Chapter 240: Winter Hunt
Hearing his brother-in-law’s words, Yan Bei couldn’t help but chuckle. It seemed that what Jiaming said was true—the most difficult to deal with was the father-in-law who increasingly disliked him over time, and this wasn’t without reason.
He raised his hand and rubbed under his nose a few times with his index finger, then Yan Bei followed behind her into the room.
The fire in the fire basin in the kitchen was burning vigorously, and with the steaming heat from the stove, stepping inside gave a warm feeling as if instantly entering spring from the cold winter.
“You’re back, Ning Ning. The meal is still warm in the pot. Sit down first and warm your hands and feet. Godmother will serve it out for you to eat while it’s hot!”
“Thank you, Godmother.”
“Auntie, hug~”
Xiao Qiu, holding the little round circle, scurried out from Zhang Fu’s arms and pounced into hers, letting out a hee-hee laugh that sounded exceptionally satisfied.
She touched her little ponytail which had grown much longer, and seeing her happy smile, she couldn’t help but hug both of them tighter.
Zhang Fu watched the big one and the small one beside him with a full face of smiles. “Ning Ning, how was it? Did you successfully pick up the person?”
“Yes, Godfather. Brother Zhang has already brought the person back to the small courtyard.”
“That’s good. As long as they arrived safely.”
That’s right…
She didn’t know when this snow would stop. Otherwise, being unable to go in or out would be quite worrying.
Just as she was about to say something more, seeing that his wife had already brought over the bowl and chopsticks and handed them to her, Zhang Fu didn’t speak again and just waited for her to finish eating first.
“Eh? Are the cured ribs ready already?”
“Hee-hee, I saw that the color was about the same as you described, so today I made two to try the taste. Ning Ning, quickly taste it. We all thought it was very delicious.”
Following what she said, she stewed some cabbage stalks with the cured ribs, and also added a few dried mushrooms and a tomato.
It might look like clear soup with little rice, but the taste was indeed quite good.
Gnawing on a piece of cured ribs, Su Ning nodded in agreement. “It’s very delicious. Godmother’s skills are really great!”
“Hee-hee, if you like it, eat more. There’s still a lot left for you in the pot.”
……
Seeing that she had almost finished eating, before she could stand up, Yan Bei naturally took the bowl and chopsticks from her hand and went to wash them clean without giving her a chance to speak.
Hu Yingtao saw this scene and was clearly very satisfied. Looking at his back, her face bloomed into a flower.
Her son-in-law was considerate and had her in his eyes and heart. The future days wouldn’t be worrisome; they would surely be happy and harmonious.
……
She didn’t know if it was because of holding the purple jade and praying earnestly before sleep, but the next morning, the snow that had been falling for many days finally stopped.
Seeing the sky clearing with the sun showing its long-missed face, not only were the children who had been bored at home for a long time delighted and eagerly slipping out to play freely, but the men in the homes also began to prepare on their own.
According to the custom in previous years, the first heavy snow of winter would be followed by organizing a winter hunt.
Firstly, to drive the fiercer animals deeper into the mountains to prevent them from coming down to harm people due to scarce food in winter.
Secondly, naturally, to see if they could add some big meat to the table for everyone’s New Year.
Sure enough, not long after, the sound of gongs and drums rang out in the village.
Upon hearing the news of the winter hunt, the happiest were Fu Jiaming, Yan Bei, and Zhang Qi, these few big men.
If not for fear of dragging them down, even Zhang Fu and Old Master Yan wanted to go along with everyone.
One could imagine how great the appeal of this activity was to the men who had hot blood in their bones and a bit of a militant gene.
After eating breakfast and bringing dry rations, water, and handy tools, everyone hurried to gather at the foot of the front mountain.
With everything prepared, Fu Jiaming met up with Yan Bei and then came to the Su Family Ancestral Home.
Just as they walked from the back courtyard’s small door to the front, Zhang Qi, who had been waiting early, saw the two of them and his eyes lit up. “You finally came!”
“Hahaha, Brother Zhang is even more eager than the two of us!”
He glared at him irritably: Don’t state the obvious, got it?
It was a rare opportunity like this—the first time, how could he not be eager and excited?
“Big Brother, where’s Ning Ning?”
“Hey, Yan Qi, you’re not serious, are you? We’re just going for two days and one night. No need to report, right?”
He gave a knuckle rap on the back of his head. Hearing the man yelp while clutching his head, Yan Bei hooked the corner of his mouth but didn’t bother to glance at him.
