Ch 22: My Wolf Husband

When Old Man Zheng heard that Lin Shuishi wanted to visit his old home, he nodded inwardly, appreciating the child’s filial piety and respect for his roots.

He put down his work and quietly went inside to find a thick coat of his own, draping it over Lin Shuishi. Under his arm, he carried a stack of yellow paper money. Leading Lin Shuishi, he walked towards a small slope beside the house. Before long, a large courtyard with a wooden fence, situated on elevated terrain and backed by a hillside, came into view.

The courtyard appeared more orderly and spacious than the houses Lin Shuishi had seen on his way. The fence was solid and tall, about the height of a person. On either side of the courtyard were barns and livestock pens typical of a hunter’s home. In the center was a neat and tidy earthen house, facing south with walls smoothed evenly with mud.

However, it lacked the usual homely atmosphere found in farmhouses; though it was clean, it felt rather cold. The arched wooden windows on either side of the door were open, with hardwood slats providing ventilation and security.

As Lin Shuishi approached and looked through a small window, he saw that the house was not empty. It was fully furnished with tables, cabinets, and even a very large bow hung on the wall opposite the bed. It wasn’t dusty either, suggesting someone had been cleaning.

Old Man Zheng unlocked the door and entered, saying, “A few days ago, we went to your uncle’s house and brought back all the good wooden tables, chairs, and cabinets he had taken with him! Such people don’t deserve Brother Lin’s good things! Especially your father’s great bow—there isn’t anything better in the county. If no one could draw it, hmph, those two scoundrels would have sold it long ago!”

The old man reached out and touched the large bow with a sense of nostalgia. “It’s fortunate you’re back. All these items haven’t been brought back in vain!”

Lin Shuishi touched the firm, glossy bow and looked around the house that had once been his. It was indeed a good place to live. It was situated at a distance from other houses, separated by a small slope, which suited him well since he wasn’t one for socializing with neighbors. Moreover, it was not dilapidated and still quite new.

“Uncle Zheng, do you come here often to clean? I don’t see much dust.”

Old Man Zheng was fetching a basin and a fire starter from the outer room. “Yes, it’s a good house, built the year you were born, not even fifteen years old. We thought it best to keep it clean so it wouldn’t deteriorate, in case you might need it in the future.”

At the time, Bighead Sun’s wife had wanted the deed to sell it off, but he and his brothers did not agree. The houses in the mountain village weren’t worth much, so they gathered some money for his uncle to preserve Lin Shuishi’s current dwelling, though Old Man Zheng didn’t mention this.

Perhaps recalling the old days made him feel a bit melancholy. Old Man Zheng didn’t say much, and he and Lin Shuishi knelt in front of the courtyard gate, using the fire starter to burn a basin of paper money as an offering.

Seeing the flames burning, Lin Shuishi felt a deep and inexplicable emotion. He started to resonate and empathize with the body he inhabited, as if at that moment, he was not Lin Shuishi but Shui Ge’er himself, with scenes from his childhood replaying in his mind. Tears streamed uncontrollably down his face.

When the paper money was burned away, Lin Shuishi suddenly felt a release, as if there were no more restraints, and he felt remarkably light. Moved by the moment, he knelt again and bowed three times in the direction of the ashes, offering thanks for the reunion of his family and expressing gratitude for the body he now occupied.

Old Man Zheng sighed and said, “Child, stop crying. Live well from now on; it’s a way to repay your parents.” After cleaning up the fire starter and the iron basin and locking the door, he led Lin Shuishi down the slope.

As they approached Zheng’s home, Lin Shuishi had made up his mind. He decided it was better to address the main issue directly before entering the house where there would be many people—his elder sister-in-law, younger sister-in-law, and the old lady.

“Uncle Zheng!” Lin Shuishi called out. Old Man Zheng stopped and asked, “What is it, Shuishi?” Lin Shuishi, with his swollen eyes from crying, looked at the old man and said, “Uncle, I’ve decided to live on the slope by myself. It’s easier to avoid missing my parents, and I’m used to living alone in the mountains. I can manage by myself.”

The old man frowned when he heard this. “You’re just a child, weak and unable to carry or handle much! Cooking and maintaining a house will be difficult. How can I rest easy? What if you encounter thieves at night?”

But Lin Shuishi insisted on returning to live on the slope. Since they were not yet family and had spent little time together, Old Man Zheng couldn’t be too forceful. Lin Shuishi then added, “It’s not far. I can call out if needed. Uncle Zheng, you’ll still need to help me!”

Seeing the reason in Lin Shuishi’s words, Old Man Zheng agreed to let him stay, suggesting that if necessary, Dongsheng could visit the slope more frequently to check on him and help out.

That evening, it was not possible to move immediately. They needed to heat the stove in the house on the slope and remove the dampness and chill from the room. Lin Shuishi planned to do it himself, but his elder brother and Dongsheng quickly took wood and went to the slope without any discussion.

Lin Shuishi felt guilty, realizing he had added to the family’s workload, but there was nothing he could do. He resolved to repay their kindness slowly in the future.

Before moving, Zheng’s family made several trips to deliver daily necessities to the house on the slope, including firewood, rice, oil, salt, bedding, oil lamps, and even vegetables like cabbage and potatoes, which they stored in a two-meter-deep cellar on the slope. Although these items were not worth much, they alleviated Lin Shuishi’s immediate needs.

