Chapter 235: The wolves are coming

Other people disagreed, saying that Ah Jian did not kill the tiger alone. Didn’t many people go to the village at the time? Obviously the credit should go to everyone! Even if Ah Jian was better than those people, surely it would not be by much?

There were also some people who thought that there must be a limit to how much strength and arrows Ah Jian could wield, so he should be very clever to think of a trap. It could be said that this trap was an important achievement. As for Ah Jian himself, even if he was not there the entire time, sooner or later he went and casually shot the tiger, right?

These different arguments crossed each other constantly and, coupled with Ah Jian’s own attitude, people gradually lost interest and felt that Ah Jian was just like that!

Some even turned up their noses and said with a little bit of ridicule: why did they think that setting up a trap was so impressive? Wasn’t this just a simple matter? The whole village must be timid, too scared to think of such an easy thing! Ah Jian got a whole tiger skin for cheap!

Actually, for Ah Jian, he was just embarrassed…

When these rumors had first spread to Lian Fang Zhou and the others, Ah Jian had laughed and ignored them. Aunt Zhang was very sorry and Li Shu and Li San He came to comfort him. However, Lian Ze was very angry!

“How can those people not have a backache from standing around and talking so much?! Do they really think its so easy to set up traps? Where to set up, what to set up, what to use as bait? They only see the tiger being caught and took it for granted that this matter was too simple and easy. It’s really annoying to say that Brother Ah Jian is bragging!”

Ah Jian smiled faintly when he heard Lian Ze say this and patted him on the shoulder, saying warmly: “I hunted that tiger because of Aunt Zhang’s love and for concern for the people. Now that I have accomplished these two goals, what does what other people say have to do with me? People who practice martial arts must not be too competitive! Be brave and combative and use them in the right way. Do you understand?”

Lian Fang Zhou hurried to add: “Ah Jian is right! One is clear and clean and the other is turbid. Why bother with gossip? Is it possible to reason with these people one by one? What can we say about this? We know that we have a clear conscience!”

Lian Ze couldn’t help but shudder in his heart. He lowered his head with shame and then nodded, smiling. “Brother Ah Jian and sister are right, it’s my thinking that is wrong!”

Ah Jian smiled: “It’s alright, you are still young and you are a competitive teenager! However, its not easy for you to listen to persuasion!”

“Alright, I’m not angry anymore! I won’t bother to pay attention to them!” Lian Ze suddenly lit up, feeling lighter.

However, thinking about Ah Jian’s injustice, he muttered: “If only a tiger came to our village, let those people see for themselves if Brother Ah Jian is really capable or bragging!”

These were clearly childish words and Lian Fang Zhou and Ah Jian couldn’t help but laugh.

Lian Ze also felt that what he had said was also a bit stupid so he smiled again: “I’m just talking. Anyways, we don’t have any mountains in this area, unlike that village that was surrounded by many large mountains, and there isn’t anywhere for a tiger to hide!”

“As long as you understand!” Lian Fang Zhou smiled.

The three of them talked and laughed, leaving the matter behind and returning to their own lives.

However, there was a word in this world called ‘foreshadowing’ and neither Lian Fang Zhou or Ah Jian, or even Lian Ze himself, expected that his words would partially come true!

The reason why they were ‘partially’ true was because it was not tigers but wolves that attacked Dafang village, a total of twelve of them!

That night, everyone was awakened by the shrill call of the wolves and terrified screams. Quickly, everyone woke up from their sleep and the air was filled with the endless cries of children.

Everyone had woken up but no one dared go out. Instead, the courtyard gates and house doors were tightly closed as each family gathered together, shivering with their sticks and clubs.

The people’s whose courtyard walls were filled with soil were the most stable in their hearts; those who’s courtyards were only surrounded  by a waist-high bamboo fence or had no fence at all, were pale and trembled like chaff. The cries of the children in these families were firmly suppressed by the adults.

The courtyard wall of the Lian family was made of packed earth. It was as high as one person and the courtyard gate had been specially repaired to prevent Lian Li and Madam Qiao from entering, so it was very strong.

The family was waiting in the hall. Third Aunt looked at Ah Jian and carefully asked: “Ah Jian, you can kill tigers and wolves, right? Moreover, our courtyard walls are very strong and the wolves won’t get in at all, right?”

Ah Jian’s face was very solemn and his eyes were a little heavy as he frowned. “Although the weather has been cold lately, there are no deep mountains around Dafang Village. It’s just that occasionally even a few small hills can attract wolves. Though the courtyard walls are as tall as a person, if its an adult wolf, they would be able to leap over…”

Everyone let out a low gasp and Third Aunt almost collapsed with a whisper of ‘ah’. Horrified, she shouted: “Then, then what should we do? What should we do?”

Lian Fang Zhou listened intently and said, worried: “It sounds like there are a lot of them!”

Ah Jian listened for a moment and then said: “It should be no less than seven or eight.”

“Mother!” Third Aunt couldn’t help but drop limply to the ground. Lian Che’s face was pale and Lian Fang Qing screamed, trying to pull Third Aunt up, saying: “Sister! Brother Ah Jian! What should we do!”

Lian Ze’s hands were clenching and loosening, his eyes strangely bright. He was obviously holding back his excitement. Upon seeing this, Lian Fang Qing and Lian Che calmed down. Lian Fang Zhou asked curiously: “Why are you two not afraid?”

Lian Fang Qing curled her lips and said: “I’m not afraid with Sister and Brother Ah Jian!”

Lian Che added: “And there is also second brother!”

Lian Fang Qing nodded quickly: “Yes, yes! And second brother!”

Lian Ze grinned openly.

Lian Fang Zhou turned her head to look at them helplessly, thinking that these two little guys trusted her but she didn’t know what to do!

The wolves had already entered the village. Although they were not attacking them in their own home, who could guarantee that they would not come in the next second?

“Ah Jian…” Lian Fang Zhou looked at Ah Jian.

Seeing that his sister had finally made a sound, Lian Ze immediately lifted his spirits and said: “Brother Ah Jian, let’s try it! As long as we shoot the wolves, I’d like to see who dares question Brother Ah Jian again!”