Chapter 43

For three consecutive nights, wild wolves had attacked Shi Hu's home, growing bolder each time, which left Shi Hu feeling deeply unsettled. By the fourth day, Shi Hu decided to make the most thorough preparations to prevent the wolves from succeeding again. He put the remaining three chickens into a bamboo cage and placed them inside his bedroom. The newly built chicken coop in the backyard was left empty. Even so, he still closed the coop door and restored the barriers around it, piling thick layers of debris all over the perimeter. Shi Hu only had eight chickens and the ox that four families shared, and now five chickens had been stolen by the wolves. He felt completely miserable, his frustration growing with every passing thought. Suddenly, a bold idea struck him: tonight, he was going to catch this wild wolf! He gathered weapons everywhere in the front and back yards—hoes, spades, pitchforks, hammers, axes, firewood choppers, and even the fireplace tongs from the hearth and a pair of rusted scissors from the windowsill—placing them right within arm's reach, ready for immediate use.