Flip the table and divide the family property! Take his wife and daughter into the mountains and eat

The 29th day of the twelfth lunar month, just after the Little New Year.

At the foot of the Greater Khingan Mountains, in Kaoshantun, the sky was so overcast it looked like an overturned black pot.

The north wind, whipping up snowflakes, whistled and howled through the bare treetops.

Logically speaking, the whole village should be filled with the joyous atmosphere of the New Year on this day.

But today, the air in Kaoshantun is filled with a sour, stinky smell of rumors.

Inside the Zhao family's new house, however, was a completely different world.

The room was scorching hot, and half of the frost on the windowpane had melted, letting in a few slivers of hazy light.

"Da da da... da da da..."

The rhythmic hum of the sewing machine was like a cheerful little tune, effectively keeping the cold wind outside the wall at bay.

Lin Xiu sat by the window, her feet lightly stepping on the pedals, the red floral cloth in her hand flowing like water from under the gleaming needles.

That was a new cotton-padded jacket made for Niu Niu. The lining was filled with freshly fluffed cotton from this year, as soft as clouds.

Niu Niu lay on the warm kang (heated brick bed), half a White Rabbit milk candy in her mouth, watching her mother work. Her big eyes sparkled with contentment.

Zhao Shanhe sat cross-legged at the end of the kang (a heated brick bed), holding a piece of shiny deerskin in his hand, carefully wiping his old hunting rifle.

"Master..."

Lin Xiu continued working, but her voice carried a hint of worry:

"Why are there so many people loitering around the courtyard gate so early in the morning? I saw that... that Zhao Laosan, he was just pretending to pass by, and his eyes were sinister."

Zhao Shanhe dripped a drop of lubricant into the breechblock without even looking up, a cold smile playing on his lips.

"Ignore them. They're just jealous watching us eat meat; they're getting greedy."

However, the situation outside the courtyard gate was far more vicious than Zhao Shanhe had described.

Outside the low wall at the entrance of the Zhao family's gate, a small group of people had gathered at some point.

This group of people is like a swarm of flies drawn to a fishy smell, gathered here, waiting to watch a good show called "The Building Collapses".

In the very center of the crowd stood two people who didn't like each other at all—Old Lady Zhao and Lin Dapao.

At this moment, the two in-laws unexpectedly formed a "united front".

Old Mrs. Zhao, her hands tucked into her sleeves, her nose red from the cold, was still spraying venom:

"I knew it! Arrogance brings trouble! What kind of person is Zhao Shanhe? When the family divided the property, he wasn't even given a pair of chopsticks, and now, just a few days later, he's bought a sewing machine and a bicycle?"

"That money couldn't have come from an honest source, could it? I bet it was either stolen or involved in speculation! That's a sure way to land you in jail!"

Lin Dapao puffed on his pipe, his triangular eyes gleaming with a sinister light.

"My mother-in-law is right. I just saw the head of the security bureau making a phone call to the commune, acting all mysterious. Hmph, maybe he was reporting on this matter."

"Just wait, the real show is yet to come. Once they're in jail, all that stuff will be confiscated!"

Upon hearing this, the few sycophantic idlers around immediately perked up.

"Really? They're going to arrest someone?"

"Definitely! These days, who among ordinary people can afford the 'three major items'? I think Old Zhao is in trouble!"

Malicious speculation spread among the people like a plague.

Lin Qiang had even started fantasizing about how he would sneak away with the radio when his brother-in-law was arrested.

Just as these people were getting into gossiping...

"Buzz—!!!"

A deep, powerful sound, accompanied by a distinct mechanical roar, suddenly erupted from the end of the snow track at the village entrance.

The sound was extraordinary; it was the roar of a steel engine exploding in the extreme cold, carrying an overwhelming pressure that crushed everything.

What's that noise?

Everyone instinctively shut their mouths and craned their necks to look at the village entrance.

At the end of the gray, snowy road, a military green 212 jeep, kicking up clouds of snow dust, came hurtling towards them like a runaway steel beast.

The snow kicked up by the wheels flew several meters away, startling the stray dogs by the roadside who tucked their tails and howled.

