Once the matters at hand were properly seen to by Village Chief Xu Feng, Xushu hoisted the day’s haul onto his shoulder and headed home, heart brimming with joy.
While still some distance away, he spotted his mother, Li Xiurong, standing quietly at the gate of their courtyard. Her eyes were filled with anticipation, scanning the path for his return. A warmth spread through Xushu’s chest, and his pace quickened instinctively.
When he reached her, Xushu held the game high and gave it a playful shake before her eyes. With a radiant smile on his face, he said excitedly, "Mom, we’ve had another bumper harvest! This meat is more than enough for us to have a lively, delicious New Year."
Li Xiurong’s eyes overflowed with maternal love as she replied softly, "Yes, my son is the most capable."
Yet, beneath her gentle words, a sliver of unbidden guilt crept into her heart. She thought back to the past, when her declining health had drained their family savings like water, forcing Xushu—a student with brilliant grades and a bright future—to abandon his studies. To provide for her medical care, he had begun trailing the men of the village into the mountains to hunt while still just a boy. She knew all too well the terrors lurking in those complex, treacherous forests, where wild beasts roamed. Looking at Xushu now, laughing so carefree before her, her sense of guilt only deepened.
Xushu, sharp as ever, instantly sensed his mother’s thoughts. He gently took her hand and led her inside, his voice soft but firm. "Mom, don't overthink it. You’re the only family I have left in this world; I have to take good care of you no matter what. Besides, if our roles were reversed, I know you’d do the exact same for me, wouldn’t you? You’d give everything you have."
Li Xiurong reached out to stroke Xushu’s head, feigning annoyance. "You brat, lecturing your mother now? Hurry up and go get cleaned up; look at you, you’re as dirty as a mud monkey."
Xushu called out a quick "Alright, I'm going!" and dashed off to wash up.
By the time Xushu emerged, clean and refreshed, Li Xiurong was already busy sorting through the game. Seeing this, Xushu hurried over to help. Fortunately, it was the dead of winter, and the cold weather kept the meat from spoiling easily, so there was no desperate rush.
As the mother and son worked in steady rhythm, the sound of footsteps echoed from outside the gate. Xushu looked up to see Village Chief Xu Feng leading Chen Jun and his group toward their home. Xushu quickly stood up to welcome them inside, bustling about to pour them mugs of steaming hot water.
Xu Feng got straight to the point, explaining to Xushu exactly what he and Chen Jun had discussed. Xushu listened, mulling it over in his mind. As the primary hunter for Xu Village, he naturally received a larger share of the harvest. Even after setting aside enough to nourish his mother, he still had a significant stockpile of dried goods and cured meats at home. Moreover, the family was in urgent need of ready cash, and he had been struggling to find a suitable way to exchange their surplus.
With this in mind, Xushu had no objections and nodded in immediate agreement. He then stepped over to Li Xiurong to discuss which items could be sold and which should be kept for their own use. After some deliberation, Chen Jun successfully purchased nearly fifty pounds of fresh meat, ten pounds of air-dried meat, ten pounds of dried mushrooms, and several other rare game items. In return, Xushu received eighty-three yuan and the corresponding ration coupons.
The moment he took the money and coupons, Xushu was filled with delight, and he immediately stuffed them into his mother’s hands. After thanking Xushu sincerely, Chen Jun followed Xu Feng to continue procuring supplies from other households in the village.
Li Xiurong gripped the eighty-three yuan tightly, watching the backs of Chen Jun and his group as they departed. A complex, indescribable emotion surged in her heart. It felt as if she were back in the moment she first received the pension after her husband’s death—that same surreal sense of unreality washing over her once more. Xushu, not noticing his mother’s distress, sat down happily and focused on finishing the remaining game.
An hour slipped by, and the sunset bathed all of Xu Village in a golden hue. Chen Jun and his three companions, their mission a complete success, bid farewell to the warm, earnest villagers and slowly left. Their bicycles were heavily laden with goods, and everyone’s heart was filled with an indescribable joy.
The trip to Xu Village had been a triumph. Although Liu Jianjun had accidentally injured himself during the hunt, causing a bit of a scare, the results made it all seem trivial. They had secured nearly three hundred pounds of meat, most of it cured or dried—a bounty that not only stored well but exuded a rich, savory aroma. There were also dozens of pounds of dried mushrooms, carefully picked and sun-dried by the villagers, and to their delight, over ten pounds of eggs. This single trip had fulfilled their quota for several months!
The procurement headache that had plagued them had been solved by this unexpected stroke of luck. Not only were their minds at ease, but they were also quietly calculating the profit they could skim off the top. After all, the Rolling Mill had fixed purchase prices, but the prices they negotiated with the villagers were up to them. The margin between the two was a tidy sum that would surely fatten their wallets.
