People’s initial instinctive reaction in times of danger was to protect themselves.
However, Gu Jin’s actions had left an indelible mark on An Mingji’s mind.
When danger came knocking, she chose to protect him first. How could it not move him?
An Mingji slowly looked down to conceal his emotions, which did not belong to someone of his age, from her. Yet, his arms around Gu Jin gradually tightened.
Sensing his action, Gu Jin thought that he was afraid and tried to comfort him gently. “Don’t worry, the wild boar is dead.”
“Okay,” An Mingji replied, still shivering in fear.
Gu Jin put him down and led him toward Du Aiqing.
“What should we do with this wild boar, Brother Du?”
Du Aiqing cut the wild boar’s throat open with his shovel just in case the wild boar was not dead but merely unconscious. It was a bloody scene.
Hearing Gu Jin’s words, he furrowed his brows slightly before he looked extremely delighted.
He should have a share of the wild boar since he and the girl had joined hands in killing it, especially in this spring when food was running out at home.
The wild boar would feed his wife and children for many days. How could he not be happy?
Finders, keepers. If he got help from the other villagers, he would have to share the meat with them. With that thought in mind, Du Aiqing turned to look at Gu Jin.
“Are your uncle and cousin home, Gu Jin?”
“They are.” Gu Jin nodded lightly.
“Good. Bring them over here, and we’ll carry this thing home together.”
“Okay!”
Gu Jin had no problem with it. She brought the child with her and headed home.
As Du Aiqing watched her leave, he called out, “Hey, Gu Jin!”
“Huh?”
Gu Jin looked back and saw Du Aiqing standing on the spot with an embarrassed expression on his face.
“You’re the one who hurt the wild boar first, Gu Jin, yet I’m asking for more than my fair share. Could you just give me the head and hind legs?”
Du Aiqing’s wheat-colored face turned red after he said this.
By saying so, he felt as if he was trying to grab things from her, which embarrassed him a lot.
Gu Jin was puzzled at first, but when she heard his request, she laughed. “What are you talking about, Brother Du? We saw the wild boar together, so it’s only proper that we share it equally. Besides, if it weren’t for you, Brother Du, An and I would have probably been injured.”
“No, no, no, that’s too much. If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t have killed—”
“It’s decided; we’ll share it equally.”
Gu Jin interrupted Du Aiqing, spun around, and left without waiting for him to finish.
…
“Where has that rascal gone? It’s breakfast time now, and she’s nowhere to be seen!”
Chen Hong was grumbling in the courtyard of the Gu residence.
She woke up and prepared breakfast for the family every early morning. Breakfast was ready, yet Gu Jin and the freeloader wild child were nowhere to be seen. At last, she could no longer hold in her pent-up anger.
Gu Jin’s eldest uncle was sitting at the tiny dining table in the kitchen, his brows knitted together as he listened to his wife’s rumblings in the courtyard.
Gu Jiajie glanced at his grandfather beside him, his father, and his younger sister. Everyone was waiting. He rubbed his hungry belly.
“That ungrateful rascal helps others instead of her own family. She must think that food falls from the sky. She doesn’t know how expensive food is! Both of them are ungrateful…”
Outside, Chen Hong was foaming at the mouth as the thought occurred to her.