1940s: I supported my wife and sister-in-law by hunting.

Just as Chen Gaoshan was about to step into Old Zhang's courtyard, two figures suddenly emerged from a corner.

What else could it be but a small button and a money pendant?

The two boys stood with their arms around each other's shoulders, looking at him with their heads tilted to the side, their faces full of a smug, mischievous grin.

He stopped and shouted angrily.

"What are you two doing lounging around here? Hurry up and pack your things, what are you waiting for?"

Qian Zhuizi winked and grinned mischievously.

"I never would have guessed, Shanzi, you're really something! You've only been in Jiapigou for three or four days, and you've already hooked up with that young wife. You're quite the hidden talent."

When Chen Gaoshan saw their unruly behavior, his head started to ache.

He walked over, cut directly between the two of them, stretched out his arms, and put them on their shoulders, making them bend over.

"Brother Zhuizi, I'm really impressed with you. Is there nothing else on your mind besides this little thing in your underwear?"

The man was bedridden and couldn't move, with his mother and four children at home. I just felt sorry for him and lent a hand; it was just a matter of neighborly kindness. How come you've made such a nasty statement about it?

The little button next to her pursed her lips.

"Brother, don't try to fool us. You're a grown man, and they're just a woman with two girls, whispering to each other for ages under the wall. Who would believe that if you told them?"

Chen Gaoshan pulled his arm back and strangled the two men by the neck.

"I didn't do that, believe it or not."

After tightening the noose, he casually gave the two men a shove, causing them to stumble forward two steps.

"Hurry up and pack your bags and go home. Stop spouting nonsense here."

The small button and the money pendant looked at each other.

They both spoke at the same time.

Do you believe it?

The next second, they all shook their heads in unison.

"I don't believe it, it's impossible, absolutely impossible."

These days, when men and women get together to chat, how can anything be innocent?

Unless that woman is so ugly that you can't bring yourself to touch her.

Originally, everyone planned to rush back to Nangou Village that day, but they dawdled and it got dark.

Although these patrol team members all had guns and were not afraid of wild animals in the mountains, Old Zhang was truly terrified by the man-eating tiger and was panicked.

They refused to let them travel at night and insisted that they stay overnight before leaving the next day.

The group couldn't persuade the old man otherwise, so they had no choice but to agree to stay overnight.

There was nothing to do in the village at night, so a group of young men, bored out of their minds, all surrounded Chen Gaoshan, pestering him to tell them about his tiger-hunting adventure.

Old Zhang's entire family gathered around, their eyes filled with warmth, a mixture of respect and lingering fear.

Unable to resist the crowd's urging, Chen Gaoshan picked out the thrilling and exciting details and vividly recounted the entire process of staking out and killing the man-eating tiger in the mountains.

Everyone in the room listened so intently they didn't dare breathe. Even if they needed to urinate, they had to hold it in until he finished speaking, until their bladders ached from holding it in.

Little Kouzi, in particular, stared wide-eyed, determined to remember this.

He's Shanzi's brother-in-law. He didn't go into the mountains to hunt tigers this time, but Shanzi is a tiger-hunting hero.

When I go back to the village, I'll have something to brag about, and I'll feel proud of myself.

After chatting for more than an hour, everyone was finally satisfied and went back to their rooms to sleep, and that was the end of it.

The next morning, just as dawn broke, his family rode a horse-drawn sled towards Nangou Village.

As soon as I entered the village, I could see a group of people at the entrance.

His father, Chen Laonian, led the village militia, all of them guarding the entrance to the village, seemingly on patrol toward the west end of the village.

"father."

Upon hearing his son's voice, Chen Laonian immediately turned around. Seeing the people on the sled, he breathed a sigh of relief and led his men to greet them.

Sun Changhai, standing next to him, squinted and scanned the sled, but after looking for a long time, he couldn't see anything and looked puzzled.

"Where's the tiger? Did you really kill the man-eating tiger? Why can't we see it on the sled?"

Tie Gen, who was next to him, nudged him.

