The Entire Mountain Is My Hunting Ground

It was almost four o’clock by the time Zhao Jun returned to No. 78 Logging Camp. Before long, the sun would be up.

As soon as Zhao Jun entered the shack, he saw Yang Hong sitting on the heated brick platform, leaning against the wall and dozing off. Several thermoses were lined up on the floor.

Hearing the noise, Yang Hong opened his eyes. Seeing it was Zhao Jun, he got up and said, "Technician Zhao, you probably won’t be getting any sleep. Why don’t you wash up?"

"What’s the point of washing?" Zhao Jun said with a wry smile, looking down at himself. He had killed some thirty wild boars earlier, and he was covered from head to toe in their blood.

He had scrubbed his face clean with snow, but the blood on his clothes and pants had already dried and stiffened.

"It’s fine." Yang Hong stood up, dragged a wooden chest over from the corner, and opened it. He took out a new double-layered cotton jacket and a pair of thin cotton-padded pants. "Technician Zhao," he said, "I’m not much taller than you. These should fit."

"This..." Zhao Jun could tell at a glance that Yang Hong had been saving this cotton jacket and pants for when he went down the mountain. Now that spring was here, it wasn’t as cold as winter, which was why he had a double-layered jacket and thinner pants ready.

Zhao Jun was about to refuse, but he was in such a sorry state. ’If I go to the Forest Farm like this, people will see me and start gossiping.’

The regular workers wouldn’t know about the Forestry Bureau’s specimen collection mission. They would just say Zhao Jun was goofing off, getting himself into this state hunting boars, and then showing up for work without even washing up.

At this thought, Zhao Jun stopped being polite. He said to Yang Hong, "Alright then, Yang Leader. Thanks for today. If you ever need anything in the future, just come find me!"

Yang Hong was overjoyed to hear this and quickly brought the jacket and pants to Zhao Jun.

Then, right there in the shack, Zhao Jun stripped off his clothes, gave himself a quick wipe-down, and changed into the new cotton jacket and pants.

Zhao Jun gave his old jacket and pants directly to Hu Dahai. Whether Hu Dahai would tear them apart to wash them or just use them to stuff the stove, Zhao Jun didn’t care.

By the time he was done, it was just after six.

Zhao Jun looked at Yang Hong and asked, "Yang Leader, why don’t you get some sleep?"

Having finally managed to make Zhao Jun owe him a favor, wasn’t it on Yang Hong to see that favor through to the end?

So, Yang Hong smiled and shook his head. "Technician Zhao, I won’t sleep. The sun’s almost up anyway. After breakfast, I’ll help you take this boar home."

In truth, Yang Hong knew the meat from such a huge boar wouldn’t be edible. But Zhao Jun had mentioned twice that this pig was useful to him. So, even if it meant taking this massive boar all the way to the provincial capital, Yang Hong wouldn’t have considered it a hassle.

No point in asking two different people for one job.

Since he had already asked, Zhao Jun wasn’t afraid to trouble Yang Hong further.

So he said, "Not home. Yang Leader, if you’re not tired, you can help me take it to the Forest Farm in a bit."

"Ah, okay!"

At seven o’clock, Hu Dahai came to the Leader’s shack to call Zhao Jun and Yang Hong for breakfast.

During the meal, Hu Dahai didn’t eat a single bite, but his mouth never stopped moving. He was either praising how amazing Zhao Jun was or recounting his own regrets about his failed pursuit of a Pig God in his younger days.

After breakfast, Zhao Jun set out on foot. An hour later, around when Zhao Jun was probably getting close to the Forest Farm, Yang Hong set off with the horse-drawn sledge, pulling the great boar straight toward Yong’an Forest Farm.

Zhao Jun arrived at the Forest Farm and went straight to the logistics department. It was past nine by then, and Zhou Jianjun was at work.

Several days had passed since Zhao Jun last spoke to him about the Pig God. Zhou Jianjun had been thinking about it constantly.

This Pig God could decide whether his father would get another promotion.

Suddenly, as Zhou Jianjun sat in his chair lost in thought, someone knocked on the window beside him.

He jumped, startled. Zhou Jianjun turned to see it was Zhao Jun. He shot up from his chair and rushed out the door.

"Brother-in-law!" Zhao Jun said as soon as he saw Zhou Jianjun. "I took down the Pig God."

"Really!" Zhou Jianjun’s eyes were brighter than usual. "How big is it?"

"Bigger than I told you, not smaller."

"That’s fantastic!" Zhou Jianjun exclaimed, rubbing his hands together excitedly as he spun in a circle on the spot.

When he turned back around, Zhou Jianjun asked Zhao Jun, "Where’s the pig?"

"On the road," Zhao Jun said with a smile. "Yang Leader from No. 78 Logging Camp is bringing it over on a sledge. He should be here soon."

