Rebirth: Not Being a Waste - Chapter 22

Zhang Shu carries the large basket of meat to his grandparents’ room. “Grandma, I went hunting in the mountains today. This wild boar was shot by me and… Li Yan. We split it in half.”

“Ah’shu, how could you go to such a dangerous place? If you want to eat meat, I’ll give you money!” Grandma Zhang bursts into tears as she looks at the basket of meat. If Zhang Shu were as bold as others, she might be able to accept it, but her grandson is more timid than anyone she knows.

“Did your second aunt say something to you?” she asks, sensing that someone must have pressured him to work so hard.

“No, Grandma. I just want to learn a skill. People like me can’t do anything except farming. What if the family’s fields are gone one day? It’s always good to have more skills to rely on.”

Grandma Zhang, however, thinks to herself, Why would he suddenly talk about losing the land? Could it be that he’s afraid his second uncle and aunt are plotting to take his property, so he’s secretly preparing another way out?

For a moment, she chokes up and starts crying again, unable to find the right words.

Zhang Shu has no idea what his grandma is imagining. If he knew, he would definitely say, Grandma, you’re overthinking it.

“Take this basket of meat and give it to our relatives in the village. I want to use the rest for dinner,” he says.

“You finally got your hands on it—why give it away? You can’t just hand it out for free, or people will take advantage of you. Sell it at a lower price instead,” Grandma Zhang says firmly. “By the way, who are you inviting for dinner?”

“I’m inviting Brother Laiwang. We’re not relatives, but he’s always taken care of me. The last time the village chief needed a bookkeeper, he was the one who recommended me.”

“Alright, it’s up to you. Grandma will handle the cooking.”

“Oh, and there’s also a bucket of small fish. You can cook those too. They’ll go well with rice.”

Once the preparations for dinner are done, Zhang Shu sets out to invite his guests. Though he mainly wants to invite Laiwang, he figures it will be livelier with more company, so he also invites Zhou Da and Yu Xiaoliu, whom he has worked with before and gets along with well.

Since childhood, Zhang Shu has almost never brought friends home, so Grandma Zhang takes this dinner very seriously. She starts preparing early in the morning.

He chooses this particular day because his second uncle and his family have gone to his second aunt’s maternal family home to celebrate a birthday. With no one around to disturb him, it’s the perfect time to host guests.

Large chunks of braised pork simmer in a pot, small river fish are fried to a crisp, and a whole pig’s head is boiled, then chopped and mixed with sauce into several bowls. Two pig trotters are stewed over low heat until they turn tender, and fresh vegetables from the garden are stir-fried with meat.

Looking at the spread on the table, Grandma Zhang feels a little heartache. Even on New Year’s, they don’t eat this well. Though the wild boar hasn’t cost money, using up nearly half of it in one meal still feels like watching money slip away.

But as long as her Ah’shu can form good connections, it’s worth it.

By noon, Laiwang, Zhou Da, and Yu Xiaoliu arrive together, and they don’t come empty-handed. They have pooled their money to buy a jar of wine.

Zhang Shu goes out to greet them, feeling relieved. These are the kind of people he can form true friendships with—not just those who talk big but never follow through.

“Brothers, please come in! But where are your wives and children?” Zhang Shu has invited their whole families.

But how could they have the nerve to bring their families? They simply laugh it off and wave away the suggestion.

Seeing this, Zhang Shu picks up a basket, loads it with food from the table, and prepares to head out.

“Wait, what are you doing?” Laiwang hurries to stop him.

“My two elder brothers didn’t bring their families, so I feel guilty eating all this. I packed some good food to send to your homes so they can have a taste too.”

“No, no, they can just eat whatever they have at home!” Zhou Da steps in to stop him as well.

But Zhang Shu is insistent. The two are at a standstill when Yu Xiaoliu suddenly bursts out laughing. “Alright, alright, I’ll go call your their families. It’s just a meal—why be so formal?”

Zhang Shu grins. “Exactly! Hurry and bring them over!”

Yu Xiaoliu isn’t married yet. Being a bachelor, he has no household burdens and is carefree.

Sure enough, under his persuasive words, Zhou Da’s wife and Laiwang’s husband arrive with their children.

Zhou Da has two daughters, and Laiwang has a son—all under ten years old. The three children shyly greet Zhang Shu, their big eyes filled with curiosity.

Zhang Shu smiles, nods at them, grabs a handful of candies for each child, and sends them off to play.

Meanwhile, Zhou Da’s wife and Laiwang’s husband help Grandma Zhang with the food. The men gather in the yard, chatting while watching the children run around happily.

For farmers, there isn’t much to ask for—just a family that stays together, warm and well-fed. If the children can learn to read a few words, that’s even better.

At noon, everyone eats heartily. Aside from the occasional clinking of glasses between the men, there is barely any conversation—everyone is too busy eating.

Yu Xiaoliu takes a sip of wine and lets out a satisfied sigh. “Brother Shu, after today’s meal, I won’t even think about meat for at least a month.”

“Yeah, not even during festivals do we eat like this,” Zhou Da agrees.

“Brother Zhang Shu is a real man—capable and reliable. Maybe we’ll all be depending on you in the future,” Laiwang chuckles, his eyes filled with sincerity.

Grandma Zhang loves hearing people praise Zhang Shu and immediately chimes in, “Eat up, eat up! There’s plenty of meat! Our Ah’shu went up the mountain with Li Yan yesterday and caught a wild boar!”

Everyone is stunned.

Zhang Shu? Hunting with Li Yan?

These two are well-known figures in the village—both silent types. The difference is that Zhang Shu is ignored by others, while Li Yan actively ignores everyone. No one would have thought they would go hunting together.

Zhang Shu lets out an awkward chuckle, secretly relieved that Li Yan isn’t talkative. At least he won’t spill anything.

After the meal, the men sit in the yard, letting the warm afternoon breeze sober them up while the others clean up.

Grandma Zhang, being familiar with Laiwang’s husband, packs a plate of meat and vegetables for him to take home. She does the same for Zhou Da’s wife. Only after seeing Laiwang’s husband accept his share does she accept hers.

As for Yu Xiaoliu, since he is young and unmarried, it isn’t appropriate for him to take a share. So, Grandma Zhang gives his portion to Laiwang’s husband to pass along.

Laiwang’s husband and Yu Xiaoliu are cousins, so there is no awkwardness between them. This is also why Laiwang often brings Yu Xiaoliu along despite his young age.

This simple but heartfelt meal firmly establishes Zhang Shu among these men. After all, in Chinese culture, the dining table is the best place to forge relationships.

The next morning, Zhang Shu wakes up at dawn. He splashes his face with cold well water, fully waking himself up, then stretches and jogs all the way to Li Mujin’s house.

The bruises from being trampled by the wild boar have disappeared overnight. Aside from a few scars on his palms, he looks perfectly fine. To avoid suspicion, he wraps a cloth around his hand to cover them.

When he arrives at Li Mujin’s house, he hesitates outside for a while before starting to jog around it.

On his third lap, he nearly collides with someone—a tall, burly man with a scarred face and a scruffy beard. His intimidating presence makes Zhang Shu freeze.

It’s Li Mujin’s father.

With a stern expression, he asks, “Why are you running around my house?” He recognizes Zhang Shu—his little Jin’er talks about him all the time.

“Un… Uncle Li, I’m here to find Brother Li Yan,” Zhang Shu stammers.

“Aren’t you here to see Jin’er?”

“…I want to see him too,” Zhang Shu admits honestly.

Li Mujin’s father is taken aback. After a brief silence, he lets out a huff. “Come in.”