Rebirth 78: Hunting for Treasure in the Mountains, Spoiling My Wife and Daughter to the Heavens

"Go to hell with that! A fox that can breathe fire? Why didn't she suggest finding a weasel that's asking for a title to use as a medicinal ingredient!"

This old Mrs. Chang is getting more and more cunning; using fox fur to make medicine, isn't she afraid that Third Aunt Fox won't seduce her?

Lu Dewang was furious when he heard Lu Baojia's words.

People in Northeast China still respect various customs in this day and age.

In particular, the "technical method" of "Guardian Spirit" which is widely circulated in Northeast China.

If a child cries at night, the first thing to do is not to go to the village doctor, but to take out a bowl of water and stand chopsticks upright in it.

Even when suffering from a persistent high fever, instead of thinking about how to bring it down, they would go to the front door to burn paper money to send off the elders who were having a difficult time in the afterlife.

Of course, the respect and acceptance of this kind of "feudalism" was ingrained in the bones of this era.

Unlike in later generations, where eight out of ten Northeasterners were shamans.

Moreover, at this time, the shamans did not just tell fortunes; most of them also possessed a traditional old craft.

Some can set bones, and some can arrange funerals.

Old Mrs. Chang's specialty is her highly effective plasters that cure all ailments.

"Dad, don't be angry. It's just a fox. I'll go up the mountain to catch it."

After a moment's thought, Lu Weiguo understood what a fire-breathing fox was.

"Can you even catch that thing? Anything that breathes fire is practically a demon! Absorbing the essence of the sun and moon is a preparation for becoming an immortal!"

Lu Dewang spoke very seriously, saying that his mother, Lu Weiguo's grandmother, was once a guardian spirit in the household.

It's just that none of the next generation has the destiny to become immortals.

And that's how it ended.

"Dad, stop fooling around. Old Mrs. Chang was talking about a fox that digs holes in the graveyard. What 'essence of the sun and moon'? Are you drunk from smoking?"

Lu Weiguo replied with a smile, "If I weren't a reincarnated person..."

They might be just like Lu Baojia, too frightened to utter a word by these words.

But in his previous life in the Greater Khingan Mountains, he had met a fire-breathing fox with a "mountain dog".

The fox breathes fire, but not red fire; instead, it breathes white "ghost fire" that glows with a blue light.

Foxes eat carrion and rotten wood, and their bellies bloate afterward.

When you exhale bubbles containing phosphorus, the phosphorus combines with hydrogen in the air to form phosphine gas, which is produced very easily and naturally.

This is also the reason why the older generation refers to "ghost fire in the graveyard".

Later, when mandatory cremation was implemented nationwide in 1996, this phenomenon decreased significantly.

Of course, this was also taught to him by the young mountain dog that Lu Weiguo met.

"Shan Gouzi is not old and has been to school. He secretly hunts in the mountains to take care of his elderly parents."

After meeting Lu Weiguo, they hit it off immediately, and he taught him everything he had ever seen and learned.

With Lu Weiguo's explanation.

The Lu father and son sighed, "This is the benefit of marrying a cultured wife."

This prompted Shu Ruizhi, who was eavesdropping outside, to unleash another round of curses!

They understood the principle, but the Lu family didn't have a single hunter, and the fox was extremely cunning.

Lu Dewang and Lu Baojia stared at each other for a long time before turning their attention to Lu Weiguo.

"You just said you can hunt?"

"Yeah, I know a little bit. I found a rabbit a few days ago and also caught a roe deer."

Lu Weiguo recounted what had happened over the past few days.

Lu Dexing didn't care why they didn't send some meat when there was meat available; instead, he looked at them with disdain.

"You call this hunting? It's pure luck! You're just picking up scraps in the mountains, like everyone's been there before!"

Besides, if you encounter a roe deer on the mountain, you don't need to do anything. Just shout, and the roe deer will come back on its own in a moment.

You've been hanging around for over a year, and all you've learned is how to brag!

Lu Baojia chimed in, "That's right, Fourth Brother, you need to be more down-to-earth. Bragging won't do; we need to be honest and down-to-earth."

Lu Weiguo sighed inwardly. Based on the meager possessions he had brought back, no one would believe he could hunt.

