Chapter 48: It's Over—The Madman Is Going to Kill Someone!

Zhou Sinian moved as swiftly as ever, and he was exceedingly familiar with Wild Boar Ridge. The two of them didn’t return by the original path but instead leapt along an unmarked mountain trail. By the time they emerged from Wild Boar Ridge and reached the village entrance, both Ming Dai and the goat were retching, much to Zhou Sinian’s disdain. Now even the goat’s musky smell had left Ming Dai with a psychological shadow. Neither of them returned home; instead, before dusk settled, they headed straight for the brigade leader’s house.

On the way, despite Zhou Sinian’s look of utter disgust and Ming Dai’s pale, miserable face, the bleating of the goat still attracted the attention of villagers returning from work. It was well known that keeping goats privately was forbidden now—there wasn’t a single goat in the entire brigade. Yet, with the notorious madman present, no one dared approach; they simply trailed the pair from a distance.

Soon enough, they arrived at the brigade leader’s house.

Auntie Huang was in high spirits, having completed her team’s task two days early, and was happily cooking at home. Captain Liu was tapping his tobacco pipe while feeding straw to the horse, and Iron Egg was running wild in the yard with Dog Egg. Sister-in-law Huang was helping her mother-in-law tidy up the sun-dried vegetables when she caught the faint sound of a goat and curiously asked, “Mother, did I just hear a goat bleating?”

Auntie Huang shot her a glare. “A goat? I heard a donkey, too! You’re always thinking about food—I bet you just want some goat stew, don’t you?”

Sister-in-law Huang took the teasing in stride and laughed, sidling up to her mother-in-law. “You’re right, Mother, I do want some goat stew. I remember when I was little, we always had a bowl at New Year’s!”

Auntie Huang grew somewhat sentimental. She and Huang Dalian came from the same village, deep in the Green Mountain, and though life there was poor, every New Year’s the villagers would hunt, so there was always some meat. After marrying into this village, though they had enough grain, meat had become a rare luxury.

The meat they’d eaten in the past half year had come from the vegetable buns Ming Dai had brought them!

“Enough nonsense. When New Year’s comes, I’ll set aside a couple of pounds of meat for you to enjoy.”

Sister-in-law Huang responded happily, showering her mother-in-law with flattery until Auntie Huang was beaming.

In the kitchen, Zhou Pan-tai was cooking. Hearing the laughter outside, she felt a pang of grievance. It was true—having a son made a world of difference; her mother-in-law favored her sister-in-law more. Huang Tao tugged her little sister, Huang Xing, pulling her behind the stove, hoping not to draw their mother’s attention.

Luckily, Zhou Pan-tai was lost in her own thoughts and didn’t notice, allowing Huang Tao to breathe easy.

Dog Egg, who had been chasing his older brother, suddenly stopped, pressing his little face against the cold courtyard wall and listening intently.

Iron Egg, noticing his brother lagging behind, walked over curiously. “Dog Egg, what are you doing?”

Dog Egg’s eyes sparkled as he looked at his brother. “Brother! There’s a goat! I hear it bleating!”

Iron Egg pointed at his brother, laughing. “You must be crazy for meat! Do you even know what a goat looks like?”

Dog Egg was only five, so perhaps he really didn’t know.

“I do! Grandpa showed me!” Dog Egg protested, his face flushing red, hurt by his brother’s doubt. He hurried to the gate and flung it open.

Auntie Huang was startled by her grandson’s sudden action. “Dog Egg! It’s nearly dark—where are you running off to? Be careful, or a wolf might snatch you away!”

Iron Egg caught up, shouting, “Grandma! Dog Egg says there’s a goat!”

“A goat?”

Auntie Huang and Sister-in-law Huang exchanged glances, just as Dog Egg’s delighted cry rang out from outside, “A goat! There’s really a goat!”

The two women looked at each other again, tossed aside the dried vegetables, and ran out. Captain Liu, who had been feeding the horse, also heard the commotion and followed, curious.

Zhou Pan-tai frowned as she listened, wanting to go outside as well, but the pot was boiling, so she stayed to tend the meal. Huang Tao and Huang Xing were tempted to go out too but didn’t dare speak up, seeing Zhou Pan-tai’s tightly drawn brows.

