyes widened.

Zhao Jun was wrapping gaiters around his ankles. He was going into the mountains.

But what time was it?

It was already past three in the afternoon. It would be dark soon. Who would go into the mountains at this hour?

"Son, what are you doing?" Wang Meilan asked urgently.

"The mountain." Zhao Jun was too rushed to explain, only managing a two-word reply.

The moment Wang Meilan heard that, she put her foot down.

In the Northeast in January, it got dark by four or five in the afternoon, and even earlier in the Forest Area.

What’s more, once night fell, the temperature would plummet. In the mountains, it could drop below minus forty degrees.

If Zhao Jun went into the mountains now, when would he possibly get back?

Wang Meilan marched forward, snatched the gaiter, and said to Zhao Jun, "Son, you can’t be so reckless!"

Zhao Jun realized then that if he didn’t explain the situation to his mother, she would never let him go.

He hurriedly explained what had happened, but even after hearing the whole story, Wang Meilan still wouldn’t let him go. She just said, "Son, you absolutely cannot go into the mountains. It’s too dangerous at night."

"I’ll take my gun, and I’ll have Baoyu come with me."

"No, nobody is going." Wang Meilan snatched the gaiter from Zhao Jun’s hand. Her tone softened slightly as she said, "If you absolutely have to go, then go early tomorrow morning."

"Mom, I’m afraid someone else will find the chainsaw."

Hearing this, Wang Meilan sighed and said, "Son, that’s still not an option. Say no more. Wait for your father to get home tonight, and we’ll discuss what to do."

Seeing his mother’s insistence, Zhao Jun was helpless. He simply lay down on the kang and fell silent.

Wang Meilan sighed and went to the outer room to prepare dinner.

That evening, Wang Meilan made a simple stew of wild boar and pickled cabbage. The two little girls ate with great delight.

But Wang Meilan and Zhao Jun had no appetite. They ate just enough to fill their stomachs and waited for Zhao Youcai to return.

The closer it got to the New Year, the busier Zhao Youcai, a head chef at the cafeteria, became. He was so busy that he didn’t get home until after seven o’clock that evening, carrying three meal containers in one hand and two bottles of Yong’an Bai in the other.

The aluminum containers held delicious leftovers that Zhao Youcai had packed from a special meal at the cafeteria. The Yong’an Bai was a white liquor brewed by the local distillery, named after Yong’an Town.

Zhao Youcai cheerfully set down the food and liquor, but as soon as he did, he sensed something was wrong.

He’d come home, and only his two little daughters had called out "Dad."

Meanwhile, the mother and son, Wang Meilan and Zhao Jun, just sat there, silently watching him.

Their stares gave Zhao Youcai the creeps. Seeing the two of them like this, he knew something had happened at home.

"What’s wrong?" Zhao Youcai asked Wang Meilan cautiously.

Wang Meilan didn’t answer, instead shifting her gaze to Zhao Jun.

Zhao Jun stood up, pulled Zhao Youcai down to sit, and said, "Dad, I have to tell you something."

The way Zhao Jun said it gave Zhao Youcai an immediate sense of foreboding. "Quick, tell me! What is it?" he urged.

Zhao Jun didn’t waste any words or bother with the details. He got straight to the point: "Zhang Big Pants went after the Black Bear’s Den, botched the job, and lost the chainsaw on the mountain."

"SON OF A BITCH!" Hearing this, Zhao Youcai shot up from the kang and strode toward the door.