I Overhear Animals' Thoughts to Feed My Family

The four of them walked toward Zhao Ergou’s house. Along the way, any villager they passed greeted Zhao Wendong with a smile, and he responded to each one. Dragon King Pond had over a hundred residents, so the two thousand pounds of grain Zhao Wendong had procured didn’t amount to much for each family. However, it gave everyone a sense of security and a boost in morale—a feeling you could call optimism.

By the time they reached Er Gou’s house, the sky had grown completely dark. The room was packed with people. Zhao Wendong noticed Third Master Zhao was there too. Granny Liu was sitting cross-legged on the kang, with Third Master Zhao seated on a stool below her. The Wenwang Drum in the old man’s hands was clanging away as he chanted a spirit-summoning song.

"The sun sets west, the sky grows black, every family has shut its door..."

Many of the villagers saw Zhao Wendong arrive and quickly made way for him. He just smiled and waved his hand, signaling for them not to bother. Lin Zhiyin and Jin Xiuying linked arms, watching the proceedings with fascination. It went on for over an hour before finally concluding without a hitch.

Granny Liu came out of her trance. Her voice hoarse, she took a sip of water and spoke to Zhang Yufen.

"It’s all right, Yufen. Don’t you worry, the child is fine. I’ve brought it back. A piece of her soul was left behind in Li Village."

Hearing this, Zhang Yufen’s face filled with emotion. She grasped Granny Liu’s hand. "It’s all thanks to you, Granny Liu. Thank you."

As she spoke, she reached for some money, but Granny Liu immediately stopped her hand. The old woman then turned toward Zhao Wendong, breaking into a completely toothless grin.

"Dongzi, when did you get here?"

"Right when the spirit possessed you, Granny Liu. Say, why don’t you teach me your skills?"

"Hahaha, get on with you! My skills are just parlor tricks. You’re the one with real talent. Oh, and look! Dongzi’s bride and the second boy’s bride! Come here, let Granny Liu get a good look at you."

Granny Liu then spotted Lin Zhiyin and warmly pulled both her and Jin Xiuying over to chat. Zhao Wendong glanced at Third Master Zhao, who was standing to the side and looked just as exhausted.

"Well, well, old man. I never knew you were a shaman’s assistant."

Third Master Zhao rolled his eyes and turned his head away. "There’s a lot you don’t know."

’Back in my day, I was a progressive young intellectual who’d seen the world and been a part of big things,’ he thought. ’But what can you do? I just had to fall in love with a shaman, didn’t I?’

On the kang, Zhao Damei held one of her children, her spirits considerably lifted. The soul-summoning had been for her eldest daughter. Zhao Wendong leaned in to check on the older child, then the younger one, before finally turning his gaze to Zhao Damei herself.

"Sis, it’s been so many years!"

Zhao Damei didn’t realize that by "so many years," Zhao Wendong actually meant several decades. But hearing him call her "Sis" made her eyes well up with tears. They rimmed with red as she nodded at him. "Dongzi, Mom told me everything you’ve done. Thank you."

"Hey, we’re family. No need for thanks," he said. "Sis, you just focus on getting better. Don’t skimp on food. You need to get your strength back, fast. These two little ones are counting on you. What are their names, by the way?"

"They don’t have proper names. I just call them Daya and Er Ya."

"Dongzi," she began, "there’s something I want to ask you."

Zhao Damei’s voice was gentle, but tinged with resolve. Zhao Wendong looked at her and smiled.

"Go ahead, Sis."

"I want the girls to take our family name, Zhao. Would that be all right?"

After speaking, she watched Zhao Wendong with trepidation. She knew that he was now the one who called the shots for the Zhao Family—and maybe even for all of Dragon King Pond. His answer would determine the fate of her and her two daughters.

Zhao Wendong didn’t hesitate for a moment. He nodded immediately. "Of course! Why wouldn’t it be?"

"Oh, good!"

A brilliant smile bloomed on Zhao Damei’s face. In that moment, she felt as if she had truly come back to life, having finally crawled out of a pit of fire.

Zhao Wendong felt a surge of happiness as well. ’In my past life, our family fell apart. Er Gou’s line ended, and we never heard from Damei again. She must have died along with her two children.’ The spiritual joy of seeing his loved ones change their destinies was indescribable. He pressed on, "Sis, what do you plan to do about the Li Family?"

Zhao Damei hesitated, saying nothing. Her true desire was to stay with her family and never go back to the Lis. But her brother was about to get married, and she worried that if she and her two children became burdens on the household, it wouldn’t just be crowded—the new bride might not be happy about it.

Seeing his sister’s expression, Zhao Ergou knew exactly what she was thinking. He spoke with firm resolution, "Sis, don’t go back. You’ll live with us from now on. Don’t worry about Guizhi; she’s a reasonable person. You just stay here with us. The family can support you."

"Yeah, Big Sis! When I grow up, I can support you too!"

Zhao Sanwa suddenly added, thumping his chest proudly.

"Er Gou, Sanwa..." SOB... SOB...

Zhao Damei couldn’t help but burst into tears. The villagers watching silently gave Zhao Ergou and Sanwa a thumbs-up. Though the two boys were still small, they were already shouldering great responsibility.

Seeing that his mother, Zhang Yufen, was also on the verge of tears, Zhao Wendong quickly stepped in to console his sister. "Sis, don’t cry. We understand what you want. First things first, we’ll get you divorced from the Li Family. And not just that—we’re going to make those Lis spit out everything that belongs to you. They can’t just bully Zhao Wendong’s sister and get away with it. As for food and a place to live, don’t you worry about a thing. If we have to, you can move in with Grandma and Grandpa for a while. Their kang is huge, and it’s just the two of them. There’s more than enough room for you and the girls."

Zhao Damei nodded, her expression visibly relaxing. With Zhao Wendong taking full responsibility, a huge weight was lifted from her heart. She nodded again, this time with determination. "Okay. Divorce!"