Chapter 39: The whole village shook

Zhao Dazhi stood beside the sled plow.

His eyes blazed, he stared fixedly at the wild boar king, the largest and most ferocious with fearsome tusks.

Even its rough coat seemed to gleam with an inviting sheen in the dim light.

He drew a deep breath; the icy air mixed with the bloody scent and pine needles' unique odor, stinging his lungs.

Suddenly he bellowed at the dark, crowd‑filled intersection, using all his strength: "Villagers! Quiet down! Listen to me!"

The noisy chatter, as if seized by an invisible giant hand, instantly fell silent.

Only ragged breaths rose and fell, and the mournful whine of the cold wind sweeping the bare treetops.

Hundreds of eyes turned in unison onto Zhao Dazhi.

And they focused on the massive beast carcass beside him, its size making hearts pound and exuding a primal wildness.

"This one! This is the biggest wild boar!"

Zhao Dazhi's big, fan‑like hand, trembling with excitement, slapped hard against the beast's stiff, cold body.

His voice quivered with extreme excitement; each word struck like a small stone, striking clearly in every villager's heart.

His gaze swept quickly over the crowd, over faces filled with shock, envy, and disbelief, brimming with the excitement of announcing great news.

"It's our Brother Qing Shan, mindful of the villagers' year‑long hardship in the team, living a tight life!"

"He specially brought it out to give to our production team!"

Boom—!

The crowd was as if struck by a silent thunderbolt.

After a brief, breath‑holding silence, it erupted into a clamor more than ten times fiercer than before.

"What?! Give… give to the team?!"

"This… this over‑three‑hundred‑jin beast?!"

An old man with white hair and a bristly beard trembled all over, hardly believing his ears, and rubbed them hard.

"My goodness! Lu Qingshan… he really went all out!" a woman in a flower‑patterned cotton jacket shrieked, her voice cracking with excitement, her eyes bulging as if they might pop out.

"How much meat! How much oil! This year for New Year, even my family's child can finally eat a proper meat dish!" a thin man shouted, slamming his thigh hard, his eyes instantly reddening.

Countless gazes, scorching hot, converged on Lu Qingshan like searchlights.

Shock.

Disbelief.

Even tinged with a sense of incredulous awe.

And there arose a sudden, huge gratitude, like a surging warm current that instantly dispelled the winter chill, spreading and rising in the cold air.

"Brother Qing Shan said!"

Zhao Dazhi struck while the iron was hot, raising his voice higher, almost drowning out all the chatter.

"Without the team's help, he couldn't have brought this mountain treasure back!"

"Everyone has worked hard; this pig, even if he treats us to meat, lets us share the joy and have a prosperous year!"

He swept his sharp gaze over the crowd again, lingering especially on the faces of those women who loved to gossip and laugh at the Lu family's jokes, pausing heavily.

That look carried an unmistakable warning.

"Whoever has the skill to hunt game, that's their ability!"

"Sending people from the team to help is only right!"

"But Brother Qing Shan's heartfelt intention, his open‑hearted spirit, we all must remember! We must thank Brother Qing Shan!"

The crowd fell silent again for a moment, as if digesting this huge surprise.

Someone, the first to raise his voice, choked with disbelief, shouted out.

"Thank Brother Qing Shan!"

That cry was like lighting a pile of dry firewood already stacked.

Instantly, a thank‑you shout rose like a mountain‑roaring, sea‑surging wave.

"Thank Brother Qing Shan!"

"Brother Qing Shan is open‑hearted! He's a real man!"

"Lu Zhiqing is capable! From now on, who dares to gossip behind his back?"

The shouts rose and fell like a surging tide, each wave higher than the last, fervent and sincere, ringing in people's ears.

The last traces of envy and doubt lingering in their gazes were washed away clean by the tangible, substantial benefit before them.

In their place came heartfelt gratitude and admiration!

Lu Qingshan faced the mountain‑roaring, sea‑surging thanks, his face showing little change.

Only his deep, cold‑pool eyes slowly swept over the flushed, excited faces.

He nodded slightly to Zhao Dazhi and to the dark‑crowd of villagers.

His calm voice carried a convincing power, clearly reaching every ear.

"Uncle Zhao, fellow villagers, this is all due."

"We're all from the same village."

He paused, his gaze unintentionally sweeping over a pallid, paper‑white figure lurking behind the crowd.

"Hurry up and handle the pig, it's getting dark."

"Divide it early, and everyone can relax sooner."

In the crowd, Qian Guapu heard the deafening, heartfelt thanks and saw Lu Qingshan, whom everyone sincerely thanked and even vaguely admired.

