“I’m going to help Man Cang with this. Cousin, you all tidy up and get ready to go home.”
Wild vegetables were more than half of this family’s rations. These past few days were like their harvest period. Jin Feng couldn’t really advise against it.
He planned to first help Zhang Man Cang load the firewood onto the cart, then discuss the wild beast matter on the way down the mountain.
“You go ahead if you have something to do. We’ll go help Man Cang later.”
Lin Yun Fang glanced at the bow and crossbow at Jin Feng’s waist as she spoke.
After getting married, Jin Feng seemed like a changed person. He had shed his old lazy habits, which altered her view of him.
“I’m here to find you. Nothing else.”
“What do you want with me?”
Lin Yun Fang asked curiously.
“I’ll tell you on the way back later.”
Jin Feng carried the bow and crossbow as he walked towards Zhang Man Cang.
Before he got halfway, he saw a group of people coming from the village, full of anger.
“Jin Feng, why did you lie to us?”
Third Aunt put her hands on her hips and started the attack first.
“What did I lie to you about?”
Jin Feng was completely puzzled.
“You told us there was a tiger in the back mountain. If that’s not lying, what is?”
“I made it very clear to you this afternoon. It was all just my speculation. Moreover, I didn’t say it was a tiger. It could be some other wild beast.”
Jin Feng couldn’t help but laugh and cry.
“Did you see it?”
“No.”
“If you didn’t see it and you’re talking nonsense, what is it if not scaring everyone? I think you’re black-hearted. You won’t let us hunt rabbits, and now you won’t let us dig wild vegetables. You’re deliberately trying to starve us!”
Third Aunt fired at Jin Feng like a machine gun.
“I just thought there might be danger and reminded you. Believe it if you want, or don’t. Why are you yelling at me?”
Being accused for no reason, Jin Feng got angry too. He pointed at the back mountain. “If you want to hunt rabbits, go ahead. Did I stop you?”
“Everyone, calm down!”
The village head, who had rushed over after hearing the news, stood between them, panting. “What’s going on?”
“Village head, you have to judge for us.”
When Third Aunt saw the village head, she acted as if she had suffered a great injustice. With snot and tears, she recounted the story.
“Jin Feng, to judge if there’s a wild beast, you either see it with your own eyes, or find footprints, fur, or at least see livestock torn by a beast.”
The village head said. “You found nothing, so you can’t just say things casually. If everyone listens to you and forms a tiger-hunting team, and there’s nothing, won’t that delay things?”
“Alright, I understand.”
Jin Feng nodded helplessly.
Tigers are fierce. One or two villagers can’t handle them. So, once a tiger is spotted near the village, the young and strong form a tiger-hunting team, delaying other work.
That was why Jin Feng didn’t want to say it at first.
“I believe Jin Feng meant well, just said the wrong thing. No need to hold on to it. Everyone, disperse.”
The village head had some authority. With him mediating, the women couldn’t trouble Jin Feng further. They muttered and scattered.
Some went home, others wandered at the mountain foot with their men, hoping for luck to spot a rabbit or two out foraging.
At the edge of the woods, Zhang Man Cang was struggling to load the bundled dry firewood onto the cart, but with his inconvenient leg, it was very laborious.
Jin Feng went over, helped lift the other end of the firewood, placed it on the cart, and then secured it with hemp rope.
“Thank you, Brother Jin.”
Zhang Man Cang thanked him honestly.
“It’s a small matter. No need to thank.”
“It’s small, but the tiger is big.”
Zhang Man Cang lowered his voice. “I heard what you said earlier. I know you didn’t lie to them. These two days, the rabbits in the back mountain have indeed increased suddenly. Today I saw several.
I couldn’t figure out why. I was thinking of asking my brother to come tomorrow. Good thing you came to remind us.”
“You don’t want to hunt rabbits?”
Jin Feng looked at Zhang Man Cang in surprise.
“Of course I do,” Zhang Man Cang smiled. “But my brother and I are both disabled. If we really encounter a tiger or something, it’s a dead end.
If we two get eaten by a tiger, this family really can’t go on.”
“Man Cang, you’re a smart man.”
Jin Feng helped bundle all the wood onto the wheelbarrow. “Go back early. Don’t come to the back mountain these days.”
On the other side, Lin Yun Fang and the others had packed up.
Zhang Man Cang steered the cart. Lin Yun Fang and his mother supported the cart on left and right. The little sister carried the basket of wild vegetables. They slowly went down the mountain.
Jin Feng’s home was at the west end of the village, Zhang Man Cang’s at the east. The two families parted at the mountain foot.
Not far along, Jin Feng was thinking about selling the rabbits in town tomorrow and what to buy, when suddenly a scream came from behind.
Looking back, the group of village women who were indignant earlier were now screaming and scattering in all directions.
A black shadow charged down from the mountain, heading towards the nearest Zhang Man Cang and others.
“This is… a tiger?!”
Jin Feng’s pupils contracted, his heartbeat quickened!
Though he had guessed there might be a tiger in the back mountain, seeing it with his own eyes still made his scalp tingle.
This tiger was too big. Not counting the tail, it was three metres long. Its head was bigger than a washbasin. Weight at least over five hundred jin!
There was a wound on the tiger’s back, still bleeding. Obviously attacked before, now very irritable, running faster and faster.
Its four limbs were agile and powerful. One pounce covered four or five metres.
The visual impact was much stronger than tigers seen in zoos in his previous life!
Such a fierce tiger could definitely slap him to death with one paw!
“Ah!~~”
Zhang Man Cang’s sister was scared silly, covering her head and screaming.
“Sister-in-law, run!”
Zhang Man Cang was relatively calm. He dropped the wheelbarrow, shouted at Lin Yun Fang, and pulled his scared sister and mother to run.
How could people outrun a tiger? Especially with Zhang Man Cang’s inconvenient legs.
Seeing the tiger getting closer, Zhang Man Cang roared with red eyes, drawing his firewood knife from his waist.
“Sister-in-law, take Mother and Xiao Hua first.”
Zhang Man Cang waved the knife, making strange yells, and limped in another direction.
The tiger was attracted by Zhang Man Cang and turned to chase him.
It was getting dark. Zhang Man Cang hadn’t run far when he tripped.
Before he could get up, the tiger reached him.
“Brother!”
Zhang Xiao Hua’s little face turned pale with fear.
Zhang Man Cang closed his eyes in resignation.
However, at that moment, an arrow whistled through the air, accurately hitting the tiger’s left front leg.
It pierced right through!
Thud!
The tiger’s front leg buckled. It fell to the ground, sliding forward five or six metres, stopping at Zhang Man Cang’s feet.
