Well, what do you know!

Not only had Zhang Yuanmin convinced Zhang Zhanshan’s family of four, but he’d also managed to sway Wang Meilan in the process.

Zhao Jun listened, his eyes widening. He chuckled, "Ma, are you planning on going up the mountain to babysit them?"

"Ah." It was only then that Wang Meilan understood. She glanced at Zhang Yuanmin, saw him smiling too, and said with a laugh, "In that case, I’m not raising them. Let’s sell them, quickly."

Just then, Zhao Jun asked Zhang Yuanmin, "Big Brother. How much do you think we should ask him for? Right now, the big shops down In the Town are buying. A bear weighing a bit over a hundred pounds can sell for five or six hundred after you take the gallbladder. These two are just cubs, they probably won’t fetch that price."

"They will!" Zhang Yuanmin said, his voice firm. "Who says they won’t? They will!"

At his words, Lady Zhao Jun and her son grew more alert. They watched as Zhang Yuanmin raised his right hand, showing five fingers. Then, he instantly curled his thumb, middle, ring, and pinky fingers, leaving only his index finger sticking up. He gestured with it in front of Zhao Jun.

Zhang Yuanmin said, "For the two bear cubs, one thousand yuan. Ask him for that. He’ll definitely give it to you."

At this point, Zhang Yuanmin glanced out the window. Seeing that Zhang Laibao hadn’t come in yet, he said to Zhao Jun, "When we came over just now, I was next to him. I saw inside his padded jacket pocket, it was full of ’white-bordered bills,’ a wad this thick."

As he spoke, Zhang Yuanmin used his thumb and index finger to show the thickness of the money—it was about a full bundle.

The ’white-bordered bills,’ like the standard banknotes, were ten-yuan notes. A bundle of money was a hundred bills, which came out to one thousand yuan.

Zhao Jun got down from the kang. He didn’t speak, but simply kept a thumbs-up directed at Zhang Yuanmin, only lowering his hand when he reached the door.

Zhao Jun and Zhang Yuanmin left the house together. Outside the courtyard, they saw Zhang Laibao leaning against a wall.

"Brother Jun." Upon seeing Zhao Jun, Zhang Laibao greeted him as warmly as ever, as if he truly didn’t blame Zhao Jun for the badger attack that day.

"Feeling much better?" Zhao Jun nodded and asked with a smile.

"Yeah, much better," Zhang Laibao replied.

"Good to hear." Zhao Jun gestured toward his family’s courtyard. "Come on in and take a look."

Zhang Laibao entered Zhao Jun’s family courtyard, his gait wide and pained.

As soon as he entered the courtyard, Zhang Laibao looked around curiously.

Even though they lived in the same village, this was the first time in his life that Zhang Laibao had ever set foot in Zhao Jun’s family courtyard.

Following Zhao Jun into the shed, he saw the two Little Black Bears were very lively. Zhang Laibao couldn’t resist reaching out to pat them.

The two little guys weren’t afraid of people at all; they even stretched their necks out and nudged Zhang Laibao’s hand.

Zhang Laibao slowly stood up, holding one of the Little Black Bears. He cradled it in his arms like a puppy and asked Zhao Jun, "Brother Jun, if you’re selling these two bear cubs, how much are you asking?"

"Well..." Zhao Jun said, feigning hesitation. "That’s hard for me to say. Baoyu and I got these from the Black Bear’s Den together. I can’t make the decision alone. I have to wait for Baoyu to get back and discuss it with him."

The moment Zhao Jun mentioned Li Baoyu, Zhang Laibao’s expression changed. He hated Zhao Jun, but it was an internal hatred. With Li Baoyu, however, their animosity was out in the open.

"Brother Jun," Zhang Laibao said. "What does Li Baoyu know? Every time you go up the mountain, aren’t you the one who has to take charge? You’re the Leader, just make the call."

"I can’t do that," Zhao Jun said. "You know how things are between our families..." He finished with a sigh.

At this, Zhao Jun sighed again and said, "I’ll be honest with you. I want to sell, but Baoyu doesn’t. He’s insisting on raising them."

"Huh?" Zhang Laibao was taken aback. He glanced at Zhang Yuanmin, who shook his head at him. Realizing that Zhao Jun was trying to drive up the price, Zhang Laibao understood the game. He said, "Brother Jun, the dogs from both your families already see black bears as prey. How are you going to raise them?"

"That’s true," Zhao Jun said. "I’m the one who says we shouldn’t raise them, but he’s insistent."

"Aiya, brother," Zhang Yuanmin cut in, addressing Zhao Jun. "Your family has several dogs. What’s the point of raising these two? Better to sell them to Zhang Baozi and let him train them to hunt with his dogs."

This was clearly a put-on, a two-man act. ’But Zhang Laibao knew full well,’ he thought. ’The Zhao family had even invited Zhang Yuanmin over for their New Year’s feast. How could the relationship between their two families be bad?’

’However, I really do want these two bear cubs. No matter what act they put on, as long as the price isn’t outrageous, it’s fine.’

