American Hunting: Starting with Solitary Life in the Wilderness

Chapter 307 The Brothers-in-Law Arrive at the Farm (with pictures!)
Two days later, the sky over Wyoming was a clear, deep blue, and the crisp air carried a hint of sweetness.

Three jet-black Ford F-350 heavy-duty pickup trucks, their massive chrome grilles reflecting the winter sun with a blinding gleam, formed a small convoy and slowly drove into the Giant Stone River Heritage Ranch with an imposing presence.

Having just passed through the main entrance constructed of massive stones and logs, even Arya's brothers, who were used to grand scenes in Montana, couldn't help but slow down, their faces all showing solemn expressions.

“My God…” Garrett, the second brother, a burly and hot-tempered pig farmer, who was sitting in the passenger seat of the first car, rolled down the window. The cold wind rushed in instantly, but he didn’t care.

He couldn't help but let out a long whistle, then nudged his older brother Wyatt in the driver's seat with his elbow, his voice filled with undisguised shock: "Hey, Wyatt, are we in the wrong place? This looks like the secret entrance to Yellowstone National Park!"

In the driver's seat sat Wyatt, the eldest brother with a thick beard and a calm, mountain-like gaze, as the family's largest cattle ranch heir.

He silently released the accelerator, reducing the car's speed to a minimum, and slowly scanned the winding private road that had been completely cleared by the snow groomer.

His own farm was already large enough, with thousands of acres of high-quality pasture, but in his eyes it had boundaries that could be measured by fences.

Before him stretched an endless expanse of land, brimming with primal wildness. It had no boundaries; it was the horizon itself. This feeling instilled in him, a man who made his living from the land, a profound sense of awe for the first time.

In the back seat, Clay, the twin brother who had been wiping his precious Remington 870 shotgun with a chamois cloth, finally looked up.

For the first time, genuine curiosity and shock were revealed in his eyes, which always carried a hint of unruliness and playfulness.

"This...this is Arya's new home?" he murmured to himself, a playful smile playing on his lips. "When she was little, she told me that she would find an apartment in the city, raise a cat, and then spend her days carrying a Starbucks between upscale office buildings."

The atmosphere was completely different in the second car, a pickup truck driven by the third brother, Bo.

Bo is a shrewd farmer who is in charge of some of the family's business investments. When he looks at everything in front of him, his first thought is not the scenery, but the cost.

“Just clearing the snow off this road must burn a lot of diesel every day, right?” he said to his two wives in the passenger seat. “And all this wood and stone, my God, just building this entrance would be enough to buy a small plot of land in Montana.”

He habitually opened Zillow on his phone, trying to estimate the value of the land.

But he quickly gave up because he found that the signal was only one bar and the area was an unmarked blank space on the Zillow map.

This means that the value of this land has far exceeded what can be measured in the open market.

When the convoy finally arrived at the stone parking lot of Eagle's Nest, Lin Yu'an was already waiting in front of the huge oak door with Aria, Emily, and two nannies holding babies.

The car door opened, and a large family, exuding a Western vibe, appeared before them.

Leading the group was Aria's father, Robert, a tall, white-haired but vigorous old man. He wore a thick Filson wool jacket, and his eyes were sharp and dignified.

But when he saw Arya, his imposing manner instantly melted into the purest form of paternal love.

“My little girl.” He opened his arms and gave Arya a tight hug, his voice loud and clear, with a slight, almost imperceptible tremor.

Next came Arya's mothers. Her birth mother, Martha, was gentle and kind. Her eyes welled up with tears as soon as she saw Arya. She took Arya's hand and looked her up and down, repeatedly saying that she had lost weight.

Meanwhile, the other three mothers—Elizabeth, gentle and virtuous, responsible for the family's education; Catherine, with her fiery personality and in charge of the family finances; and the youngest, Abigail—all gathered around, showering Arya with warmth and care, enveloping her in a deep maternal love.

“Dad! Mom!” Arya responded excitedly, then hugged her brothers one by one.

And when everyone's eyes finally fell on Emily, who looked slightly nervous but still maintained an elegant smile, a heartwarming scene unfolded.

Arya's birth mother, Martha, stepped forward without hesitation and gave Emily a warm and powerful hug.

She gently patted Emily's back, her voice tender and sincere, "Good girl, Arya told us everything on the phone."

“We are so glad that she has such a good sister like you by her side. From now on, this is your home, and we are all your family.”

“Thank you… Mrs. Martha.” Emily responded somewhat awkwardly, all her unease and anxiety vanishing in the warmth of the embrace and those sincere words.

“That’s right!” The fiery-tempered Catherine stepped forward, giving Emily an even tighter hug. Then she took a step back and looked Emily up and down as if she were her own calf, her sharp gaze quickly turning into satisfaction.

She nodded and laughed heartily, "Yeah, she seems much more reliable than that wild girl in our family. A woman needs to have some meat on her bones."