Zhang Qi beside them showed a schadenfreude smile at the same time. Looking at this almost brother-in-law, he found him a bit more pleasing for once. “Ning Ning went inside the room. She should be preparing to go out to the health clinic.”
“Big Brother, I’ll go say something to Ning Ning first.”
“Go ahead.”
“Hey, Yan Qi, hurry up! The first assembly bell has already rung!”
“Got it.”
Without looking back, Yan Bei strode with his long legs quickly toward Su Ning’s bedroom.
She had just finished busying about in the Peach Blossom Spring Space and flashed out when she heard a knock on the room door.
Opening the door, she saw Yan Bei with a military green cloth bag slung over his shoulder, wearing a thick military overcoat, and fully equipped with hat, scarf, and gloves.
She slightly raised her eyebrows, the little dimple at the corner of her mouth faintly visible. “You’re planning to join the winter hunt too?”
“Mm, Old Master said he’s already let some word out, and there’s nothing major.”
Besides ensuring that when the documents came down it wouldn’t surprise the villagers too much, it was more to avoid gossip after their relationship was exposed.
He could pat his butt and leave to report for duty once he got the documents, but Su Ning still had to stay here.
Whether family relations or otherwise, it was reasonable for Su Qingshan to consider more for her, and of course, this was also what he thought in his heart.
“Then I have no problem. You all just be careful with safety.”
“Good, I’ll be careful.”
As he spoke, Yan Bei pulled down the scarf covering his chin, stretched out his arms to pull her into his embrace, and only after smelling that familiar sweet fragrance on her did a sense of satisfaction well up in his heart with a sigh.
Seeing his actions, Su Ning didn’t refuse but instead cooperated very docilely.
Her hands slowly wrapped around his lean waist, but in just one moment, her fingertips seemed to get an electric shock, the smile just forming in her eyes quickly dissipated, and the flush on her face also receded.
Feeling her fingertips trembling involuntarily, Yan Bei quickly pulled her out a bit from his arms. When he saw her complexion, he frowned in worry and held her shoulders. “What’s wrong, Ning Ning?”
“I…”
She forcefully stopped the words on the tip of her tongue, steadied her mind, and then replied.
“I suddenly remembered which ingredient is missing from the medicine for experimenting on Fu Big Brother. I want to go into the mountains with you all.”
“Hm?”
“With so many people, it should be safer. You hunt, and I’ll gather medicinal herbs at the opportunity.”
Her words came suddenly, and his intuition told him things weren’t as simple as she said, but for the moment, Yan Bei couldn’t think of any other reason.
Fu Rong’s condition was special. Although she had been trying to refine it, she hadn’t succeeded. Now she said she knew which ingredient was missing and wanted to go along.
The reason seemed sufficient…
“Ning Ning, it’s still too dangerous for you to go up the mountain with us. Why don’t you tell me the characteristics of the herb and its growing environment, and I’ll find it?”
“That herb is very similar to several other Chinese medicinal materials and is easy to mistake. I’d better go myself.”
……
“Hey, you two, it’s only two days apart, is there any need to chat so long and be so reluctant to part?”
Impatient, Fu Jiaming quickly came to the bedroom door and shouted inside from outside. “Hurry up, Yan Bei, we’re running out of assembly time!”
His raised hand hadn’t knocked yet when the door opened from inside.
Seeing Su Ning coming out right after Yan Bei, Fu Jiaming looked puzzled: What was this situation?
“Su Ning, this doesn’t look like you’re going to the health clinic. It looks like you’re going up the mountain to gather medicinal herbs!”
“Correct answer, but no reward.”
“Hey, what’s going on here?”
Fu Jiaming grabbed his good buddy’s arm and pointed at her. “You didn’t agree to it, did you?”
Although there were many of them, almost all the young and strong men in the village would go into the mountains, but that didn’t guarantee safety.
If they encountered some big beast, with her build and little frame, she wouldn’t even be able to outrun it!
“What’s wrong?”
“Brother Zhang, quickly look at your sister!”
“Ning Ning, what’s this?”
“Big Brother, I want to go into the mountains with everyone to gather medicinal herbs.”
She hadn’t shown any such idea when she first heard about the winter hunt. How did she get this thought after being alone with him for a bit? Could it be?
Zhang Qi looked at Yan Bei, who was pursing his lips tightly, with an unkind expression: It couldn’t be that this guy said something?
He must be the one in the wrong. It couldn’t possibly be the always well-behaved and sensible Ning Ning.
“Let’s hurry to the assembly point, or the main group will set off!”
“Ning Ning, wait!”
Seeing her dart straight out like a rabbit as soon as the words fell, running away at high speed, the three stunned men immediately reacted and chased after her.
