Chapter 6: The Meaning of Life is My Wife's Smile

"What is it?"

Upon hearing his wife's voice, Lin Heng hurried over.

"Look, isn't this a good find? So much yellow mulberry fungus, it sells for 80 cents a pound, and this pile must be at least four or five pounds."

Chen Xiulan pointed to a fallen wild mulberry tree, where its not-so-thick trunk was covered in golden-yellow fungus.

Mulberry fungus is a type of wood fungus, similar to Ganoderma or tree tongue mushrooms, with a wood-like feel. Its surface is golden yellow, and its back has woody patterns. It holds great medicinal value, and finding it here is definitely a stroke of luck, as most of it should have already been harvested by others.

"Ma... ma..."

Their daughter, Lin Xiaoxia, tottered over and handed Lin Heng a freshly picked piece of mulberry fungus.

She had just learned to walk and was still unstable, so Lin Heng quickly supported her, worried she might fall.

After handing him one piece, Xiaoxia dashed off to grab another, giggling and sniffling with a bubble of mucus, still in high spirits.

"Definitely a good find. There should be about five or six pounds on this tree, worth about four or five yuan, which is roughly the same as the gray squirrel I shot."

Lin Heng nodded, smiling as he took out the squirrel he had hunted and shook it in front of her.

"You shot a gray squirrel?" Chen Xiulan's eyes widened in shock. "How did you do that?"

"Of course, with a slingshot. It should have been two squirrels, but one got scared off by Xiaoxia," Lin Heng explained as he lifted the squirrel high, keeping their daughter from grabbing it.

"You're so accurate with the slingshot! Why didn't you hunt before?" Chen Xiulan looked at him with admiration. A husband who had no interest in conventional work but could do this...

In this era, meat was a rare treat, usually reserved for festivals, so they were both excited about tonight's meal.

"I used to focus on making big money, didn't care for these small things. Now, I've seen the light," Lin Heng said with a laugh. His slingshot skills came from his past life, where he had trained in an archery club.

As he saw his wife's delighted and admiring gaze, Lin Heng felt a deep sense of contentment. He realized the true meaning of life wasn't in poetry or distant dreams, nor in wealth, but in the smiles of his wife and child.

"Then, we'll hunt more often," Chen Xiulan said, placing the mulberry fungus into their basket before picking up the squirrel and inspecting it, her eyes sparkling.

Lin Heng couldn't help but run his hand through her disheveled hair, feeling a deep sense of joy in being needed.

Chen Xiulan froze for a moment, taken aback by his gentle gesture. But she quickly smiled, saying, "Let's go, it's getting late."

Although they hadn't collected much, they had traversed two large parts of the mountain, walking back and forth countless times.

"Okay! I'll carry Xiaoxia, and you can carry the rest." Lin Heng nodded.

"I'll carry her, in case we see another squirrel, you'll be able to shoot it." Chen Xiulan insisted. After hearing that one squirrel had been scared away, she had been upset for a while since that was worth four or five yuan.

Lin Heng didn't argue. Going down the mountain was easy, and it was already routine for his wife.

After packing up, they started their descent. After a few steps, Chen Xiulan started chatting.

"Husband…"

"Change how you address me," Lin Heng shook his head.

"Huh?" Chen Xiulan looked confused.

"Call me 'Hubby'!" Lin Heng said with a smile.

Although the term "husband" hadn't become widespread yet and was mostly used by younger people, Lin Heng wanted to hear it.

Chen Xiulan paused. She had only heard people in the city use that term. After a moment of hesitation, she didn't refuse and said, "Hubby."

After saying it, she felt a bit awkward, but as long as Lin Heng continued to be like he was today, she was happy to call him anything.

"Haha, wife, you say it so well. Keep calling me that from now on," Lin Heng laughed contentedly.

Chen Xiulan continued, "Hubby, what do you think about splitting the family?"

Dividing the family wasn't just about building separate houses; it involved dividing the land, basic furniture, and so on. She wanted to know Lin Heng's thoughts.

"I've thought it through. We have 30 acres of land and 600 acres of forest. No matter how Dad divides it, I've decided I want the land on the west side of the village with the red maple hill and the land at the base of it." Lin Heng spoke as they walked.

"That place? Why?" Chen Xiulan was confused. The soil there wasn't very fertile, and the red maple hill was a mixed wood forest without big trees, so it wasn't valuable.

Lin Heng had two reasons for choosing this place. First, the village road would eventually pass by here, and by 1986, a national highway would be nearby, making it conveniently accessible.

The second reason was that the red maple hill was a gentle slope, only about 10 to 20 degrees, and there was a stream that flowed year-round next to it. The distance to the distant maple river wasn't far either.

It was an ideal location for a farm or orchard.

The third reason was that the area was far from the village's population center, so it wouldn't disturb anyone else.

Moreover, unlike other areas where the land and forest were scattered in small parcels, the red maple hill and its surrounding land were all connected, allowing for easy enclosure without worrying about disputes.

Given these advantages, Lin Heng felt that the slightly barren land was acceptable.

"Because it's all one piece, and there's water, it's perfect for farming or setting up an orchard..." Lin Heng explained.

When Chen Xiulan heard that he wanted to set up a farm and orchard, she instinctively felt it might not be practical.

But then, thinking it over, it seemed better than him disappearing all the time, so she nodded, "Well, you can choose that place then."

"Shh!"

At that moment, Lin Heng suddenly motioned for silence and quietly put down the basket before creeping toward the left.

Chen Xiulan also tensed, following his gaze. She saw a wild pheasant pecking at the ground about ten meters away.

Lin Heng had only managed to advance five meters before a tree branch blocked his path. Making a big move would surely alert the pheasant.

But at this distance of at least eight or nine meters, he wasn't sure if he could hit it. The thought made him sweat.

Without time to hesitate, he pulled out the best stone from his pocket, aimed for five seconds, took a deep breath, and released the stone with a whoosh.

The pheasant flapped its wings and flew up, but just when Lin Heng and Chen Xiulan thought they had missed, it suddenly fell back down and scurried off.

"It's injured!!"

Lin Heng instantly understood and immediately started chasing after it.

The chase was intense, with Lin Heng running while shooting with the slingshot.

In the distance, Lin Xiaoxia raised her hands and cheered: "Wow... wow..."

Chen Xiulan was filled with tension. They had a few chickens at home, but they rarely ate them, keeping them mainly for eggs.

In the blink of an eye, Lin Heng had run far ahead, and it took over ten minutes before he finally emerged from the forest.

Seeing her husband empty-handed, Chen Xiulan felt disappointed and sorry, "Did you lose it?"

"Yes, I really am useless," Lin Heng replied, disheartened.

"Don't blame yourself. The slingshot is tricky, and the trees were in the way. There might be another chance," Chen Xiulan consoled him, not scolding him. She felt it was a shame, but with the squirrel they already had, she was content.

"I was just joking! How could I fail?" Lin Heng laughed heartily and pulled out a large gray pheasant, almost two pounds.

One of the things Lin Heng loved most about his wife was that, unlike other women in the village who would easily scold their husbands for being useless, Chen Xiulan remained kind and patient. Even when Lin Heng was aimless, she still cooked for him, washed his clothes, and spoke to him softly.

It was because of her gentle nature that Lin Heng felt so guilty and regretful after her passing, carrying that sorrow throughout his life.

(End of Chapter)