I Overhear Animals' Thoughts to Feed My Family

Chapter 125: Chapter 124: To Raise a Tiger or Not

The little tiger squirmed restlessly in Zhou Mancang’s arms, whimpering. Zhao Wendong reached out and took it, soothing it for a moment, but it started crying again shortly after.

”Wow, it’s so cute!”

When Lin Zhiyin saw the small, fluffy ball of fur, she snatched it into her arms in delighted surprise. The little tiger whimpered twice, then curled up in her embrace and quietly fell back asleep.

”Damn!”

Zhao Wendong cursed. ’I was careless,’ he thought. ’I forgot to check if it was male or female. If it’s a male, I’ll have it castrated later. I haven’t even gotten a touch, how could I let it get first dibs?’

”Haha, it settled right down as soon as sister-in-law held it! Was it hungry before?”

Zhao Wendong nodded at Zhou Mancang.

”Probably hungry.”

Lin Huaimin glanced at the sun and said.

”Alright, it’s getting late. You two should head back!”

Zhao Wendong thought for a moment. Everything that needed to be done was done, and it was indeed time to head back.

”Okay, Uncle, Auntie, we’ll be heading back then. Please take good care of yourselves and wait for us!”

”We will, we will! We believe in you!”

Lin Huaimin and Wang Lulu both nodded happily, but their eyes welled with tears of reluctance.

Lin Zhiyin, who had just calmed down, suddenly felt sad again. Cradling the tiger cub in one arm, she used her free hand to clasp both of her parents’ hands.

”Mom, Dad, you have to eat the things we brought you, stay healthy, and take care of yourselves while you wait for us, okay?”

”We will, we will. Mom and Dad promise you!”

While the family of three said their goodbyes, Zhao Wendong pulled Liu Haisheng and the others a few steps away.

”Farm Director Liu, Squad Leader Chen, it was a pleasure to meet you. I’m entrusting my father-in-law and mother-in-law to your care. Please don’t let them be bullied or wronged, alright?”

Liu Haisheng smiled and nodded.

”Rest assured. I won’t do anything that violates regulations, but within the rules, I guarantee they won’t be mistreated or harmed.”

Chen Baoguo also smiled and assured Zhao Wendong.

”We’ll definitely look after them well for you!”

”Good. Thank you, brothers. Now I can rest easy. I’m sure our paths will cross again!”

Watched on by everyone, the horse-drawn sled slowly departed from the farm. Besides Lin Huaimin, Wang Lulu, and Liu Haisheng, many other staff members and soldiers had also come out to see them off, watching as the sled gradually receded into the distance.

Lin Huaimin and Wang Lulu watched as their daughter and future son-in-law gradually shrank to a black dot on the snowy plains before disappearing completely. They couldn’t help but let their tears fall.

”You’ve found a good son-in-law!”

Liu Haisheng remarked to them before heading back to the office with Chen Baoguo. They still had to prepare the man-eating tiger and a report to be sent to their superiors.

On the horse-drawn sled, Lin Zhiyin was also wiping away tears. Zhao Wendong’s heart ached for her, and he reached out to dry her eyes. As she felt his fingers brush across her cheek, a warmth spread through her heart.

”Don’t cry. It’s so cold out, your face will get chapped if you keep crying. You won’t be pretty anymore!”

”Lin Zhiyin, I will definitely find a way to get your parents out as soon as possible. Trust me!”

Lin Zhiyin knew how difficult the matter was, but for some reason, Zhao Wendong’s words immediately calmed her. It felt as though he could truly accomplish whatever he set out to do, no matter how hard it might be.

”Okay, I believe you!”

Lin Zhiyin nodded firmly and tucked the tiger cub inside her padded jacket to keep it warmer. ’This little guy is even more pitiful than me,’ she thought. ’My parents are still alive, we just can’t be together right now. But this little one is all alone in the world.’

”Hmph. So what if my face gets chapped and I’m not pretty? Does that mean you won’t like me anymore? You said you liked me back when I wasn’t pretty, didn’t you? Are you tired of me already?”

