boyutpedia Chapter 40 Deer Blood Boiling Courtyard, People's Hearts Revealed
Chapter 40 Deer Blood Boiling Courtyard, People's Hearts Revealed
Just as the courtyard was filled with a cacophony of sounds, a gruff voice boomed from behind the crowd: "Get out of the way! Get out of the way! Let me see! Good heavens! Lin Gang, did you really do this?!"
Sha Zhu pushed his way through the crowd like a tank. He circled the two enormous deer twice, his eyes wide with shock. He touched the rough antlers, then weighed the heavy deer in his hand, estimating their weight. Finally, he slapped his thigh with a sharp "smack," gave Lin Gang a thumbs-up, and his admiration was genuine.
"Fantastic! Gangzi! That's fucking amazing!" His voice boomed, instantly drowning out all the buzzing chatter in the yard. "Who have I, Shazhu, ever respected in this yard? But your skills, I admire you! I truly admire you! I'm completely in awe! This isn't just about brute strength; it takes the guts to brave the mountains and the precision to draw blood! You're a real man, hiding your true abilities! This is what a real man does! A million times better than those bastards who only talk big, stab you in the back, and scheme over trivial matters!"
He was so excited, as if he had hunted the deer himself. His large, fan-like hand, greasy and radiating enthusiasm, slapped Lin Gang hard on the shoulder, almost making him stumble. "Don't cook tonight! Come to my place. Give me all the deer offal, tendons, and other good scraps. I'll show you my skills! Braised deer tendons, stir-fried deer liver, and a deer meat pie! I guarantee it'll be even more authentic than Old Mo's restaurant! You can't just cook this good stuff haphazardly; that would be a waste of nature's bounty, a disservice to the mountain god's gift!"
This unprecedentedly lively scene and the two rare prey naturally and quickly alarmed the officials in the neighborhood. Director Wang of the neighborhood office, along with two staff members, rushed over upon hearing the news. As soon as they entered the courtyard and saw this bloody yet bustling scene, they were so shocked that they adjusted their glasses.
"Oh my! Comrade Lin Gang! This...this is truly an unexpected and enormous harvest!" Director Wang's face was filled with surprise and joy as he looked around at the deer and the dismembered pieces of meat, his tone brimming with undisguised admiration. "This is wonderful! This fully demonstrates that our workers in the new society not only excel in their production work, but also use their courage and wisdom in their spare time to overcome difficulties and enrich their material lives. They are a model of self-reliance, and this is a great thing!"
But then she changed the subject, her expression becoming serious and impartial, and raised her voice to make sure the neighbors who were listening could hear her: "However, Comrade Lin Gang, there are strict disciplines in the organization. We street cadres cannot take even a needle or thread, or a blade of grass, from the masses for free. This venison of yours is a rare commodity, and it is a precious result of your risky and hard-working efforts. We cannot take it for free."
She looked at Lin Gang, her tone sincere but firm: "How about this, the subdistrict office will buy a portion at market price to use as a way to慰问 (express gratitude to) the outstanding activists and employees' families who are genuinely in need during this period, and to improve everyone's meals. This can be considered your contribution to the subdistrict and the collective through your labor. What do you think?"
Before Lin Gang could answer, Director Wang looked at the neighbors around him, who were eagerly watching and swallowing their saliva, smiled, and then offered a more comprehensive and popular suggestion: "This deer is so big, Lin Gang, your family definitely can't finish it all. Although the weather is cooler now, it won't keep for very long. How about this, besides selling the portion to the neighborhood committee, you can share the rest with your neighbors in the courtyard at a slightly lower price than the market price, so everyone can benefit and improve their lives. Our courtyard should be about mutual help, unity, friendship, and common progress! Comrade Lin Gang has this idea, and everyone should remember this kindness!"
Upon hearing this, a chorus of heartfelt cheers and enthusiastic agreement erupted in the courtyard. The neighbors who had just been envious, jealous, and watching the spectacle now looked at Lin Gang with genuine gratitude and eagerness. Director Wang's move upheld principles and discipline while cleverly fulfilling Lin Gang's desire to "give back to his neighbors," and also reassured everyone in the courtyard. He transformed a potential conflict of envy into a mutually beneficial neighborly assistance—a truly masterful and multifaceted achievement.
Sha Zhu was an impulsive man who got straight to work. Hearing Director Wang speak, he immediately perked up, as if he'd received a crucial mission from his superiors. He waved his hand and shouted to Lingang, "Gangzi, don't just stand there, lend a hand! Quickly clean that big water tank in the yard and carry it over to collect the blood! And go get my precious cleaver, sharpen it! We can't let this good meat go to waste if our tools aren't sharp!"
Both men were quick and efficient workers, and they immediately got to work. Lin Gang and Sha Zhu together lifted a deer that had already died onto two long benches that had been temporarily brought over, its head drooping towards the large, clean basin on the ground. Sha Zhu deftly rolled up his sleeves, revealing two strong, greasy arms, and took the long, sharp dagger that Lin Gang handed him. His movements were surprisingly skillful and experienced, like that of a seasoned butcher. He located the vein in the neck and muttered to himself, "There's a trick to bleeding meat. It has to be quick and accurate. Only when it's drained clean will the meat not smell fishy, the color will be beautiful, and it will taste tender." As he spoke, the tip of the knife precisely pierced the vein and made a downward slash. A stream of warm, dark red deer blood with a fishy smell immediately gushed out and flowed smoothly into the large basin, making a "whooshing" sound. The rich smell of blood instantly became even stronger and spread. The neighbors who were watching let out a series of low gasps. Many children covered their eyes in fright, but couldn't help but peek through their fingers at this scene that was both terrifying and novel.