Hearing Zhang Yuanmin’s words, Zhao Jun said, "Big Brother, look what you’re saying. When Baoyu gets back, what am I supposed to tell him?"

"Then just give him a bigger cut," Zhang Yuanmin said.

"And why should I?"

Zhang Yuanmin laughed and added, "Well then, how about you just ask Laibao for a bit more?"

As Zhang Yuanmin said this, he looked at Zhang Laibao with a smile, as if he were just joking.

Zhang Laibao didn’t say anything, just held the Little Black Bear and watched coolly.

Sure enough, Zhao Jun’s eyes lit up. "Then I’ll just sell them for more." Turning to Zhang Laibao, he said, "Laibao, thirteen hundred yuan. What do you think?"

"Brother Jun, isn’t that a bit of a rip-off?" Zhang Laibao’s face instantly darkened. He said flatly, "You’re asking six hundred and fifty for one of these little things?"

"Brother, that price is too steep. Lower it a bit," Zhang Yuanmin chimed in from the side, seemingly taking his side.

Zhao Jun thought for a moment, then said, "Alright then, twelve hundred. Six hundred each. Once you raise them up, when you’ve had enough of them, you can slaughter them for the gallbladder and meat. You won’t be at a loss."

"One thousand." Zhang Laibao, holding the bear with one arm, raised a single finger with his other hand. His tone was firm as he said to Zhao Jun, "Brother Jun, just one thousand. You nod, and I’ll take them both away. If you say no, I’ll turn around and leave right now."

"Brother, brother." Zhang Yuanmin hurried to Zhao Jun’s side, tugging on the sleeve of his padded jacket. "One thousand isn’t a small amount. And look, Brother Laibao here has trouble walking and all... his family’s probably spent quite a bit of money recently..."

Zhao Jun, as if persuaded by Zhang Yuanmin, looked at Zhang Laibao and said, "Say no more. Take them."

Hearing this, a look of delight spread across Zhang Laibao’s face. Still holding the bear with one arm, he reached into his padded jacket with the other and pulled out a wad of cash.

Zhao Jun took the money and counted it carefully. Then, he stuffed it into his pocket and said to Zhang Laibao, "They’re both yours. Take them away."

"Then, Big Brother, give me a hand," Zhang Laibao said to Zhang Yuanmin.

"Sure, I’ll help you." Zhang Yuanmin went over to the nanny goat, picked up the other Little Black Bear, and the two of them said their goodbyes to Zhao Jun before heading out of the courtyard.

Zhao Jun went back into the house with the money, handed it all to Wang Meilan, and said, "Ma, I sold them. One thousand yuan."

Wang Meilan had been watching from the window the whole time. Seeing Zhang Laibao and Zhang Yuanmin leave with the Little Black Bears, she knew the deal was done. Now, seeing the one thousand yuan, Wang Meilan smiled. "Son, Mom will go buy you some canned food in a bit."

Meanwhile, after Zhang Laibao brought the two Little Black Bears home, the Zhang Family suddenly remembered something. They had been so focused on thinking about how the Zhao family was scheming against them and how they were scheming against the Zhao family, that they’d completely forgotten that after bringing the Little Black Bears home, they had nothing to feed them.

Not only was there no food, there wasn’t even a den for them to live in.

The two little things had been drinking goat’s milk. They might have caught a chill on the way over, because they started having explosive diarrhea right on Zhang Laibao’s kang.

In winter, for them to be defecating inside the house, the smell...

When Zhang Zhanshan saw one of the Little Black Bears squat down, he knew it was bad news. He lunged over to grab it.

Zhang Zhanshan didn’t mean any harm. He just wanted the Little Black Bear to hold it for a moment until he could carry it outside to do its business.

But the Little Black Bear was already a bit scared in this new environment. Seeing such a large creature pounce at it, the two cubs instantly panicked.

The first Little Black Bear took off mid-squat. Zhang Laibao, standing by the kang, tried to block it, but the cub lowered its head and rammed right into Zhang Laibao’s crotch.

"AAH!" A bloodcurdling scream pierced the air, scaring the little cub into fleeing for its life. At that moment, the other Little Black Bear, running around in a panic, stepped right into the filth its sibling had just excreted.

Seeing this, Zhang Laifa quickly tried to grab this one, but it took off running, its filthy paws instantly landing on the stack of bedding piled up on the kang.

That bedding was what the Zhang Family used to sleep on at night!

The Zhang Family: "..."

Half an hour later, Xu Meihua was on the kang, surrounded by stripped-off bedsheets and covers. Growing angrier the more she dealt with the soiled bedding, she snapped at Zhang Zhanshan, who was standing to the side lost in thought, "Don’t just stand there gawking! Hurry up and get those bear cubs something to eat! Can’t you hear them howling with hunger in the other room?"

At that moment, a faint trace of regret bloomed in Zhang Zhanshan’s heart. ’I have a feeling,’ he thought, ’that buying these two Little Black Bears was a mistake.’