I Overhear Animals' Thoughts to Feed My Family

The moment Zhao Wendong lifted the door curtain and stepped into Zhao Dahai’s house, he was hit by the pungent smell of Chinese medicine. Zhao Dahai’s two daughters, Zhao Wendong’s cousins, sixteen-year-old Zhao Pandi and fourteen-year-old Zhao Laidi, were in the kitchen stoking a fire to brew medicine.

When they saw Zhao Wendong come in, they both called out timidly.

"Brother San!"

Zhao Wendong looked at his two cousins. Their hair was dull and yellow, just like Little Tuanzi’s had been, and their small frames were nothing but skin and bones. His gaze lingered on Zhao Pandi’s face for a few extra moments. ’This poor girl has had it rough.’

’But now that I’ve been reborn, I have to help. These two cousins are close to me, and they’re just poor kids. I’ll definitely take care of them as long as I’m able. If it were Zhao Wenhua, though... heh. He can go die for all I care.’

"Mm, are you brewing medicine for my uncle?"

"For my dad, and for my mom too!"

"What?!"

Zhao Wendong froze. ’I thought they said my uncle was the one who got beaten up. How is Wang Jinzhi involved in this?’

’His aunt might be stingy, but her fighting prowess was considered god-tier among the village women. Who the hell was tough enough to take her down? Was there even a woman that formidable in their village?’

’Everyone knew the village rules: when the women fought, the men didn’t get involved. A man stepping in meant things had escalated. Could she have been beaten up by a man?’

The thought angered Zhao Wendong. ’You have to consider the master before you beat the dog, as they say. Zhao Dahai and Wang Jinzhi were his close relatives, after all. Wasn’t beating them a slap in his own face? Could it be Zhao the Sixth? No, that couldn’t be right. I’d already scared the soul out of that old coot.’

Puzzled, Zhao Wendong entered the west room. On the kang, Zhao Chuanhe and Ye Qingmei were in their usual poses: sitting cross-legged around a brazier with pipes dangling from their mouths, their faces etched with worry.

"Hey now, what’s with the long faces? Did you miss me?"

At the sight of Zhao Wendong, the worry on Ye Qingmei’s face vanished, instantly replaced by a beaming smile.

"Oh, Dongzi, you’re back from the mountains! Quick, let Grandma see if my dear grandson has lost any weight!"

Zhao Chuanhe misheard her again. He glanced over at Zhao Wendong’s hands.

"Fatty meat? But he came empty-handed. Where’s the fatty meat?"

"Is Grandpa craving fatty meat? No problem, I’ll bring some over for you later."

"Your grandpa just misheard me! What’s this about fatty meat!"

"It’s alright, Grandma. We can spare some for you two now. So tell me, what happened with my uncle and them?"

Ye Qingmei sighed, then told Zhao Wendong what she knew.

A few days ago, on the day you and the others went into the mountains, Wang Jinzhi went to her family’s home. She wanted to get your grandfather’s shotgun back for Zhao Dahai, so he could try his luck in the mountains. They had originally agreed it was just a loan, but when Wang Jinzhi went to ask for it back, her younger brother, Wang Dana, completely changed his tune and claimed the gun had been a gift.

Wang Jinzhi wouldn’t accept that and raised a fuss, so her brother Wang Dana beat her. He then accused her of siding with her in-laws against her own family and threw her out. When Wang Jinzhi came home crying and told Zhao Dahai what had happened, he naturally couldn’t stand for it. He took her back to reason with them, but they both just ended up getting beaten again.

"Are their injuries serious?"

"Sigh. Your Granny Liu came to take a look. She said that even though your aunt was beaten twice, her injuries aren’t serious. They’re her family, after all, so they held back. She’ll be fine in a few days. But your uncle was beaten pretty badly. He’ll have to take it easy and will need at least a month to fully recover."

Zhao Wendong was both amused and furious after hearing the story. ’What a mess. But I can’t just ignore this. If word gets out, people will think my grandfather’s branch of the family is full of pushovers!’

"Alright, I get it."

Zhao Wendong stood up to go to the east room to see Zhao Dahai and Wang Jinzhi, but his grandmother, Ye Qingmei, grabbed him tightly.

