Chapter 176: The Pig-Slaughter Feast
“Take your time, no rush.”
Aunt Yang Liu felt her worry suddenly ease when she heard that nothing had gone wrong and told Zhang Jianguo to catch his breath before continuing.
After a pause, Zhang Jianguo looked happily at Ning Xiyue.
“Doctor Ning, the medicines you gave us were amazing. Thanks to the sedatives you provided, we all returned safely and even managed to get quite a lot of game. We even brought back some big ones — two adult wild boars! That’s why we came back later; we had so much game.”
“That’s good. As long as you could use the medicines,” Ning Xiyue nodded, her guess almost entirely correct.
“Zhang Jianguo, two wild boars, really?” everyone else exclaimed in amazement.
Wow, two adult wild boars — that’s incredible.
“Of course it’s true.”
Zhang Jianguo then looked at Aunt Yang Liu: “Aunt, get the team to wait at the brigade headquarters. Call Li the butcher, boil plenty of hot water — more than enough — so we can start processing as soon as we get back.
“As for the other men, come with me to carry the game up the mountain,” Zhang Jianguo raised his arm and shouted.
“All right!”
Excited cheers erupted from everyone.
This was meat! Judging from Zhang Jianguo’s words, the team had brought back a lot of game. How could anyone not be thrilled? They were almost overjoyed to the point of frustration, regretting not signing up to go on the hunt themselves.
“Then I’ll go back and notify everyone to wait for the game to arrive,” Aunt Yang Liu said, her face now all smiles, turning to Ning Xiyue. “Xiyue, let’s go to the brigade together.”
Before following Aunt Yang Liu, Ning Xiyue asked Zhang Jianguo, “Comrade Zhang, will my help be needed?”
“Oh, yes,” he said, realizing he’d almost forgotten in his excitement. Tapping his head, he continued:
“Yes, Doctor Ning. Some of the team members got minor injuries. We’ve applied the medicines you gave us, but we need you to help with further treatment. The team leader said you can wait at the brigade headquarters; no need to come up here.”
“All right, I’ll wait at the brigade office for you.”
Ning Xiyue didn’t even need to put away her medicine box. She carried it with her as she followed Aunt Yang Liu to notify the brigade of this exciting news that would thrill everyone.
From afar, the aunts who had been keeping watch over Mount Daqi spotted the two returning women and shouted anxiously: “Yang Liu, Xiyue, you’re back!”
Yang Liu’s voice rang out like a trumpet: “Great news! Everyone is safe! They even brought back wild boars! Come with us to the brigade to prepare for the pig slaughter!”
“What? What did you say?”
Aunt Liu asked again, shocked.
Ning Xiyue and Aunt Yang Liu exchanged a smile.
Repeating the announcement: “Aunts, everyone is fine. The team leader and his group even brought back two adult wild boars, plus plenty of other game.”
“Oh my! We have wild boar meat again!”
“Let’s go, let’s go, find Li the butcher, time to slaughter the pigs, hahaha!”
The aunts cheered with joy.
Thanks to the aunts’ excitement, Ning Xiyue and Aunt Yang Liu didn’t need to go from person to person to notify the team leader — everyone spread the news themselves.
Soon, the entire brigade knew the great news.
Even though it was still snowing outside and cold, the warmth in everyone’s hearts couldn’t be extinguished by the freezing weather.
Most of the team had already gathered at the brigade dam to get busy.
The pig-slaughtering frame was set up, a simple stove constructed, pots placed, roaring fires lit, and boiling water churning in large iron pots, all waiting for the big wild boars to arrive.
The scene was bustling with activity. Every face wore a delighted smile. Children ran around the dam, laughing and playing, as if it were New Year’s Day.
“So wonderful!” Ning Xiyue exclaimed, sitting by the fire and watching the lively scene. The red flames danced across her smiling face.
She felt the joy of rural life for the first time.
Suddenly, the crowd stirred. Someone shouted: “They’re here! The team leader and the others are back, with lots of game! Come see!”
Ning Xiyue followed the crowd to watch.
Everyone’s baskets were full of game, and they carried more in their hands.
There were roe deer, foxes, small deer, hares — every kind of fur-bearing animal.
At the back, a few men carried two huge wild boars. Both were fully grown adults, each weighing around 300 pounds, very fat, no doubt from eating well in the mountains.
Ning Xiyue compared them with the wild boars she and Aunt Yang Liu had encountered before — these ones were even larger. Their tusks were longer and thicker, sharp and gleaming. Clearly, they were old boars.
“Wow, these two pigs are fat! Luckily, the team leader and the others brought them back. If the snow had sealed the mountains and there was no food, these beasts would have had trouble finding anything down the slope.”
“Now it’s a bargain for us, hahaha!”
Everyone’s eyes gleamed at the sight of the pigs.
“Whoa, what’s that? A black bear?”
Ning Xiyue, admiring the wild boars’ sharp tusks, heard the exclamation and quickly turned.
She had never seen a wild black bear before. They were said to be fierce.
“Ah, it’s a black bear! My goodness, they actually got a black bear — how did they manage that?”
Shouts of excitement grew louder. Everyone pressed forward to see the bear, forcing Ning Xiyue to do the same.
The team leader and three others carried a massive black bear, about 170 centimeters long, with jet-black fur. Their faces were full of pride and satisfaction.
Wow, they’ve basically conquered the mountain. The top predator in the area has been brought back by the team leader.
“This noon, our entire team will eat a pig-slaughter feast here,” the team leader shouted, seeing everyone so excited.
“Oh yes, a pig-slaughter feast, a pig-slaughter feast!”
That announcement made everyone even more excited — a pig-slaughter feast meant meat!
It was more festive than New Year’s.
The children ran around the adults, shouting: “Pig-slaughter feast! Pig-slaughter feast!”
The team leader noticed Ning Xiyue in front, as if she were seeing the God of Wealth, her eyes sparkling brightly. He waved urgently: “Xiyue, come here, this way!”