“Listen, kid. From today onwards, you’re one of the McKinley family. If any jerk dares to bully you, just tell us! I’ll make sure he understands how Montana men solve problems!”

These words drew a burst of good-natured laughter from the crowd.

When Lin Yu'an took the two adorable babies from the nanny's arms, the attention of the four mothers was instantly and completely drawn to them.

"Oh, my little angel!"

"Let me hug you! Ethan looks just like Lin! That nose, those eyes!"

Ethan and Olivia instantly became the focus of the entire room, being held in the arms of their four grandmothers in turn, who kissed their chubby little faces, their eyes filled with boundless love and longing.

Just then, two blond boys, wearing small Carhartt denim overalls, peeked out from behind Wyatt's legs. The older one was Jack, and the younger one was Kyle.

"Uncle!" As soon as Little Jack saw Lin Yu'an, he ran over excitedly, with a necklace made of wolf teeth hanging around his neck.

He proudly held up the wolf fang necklace around his neck, "Look! It's the gift you made for me in Montana! I wear it every day now! Dad says I'm the bravest cowboy in the family!"

"Well done, my little hero." Lin Yu'an smiled and patted his head.

He glanced at Clay, who was standing not far away, looking at the mansion with a complicated expression, and a memory from his past life flashed through his mind.

In a past life, after a drunken night, he had chatted with his brothers-in-law about their favorite movies. Wyatt loved "True Grit," Garrett adored "First Blood," and Bo raved about "Wall Street."

Only Clay, after a long silence, spoke in an almost whispered voice a name that surprised everyone—Brokeback Mountain.

From then on, Lin Yu'an understood that this seemingly unruly fourth brother harbored a secret that was intolerable to the family.

Robert, having realized this, is filled with unspeakable worry and disappointment about his unmarried status to this day.

Lin Yu'an understood. He knew that this thoughtful and sensitive brother-in-law was perhaps the person in this large family who could understand Aria the most.

But his own door was locked shut by an even heavier shackle.

He gave Clay a friendly smile, and Clay returned a slightly complicated smile.

After exchanging pleasantries, Lin Yu'an smiled and gestured for them to proceed.

"Family members, welcome to the Eagle's Nest. It's cold outside, let's go inside first."

When the massive double door, crafted from a single piece of solid oak and wrought iron, opened inward, a rush of air, a blend of pine scent and fireplace warmth, instantly dispelled the chill of the outdoors.

The scene behind the door left the McKinley family, who had just been chatting and laughing, in a brief moment of shock.

It was a magnificent foyer with a ceiling at least ten meters high, resembling the main hall of a medieval castle. Huge antler chandeliers hung from the log trusses, radiating a warm and wild light.

At the far end of the foyer is a floor-to-ceiling window that covers an entire wall, revealing magnificent snow-covered mountains outside, like a giant scroll painting hanging between heaven and earth, bursting into everyone's view.

"This...this is your home?" Clay, the most unruly of them all, was the first to break the silence, his voice filled with disbelief.

He looked around, his gaze finally settling on Lin Yu'an, and said in a half-joking, half-serious tone, "Alia, this place is much more luxurious than your little cabin in Alaska!"

His words instantly awakened Bo, the third brother who had also been to Alaska. Bo's face showed a more complex and thoughtful expression than the others, but he did not speak immediately, but silently observed everything around him.

Lin Yu'an continued with a smile, "Please come in and relax. Alia, why don't you show everyone around and let them get familiar with the place? We'll need a little more time to prepare lunch."

"Great!" Arya was like a proud little peacock, feeling incredibly proud and excited to be able to show her new home to her family.

"Come on, everyone! Welcome to my castle!" she announced playfully, then led the group through the magnificent living room.

In the living room, the huge fireplace, built from a single block of rock and reaching all the way to the ceiling, made several of the brothers-in-law unable to resist touching it and feeling its primitive and rugged power.

“This fireplace…is bigger than an entire wall in our old house,” Wyatt, the older brother, exclaimed in a deep voice, his tone filled with appreciation for this pure power.

Then, Arya pushed open a heavy, soundproof door.

"Wow!" Little Jack and Kyle were the first to exclaim.

What is presented to everyone is a private IMAX theater with a huge curved screen and two rows of top-quality genuine leather massage sofas.

"You can even watch movies here?" Garrett's eyes widened in astonishment.

His wife, Jessica, with her red hair, sank into a sofa and let out a comfortable groan: "Fuck! Robert! We have to get one of these in our house! I never want to go to that tiny, run-down movie theater in town again!"

Garrett's other wife, Laura, who was quieter and also had red hair, simply smiled and shook her head, used to her husband and sister's loud and boisterous manner.

Arya smiled and led them to another door. "Considering you're both wine lovers, I think you'll enjoy it here."

The door was pushed open, and a rich aroma, a blend of red brick and wine, wafted out. It was a wine cellar banquet hall, completely enclosed by a red brick vaulted ceiling, resembling a medieval castle.

Beside the long dining table, one wall is a huge, temperature-controlled wine cellar, which is filled with countless top-quality wines.

