Hunting 81: Gathering Goods in the Mountains, I Spoil My Ex-Wife to the Extreme

By the time we got back to Guapigou Village, the sun was almost setting.

Li Yunshi pushed his bicycle into the courtyard first, followed by Li Yunshan and Li Yunmei.

The noise they made entering the courtyard alerted the people inside the house, and Huang Zhifang soon came out.

The moment Huang Zhifang saw Li Yunmei, her lips trembled, and her eyes instantly filled with tears.

"Mother, I...I'm back...Waaah...Waaah..."

Upon seeing Huang Zhifang, Li Yunmei opened her mouth, then suddenly threw herself into Huang Zhifang's arms and burst into tears.

Back when she was still a young, innocent girl, she was easily swayed. After learning from the matchmaker that Zhou Xishun was a purchasing agent at a supply and marketing cooperative, she didn't even bother to understand his character or personality. Despite her parents' objections, she started dating Zhou Xishun and they got married within a few months.

At first, although Zhou Xishun had some bad habits, he was indeed quite good to her, and she lived a good life.

But people's hearts change. As time went by, several years after their marriage, she still hadn't gotten pregnant and had a child. Zhou Xishun gradually became less kind to her and even frequently subjected her to emotional abuse.

To avoid worrying her family, whenever she returned to her parents' home and they asked her about her life in the Zhou family, she would say that she was doing well and that Zhou Xishun treated her very well.

But a lie is still a lie. No matter how she tried to cover it up, Zhou Xishun became even more brazen and even kept a mistress outside the marriage.

Now that things have escalated to the point of divorce, Li Yunmei feels ashamed to face her mother and even more sorry for her deceased father.

Then she threw herself into Huang Zhifang's arms and started crying.

"Xiaomei, don't cry, don't cry. It's good that you're back, it's good that you're back."

Huang Zhifang gently hugged her, patting her back as she sobbed, offering gentle comfort.

"Mother, scold me if you want. I didn't listen to your and Father's advice and insisted on marrying Zhou Xishun. Now look what happened." Li Yunmei lifted her head from Huang Zhifang's arms, wiped away her tears, and said in a choked voice.

"Silly child, why am I scolding you? You don't even have eyes in the back of your head. Besides, people change. Zhou Xishun was such a good person back then, who would have thought he would turn out like this?"

Huang Zhifang carefully examined Li Yunmei. When she saw that her mouth and forehead were covered in bruises and that she had two large black eyes, she felt extremely distressed. Her daughter had been abused by Zhou Xishun like this. As the saying goes, the pain of a child is felt in the heart of a mother. Huang Zhifang felt extremely distressed.

But it's good that her daughter came back safely. Huang Zhifang wiped away her tears and pulled Li Yunmei into the house.

"Oh, Yunmei's back! Are you hungry? Have a seat for a bit, dinner will be ready soon." Wang Xiaolian poked her head out from the kitchen. When she saw Li Yunmei, her expression was slightly awkward for a moment, but she quickly managed a gentle smile.

"Sister-in-law, I'm not hungry yet." Li Yunmei nodded somewhat awkwardly as a greeting.

"Okay, you sit down first and chat with Mom for a while. I'll go cook."

After saying that, Wang Xiaolian went into the kitchen, but she thought to herself, "One more person means one more mouth to feed. I wonder how many days my sister-in-law will stay at home."

But she also knew that she absolutely could not say these words out loud. If Li Yunshi found out, given his sentimental nature, she would definitely get a beating from him.

Moreover, in this family now, not only is Li Yunshi in charge, but his mother-in-law Huang Zhifang is also known for being fiercely protective of her children.

"Yunmei, you've suffered so much."

In the main room, Huang Zhifang stroked Li Yunmei's face, but couldn't help worrying about Li Yunmei's inability to have children. What would happen to her in the future?

"Mother, my second sister has already had a check-up at the health center. There's absolutely nothing wrong with her body, and she can have children without any problems. The problem is most likely with Zhou Xishun. The reason my second sister hasn't been able to get pregnant and have children all these years since she married him is because of him."

Seeing Huang Zhifang's worry, Li Yunshan quickly spoke up for Li Yunmei.

"Really? Your second sister's health is really alright?"

Upon hearing Li Yunshan's words, Huang Zhifang's previously distressed face instantly brightened.

"Mother, it's true. The doctor at the clinic took my second sister's pulse. He was very careful and said that her pulse was steady and strong, and that she had plenty of blood and energy. There's nothing wrong with her at all."

Li Yunshi testified from the side.

"That's great, that's great!" Huang Zhifang cried tears of joy. When she received the phone call last night, the caller said that Li Yunmei was being abused because she couldn't have children and had caught Zhou Xishun having an affair.

Her heart sank. What would she do if her daughter couldn't have children? Should she continue living with Zhou Xishun, enduring his infidelity and watching him keep mistresses, or should she divorce him?

However, after a divorce, it's difficult to remarry, especially to find someone from a well-off family.

Moreover, her daughter, Li Yunmei, is unable to have children.

Therefore, she had been worried ever since Li Yunshi left last night.

They were worried about Li Yunshi's safety traveling at night, as well as Li Yunmei's condition and future.

