Once we'd rested up, the six of us pushed on, all young and strong, feet flying. I'd figured we still had a long way to go, but not even half an hour later a faint, soft, goat-like bleating drifted downwind into my ears.
Donkey perked right up, grabbed my arm, and dropped his voice. "Chunzhu, hear that? Roe deer, no doubt about it." He swallowed. "Now that's good eating. Tender meat. Not gamey, not tough. Six grown guys splitting it, that's a good few pounds each at least. We're finally getting a treat today."
The second they heard roe deer, everyone's tiredness vanished. Eyes lit up all around, and they quietly set their hunting rifles against the trees and bent down to grab their spears.
I frowned. "These spears'll actually do the job on a roe deer? What if you miss and it bolts?"
Dummy thumped his chest. "Rest easy, hundred and twenty percent. This is our specialty. Works better than a gun. You just hang back here and stay quiet. Watch us put on a show."
Donkey shot them a look and they caught on instantly. Held their breath, hunched down, stepped as light as they could, and fanned out quietly toward the sound, forming an encircling ring.
I stood there like a good boy, not daring to breathe loud.
Right then, Dummy, standing next to me, suddenly called out twice toward the deep woods. My heart jumped. Won't that just scare the deer off?
But before I could think it through, in under twenty seconds a roe deer actually came ambling out of the trees. Easy as you please.
That deer stood a foot and a half, two feet tall, its pale brown fuzz shining in the sun, a pair of short horns on its head, a face full of dopey innocence. The moment it spotted me and Dummy, instead of running off, it actually padded closer, small steps, like it was bursting with curiosity, its big eyes locked dead on me like it was checking out some fascinating new thing.
Man alive. Exactly like the stories say. Dumb as a post and cute as anything.
Meanwhile, with its attention fully on me, Donkey and the others quietly drew in from all sides, closing the distance step by step, so keyed up they hardly dared breathe.
Just as the deer came within two or three steps of us, Dummy, who'd been standing stock still, suddenly let out an almighty roar.
Caught totally off guard, the deer shuddered all over, fur bristling, and whipped around to bolt back. But Donkey and the others all bellowed at once, the shouts echoing through the woods, and it panicked completely, just kept its head down and ran for its life. So rattled it forgot which way to go, charging straight toward Donkey.
Donkey had long since dropped into a crouch, waiting, both hands gripping his spear like a vise, eyes unblinking. The instant the deer came barreling up in front of him, he shot up with a savage yell and drove the spear into the deer's neck with everything he had. Clean, decisive, not a shred of hesitation. Clearly something he'd drilled countless times.
Thunk. The spear point buried itself square in the neck, blood streaming down the shaft, staining his hands red.
The deer let out an anguished cry, staggered a couple of steps, its head drooping, limbs twitching a few times, then toppled stiff into the snow and went still.
Everyone let out a collective breath and crowded in, delighted.
I hurried over, looked at the still-dripping spear in Donkey's hand, then at the deer in the snow, and threw up a heartfelt thumbs-up. "Donkey, beautiful. Beautiful. One smooth motion start to finish. That was an eye-opener."
Donkey pulled out the spear, looking pleased with himself, wiped the blood clean on the snow, then bent down and hoisted the deer onto his shoulder. "Not that heavy. Easy carrying. That's nothing, everyday stuff," he grinned. "Come on, I'll take you to check the snares we set. Might be a nice surprise waiting."
On the way, Iron Egg sidled up to brag about their hunting exploits. "The snares work great. Often catch pheasants and rabbits. Get lucky and you'll even snag a wild boar. Us brothers once teamed up and took down a six-hundred-pounder. Whole village ate meat for days."
Still chatting and joking, we reached the snare spot. Donkey looked it over carefully, then suddenly grinned. "Boys, we got a haul."
In a few of the hemp rope snares, two speckled pheasants were flapping their wings, and four fat rabbits were curled up on the ground, shivering.
"Perfect. Luck's off the charts today."
Everyone freed them from the snares, bound up the game, hoisted the deer, grabbed the pheasants and rabbits, and headed back to the village, laughing and talking.
"Where are we going to eat all this game?" Iron Egg asked.
Donkey made the call. "Chunzhu's place. Roomy house, and he just got to the village, doesn't have any meat. Whatever we don't finish, we'll leave for him to build his strength back up."
Everyone cheered the idea. I laughed and waved it off. "What's there to be polite about? I'm thrilled. Perfect chance to learn the ropes of hunting from you all."
We'd barely gone a few steps into the village when we ran smack into a woman carrying a cloth sack, headed down toward the foot of the mountain. Floral print cotton jacket, hair combed neat, delicate features, gentle bearing. It was Li Xiuhua, the one who'd come asking me for a child that day.
"Xiuhua, where are you off to in this cold?" Donkey called out warmly.
Xiuhua turned, and seeing it was them, a soft smile spread across her face. She gave the sack a little shake. "Just back from the mountains? That's a real nice haul." Her eyes swept over the deer and the pheasants. "I'm heading to the sent-down youth station. My own little sister's among the new girl youths this year. Bringing her some dry rations and warm clothes. It's cold up here. Don't want her freezing or going hungry."
"Oh, your sister's come to be a youth in our village too?" Donkey's eyes lit up. "What luck. Xiuhua, grab your sister and the other girl youth and all come eat at Chunzhu's place. We bagged plenty of game today, perfect for a welcome dinner for him."
Everyone chimed in warmly, urging her along. Xiuhua couldn't refuse and accepted gratefully. "Then thank you all so much. I'll go get Xiuqian and Shuhong right now. We'll be there quick."
We got to my place, a modest earth-brick house, the yard swept clean. "Come on in. Set the stuff down. Let's tidy up and eat," I called out.
But Donkey waved me off. "You go handle things inside. We'll dress the deer out in the yard. The organs I'm taking back to feed the dogs. That's the rule in the mountains. You come back from a hunt, the gun and the dogs both get a share. These Hanwang hounds of mine got to eat some raw organ meat to keep their edge, or they won't run the game down next time."
The guys got to work in the yard. Donkey skinned the deer. The fur was soft, no trouble, peeled the whole hide off in one piece. Dry it out and it'd make a warm fur coat. Iron Egg and Dummy plucked the pheasants and rabbits with quick, practiced hands.
I went to pitch in, but Donkey stopped me. "You just got here, don't know the ropes. Go inside and rest. Wait for a hot meal."
So I went in to set the table and lay out the bowls and chopsticks, a warmth spreading through me. These mountain guys, blunt as they were, were so genuine it put a person at ease.
Just as they were about to portion out the venison, footsteps came from outside. Xiuhua led the two girl youths into the yard.
"Stop all that, you fellas. Leave the fine work to us." Xiuhua rolled up her sleeves. "You brothers have had a long day. Go inside, rest, and wait to eat." She pulled forward two girls with neat bobbed hair and pretty faces, and introduced them with a smile. "This is my own little sister, Xiuqian, and this is Shuhong. Both youths from my city, still young. Please look after them from here on."
The two girls bowed shyly. "Big brothers, please take good care of us from now on."
"What's there to be formal about? Same village. Of course we look out for each other." Donkey gave an honest grin, waved everyone inside to rest, and handed the yard work over to the girls.