When they arrived, Hu Chunhua was already in the yard. She looked at the large, black Wild Boar on the ground and was speechless.
As Su Yuanyuan and her companion entered the yard, Yang Hongwen was also stunned. However, looking at the now unrecognizable Wild Boar, he stared at Su Yuanyuan in disbelief.
"Girl?"
"Village Chief, I took this down from the mountain." There was a hint of pride in her voice.
"By yourself?" Yang Hongwen thought his question was silly. But he truly couldn't comprehend.
"Yes, I fell asleep on the mountain, and when I woke up, I saw this Wild Boar. Fortunately, Aunt lent me a machete yesterday; otherwise, I wouldn't have survived to return."
"Girl, you chopped it?" Yang Hongwen once again mentally scolded himself for asking such foolish questions.
"Yes. Maybe it ate too much. It charged at me. I was scared and held up the knife, and it ran into it.
Then it knocked me flying, and I thought I could go see my grandparents. Who knew the Wild Boar would also fall?
It kept howling, and I was scared, so I slashed at its neck with the knife."
The two of them looked at this girl in shock. Was she protected by something? Otherwise, it didn't make sense. The villagers all believed in Great Immortals and Gods.
"How did you get it down?" Hu Chunhua asked.
"I just used this stick to pry it down. It could roll by itself. But at the foot of the mountain it couldn't, and getting it home took a lot of effort."
Yang Hongwen ran out, saw the traces along the road, and believed the girl's words.
He returned to the yard and looked at this young girl, who wasn't even tall enough to reach his chest, with a complex gaze. Just a few days ago, he had saved her from the reservoir.
"Girl, why did you call me here?"
"Village Chief, I want you to help me sell this Wild Boar. I don't have a penny, and I only have half a bag of corn kernels." Su Yuanyuan lowered her head and spoke softly, saddened.
"Okay, I'll drive there right away. Hu Chunhua, go call your husband, and we'll both go to the county."
"Alright, I'll go now."
Yang Hongwen looked at Su Yuanyuan, "Girl, don't worry. Uncle will get you a good price and won't take a penny from you. This is something you risked your life for."
Su Yuanyuan felt a sourness in her nose. "Thank you, Uncle; this way, I can hold on until spring."
"Alright, I'll go drive the cart."
On the way, Yang Hongwen thought about this matter. This girl truly was strange. Thinking back, when he dived to rescue her, she was floating on the water.
She must have been protected by a Great Immortal; otherwise, how could this young girl have managed to take down this Wild Boar?
People are deeply reverent of Immortals. So, unconsciously, they found excuses for Su Yuanyuan's future unusual words and thoughts.
Su Yuanyuan now realized she was exhausted to the point of collapse, her legs trembling.
Slowly, she moved back into the house, sat down, and stoked the fire. She boiled a big pot of water. Otherwise, the bed wouldn't get warm.
As soon as she finished, she heard voices outside.
Her house didn't have a kerosene lamp, let alone candles.
Hu Chunhua, not seeing the little girl, took the flashlight from her husband's hand, went inside, and saw the small figure sitting by the stove, stoking the fire.
"Aunt."
"Girl, you got hit by the Wild Boar. Where did it hit you?"
Su Yuanyuan found it inconvenient for others to see, mainly because of the clothes. It would be hard to explain. She forgot to change into the old cotton-padded jacket in the house earlier.
"Chunhua, take the flashlight out."
Seeing Hu Chunhua leave, Su Yuanyuan breathed a sigh of relief, rushed inside, changed into the worn-out cotton jacket, and put on the outer layer. Then she went out again. In this pitch black, she hoped Hu Chunhua wouldn't discover anything.
She also went to the yard, where five or six adults were struggling to load the Wild Boar onto the cart.
"Uncle, is this pig six or seven hundred pounds?"
"I think so. Just now, we all struggled with it."
"Girl, you have such skills?"
Su Yuanyuan was at a loss for what to say, her head full of dark lines.
"Stop talking nonsense, we'll discuss it when I get back."
Three people went together, and Hu Chunhua still remembered to check Su Yuanyuan's injury. They all came inside together.
"Come, let me see, how can you be so brave, girl? Even strong laborers would be scared away by such a big Wild Boar."
"Auntie, I was scared stiff at the time too. The Wild Boar ran into me on its own."
Though Su Yuanyuan was thin, her skin was fair. After a few hours, her stomach was all bruised.
Hu Chunhua looked at the large bruise with quite a bit of fear.
"Girl, does your stomach hurt?"
"It hurt at first. Now it doesn't if I don't touch it."
"You're really lucky."
"Auntie, you should go back; your family is waiting for you."
"Alright. I'll come to see you again tomorrow morning." There were many people to take care of at home, and she couldn't afford to delay.
Now Su Yuanyuan felt at ease. She had already drunk the Spiritual Spring Water and drank another cup.
She bathed, ate, and then lay down to sleep, with no time for wild thoughts.
Early the next morning, she hadn't gotten up yet when she heard voices outside.
Quickly getting up, she put on her old cotton clothes and got out of bed.
She saw the village leader and Hu Chunhua couple in the yard.
She smiled sheepishly, feeling embarrassed for sleeping so soundly.
"Girl, let's go inside." Yang Hongwen carried a burlap sack and went inside.
Seeing the tidy house, he nodded inwardly. This girl was so good, and Su Daqiang and his wife were just fools.
"Girl, that Wild Boar weighed seven hundred pounds. We just got back this morning after waiting for the slaughterhouse. Knowing you risked your life to get it, they brought you back twenty pounds of meat.
And they gave you a price of forty-five cents a pound, the same as a domestic pig.
Seven hundred pounds at forty-five cents a pound is three hundred and fifteen yuan. Here you go, it's all here."
"Thank you, Village Chief."
"No need to thank me." Yang Hongwen wanted to leave after speaking but was stopped by Su Yuanyuan.
"Uncle, I know you care for me. Even if I gave you money, you wouldn't accept it, but let's share this pork with everyone. Last night, besides you three, there were three other people. Divide this piece of pork into seven portions. Although it's not much, it's a token of my appreciation."
"I don't want it."
"Uncle, please take it. Otherwise, I won't feel at ease.
Aunt, can you help me divide it? My arm hurts, and I can't lift it, but I don't have a kitchen knife at home, so I'll have to use your machete.
Also, you mustn't refuse. Otherwise, after you leave, I'll have to find a way to send it to you. Just pity me; I'm really too tired to move. Uncle, please trouble you to bring it back to those three people."