Chapter 90 The Plan to Buy Tiger Bones, and the Fate of the Ming Family

She suppressed the excitement in her heart and spoke hesitantly, “Auntie, did your family say how long it would take before they’re willing to sell? How well are the tiger bones preserved?”

Xu Fengxian, hearing there was hope, replied joyfully, “It doesn’t matter how long; there’s no one wanting them now. They’re kept very well, don’t worry. There’s an elder in our family who understands these things. The tiger bones were brushed with tea oil and sun-dried, then stored in a wooden box treated against insects, kept in the shade. Not a single sign of worm damage.”

Ming Dai felt relieved after hearing this, fearing they might have stored them carelessly and ruined their medicinal properties.

“Aunt, I remember my father’s colleague once mentioned his elder was looking for tiger bones to soak in wine. I’m not sure if he still wants them—I’ll write and ask. If he’s interested, how much would you sell them for?”

Xu Fengxian was a bit excited, “Someone really wants them? My brother said it can’t be less than two hundred yuan. It’s expensive, but rare. Many were injured hunting that fierce tiger—one man’s leg was left crippled.”

Ming Dai nodded; that price wasn’t high at all. If sold in the capital, it could fetch several times more.

“Then Aunt, I’ll write and ask. If there’s news, I’ll let Aunt Huang know first.”

Xu Fengxian nodded happily; her brother’s family was waiting on this money to marry off his son, so as long as it sold, all would be well.

She thought for a moment, then leaned closer to Ming Dai and whispered, “Comrade Ming, our family still has an old ginseng root. Would you ask about that as well?”

Ming Dai was surprised—they really had many good things—but now that she had her own ginseng forest, she wasn’t in need.

“Aunt, if you’re not in urgent need of money, I suggest you keep it. Preserve it well—it’s invaluable in emergencies, especially for you living in the mountains. It also holds its value, and if kept well, will be worth more in the future.”

Xu Fengxian, swept up in the prospect of selling tiger bones for two hundred yuan, was quickly sobered by this. Her husband and son often traveled in the mountains, injuries were common, and keeping the old ginseng brought her peace of mind.

“All right! I’ll listen to you, Comrade Ming, and keep it for now.”

Ming Dai nodded.

After chatting a while longer, they got up to leave. Ming Dai had cut a generous amount of chives and garlic sprouts, handing them over in a basket.

Aunt Huang received them with a smile, “Comrade Ming, I’ll bring you a bowl of dumplings later. Don’t rush to close your door.”

Ming Dai replied with a smile.

When Aunt Huang and Xu Fengxian got home and began picking chives, they discovered five eggs nestled underneath. Their hearts softened instantly.

Xu Fengxian saw them too and thought Comrade Ming was a considerate person.

“This young comrade is worth befriending. Take care of her,” she said.

Aunt Huang nodded as she picked chives, “I know. Not just me—Da Zhu says Comrade Ming is decent too.”

Xu Fengxian looked at the tidy yard and the well-kept stable, “We’re at ease with you, just waiting to see how Jiaoyan’s marriage turns out.”

Aunt Huang comforted her, “Her husband’s family is decent, and the son-in-law is hardworking. Our village isn’t far, so I can visit often. Don’t worry, sister.”

Xu Fengxian wiped her eyes, “It’s only because you’re here that I dared to marry her off. From now on, I’ll only see my daughter once a year.”

The two women wept together for a while before they managed to compose themselves. Inside, Grandma Huang was happily listening to Dog Egg narrate stories from a picture book, occasionally chuckling aloud.

That evening, Aunt Huang indeed brought over a large bowl of dumplings—more than twenty, filled with chives and egg, tender and fresh.

After seeing her off, Ming Dai and Zhou Sinian returned to their space. Entering the house, they were greeted by the rich aroma of lamb offal soup.

Ming Dai picked some fresh cilantro from the vegetable plot and dropped it in her bowl, pouring hot broth over it. She inhaled the scent blissfully.

Zhou Sinian held his bowl far away, afraid she’d put that pungent herb into his soup.

Ming Dai shot him a look—he didn’t know how to appreciate it!

She savored the soup and Aunt Huang’s dumplings, enjoying every bite.

Zhou Sinian wasn’t full and soaked some flatbread pieces in his bowl. Watching him, Ming Dai thought she could someday make a proper lamb stew with bread.

Before bed, Ming Dai wrote several letters, intending to mail them at the commune the next day.

She’d been in the countryside for several months, and wondered how her pampered cousin was faring in the remote Northwest.

Inside a shabby cave in the Northwest, a withered figure lay motionless on a dust-covered kang. Dirt rained down from above, the sounds of mice squeaked incessantly.

Ming Yaozu stared fixedly at the broken skylight, where a sliver of light shone through, tears and snot smeared across his face.

Ever since he’d been forcibly sent on the train to the countryside, his days of comfort were gone for good.

Unlike other educated youths, who had prepared for their journey, he arrived bare—save for his clothes and a slip of paper stamped by Secretary Qi to prove his identity.

He survived only because his true nature hadn’t yet been revealed and people in this era were still simple and kind, just long enough for Ming Changjiang’s package to arrive.

