Chapter 49: Shameless—Oh My, What Nerve!

Ming Dai was startled as well and quickly turned her head. Before she could utter a word to stop him, Zhou Si Nian had already reached Liu Da Zhu and raised his military dagger.

Liu Da Zhu was petrified, staring blankly as the cold, gleaming three-edged dagger plunged toward him.

The sound of the blade piercing flesh rang out, and warm blood splattered over the members of the Liu family and Secretary Liu, slowly staining the ground red.

The entire scene was silent.

Zhou Si Nian, satisfied, withdrew the blade, wiped it against the wool, and hurried back to Ming Dai’s side. He looked at her seriously and explained, “Bleeding—it tastes better.”

Ming Dai was truly speechless this time.

She glanced apologetically at the stunned Liu family, flashed a remorseful smile, and quickly led Zhou Si Nian away.

It wasn’t until they had walked far, disappearing around the corner, that the crowd erupted into anxious chatter.

“Oh my goodness! Scared me half to death! That madman is really insane!”

“Exactly! I almost thought the captain was going to be stabbed to death!”

“Mama! I’m scared!”

…

The Liu family members, who had witnessed everything up close, finally came to their senses. Aunt Huang’s legs went weak and she nearly knelt, but her daughter-in-law caught her in time.

“Mama! Mama! Are you alright?”

Aunt Huang shook her head as she regained her composure and hastily looked over at Liu Da Zhu. “Old man, are you okay?”

She had seen clearly—the blade had sliced right above his head!

Liu Da Zhu was silent for a long moment, his trembling hand raising his pipe to his mouth, but he couldn’t take a single puff.

Secretary Liu rubbed his chest, and with a long exhale, Liu Da Zhu finally reacted.

“I’m fine.”

Everyone turned their gaze to the lifeless goat on the ground, and recalling the madman’s ferocity with the blade, shuddered collectively, their fear of him renewed.

Seeing the old man unharmed, Aunt Huang breathed a sigh of relief. Then, spotting the goat on the ground, she slapped her thigh and exclaimed, “Ah! The blood is wasted! Eldest daughter-in-law, hurry up and fetch a basin!”

Eldest Sister-in-law Huang darted back and returned with a small basin. Liu Lai Fu and Liu Lai Wang lifted the dead goat, blood streaming from its severed carotid artery, filling the basin to the brim.

Aunt Huang looked regretfully at the blood on the ground. If not for the madman’s outburst, they could have collected another basinful.

In these times, even goat’s blood was a rare treasure!

Once the basin was filled, everyone’s spirits gradually returned to normal. No one was willing to leave; all eyes were fixed eagerly on the goat lying on the ground.

Liu Da Zhu relit his pipe, smacked his lips to steady himself, and looked happily at the goat.

Although their village was close to the mountains, they had no guns and couldn’t organize hunts—at best, they caught rabbits or pheasants. Large game like this was simply beyond hope.

Clearing his throat, he addressed the crowd. “Everyone saw it, right? This goat was hunted by Zhou Si Nian and Comrade Xiao Ming. They brought it to me for collective processing!

According to the rules here in Liu Jia Wan, whoever finds game in the mountains, it’s theirs. Zhou Si Nian aside, Comrade Xiao Ming brought it for everyone because she knew how rarely we get to eat meat or drink soup. This is a good thing; you all should remember it!”

There were voices of agreement in the crowd, but several dissenting murmurs rose as well.

“It’s a goat, not just a chicken or a rabbit—it belongs to the collective of course! Isn’t it normal for Comrade Xiao Ming to hand it over? What’s so good about that?”

“Exactly! Those city kids are sly, who knows how many goats they really caught? I bet they hid the biggest one!”

You don’t say—you really don’t say.

Once suspicion was voiced, others chimed in, some even suggesting a confrontation at the youth station to see if Comrade Xiao Ming had hidden more goats.

Aunt Huang grew angrier with every word. Comrade Xiao Ming was such a good girl—how could these people slander her!

“Pah! Whoever said that, stand out and face me! Shameless creatures, I swear you must have eaten coal to blacken your souls!

Comrade Xiao Ming is a good girl!

She feeds the madman with fine grains, and still persuades him to share the meat with everyone! Is that madman easy to handle?

Who knows if he’s beaten Comrade Xiao Ming! Poor girl’s face is pale, trembling as she walks, all just to get you heartless folks a bite of meat!

None of you have any shame—whoever said it, stand out!”

Ming Dai: I didn’t even know I was so pitiful, oh dear!

The voices of doubt immediately ceased. Everyone looked sheepishly at Aunt Huang in her fury, genuinely feeling guilty.

Liu Da Zhu waited for his wife to finish venting, tapped his pipe, and finally spoke. “Never mind who Comrade Xiao Ming is—let’s talk about the madman. If he can hunt game, that’s his skill. If he doesn’t want to share, who among you dares to take it?

So don’t tell me game should belong to the collective—that’s nonsense!

Except for hunts organized by the commune militia, who among you has ever handed over your catch? I haven’t seen a single one!”

At these words, no one dared to make trouble. After all, everyone had caught rabbits or such in the mountains and never handed them over; they ate them themselves. Even if others knew, they never reported it—everyone did the same, as long as it wasn’t excessive.

Seeing the crowd subdued, Liu Da Zhu snorted and continued, “The old lady’s words may be rough, but they’re true. Comrade Xiao Ming can handle the madman—that’s solved a huge problem for us. You can ask around in Shang Wan Village about what the madman did there.

So don’t stir up trouble—if you anger the madman, I can’t help you. You might have to rely on Comrade Xiao Ming!”

Everyone nodded in agreement. Indeed! Now the madman only listens to Comrade Xiao Ming. If he targets anyone, only she could save them!

Secretary Liu spoke at the right moment. “The captain is right. Moreover, Comrade Xiao Ming is an honest and good girl. She brought one goat, so she must have caught only one. After all, they hunted a live goat, not a dead one—catching even one is a stroke of luck.”

The crowd agreed. They’d seen goats on the mountain before, but before they could approach, the goats would run off. Without guns, it was nearly impossible to hunt them, let alone capture one alive.

“So, I propose that Comrade Xiao Ming and her group receive a leg from the goat, since they hunted it.”

Liu Da Zhu nodded in agreement. The other villagers, although reluctant to part with the meat, accepted it. If Comrade Xiao Ming’s group had kept the goat for themselves, there’d be nothing they could do, so everyone agreed.

Liu Da Zhu nodded with satisfaction. “Alright! It’s getting dark—everyone go home. Tomorrow, work hard, and at noon, we’ll have mutton soup!”

In an instant, the crowd erupted in cheers. Children ran about, shouting, “Mutton soup! Mutton soup!”

People rubbed their hands and laughed, heading home in groups, the excitement nearly rivaling New Year’s.

The youth station members followed behind, but remained silent.

As the crowd dispersed, a group made their way toward the youth station.

Unlike the villagers’ cheerful atmosphere, the youth station folk were somber.

Just as they neared their home, Song Lan Lan spoke sarcastically, “With meat in hand, you don’t save it for your own but insist on sharing it with those bumpkins! How shameless!”

The others kept their heads down, silent, but their agreement was clear—especially Fang Ming Yang, who was displeased that Ming Dai had handed over the goat without his approval. Though they didn’t live together, she was still a youth, under his management, wasn’t she?

Ming Dai didn’t know; otherwise, she’d have spat at them.

Really—how thick-faced can you get!