Er Gou, life in the countryside is so carefree!

Chen Ergou, carrying the 300-pound wild boar, had just reached the gate of his own yard, which was made of broken wooden planks.

Before I could even shout "Sister-in-law, I'm back!", my feet felt like they were greased, and I almost stumbled.

Why?

Because in that yard, besides the big yellow dog wagging its tail and barking, there was also a police car with flashing lights parked at the base of the wall, looking completely out of place with our mud walls and broken tiles.

Immediately afterwards, a burst of silvery laughter came from the entrance of the main room.

"Sister Qiaofen, you are so skillful. The stitches on these insoles are even denser than those made by a sewing machine."

"Hey, just doing this idly, I've got nothing better to do. But Yuqing, your skin is amazing! You're always out in the sun and wind running around doing cases, how come it's still so fair? Do you have some kind of folk remedy from the city?"

Yuqing, my girl?

Chen Ergou's eyes almost popped out of their sockets.

He pushed open the courtyard gate, which had no door panel, and peered inside.

Good guy!

Under the old jujube tree at the entrance of the main room, there was a small stool.

My sister-in-law, Zhang Qiaofen, was holding a needle and thread, and sitting opposite her was a beautiful woman dressed in casual clothes.

She wore a simple white fitted T-shirt, the fabric of which was crisp and stretched her impressive bust tightly.

She wore a pair of faded light-colored jeans that hugged her two straight and slender thighs, and canvas shoes on her feet.

Her hair was tied in a high ponytail, revealing a stunning oval face despite her bare face.

Who else could it be but Lin Yuqing, the fiery policewoman from the county public security bureau?

"Hey, Er Gou's back!"

When Zhang Qiaofen looked up and saw Er Gou and the wild boar on his shoulder, her eyes lit up instantly, as if she had seen her pillar of support. She quickly put down her work and stood up.

"Why are you only getting back now? Oh my god, you've really hit such a big head?!"

Lin Yuqing also turned her head, her large eyes, usually cold and icy when interrogating prisoners, now visible.

At this moment, however, he had a faint smile on his face as he looked Chen Ergou up and down, finally fixing his gaze on Chen Ergou's bronze chest, which was covered in sweat.

Her face flushed slightly, but she quickly put on a businesslike demeanor again.

Chen Ergou threw the heavy wild boar into the middle of the yard, startling the old hens that were pecking at rice, causing them to fly around clucking.

"Hey... Officer Lin, what brings you, this big shot, to this poor mountain village?"

Chen Ergou wiped his sweat with the towel around his neck while chuckling and making small talk.

"Is the food at the institute bad, and you're looking to come here for a free meal of pork stew?"

Stop being so cheeky.

Lin Yuqing stood up, and her heroic and spirited demeanor immediately came out.

She walked over to the wild boar and kicked its thick hide with her toe, as if trying to hide something:

"I'm here... for a follow-up visit. Regarding what happened on Binjiang Road last night, although Zhao Tai didn't call the police, saying it was a civil dispute, as a police officer, I still need to check if the parties involved have any missing limbs, or... if they acted excessively in self-defense, right?"

That's what they said, but Chen Ergou was a shrewd man, and he saw right through the girl's thoughts.

This person isn't here to investigate a case; they're clearly worried about getting hurt and came over specifically to check on him before they feel at ease.

Chen Ergou felt a warm glow in his heart. While his sister-in-law was in the kitchen boiling water, he moved closer to Lin Yuqing. A pleasant scent of soapberry mixed with a faint smell of sweat wafted into his nose.

"So, are you really impressed with me now that you found me unharmed and even brought back a big wild boar?" Chen Ergou asked in a low voice with a wicked grin.

"narcissism."

Lin Yuqing rolled her eyes at him and stubbornly said, "I'm afraid that if you die, it will be difficult to close the case without a statement."

"Come on, you're all talk and no action."

