Reborn in 80: Starting with hunting in the mountains to get rich

Chapter 448 The Li family, one of the five beneficiaries, has an accident.

Li Ju'an was hauling timber for his father-in-law. In the freezing cold, he led a large mule, followed by nine hunting dogs, and three hunting eagles perched on the ropes binding his shoulders and the mule's rump.

In the snow-covered landscape, he heard rustling sounds ahead, and upon closer listening, he realized it was a young woman crying.

He led the mule carrying the timber over and saw a familiar face. It was the daughter of Old Li, a recipient of the Five Guarantees (a government welfare program for the elderly and disabled). He hadn't seen her for three years; she had grown so much, probably in middle school, pretty and delicate, but she just kept hugging a snowdrift and crying.

He remembered that the daughter of the Li family was named Li Qingqing. He had had several disputes with the five-guarantee household member, and they had also been sworn brothers. They were from the same village and both had the surname Li. They could have been family five hundred years ago.

He walked up to her and asked, "Li Qingqing, what's wrong with you? Why are you squatting there?"

Li Qingqing looked up, bursting into tears. When she saw that the man was dressed as a hunter, wearing a dog-skin hat and followed by hunting dogs, she immediately felt relieved. She hugged Li Ju'an's trouser leg and cried loudly, "Grandpa is dead."

Li Ju'an was taken aback. The old man from the Li family? The father of Old Li, who was on welfare?

He remembered Old Li's father, that hardworking old man, a widower who shouldered the burden for the family. When Old Li was idle, he persuaded his lazy son and took the initiative to take care of his grandchildren.

Li Ju'an quickly called out, "Little girl, don't be anxious, tell me slowly, what happened to your grandfather?"

Li Qingqing, sobbing and limping, led Li Ju'an to see the grave mound. Only then did he discover that there was a cenotaph beside the snow path leading into the mountains, containing only clothing and a crookedly carved memorial tablet.

Li Qingqing told him that her grandfather had taken her younger brother into the mountains and hadn't returned for seven days.

Li Ju'an was startled and quickly asked her, "Your father didn't tell the brigade leader to organize the hunters to search the mountains for people either."

Li Qingqing shook her head and said, "Dad has been drunk for days. When he wakes up, he throws up and says that Mom abandoned him and ran away with someone else. I told Dad, but he hit me and told me not to bother him. So I didn't dare to say anything."

Li Ju'an felt a pang of heartache. This little girl, only thirteen or fourteen years old, just a few years older than her younger sister Li Xiao, was already so sensible. She could support herself, take care of Old Li, and even build a cenotaph for her grandfather and younger brother in the mountains.

He hurriedly led Li Qingqing out of the mountains, saying, "Let's go to our house first and have a pot of hot tea to warm up. After you've recovered, we'll go to the village head and explain the situation. I'll help you go into the mountains to find your grandfather and brother!"

Li Qingqing nodded emphatically, her eyes brimming with tears, looking pitiful and endearing.

Li Ju'an unloaded the timber from the mule and the sled behind it at the Li family's self-built house, and led Li Qingqing inside. When her mother, Song Lanhua, saw that the child's lips were purple and blue from the cold, and there were tear stains on her face, she felt extremely distressed.

Several people ran to Captain Yang Dezheng and explained what had happened. Yang Dezheng was still on the phone with his superiors, dialing several busy lines, and he was so angry that he almost threw up and quit.

Hearing Li Ju'an enter, he quickly looked up and said, "Little Li, you've come at the right time. I had to come to your house to make a phone call; I just couldn't stand it anymore. This phone is disgusting. Now, just hearing the operator's voice gives me a headache."

He was still muttering to himself when he saw Li Ju'an solemnly leading Li Qingqing into the room, followed by Lin Jiadong from the Lin family, Lin's father, Song Lanhua, and Li Xiao. With so many people, Yang Dezheng's expression immediately turned serious. He pointed to the bench and said, "Sit down, everyone. What happened? Tell me."

Li Qingqing recounted the events of the past seven days to Yang Dezheng. The young girl was clear-headed, and although she sobbed and cried several times halfway through her story, she didn't mince words about what needed to be explained.

Winter was bitterly cold, and the family didn't have enough firewood. Old Li returned from town drunk and collapsed on the ground, leaving only his grandfather to care for his two grandchildren. The grandfather went into the mountains to gather firewood, and the younger brother, bored waiting at home, insisted on going with his grandfather. While the grandfather and grandson went into the mountains, Li Qingqing stayed home to cook corn porridge and take care of Old Li.

The grandfather and grandson didn't come out all afternoon. Li Qingqing felt something was wrong and tried to wake Old Li, but he got annoyed and beat her up. She could only sob and, holding the only flashlight in the house, lead her watchdog, Da Huang, into the mountains to look for her grandfather and younger brother. Following their footprints, she found her grandfather's handkerchief and her younger brother's shoe, which was still stained with blood.

The bloodstains were dragged along the forest floor, clearly indicating that it had been carried away by a wild animal.

Li Qingqing was frightened and wanted to call her watchdog, Da Huang, to go back. But Da Huang barked loudly into the woods, and a moment later a green-skinned dog appeared. The green-skinned dog glared at Li Qingqing, and Da Huang, baring its teeth fiercely to protect its owner, was afraid of the large dog and dared not approach.

Greenie tried to drag Li Qingqing away, and Da Huang angrily barked and barked, even daring to bite Greenie's hind leg. This enraged Greenie. Greenie turned and bit through Da Huang's spine, dragging the guard dog into the woods before it could even howl.

As Li Qingqing recounted this, she broke down in tears, as if experiencing a nightmare. A loyal dog would protect its master; terrified, she didn't turn back, still clutching her grandfather's handkerchief and her younger brother's cloth shoes. She ran for two miles before finally finding a snowy spot near the village to bury her grandfather and brother's clothes, creating a cenotaph.

She remembered that when her grandmother passed away, her grandfather also made a cenotaph for her, so she followed suit and carved words crookedly on a wooden board with stone slabs, which she then placed on a snowdrift as a tombstone.

After listening to her story, Captain Yang Dezheng asked her, "Why didn't you come looking for me in these seven days? Seven days have passed, and I can't find any footprints. So many snowfalls have happened, what could you possibly find by following me?"

Li Qingqing cried and said, "Captain Yang, I came to see you, have you forgotten?"

Yang Dezheng suddenly remembered. Six days ago, when the director of the Women's Federation came to talk to him, Li Qingqing had indeed come by. The director of the Women's Federation had said at the time that Lijiatun was very quiet, and the women and children were living a fulfilling and harmonious life. If this were in other villages, there would be far too many cases of men beating their wives, wives beating their husbands, and men and women fighting each other.

Yang Dezheng was beaming with pride, boasting smugly, when his secretary told him that Li Qingqing was coming to see him. He immediately thought of Old Li, the carefree, good-for-nothing recipient, and assumed his daughter was coming to complain about him. The director of the Women's Federation was still in front of him, and he was still bragging; how could he let himself be embarrassed so quickly?

He quickly waved his hand and told his assistant to pass on the message: "Tell her to come see me again tomorrow, I have guests."

"okay."