Kevin Young lowered his voice and chuckled, “Ethan, you don’t understand the military, and you know even less about our Northeastern troops. Do you know what ‘Shen Y7’ means? Maybe you only know that our Shenyang Military Region is second only to the Beijing Military Region in strength, or that the Beijing Military Region has the so-called ‘Ten Thousand Years Army’—the 38th Army. But I bet you don’t know about our Shenyang Military Region’s ‘Ever-Victorious Army,’ the 39th Group Army. It’s not much weaker than the 38th. The license plate on that Beijing 212 vehicle belongs to the 39th Army. I have a feeling that driver is pretty skilled, probably not just an ordinary reconnaissance soldier. I’d say that girl isn’t as simple as you think. When I get the information, if it turns out her father is really a general-level ‘red aristocrat,’ don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

Ethan Zhou was clearly hesitant. This was one of those opportunities that, if missed, would never come again. But just thinking of that cold, expressionless face, he couldn’t help but feel a bit inexplicably intimidated.

Kevin Young fanned the flames, saying, “Better to kill a thousand by mistake than let one go.”

Ethan Zhou relaxed, then laughed loudly, “Makes sense! Once we’re back in Harbin, I’ll make my move. I’ll put in some effort—I don’t believe I can’t win her over. Even if she’s frigid, I can turn her into a slut.”

Kevin Young laughed along, but after hanging up, his face showed a look of contempt that Ethan Zhou could never have guessed, along with a deep, scheming glint in his eyes. This was not the friendly expression of a drinking buddy. This young master, the son of a certain brigadier general from the Heilongjiang Provincial Military District, sneered coldly, “If I don’t let you cause some trouble—big or small—on my turf, how will you ever realize how valuable a friend like me is?”

The pretty girl, busy fixing her makeup in the mirror, said sweetly, “Kevin, are you really planning to push me into his arms too?”

Kevin Young didn’t even look at her performative, aggrieved expression. He said, “I’m just giving you a chance to make money. If you hook that Shanghai guy, it’s like getting your hands on LV, on Chanel. If you really have the skills to marry into that quasi-rich family, you’ll never have to worry about the wind and sun again. And it’ll save me a breakup fee. It’s a win-win—don’t you want that?”

The girl kissed him on the cheek, her smile blooming, and said coquettishly, “I do.”

A heartless man and a materialistic woman—such a pair of scoundrels often enjoy a honeymoon period from start to finish.

Right on the mark.

Chapter Six: The Decision

Brian Brooks ran into Henry halfway back. The big guy had made a stretcher-like contraption to drag the wild boar, and on the pine stretcher there was also a pheasant and two mountain hares. There were no arrow wounds, so they were probably caught in the traps Henry had set a couple of days ago. When the two of them dragged the wild boar back to the village, all the villagers came out to watch. It’s rare for a wild boar to grow to that size. As they entered the village, a few envious villagers jokingly asked the simple-minded Henry if they could trade a dime for a mountain hare. Henry grinned and nodded, and the pheasant and hares were quickly carried off by the delighted villagers, leaving Henry with three ten-cent coins in his hand. Brian Brooks kept a straight face, but couldn’t be bothered to intervene. The people of Zhangjiazhai loved to play a game with Henry when bored: offer him a choice between a dime and a yuan. After more than ten years, the fool always picked the dime.

Back home—the so-called home was a mud house at the very end of the village, built by Henry himself. The light inside was dim. It wasn’t late yet, but probably only this house in the whole village had its lights on. After all, electricity was a luxury for Zhangjiazhai, but as long as the two brothers went into the mountains, the light would be on as soon as dusk fell, so you could spot the house from far outside the village.

A middle-aged woman stood at the door, serene, like that lamp—though not bright, it was very warm. She was short, with the weathered face common to rural women, her wrinkles like the mottled bark of a birch forest, recording the cold and warmth of the seasons. A woman like her, in her forties, would be mistaken for someone in her fifties if she went to the city.

Brian Brooks smiled and said, “Mom, once we sell this pig, I’ll buy you a calf.”

The big simpleton saw his mother and grinned from ear to ear, but didn’t say anything. He deftly took out a hunting knife and a big chopping board to deal with the animal that would bring the family some extra income. Inside, Brian Brooks took out the 2,500 yuan and handed it to his mother. She accepted it carefully, but without the giddy delight most women would show at a windfall. That was probably the one thing that set her apart from the other gossiping, penny-pinching women in the area. She looked at her son, straightened the sleeve that had been snagged by branches, and said softly, “Ergou, I’ll keep this money for you. When you want to go out and see the world, you can take it then.”

Brian Brooks tidied himself up a bit, washed his face, and said, “Let’s save this money for Henry to get a wife. I don’t need to take any when I leave—just enough for the bus fare, I won’t starve. Once I’m settled out there, I’ll send money back. Henry’s wife can’t be like the ones other families in the village settle for—I have to find him the prettiest bride in the whole village.”