Chen Ergou looked around and, seeing no one was there, suddenly became serious: "Stretch out your hand."

"What? Trying to assault a police officer?" Lin Yuqing took a half step back warily, but her hand instinctively reached out halfway.

Chen Ergou grabbed her hand.

A square jade pendant, warm to the touch and carved with ancient dragon scale patterns, gently landed in her palm.

By the light of the courtyard lamp, the jade pendant had a dark green hue, and the dragon scales on it seemed to be alive, exuding a sense of solemnity and majesty, which was a perfect match for Lin Yuqing's righteous aura.

"this……"

Lin Yuqing was a discerning person; she could tell at a glance that it was no ordinary item.

"This jade... is of such high quality? Chen Ergou, where did you get it? This is too valuable, I can't accept it! It's against the rules!"

"Take it!"

Chen Ergou didn't let her pull her hand back; instead, he tightly gripped her fist, his tone becoming exceptionally serious, even domineering:

"This isn't a bribe, it's a gift from me. With your job, you're constantly on the edge of a knife. Who knows when you might run into a desperate criminal? This thing was specially made by me; it can ward off disaster and save your life in a critical moment."

He stared into Lin Yuqing's eyes and said, enunciating each word clearly, "Remember this: you're not allowed to take it off, not even when showering or sleeping. If you dare take it off, I'll go to the police station and sit on your desk and refuse to leave!"

Feeling the warmth of the man's hand, Lin Yuqing's heart skipped a beat.

She looked into Chen Ergou's eyes, and the words of refusal that she wanted to say stuck in her throat, and she couldn't say them no matter what.

Finally, she bit her lip, two red clouds rising to her cheeks, and whispered:

"Well... consider it a loan from me, I'll pay you back later."

"Sure, if you can't pay it back, you can use people to pay off the debt." Chen Ergou grinned, revealing a set of big white teeth.

"Get lost! Dream on!" Lin Yuqing raised her leg to kick him in embarrassment and anger, but Chen Ergou nimbly dodged it.

Just then, a loud voice suddenly came from outside the courtyard gate; the person could be heard before they were seen.

"Qiaofen! Has Ergou come back yet? I saw him hunt a wild boar king in the back hill! Oh my, I just picked these cucumbers with their blossoms and thorns still on, and I also brought out that bottle of old baijiu I'd hidden in the cellar, just to add some dishes for you guys!"

Immediately afterwards, a voluptuous figure swayed her hips as she entered.

Wang Cuihua changed her clothes. Although she was still dressed like a rural woman, her red floral top was noticeably tighter, accentuating her full figure.

She was carrying a basket in one hand and a bottle of wine in the other. When she entered the gate and saw a policeman in the yard, she paused for a moment, and then her fox-like eyes narrowed.

"Hey, isn't this... Officer Lin?"

Wang Cuihua was a shrewd woman in the village; her eyes darted around, and she greeted everyone with a smile.

"Still working on a case so late at night? That must be really hard work."

Before Lin Yuqing could speak, another voice came from the doorway.

"Sister Qiaofen, Ergou, I'm here too."

Li Mei walked in somewhat reservedly, carrying her signature canvas bag and two exquisite gift boxes in her hands.

She glanced around the courtyard: a feisty widow, a spirited policewoman, and a virtuous sister-in-law busy in the kitchen.

Li Mei pushed up her glasses, her gaze lingering on Chen Ergou for a second.

Chen Ergou felt a chill run down his spine and a cold sensation on his back.

Good guy!

Is this going to bring together half of Xiushui Village and half of the county town?

Just then, Zhang Qiaofen, the sister-in-law, came out carrying a large basin of hot water. She was taken aback when she saw the three women standing in the yard.

With a woman's intuition, she keenly sensed the unusual "smell of vinegar" in the air.

Wang Cuihua's eyes looked like she wanted to devour Er Gou. Li Mei, though quiet, kept following Er Gou. As for Officer Lin, why were the two of them so close just now?