Now, after hearing what Li Yunshan and Li Yunshi said, the heavy weight that had been pressing on her heart finally lifted.

It's good that she's healthy. If she meets a man who treats her well in the future, she can remarry.

Although Huang Zhifang secretly hoped that his daughter Li Yunmei could have a complete family and a complete life, he didn't say much about it.

After all, Li Yunmei just got divorced, and she's probably not feeling well, so it's inappropriate for her to say these things.

Dinner was ready in no time.

Wang Xiaolian cooked all the dishes, with Lin Xiulan helping out.

On the table were braised pork, hot and sour shredded potatoes, old hen soup, braised venison, dry pot bear meat, stewed cabbage, and a dish of fried peanuts.

The family sat around the table, and Li Yunmei looked at the dishes on the table in disbelief.

There are so many dishes, including four meat dishes and two vegetable dishes.

"Mother, elder brother, this is too much money."

"Don't spend money. Our family can afford it, so we should eat well."

Huang Zhifang placed a piece of braised venison on her plate: "Try this venison. The third brother hunted a deer a few days ago and gave several pounds to your eldest brother. There are only two pounds left. Eat more."

"The third brother hunted venison? Didn't he hunt a tiger?"

Li Yunmei was surprised.

Although she lived more than 20 miles away from her parents' home, she knew that her third brother, Li Yunshan, had killed a tiger in the Hongxing Forest Farm; it was even in the newspapers.

But who would have thought that he had also hunted deer? This...this...the third brother idles away his days, he...he hunted deer?

When she first saw the photo of the third son with the tiger in the newspaper, her heart skipped a beat.

"The third brother has learned his lesson. These days he's not only hunted tigers, but also killed a wild boar, a red deer, and three wolves. Oh, right, just the night before last, a bear came into the village, and the third brother shot it dead."

Li Yunshi said with a smile.

Li Yunmei was utterly incredulous after hearing this.

"It's cold, hurry up and eat. We can talk after we've eaten," Huang Zhifang said with a smile.

Li Yunmei then picked up a piece of braised venison and took a bite.

The venison was tender and melted in her mouth; it smelled so good that she picked up another piece.

Braised pork belly is also good; it's fatty but not greasy.

Li Yunmei ate several pieces of meat in one go, tasting all the meat dishes on the table. Her cheeks were bulging and her lips were shiny with oil.

"Eat slowly, there's plenty of food, no one will take it from you."

Huang Zhiang smiled kindly and put another piece of meat into her bowl.

"Second sister, eat as much as you want. Eldest brother is now an employee of Hongxing Forest Farm, holding a secure job with the state. His income is guaranteed regardless of drought or flood. Don't be shy with him," Li Yunshan said with a smile.

Li Yunshi smiled and didn't say anything, but he served Li Yunmei a bowl of old hen soup.

"Third brother, you gave up your job at the forest farm to your eldest brother?"

Li Yunmei was even more surprised because when she read the newspaper, she saw that the Hongxing Forest Farm was offering a job as a reward, which attracted Lao San to hunt tigers.

"I'm used to being free and can't stand being managed, so I handed over the forest farm job to my older brother," Li Yunshan said casually, though in reality he looked down on the forest farm job.

Although he was supposed to be a government employee with a guaranteed income regardless of drought or flood, his monthly salary of only a few dozen yuan was something he looked down on from the perspective of his previous life.

Another point is that he also knows that although the jobs in the forest farm are still considered highly sought-after and secure by people today, a large number of employees in state-owned enterprises will lose their jobs during the wave of layoffs in the 1990s.

Oh, and I should remind my older brother in advance to get rid of his job at the Hongxing Forestry Farm as soon as possible.

Li Yunshan thought to himself.

However, Li Yunmei saw in Li Yunshan's casual words a real change in her brother.

Her previous impression of Li Yunshan was that he was idle and did not do any proper work. She tried to persuade him every time she went back to her parents' home, but Li Yunshan would not listen and continued to do things his own way.

She hadn't been back to her parents' home for four or five months this year, and only then did she realize that her once unreliable third brother had completely changed. Not only had he accomplished something as earth-shattering as hunting tigers, but he had also generously given up his job at the forest farm to his eldest brother.

If it were her, she would never be willing to give up her secure job at the forest farm.

Moreover, during the meal, she noticed a significant change in the third brother Li Yunshan's attitude towards Lin Xiulan and Dou Dou.

Previously, Lao San always complained that Lin Xiulan had given birth to a daughter instead of a son. But now, Lao San and Lin Xiulan are seen chatting and laughing together. Lao San even serves food to Dou Dou and gently tells Dou Dou to eat slowly. This was something he could never have imagined before.

"Third brother, it seems you really have changed."

Li Yunmei couldn't help but say.

"Second sister, you noticed all along?" Li Yunshan said with a smile, scratching the back of his head, looking a little embarrassed.

After dinner, Lin Xiulan was supposed to wash the dishes, but Li Yunshan took over the task, saying, "Xiulan, it's freezing cold. I'll wash the dishes so your hands don't get chapped."

Standing to the side, Li Yunmei saw the loving relationship between Li Yunshan and Lin Xiulan, and a look of relief flashed in her eyes.