After reading the letter from Ming Dai’s father, confirming there was no return, that he’d have to put down roots in the countryside for life, Ming Yaozu cried for three days.

Unlike Ming Dai, who arrived in Song City during winter leisure, Ming Yaozu’s assignment in Su Province coincided with the busy harvest.

Every day, the educated youths faced endless farm work, endless water to carry, endless sheep to feed.

Even then, they had to follow the production team to fertilize winter wheat.

Ming Yaozu, who’d never done real labor, soon couldn’t bear it. He began skipping work, joining idle village youths in card games, and was eventually caught and sent to reform through labor for gambling.

In the dilapidated cave, only he and the “Old Ninth” remained, along with a family of rats burrowing in the roof.

He had just dragged himself back from the village mill after a whole day’s work, his body feeling alien and drained. He slammed himself onto the kang, unable to move.

He was filled with rage!

He hated the cunning Ming Dai for secretly signing him up for the countryside.

He hated Ming Changjiang and Xing Cuilan for their incompetence, unable to bring him back from the Northwest.

Most of all, he hated Ming Yanrong!

If she’d obediently gone to the countryside from the start, none of this would have happened, and Ming Dai wouldn’t have been desperate enough to sign him up.

But hate as he might, it couldn’t change the reality—tomorrow he’d still be dragging the mill like a donkey.

Meanwhile, the Ming family he so bitterly resented was not faring any better.

Because of Ming Yanrong’s actions, Ming Changjiang’s precious only son had been sent to the countryside. After beating his wife and daughter half to death, he married Ming Yanrong off to a fool from Xing Cuilan’s hometown, accepting three hundred yuan as bride price to arrange Yaozu’s return to the city.

To return, Ming Yaozu would need to either secure a job or be medically retired.

Ming Changjiang intended to use the three hundred yuan, plus family savings, to buy his son a position and bring him back.

What he didn’t know was that after Ming Dai went to the countryside, she wrote to Ma Liu, asking him to inform Yaozu’s gambling buddies about his assignment.

The book had mentioned that the ringleaders were a group of thugs, not only gamblers but also loan sharks and extortionists.

Ming Yaozu had joined them later, making several ill-gotten gains.

Ming Dai told Ma Liu to let them know about Yaozu’s countryside assignment. These people were experts at exploiting loopholes and would surely go to the Ming family for money.

Indeed, before Ming Changjiang could buy Yaozu a job, Yaozu’s creditors arrived, threatening and smashing things, demanding eight hundred yuan in repayment.

Only then did Ming Changjiang realize his audacious son had racked up such a huge debt.

He was so enraged he fainted on the spot. When he came to, he tried to avoid repaying, hiding from the loan sharks.

They went to the soy sauce factory to cause trouble, breaking many vats and causing considerable losses. The factory director fired Ming Changjiang.

He returned home in a daze, only to find the door wide open, Xing Cuilan sobbing inside, the house ransacked.

When she saw him, she threw herself at him, telling him all their money had been taken by the creditors. Ming Changjiang fainted again.

When he came to, the couple went to the police, but the loan sharks were cunning, with perfectly legal IOUs.

Paying debts was a matter of principle; the police could only admonish the creditors for their excessive behavior.

The gangsters came out and beat Ming Changjiang, threatening to break his legs if he called the police again.

He lost his job, his money, and was beaten—he fell seriously ill.

After finally recovering, the unit came to reclaim his house. The couple refused to leave, but were forced out.

Homeless, unable to afford rent, they tried to cause trouble at Ming Dai’s old house, hoping to reclaim it, but Ma Liu gave them a harsh lesson in society.

In the end, they had to sleep under a bridge.

Ming Changjiang’s temper grew worse; he vented his anger on Xing Cuilan daily.

Xing Cuilan endured the beatings in silence, hoping her son would return.

But after all he’d been through, Ming Changjiang was ready to abandon Yaozu. He seduced a street-sweeping widow, kicked Xing Cuilan out, and moved in with her.

He and Xing Cuilan had never registered their marriage.

Xing Cuilan, lacking urban residency and a job, pleaded with Ming Changjiang but failed, and could only return to her hometown to find her daughter married to the fool.

The fool’s family wanted a daughter-in-law for procreation. After Ming Yanrong was married off, she was never allowed out, tied to the bed by the fool’s parents, only to be freed once she bore a child.

Ming Yanrong’s previous suitor had been the son of the meat factory director, and she looked down on the fool. Even bound and married, she never gave up on escaping.

Unfortunately, the villagers were united—every escape attempt was met with capture and a brutal family beating.

When Xing Cuilan finally returned home, the fool’s family barred her from seeing her daughter.

She had to stay at her parents’ house, caring for the whole family, working in the fields, enduring curses from her sisters-in-law, soon having no time to worry about Yanrong.

When she finally saw her daughter at the fool’s doorstep, she was shocked!

Ming Yanrong’s hair was a tangled mess, her belly slightly swollen, gnawing her filthy fingers, drooling as she grinned foolishly at her mother—she had clearly become mentally impaired.

Xing Cuilan felt as if the sky had collapsed.