In the courtyard, everyone is afraid of the little boy who is so smart!

He quickly put down the bowl and chopsticks in his hands, stood up, walked to the pot, picked up the spoon, and deftly served a bowl of porridge for Wang Jianguo.

He even stirred the pot with a spoon, picked out some of the softest rice grains, and put them into a bowl. Then he walked towards Wang Jianguo with a smile, holding the bowl, muttering:

"Hurry up, eat it while it's hot. Only when you are full will you have the strength to work."

Seeing this, He Yushui let go of Wang Jianguo's arm, folded his hands in front of his chest, and raised his eyebrows at Wang Jianguo. His eyes seemed to say

"See, I was right."

In the main room, a warm atmosphere permeated every inch of space. The firewood on the stove was still crackling and burning, and the porridge in the pot was steaming, emitting an enticing aroma.

Zhao Shuzhuo had just served Wang Jianguo some porridge. He wiped his hands casually on his apron, then pulled over a chair and sat down.

He turned to look at Wang Jianguo, with a mischievous smile on his face, and said:

"Jianguo, the last time we drank together, I saw that you didn't blush or feel nervous after the first few drinks, so I thought you were just pretending to be a bad drinker."

"After this, I finally understood that you really can't drink."

As he spoke, he stretched out his finger and pointed in the air, as if to emphasize the correctness of his judgment.

Wang Jianguo was holding the bowl and sipping the porridge in small sips. The warmth of the porridge slid down his throat, slightly soothing his tired body and mind.

Hearing Zhao Shuzhuo's sudden teasing, he paused his movements and raised his head slightly.

The corners of his mouth rose slightly, revealing a faint smile, but he did not refute, just smiled without saying anything.

In fact, Wang Jianguo already had his own plan in mind. He looked through the window at the dark mountains in the distance and was silent for a moment, as if thinking about something.

Then he continued to drink the porridge slowly and said to Zhao Shuzhuo:

"Brother Shuzhuo, I want to go to the mountains tomorrow."

Zhao Shuzhuo was originally preparing to pick up the bowl to drink porridge, but when he heard this, his movements suddenly froze, and the bowl and chopsticks in his hands almost slipped.

He frowned, his eyes full of confusion and worry, and asked loudly:

"Go to the mountains? What are you going to the mountains for now?"

He put down his bowl and chopsticks, stood up, and waved his hands in the air, somewhat excited.

"Don't you think about it? It's deep winter now and food is scarce in the mountains."

"To fill their stomachs, the wild animals have become extremely ferocious. When a blind bear is so hungry, it can uproot a tree to find food."

"There are also big cats, that is, tigers. They are the overlords of the forests. They are agile and ferocious. In their eyes, humans are just food that is delivered to their mouths."

The more Zhao Shuzhuo spoke, the more beads of sweat appeared on his forehead. He took a few steps to Wang Jianguo.

He held Wang Jianguo's arm tightly with both hands, his tone full of unquestionable determination.

"I can't just watch you die. I don't agree. Don't be stupid."

His eyes were full of concern for Wang Jianguo, as if at this moment, if Wang Jianguo really insisted on going, he would stop him at all costs.

The atmosphere in the main room suddenly became solemn. He Yushui put down the work in his hands and looked at the two of them worriedly.

In the main room, the dim lights flickered, casting everyone's figures on the mottled walls.

Zhao Shuzhuo held Wang Jianguo's arm tightly, his eyes full of anxiety and concern, and fine beads of sweat on his forehead sparkled under the light.

His chest heaved slightly with emotion, and he was obviously worried about the idea of ​​going into the mountains that Wang Jianguo had just proposed.

Wang Jianguo raised his eyes and met Zhao Shuzhuo's eyes full of worry, and suddenly a warm current surged through his heart.

He knew very well how rare this sincere care was in these difficult times, like a charcoal fire in winter, enough to dispel the coldness around the body.

Wang Jianguo patted Zhao Shuzhuo's hand gently, signaling him to be patient, and then he spoke slowly, his voice steady and sincere:

"Brother Shuzhuo, don't be anxious. Let me tell you slowly. Look, it's almost the eighth day of the Lunar New Year. Didn't we agree before that we would go to Secretary Dong's house to pay New Year's greetings?"

"Secretary Dong is always very concerned about our village's affairs and has helped us a lot."

"It's only natural to visit during festivals, but we can't go empty-handed. That would be inappropriate."

Wang Jianguo paused slightly, stood up, walked to the window of the main room, raised his hand and gently pushed open the somewhat shabby window.

A gust of cold wind blew in, bringing with it the chill of the winter night, but he seemed not to notice it.

He looked through the window at the rolling mountains in the distance that looked particularly mysterious in the night, and continued:

"But think about it again. What kind of person is Secretary Dong? He has traveled a lot and has seen a lot. He has seen all kinds of delicacies."

"If we just bring some cakes and fruits that can be found everywhere in the market, he won't be interested at all, and it won't show our sincerity."

"Shouldn't we give Secretary Dong something special to make him feel that we are truly grateful and respectful to him?"

At this time, Wang Jianguo turned around, his eyes showing some determination and expectation. He looked at Zhao Shuzhuo and He Yushui, who was also worried, and emphasized his tone:

"That's why I'm thinking of going hunting in the mountains tomorrow. You know, our mountains are rich in resources. Pheasants and wild boars often appear."

"It would be so great if we could hunt some plump pheasants and sturdy wild boars, clean them up, cook them carefully, and bring them to Secretary Dong."

"It can not only show our sincerity, but also let Secretary Dong taste the wild game from our mountains and know our intentions."

"This is much better than those cookie-cutter gifts, don't you think?"

Zhao Shuzhuo listened to Wang Jianguo's explanation with a frown on his face. He opened his mouth as if he wanted to refute, but couldn't find the right words for a moment.

He Yushui also came forward and said softly:

"Brother Jianguo, it's too dangerous in the mountains. If something happens..."

Her voice was trembling a little, and her eyes were full of reluctance and concern for Wang Jianguo.

Wang Jianguo looked at the two of them, feeling deeply moved. He smiled and said comfortingly:

"Don't worry, I know what I'm doing. I'm familiar with those mountain roads and the habits of wild animals. I won't act rashly."

"I will definitely bring the prey back safely. On the eighth day of the first lunar month, we will go to pay New Year's greetings to Secretary Dong in a proper manner."

Despite what he said, Wang Jianguo knew in his heart that this trip was full of risks.

But in order to give Secretary Dong a special "New Year gift" and express the gratitude of the whole village, he felt that the risk was worth taking.