After all, in the villagers' minds, hunting is a skill that truly needs to be passed down, and it is extremely dangerous.

Don't be fooled by the fact that those hunters have meat to eat and money to earn; some of them have even lost their lives!

Nine out of ten hunters die young; it's really not as reliable as honestly digging for food in the ground.

"Dad, brother, I heard you two fell while picking mushrooms in the mountains. Anyway, you're not working anymore."

Tomorrow my older brother and I are going to the mountains to pick mushrooms. If we encounter a fox, let me try.

With my older brother watching over me, nothing will go wrong. Besides, picking mushrooms is a legitimate business, isn't it?

Lu Dewang and Lu Baojia exchanged a glance and nodded in approval.

It's not enough to just hear Lu Weiguo say he'll quit gambling; we still need to keep an eye on him for a few days.

Moreover, picking mushrooms is actually a serious business; good hazel mushrooms can be dried and sold.

Those of lower quality can be dried and kept for later consumption in winter.

It's better than hanging out with those vagrants who indulge in drinking, gambling, and prostitution.

. . . . . .

On the Lu family's side, they lit oil lamps, drank thin porridge, and enjoyed a happy family time together.

The three men were discussing their plan to go mushroom picking at the mass grave the next day.

But Li Xiulian felt extremely uncomfortable, watching her old classmate Zhang Dexing, dressed in a Zhongshan suit, chatting silently with his family.

It was as if everyone in front of me was a stranger.

All he could do was hold Jia Huan tightly in his arms.

The image of Lu Weiguo flashed through my mind.

"Uncle and Aunt, don't worry, Xiulian and I are old classmates. She was first in our class and I was second. We've known each other for a long time."

They discuss their studies together every day. Now that I'm a village cadre stationed in Fendou Village, I'll definitely take good care of Xiulian.

Wu Guifen looked at Zhang Dexing, who looked all respectable, and her eyes twitched.

But a local official is more powerful than a distant one, so for the sake of his daughter and son-in-law, he had no choice but to put on a smiling face.

"Yes, I've always seen you as someone who's going to be successful. If Xiulian hadn't stayed in the county, you two probably could have worked together."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Dexing smiled awkwardly and explained, "Auntie, I didn't know about this back then; my cousin handled it all for me."

My cousin is a leader in the city; he saw my name and immediately transferred me to a different position.

If I had known that was Xiulian's job, I would never have taken it from her.

But that's all in the past now. From now on, I will definitely take good care of Xiulian.

Li Xiuhe sat to the side, cracking sunflower seeds, and smiled strangely. "Hey old classmate, are you married yet? My Xiulian has already given birth to our second child."

"That's alright, Xiulian's figure is still great after having her second child... cough cough cough! I haven't yet, I'm busy with work."

Looking at Li Xiulian, who was still as dazzling as ever, Zhang Dexing blurted out something in a panic.

What's wrong with being married and having children?

A country bumpkin is a country bumpkin!

He stayed in the village for three years. If he didn't have someone to accompany him, especially a wife who didn't have to take responsibility, his life would be as wonderful as it could be.

Thinking of this, Zhang Dexing quickly composed himself: "Sister, you see, I also have a job, and our families know each other quite well. If you know any good girls, introduce them to me."

I will definitely treat her well, and I don't care that she's been married before.

After saying that, he glanced at Li Xiulian, his meaning all too clear.

"How can someone who's been married be a good match for your boss?" Wu Guifen rolled her eyes at Li Xiuhe. "It's almost lunchtime, why don't you stay for dinner?"

"Look, my son-in-law just brought back half a roe deer. It's a rare find, not even in the county. You should keep some and have a taste."

"Auntie, you mean Xiulian's husband, Lu Weiguo, brought it?"

"Yes, my brother-in-law said he's quit gambling and started hunting in the mountains!" Li Xiuhe continued to fan the flames.

"Oh? Is that so?" Zhang Dexing seemed thoughtful, then got up to say goodbye: "I won't eat, my parents are waiting for me. As for Xiulian, when we go to Fendou Village..."

I'll take you back with me; the county will send a car to take me, so you won't have to suffer.