What did a Jeep represent in this remote mountain village in the early 80s?

It represents "public" and "arresting people"!

The crowd erupted in chaos.

"My goodness! It really is a car!"

"A pair of peaked caps! It must be the county's peaked caps!"

"Boss Zhao is finished this time! He's really in trouble!"

Grandma Zhao slapped her thigh excitedly, her face crinkling into a wide smile:

"God has eyes! Karma has finally caught up with this jinx! I'm going to spit in his face later!"

Lin Dapao was also excited, shrinking his neck and backing away, afraid of getting splattered with blood, but his greedy eyes were fixed on the Zhao family's tightly closed gate.

"squeak--!"

The jeep braked suddenly and came to a smooth stop in front of the Zhao family's gate.

The black smoke coming out of the exhaust pipe sprayed directly into Old Lady Zhao's face.

But she didn't bother wiping it; she was only focused on staring wide-eyed at the people in the car.

Inside the house, Lin Xiu heard the sound of brakes, her face instantly turned as white as paper, and her whole body trembled uncontrollably.

"Master... is the car... really here to arrest us? Mother was shouting outside just now... saying it's about speculation and profiteering..."

Zhao Shanhe assembled the cleaned hunting rifle with a "click," slowly put on the sheepskin coat, and gently patted Lin Xiu's shoulder:

"Don't panic. If you haven't done anything wrong, you have nothing to fear. I'm staying at home, who can arrest me?"

After saying that, he strode out the door.

Zhao Shanhe stood on the steps, squinting at the jeep.

The car door was violently pushed open.

The whole village held their breath, and Old Lady Zhao had even prepared the most vicious words.

However, it wasn't the police who got off.

Instead, he was a fat man wearing a white shirt, a greasy military overcoat, and covered in sweat.

As soon as he got out of the car, without even closing the door, he trudged through the deep snow towards the yard, waving his hands and shouting at the top of his lungs:

"Brother Zhao! Master Zhao! My dear grandfather! Help!!"

This shout completely stunned everyone who was waiting to see the joke.

Help? My own grandfather?

Is this... arresting a criminal or offering sacrifices to ancestors?

Zhao Shanhe took a closer look and laughed.

It was Song Weiguo, the head of the purchasing department of the county's state-run hotel.

"Section Chief Song?"

Zhao Shanhe smiled enigmatically, "What are you up to during the New Year? I thought I'd broken some heavenly law and the county was sending someone to execute me."

Song Weiguo almost knelt down, rushing forward to tightly grasp Zhao Shanhe's hand, sweat streaming down his chubby face:

"Brother Zhao! Stop joking! I'm really frantic with worry! It's extremely urgent!"

"Our head chef, Liu Changchun, is practically slitting his own throat with a cleaver in the kitchen!"

Song Weiguo, panting heavily, spoke rapidly, afraid that if he hesitated even a second, Zhao Shanhe would refuse him: "Tonight, foreign guests from the province are coming to dine! The main course was already decided, it's a specialty of Northeast China—'Flying Dragon Soup'! But... but the new apprentice in the kitchen is a greenhorn, he killed the live flying dragon in its cage while cleaning! He bled it dry, plucked all its feathers, and all the flavor is gone!"

"If we can't serve the food, that'll be a major diplomatic incident! Chef Liu will have to be dismissed and investigated, and I'll be fired too! Our restaurant's reputation will be ruined!"

Zhao Shanhe raised an eyebrow: "Flying Dragon Bird? It's the dead of winter, the mountains are all closed off, even pheasants are hard to catch, where are you going to catch a live Flying Dragon Bird?"

"That's why I've come to ask you for help!"

Song Weiguo was so anxious he stamped his feet. He turned around, pointed at the jeep, and deliberately raised his voice, so loud that the villagers outside the courtyard wall could hear the ringing in their ears.

Chef Liu's exact words: "Go to Qingyang Town and find Zhao Shanhe! No one else can do this!"

Song Weiguo turned around, pointed at the jeep, and deliberately raised his voice, making the villagers outside the courtyard wall's ears ring:

"Master Liu said! That day in the kitchen, that mad dog that bit seven or eight strong men was subdued by you, Brother Zhao, with just one hand! The person who can subdue that kind of ferocious dog with his bare hands is the true 'Mountain God' of the Greater Khingan Mountains!"

boom!

