When Jin Feng accepted the rabbit, Zhang Liang visibly relaxed. He left with his family, his hearty laughter echoing down the path as they disappeared into the distance.
Guan Xiaorou, holding the rabbit, felt a pang of guilt. "Husband, Auntie's family is struggling so much. Brother Liang finally managed to catch two rabbits, and we took one. Isn't that a bit unfair?"
"Xiaorou, Brother Liang is a man of his word," Tang Dongdong chimed in with a smile. "He promised to share half of his hunt with Brother Feng. If Brother Feng refused, it would make Brother Liang uncomfortable. He might even have returned the crossbow out of pride."
"Dongdong is right," Jin Feng said, reaching out to ruffle her hair. The moment his hand touched her head, he regretted it. Tang Dongdong's face flushed crimson, and she let out a soft squeak before darting into the shed, covering her face with her hands.
Guan Xiaorou shot Jin Feng a teasing look. "Husband, I didn't mean to—" Jin Feng stammered, scratching his head. "I'm just used to ruffling your hair."
"Don't worry, Husband," Guan Xiaorou said, covering her mouth to hide a laugh. "Dongdong will be part of our family soon. Even if you ruffled more than her hair, I wouldn't mind. And if she objects, I'll hold her down for you."
Jin Feng sighed. *What a sweet girl,* he thought. *And yet, she's already learned to tease me like this.
"Enough laughing," Jin Feng said, feigning annoyance. "Let's prepare the rabbit. We'll cook it and send half to Auntie's family."
The Zhang family had endured years of hardship, their bodies gaunt from malnutrition. Jin Feng knew they would likely sell the rabbit for more grain rather than eat it themselves. By accepting the rabbit, he not only spared Zhang Liang's pride but also ensured the family would receive the nourishment they desperately needed.
As expected, when Jin Feng and Guan Xiaorou arrived at the Zhang household with a bowl of rice and rabbit stew, the family was gathered around a pot of thin porridge. The watery gruel contained only a few grains of rice and some wilted greens, with no trace of oil or flavor. Yet, Zhang Xiaohua, the youngest, was eating it with relish.
"Brother Feng, Xiaorou, what brings you here?" Zhang Liang's mother asked, rising to greet them.
"We're here to return the favor for the wedding gift you gave us," Jin Feng said with a smile. He filled a bowl with rice, ladled some rabbit stew over it, and placed it in front of Zhang Xiaohua. "Here, Xiaohua, try this."
The little girl immediately abandoned her porridge and dug into the rice and meat, too busy eating to even speak.
Zhang Liang understood Jin Feng's gesture but said nothing. It was a gift, after all, and refusing it would have been inappropriate.
The next day, Zhang Liang ventured deeper into the forest and returned with an impressive haul: three rabbits, a fox, and four pheasants. This time, Jin Feng didn't wait for Zhang Liang to offer—he took the pheasants himself. Rabbit meat was tough, but pheasant was tender and flavorful. The excess could be dried and preserved, a luxury Jin Feng hadn't enjoyed in his modern life, where such game was often protected.
From that day on, the Zhang family's fortunes began to change. Zhang Liang rarely returned empty-handed from his hunts, and his younger brother, Zhang Mancang, was learning blacksmithing under Jin Feng's guidance, securing a future livelihood. The villagers watched with envy, knowing that Jin Feng was the reason for the Zhang family's transformation.
Women flocked to Jin Feng's home, hoping to curry favor with Guan Xiaorou and persuade Jin Feng to make crossbows for their families. They promised to share their hunts, but Jin Feng politely declined, citing a lack of suitable materials. The truth was, he didn't want to deplete the local wildlife. A few hunters were sustainable, but a sudden influx would drive the animals away, leaving the village with nothing.
Jin Feng had already used most of the suitable wood from the nearby hills to make crossbows. Zhang Mancang had cut down all the usable jujube trees, enough for only a dozen more crossbows at most. While Jin Feng had helped Zhang Liang out of necessity and family ties, extending the same favor to others would only breed resentment.
Instead, Jin Feng turned his attention to a new venture. The hemp he and Tang Dongdong had ordered from the county had arrived, along with ten spinning wheels crafted by the local carpenter. Zhang Mancang had worked through the night to assemble them, and they now stood neatly in the shed, ready for use.
Hemp was one of the primary materials for textile production in this era, as cotton had yet to reach the region. The processed hemp fibers would be spun into thread, woven into cloth, and eventually made into clothing or bedding. While silk and fine fabrics were reserved for the wealthy, hemp clothing was the staple of the common folk.
With the spinning wheels and materials ready, Jin Feng and Tang Dongdong decided to hire twenty women to work in shifts. Each worker would earn one copper coin a day and receive two meals. The announcement sparked a frenzy among the village women. While the allure of hunting was tempting, the stability of spinning work was far more appealing. A copper coin could buy a meat bun in town or enough grain to feed a small family for a meal.
"Xiaorou, is your husband serious about the pay? One copper coin and two meals a day?" one woman asked eagerly.
"My husband is a man of his word," Guan Xiaorou replied confidently. "He won't go back on his promise."
"Wonderful! My daughter and I will work the spinning wheels. With my earnings, we can feed the family, and her wages can be saved for the future."