Chapter 178: Why Did the Pig Fall?
Ning Xiyue smiled and politely declined: “Comrade Zhang Jianguo, you’re joking. We’re all brothers and sisters in the same team — helping each other is only natural. Don’t take it to heart.”
Zhang Jianguo wasn’t disappointed and led them toward the brigade office.
When they arrived, Ning Xiyue noticed three tables already set — VIP treatment. Sitting there were the team leaders and the hunting squad members.
Ning Xiyue and the others from the Youth Academy respectfully greeted the leaders before heading to the empty seats.
“Sister Yue, this spot is spacious. Sit here.”
Zhang Jianguo pointed to the seats by the window and even pulled out a stool for her, fully slipping into little-brother mode.
He didn’t need a sworn brother oath — in his eyes, Ning Xiyue was already his idol.
“Thanks. You don’t need to worry about serving; we can handle it ourselves.”
Seeing him reaching to serve them soup, Ning Xiyue quickly stopped him and took the ladle herself to serve the bone broth.
“All right, help yourselves. Sister Yue, just call me if you need anything.”
Zhang Jianguo tactfully withdrew and sat at a nearby table.
At Ning Xiyue’s table were the other Youth Academy members and a few aunts who had helped with the cooking — all familiar faces. Over the past few days, they had often visited the Youth Academy for chats, so Chen Ye Chu and the others were also familiar.
Thus, the table was lively and relaxed, without any stiffness.
Chen Ye Chu lifted his bowl of soup to clink it with Ning Xiyue’s and said happily, “Today our Youth Academy is truly fortunate thanks to Xiyue. Not only do we get to eat meat, but we even get to sit here without anyone contesting the seats. I toast to you with this soup, Xiyue.”
Ning Xiyue smiled, clinked her bowl with his, and took a long sip.
Aunt Yang Liu also raised her bowl and addressed everyone at the table: “Shall we all toast together? These past few days, thanks to you young ladies keeping us company, life has been much easier.”
Aunt Qiu Ju agreed, lifting her bowl: “Good, let’s toast together.”
Everyone at the table joyfully raised their bowls of spicy hotpot soup and clinked them, then downed a bowlful each.
“Haha, now, eat the dishes! Today’s dishes are our specialties — try them quickly!”
This pig-slaughter feast was abundant. Bits of meat from the various game brought back were on display, and the aunts had prepared a large pot using part of the game for everyone to taste in advance.
The larger portions of the game would be divided in the afternoon.
After the team turned in the task pigs, two fat pigs intended for New Year remained. Once the meal ended, Li the butcher and others got to work.
Several men entered the pigpen to drag the pigs out, their squeals deafening. People in the nearby ditches could hear them.
They were dragging the boar for slaughter, while Ning Xiyue stayed by the sow’s pen, soothing the frightened animal.
The sow still had a surgical incision from a cesarean; Ning Xiyue worried that the boar’s loud squealing would panic it and reopen the wound.
Her concern wasn’t unfounded. When the second pig was dragged out, an accident occurred.
They didn’t hold the pig properly. The boar broke free, charging wildly through the pigpen. It ran toward the sow’s pen outside, then leaped —
The young men trying to intercept it were terrified and chased after it, tripping over each other in their haste.
There were not only the sow and her piglets but also Ning Xiyue in the pen. If the enraged boar jumped in and injured any of them, disaster would strike.
“Ah! Quick, stop it! Don’t let it in!”
At this critical moment, the two-hundred-pound boar somehow summoned all its strength and leapt over the high pen gate toward Ning Xiyue and the sow.
“Too late! Doctor Ning, move aside! Don’t let it hit you!”
In a flash, Ning Xiyue squatted beside the resting sow, grabbed a brick without even turning her body, and hurled it at the airborne boar’s head.
Smack!
The sound of the brick hitting the boar’s skull, combined with the force, pushed the leaping boar back.
A scream from the boar followed.
Thud! The boar landed outside the pen, leaving the gate, the pen, the people, and the other pigs unharmed.
The brick had returned to Ning Xiyue’s bag as if by itself.
Only the misbehaving boar lay on the ground, twitching and foaming blood-tinged saliva from its mouth.
Speed and precision won the day.
The entire incident felt like it had been fast-forwarded; in under two seconds, the situation had completely turned around. Crisis averted.
The young men who had rushed to intercept the pig were stunned.
Looking at the boar thrashing on the ground, their minds filled with confusion:
What just happened?
How did the pig just fall over in the blink of an eye?
What did they even see? They missed it all.
Peering into the pen, they saw Ning Xiyue diligently massaging the sow, who grunted contentedly. Peaceful and calm.
If it weren’t for the fallen boar still foaming blood, they might have thought the entire incident was an illusion.
Completely baffled, they had no clue what had happened.
Zhang Jianguo, worried about Sister Yue, stepped over the fallen boar and anxiously called to Ning Xiyue, who had her back turned: “Sister Yue, are you all right?”
“Doctor Ning, are you okay? Did you see what happened with the pig? It just fell down — you scared me to death!”
“Doctor Ning Xiyue.”
“Huh?” Ning Xiyue looked up, bewildered, slowly removing the cotton from her ears: “You were calling me?”
With a single motion and a single word, Ning Xiyue left the young men completely dumbfounded. They exchanged bewildered glances.
Zhang Jianguo finally chuckled awkwardly and waved: “It’s fine, Sister Yue. You continue; we’ll go handle the pigs.”
The young men recovered and lifted the fallen boar, taking it away.
For them, today’s incident became a lingering mystery. Even in old age, they would still ask themselves: Why did the pig fall? How did that even happen?
Little Turtle, hovering above, watched the stunned young men and shook its head: [Host, their CPUs are completely fried.]
A mischievous smile tugged at Ning Xiyue’s lips.
