Chapter 4: Wang Erhu, the Village Hunter

After much thought, the only way was to go into the mountains and hunt.

Lahegou Village lay at the foot of the mountains, and game was plentiful there—pheasants, rabbits, and, if luck was on his side, even roe deer or wild boar.

Back when he had served with the anti-Japanese forces, he had been a fine hunter. But now...

Xu Feng glanced at the axe in the corner. The blade was rolled in places, with several nicks along the edge.

Use that thing to hunt? He might as well wrestle beasts bare-handed.

A bow and arrows would have been ideal, but he had none.

He remembered that someone in the village seemed to know how to hunt, a family that had once made its living as hunters.

Right—Wang Erhu.

In Xu Feng’s mind appeared a burly, idle figure with a roving eye.

Wang Erhu was the village bully, relying on his brute strength and on the fact that his family had once been hunters. He knew a few half-baked hunting tricks and owned a battered ancestral bow. He had made a habit of running roughshod over the village, and petty thefts and furtive mischief were nothing new to him.

Still, that bow of his was said to be the best piece of gear in the area.

Borrow Wang Erhu’s bow? Xu Feng hesitated.

That fellow was no easy mark—arrogant, lecherous, and not likely to lend anything to a man who came unasked.

And with his current status as a down-and-out nobody, he was even less likely to earn the other man’s regard.

But if he wanted meat, he would have to swallow his pride and try.

Just then, there was a faint rustling from the bed.

Kobayashi Yukiko had awakened. She sat up, looking around in confusion. When her eyes fell on Xu Feng, she visibly flinched, then silently began straightening her somewhat disheveled clothes.

Xu Feng looked at her and suddenly had an idea.

“Since you’re up, go get something to eat ready,” he said in the same flat tone, as though issuing an order.

Kobayashi Yukiko nodded. Still without a word, she cast him a timid glance, then climbed out of bed and headed for the kitchen.

“Wait.”

He stopped her.

Kobayashi Yukiko halted and turned back in puzzlement.

Xu Feng pointed at her, then at himself, and made a gesture of going out together.

She stared blankly, apparently not understanding.

Impatient, Xu Feng said directly, “You’re coming out with me.”

Fear and reluctance flickered across Kobayashi Yukiko’s face, but she still obediently nodded.

She was fish on the chopping block now, with no room to resist.

Xu Feng quickly washed up and was still wearing the same shabby padded cotton coat.

Kobayashi Yukiko was already dressed as well, now in the oversized old cotton jacket and trousers Xu Feng had given her. Her hair was simply tied back, and though she still looked somewhat bedraggled, her washed face revealed delicate features.

Those bright eyes of hers, though tinged with timidity, could not hide their radiance.

Xu Feng calculated inwardly that he could not leave Kobayashi Yukiko alone at home.

He did not know her background. What if she ran off while he was away, or started rummaging through his things?

Though, to be fair, there was hardly anything in this broken-down hut worth rummaging through.

Besides, bringing her to Wang Erhu’s place might produce an unexpected effect.

A lecher like Wang Erhu, upon seeing such a pretty little wife, might be so pleased that he would lend the bow without hesitation.

Of course, he might also get ideas, but Xu Feng was confident he could handle it.

The two of them left the yard, one after the other.

The morning air carried a touch of chill, and when it filled the lungs, it was invigorating.

A few villagers had already risen and were about their early morning work. Seeing an unfamiliar young woman trailing behind Xu Feng, they cast curious, inquisitive looks.

“Well now, Fengzi, is this your wife? When did you bring her home? You’ve kept her hidden mighty well!” a village matron said in a booming voice as she passed by, teasing him.

Xu Feng only smiled faintly and gave no explanation.

The more one explained such things, the more troublesome they became.

Kobayashi Yukiko kept her head down, her cheeks a little hot, and quickened her steps, staying close behind Xu Feng.