She felt as if a huge millstone pressed hard on her chest, making it hard to breathe.

Before her eyes, darkness swirled, the world spun, and her stomach churned uncomfortably.

Her body shook violently, she staggered, almost sitting down hard on the cold ground.

Someone nearby immediately moved half a step away in disdain, and spat softly: "Hmph, look at her sour look! What did we say before? She deserves it!"

Qian Guapu clenched her palms tightly, her sharp nails digging deep into her flesh; the piercing pain barely kept her on her feet, preventing her from making a fool of herself in front of everyone.

Her complexion was blacker than a pot bottom, even uglier, her lips trembling, her eyes filled with hatred as she stared fixedly at the huge wild boar already labeled "team pig."

That gaze was like a poisoned blade, wishing to pierce and tear apart that thick hide and flesh at once.

On what grounds?!

On what grounds does this Lu Lazi, whom she has always trodden underfoot, despised and scorned, believed could never rise, now possess this tremendous wealth?! On what grounds can she obtain all this?!

On what grounds does he receive everyone's gratitude and respect?!

"All right!"

Zhao Dazhi was now bursting with energy, excited as if injected with chicken blood, he waved his big hand, full of heroic vigor.

"Get a few nimble ones! Strong-bodied ones!"

"Carefully lift this team's pig king to the village office courtyard!"

"Be careful! Handle gently! This is our village's New Year provisions—precious! Don't bump or knock it!"

Immediately, several of the sturdiest men, faces flushed red, shouted in response and rushed forward, eager to take on this honorable task.

They carefully began to untie the thick hemp rope on the sled plow, their movements reverent as if handling a priceless treasure.

Preparing to move this Wild Boar King, symbolizing collective blessings and unexpected windfall, with solemn ceremony.

"These two remaining," Zhao Dazhi pointed to the other two equally huge wild boars, his voice still loud, unable to suppress his smile.

They belong to Lu Qingshan!

Come, lend a hand, bring Lu Qingshan's into the courtyard! Make way, everyone!

Zhao Tiezhu and Liu Fugui, together with several other men who hadn't gotten a chance to lift the Public Pig but were equally excited, stepped forward immediately.

With many hands, shouting a lively work chant, they carefully lifted the remaining two wild boars together with the sled plow into the Lu family's courtyard, which, though not spacious, had been tidied up exceptionally clean and neat.

"Bang!"

"Bang!"

When the two huge wild boars were steadily set down in the courtyard corner, the heavy thud seemed to strike hard in the hearts of every onlooking villager, once again stirring a low murmur of admiring awe.

This small courtyard instantly felt crowded and prosperous.

Lu Qingshan instinctively lifted his gaze toward the familiar, mottled door of his own home.

Lin Yue'e held Xiao Xue, standing quietly inside the doorway.

She silently gazed at him, and at the two terrifyingly huge beasts in the courtyard.

Her eye sockets were still red, as if she had just secretly cried, yet also as if deeply moved by the sight before her and the commotion outside.

But in those eyes once filled with fear, numbness, and despair, now besides a lingering trace of worry, there was an indescribable excitement and a shining brilliance.

Like sparks finally reigniting beneath the ashes, with starlight falling in, shining astonishingly bright.

Their eyes met.

Lu Qingshan felt the complex, fervent emotion in his wife's gaze, and felt that cautious yet utterly genuine hope.

On his weary face, at last appeared a faint smile that sprang from the heart, carrying comforting strength.

He gently nodded, silently conveying his promise: "Don't worry, everything will get better—I'll make it happen."

Lin Yue'e also understood his resolute gaze and his promise.

The corner of her mouth, which had been tightly clenched, barely perceptibly curled up in an extremely gentle arc.

Her arms holding the daughter seemed to grow stronger in an instant, tightly embracing Xiao Xue, as if she wanted to firmly grasp this sudden peace and hope, never to let go.

Outside the courtyard gate, the onlookers, urged by Zhao Dazhi, gathered around the "Public Pig," excitedly discussing today's harvest and the forthcoming meat aroma, then gradually dispersed.

But regarding Lu Qingshan, regarding these six shocking wild boars, regarding this earth‑shattering, jaw‑dropping act of generosity.

These discussions, however, were like a boulder thrown into a calm lake.

The ripples they stirred have only just begun.

They were mingled with a strong bloody scent, the soon‑to‑diffuse meat aroma, and endless astonishment and speculation.

Toward the whole Shanwan village and even farther, they spread wildly, as if wings had been attached…