Chapter Eighteen: You Say This Is Just a Little Money?

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Feeling quite stirred, Zhang Tiejun glanced around and had intended to properly thank the white fox that had brought him here, only to find it had vanished without a trace.

“Awawaw.”

Amid the clamor, Zhang Tiejun moved closer and, parting a nest of Ula grass, two young foxes came into view.

The two fox cubs were still very young, suckling continuously beneath the white fox’s body.

“So, Xiaodunzi is a vixen,” Zhang Tiejun reflected with deep emotion as he looked at the white fox.

The victims of this great famine were not only humans; even the animals could not escape misfortune. Foxes were not as cunning or despicable as some literary works portrayed them. On the contrary, they were exceptionally loyal in love, strictly monogamous, and raised their young together.

Since no male fox was in sight, it was likely that he had fallen prey to natural enemies.

Foxes were not apex predators, and their fur was a prime target for hunters. Raising two cubs alone was an immense burden.

Unlike Xiaodunzi’s flawless coat, the cubs had ordinary white fur speckled with faint spots.

Zhang Tiejun took out his last two pieces of roe deer meat and placed them beside the white fox. “Thank you. I plan to farm here; would you like to join me?”

Foxes were not adept at digging burrows and often led a nomadic life, frequently driving away smaller prey and occupying their nests. Just from this, the white fox’s current survival situation seemed quite precarious.

Foxes would not settle permanently in one place, and if their young caught human scent, the mother would abandon them. The fact that the white fox had brought Zhang Tiejun here indicated a preliminary trust. The legend of Hu Santai’s nursing seemed to reach a new level at this moment.

Returning, Zhang Tiejun hid the potato and sorghum seeds, stashed the hoe and spade in a crevice, and covered the wheelbarrow with Ula grass. Nearly three acres of land had become his new battlefield.

This mountain trip had yielded significant results. Although no wolf tracks were found, he had accidentally obtained a patch of uncultivated farmland and farming tools. Now, all that remained was to prepare lodging supplies for the next trip, waiting only for spring.

Zhang Tiejun had briefly tried to till the frozen soil, only to find it harder than reinforced concrete; his hoe did not budge an inch.

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The season might be lost now. The last piece of roe deer meat was left for Xiaodunzi. After three days and two nights on Mount Guandong, it seemed time to return.

“Well, well! So it’s Zhang the Great Hunter! We thought you’d been eaten by wolves since we hadn’t seen you for two days.”

“Don’t say that! He’s now a squad committee member; be careful, or he might make things difficult for you.”

“I remember someone swore an oath to find the wolf pack in five days. It’s already Day Three, and not a single hair has been seen.”

“Who doesn’t boast? I said I’d hunt down a Siberian tiger in ten days.”

As Zhang Tiejun approached the team’s entrance, a few loafers mocked him with these words, clearly prompted by Qiao Dafang nearby.

Zhang Tiejun ignored them and turned toward home.

The loafers persisted, trailing behind him, shouting hoarsely, “Come see! Zhang the Great Hunter returns empty-handed! The five-day deadline is already three days past!”

“What are you all doing making a racket so early? Get to work, now.”

Qiao Kangzhan suddenly appeared, hands behind his back and chest puffed out.

As the team secretary, Qiao Kangzhan held near absolute authority. The loafers scattered like birds and beasts at his stern voice.

Seeing Zhang Tiejun return, Qiao Kangzhan sighed in relief and deliberately raised his voice: “Tiejun, don’t pick fights with these people. Anyone who thinks they can go up the mountain, let them try. If anything happens, don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

Qiao Kangzhan unleashed a barrage of scolding without mercy, and Zhang Tiejun did not interrupt. What followed was something Zhang Tiejun never expected.

“The commune just sent word about a Siberian leopard that has been preying on cattle and sheep near Majiafort, dozens of kilometers from here. For everyone’s safety, I’ve banned going up the mountain. But I still want to consult you on this matter.” Qiao Kangzhan shook his head. “Tiejun, sending you after wolves was a last resort. As the team secretary, I must clarify that the five-day target was just a formality. These things can’t be forced. There’s always a higher mountain, as they say.”

His words were like a velvet glove hiding a dagger. Though Qiao Kangzhan seemed to retreat step by step, in reality, he was advancing relentlessly.

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If Zhang Tiejun refused to go up the mountain, even with official explanations from Qiao Kangzhan, rumors would inevitably spread among the loafers. Without prestige within the team, it was difficult to hold one’s head high. Yet if he did go, any life-or-death consequences would no longer be the team’s concern.

First, they forced Zhang Tiejun to make a military pledge under the pretext of the wolf pack issue; second, they cleverly used higher-level directives to corner him. Qiao Kangzhan’s cunning in political maneuvering was evident.

Most urgently, the weather was about to turn—a fierce blizzard was coming.

Seeing Zhang Tiejun silent, Qiao Kangzhan continued to undermine him: “Actually, this has little to do with you. Wolf attacks on mountain villagers have been ongoing for a long time with no solution. Don’t feel pressured. Your mother hasn’t seen you in days; better go home and see her.”

When Zhang Tiejun returned, his mother was sweeping the yard. Seeing him back, she breathed a sigh of relief. A mother’s worry for her son traveling far was always a knot in her throat. Every time he went up the mountain, her heart leapt.

“You’re back?”

“Mm. What about Xiaohua?”

“She’s not up yet.”

Taking the broom from his mother, Zhang Tiejun began sweeping. “Mother, I found some Ula grass on the mountain and brought some back. Put it in your quilt to keep warm.”

“Son, don’t pay attention to what the villagers say. People’s mouths are their own; you can’t control what they say.” After a pause, she comforted him, “It’s not easy to go up the mountain now. Listen to me; let’s not go for a while.”

Zhang Tiejun glanced around to make sure no one was watching. Then he pulled a small stack of money from his pocket and pressed it into his mother’s hand. “Mother, I earned some money this trip. Keep it safe and buy something nice for Xiaohua when you can.”

Looking at the bills enough to support a family of five for a year, his mother was incredulous. After a long pause, she murmured, “You call this just a little money?”