Volume One, Chapter Nine: No Longer Playing Along with You
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Shen Aodong adjusted the rifle on his shoulder and sighed inwardly. It seemed he had no choice but to agree.
“Alright, then you and Ling Shuang go together. Stay close.”
Gu Xianglin grinned, “Got it!”
There were no fixed trails in the mountains. Shen Aodong led the way, weaving through the forest with precision.
Shen Ling Shuang followed closely, keeping an eye on Gu Xianglin as well.
At first, Gu Xianglin said nothing.
But halfway up the mountain, he could no longer hold back.
“Shen Ling Shuang, you go ahead on your own. Don’t worry about me. I’ll bring up the rear.”
She tilted her head, scrutinizing him. “Are you mad at me? Just because of that bag of sweet potatoes?”
If she hadn’t brought it up, it would have been fine. But once mentioned, Gu Xianglin’s steps faltered.
“I want to ask... If you dug those sweet potatoes yourself, why say you stole them from me?” he asked.
“Because if Mom and Brother knew I stayed up all night digging so many sweet potatoes, they’d feel heartbroken and blame themselves,” Shen Ling Shuang said calmly.
Gu Xianglin frowned. “But if you say you stole them, they wouldn’t accept it either.”
“So, I guessed they’d come looking for you, and I knew you wouldn’t claim those sweet potatoes,” she shrugged and walked forward. “So, the sweet potatoes still belong to our family!”
Gu Xianglin continued to frown.
He watched her retreating figure, baffled by the little girl’s logic.
To spare her family from worry, she was willing to lie and risk getting scolded?
And their first meeting was over a fight for sweet potatoes!
How could she be so sure he wouldn’t take credit for the bag?
“Gu Xianglin! Hurry up and catch up!”
As soon as Shen Ling Shuang’s voice fell, gunshots rang through the forest.
Bang!
Bang bang!
Shen Ling Shuang focused to see a fluffy creature nearby collapse without movement.
She quickly exchanged for another raccoon with the system.
Bang! Bang!
This time, Shen Aodong took down the prey with two shots.
Shen Ling Shuang thought to herself, she couldn’t let Gu Xianglin return empty-handed, so she redeemed a third raccoon.
Bang! Bang!
Two more shots.
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Shen Ling Shuang silently marveled: Brother’s marksmanship had clearly improved!
But when she followed Shen Aodong forward to retrieve the prey, her smile faded immediately.
The three large raccoons lay in a neat row on the ground, unnaturally orderly.
Shen Ling Shuang: “...”
Next time, she’d remind A’Fu to scatter the release points!
Otherwise, this looked too eerie!
Fortunately, Shen Aodong and Gu Xianglin were so focused on checking if the prey was dead that they didn’t suspect a thing.
Gu Xianglin picked up one raccoon, weighing it in his hand, eyes crinkling with a smile. “It’s heavy! One must be over ten pounds!”
Shen Ling Shuang immediately divided the spoils. “One to hand over to the production team, the other two—one for each of us!”
Shen Aodong had no objection to this division, but Gu Xianglin quickly shoved his prize to Shen Ling Shuang. “No way!”
“Are you stupid?” Shen Ling Shuang shook her fists to scare him. “Do you want to hand them all over? If the three go to the production team and are divided evenly, each family probably won’t get even one pound!”
She had already treated the whole team to wild boar meat; keeping a 14-pound raccoon for herself wasn’t unreasonable!
Seeing Gu Xianglin still unwilling to relent, she grew fiercer, brandishing her arms wildly. “If you don’t take it, are you going to run to the production team and tattle that I’m hiding treasures? You, Gu Xianglin! My brother kindly agreed to guide you up the mountain, and you... you... I’m not playing with you anymore!”
“No! That’s not what I mean!” Gu Xianglin scratched his head anxiously. “I just didn’t contribute at all, so I feel bad accepting it!”
“I’m telling you, just take it.” Shen Aodong’s face remained stern. “Come up the mountain with us whenever you can. You’re on winter break anyway; once school starts, you’re not allowed to come.”
