I Overhear Animals' Thoughts to Feed My Family

"Heavens, his father and eldest uncle came to see me just the year before last. I never thought that in the blink of an eye, they’d both be gone. Dongzi!"

"Right here, Third Master."

Seeing Third Master Zhao call out to him with such a solemn expression, Zhao Wendong immediately sat up straight and answered. As far as he could remember, this was the first time he had ever seen Third Master so serious.

"Third Master is asking you for a favor—help this kid, help the Guan Family. The Guan Family rendered great service to the people! Back then, this boy’s father and uncle refused the government’s offer to provide for them. They said they didn’t want to be a burden to the country, that they only knew how to farm and hunt and couldn’t live on commercial grain. Heavens!"

"Alright, I understand, Third Master. Don’t you worry, leave it to me. From now on, this kid will be your honorary grandson and my own little brother. If he wants to hunt or fish, I’ll take him. If he wants a job, I’ll find someone for him. If he wants to become an official, I’ll pave the way. If he wants a wife... I... what do you think about me arranging for Pandi to marry him?"

Third Master Zhao listened with a look of deep relief. Zhao Wendong was becoming more and more capable, and his promise meant the Guan Family would surely overcome this crisis. But the last part made him freeze. ’What the hell?’

"Pandi? Well, it’s not out of the question. The two of them are about the same age. Pandi’s a good-looking girl with a sweet personality, not like Laidi, who’s a total chatterbox. You little rascal, don’t tell me you’ve had this idea all along?"

"Heh heh, you know me best, Third Master."

Grandmaster Ai watched from the side as Zhao Wendong and Third Master Zhao chatted, listening with great relish. He thought to himself, ’If my own grandson hadn’t run off, Zhao the kid would have surely arranged a wife for him by now.’ What a wonderful thought. He wondered if his grandson had reached the port district Zhao the kid had mentioned. ’Is he cold? Is he hungry? Is anyone bullying him?’

Ai Zhongguo had just finished off two men who tried to rob him when he inexplicably sneezed twice.

"ACHOO! To a hundred years! ACHOO! To two hundred! Fuck, who the hell is talking about me? My brother, or my Grandmaster?"

Done muttering to himself, Ai Zhongguo frisked the two men who had tried to lure him to a secluded spot for an ambush, stuffed their money and grain coupons into his pocket, and continued on his way toward Yuanbao County, the place Zhao Wendong had told him about.

Of course, Zhao Wendong and the others were completely unaware of these events happening thousands of miles away. Third Master Zhao had his head lowered, mulling over Zhao Wendong’s proposal.

"Hmm, your idea isn’t without merit, but would your uncle and aunt agree? The Guan Family has lost its pillars of support, and this boy is now the oldest male. The rest of the household is just women and small children. Your uncle and aunt will definitely be against it."

"Does it matter if they’re against it? They almost sold Pandi to Limp Zhou, the tofu maker, for thirty yuan. If I hadn’t shown up in time, Pandi might not even be able to spend the New Year at home this year!"

"What? That really happened? Why didn’t you beat them up!"

Third Master Zhao was instantly displeased. His old brother’s family had fallen on hard times, and he already saw Guan Yongguang as his own grandson, making the Guan Family’s business his own. By extension, he now considered Pandi his granddaughter-in-law. Hearing Zhao Wendong’s words, he flew into a rage.

"Keep your voice down, Third Master. You don’t want to wake this grandson of yours,"

Zhao Wendong said with a smile, gesturing toward the soundly sleeping Guan Yongguang.

"I was worried beating them up would tarnish my reputation. But I’m taking over Pandi and Laidi’s marital arrangements—they won’t have a say anymore. I’m also going to move my grandparents out. They don’t need their ’care.’ The way things are, you can’t even tell who’s supposed to be taking care of whom!"

"Oho, listen to you! ’My reputation’!"

Third Master Zhao jabbed at Zhao Wendong. Seeing the wronged look on the young man’s face, he couldn’t help but let out a chuckle.

"Alright, alright. I’ll grant you that you have a bit of a reputation now. Don’t worry about it. Next time, I’ll go beat up Zhao Dahai for you. Honestly... Your grandparents have been sensible people their whole lives. How on earth did they end up raising a creature like that? Hey, Dongzi, have you ever asked your grandparents if maybe he was switched at birth?"

"Haha, alright, I’ll ask them next time. But don’t blame me if they curse you out for it."

"Heh heh heh."

The old man and the young man finished speaking and broke into simultaneous, mischievous chuckles. Grandmaster Ai, sitting nearby, choked a little. He coughed once, then quickly stifled it. Seeing that Guan Yongguang hadn’t woken up, he patted his chest in relief and shot a speechless look at Zhao Wendong and Third Master Zhao. ’No wonder they’re as close as a real grandfather and grandson,’ he thought. ’Birds of a feather flock together. Neither one of them is a saint.’

"Alright, here’s the plan. Tomorrow, I’ll take him into the mountains to see his father and his uncle. You two should get some sleep. Let’s stop talking before we wake the boy."

Third Master Zhao glanced at Guan Yongguang, then knocked the ash from the bowl of his long-stemmed pipe and suddenly said,

"Dongzi, I’ll be the one to ask around for help. Tomorrow, you go bring his father and uncle back. And help the boy take them home to be laid to rest. His father and uncle both called me ’Uncle.’ I can’t let them spend the New Year buried in a snowdrift."

Zhao Wendong paused for a moment, then smiled and waved his hand dismissively.

"Come on, there’s no need for you to get involved. I’ll take care of it directly!"

"No. I have to do this myself. This isn’t for me, it’s for my brother, Guan Xiangying. We’ll bring them back tomorrow and lay them at the village entrance. The day after, I will escort them home."

"Escort them? How? It’s eighty or ninety li to Minle Commune."

"I’ll take a horse-drawn cart."

Zhao Wendong shook his head.

"Don’t be ridiculous, that would take forever. If you insist on handling it yourself, then go ahead. I’ll arrange for a vehicle."

Without waiting for Third Master Zhao to refuse, he got up and dashed off. Third Master Zhao sat and thought for a moment, then turned to Grandmaster Ai.

"I’m stepping out for a moment. Keep an eye on the boy."

"Alright, go on."

Third Master Zhao nodded, then rose and went to a low cabinet. He took out a cloth-wrapped bundle, tucked it into his clothes, and left the house, heading straight for Zhao Weiguo’s home.