Chapter 38: Returning to the Mountain

Seeing the crowd in an uproar, the old village chief sighed helplessly and stepped in to mediate once more.

He turned his gaze toward Lin Yang, advising him earnestly, "Yangzi, it's better to be forgiving when you can. You see, Old Man Zhang really is in a difficult spot. How about this: let him give five chickens and eighty catties of rice. How does that sound?"

"We’re all fellow villagers, seeing each other every day. Times are hard for everyone, so let's just show some mutual understanding!"

In the end, under the old village chief's mediation, Lin Yang finally relented, and Old Man Zhang agreed with a heavy heart. The villagers then pitched in to help move the goods from Old Man Zhang’s home over to Lin Yang’s place in one go.

"Yangzi, you said you’d teach us how to catch fish—you weren't just playing around, were you?" asked a middle-aged man from the crowd, his face full of worry and his eyes betraying a hint of suspicion. Everyone else looked at him as well.

Lin Yang scanned the crowd, a bright smile on his face as he said heartily, "Uncle, I, Lin Yang, have always kept my word. Since I said I’d teach everyone, I certainly won't go back on it."

"But as you can see, you need baskets to catch fish. If you go into the freezing water to catch them by hand, it’s not only unreliable, but you’re also liable to get sick."

"My father puts a lot of effort into weaving these baskets. It’s only fair that you pay for his trouble—twenty-two cents per basket, same as the market price."

"You can buy one first to try it out. If it works well, you can always buy more later."

Once everyone agreed, Lin Yang explained the fishing method in detail, specifically emphasizing the importance of using bait.

"Don't be stingy with the bait. Someone tried a similar method before, and because they were too cheap to use enough bait, they didn't catch a thing. Fish need to be lured to take the hook."

After the villagers left, Zhao Guixiang walked up to Lin Yang with small, measured steps. She reached out and poked him on the head, scolding him, "You little brat with the broken head, why would you tell others a method that could earn you money?!"

"Now look at this, everyone is going to the river to fish your way. How are you going to make money in the future?!"

Lin Yang smiled, tucked Zhao Guixiang’s arm into his, and patiently explained, "Mom, think about it. The river doesn't belong to us. I can stop them for a moment, but I can't stop them forever!"

"Everyone would have figured this method out sooner or later. Instead of hiding it, I might as well share it voluntarily. At least I’ll gain a good reputation and have everyone remembering our kindness."

"In the future, we can look out for each other in the village. Who knows, maybe one day we’ll need everyone’s help!"

Zhao Guixiang still seemed unconvinced, her brows furrowed with confusion. "That may be true, but it just feels like such a pity to give up a way to make money like that."

Lin Dahai walked over slowly with his hands behind his back, a look of gratification on his face.

"Mother, Yangzi is right. A person shouldn't be too selfish. We live in this village and see everyone every day; building good relationships is never a bad thing. Yangzi’s approach is clever!"

"But Yangzi, what will you do later? You can't rely on hunting and fishing to make a living forever. It’s not a long-term plan."

Lin Yang quickly replied, "Dad, don't worry. I’m only going to the outskirts of the mountains to hunt some rabbits and pheasants; I won't go deep into the forest. I’ll be careful."

"Besides, I’m thinking about other ways to make money! I’m still young and have plenty of opportunities. I’ll find a path that suits me."

Lin Dahai’s expression turned somber. He slowly shook his head, his eyes filled with concern as he said earnestly, "Yangzi, you must keep in mind that the incident at the logging site should serve as a warning. Let it ring in your ears constantly; you must never be careless again."

Zhao Guixiang opened her mouth several times to speak but stopped, her eyes fixed on Lin Yang with worry and helplessness. No one knew a son better than his mother. She knew his stubborn nature well; once he made up his mind, it was hard to change.

Finally, unable to hold back, she shouted with a hint of irritation, "Keep tossing and turning, you little brat! You’ll suffer a great loss one of these days!"

"I’m telling you now, if you dare to go into the mountains again, I won't let you off lightly. I’ll give you a real thrashing!"

Lin Yang understood his parents' worries, but he truly had reasons that forced him into the mountains. To accumulate enough initial capital and seize fleeting opportunities, and more importantly, he was counting on hunting to upgrade his system. He also knew that as time passed, the opportunities for hunting would likely not be as good as they were now.

Thinking of this, Lin Yang forced a smile and looked at Lin Dahai. "Dad, I’m taking an old hen into the mountains. Setting traps requires the scent of blood to lure prey; I might have a big harvest!"

"Don't worry, I won't go deep into the mountains. I’ll just set some traps on the outskirts and I’ll be sure to stay safe."

Lin Dahai knew he couldn't stop him. He waved his hand helplessly, sighed, and added one last instruction: "Go on then. Just be careful. Don't ever gamble with your life!"

Before he could finish, Zhao Guixiang whipped out a feather duster and struck Lin Yang on the shoulder with lightning speed, muttering, "That’ll teach you not to listen!"

"Ouch!" Lin Yang yelped in pain. Like a monkey with its tail on fire, he bolted away, shouting, "Mom, I know! Don't get yourself sick with anger!"

He couldn't help but sigh inwardly. His mother was only acting out of concern. Being allowed to enter the mountains at all was already a concession. Even though the strike hurt, he had to bite the bullet and endure it.

Watching her son run off at full speed, Zhao Guixiang gave the feather duster a fierce wave, then turned her resentful gaze toward Lin Dahai. "You just stood there and watched him go take risks? You’re his father, don't you know how to stop him?!"

Lin Dahai felt dejected. He spread his hands and said helplessly, "How was I supposed to stop him? You know our son—once he decides on something, nine oxen couldn't pull him back."

"And think about it, ever since that blow from Sun Daqiang, hasn't our son seemed like a completely different person?"

Zhao Guixiang frowned, thought for a moment, and nodded slowly. "Indeed... he feels much more mature, and he has his own ideas about things now."

Lin Dahai nodded heavily. "That’s what they call learning from one's mistakes—he’s finally woken up!"

As he spoke, he pulled his tobacco pouch from his pocket, filled the pipe, lit it with a fire-steel, took a deep drag, and slowly exhaled a ring of smoke, a gratified smile appearing on his face.

"A man isn't a man until he’s been through a few things. He’s starting to see reason now; it’s not too late. A prodigal who returns is worth more than gold."

"Our son is smart and clever. The lesson from the logging site was deep enough. As long as he doesn't dig into the deep mountains, there shouldn't be any major trouble."

He paused, took another deep drag of his tobacco, and continued, "Besides, I just heard from the forestry team that the black bear has hurt people again, so they’ll definitely organize a group to step up the hunt."

"The wild beasts around here have their own territories. The mountains behind our village aren't supposed to have any of those ferocious monsters. That’s why I felt safe giving him the gun."

Upon hearing this, the worry in Zhao Guixiang’s heart eased slightly, though she still looked displeased. She raised the feather duster and tapped Lin Dahai with it, glaring at him. "There are so many people in the village who ordered baskets, and you have the nerve to stand here smoking? Get to weaving, stop dawdling!"

Lin Dahai answered helplessly, grabbed his tobacco pouch, and hurried off to work.

Meanwhile, Lin Yang carried the old hen and his hunting rifle, striding toward the mountains. He knew clearly that the contest between him and that lynx was a test of endurance—whoever lost their nerve first would lose the game.

As a qualified hunter, patience was an essential quality.