Butcher Fulang’s Noodle Shop - Chapter 27
Seeing the tree sway violently under the bear’s assault, If Xu Zhongyue fell down, he would be torn into pieces by the bear. Song Shi’an, on the ladder, felt a surge of panic and almost considered jumping down to help. His pale face and sweaty palms betrayed the fear that gripped him.
As the bear shook the tree, Xu Zhongyue, realizing the danger, swiftly spun around and lunged at the bear with his fine steel knife. In a daring move, he chopped off the bear’s front claws. The wounded bear, now even more furious, roared in pain, echoing through the forest and causing nearby animals to scatter.
Song Shi’an, terrified and hearing amplified sounds, could even discern the dripping of saliva and blood from the bear. Xu Zhongyue, holding the knife, made precise movements, and the bear, though injured, resisted fiercely. The struggle continued outside the high fence.
In a moment of suspense, Song Shi’an witnessed Xu Zhongyue’s determined face, sweat streaming down his forehead.
Suddenly, from behind the wall, Song Shi’an emerged, holding a black bear cub in one hand and a blazing firewood in the other.
With a lard-coated firewood in his hand, flames dancing, Song Shi’an declared, “I’ll give you your kid back. Get out of here and don’t hurt my husband!”
Trembling, he stood on the top step of the ladder, the only support for his precarious stance.
The black bear cub, plump and short-limbed, was tossed away by Song Shi’an. The cub rolled in the air like a meatball and landed, then rolled farther away.
The mother bear, one paw injured, heard the cub’s cry and, with blood-stained eyes, glanced between Xu Zhongyue and Song Shi’an then to the cub. Song Shi’an’s gesture to return the cub registered, and the mother bear, despite its injuries, rushed towards the cub.
In the midst of this conflict, the bear’s vindictiveness intensified—her cub being the catalyst for this desperate confrontation.
Xu Zhongyue moved the knife’s tip from bottom to top, intending to cut open the black bear’s belly if it charged again. Song Shi’an shouted, “Get out!” and hurled a torch-like piece of firewood toward Xu Zhongyue.
To avoid bending down, Xu Zhongyue kicked the firewood into the air with his toes, directing it toward the female bear. The firelight and heat frightened the bear, prompting it to retreat cautiously. Eventually, it put down its paw, grabbed its cub, and swiftly disappeared into the woods.
Observing the bear’s retreat, Song Shi’an quickly bolted to the door. While doing so, a thorn on the wooden bar pierced his finger, though he didn’t feel the pain. Song Shi’an rushed into Xu Zhongyue’s arms, relieved by their survival.
Uncertain of defeating the bear, Xu Zhongyue had resolved to sacrifice himself for his wife’s chance to live.
“First, let’s go back to the house,” Song Shi’an urged, concerned for Xu Zhongyue’s safety.
As they secured the door, Xu Zhongyue explained the unlikelihood of the bear’s immediate return. However, Song Shi’an, visibly shaken, insisted on ensuring Xu Zhongyue’s well-being first.
After barricading the door, Song Shi’an examined Xu Zhongyue for injuries, he groped the man’s body carefully from his chest to his lean and narrow waist, his face was etched with worry.
Xu Zhongyue looked at the tears streamed down his wife’s face and soaking his clothes, he said “I’m fine…” But the word stopped abruptly.
Song Shi’an’s fingertips were injured by the wooden thorn and ooze blood which rubbed into Xu Zhongyue’s clothes. He carefully took the soft hand and pulled out the thorn.
“It’s my fault.” Xu Zhongyue, regretful for bringing his wife into danger, he shouldn’t have brought him up here. If the black bear hurt his wife, he couldn’t imagine it…
Song Shi’an shook his head, “It was me, if I wasn’t teasing that black cub…”
He came to this world alone and when he tried to get living, he was still alone. But now, he had Xu Zhongyue by his side and they were so happy together. If Xu Zhongyue died, he would left alone again in this world.
Trapped in Xu Zhongyue’s arms, Song Shi’an’s wet face pressed against the man’s neck after narrowly escaping death. Fear lingered in the depths, heightening his senses.
Xu Zhongyue’s reassuring voice echoed, “Be good, don’t cry, don’t be afraid. I will always be by your side and guard you.”
