I Overhear Animals' Thoughts to Feed My Family

Chapter 149: Chapter 148: Li Dawei Slacked Off

Little Bastard glanced at Zhao Wendong, then turned his head away, rolling his eyes as he did.

”Here to help you fight. Eat and make money. What, you don’t want me here?”

”Heh, you’re doing me a favor by being willing to help. Welcome. Where’s your hat?”

”Traded it for food.”

Zhao Wendong was taken aback. The grain he had left them should have been enough for Little Bastard and his grandfather to last until spring.

”Is all that grain gone?”

”Yeah.”

After saying that, Little Bastard met Zhao Wendong’s questioning gaze and rolled his eyes again. With an expression that said he was second only to God, he explained grudgingly.

”My grandpa got sick. Almost died. The grain was traded for his medicine.”

He then shut his mouth, looking like he couldn’t be bothered to say another word. Zhao Wendong nodded and handed him the hat in his hand.

”Your three dogs helped me catch a lot of game. This is a hat we got in a trade. You wear it.”

Little Bastard paused for a second, then snatched the hat and slapped it on his head. It was a little big, covering the top half of his eyes.

”Fuck, Little Bastard, why are you such a badass all day long? Like we owe you something? He gives you a hat and you don’t even say thank you!”

Zhang Dadan, who was standing nearby, couldn’t stand it. He rolled up his sleeves, ready to fight, but Zhao Wendong held him back.

”Dadan, everyone who came today is a brother. Come on, help me give a post-meal smoke to all the brothers who’ve finished eating.”

As he spoke, he pulled several packs of Grape cigarettes from his pocket and had Zhang Dadan help him hand them out to the first group who had finished their meal and were now rubbing their full bellies.

Ai Zhongguo raised his head slightly and pushed the hat up. He cast a calm glance at Zhao Wendong’s back, then lowered his head and continued waiting in line for food.

”Holy shit, this is awesome! We even get smokes! Brother Dong is the man now!”

”Brother Dong, call on us anytime you need something in the future!”

After Zhao Wendong handed out the cigarettes, more and more people started calling him ”Brother Dong” of their own accord. In this era, to show up for a fight and get transported by a big truck, get your fill of food, be given a cigarette after the meal, and get paid fifty cents on top of it all—with such a grand gesture, it didn’t matter if you were older or younger than Zhao Wendong. Calling him ”Brother Dong” was a sign of genuine respect.

In the outer room of Liangzi’s house, the towering pile of yellow cornbread steadily shrank, and the porridge in the water vat was more than half gone. The line grew shorter as more and more people finished eating. Many who received a cigarette from Zhao Wendong took a couple of puffs before they couldn’t bear to smoke more. They snuffed the cigarette out and tucked it behind their ear, saving it to show off back in the village.

Zhao Wendong noticed some people stuffing cornbread into their shirts. He just smiled, not minding it. The ration was four per person. If they wanted to take some back for their families, that was up to them. It would actually help spread his name. ’If I’m going to live a life completely different from everyone else,’ he thought, ’I need people to know and acknowledge what makes me different.’

Just then, two men approached from a distance. It was Big Wang and his brother-in-law, who was carrying a Hanyang rifle on his back. Both were startled by the grand scene before them.

”Holy shit, Wendong, are you trying to wipe out Yang Wenxue?”

”Hahaha, not at all. These are just friends showing their support. Brother Wang, you really didn’t have to go to the trouble for a small matter like this.”

Big Wang might not have been tall, but he spoke with a powerful presence. He slowly shook his head and said with a smile.

”If you’re going to say that, I might as well leave. Wendong, you’re treating me like an outsider.”

Zhao Wendong quickly grabbed his arm. He had neither the time nor the channel to deal with game and trade it for food all day. Big Wang was his best option right now.

”Haha, what are you talking about, leaving? In that case, this little brother thanks you, Brother Wang. Come inside and have a bite. It’s nothing fancy, just cornbread and sorghum porridge.”

”No need. You take care of your business. We ate before we came.”

”Alright, then have a smoke. We’ll be done here soon.”

After speaking, Zhao Wendong offered them cigarettes. He cupped his hand around his lighter—CLICK, CLICK—and lit them up, once again drawing a wave of envious stares.

Big Wang and his brother-in-law smoked their cigarettes, their eyes fixed on Zhao Wendong as he moved through the crowd, greeting people. They were filled with admiration. ’Just the other day, he was just some brash kid showing up at my door with wolf meat. In the blink of an eye, he’s grown to this level. A truly impressive figure.’

When Ai Zhongguo and the last group had finished their food and their cigarettes were nearly smoked, Zhao Wendong pulled out his pocket watch and glanced at it. 8:45. The auspicious time to move out. With a grand wave of his hand, he yelled.

”Move out!”

