Honey

When he returned home that evening.

Father Fang and Chen Shi had not yet gone to sleep. Chen Shi was tying decorative knots with his elder sister, Fang Lan, while Father Fang and his eldest brother were repairing farm tools.

Everyone in the family was busy with their own tasks.

By the look of it, Fang Yue was actually the only one who had gone out to "slack off."

"Zhi'er, you're back."

"Are you thirsty? There's some boiled water cooling on the table in the main hall for you."

"You don't know this, but Matchmaker Wang came by today, saying she wanted to arrange a marriage for your brother. Wasn't it because she heard you'd become so capable now, bringing fish home every day so our family could eat meat every day?"

When she saw Fang Yue, Chen Shi smiled. The more she looked at her youngest son, the more satisfied she became.

Ever since Zhi'er had recovered from his injuries, he had somehow learned to fish on his own, and he was quite good at it. He basically brought something home every day.

Their family's meals had improved greatly during this time. Other households in the village had wanted their boys to learn from him.

But hardly anyone managed to learn. They simply lacked the patience.

This had made Chen Shi exceptionally proud lately. If she did not have to work for the Liu Family every day, she would have loved to tell everyone she met how well her Zhi'er could fish.

When a family's boy had talent, what mother would not be happy?

And now, because of this, even a matchmaker had taken the initiative to come and introduce a wife for her eldest son.

That was proof that their family was flourishing now.

Once the two boys of the family married and established themselves, things would surely become much easier. They would not have to worry so much.

"Zhi'er, you should have seen it. When Matchmaker Wang left, we gave her a fish, and she was delighted beyond measure."

Chen Shi happily told Wei Ping'an about what had happened at home after he went out to train that day.

Her face brimmed with joy and happiness. Her eldest son was already eighteen.

In the past, they had asked matchmakers to arrange several marriages. They had given plenty of gifts of thanks to the matchmakers, but in the end, every arrangement had fallen through for one reason or another.

This was the first time a matchmaker had come to propose a marriage on her own initiative.

How could Chen Shi not be delighted?

"Oh, right. Fang Cheng, hurry and bring out the honey for your younger brother to taste."

Before Fang Yue could speak, Chen Shi seemed to think of something and hurriedly instructed Fang Cheng, who was still working.

The honey had been sent by Fang Hu, who said it was to thank Zhi'er for teaching his Ergou how to fish.

Just look at how polite Fang Hu was. Unlike those other families in the village, whose boys learned to fish from her Zhi'er yet gave nothing in return.

Served them right that their boys could not learn it. How could stingy, penny-pinching people ever learn?

Otherwise, why was it only Ergou who had learned?

"Zhi Di, have a taste." His eldest brother, Fang Mu, was a typical farmhand, just like their father—dull and not good with words.

He took a jar and a wooden spoon from the kitchen, walked up to Fang Yue, and held them out to him.

Yet from his elder brother's simple words and actions, Fang Yue could feel a deep, rich affection.

The honey jar's seal had not been opened. It seemed that no one in the family had tasted it yet.

Clearly, they had all been waiting for him to return so that he could be the first to try it.

"Dad, Mom, you eat first. Honey is too sweet—I don't like it."

Fang Yue repeatedly declined. The warmth of this family in this life truly made one unable to help but feel moved.

But then he thought of how this jar of honey had been sent by Uncle Fang Hu to thank him for teaching Fang Ergou how to fish.

That meant Uncle Fang Hu clearly knew that what Fang Ergou had taught him was wrong, and he had probably intended this jar of honey to settle matters cleanly between them.

So why had Uncle Fang Hu changed his mind in the end and decided to personally teach him hunting and archery?

"Zhi'er, Uncle Fang Hu gave this to thank you. You should eat first," Fang Mu said.

As the head of the household—well, the head of the household in name, of course.

Fang Mu's words still carried considerable weight.

But Fang Yue still insisted that his parents eat first.

Seeing that they could not persuade him otherwise, Chen Shi and Fang Mu could only taste it first.

In these times, ordinary farming families struggled to survive. They could barely fill their stomachs, and could usually only get a little meat during holidays and festivals.

Sweet food like honey was even rarer. Many people might not get to eat it once in three or five years.

After all, this stuff could be exchanged for money in town.

Who would be willing to keep it to eat themselves in times like these?

Chen Shi and Father Fang each took only a small bite before giving it to Fang Yue.

Fang Yue had no choice but to take a small taste.

It was pure, natural, unpolluted honey, without even a grain of white sugar added.

It was not as sweet as he had imagined, but it had a delicate fragrance of its own that lingered on the palate.

After taking a bite of honey, Fang Yue passed the jar to his sister Fang Lan.

Then he went to Chen Shi's side. "Mom, Uncle Fang Hu said today that he wants to teach me hunting."

"Zhi'er, what did you say? Hunting? Uncle Fang Hu wants to teach you hunting?"

At first, Chen Shi thought she had misheard. Over the years, who knew how many families in the village had wanted to send their younger generation to Fang Hu to learn hunting.

If one learned hunting, even if one could not hunt tigers and leopards like Fang Hu, one could still earn quite a bit from ordinary mountain deer, civets, rabbits, pheasants, and the like.

Especially top-quality wolf pelts and fox pelts—they could be used to pay taxes and labor levies.

If one was lucky enough to hunt more than ten pelts, life would become much easier for the whole family.

Fang Hu had taken the initiative to teach Zhi'er hunting. Zhi'er must be clever. Zhi'er must be good.

Otherwise, why would he teach only Zhi'er?

At that thought, a proud expression appeared on Chen Shi's face once more.

But moments later, she remembered the countless tigers, leopards, wolves, and venomous creatures in the mountains. In the past, people in the village who refused to believe in danger and wanted to become hunters had mostly met with misfortune.

Her expression immediately changed. "No, no. It's too dangerous. Zhi'er, I won't allow you to learn."

"Yes, Zhi Di. Hunting is too dangerous. Don't go," Fang Lan also urged.

"Mom, this is an opportunity that countless people in the village could only beg for. I want to learn."

Fang Yue had not expected his family to oppose it so strongly just because he wanted to learn hunting.

Hunting could clearly improve their family's living conditions. Now that the Xiahe River had entered its dry season and there was no longer a steady fish catch, it was even more a way for the family to maintain a source of meat.

Besides, with his aptitude, he would certainly become an outstanding hunter.

There was naturally no possibility that he would fail to learn it. It was a sure profit with no loss.

He definitely could not give it up.

Besides, merely drawing that bow required three or four hundred jin of strength. Uncle Fang Hu's hunting instruction was certainly no ordinary thing.

It was highly likely to involve martial arts. He did not want to give it up, and he could not give it up.

"You're still so young. What do you know? Have you ever seen a tiger? Have you ever seen a leopard? Back then, your Thirteenth Uncle went into the mountains to gather herbs and was carried off by a tiger."

Seeing Fang Yue being so stubborn, Chen Shi stood and walked over to Fang Mu's side, then fiercely slapped Fang Mu's broad shoulder.

The sound was dull. Clearly, she had used a great deal of force.

She could not bear to take her anger out on Fang Yue because she loved her son, so Fang Mu had to suffer instead.

"His father, hurry up and say something!"