Lin Shuishi could not refuse their kindness and accepted everything. Before leaving, he opened a bamboo basket and took out several large fire mushrooms, insisting on giving them to Zheng’s family.

Old Man Zheng initially hurried to refuse the gift, as he cared for Lin Shuishi out of respect for an old friend and with thoughts of future family harmony, without expecting anything in return. Besides, none of them had ever seen such large and substantial Lingzhi mushrooms before! They must be worth a lot!

His elder sister-in-law’s eyes widened in surprise, “Where did you get these, Shuishi? They’re incredible!”

Lin Shuishi thought for a moment and decided he couldn’t keep it a secret, so he told them honestly, “I gathered them from the dense forest in Dongshan.”

The family had initially been curious about the location to try their luck, but when they heard “Dongshan,” they fell silent, afraid to speak.

Dongshan was a forbidden and dangerous place, a fear that ran deep in the blood of the villagers from Rehe. The brothers had risked their lives to find Lin Shuishi, and despite their skills and caution, they nearly perished at the hands of bears and wolves. After returning, they never mentioned Dongshan again.

Moreover, there was a precedent where villagers from Yuanshan Village went to Dongshan seeking treasures and ended up dead or mad. Even the villagers had suffered, with livestock disappearing mysteriously. No one dared to keep animals, fearing they would be silently devoured.

So, the family refrained from asking about the origin of the Lingzhi and chose to keep it secret. They believed that keeping such treasures hidden prevented unnecessary risks and preserved the tranquility of the villages under Dongshan.

Ultimately, Old Man Zheng accepted the Lingzhi, feeling that Lin Shuishi living alone already posed enough risks, and adding such valuable items was not a long-term solution. Lin Shuishi, unaware of the value of the Lingzhi, was pleased that Old Man Zheng accepted them.

He kept one of the largest Lingzhi for himself, planning to make a drink from it once he had heated the stove.

Before taking the little black horse up the slope, he was still teaching the family how to use the Lingzhi. “Auntie, boil it to make a drink or grind it into powder for cakes. It protects the liver, detoxifies, and helps prevent illness!”

Auntie Zheng choked and responded with a stiff expression. In her mind, she thought, eating a divine item from Dongshan? She felt it would be a waste if she didn’t offer a piece to the gods, as it might shorten her lifespan…

Nevertheless, Lin Shuishi finally moved into his new home. That evening, he sat alone on the warm kang, relieved and enjoying the peace and freedom.

But then he rolled over and took out the beautiful eggs wrapped in wolf fur, examining each one under the light. Seeing nothing unusual, he carefully placed them at the head of the kang, wondering if they would hatch in the future. While he was covering the eggs, rhythmic knocking sounds echoed from outside.

Lin Shuishi cautiously peered through the peephole in the wooden door and saw a horse’s face blocking the hole!

Since the little black horse had been left alone, it had trotted around the yard fence, leaping in and out, and was now tired of playing. It stared at Lin Shuishi through the door, with its long face and hooves kicking the door, as if saying, “Let me in!”

Lin Shuishi was both amused and exasperated. Didn’t this horse know it was just that—a horse? There was plenty of grass outside, but it seemed determined to sleep indoors. Unable to resist, Lin Shuishi softened and opened the door. The little black horse flicked its tail and walked in with a dignified stride, then lay down on the ground under the kang.

Seeing this, Lin Shuishi felt that all the animals from Dongshan seemed so proud and noble. The wolf cub was like this, the fat squirrel was like this, and now this young black horse also had an air of superiority!

It made Lin Shuishi feel like a servant, constantly tending to these creatures!

But when Lin Shuishi, lying in bed, thought about these tiny details, he felt a soft gratitude. They had taken good care of him, allowing someone as inexperienced as him to survive well in the harsh mountains.

As he thought about this, his mind increasingly recalled the figure of the person who had always been there, with strong, broad shoulders.

He had mostly seen that person’s back, perhaps because they were always facing away, protecting him.

Or maybe it was because that person would always turn and leave silently.

Lin Shuishi fell asleep amid these troublesome thoughts.

In his dream, he was running alongside a giant white wolf glowing with light. The surrounding mountains and ranges sped away, passing through countless autumns and winters, until they reached a clear hot spring.

In the dream, Lin Shuishi didn’t know where he was or his name. All he knew was the spring before him, and then he jumped in.

After entering the water, he instinctively struggled but remained asleep, his soul drifting through the spring into an ivory white tower. In the tower, tall and strong men and women moved about, sometimes running hand in hand in the forest, sometimes howling at the moon.

As he ascended higher, the people became fewer, until only groups of white wolves guarded the area. Lin Shuishi continued running until he reached the very top!

With no dome to obstruct his view, he saw the sky! A huge moon hung in the night sky, seeming very close to the tower. The shadows on the moon were clearly visible.

Lin Shuishi continued running, but then he saw a tall figure at the edge of the platform. The figure turned and started running towards him!

As the person charged toward him, they gradually transformed, their hands turning into giant claws, their face becoming beastly, and their clothes torn apart as if they were an ancient giant beast!

Lin Shuishi felt an inexplicable fear, with his neck aching from nervousness. Just as he was about to turn and run, he felt an uneasy impulse and looked back.

Behind him, under the giant moon, a pair of golden eyes stared menacingly at him…

xxx

Thandar: what menacingly, that’s your husband being in heat 🤭