The crowd started to line up and board the truck. Before getting on, many were still buzzing about Zhao Wendong’s lighter, his big pocket watch, and the Type 56 carbine on his back. Every word they spoke was filled with envy and pride. A man this awesome was treating them like brothers, had just handed them cigarettes. ’If anyone talks shit about Zhao Wendong in the future,’ they thought, ’I’ll be the first to slap them across the face.’

Zhao Wendong tugged nervously on the corner of Niu Yuesheng’s shirt.

”Brother Niu, can it handle this many people?”

”It’s fine!”

Zhao Wendong’s expression relaxed slightly, only for Niu Yuesheng to continue.

”I’ll just drive slowly, so nobody falls off and dies.”

”COUGH! COUGH! COUGH!”

Zhao Wendong broke into a violent coughing fit, nearly choking to death on his words. ’Holy shit, so that’s what you mean by ”it’s fine”?’

The wind whipping against their faces didn’t sting as much as usual today. The large truck slowly started to move. The cab was already crammed with four or five people. Liangzi, finding it too crowded inside, decided to just stand on the running board outside the door. Zhao Wenjun followed his lead, standing on the running board outside Niu Yuesheng’s door. In the truck bed, everyone stood ramrod straight, because if you didn’t, you’d be crushed against the person next to you.

Chests were pressed against backs, elbows jammed against elbows. The entire truck bed was packed so tightly there wasn’t a sliver of space. The last ones to squeeze on could only half-hang off the sideboards, with their feet on the iron latches and their hands grabbing the shoulders of the people in front of them.

The whole truck sank down under the weight, the wooden slats groaning in protest. The tires sank into the snow, slowly carving out two deep ruts. The big truck rumbled and disappeared, heading straight for the Wang Family’s Hut. From the mass of humanity crammed into the truck bed, all sorts of shouts could be heard.

”What the fuck, whose gun barrel is in my mouth?!”

”Move your axe, it’s about to chop off my balls!”

”Who the fuck is poking my ass? I’ll kill you when we get off this truck!”

Liangzi’s parents and their neighbors all stood at the doorway, watching the truck leave. Only then did they start the cleanup. Liangzi’s Mother muttered with some emotion.

”Dongzi’s making such a big scene. I hope nothing bad happens.”

Liangzi’s father shot her an annoyed look.

”What do you know? Starting today, even Yang Wenxue won’t always carry as much weight as Dongzi. You just watch!”

”Huh? Really?”

Liangzi’s Mother cried out in surprise. Yang Wenxue was the official Party Secretary of the Commune.

Meanwhile, the Yang Wenxue they were talking about was in Li Dawei’s office, furiously pounding on the desk.

”Li Dawei, how can you just sit there?! Didn’t you hear? Over a hundred people!”

Li Dawei took a sip of hot water from his enamel mug and leaned back in his chair.

”I heard! They’re all armed, too. Dozens of guns alone, and Zhao Wendong is carrying a Type 56 carbine!”

”Then why aren’t you going? You’re just sitting here drinking water.”

”I’m just one man with one pistol. What am I supposed to do if I go? Let’s just wait. Zhao Wendong isn’t someone who doesn’t know his limits.”

Li Dawei’s words silenced Yang Wenxue. After a long moment, he sighed and slowly sat down as well.

”This Zhao Wendong... I’m starting to not understand him. Tell me, is he a lucky star or a harbinger of disaster?”

The corner of Li Dawei’s mouth twitched.

”Heh, I don’t know if he’s a disaster or a blessing, but he’s definitely the brightest star in our Commune!”

「As the big truck carried Zhao Wendong and his hundred brothers toward the Wang Family’s Hut, Wang Dana and his family were also making their final preparations, rallying their forces for the coming battle.」

At the Wang Family’s Hut, a large crowd had also gathered in front of Wang Dana’s house. Many of them were also holding various weapons. Wang Dana had caught wind of things a few days ago, learning that Zhao Wendong was going to stick up for Zhao Dahai, and he immediately took it seriously.

The name Zhao Wendong forced them to pay attention. Dragon King Pond and the Wang Family’s Hut were neighboring villages, so much of their farmland was adjacent. The people of the two villages had fought plenty of times over land acquisition and water rights.

That kid Zhao Wendong was useless at farm work, but he was a hell of a fighter. He’d spent his days as a street loafer, gaining a wealth of fighting experience. He fought dirty and viciously, and was one of the top troublemakers of his generation in Dragon King Pond.

So, after thinking it over, Wang Dana called his brothers together for a discussion. They decided to splurge and use up half a sack of sorghum rice. They absolutely could not underestimate Zhao Wendong and give him an opening.

Smoke had also started rising early from the chimney of Wang Dana’s house. Half a sack of sorghum rice had been cooked into a pot of thin porridge. And when they said thin, they meant it—a ladleful was all broth, with barely a grain of rice in sight. It was as watery as it could get. Wang Dana was standing in front of his house, craning his neck and yelling at the dozens of fellow villagers outside.

”Anyone who can’t fight, don’t even bother coming! Wang the Second’s wife, what are you doing here trying to join in? The young and strong, come in first and get some porridge!”