Chapter 107: The Wolf is Coming
Just then, Gu Fei walked over and said to Shanzimama with a smile, "Aunt Huang, do you have a thimble? Could I borrow it for a bit?"
Shanzimama quickly replied, "Yes, yes, of course! Just wait, Auntie will go find it for you."
Gu Fei waited by her side.
Shanzi, who was sitting on a small stool, looked up and glared fiercely at Gu Fei.
Gu Fei was baffled. ’Really? I’m just borrowing a thimble from your family, something worth only a few copper coins. Is it worth glaring at me like that?’
Her family had been busy making sheepskin coats the past few days, and with Lian’er now helping out, they were short on thimbles.
Gu Fei took a step away from Shanzi. Shanzimama quickly found the thimble and brought it over.
"Thank you, Aunt Huang. We’ll need it for a few days, I’ll return it then." After speaking, Gu Fei hurried away. If she didn’t leave, Shanzi’s gaze looked like it would eat her alive.
Behind her, Shanzimama slapped Shanzi hard on the back and said in a low voice, "Why didn’t you say a single word when Little Fei came over? You just sat there like a mute! What am I supposed to do with you?"
Shanzi stood up, looked at his mother, and said, word by word, "Either way, I am not going to marry her!"
Gu Fei happened to glance back, thinking she had heard something about marriage, but she had no idea what the mother and son were discussing.
Returning to her family’s area, Gu Fei sat down beside Mrs. Chen, slipped the thimble onto her finger, and started her work.
The central bonfire burned with a CRACKLE and POP. The women sat with their heads bowed, focused on their needlework. Everything seemed quiet and peaceful.
Suddenly, Xing’er’s scream tore through the darkness. "A wolf!"
Then Xing’er was seen scrambling and stumbling into the firelight.
She had been about to turn back when she saw two eerie green dots glowing in the distant darkness. Remembering the elders’ saying that wolves’ eyes glow green, she had let out a scream and bolted.
Everyone scrambled to their feet in a panic. Some looked around frantically. "Where’s the wolf?"
Others cried out, "Mama, I’m scared."
Some were so frightened they wanted to run but had no idea where to go.
Uncle Ma quickly shouted, "Everyone, don’t panic! Gather around! Get closer to the bonfire!"
The quickest to react was Chen Hu. The three of them had originally lit their own small fire at the edge of the crowd. Upon hearing the cry of "wolf," Chen Hu hoisted his young master onto his back and sprinted over to Gu Fei’s family’s bonfire, with Zhang Ze following close behind. The reason was simple: Uncle Ma was over there.
Life was more important than anything else. Everyone quickly gathered around the bonfire that Gu Fei’s family had built, huddling together and trembling in fear.
Uncle Ma shouted, "Women, children, and the elderly in the center! All able-bodied young men from each family, stand on the outside! Form a circle! Grab your weapons and keep your eyes on the darkness!"
The words had barely left his mouth when a long howl—"AWOOOO"—rang out, followed by several more howls echoing across the wilderness.
Chen Hu placed his young master in the very center of the circle, then turned to Zhang Ze with a grave expression. "This is bad. I’m afraid there’s more than one."
Zhang Ze nodded. "You protect the Young Master. I’ll go stand on the perimeter."
Just then, Uncle Ma glanced back and pointed at Chen Hu. "You, get out here too. It’s useless for you to stand by your young master. If we drive the wolves back, your young master will naturally be safe."
Chen Hu looked troubled. "But—"
Su Chen said softly, "Go on."
Helpless, Chen Hu moved to the outer circle.
Uncle Ma then called on the Great-Aunt’s husband and his two sons. Finally, after a moment’s hesitation, he called out, "Little Fei, you come out too."
Hearing this, Mrs. Chen anxiously clutched at Gu Fei’s robes, wanting to say something but unable to find the words.