"Are you kidding me? If we hadn't killed the man-eating tiger, would we have been able to get back so easily?"

Old Chen also stared at the sled, glanced back several times, and quickened his pace.

"How's it going, Shanzi? Did you manage to kill that man-eating beast?"

Chen Gaoshan pushed off the sled with both legs and jumped down, nodding.

"That's resolved. From now on, the surrounding villages can safely go into the mountains to collect firewood."

The huge weight that had been hanging over Chen Laonian's heart for several days finally lifted off his feet.

He knew Shanzi's abilities better than anyone, and with Wan Zhong and the other old men following along, they were sure they could catch him.

"Alright, I'll disperse the militia right away. You take Wan Zhong and the others and hurry home. They've been suffering from the cold winds and howling winds these past few days. Tell your mother and the others to quickly prepare some hot food to treat you properly."

Before long, everyone in the village believed it. Since the man-eating tiger was gone, no one was afraid anymore, and they all came to the Chen family's courtyard to watch the excitement.

Before long, Chen Laonian signaled everyone to disperse. Each person had two steamed buns and a large bowl of dumpling soup with sesame oil. They ate without saying a word.

After the meal, the patrol team members all went home one after another.

Only Little Button was left, lingering there.

Chen Gaoshan wiped his mouth. Everyone in the family was either sitting on the kang (a heated brick bed) coaxing the children or sitting on small stools on the ground, all waiting for him to tell the story of fighting the tiger.

I've been talking back and forth in Jiapigou these past two days, and I've talked so much that my throat is dry and tight.

"Button, you tell the story. I talked too much yesterday, my throat is hoarse, I can't keep talking."

Xiao Kouzi was overjoyed when he heard this.

This is exactly the opportunity he's been waiting for.

He cleared his throat, put on airs, and started chatting.

They even added their own embellishments, exaggerating and exaggerating to make the scenes of staking out in the mountains, chasing in the snow, tigers attacking people, and fighting to the death more exciting than the storytellers in town.

The people inside the room could be heard clenching their fists in anxiety one moment and clapping and cheering the next.

He talked for half an hour straight, until his lips were dry and parched. He picked up the enamel mug on the kang table and drank several mouthfuls of water before he could catch his breath.

Chen Gaoshan sat to one side, enjoying the peace and quiet, without needing to waste his breath.

Holding Da Mao and Er Mao in his arms, the two little babies nestled softly on his lap, their big, dark eyes blinking as they stared at Uncle Kouzi as he spoke, as if they could understand him.

Sanhua was holding three nursing babies in her arms, as well as Shuanghong. She was talking about Xiaokouzi, but her eyes were looking in his direction, especially at Kuihua.

The baby was plump and healthy, and quite young. Because of breastfeeding, the grain sacks were bulging high, pushing up the cotton-padded coat.

It's about a young girl holding a baby, giving off an innocent and naive vibe while also radiating a maternal aura of love, constantly tug-of-war between innocence and allure.

Sensing his woman's adoration, Chen Gaoshan maintained his aloof and composed persona.

He simply smiled faintly, nodded to the group, and gave them a reassuring yet smug look.

Aesthetics are limited by the times. Without mechanization and sufficient productivity, men needed to have strong physiques. Even for women, having big buttocks was considered auspicious for childbirth. The difference between having large hips and being able to give birth was not the same, but it also indicated that the body was strong and capable of working.

Especially men like Chen Gaoshan, who are full of strength, dare to rush into things, and can protect the village, are full of vitality and vigor.

It's not uncommon for someone to be admired and favored by their own wife or other women.

He was already used to such looks.

Good seeds mean more work; who else but me?

We've killed the man-eating tiger, that's a good thing. Besides, I've been gone for four days, so it's time to celebrate. Tonight, I'll invite Sanhua and Shuanghong over if they'd like.

Da Mao and Er Mao can sleep through the night now. Let their parents watch over them. Anyway, the kang (heated brick bed) in the house is long enough to sleep five people without any problem. Besides, the three little babies are small and don't take up much space.

Everyone can find a place to stay.

There's strength in numbers.