Gu Xianglin’s cheeks flushed slightly. “Alright, I’ll listen to Brother Aodong!”
The three of them lugged their prey and patrolled a large circle along the mountain edge.
No other large dangerous prey was found.
As the sky began to brighten, signaling dawn, Shen Aodong decisively called off the group.
Both parties, each with their haul, happily returned home.
When Shen Ling Shuang stepped into her yard, she happened to meet Li Lanfang coming out.
For so many years, whether or not there was work, Li Lanfang always rose early.
She would first boil a large pot of water for the family, then tend to the vegetables in the private garden, starting a busy day.
But today was a little different.
“Mom, look! Raccoons!”
Shen Ling Shuang showed Li Lanfang the trophies in her hands. “Before, Brother and I talked about how we didn’t give Sister-in-law any bridal gifts after marrying her in. Now with these raccoons, it’s perfect! We can skin the fur, wash it clean, and make Sister-in-law a scarf!”
Li Lanfang hurriedly took the fur. “This fur is nice... The raccoons are quite heavy!”
“We shot two!” Shen Ling Shuang linked arms with her mother. “Brother took one to the team leader’s house, and we’ll handle this one ourselves!”
“Good, good...” A warmth welled in Li Lanfang’s eyes.
Shen Ling Shuang added firewood to the stove while Li Lanfang skinned the raccoon; mother and daughter bustled busily in the kitchen.
Li Lanfang felt a pang of guilt toward the family’s new daughter-in-law.
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After all, she had become a daughter-in-law; how could she not hope for lively gatherings, inviting everyone over for tea and chat?
Unfortunately, their family owed grain and favors to several relatives, and their current supplies were insufficient for hosting guests. They could only rely on what the team leader said before—wait until spring to hold a wedding banquet for the two of them.
But Li Lanfang was neither blind nor ignorant. Such a beautiful, educated woman like Song Qiuran marrying into their humble, mud-walled shack was a great hardship!
Yet Song Qiuran was patient and enduring, silently bearing all hardships.
She took charge of boiling water, washing clothes, and cooking.
At night, that troublesome Shen Aodong insisted on each having their own quilt.
The kang was small, and with two large quilts, it was even more cramped.
Li Lanfang didn’t know if Song Qiuran had slept a good night even after a few days.
Thinking this, the raccoon skin in her hand was already fully skinned.
“Ling Shuang.”
Li Lanfang called her daughter close and spoke softly, “You’ve been running around with your brother all night. Go rest now. When you wake up, go and chat with your sister-in-law!
Mom’s not good at talking, Yingxue still hasn’t adapted to having a newcomer in the family, and your brother is a closed book!
In this family, only you and your sister-in-law can really talk. Ask her if she needs anything. We can’t let her feel wronged.”
Shen Ling Shuang dropped the firewood and hugged Li Lanfang’s arm tightly. “My mom is so good!”
“It’s not like I just became your mom today for you to realize that!” Li Lanfang teased her, then gently pushed Shen Ling Shuang out. “If you’re hungry, cook some corn to eat, then go to sleep. I’ll call you and your brother up for lunch.”
Shen Ling Shuang nodded, yawning as she went back inside.
Little sister Shen Yingxue was still asleep. Shen Ling Shuang, chilled to the bone, snuggled into her quilt and mischievously pressed her cold ankle against her sister’s foot.
“Ugh...” Shen Yingxue woke up shivering but only grunted.
Though wronged, she didn’t pull away, allowing Shen Ling Shuang to stay close.
In that instant, Shen Ling Shuang’s heart melted completely.
She looked at her sister’s milky-white face, her nose suddenly stinging with emotion.
Such an adorable little girl—no one knew what scoundrels had abducted her in the past life, nor what hardships she had endured...
She had searched for her sister for years without a trace.
Every time she saw news of women trafficked into the mountains, chained and forced to bear children as slaves for life, Shen Ling Shuang’s heart ached.
She wanted to save every one she could, but until her final breath, she never found her little sister.
Moved, Shen Ling Shuang pulled Shen Yingxue into her embrace.
She vowed to herself she would track down the traffickers and make them pay a thousandfold!