Chapter 15

Li Xuewu hadn’t finished his work, but he took out the cornbread, ate it with salted vegetables and hot water from his canteen to fill his stomach for lunch.

After eating and resting a bit, seeing the sun sink lower, he didn’t dare delay—he took the dead tree from his space, cut it with a saw and axe into lengths matching the width of the cart, and piled the branches to one side.

He sawed and chopped for hours, clearing twenty-seven trees, each with trunks as thick as an adult’s thigh, and the branches formed a large heap.

Li Xuewu took out the boar and placed it in the center of the cart; the cart had side guards meant for passengers, perfect for pinning the pig inside.

He loaded the trunks first, then the branches, tying them all tightly with ropes until the pile rose like a small hill.

Luckily, the big blue horse was strong—it pulled without effort, or else he never could’ve brought it all back.

On the way home, Li Xuewu didn’t ride—he ran and bounced the entire twenty-mile journey, afraid of tiring out the horse, stopping several times to rest and watering it when crossing the river.

By the time he reached the alley entrance, it was fully dark—past five-thirty.

As he entered the alley, someone asked how much the firewood cost.

Li Xuewu was as exhausted as the big blue horse—he had no energy to reply, just dumped the cart against the wall of the back room, tied up the horse, and walked toward the courtyard.

Just like yesterday, the place was noisy—children crying, food sizzling, people arguing, all the usual bustle.

As Li Xuewu stepped into the front courtyard, he saw Da Lao standing by the window, watching outside; when she spotted him, she hurried out wrapped in her coat.

Li Shun and Liu Yin followed behind her.

“What happened? Didn’t you say you’d be back before dark? Are you alright?”

“I’m fine, Da Lao. Ran into a little surprise—got back a bit late.”

Da Lao tapped Li Xuewu with her tobacco pipe.

“Stop fooling around! Go unload the cart!”

Li Xuewu quickly stopped her.

“We two can’t unload it—call everyone!”

Liu Yin rushed inside to call Xuewen and his wife, Xuecai, and Li Shu.

Xuewen and Xuecai came out reluctantly.

Xuewen, emboldened by his younger brother’s lack of violence, muttered: “How much firewood could there even be? Do we need the whole family?”

Zhao Yafang pulled on her coat while pinching Xuewen hard. “Do as you’re told—why so much complaining? Your younger brother carried firewood without complaining—why are your legs so precious?”

When the whole family stepped outside and saw the cart piled like a small mountain, they were speechless.

Li Shu gasped: “Second brother, did you raid the timber yard?!”

Da Lao lightly slapped the back of Li Shu’s head.

“Don’t talk nonsense—your second brother went into the mountains. Can’t you see these are all dead trees? The dead ones outside were all cut long ago.”

Hearing Da Lao’s words, the family looked at Li Xuewu as he loosened the ropes; when Da Lao stepped forward to help, they all rushed in to assist.

The weak carried branches into the courtyard; the strong lifted trunks; the commotion drew the attention of Third Uncle’s family, and Second Uncle, returning from work with his son Liu Guang, stood watching too—soon a crowd gathered at the gate.

People chattered about where Li’s second son got so much firewood—it was enough to last the whole winter.

Some said he must’ve gotten it from relatives; others claimed he stole it; a few said Li’s second son was capable.

Third Uncle, who could do sums, muttered: “This cartload of firewood saves so much coal—how much money does that save?”

No matter how much they talked, not one person stepped forward to help—everyone just watched as the Li family came and went hauling wood.

The firewood shed was already full; half the horse shed was full; the trunks were piled under the eaves.

The Li family delighted in the crowd’s chatter; Xuewen and Xuecai worked hardest.

“It’s still our old Li family.”

Even Li Xuewu’s grandmother came out to help carry branches, but Liu Yin quickly persuaded her to go back inside.

Soon the mountain of wood was cleared; when Xuecai moved a trunk from the cart’s edge, he saw a dark, bristly lump inside the bed and jumped back in shock.

He cried out: “Ah!”

Li Shun, seeing Xuecai fall backward onto the ground, rushed over to help him up.

“What’s wrong? Hurt your back? Don’t overdo it if you can’t handle it!”

Xuecai sat there, realizing how pale he’d gone from fright—thankfully, it was dark and no one could see—and quickly made up an excuse.

“Dad! There’s something in the cart—furry!”

Li Shun followed Xuecai’s pointing finger into the cart bed, saying: “What? Furry what?”

Only then did he see it—a dark, bristly lump.

Now Xuewen and Da Lao had crowded in; they moved the round logs aside and saw a hairy wild boar lying in the cart bed.

Xuecai, peeking from behind Li Shun, saw the full boar and shouted: “It’s a pig! Hey—it’s a pig!”

The crowd outside surged forward.

“Where? Where? Where’s the pig?”

“Hey! It really is a pig!”

“There really is a pig!”

“Where’d it come from?!”

The Li family was pushed out of the circle; Liu Yin gripped Li Xuewu’s arm: “Xuewu, where did the pig in the cart come from? Did you…?”

Liu Yin was truly frightened—terrified of her son’s ability to cause trouble.

Li Shun now joined Li Xuewu’s side and nudged Liu Yin with his elbow.

“Your mother, don’t talk nonsense—it’s a wild boar.”

Liu Yin still didn’t catch on.

“Wild boar? What wild boar? I was just asking Xuewu about the pig in the cart—don’t interrupt!”

She turned again to Li Xuewu, about to ask again—then suddenly realized: the crowd meant the pig in the cart was a wild boar.

“Where did the wild boar come from? Did you go hunting? How can you be so reckless? What did I tell you before you left? I’ll hit you!”

Liu Yin raised her hand to strike Li Xuewu; as she hit him, she began to cry.

Partly from shock, partly from fear for her son, mostly because she realized her son had grown up—wanted meat but wouldn’t ask, so he risked his life hunting in the mountains.

Who doesn’t ache for their child? Seeing the cuts on Li Xuewu’s face and his frost-red cheeks, she pulled his face to hers.

Li Xuewu hugged Liu Yin, patting her back gently: “Mom, it’s fine—your son’s strong as steel. A wild boar weighing hundreds of jin? No problem.”

Liu Yin heard his joke and punched him twice.

“Always blowing wind!”

Li Shun patted Liu Yin’s shoulder and said to Li Xuewu: “Last time—never go again. If you want meat, tell your mother. I can still afford to feed you.”

This was the first time Li Xuewu had ever heard Li Shun speak to him so kindly.

After speaking, Li Shun pushed through the crowd.

“Alright, alright—it’s dark. Let us move our firewood home.”

At that moment, Third Uncle, eyes bulging like a barking dog, shouted at Li Shun: “Old Li, pig! Pig!”

Li Shun ignored Third Uncle—because Third Uncle was outrageous—who called someone a pig? Who was the pig?