Chapter 21 – Distance Makes the Heart Grow Fonder (1)

Shen Fei shifted himself around, sitting on the edge of the bed. He rolled up both his sleeves and wiped his face with the damp cloth Zhao Xi had left for him. He went slow; he only had one working hand and the movement pulled at his wounds.

An exotic scent hung over the room. It had a soporific effect, making everything seem soft and daydreamy, like an illusion. The sun was already high in the sky. He lay back down, figuring it was probably close to nine o’clock by now.

Did she get up late?

Propping his upper body up, Shen Fei opened the bowl to see what dishes had been left inside.

It was shrimp, the only thing he was able to eat recently. Ever since falling over the waterfall, his body was too weak to stomach rich or greasy foods. Boiled shrimp had a fishy smell, so Zhao Xi would usually add some spice to improve the taste. He didn’t like it, and it took quite a lot of effort to pick it out of the dish. By the time he was done, the dishes had all cooled. The medicine was stone cold by the time he finished eating.

He stared at it for a while, but eventually capitulated and drank it. He set the empty bowl on the bedside table and took the book from the pillow, intending to continue from where he left off yesterday.

It was a slim book, and he was almost finished with it. Normally, he’d be able to finish it quickly, but he was strangely in a sour mood today. His concentration was in tatters and eventually he gave it up, frustrated.

Instead, Shen Fei decided to test out the new triangular stand. He tried to support his body with the frame but fell down after one step. He pulled himself up again. The stand was well made. The bamboo knots were tied with rope to make it easier for him to hold and pull himself up again when he fell.

Not only was Zhao Xi gone today, but Ping An too. Where could they have gone?

*

Zhao Xi and Ping An had gone on a hunting trip. Winter was coming and most bears would go into hibernation soon. She needed to help Ping An bulk up now, or there wouldn’t be enough food for him during the winter.

Bears didn’t have to hibernate. The main reason for it was the lack of food during winter and the difficulty of hunting. As much as bears loved to fish, if they weren’t able to dry their coats after splashing around in the frigid waters, it was easy for them to freeze to death. It was easier just to hibernate until spring.

Ping An only hibernated during the coldest spell, usually around the time of the heavy snow in early December. The rest of the time he was active, hunting for his food. Zhao Xi would check on him during hibernation, sometimes bringing fish she’d caught or bought from the village store. She’d leave them in his cave, so he had food waiting when he woke.

The real hassle was taking Ping An out to hunt before the heavy snow. They had to keep hunting until he’d eaten enough for winter. For the sake of convenience, she just slept with the bear, not going back home, and subsisting on steamed buns.

Running back and forth was too time consuming, so she planned to take the bear hunting for three to five days, sleeping and eating on the road. The animals in this part of the valley were small, which wouldn’t do. It would take too long and too much prey to satisfy the bear. She’d hunt outside the area and bring back a big beast, one that could fill the bear’s stomach for a few days.

During this season, Ping An’s only mission was to eat non-stop. A wild boar weighed 300 to 500 jin (150 to 250 kg), enough to satiate the bear for a few days, during which Zhao Xi could go home and rest.

There was an old saying in the forest, “Boars first, bears second, and tigers third.” A ranking of how dangerous it was to encounter each. Boars were strong, fat, and fierce. One of those would be great food for Ping An, but boars were pugnacious. A boar would fight until it died, especially a male one.

Zhao Xi and Ping An did encounter a boar, a male one. Working together as a team, they were able to bring the beast down, but not without sustaining some injuries.

Ping An was covered in scratches from the boar’s fangs. The boar was crazed; even Zhao Xi’s anesthetics hadn’t been enough to put it down. She was injured too. When she’d stabbed the boar, it had dragged her along the ground before she could retrieve her knife, hurting her back.

Once the wild beast was finally dead, they dressed the meat and ate it. Zhao Xi created a rack out of some branches where she could load up the leftover meat and have Ping An carry it back. She couldn’t walk fast, since her legs were battered from the fight, and she had to stop and rest every once in a while.

To stave off boredom, she found a long straight stick and began to shave it, making a crutch. It would be for Shen Fei, so she worked diligently at it. There was no need to hurry, so she picked herbs on the way back to the cottage. She could sell them after they were dried.