I Overhear Animals' Thoughts to Feed My Family

Chen Yanmei was also unhappy, pinching off balls of dough so viciously you’d think the flour in her hands was Wang Jinzhi. The rest of the Zhao family either looked at Zhao Wendong or exchanged glances, but no one spoke. This wasn’t a huge deal, and besides, even the wisest judge can’t settle family arguments. They would just wait for Zhao Wendong to make the call.

"Alright. Once we get through the next few busy days, I’ll ask them if they can make their marriage work. We’ll see how they plan to do it, and if they can’t, they can just get lost and stop being an eyesore."

"Yay!"

Zhao Laidi immediately jumped for joy, and the tension on Zhao Pandi’s face eased considerably. It wasn’t that Zhao Wendong wanted to meddle in Zhao Dahai’s family affairs; he just couldn’t turn a blind eye to his grandparents and two younger cousins. In that moment, he made up his mind to kick out Zhao Dahai’s family of three—letting them fend for themselves. After speaking, he glanced at Zhao Dashan on the kang bed. Seeing his father showed no reaction, he cracked a smile and went back to wrapping dumplings.

Once wrapped, the dumplings were placed directly onto a large, flat mat. Metalware was extremely scarce in those days, so these mats were woven from the smoothest, joint-free top sections of sorghum stalks—the most common and traditional material at the time. The mat’s hollow structure made it breathable, preventing moisture from building up, and even sticky bean buns wouldn’t cling to it. It was also tough, mold-resistant, and incredibly durable.

He first had Zhao Ergou and Zhang Yufen take a mat full of dumplings home to cook themselves; it was too cold outside, and cooked dumplings would be stone-cold by the time they arrived. After they left, he got another mat for Pandi and Laidi. Zhao Wendong personally carried a third mat as he walked them home, stopping by Granny Liu’s house first to give it to her family.

"Oh my, Dongzi, this is far too much! Quick, take some back. There are only a few of us, just leave a little."

Granny Liu slapped her thigh, trying to make Zhao Wendong take some back. But Zhao Wendong just winked at Zhao Baozhu, then tilted his head back with a smug look, deliberately teasing her.

"What do you think you’re doing, you little old lady? Are you trying to embarrass me? Me, Zhao Wendong? I’m a village cadre now, for crying out loud. Does it make any sense to take back a gift I’ve already given? Who are you looking down on?!"

It wasn’t just Granny Liu he made laugh; Baozhu’s Mother and Zhao Baolian were laughing too. Zhao Baolian gazed at Zhao Wendong with her big, shimmering eyes, without blinking.

Granny Liu gave Zhao Wendong a few playful smacks and happily accepted the dumplings. She’d figured it out by now. ’I’ll never be able to repay him for how much he’s helped our family. Well, in for a penny, in for a pound. I genuinely care for the boy, and his generosity in repaying kindness just proves his good character. If I were to refuse, it would only hurt his feelings.’

Seeing that Zhao Wendong was about to leave, Zhao Baozhu quickly called out, "Brother San, will you take me up the mountain with you next year?"

When Zhao Wendong turned to size him up, Baozhu quickly puffed out his chest, raised his head, and stood up to show off his large build. He even raised an arm to show Zhao Wendong his muscles.

"I’m only a year younger than Brother Er Gou, but I’m way stronger than he is! I’ll be sixteen after the New Year, Brother San! Brother Er Gou is about to get married next month all because he’s been working with you. I want to get a wife too, so you have to take me with you!"

Zhao Wendong looked at Zhao Baozhu. ’This was the kid brother who had kept him company in the village for sixty years in his previous life.’ He remembered how Baozhu used to chase after him, pestering him for website URLs. He remembered his agonizing suffering as he died from cancer. He nodded firmly.

"Alright. After the New Year, you can come up the mountain with me."

"Alright! Hahaha, thanks, Brother San!"

Zhao Baozhu immediately burst out laughing in excitement, while Granny Liu and Baozhu’s Mother also beamed with joy. For them, Baozhu working with Zhao Wendong was ten times more exciting than Zhao Baolian becoming a factory worker in the county.

"Baozhu, you better work hard for Dongzi, you hear? Or I’ll give you a thrashing when you come back."

"Don’t worry, Grandma, of course I’ll listen to Brother San! I’ll listen to him over anyone else."

’And Zhao Wendong believed him. In my last life, even when I didn’t have a golden finger or the prestige I have now, Zhao Baozhu was still completely loyal. He’d do whatever I pointed to and always followed my lead. The only problem was the wife he married. She wasn’t much to look at and was a total nag, always sticking her nose in his business, telling him he couldn’t drink or smoke. He lived his whole life feeling stifled. Just you wait, little brother. In this life, Brother San will definitely find you a good wife. I’ll even find one modeled after your favorites, Teacher Teng Lan and Teacher Mikami.’

After leaving Granny Liu’s house, the three of them returned to Zhao Dahai’s home. The two girls walked ahead while Zhao Wendong followed. The moment Zhao Pandi opened the door and stepped inside, Wang Jinzhi, who was standing in the outer room with hands on her hips, started screeching at the top of her lungs.

"It’s the middle of the New Year, why are you always running around outside instead of minding your own family’s business? If you like it out there so much, just drop dead outside! What are you coming back for?"

Just as she finished speaking, she saw the mat of dumplings that Zhao Laidi was carrying in behind her, and her eyes instantly lit up.

"Oh, there are dumplings! Haha, wonderful..."

Her laugh was cut short when she saw Zhao Wendong walk in last. The look on her face was indescribably awkward—even Zhao Wendong felt secondhand embarrassment for her.

"Where are the dumplings? I want some!"

Hearing his mom mention dumplings, Zhao Wenhua shot out of the east room, only to see Zhao Wendong glaring at him coldly. With a yelp, he scurried back inside.

"D-Dongzi, you’re here."

Wang Jinzhi swallowed hard and squeezed out a smile that looked worse than tears.

Zhao Wendong nodded. "It’s the New Year, so we made some dumplings. I brought them over out of respect for my grandparents. Pandi and Laidi helped make them, so they get to have some too. White flour is a precious thing, so we didn’t make that many. There isn’t a share for the three of you. You don’t have a problem with that, do you, Third Aunt?"