"My dear grandson, they deserved that beating! I told them not to lend out the gun in the first place, but your uncle wouldn’t listen to me. He just had to trust your aunt. If not for that, would any of this have happened? Your reputation is finally getting better. Villagers who visit all praise you for being capable and staying on the straight and narrow. Don’t you go and do something reckless for their sake, grandson. What will you do if you can’t find a wife then?!"

"Hahaha, Grandma, don’t worry. Your future granddaughter-in-law is practically a sure thing. I’ll bring her to meet you in a few days. And no matter what, he’s still my uncle. I can’t just ignore this, can I? Otherwise, wouldn’t it be you and Grandpa who lose face? It’s okay. I promise I won’t be reckless and stupid like I used to be. Trust me, Grandma!"

"Yes, yes, I trust my dear grandson! My dear grandson is the best in the whole world!"

"Don’t let my older brother hear you say that. He’s your *real* eldest grandson."

"Hmph! I’d say it right to Wenjun’s face. You’re my number one grandson."

"That’s right! Dongzi is our number one grandson!"

Zhao Chuanhe’s hearing was sharp for once, and he immediately chimed in with his approval. Zhao Wendong smiled at them, then turned and left the west room, crossing through the central hall to the east room on the other side.

Zhao Dahai and Wang Jinzhi were lying side-by-side on the kang, their faces bruised and swollen. Seeing Zhao Wendong, they could only manage a few groans by way of greeting.

"Don... Dong-thee... you... you’re here!"

Zhao Wendong couldn’t help but chuckle. ’Since when does my uncle have a lisp?’

He took a closer look. ’Holy crap, his front teeth were gone.’

"Auntie, your Wang Family sure plays rough! What, did they think they were beating up the Japanese? They even knocked out my uncle’s big front teeth?"

Zhao Wendong’s words made Wang Jinzhi want to crawl into a hole. Tears streamed down her face. She felt incredibly wronged. For years, she had funneled countless things to her family home, never expecting this to be how they repaid her.

Zhao Wenhua was lying on the far side of the kang. He didn’t say a word when Zhao Wendong entered, just turning his head away and pretending he wasn’t there. Zhao Wendong wasn’t having any of it and smacked him hard on the back of the head.

SMACK!

The blow left Zhao Wenhua’s head ringing. He flew into a rage, whipping his head around with reddened eyes and roaring.

"What are you doing! What gives you the right to hit me!"

"On what grounds? On the grounds that I’m your older cousin and I’m stronger than you. You don’t like it? We can spar right now, how about it?"

Faced with Zhao Wendong’s cold sneer, Zhao Wenhua realized his cousin was looking for trouble. He flinched and fell silent.

"Get lost. You’re idle all day, nothing but skin and bones. Go help your sisters. Don’t just lie around here like some lord. I need to have a private word with your parents."

Seething but not daring to talk back, Zhao Wenhua huffily put on his shoes and left the east room. He didn’t go help his sisters with the medicine; instead, he slipped into the west room to go lie down on his grandparents’ kang.

"Uncle, what do you want to do about this?"

Hearing Zhao Wendong’s question, Zhao Dahai fell silent on the kang. Of course, he wanted to get even, to vent his fury, but here he was, laid up in bed. His only hope was Zhao Wendong, but they didn’t usually get along, and he couldn’t bring himself to ask for help. Yet, if he just let it go... he couldn’t swallow the insult.

Wang Jinzhi also kept her lips pressed tightly together, saying nothing. She was in no position to give an opinion. Though she felt wronged and furious, she couldn’t bring herself to ask Zhao Wendong to go and destroy her own family.

Zhao Wendong thought for a moment before speaking slowly.

"As the saying goes, you have to consider the master before you beat the dog."

Zhao Dahai’s face turned even uglier at these words, but he forced himself to remain silent. An issue like this really required his nephew to take the lead. He was good at throwing his weight around with his own parents, but his words meant nothing outside the village. Zhao Wendong was deliberately provoking his uncle, and seeing the man’s face turn the color of pig’s liver brought him a great deal of satisfaction.

"But no matter what, you’re my uncle. How we bicker normally is our own business. But them hitting you? That’s a slap in the face to my grandpa, my dad, and to me, Zhao Wendong. So there’s no way I’m letting this go!"

"Right now, Uncle, you have two choices. First: they injured you and Aunt, so they have to answer to *you*. Second: this has nothing to do with either of you. They beat up *my* uncle and aunt—Zhao Wendong’s uncle and aunt—so they have to answer to *me*!"

"You choose."