Chapter Twenty-Two: Wave After Wave

As these words were spoken, the crowd erupted into a flurry of commotion.

However, Zhang Tiejun seemed to have anticipated Qiao Dafang’s move. From the bottom of his wicker basket, he tossed out a sheep’s head that had been picked clean.

"I found this in the jaws of the wolf pack."

"Just because you say so doesn't make it true. For all I know, you could have dug this up from anywhere," Qiao Dafang retorted with a sneer.

Zhang Tiejun ignored him and handed the skull to Old Man Qiao. To everyone's surprise, the weathered old man, who had endured half a lifetime of hardship, began to sob.

"My poor eldest, you died such a miserable death."

His mournful wailing, rich with raw emotion, quickly drew the attention of every villager. Having lived as a bachelor his entire life, Old Man Qiao had poured his heart and soul into his small flock of sheep. The sorrow of a father outliving his "child" was palpable.

Qiao Dafang stepped forward, looking somewhat annoyed, and tugged at the old man. "Old Man Qiao, you’d better look closely. Don't go crying over the wrong one."

The grieving old man, already distraught, became even more agitated. "Look at this horn! I accidentally chipped it years ago while helping the mother sheep give birth in the pen. It never healed properly after all this time. I felt so bad for it that I let it eat extra every day. How could I possibly be mistaken?"

Overcome with grief, the old man broke free from Qiao Dafang’s grasp and cradled the skull as he walked toward the sheep pen.

When Zhang Tiejun had killed the *bei*—a mythical creature often paired with wolves—he had found several picked-clean skulls nearby. He had intended to keep them as souvenirs, never expecting them to serve such a crucial purpose.

The doubts that had just begun to rise in the crowd were quickly dispelled. Seeing the growing support for Zhang Tiejun, Qiao Dafang found himself at a loss for words and had no choice but to shift the focus back to the initial point of contention.

"Zhang Tiejun, you claim this thing ate the sheep, but how could such a tiny creature eat a wolf?"

Zhang Tiejun squatted down and lifted the *bei*’s hind leg with his hand. "You don't believe it because you're ignorant. Let me ask you, what is this?"

"A wolf leg."

"Since when have you seen a wolf with hind legs that short? This is a *bei*. It’s the creature from the proverb 'wolves and *bei* in collusion.'" Zhang Tiejun glanced at the short-statured Qiao Dafang and added with a hint of mockery, "If you truly didn't know that, you really ought to go home and look in a mirror."

After a brief silence, a burst of laughter erupted from the crowd.

Having tried to play the clever fox only to be bitten himself, Qiao Dafang lost his temper. "Zhang Tiejun, how dare you mock me? I’ll tear your mouth apart!"

"What’s going on here? What is everyone doing?"

Just as the situation threatened to spiral out of control, Qiao Kangzhan stepped in to defuse the tension.

"I was just about to go to sleep when you all decided to put on this show. Has the whole village come out? What is this, a town hall meeting? As it happens, I just returned from the commune today with a stack of directives. I was planning to discuss them tomorrow, but since everyone is here, let’s talk about it now." Qiao Kangzhan wore a stern expression as he spoke.

In their production brigade, the brigade secretary’s word was law. With his intervention, no one dared to speak further.

Finding level ground in the mountains was difficult enough, let alone space for a village of a thousand people. The brigade office, already cramped, was now packed to the rafters with curious villagers.

Ignoring both Zhang Tiejun and Qiao Dafang, Qiao Kangzhan raised his voice. "Members of the Qiao Family Shop Production Brigade, quiet down! I have an important announcement for everyone."

The crowd fell silent, ears pricked to listen.

"Our production brigade has been operating for three years now, and next year will make four. The commune’s intention is for the brigade committee to be reorganized. Elections will be held next June, so everyone should prepare accordingly. Those who are capable, come to me to register. The Party branch will also be re-elected," Qiao Kangzhan declared loudly.

The announcement caused an uproar. This was a major event for the Qiao Family Shop, and discussions buzzed through the crowd.

Taking advantage of the chatter, Qiao Kangzhan walked into the crowd with his hands behind his back. He squatted down to examine the *bei* on the ground and gave Qiao Dafang a thumbs-up. "Even though I don’t go up the mountains much, I’ve seen my share of the world in my younger years. A *bei* is a rare sight indeed; you’ve certainly broadened everyone’s horizons!"

With Qiao Kangzhan’s seal of approval, the matter was effectively settled.

He ignored the few of Zhang Tiejun’s followers who still looked unconvinced and continued, "I know there have been misunderstandings about Tiejun, and some were even dissatisfied that an outsider like him was working as a hunter and joining the brigade committee. Some of you even took a 'wait and see' attitude. But today, I want to tell you all: Comrade Zhang Tiejun successfully hunted the predator that attacked our sheep pen, effectively protecting the public assets of the Qiao Family Shop Production Brigade. This is a meritorious deed! It deserves everyone’s respect! I suggest we give him a round of applause!"

The sudden applause caught Zhang Tiejun off guard. Qiao Kangzhan then turned to the villagers. "I will reiterate: the New Year is approaching. To prevent accidents, no one is to go up the mountains. Tiejun, you must also be careful. I see you’ve killed a *bei*; wolf packs are vengeful animals. Your safety is of the utmost importance."

"Secretary Qiao, with the New Year right around the corner, what are we going to do about the meat for the brigade?" a voice called out from the crowd.

The question reignited the chatter that had only just subsided.

Normally, they would slaughter a few of Old Man Qiao’s sheep for dumplings, but this year was different. The flock had been ravaged; the remaining ewes were needed for breeding, and the rams were needed for the next season.

Qiao Kangzhan looked toward Zhang Tiejun. "Tiejun, you know the situation in our shop. It seems this responsibility must fall on you. Don’t worry, I will make sure your service in hunting these wolves for the brigade is recorded in the village ledger, and I will personally recommend you for a commendation at the commune."

With that, Qiao Kangzhan bowed to Zhang Tiejun. Seeing the brigade secretary show such respect, the villagers followed suit, showering Zhang Tiejun with expressions of gratitude.

"Tiejun, whether the whole village gets to eat meat this year depends on you."

"Tiejun, once you bring back the catch, I’ll wrap you extra dumplings myself."

"That’s right! You’re a big man in our Qiao Family Shop now. The kids haven't tasted meat in ages; we’re all counting on you to improve our meals."

Facing the weight of public expectation, Zhang Tiejun gave his word. "Fellow villagers, rest assured. I will certainly make it my priority."