Despite the comforting words, Song Shi’an, in tears, playfully hooked his fingers, insisting, “Don’t coax me.”
His red nose prompted Xu Zhongyue to affectionately rub their noses together, savoring the moment of holding his husband like a small, precious ball.
This time, Song Shi’an truly experienced the joy of deep love and harmony, a stark contrast to any prior half-hearted feelings.
Amidst the passion, Xu Zhongyue admired his wife’s snow-white skin, akin to cream, adorned with layers of peach blossoms during moments of affection. The roughness of the jacket and sheets on the ground seemed inconsequential in the glow of their shared intimacy.
Believing his wife deserved the best, Xu Zhongyue and Song Shi’an spent the night together after the thrilling black bear encounter. Early the next morning, Xu Zhongyue strategically placed two torches on the courtyard wall to deter potential attacks.
Leaving Song Shi’an peacefully sleeping, Xu Zhongyue closed the door tightly and hurried to check the traps set the previous day.
Upon awakening, Song Shi’an heard bleating, prompting him to dress quickly and discover numerous living creatures in the yard.
Two pheasants, their wings tied, a spotted deer, and an ibex were discovered in the yard.
The spotted deer, a male with rugged and strong horns, had blood on its hooves, caught in a trap set by Xu Zhongyue. Upon Xu Zhongyue’s return, he gathered herbs to stop the bleeding, chewed them, and applied the mixture to the deer’s hooves. With strong hands, he held the deer down, its timid eyes widening as it couldn’t struggle.
The wild goat had stepped into the trap but was uninjured. Xu Zhongyue tied a rope to it, finding the goat more irritable than the deer. It bleated and attempted to lower its head against Xu Zhongyue.
Song Shi’an, impressed, exclaimed, “Did you catch all this? You are really amazing!” He took a handful of wild vegetables to feed the deer and sheep.
Xu Zhongyue declared, “The things we brought back this time will not be sold.”
Applying herbs and tearing a piece of cloth to bandage the deer, he explained, “The deer meat, deer blood, and deer antlers are all very nourishing. Take it home. I’ll take care of it for a while, and I’ll kill it to replenish your energy and blood.”
Noting his wife’s need for replenishment, Xu Zhongyue acknowledged the change in his face since marriage and emphasized the importance of nourishment.
Regarding the wild goat, Xu Zhongyue mentioned, “This wild goat has a calf in its belly. If it were normal, I would let it go.”
Surprised by the revelation that the goat was pregnant, Song Shi’an, eager to touch it, was met with the sheep’s resistance, attempting to kick him, but he quickly stopped.
“But I heard from the old man that the goat’s milk of this wild goat is very nourishing. Anyway, our backyard is big. In addition to the mule cart, we can also add a deer and a few sheep to spread out. When the lamb is born, you can have goat milk to drink every day. If we raise the lambs well, the wool on their bodies is enough to make several coats for you.”
“It’s cold in the north, and people there will either peel off the whole sheepskin to keep out the cold or make a woolen jacket, which keeps out the cold and wind ten times better than a cotton-padded jacket. Another way is to shear the wool and weave the material into clothes, which is also very cold-resistant.”
No one told Xu Zhongyue these things. He seemed to be born with the knowledge that when he saw good prey, things related to it would come to him in a steady stream.
“There are two pheasants left. One will be sent to your aunt, and one will be eaten by ourselves.” Xu Zhongyue touched the wife’s fleshy cheek and said, “I’ll make up for you.” This long sentence went back and forth.
“It’s all just to make up for me,” Song Shi’an puffed up his cheeks vigilantly.
How much Xu Zhongyue likes it, he wouldn’t make me so fat, right?
He touched his waist and felt that the waistband of his pants was tight.
Xu Zhongyue smiled and gave him another knowing blow. “Our family is going to open a restaurant. How can our own shopkeeper and chef be so skinny?”
Song Shi’an glanced at him. ‘Good guy, Xu Zhongyue usually keeps quiet, but when he opens his mouth, his words hit the mark.’
It seemed that he had to make sacrifices for his lifelong career. Every pound of flesh he gained in the future could reasonably be called a work-related injury.