Rebirth in the 50s: The Couple with the Hidden Space-Chapter 359 - 274: Passing Down the Craft

Recently, a trend has emerged in Zhang Family Village. The young men are busy secretly earning money before the end of the year. Ever since Zhang Guoqing took them up the mountain, they have developed a great interest in hunting.

Everyone knows in their hearts, this matter still depends on Zhang Guoqing taking the lead. So the new courtyard has become a gathering place for young men in the village, with people coming and going every day. 𝘧𝓇ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝘣𝓃ℴ𝓋𝑒𝑙.𝑐𝘰𝑚

The village’s activity was quite noticeable; Old Captain started keeping an eye on Daqing Mountain as he wandered around. Relying on the mountain for food and the water for survival, Zhang Family Village has only a few elders with ancestral hunting skills, and now hardly any of the younger generation can catch a rabbit. He never forgets that the mountain has nurtured their ancestors for generations. He doesn’t know what the future holds, but he worries that some skills handed down by their ancestors might be taken to the grave by the older generation, and later Zhang Family Village would truly become a village of farmers, losing its hunters.

After wandering around for a few days, Old Captain finally gathered with the clan leader of Zhang Family Village, several elder clan members, Mr. Zhang, and several hunters at the ancestral hall to discuss and make a decision. They decided that in the short term, several old hunters would join Zhang Guoqing to lead and teach the skills, with the newly established village health clinic in charge of treatment. Voluntary participation was open to males under thirty and over fifteen in Zhang Family Village.

Once the news spread within Zhang Family Village, it caused a stir. Seeing too many people signing up, Old Captain was worried about everyone’s safety, so he split them into batches, allowing ten or so old hunters, including Zhang Guoqing and his father, to take turns leading. Thus, the young men of Zhang Family Village were busy every day learning and secretly making money.

Zhang Guoqing greatly admired and fully supported the decision of Old Captain and the others, continuously leading teams several times. During the process, he heard his brothers and uncles enthusiastically discussing plans for building houses next year, and saw the village women happily purchasing New Year goods, which made him genuinely happy. As long as the men in the village learned some hunting skills, they could weather the upcoming crisis.

Zhou Jiao saw him getting thinner each day from going up the mountain, and she was anxious and in a spin. Finally encountering him as he stopped, she happily pulled him onto the kang, "Get some sleep. Do you still need to go up the mountain next?"

"Haha... no, from now on it’s Dad and the others leading. Finally, I can have a good sleep. How have you been at home these days?" Zhang Guoqing said, not bothering to bathe, and washed up simply. He was so busy he couldn’t care for the house, rushing back briefly each time and then leaving, his only perception being that there were more women and children at home.

Zhou Jiao instinctively wanted to frown but seeing his tired face she said with a smile, "I’ve been fine at home. Every day, Mom and Sister-in-law are at our house. Many village women come to chat with Mom, while I, Sister-in-law, and some young wives do needlework and gossip about the village."

Zhang Guoqing laughed heartily, knowing without asking that gossip is the last thing Jiao Jiao likes to hear, especially when the young wives in the village talk crudely, which would even make him blush. Seeing her keeping it from him, he changed the subject, "Jiao Jiao, the land from the North Mountain Foot to the village entrance has all been approved. Old Captain told me personally. Now you don’t have to worry about the North Mountain Foot being too high-profile."

"Why are so many people wanting to build houses? Is there enough stone?" Zhou Jiao asked with a frown. Such large-scale digging has its pros and cons; she was worried about landslides and such.

"The harvest from the recent mountain trips was good. What do old farmers do with their money if not build courtyards? Besides those in the village with the means wanting to build houses, ten or so families near Daqing Mountain are moving here, as there is a fertile basin behind their homes. Old Captain reported to the township to blast a passage, which has been approved. The stones there are enough for everyone to build houses, so don’t worry about them quarrying stones from the North."

Zhang Guoqing knew she was concerned about chaotic digging in the back mountain, being very cautious. However, she was overthinking things like landslides. The local elders have their own ways of protecting the environment. Seeing Old Captain’s foresight, his decision to develop fertile land is a wise move; the village gained over fifty acres of fertile land, and farmland can be developed along the roadsides, greatly increasing overall income. Seeing him proudly boast, one could say that with him in Zhang Family Village, the township would surely approve.

Zhou Jiao laughed heartily as well, clearly admiring the elder. Making use of resources is fine, and since it’s for the public good, she’s happy to lend a hand.

"I’ll take a nap first, really too tired." Zhang Guoqing took off his clothes and immediately fell asleep holding his son.

Seeing him already snoring, Zhou Jiao knew he was truly exhausted. She left the room, locked the door with a curtain down for peace of mind, and headed to the kitchen with a sewing basket, not daring to stay in the main room.

Her hands quickly knit wool pants, her mind racing with the time calculations. If she guessed right, someone would soon come to chat. A few days ago, Mother Zhang was happily chatting at home, but now things seem off, as she started hiding at the second home. She’s been perfunctorily dealing with visitors the last couple of days. Since the eldest sister-in-law started working, whether sincerely or with other motives, people have been visiting one after another, and since she’s home with the child, she has to face it.

Hearing Zhang Guoqing had returned home, Mother Zhang brought two daughters-in-law over. While Zhang Guoqing was up the mountain, the couple had been staying here. Despite officially separating, their home was like they hadn’t split, as she and Mr. Zhang stayed wherever they wanted, and at night after both sons were off work, the whole family would gather wherever they were.

"Where have you daughter-in-laws been? Come in." A village woman in the kitchen pulled Mother Zhang along.

Mother Zhang chuckled, not expecting so many people in the kitchen. "Just came from the second home. What are you all chatting so happily about? What have you bought from the fair the last couple of days?"

All at once, everyone was talking about what they had bought.

Zhou Jiao and the two sisters-in-law exchanged smiles, focused on knitting sweaters. With her mother-in-law around, she didn’t have to entertain these folks. She had grown accustomed to the village women’s loud voices, no longer feeling overwhelmed like before.

Zhang Guoqing was startled awake by the sounds of goodbyes outside and sat there bewildered, realizing he was at home. Turning his head, he saw the child beside him awake, watching him with open eyes.

"Son, are you hungry?" Zhang Guoqing glanced at his watch, realizing Ping’an had just woken up. He checked the diaper and found it still dry. After holding him to let him pee, he carried him to the main room just as Zhou Jiao came in briskly.

Zhou Jiao’s eyes lit up upon seeing them, set down the basket, and took the child with a smile, "Brother, aren’t you going back to sleep? You stay with mom, I’ll take the son in to feed. We’ll eat when Dad comes back."

"No, I won’t sleep again; if I do, I won’t sleep tonight. Did they leave? Then I’ll find mom." Zhang Guoqing felt a bit overwhelmed by the older women, relief washing over him as they truly left.

Seeing him about to enter, Mother Zhang immediately stood up to lead him to the main room. The kitchen was filled with smoke from the old women smoking dry tobacco. She knew her three sons, despite their usually cheerful demeanor, highly disliked women who smoked. The only condition they set for their marriage was that the women not smoke. It was a condition she dared not voice to others since every young woman carried a tobacco pouch at her waist. She, too, enjoyed smoking dry tobacco as a young woman.

Later, as times got tough, she anxiously sought out food daily and wouldn’t have added any extra expenses, so her long pipe was gradually put aside.