The kang (heated brick bed) for left-behind women

"Don't just stand there, this is a big deal, quick, let me check." Lin Dachun was genuinely worried about Li Ruoxue.

"Um."

Li Ruoxue nodded.

As Li Ruoxue spoke, she rolled up her trouser legs.

Lin Dachun carefully examined his feet before letting out a sigh of relief.

"You little rascal, don't you know whether you've been bitten by a snake or not? Wearing such thick cotton shoes, it's impossible for a snake to bite through. Okay, it's alright, there's no wound. I checked very carefully," Lin Dachun explained.

"Are you sure you weren't bitten? But my foot hurts," Li Ruoxue said coquettishly.

"It's probably something else, it's definitely not a snake, don't worry."

"I've been checking the wound carefully, it's definitely nothing to worry about," Lin Dachun replied truthfully.

"Let's not rest, let's go hunting." Li Ruoxue pursed her lips, feeling extremely embarrassed.

The two sat for a few minutes, then went out to hunt again.

This time, Lin Dachun quickly discovered a string of fresh, plum blossom-shaped footprints.

"It's a sheep," he said, crouching down and measuring the depth and spacing of the footprints with his fingers. "It's quite big, and it hasn't been there long."

He gestured for Li Ruoxue to follow, and the two of them followed the footprints, walking lightly and carefully.

The mountains and forests were silent, with only the whistling of the wind through the treetops and the sound of the snow being squeezed underfoot.

Li Ruoxue followed his example, trying not to make any loud noises, and strained her eyes to distinguish the various marks on the snow. Her heart was racing with tension and anticipation.

After following for about half an hour, Lin Dachun suddenly stopped behind a shady thicket of bushes and slowly raised his hand.

Li Ruoxue looked in the direction he pointed and saw a white wild goat grazing on a patch of exposed moss a few dozen steps away, its ears twitching alertly from time to time.

Lin Dachun slowly took down the hunting rifle, his movements as steady as a rock.

He squinted one eye, aiming the sights.

Li Ruoxue held her breath.

"Bang!"

A muffled gunshot shattered the silence of the forest, startling a few crows in the distant trees.

Startled by the sights aimed at it, the wild goat took off running.

"Missed it??"

Lin Dachun was surprised, feeling that this shouldn't be the case.

"Be careful, I'm going after it."

Lin Dachun strode forward and ran after him.

Lin Dachun saw red bloodstains on the snow and knew he had been hit.

The wild goat ran for a while, then collapsed, blood flowing from its mouth, and died.

Blood stained the white snow.

Li Ruoxue slowly caught up as well.

"What a big sheep! We'll have meat to eat for the New Year!" Li Ruoxue was as happy as a child.

"You... Hmm. Leave some extra mutton for us this time." Lin Dachun smiled, pleased with the haul.

Lin Dachun used hemp rope to tie the roe deer's four hooves and threaded them onto a wooden stick.

"Not bad luck." Lin Dachun smiled and weighed the meat in his hand. "The meat can be sold for money, and the hide can be exchanged for something too."

Li Ruoxue was also happy, but looking at the dead animal, she felt a little unspeakable.

But that's survival.

"You take the rest of the things, I'll carry this sheep." Lin Dachun was strong, and after securing it, he carried the wild sheep on his back.

"Okay, be careful not to slip," Li Ruoxue said worriedly.

"I'm fine, but you'd better not get bitten by anything again, or else..." Lin Dachun joked.

"Ugh, I really felt a prick, did you think it was a snake?" Li Ruoxue pouted and said coquettishly.

The two of them hurried towards the village.