As the sled glided along, a sudden question from Lin Zhiyin nearly knocked Zhao Wendong off. ’Is she trying to pick a fight, or is this a skill all women are born with?’

Zhao Wendong looked at Lin Zhiyin, not knowing whether to laugh or cry. He could only scratch his head and chuckle foolishly.

Seeing how flustered he was, Lin Zhiyin couldn’t help but chuckle. ’What a silly oaf!’

”Awoo~”

The tiger cub whimpered a few times from within Lin Zhiyin’s arms. She immediately grew anxious, patting and cooing to soothe the little thing. Zhao Wendong, who had just succeeded in amusing Lin Zhiyin by playing dumb, felt his expression darken. ’Damn thing, ruining my moment.’

”Cry, cry, cry! That’s it, I’m stewing it as soon as we get back!”

”You wouldn’t dare!”

Lin Zhiyin was not having it. She shot Zhao Wendong a fierce glare.

”Just you watch. People barely have enough to eat as it is. This thing has a huge appetite—we can’t afford to raise it!”

Zhao Wendong’s words left Lin Zhiyin stunned. ’He’s right. People don’t even have enough to eat, so how could we possibly raise a tiger?’ But the mere thought of stewing and eating such an adorable little creature was enough to make her want to cry.

”You can definitely think of something, right, Zhao Wendong? Let’s keep it. Please try to think of a way, okay?”

Looking at Lin Zhiyin pleading so softly, her face utterly charming, Zhao Wendong gave a sly grin.

”Then beg me.”

”I’m begging you!”

”Nope, not sincere enough. Say, ’Big Brother, I’m begging you!’”

”Zhao Wendong, do you have a death wish? I think I’m a year older than you!”

Lin Zhiyin bristled. Zhao Wendong laughed to himself but kept a straight face. After a long moment, seeing that he wasn’t budging and genuinely worried he might actually eat the tiger cub, she had no choice but to tug on his sleeve again, her voice as faint as a mosquito’s buzz.

”G-Good... Big Brother, I’m begging you!”

”What was that? I can’t hear you!”

Zhao Wendong deliberately leaned his ear closer, pretending he couldn’t hear.

”Zhao Wendong!”

Lin Zhiyin was now thoroughly incensed, a mixture of embarrassment and anger. Her pretty face flushed crimson, and she glared at Zhao Wendong, grinding her teeth.

”You’re bullying me! I’ll... I’ll bite you!”

Furious, she lunged as if to bite him. Seeing that she was genuinely angry, Zhao Wendong quickly surrendered with a laugh.

”Don’t bite! We’ll raise it, we’ll raise it! We’re keeping the little tiger!”

”Really?”

”Really!”

”Yay!”

In the back of the sled, Zhou Wancang watched the pair’s playful bickering, his face a mask of pure agony. ’I shouldn’t be on this sled,’ he thought. ’I should be under it, letting it run me over and put me out of my misery!’

By the time Dahei Mountain Village came into view, the sky was already beginning to darken. Two figures could be seen faintly at the village entrance, peering in their direction. As the sled drew closer, Zhao Wendong saw it was Zhao Yinhua and Zhou Laogen. He had no idea how long they had been waiting, but they were both covered in a dusting of wind-blown snow.

”Auntie! Uncle!”

”Oh my, why are you two out here instead of waiting at home on such a cold day? How long have you been out? Aren’t you freezing?”

Zhao Wendong quickly jumped off the horse-drawn sled and hurried over to them.

”Ah, Dongzi, you’re back!” Zhao Yinhua said, her face all smiles. ”Heh, it’s nothing, we’re not cold. We haven’t been waiting long. We just couldn’t sit still at home, so we came to take a look!”

Although she claimed she hadn’t been out long, her lips were so frozen from the wait that her speech was slightly slurred.

When Zhao Wendong saw the frost clinging to their hair and eyelashes, he knew they had been waiting for a long time. He quickly hurried them toward home.

”Let’s go, let’s go! Auntie, Uncle, let’s get you home!”

Lin Zhiyin and Zhou Mancang got off the sled as well. The five of them, leading the big brown horse, made their way toward a low, dilapidated mud-brick house.