David Wright quickly lowered his head and responded. He observed the situation, knowing that if he chose to talk back at this moment, his little butt would probably suffer again.

After a while, he hesitated, but finally asked again, “Dad, do you think all those things are real?”

Charles Wright nodded solemnly and said, “They’re real.”

“How do you know?”

“Your grandpa told me.”

“How does grandpa know?”

“It was your great-grandpa, and your great-grandpa’s grandpa who said so.” Charles Wright shook his head with a bitter smile. Seeing his son so energetic, looking like he wouldn’t stop until he got to the bottom of things, he quickly waved his hand and said, “David, just study hard. When you turn eighteen, I’ll prove it to you.”

David Wright’s eyes immediately lit up. He knew his father always meant what he said. Since he’d said so, then when he turned eighteen, he would definitely get the answer.

However, thinking about having to wait another eight years made him feel a bit restless inside.

Charles Wright was clearly afraid of his son’s persistent questioning. He picked up his bowl and said sternly, “Eat.”

David Wright wanted to say something but stopped, finally letting go and eating heartily.

Ever since he’d recovered from his injury, his appetite had increased, and he ate quickly. In no time, he’d finished a big bowl of rice.

The father and son ate together, and as it turned out, ten-year-old David Wright actually ate more than his father.

After a satisfying burp, David Wright patted his little belly contentedly, his eyes squinting into slits.

Charles Wright’s gaze fell on his son, and a faint, satisfied smile appeared at the corner of his mouth. If possible, he wished this warm moment could last forever.

Suddenly, the smile on David Wright’s face froze.

His hand, which had been patting his belly, also stopped, and a trace of confusion flashed in his eyes.

Charles Wright asked with concern, “What’s wrong?”

David Wright furrowed his little brows. He had just realized that after eating this time, there was no heat generated at all.

His eyes swept over the dishes on the table, and he said, “Dad, didn’t you make bear meat today?”

“We’ve run out of bear meat.” Charles Wright smiled. “I saw you like eating meat, so I bought some pork from the village chief’s family. You ate it, so you’ll have strength to practice martial arts.”

David Wright nodded in disappointment, let out a big yawn, and said, “Dad, I’m a bit tired. I’m going to take a nap.”

Drowsily, he climbed into bed, his little head still vaguely thinking.

Eating bear meat gives you strength, so what happens if you eat pork?

As soon as he closed his eyes, he was asleep.

Charles Wright tiptoed over to straighten his bedding, thinking with concern, This child has really been working too hard at martial arts lately...

Chapter 10: Recognition

In the blink of an eye, another seven days passed. During these seven days, David Wright’s days were quite comfortable.

Ever since he saw the disappointed look on his son’s face that day, Charles Wright stopped preparing pork for him and instead went around the village buying up bear meat from other families.

The last haul of more than thirty black bears had brought everyone in the village a windfall, and they were all grateful to Charles Wright. When they heard he needed bear meat, they didn’t hesitate to send over their cured meat.

With so much supply, Charles Wright was generous, preparing bear meat for his son at every meal.

What puzzled him was that his son had a kind of obsessive love for bear meat—no matter how much he ate, he never seemed to get tired of it.

Such is the heart of parents everywhere. Since he’d discovered his son’s special preference, Charles Wright discussed with all the families that if anyone hunted a black bear in the future, they should set some aside to ensure the Zheng family’s meat supply. In return, he promised to make a piece of furniture for each household every month.

This offer naturally delighted everyone. Anything made by The Wright Carpenter was as good as money—if they spread the word, people from the city would come with silver to buy it.

As for bear meat... since this place was called Bear Wolf Mountain, how could there ever be a shortage of bears in the mountains?

It was a win-win for everyone.

But David Wright knew nothing about this. His daily life gradually settled into a new routine.

He practiced boxing in the morning, learned carpentry from his father in the afternoon, and read the family’s treasured manual at night.

Charles Wright valued the manual far more than David Wright could imagine. He personally supervised his son, making sure he memorized every word without missing a single one. Even the illustrations of plants and animals had to be copied exactly.

David Wright found it very strange and couldn’t understand why his father cared so much about these seemingly useless, mysterious things.

Could it be that the magical things described in the book really existed in this world?

He had a vague feeling that when he turned eighteen, his father would give him a satisfactory answer.

Seven days later, Jason Clark and the others finally returned from the mountains.