I Overhear Animals' Thoughts to Feed My Family

Chapter 222: Chapter 195: Fighting Without Clothes (Part 4)

”Has he been going out to play these past couple of days?”

Zhao Wendong pointed at Zhao Wenhua. Wang Jinzhi hurriedly began to sing her son’s praises.

”Not anymore, not anymore! He stopped after you talked to him last time.”

”Mm.”

Zhao Wendong nodded, then yelled at Zhao Wenhua.

”Zhao Wenhua, get up and come with me.”

Zhao Wenhua reluctantly turned around, his face a mask of impatience.

”Zhao Wendong, I haven’t even been going out to play. What do you want now?”

”Not much. The house is out of firewood. Don’t you know you should chop some?”

”I... I’m not strong enough to chop it.”

Zhao Wendong sneered, not bothering to argue with him, and gave a direct order.

”Cut the damn crap and get down here, or I’ll give you a beating. It doesn’t matter if you can’t chop it. I have plenty already chopped at my place. From now on, you can go get it from my house. Now, get your ass up!”

Wang Jinzhi looked like she wanted to say something but stopped herself. She glanced at Zhao Dahai, but seeing him remain indifferent, she could only pat Zhao Wenhua on the butt.

”Son, your Brother San is calling you. Hurry up.”

Zhao Wenhua didn’t want to move, but he was afraid Zhao Wendong would beat him again. He grudgingly got off the kang, put on his clothes, and followed Zhao Wendong. Zhao Wendong first popped back into the west room to let the elders know he was leaving them to their conversation, then led Zhao Wenhua back to his own house. Zhao Pandi and Zhao Laidi exchanged a look and quickly followed. They had overheard what Zhao Wendong said and thought they could help with getting firewood for their own house.

Zhao Wendong noticed his two cousins’ cotton-padded jackets were terribly worn, with cotton stuffing poking out in many places. They wouldn’t keep them warm if they stayed outside for long, so he shooed them back home.

”I don’t need you two. Zhao Wenhua is more than enough to get some firewood. With a build like his, you think he can’t handle a little work like this? You two hurry back inside. It’s cold out.”

”Oh.”

Seeing Zhao Wendong’s firm attitude, Zhao Pandi and Zhao Laidi had no choice but to obediently return to the house. Outside, snowflakes were falling as if they were free. Before they had gone far, Zhao Wenhua was already starting to feel the cold. He deeply missed the warmth of his family’s kang, but as he watched Zhao Wendong sauntering ahead of him, he was filled with a rage he dared not voice.

”Oh, my boy, what are you doing back? And Wenhua’s with you!”

Chen Yanmei was surprised to see Zhao Wendong, but when she saw Zhao Wenhua behind him, she immediately understood what was going on and greeted them with a smile.

”Mm.”

Zhao Wenhua gave a sullen nod in response. Zhao Wendong ignored him, found a worn-out wicker basket, tossed it to him, and pointed at a neatly stacked pile of firewood.

”Go fill this basket, then take it back and get a fire going. It’s the dead of winter and the house has no firewood. Your dad’s lying on the kang, and you don’t even know to see to things, do you?”

Zhao Wenhua wanted to say he was still young, but seeing Zhao Wendong’s dark expression, he didn’t dare talk back. Sulking, he began to load firewood into the basket. ’I can’t let Zhao Wendong look down on me,’ he thought. So, he filled the basket to the brim. He grabbed the handles on both sides and tried to lift it, only to find he’d overdone it; he couldn’t move it at all. After a moment’s thought, he started taking firewood out of the basket until only a dozen or so sticks were left. Only then did he cradle the basket and head for home.

A dozen or so sticks of firewood didn’t last long in the two stove pits. Zhao Wendong pointed at the basket and said to Zhao Wenhua.

”Hurry up and go get more. Once this burns out, we’ll have to start the fire all over again. You can take as much firewood as you want from my place. Until your dad gets better, you’re in charge of the firewood for the house. If I find out there’s a single day you don’t have a fire going, I’ll beat you.”

Zhao Wenhua looked up, aggrieved, and turned to Wang Jinzhi. Pained to see her son suffering, Wang Jinzhi forced a smile.

”Dongzi, the boy is still so young. How about your auntie and Pandi go get the firewood?”

”No. He goes!”

Zhao Wendong gave Wang Jinzhi no face at all, rejecting her flatly. He hadn’t seen her rushing to take care of things when there was no firewood earlier. Now that her son was being made to work, she was suddenly full of energy. Zhao Wendong wasn’t about to indulge her. Seeing that Zhao Dahai remained silent, Wang Jinzhi said no more. With a dark face, Zhao Wenhua picked up the basket and left again. Once outside, he glanced back and saw that Zhao Wendong hadn’t followed him this time. Furious, he kicked the basket, sending it flying.

”Who the hell do you think you are, Zhao Wendong?! So you got lucky and hauled in four thousand jin of fish one time? It was just a stroke of dumb luck! You just wait until I, Zhao Wenhua, grow up! I’ll be way more awesome than you!”

Zhao Wendong returned to the west room and went back to chatting with the elders. He had no idea about Zhao Wenhua’s muttered complaints. Even if he had known, he wouldn’t have cared. He knew exactly what Zhao Wenhua was like in his past life—a spoiled good-for-nothing. Zhao Wendong couldn’t care less whether Zhao Wenhua was happy or not. His principle in life now was simple: as long as he and the people he cared about were happy, that was all that mattered.