The crowd outside the courtyard wall instantly erupted in chaos.

Old Mrs. Zhao's smile froze on her face, and Lin Dapao's pipe fell to the ground.

Arresting people? They're just "inviting a god"! He's an indispensable "benefactor" for the county's state-owned enterprises!

Song Weiguo pulled a stack of colorful tickets from his pocket and shoved them into Zhao Shanhe's hand:

"Brother Zhao, this is the deposit! 50 jin of national grain coupons, 10 jin of meat coupons, and two industrial vouchers!"

"As long as you're willing to step in, from now on, state-run restaurants will have the exclusive right to buy mountain produce!"

Seeing that thick stack of tickets, the surrounding villagers' eyes lit up with envy.

Zhao Shanhe held the ticket and glanced at the "relatives" at the door who had just wanted to trample him to death, a cold smile curling at the corner of his mouth.

He didn't speak. Because this kind of silent crushing is the most vicious counterattack.

He turned around and shouted into the room:

"Xiuer! Stop working! Get my bird net out!"

"Also, let the Azure Dragon come out for some fresh air!"

A few minutes later.

When Zhao Shanhe reappeared at the door with his hunting rifle, everyone in the village involuntarily took a step back.

It wasn't just because he was carrying a gun, but also because of the enormous creature that rushed out of the house.

"Waaah—"

A huge dog, with a fur as blue-gray as a wolf, slowly walked out.

It was huge, like a small calf. Its drooping wolf eyes, filled with cold-blooded cruelty, were fixed on the throats of the group of people at the door.

Old Lady Zhao and Lin Dapao were so frightened by the wolf's glare that they almost wet their pants.

Just as Zhao Shanhe was about to call Qinglong to get in the car, suddenly, a black shadow shot out of the house like a cannonball.

"Woof woof!"

A black dog, entirely black except for a white collar around its neck, crawled out from under the Azure Dragon's body and frolicked around Zhao Shanhe, its tail wagging like a windmill, constantly rubbing against the jeep.

Upon seeing the black dragon, Song Weiguo's eyes lit up: "Yes, yes, that's it! It's the same black guy in the kitchen that day! This dog is so smart, it knows we're taking it back to our hometown to show it off!"

Zhao Shanhe glanced at the black dragon at his feet, who was fawning and trying his best to show off, and then at the green dragon, who stood still as steady as Mount Tai.

He glanced back at the group of shifty-looking neighbors and relatives at the door.

Lin Xiu and Niu Niu are the only children at home. If no one is watching them, these beasts might do something wicked.

"Black Dragon, come with me. You have a good nose for catching flying dragons." Zhao Shanhe made the decision and patted Black Dragon's head.

When Black Dragon heard that its name had been mentioned, it was incredibly smug.

With a push of its hind legs, it leaped onto the passenger side of the jeep, stuck its head out of the window, and sneezed triumphantly at Qinglong, who was still standing on the ground: "Pfft—!"

That clearly said: See, big brother, I'm still the most favored!

The azure dragon on the ground didn't even move.

It just tilted its head slightly, gave the black dragon in the car a sidelong glance with the look of someone looking at an idiot, and then slowly walked to the gate and plopped down.

Like a guardian deity, they blocked the Zhao family's gate.

Its gaze swept over Old Lady Zhao and Lin Dapao, and its lips curled slightly, revealing its gleaming white fangs.

The meaning is clear: I'll bite off the throat of anyone who dares to cross the line.

Just as Old Lady Zhao and Lin Dapao were about to take advantage of Zhao Shanhe's absence, they saw this fierce-looking man guarding the door and were so frightened that they scrambled back.

"Let's go!" Zhao Shanhe opened the car door and got in, while Song Weiguo scurried over to close the door.

"Boom—" The jeep roared, whipping up a snow dragon as it sped away.

Inside the car window, Black Dragon was still barking triumphantly at the outside.

Behind the car, the Azure Dragon stood motionless in the wind and snow, like a gray-blue statue.