“Romanée-Conti…Screaming Eagle…” Third Brother Bo’s gaze was drawn to the legendary wine labels on the wine rack as if by a magnet, and his voice was a little hoarse.

His wife, Brenda, who looked very shrewd and capable, took a few photos with her phone and whispered to Bo, "Honey, write down the design of this wine cellar. We can use it as a reference to upgrade our own."

Bo's other wife, Susan, who valued the finer things in life, was completely captivated by the artistic chandelier that resembled frozen lightning, and she gazed up at it for a long time, unable to look away.

"This place is simply paradise for every man's dreams," Bo said sincerely, looking at Lin Yu'an.

After touring the entertainment area, Arya led the women to visit the circular jacuzzi with its curved floor-to-ceiling windows and unbeatable mountain views.

“My goodness!” exclaimed young Abigail’s mother first. “Bathing here is like being on a cloud! Martha, Catherine, we have to get one when we get back!”

Catherine, however, was more practical. She tapped on the marble countertop next to her and asked Arya, "Darling, maintaining such a large bathtub must cost a lot in terms of water and electricity every month, right?"

These words drew laughter from the crowd and completely relaxed the tense atmosphere.

After this perfectly timed display of strength, the group was finally led to the guest room area, and their shock reached its peak.

“Alright, everyone,” Arya said. “Next, the security team will take you to your rooms to settle your luggage. Lunch will be ready soon.”

Guided by security personnel, the McKinley family traveled in several Polaris all-terrain vehicles to the three visitor cabins named Bear Claw, Eagle Wing, and Wolf Track.

When they saw the log cabins, each comparable to a small five-star hotel, with five separate bedroom suites, private fireplaces, kitchens, and unbeatable mountain views, they immediately understood the value of the farm.

"The guest room he prepared for us is bigger than our master bedroom in Montana," Jessica, the second brother's wife, murmured to herself as she stood in front of the huge floor-to-ceiling window of the guest room, looking at the view outside.

Laura walked to the fireplace, touched an oil painting hanging above it, and said softly, "And every piece of decoration here isn't just randomly placed. Look at this painting; it complements the color of the carpet. It's so tasteful."

After settling their luggage, the group was guided back to the Eagle's Nest.

At this moment, exquisite tableware had already been set on the long walnut dining table.

Chef Elena and her team have prepared a feast with a Western flair.

While waiting for lunch, everyone gathered around the fireplace in the living room, drinking hot beverages.

Bo, who had been deep in thought, walked over to Lin Yu'an and Robert, who were also looking out the window, with a glass of whiskey in his hand.

He gazed at the magnificent snow-covered mountains outside the window, remaining silent for a long time before turning to look at Lin Yu'an, his eyes filled with unprecedented admiration and a touch of emotion.

“Lin,” his voice was a little hoarse, “I remember a few months ago, when I was driving Arya to Alaska, I saw the completed cabin that you built yourself.”

"To be honest, it was one of the best cabins I've ever seen. But it was still a lonely outpost in the wilderness with no neighbors."

He paused, seemingly considering his words.

“Back then, I spoke to you on behalf of your father. We were willing to offer you and Arya some money to buy your own farm in Montana and come back to us. I remember you politely declined at the time.”

Bo's gaze swept across the magnificent, palace-like hall, and a bittersweet smile appeared on his face.

“At the time, I even thought to myself, are you being a bit too idealistic? I thought you just wanted to guard that lonely wilderness.”

He looked at Lin Yu'an and said solemnly, word by word, "Now I understand. You did not refuse our help."

"You just want to use your own methods and your own strength to win a future for Arya that is more magnificent than what we can give!"

“This ranch…this home…I don’t know how much you spent, but I know it was definitely not a small amount. You’ve responded to all our initial worries and doubts with your actions.”

"Lin, I apologize for my initial thoughts. You are not only an excellent hunter, but also a truly trustworthy man who always keeps his word."

These heartfelt words silenced everyone present.

Arya's eyes instantly reddened. She never expected that her shrewd and calculating third brother could say something so emotional and profound.

She stepped forward and held Lin Yu'an's hand tightly.

Robert, the patriarch who had been silent until now, slowly nodded. The trace of worry that had always lingered in his sharp eyes about Lin Yu'an, the Chinese man who had abducted his precious daughter, vanished completely at this moment.

His daughter did not choose the wrong person. This young man not only has the ability to provide his daughter with the most luxurious life, but also has the responsibility and commitment to keep his promises in mind and to fulfill them with his strength.

Entrusting his daughter to a man stronger than himself is the greatest comfort for a father.

Lin Yu'an looked at Bo and gave him a sincere smile.

“Bo, you’re exaggerating. We’re family. I just want to create the strongest and most peaceful haven for Arya, Emily, and the children. This will be your home from now on.”

This conversation instantly bridged the gap between everyone. The slight sense of alienation that had arisen from the excessive luxury was completely melted away by the word "family."

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(End of this chapter)