Once the blood had been drained sufficiently, it was time for the real technical work. Sha Zhu took the lead in the operation, while Lin Gang placed a cutting board on two long benches. Sha Zhu picked up the heavy, thick-backed cleaver and weighed it in his hand.
First came the skinning, peeling off the entire deer hide as intact as possible. With a sharp exhale and a quick "hey!", the knife moved with precision and ruthlessness, precisely and swiftly severing the four thick deer legs along the joints and bones. The strength, the accuracy, the decisiveness—it was dazzling to watch; clearly, a top chef was handling the finest ingredients with reverence. Next came the gutting, removing the internal organs, and finally, the massive deer carcass was broken down into large, easily portable pieces of loin, ribs, and belly meat…
Sha Zhu was working up a sweat, beads of sweat streaming down his face, but he was incredibly enthusiastic. As he worked, he explained to Lin Gang and the onlookers who were dumbfounded, as if reciting a familiar story: "See this? This belly meat is the most tender, with even marbling, perfect for stir-frying or mincing... This hind leg meat is thick, with a coarser texture, a little drier, but it's incredibly fragrant when stewed or braised... This deer tendon is a treasure, you have to carefully extract it, not a drop can be wasted. Soak it and braise it, it's soft, chewy, and even better than bear paw..."
In no time, the once whole deer was transformed into pieces of fresh meat, neatly arranged, clearly separated by color, and still steaming. The scene was filled with the raw and efficient sense of labor and the abundant joy of a bountiful harvest.
Director Wang watched with a smile, nodding approvingly from time to time. Once the meat was mostly distributed, she stepped forward and said to Lin Gang, "Comrade Lin Gang, thank you for your hard work. Let's follow the rules we agreed on earlier. Pork in the market is currently rationed at 78 cents a pound, and your venison is even rarer. How about we say one dollar a pound? The neighborhood committee needs 20 pounds first, mainly to provide warmth to several elderly people living alone and a few families receiving awards."
Lin Gang wiped his sweat with a towel and nodded honestly, "Okay, I'll do as the director says, no problem."
Just as Director Wang signaled to the clerk to prepare for weighing and took out the street's funds from his canvas bag to pay, Jia Zhangshi seized the opportunity. She suddenly pushed her way to the front of the crowd, her face plastered with an exaggerated, almost fawning smile. She clutched a small handkerchief containing a few small bills tightly in her hand, shouting, "Director! Director Wang! What about me! My family is also struggling! Dongxu's salary is low, and we have a large family. Banggeng and his half-grown sons are eating their father out of house and home. They're still growing and crave meat so much that they grind their teeth at night... Could you perhaps give me a little bit at the same discounted price given to the street, one yuan per jin? Just three jin... no, five jin!" She deliberately ignored Director Wang's earlier premise of "selling to the neighbors at a low price," only wanting to get a little something at the lowest possible cost, or even better, by taking advantage of the situation.
Director Wang's expression immediately turned serious. She raised her hand to stop Jia Zhangshi from speaking, her gaze sharp as she looked at her. Her voice, though not loud, carried an undeniable weight: "Jia Zhangshi, the neighborhood committee is aware of your situation. You have difficulties, but you must overcome them with your own hard work. You can't always think about taking advantage of the collective or others. Comrade Lin Gang risked his life to enter the deep mountains and forests. This prey is the result of his blood, sweat, and tears, not something that fell from the sky! The neighborhood committee buying it at market price is a work requirement and also a sign of respect for his labor! Other neighbors wanted to buy it, and Comrade Lin Gang was willing to show generosity by selling it at a lower price—that's his kindness and consideration, but it's not his duty!"
Her voice was clear and forceful, echoing through the suddenly quiet courtyard: "If you want to buy it, you can, but wait until the neighborhood committee has finished buying it all. You can buy it at the discounted price that Comrade Lin Gang set for the neighbors in the courtyard. If you want it for free or want to buy it at the neighborhood committee's price, that won't do. Our new society emphasizes distribution according to work and fair trade; we don't tolerate the exploitation of the working people!"
The word "exploitation" carried immense weight, like two slaps to Jia Zhangshi's face. Publicly criticized, her face flushed red, then turned pale, then bruised and purple. She opened her mouth, wanting to argue and make excuses, but under Director Wang's stern, unsmiling gaze and the undisguised contempt of her neighbors, she ultimately cowered like a chicken with its neck choked, too ashamed to utter another sound. She sheepishly slunk back into the crowd, muttering resentfully under her breath, "What's with the attitude?" and "It's just some meat."
This scene completely extinguished any remaining ulterior motives, such as trying to haggle or take advantage of the situation. Most of the neighbors, however, were filled with gratitude for Director Wang's impartiality and Lin Gang's generosity.
Soon, under the direction of Lin Gang and Sha Zhu, the remaining venison was sold to the waiting neighbors at a price far below the market price—finally set at 80 cents per pound, almost a symbolic fee. The neighbors came in an orderly fashion, carrying bowls, basins, or oil paper, their faces beaming with genuine smiles, offering sincere thanks to Lin Gang.
"Gangzi, thank you so much! You did a great job! Now my little rascals can finally satisfy their cravings!"
"The Lin family lad is truly capable and kind-hearted! Your kindness is appreciated!"
"This meat looks so fresh, the red and white colors are so clear, it's much better than the frozen meat at the supply and marketing cooperative, and it's so cheap too, I'm really lucky to have gotten it from you!"
"Brother Gangzi, when your sister-in-law makes her signature fried sauce, she'll definitely send you a big bowl to try!"
The courtyard was instantly filled with a joyful, harmonious, and grateful atmosphere. The originally heavy smell of blood seemed to have been diluted by this strong sense of human warmth and the rare kindness among neighbors.