"Quick!" Zhou Jianjun raised his hand and gestured toward the Forest Farm gate. "Let’s go meet him!"

The two of them went to the Forest Farm gate. Since it was working hours, the laborers were all busy, so besides the gatekeeper, there was no one else around.

Seeing Zhou Jianjun chatting with his young brother-in-law, the old gatekeeper was tactful enough not to approach.

Just then, Zhou Jianjun whispered to Zhao Jun, "Jun, I really have to thank you for this."

"We’re family. Why be so formal?" Zhao Jun laughed. "Aren’t you my brother-in-law? If you weren’t, there’s no way I’d be giving this pig to you."

Zhou Jianjun thought Zhao Jun was joking with him. He was in an excellent mood, so he chuckled and said, "Don’t try to fool your brother-in-law. A pig that big, the meat is completely inedible."

"No, really," Zhao Jun said, shaking his head. "It’s because of the Yongxing Brigade’s spring hunt. Our Village Chief wanted to make a name for himself in the township and In the Town, so he had me hunt a boar for him. We even set the price: twenty cents a pound, wet weight, including skin and bones."

"Really?"

"Of course." Zhao Jun raised his left hand, pointing his index finger to the sky and wagging it slightly. He grinned, "With a pig this big, I’d make a few hundred yuan, wouldn’t I?"

"Ah..." Zhou Jianjun nodded at his words, then nudged Zhao Jun with his elbow. "Your brother-in-law doesn’t have any money for you, though."

"Brother-in-law, come on. As if I’d ask you for money."

"I wouldn’t give you any even if you asked." At this, the two of them burst out laughing at the Forest Farm gate.

’Zhao Jun knew perfectly well that if he brought this Pig God back to the village, Zhao Guofeng would be willing to give him fifty cents a pound for it, even if he had to sell his house and home to afford it!’

’This was no less impressive than Big Claw. Showing this to the higher-ups would bring so much prestige!’

’He also knew that if he gave the Pig God to his brother-in-law, he wouldn’t get a single cent.’

’But Zhao Jun was still willing to give the Pig God to Zhou Jianjun.’

’Putting aside the great benefits he would reap if Zhou Chunming got promoted, the kindness Zhou Jianjun had shown him across two lifetimes was worth far more than any pig.’

’So, forget not making money; even if he had to throw in five hundred yuan of his own, Zhao Jun would have given this Pig God to Zhou Jianjun.’

’Besides, he knew that even though his brother-in-law hadn’t said anything, he would definitely make it up to him in the future.’

As the two were chatting, the faint sound of horse hooves drifted toward them on the wind.

"He’s here!" Zhou Jianjun’s spirits lifted, and he excitedly went forward to meet them.

Zhao Jun followed for a couple of steps and saw Yang Hong slowly approaching, driving the horse-drawn sledge.

The horse couldn’t have run fast even if it wanted to, not while pulling such a massive pig.

"You must be Yang Leader." As soon as the sledge stopped, Zhou Jianjun stepped forward and extended his hand to Yang Hong.

"Zhou..." Yang Hong froze when he saw Zhou Jianjun. He recognized Zhou Jianjun, but Zhou Jianjun didn’t know him.

Yang Hong never would have imagined that simply by helping Zhao Jun, he would draw out such an important figure. This was someone he couldn’t even get a word in with before.

Seeing Yang Hong just standing there stunned, Zhao Jun quickly nudged him and said, "Yang Leader, this is my brother-in-law."

"Ah?" Yang Hong was even more astonished. He had been trying to get on Zhao Jun’s good side because Zhao Jun was in charge of their Logging Camp, but he never expected Zhao Jun to have such powerful connections.

But when he saw Zhao Jun giving him a look, Yang Hong immediately snapped out of it. He grabbed Zhou Jianjun’s hand, his face practically blooming with a smile.

The two exchanged a few pleasantries, then Zhou Jianjun went around behind the horse to look at the boar. When he saw the full extent of the great beast, he couldn’t have been happier.

In the Forest Area, wild boars were the most common animal. He could just imagine that when all the Forest Farms submitted their quota this time, every single one would turn in a wild boar.

But which Forest Farm’s boar could possibly compare to a Pig God?

By the same token, it would be the same when the various forestry bureaus submitted their quotas to their superiors.

This way, the superior forestry bureau above Yong’an Forest Farm was bound to gain a lot of prestige. And when the leaders gained prestige, could the benefits be far behind?

At this thought, Zhou Jianjun laughed heartily, turned to Yang Hong, and said, "Yang Leader, give me another hand. Let’s pull this big boar to the cafeteria."

The moment Zhou Jianjun said this, someone nearby cut in, "Hold on now!"