Inside, the three Liu brothers followed their parents out to see what was happening.

When the Liu family gathered in the courtyard, they found their little grandson circling excitedly around the approaching madman and the young educated woman, calling out repeatedly, “A goat! There’s really a goat! Brother, look! A goat!”

Iron Egg stood at the doorway, chewing his finger, watching his younger brother and the young educated woman. He wanted to go over but was too afraid of the madman, so he hesitated in place.

Dog Egg, being young and less familiar with the madman’s temper—plus, he was used to getting smacked three times a day—had already forgotten his fear in the excitement over the goat, especially with the young educated woman there. He circled them gleefully.

Sister-in-law Huang’s heart was in her throat as she called to her son in a trembling voice, “Dog Egg, come here!”

Dog Egg, seeing that the young educated woman was also heading to their house, followed his mother’s voice over.

“Mother! Did you see that? There really is a goat! I know what a goat looks like! Brother said I didn’t!”

Sister-in-law Huang gripped her son’s hand tightly, finally able to relax. “You naughty boy! Didn’t you see the madman? Going near him—aren’t you afraid he’ll beat you?”

Dog Egg shrank his neck at the scolding but, still unwilling to give up, kept stretching his head to look, restrained by Huang Dalian’s firm hold.

Auntie Huang licked her lips and glanced at her husband. Captain Liu was so stunned by what he saw, he forgot to puff on his pipe, staring at the pair in bewilderment.

Secretary Liu Qingmin and Accountant Liu Guoqiang had also arrived, squeezing in beside the Liu family. Watching the two approaching, Secretary Liu whispered, “Brother, what on earth is going on?”

Captain Liu shook his head honestly. “I have no idea, either.”

Accountant Liu gave a quiet warning, “Stop talking—they’re coming!”

The crowd instantly fell silent.

Zhou Sinian, already irritated from being stared at by so many people and assaulted by the goat’s stench from his basket, grew even angrier. Upon seeing Captain Liu, he yanked the basket off his back, gripped the goat’s neck like a pair of iron tongs, and with one hand hoisted the nearly hundred-pound ram out, throwing it with a loud thud at the Liu family’s feet. Captain Liu and the others recoiled in fright, their legs nearly buckling.

Ming Dai looked pitifully at the goat on the ground—it had been choked until its tongue lolled and eyes rolled back, and now, after being thrown like that, it was too pained to even bleat. Such a sin!

Having tossed the goat aside, Zhou Sinian scrubbed his hands furiously, sniffed them, and still frowned. Glancing inside his basket, he noticed a few pieces of chocolate already there. In a burst of anger, he turned the basket upside down and smacked it hard, nearly breaking it apart.

Captain Liu, witnessing his almost ferocious demeanor, was so frightened his legs shook. But as the highest-ranking official present, he couldn’t avoid responsibility. He could only quietly inquire of Ming Dai, “Young comrade, what’s happened here?”

After being jolted all the way back, combined with the goat’s reek, Ming Dai had thrown up before even reaching the village. Now her face was ashen and her strength nearly gone. “Uncle, Zhou Sinian caught this goat on the mountain. I thought it would be a shame to let it go, so I brought it to you. Please decide how to handle it.”

She cast a cautious glance at the man glowering at the basket, then forced a bitter smile at the brigade leader. “It took a lot of convincing to get him to part with it. He was dead set on keeping it for himself, but I said this belongs to everyone—it can’t be kept for personal use. So now he’s upset. Please don’t take it to heart.”

As soon as she finished, everyone on the other side shook their heads fervently, signaling that they didn’t mind—not at all! Who would dare?

Seeing their fear, Ming Dai, exhausted, explained her purpose and left with the disgruntled Zhou Sinian, not caring how Captain Liu chose to divide the spoils.

The crowd parted instantly to let the two pass.

Halfway down the path, Zhou Sinian seemed to remember something. He suddenly spun around, tossed the basket aside, drew the military dagger from his back, and charged back toward the house.

His wild dash with the dagger in hand made Captain Liu and the others’ legs go weak in terror.

It was over—the madman was about to kill someone!