She could feel those blatant gazes pricking at her like needles, making her deeply uncomfortable.

Xu Feng led Kobayashi Yukiko straight toward Wang Erhu’s house in the east of the village.

Wang Erhu’s place was one of the more conspicuous houses in the village: three large tiled rooms, walls built higher than those of the neighboring homes, and a few animal bones carelessly tossed by the gate to show off the owner’s status as a hunter.

Before they even reached the entrance, they heard Wang Erhu’s rough voice cursing from the yard, as if he were berating someone.

Xu Feng stopped at the gate and knocked perfunctorily on the open door. “Erhu brother, are you home?”

The cursing cut off abruptly. A broad-shouldered man came out of the house; it was Wang Erhu.

He wore a sleeveless sheepskin vest left open at the front, revealing a dark, muscular chest beneath. His lower half was covered by patched coarse cloth trousers, and a straw rope was tied carelessly around his waist.

His face was lined with fleshy folds, and his small eyes held both ferocity and shrewdness.

“Well, who’s this... oh, Xu Feng?” Wang Erhu was taken aback at first, then a look of disdain and contempt spread over his face. “What, you not rotting at home, and come running over to mine for what? Borrowing rice, or flour? Let me tell you first, I don’t do credit here.”

Xu Feng did not get angry. He kept that faint smile on his face. “Brother Erhu, you’re joking. I came today to discuss something with you.”

Wang Erhu sized Xu Feng up and down, looking at him as though he were a beggar.

Then his gaze slipped past Xu Feng and landed on Kobayashi Yukiko behind him.

When he clearly saw her face—though dust-streaked, still unable to conceal its delicate beauty—and especially those large, watery eyes, Wang Erhu’s own eyes nearly popped out.

His already narrow eyes went wide, gleaming with naked lewdness, while a disgusting grin spread over his mouth and nearly let his saliva spill out.

“Damn! Fengzi, you’ve got some skill, boy! When did you get yourself such a pretty little woman? Where’d you snatch her from?”

Wang Erhu rubbed his hands together, his gaze sweeping over Kobayashi Yukiko like a pair of hooks, as though he wanted to strip the clothes right off her.

Kobayashi Yukiko felt a chill crawl over her skin under that stare. She instinctively shrank behind Xu Feng, clutching the corner of his clothes tightly with both hands, her body trembling faintly.

Xu Feng stepped forward half a pace without a word, neatly blocking most of Wang Erhu’s view. His tone remained calm. “Brother Erhu, this is the woman in my house. I came today to borrow something from you.”

Wang Erhu finally tore his eyes away from Kobayashi Yukiko and returned his gaze to Xu Feng, jealousy and greed written plain across his face.

He chuckled, revealing a mouthful of yellow teeth. “Your woman? Xu Feng, when did you get yourself that kind of ability? Weren’t you still a single pauper just a few days ago, broke to the bone?”

“This little thing here is tender-skinned and delicate. At a glance, she’s not from our countryside. Tell the truth—did you buy her from some trafficker?”

His question was brazen, carrying an obvious note of provocation.

Everyone in the village knew that Xu Feng had gone out years ago to make his fortune, only to return with his tail between his legs, still a pauper.

Now he had suddenly brought back such a beautiful woman; naturally, it invited all manner of speculation.

Hearing Wang Erhu’s shameless filth, Xu Feng’s gaze turned icy at once, though his face still wore that harmless smile.

“Brother Erhu, that’s a rough thing to say. This girl was found for me yesterday by Old Li. You know my situation; having someone by my side is already good enough.”

“Old Li?” Wang Erhu froze, then slapped his thigh hard, his expression a mix of regret and envy.

“Damn it! Old Li mentioned it to me yesterday too, said he found a girl in the mountain ravine and asked if I wanted her. When I heard she was deaf and mute, I turned him down. If I’d known she was this kind of good catch, I’d have kept her no matter what.”