Chapter 72 Prescribing Medicine for the Mother-in-Law

Lin Yang stepped into Old Eighth's courtyard with a bright smile on his face, eager to share his news with the old man.

"Old Eighth! Early this morning, while I was still fast asleep, I was woken up by the mouth-watering aroma of my mother making bear-fat flatbreads!"

"You should have seen it—the flatbreads were pan-fried to a golden brown on both sides, and the rich scent of bear fat filled the air."

"Take one bite, crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, the taste was simply out of this world! My mouth still waters just thinking about it!"

As he spoke, he exaggeratedly licked his lips.

"Out of the bear we hunted this time, I only took a little over fifty pounds of meat. But you were the very first person I thought of, and I specially brought over more than ten pounds for you."

"Your old bones need some nourishment from time to time, and bear meat is a top-tier tonic. It's bound to do you good!"

While speaking, Lin Yang winked at Old Eighth, his gaze carrying that unspoken, tacit understanding shared between men.

After all, everyone knew the restorative properties of bear meat. Especially for an veteran hunter like Old Eighth, who had weathered countless storms, bear meat was a rare delicacy and a supreme tonic.

Old Eighth's eyes were instantly drawn to the meat Lin Yang pulled out from his back basket, and the smile on his face blossomed like a chrysanthemum, utterly unable to conceal his inner joy.

Immediately afterwards, when Lin Yang cautiously drew a bear gallbladder from the depths of the basket, Old Eighth's eyes widened in shock, and he blurted out uncontrollably, "An iron gallbladder!"

Anticipating this reaction, Lin Yang wore a smug expression and recounted animatedly, "Old Eighth, you must have heard about that trouble-making blind bear at the forestry station a while ago, right?"

"To tell you the truth, that very same blind bear was taken down by yours truly!"

"I'm a fully-fledged mountain patroller now, and the weapon I've been issued is none other than the mighty Type 81 assault rifle!"

"From now on, whenever I head into the mountains, good stuff will just keep popping up as if it were free. You can rest easy a hundred times over. Whenever I get my hands on any rare treasures, I'll be sure to bring them straight to you so you can have a taste and treat yourself!"

Old Eighth stared at Lin Yang in sheer disbelief, his eyes wide, and confirmed once again, "What? You brat actually took care of that blind bear?!"

Thereupon, Lin Yang recounted the whole story from beginning to end—how the bear had been prowling, how he had crossed paths with it, and how he had finally succeeded in hunting it—in meticulous detail.

Before Old Eighth, he held nothing back.

Because in his previous life, the two of them had shared a deep bond spanning over twenty years.

Old Eighth had treated him with immense kindness, and the money left behind before his passing had allowed him to turn his life around and achieve success during hard times.

Although that life-saving grace had not yet happened in this lifetime, the gratitude from his past life was permanently etched in his heart, and he had secretly sworn to repay it.

Old Eighth listened quietly, the expression on his face shifting constantly as the tale unfolded.

From initial astonishment, it gradually morphed into gratification and admiration, finally culminating in a thumbs-up.

"Good lad, the younger generation truly surpasses the old! Back in the day, among our group of brothers, old Fu's marksmanship was the most wondrous and divine."

"I never expected you, brat, to outdo your master and fully inherit his mantle."

"No matter what, we must have a couple of good drinks at noon to properly celebrate this joyous occasion!"

Lin Yang hurriedly waved his hand and said apologetically, "Old Eighth, it's really bad timing today, I'm afraid I won't be able to share a couple of drinks with you. I have to make a trip to the forestry team shortly to pick up my ammunition, and I also need to collect my official mountain patroller credentials."

"Someone sent word specifically urging me to go today. But you see, I kept thinking of you in my heart, so I wanted to come by your place first and drop off some bear meat to show my regards."

"Alright then, the two of us will drink our fill another day!" Old Eighth laughed heartily.

He understood Lin Yang's busyness; after all, a young man's career was just starting out, and he had serious business to attend to.

"A bear gallbladder is a terribly rare thing, especially an iron gallbladder. They've become scarcer and scarcer in recent years."

"I'll give you five hundred yuan upfront. If this gallbladder fetches a higher price when I sell it, I'll definitely make up the difference for you."

"In my opinion, selling this gallbladder for six or seven hundred yuan shouldn't be a problem, and Old `Eighth here will at least make some pocket money for wine. If it can fetch eight hundred, I'll throw in another hundred for you!"

Lin Yang smiled, shook his head, and said earnestly, "Old Eighth, I really can't sell this gallbladder. I'm keeping it for a special purpose."

"Rest assured, when the blind bears fatten up for autumn in a little while, I'll figure out a way to get another iron gallbladder, and by the way, I'll get you a bear-skin overcoat as well."

"You can wear it when you go out in the winter, and it's guaranteed to be both warm and majestic!"

Hearing this, Old Eighth gave Lin Yang a mild glare and said earnestly and profoundly, "Kid, don't let a little bit of skill make you arrogant and complacent. Making a living out here in these mountains, we must maintain a sense of awe toward the Mountain Deity."

"Every blade of grass, every tree, every bird and beast in these mountains is a gift from the Mountain Deity. We must cherish them properly and never act recklessly."

Lin Yang immediately wiped the smile from his face and said solemnly, "Old Eighth, I will definitely keep your words carved in my heart and won't dare to slack off for even a second!"

Following that, Lin Yang explained in detail why he had brought the bear gallbladder to the county town.

It turned out that when his future mother-in-law gave birth to her fourth child, she had carelessly let evil winds enter her bones, leaving behind a chronic illness, and urgently needed a bear gallbladder to compound medicine.

He felt that since it was to cure his mother-in-law, he had to use the absolute best, which was why the gallbladder could not be sold.

Moreover, coming here this time was also specifically to bring some meat to Old Eighth.

Because Old Eighth's physique had been left with a chronic ailment from hunting in his early years, requiring him to regularly consume nutritious food to build himself up.

After parting ways, Old Eighth stood at the doorway, watching Lin Yang's receding figure, his gaze deeply complex.

Though tinged with a trace of melancholy, there was much more warmth in it, and finally, he couldn't help but chuckle softly.

He seemed to see his own youth reflected in Lin Yang—equally high-spirited and brimming with infinite longing for the future.

Back then, he and his band of brothers formed a hunting team, roaming the mountain forests and making a living by the gun.

Especially during the hard years of the great famine, just to fill their bellies, he had relied on sheer grit to lead the brothers into plundering bear dens, only to encounter fierce man-eating bears.

That horrifying scene was still vivid in his mind, where two vibrant lives had vanished in an instant.

Ever since then, he had grown exceptionally cautious, which allowed him to survive in the perilous mountain forests.

Even so, an accident had once deeply gouged his chest, leaving behind a severe chronic condition that meant he could never do heavy labor again.

In his heart, he prayed silently, hoping the Mountain Deity would bless Lin Yang and keep the lad from running into danger.

He knew that some words wouldn't persuade Lin Yang otherwise.

After all, he had once been young himself, and he knew deeply that under the pressure of survival, if not for making a living, who would willingly risk their life in the deep mountains and old forests?