I Overhear Animals' Thoughts to Feed My Family

Chapter 225: Chapter 196: Inviting a God

”Yes, Mom, I know. I understand everything. I’m not just your daughter anymore; I’m Wendong’s wife. I’ll help him take care of his family, have children, and be a good daughter-in-law, sister-in-law, wife, and mother. I used to wonder if I was a bad person for being with Wendong only because he was strong and exceptional. But yesterday, I could clearly feel my love for him—the kind that holds nothing back!”

Wang Lulu smiled in relief at her daughter’s words. Meanwhile, a similar conversation was taking place by the sea. Lin Huaimin stood at the shore, listening to the sound of waves crashing against the ice in the distance, and patted Zhao Wendong’s shoulder.

”Wendong, thank you for saving our family of three. From now on, I’m entrusting Yinyin to you. She’s had a comfortable life since she was young, so if she does anything wrong, please don’t hold it against her.”

”Of course, Uncle. Don’t worry.”

Zhao Wendong nodded. Though he only said a few words, Lin Huaimin understood. It was the responsibility and commitment of a man, requiring no flowery rhetoric, no sweet nothings, and no lengthy speech. A simple promise was enough. Lin Huaimin smiled, gratified and happy for his daughter, happy that their entire family had met Zhao Wendong.

”Wendong, our family of three will be relying on you from now on. I may not be a man of great means, but I do have some experience and knowledge. If there’s anything I can do to help, just say the word. There’s no need to be polite.”

”Really, Uncle? That’s great! Could you help me write a speech? The Commune secretary is insisting I give one the day after tomorrow, and I was just worrying about what to say.”

Lin Huaimin: ...

’Good grief,’ he thought. ’This kid really doesn’t stand on ceremony.’ But then, a thought quickly occurred to him.

”Can you read?”

”Mm... I know a few characters.”

Zhao Wendong was telling the truth. He could read simplified characters, but most characters in use now were traditional. He wasn’t sure he could recognize all of them. Fortunately, they were similar enough that he could get by with some guesswork and had no major trouble reading. But even this answer made Lin Huaimin overjoyed.

”That’s amazing, Wendong! I didn’t realize you were so motivated that you’ve even learned to read a little. Very good, very good. I’ll write that speech for you. If there are any characters you don’t recognize, just ask me, and I’ll tell you what they are.”

”Yeah! Thank goodness for you, Uncle. Thanks, Uncle, hehe.”

Zhao Wendong offered his thanks obediently, coaxing a huge, beaming smile from his father-in-law, who was so pleased he was practically giddy. He was thrilled to be writing the speech for him.

When Lin Huaimin’s family of three returned with Zhao Wendong, everyone could clearly sense a change in them. It was an indescribable feeling, as if they had transformed from visiting relatives from out of town into one of the village’s own.

For dinner that night, besides fish, there was also Flying Dragon soup. The Zhao Family treated Lin Huaimin and Wang Lulu to Dragon King Pond’s most impressive dish. The pair didn’t hold back, praising the soup endlessly as they drank it. Zhao Wendong and the others also drank a lot, which led to Lin Zhiyin and Jin Xiuying receiving another fierce ’whipping’ after returning that night.

The snow finally stopped the next day. The entire Zhao Family went out first thing to start shoveling. Looking at all the snow, Lin Zhiyin was suddenly struck by an idea.

”Wendong, let’s build a snowman at our gate—no, at the village entrance, so everyone who comes to the village can see it. We can put our snowman there to welcome guests. How about it?”

”Yeah!”

Before Zhao Wendong could even agree, Zhao Wenwu had already jumped up. At the mention of building a snowman, even Little Tuanzi and Shitou ran out excitedly to help. The three dogs were even hitched to their little sled to help pull basket after basket of snow from the courtyard to the nearby village entrance.

Aunt Wang’s family next door also came out to shovel snow. Uncle Wang, pushing a pile of snow, saw that Zhao Wendong’s family wasn’t piling their snow by the roadside but was instead taking it toward the village entrance. Puzzled, he immediately called out to Zhao Wenjun.

”Wenjun! What are you all doing? Why are you taking the snow over there?”

”Oh, Dongzi’s wife said she wants to build a snowman to welcome guests to the village.”

Uncle Wang nodded. After returning to his own yard, he hurriedly said to his three sons who were shoveling snow,

”Quick, take all the snow we’ve shoveled to the village entrance. Dongzi and his wife are building a snowman at the entrance to welcome some kind of god. All of you, go help.”

After saying that, he rushed out and started pushing his family’s shoveled snow toward the village entrance. Aunt Wang, the village’s famous ”big loudspeaker,” had a gleam in her eye. ’This is interesting,’ she thought. ’I didn’t realize Zhao Wendong was such a romantic, daring to agree to any of his wife’s requests.’ She threw down her broom.

”You boys keep shoveling. I’m going for a stroll.”

Because it had just snowed, nearly every household was out shoveling. Soon, a piece of news was spreading like wildfire throughout Dragon King Pond. The more everyone whispered about it furtively, the faster the news traveled. In the end, even Zhao Ergou’s family, who lived at the very back of the village, heard it.

”What did you say, Sister-in-law? Dongzi is at the village entrance building a giant snowman as part of a ritual to summon a great spirit?”

Zhao Wendong’s third aunt, Zhang Yufen, stared at the woman in disbelief. ’Has Dongzi lost his mind? Isn’t this blatant feudal superstition!’

”It’s true! I can’t talk now, can’t you see everyone is busy helping deliver snow? I heard the bigger the snowman, the more powerful the spirit it summons, and the more it will bless Dragon King Pond with good weather and ensure every family has full granaries next year! Oh, right, this whole thing is taboo, so we have to be discreet. It’s enough that we all know it in our hearts. We can’t go blabbing about it.”

Watching the neighbor hurry away, Zhang Yufen and Zhao Ergou looked at each other, speechless.

”So, uh... Er Gouzi, do you think there’s any truth to this?”