For Chen Jun, this trip had led to a discovery that sparked a new, ambitious idea. During his conversation with Village Chief Xu Feng, he learned that nearly half of all the game caught during the villagers' hunts was trapped by Xushu alone. Chen Jun’s eyes lit up, and he immediately began plotting. If he could recruit Xushu into the Procurement Section—preferably into his own team—then obtaining supplies in the future would be as easy as reaching into his own pocket. With Xushu’s exceptional hunting skills, Chen Jun stood to benefit immensely. Perhaps, with such an ace in the hole, becoming a team leader—or even ascending to Deputy Section Chief—would no longer be an impossible dream. He was confident that if offered a job at the Rolling Mill, a steady income, and the "state grain" ration, Xushu would never refuse. He made up his mind: once they returned, he would do whatever it took to make it happen.
Two hours later, the sun had fully set, and night had descended. Chen Jun and his team, their bodies exhausted and legs feeling like lead, finally returned to the Rolling Mill.
It was just in time for the shift change, and nearly ten thousand workers were pouring out of the factory gates. Suddenly, everyone’s attention was captured by the mountain of meat and dried mushrooms piled on the bicycles. Workers stopped in their tracks, eyes locked on the alluring supplies. Some couldn't help but swallow, their expressions filled with envy and longing.
The Security Section at the gate, fearing the crowd would cause a bottleneck and trigger chaos, quickly picked up a megaphone and shouted, "Alright, brothers! Don't crowd around! Head home after your shift; stop blocking the way!"
Under the urging of the megaphone, the crowd began to move, though many still looked back with longing. With great effort, the security staff cleared a narrow path for Chen Jun and his team, signaling them to hurry toward the warehouse.
After a difficult trek, they reached the warehouse. The storekeeper and the Section Chief of the Procurement Section, Wang Tianfu, had been waiting for some time. Seeing the mountain of goods Chen Jun had brought back, the corners of their mouths curled up in surprise and satisfaction. The group set to work weighing the goods, checking them into storage, and recording everything in the ledger.
When Chen Jun received the procurement slip, he knew their mission was officially a success. But he had something far more important to plan.
Seeing Wang Tianfu preparing to leave the warehouse, Chen Jun’s heart tightened; he could not let this opportunity slip. He strode forward immediately and called out, "Section Chief Wang, wait a moment! There’s something I really need to discuss with you."
Wang Tianfu stopped, turning to look at Chen Jun with a puzzled expression. He wondered what could be so urgent. However, reflecting on Chen Jun’s recent success in bringing back such high-quality supplies, he decided it was only right to accommodate him. He nodded slightly, his tone mild. "Fine. Come to my office, and we can talk."
They walked one after the other to the office. It was small but kept in perfect order, with a slightly dated desk in the corner piled high with documents. Wang Tianfu sat down firmly and looked at Chen Jun, asking directly, "Speak. What is it?"
Chen Jun took a deep breath, trying to stay calm. He laid out what had happened in Xu Village with clarity and brevity. As he spoke, he watched Wang Tianfu’s expression, emphasizing the key details. "Section Chief Wang, think about it: if the Village Chief wasn't exaggerating, then this Xushu is an incredibly rare talent for our Procurement Section! We absolutely cannot miss this chance."
Wang Tianfu frowned, lost in thought. He tapped his fingers rhythmically on the desk. After a long while, he spoke slowly. "What you say makes sense, but we don't know the full extent of this Xushu’s true ability. Who can guarantee the Village Chief isn't just boasting? We need a way to test him and see if he’s truly that good."
Chen Jun nodded repeatedly, agreeing with Wang Tianfu, but unable to come up with a plan himself. "You're absolutely right, Section Chief. But how should we test him?"
Wang Tianfu’s lips curled into a confident smile, as if he had already thought of a solution. "That’s simple! Xu Village is right at the foot of the mountains; it’s still early enough to hunt. In a couple of days, head back to Xu Village. Use procurement as an excuse, and join them on a hunt. That way, you can see Xushu’s skills with your own eyes, can't you?"
Chen Jun’s eyes lit up, his face filled with admiration. "Section Chief, you’re brilliant! You hit the nail right on the head. I’ll go home, rest for two days, and then head straight for Xu Village."
Wang Tianfu leaned back in his chair, his expression relaxing. "Good. I leave this to you. If Xushu really has the skill, adding a slot to our Procurement Section won't be a problem."
Chen Jun straightened his posture and replied with determination, "Understood, Section Chief Wang. Don't worry, I’ll get this done perfectly."
With that, Chen Jun turned and walked out of the office, his heart full of anticipation and drive.