But Zhang Qiaofen was, after all, the "official" sister-in-law, so she had the demeanor to back it up.

Her face immediately lit up with a warm smile. She put the basin on the ground and greeted them:

"Oh, everyone's here! That's perfect! It's so lively at home today. Cuihua, Commissioner Li, and Officer Lin, come on in! There's plenty of wild boar meat; let's have a good get-together tonight!"

Then she turned to look at Chen Ergou, who was still in a daze, and gave him a reproachful glare:

"What are you waiting for? Three beautiful women are waiting to eat meat, so hurry up and start slaughtering the pig! Do you need your sister-in-law to teach you how to use a knife?"

"Alright! Let's kill them! Let's kill them!"

Chen Ergou felt as if he had been granted a pardon. He quickly grabbed the gleaming pig-slaughtering knife behind the door and ran towards the wild boar as if fleeing.

"Watch closely, everyone! Today I'm going to show you my family's secret technique for butchering pigs!"

Chen Ergou shouted loudly and twirled his knife in a beautiful flourish.

A flash of cold light appeared, and Chen Ergou raised his knife and brought it down.

The butcher knife seemed to come alive in his hands, moving along the seams of the wild boar's bones.

The sizzling sound was incessant; it was the crisp sound of flesh and skin separating.

He was shirtless, every muscle bulging as he exerted himself, sweat dripping down his back, glistening under the light.

The raw, primal power of it captivated the women in the courtyard, leaving them momentarily mesmerized.

Wang Cuihua licked her lips, her eyes burning with desire.

Li Mei pushed up her glasses, her face slightly flushed.

Lin Yuqing stood to the side with her arms crossed, watching the usually playful man's focused expression, and a slight smile appeared on her lips.

In less than half an hour, Chen Ergou had chopped a 300-pound wild boar into eight pieces, clearly distinguishing them.

Pork belly, ribs, pig's trotters, and offal were neatly arranged on the cutting board.

"Sister-in-law! The meat's ready! Put it in the pot!"

With Chen Ergou's shout, the Chen family's courtyard became completely lively.

A large iron pot was placed in the yard, and the firewood underneath crackled and popped as it burned.

The marbled wild boar meat simmered in the pot, along with dried green beans, potatoes, and vermicelli. Then, the strong liquor brought by Wang Cuihua was poured over it to remove any gamey smell. The rich aroma of the meat wafted for miles along the chimney, making all the dogs in the village bark with envy.

That night, the four women sat around a large pot. Although each had their own thoughts, they were surprisingly harmonious after eating bowls of steaming pork stew and drinking a few cups of strong liquor.

Wang Cuihua told bawdy jokes about the village, making Lin Yuqing blush and her heart race, while Li Mei talked about the future plans for the greenhouse, which made Zhang Qiaofen look longing.

Chen Ergou, like a busy little bee, flitted among the flowers, picking up a piece of rib for one person and pouring a glass of wine for another, all while carefully watching out for any little feet sticking out from under the table.

After several rounds of drinks and five courses of food,

Looking at the joyful laughter in the courtyard, Chen Ergou touched the "peace buckle" in his pocket, which was the best one and had not yet been given away.

My gaze fell on my sister-in-law, who had been busy taking care of everyone, her face flushed red from the firelight.

His heart suddenly calmed down.

No matter how fragrant the wildflowers outside are, the light inside this house is where you truly belong.

However... this peach blossom formation tonight might be difficult to break.

He noticed that Wang Cuihua was already quite drunk, her eyes glazed over as she clung to his sleeve.

Li Mei, emboldened by the alcohol, leaned on his shoulder and said she felt dizzy.

Even Lin Yuqing, with her chin resting on her hand, stared at him with hazy, drunken eyes, muttering that she wanted more drink.

Chen Ergou swallowed hard, feeling that he probably wouldn't be able to get a good night's sleep tonight.