Chapter 82: Showing Off, Dividing the Spoils

The two of them strolled leisurely along the road. At this hour, there were scarcely any people about; most were still working in the fields or halfway up the mountainside. But this did not affect Jing Qingxin and Gao Shen’s “showtime” in the least.

They walked openly down the main road, their strikingly handsome appearances glowing in the sunlight as they walked side by side—a beautiful and harmonious scene. It wasn’t just the young people laboring in the fields, or the old women sitting at their gates stitching soles onto shoes, or even the small children digging for wild greens among the ridges—everyone couldn’t help but be drawn to them.

Most remarkable of all: both the handsome young man and the lovely young woman carried wild game in their hands—real, substantial meat! Not just a strip, but a hefty chunk—enough to stretch out for an entire month if rationed. With such a conspicuous pair, how could the villagers not have their eyes drawn? It was nearly impossible.

Gao Shen wore an expression of calm indifference, while Jing Qingxin’s face shone with a cheerful smile. Both accepted the attention coming at them from all directions with utter composure, as if strolling alone, undisturbed by the world.

“Look, a wild pheasant!” came the excited cry of a child from a distant field ridge.

“And a wild rabbit too!” shouted another child.

“What’s that in the uncle’s hand? It’s huge!” another child exclaimed in excitement.

The adults, busy with their work and heads bent low, looked up at their children’s shouts and recognized the two young people at the center of recent gossip. They stared in astonishment at the wild game glinting in their hands, feelings surging within—envy, disbelief, and a touch of shame.

For the past few days, everyone had been swept up in rumors and speculation, and now those same two had proven all the talk wrong—so boldly, too, flaunting their success. The villagers were left envious and embarrassed in equal measure.

“Look at that young man—his legs seem just fine!” a woman remarked, nudging her companion.

“Seems the girl’s medical skills really are something!” another agreed.

Soon, heads gathered close in quiet discussion, everyone wondering who had started those rumors in the first place. What nonsense! At the very least, the young woman clearly had genuine ability.

On a ridge beside the road sat an elderly woman, watching the two young people approach. She knew who they were, if not their names, but her curiosity was undimmed.

Her grandson was craving meat. She ignored the unsmiling young man entirely and, looking at the cheerful young woman, called out with a laugh, “Oh my! Young lady from the city, where did you catch all that game? Look at all that meat! So plump—my, my!”

Hearing herself addressed, Jing Qingxin was both amused and helpless. The old woman was truly a character—what’s the point of game without meat? Still, Jing Qingxin understood what she meant.

“Hello, Grandma! We just caught these in the mountains,” Jing Qingxin replied with a smile.

By now, five or six children had gathered around Jing Qingxin and Gao Shen, though perhaps intimidated by Gao Shen’s solemn demeanor, they dared not come too close, standing two or three steps away and eyeing the game with curiosity.

“Oh, caught in the mountains? What?! You went to the back mountain?” The old woman’s eyes widened in shock.

“Yes! We were lucky and caught three wild animals!” Jing Qingxin replied with a sweet smile, her innocence masking any awareness of the villagers’ tangled feelings of jealousy and admiration. Whatever her true feelings, to the watching crowd she seemed the very picture of pride and delight.

The old woman forced a laugh. “You’re truly blessed, young lady!”

On learning that the game was caught on the back mountain, the old woman felt uneasy. Not everyone could come back alive from there—let alone with prey in hand!

Jing Qingxin continued, her smile bright: “I think so too, Grandma! I won’t keep you—we still need to go home and prepare the meat.”

The old woman paused, realizing there would be nothing to gain today. She couldn’t very well snatch it outright, so she watched them go with a strained smile.

The six children, meanwhile, were utterly fascinated by the wild game, their bright eyes wide and sparkling as they whispered among themselves, trailing after Jing Qingxin and Gao Shen.

Jing Qingxin glanced back at the children following behind—every one of them dusty and thin, but with shining eyes fixed hungrily on the game in their hands. She sighed inwardly. These children probably hadn’t tasted meat in a very long time. Looking at their scrawny bodies, Jing Qingxin understood the harshness of the times, but faced with such innocent children, she couldn’t help feeling a pang of compassion.

She stopped and turned, smiling at the children. “Why are you following us?”

The children dropped their eyes, too shy to speak, nudging each other and trying to shrink behind their companions.

Jing Qingxin sighed softly. “Even if you follow us, there’s no meat for you now. Go home for now! When I’ve cooked it, you can bring your bowls tonight and come to my house, all right?”

At her words, the children’s eyes widened with disbelief and excitement. They had only hoped to follow and maybe catch a whiff of meat. Never did they expect the pretty big sister to invite them to her home for dinner. Was it really what they thought?

A boy of about nine, unable to contain his hope, asked, “Sister, do you mean we can really have meat tonight?”

“Yes, that’s right. So don’t follow us now. Come with your bowls tonight to my house, all right?” Jing Qingxin answered gently.

“Okay!” the children chorused in delight, afraid to hesitate for fear of missing out. They dashed away, their laughter echoing in the distance.

Jing Qingxin sighed softly. For children these days, even a taste of meat was a rare happiness.

Gao Shen had stayed silent the whole time, but his eyes were warm and full of tenderness—a clear sign that whatever Jing Qingxin did, he would always support her.

“Let’s go home and cook the meat! Tonight, we’ll stew the roe deer and share it with the children. The pheasant can go in the soup for your nourishment, and as for the rabbit, we’ll bring it to Aunt Li in quarantine. Does that sound good?” Jing Qingxin considered aloud, turning at the end to consult Gao Shen.

“I have no objections—whatever makes you happy!” Gao Shen replied in a gentle tone.

Hearing his unwavering support, Jing Qingxin’s smile grew even brighter.

—End of excerpt—