Chapter 75 – Hunting in the Snow (2)
Gu Ming rolled up a snowball and threw at a tree in the yard, instantly white powder fell down from all over the place. He smiled after hearing Gu Ye’s words, “This snow isn’t heavy at all. In the past when the snow was heavy, you disappeared as soon as you stepped outside the door being covered up entirely by the snow!”
“Gu Ming! We are going to hunt for wild hares in the mountain, do you want to come with?” The voice that was in the processing of changing into a deeper man’s voice belonged to Zhang Lihu from outside the door.
“Yes! Of course! Lihu ge, do you mind waiting for me for a little bit? I haven’t even had breakfast yet!” During snowy days, the hares couldn’t run too fast in the snow and were much easier to catch.
This time last year, Gu Ming went with Zhang Lihu and his father to hunt for wild hare. Lo and behold, he was able to watch one. But even though he was the one who caught the hare, when it came to splitting the hare meat, all he and his sister got was the bones. But, even so, his sister was still chewing on it like it was some sort of delicacy. Thinking about this, he almost started crying again.
“Ge ge, wait for me!” Gu Ye, who had never walked on snow before, walked behind everyone with difficulty. She slipped always every step of the way and fell over altogether occasionally. Luckily, she had lots of clothes on so she didn’t sustain any injuries.
Gu Ming turned around and looked at his sister who was falling behind. Having no other options, he turned around and walked back toward her and just in time to break her fall as she was about to faceplant into the snow once again.
Zhang Lihu came over as well and took her other arm. In his coarse voice, he griped, “I told you not to bring her, but you wouldn’t listen to me. See? How she’s just slowing us down!” As much as he was complaining, he kept on holding her arm and helping her walk.
“Thank you, Lihu ge…..” said Gu Ye in the sweetest possible voice she could mutter, so much that she shuddered from her own voice. Boy, oh boy, coquetry really wasn’t her thing; she disgusted even herself!
In the past few weeks, Gu Ye had gained some weight. Her eyes were no longer sunken in, and her cheeks had also filled out a little. Her features had always been pretty – large eyes, long lashes, tall nose, small mouth along with the small pointy face. She was turning out pretty well.
With a pretty girl like that smiling sweetly at him, Zhang Lihu couldn’t hold it any longer. His face turned beet read and he couldn’t make a sound. Luckily, due to his dark complexion, it wasn’t easy to tell that he was blushing.
A fat wild hare dashed out of a dried bush in front of them at this very moment and ran around frantically. Gu Ming shouted out loudly as he ran toward it, “Hare! Hare! Uncle Zhang, quick! Get him!”
Hunter Zhang aimed his spear at the hare. With a swift twist of its body, the hare dodged the spear and continued to dash around between the three men that were closing in.
Gu Ye wanted to join in the fun too but after just a few steps she slipped and faceplanted into the snow. It was quite an embarrassing look. Luckily, both Zhang Lihu and her brother were focusing all of their attention on the hare, which saved her from being teased again.
She picked herself up from the ground and walked cautiously. Suddenly, she looked up and saw a blue bird with a red beak perching on a bush, pecking at the seeds beneath the snow. She produced a small slingshot, extended it and aimed. A small rock shot out and the poor bird dropped to the ground. Gu Ye struggled to walk forward and picked it up.
Not too far away, when the wild hare was finally tired from all the running, Zhang Lihu finally threw himself forward and got his hands on the hare.
“HAHAHA! Check this out!” Zhang Lihu held the fat hare in his hands with its ears and displayed it in the direction of Gu Ye. Gu Ye also displayed the red-beaked blue bird to him.