It wasn’t that Zhao Jun had never seen a young woman before. It was because this particular woman was his wife from his past life—the person he had wronged the most.

He was filled with endless guilt and regret for her.

Since being reborn, Zhao Jun hadn’t yet seen her, because he didn’t know how to face her.

"Mm." Zhao Jun was suddenly lost in a daze. He didn’t know why, but he opened his mouth and responded with a grunt.

Seeing Zhao Jun’s somewhat cold attitude, the young woman suddenly felt she shouldn’t have come. But on second thought, she was already inside. It wouldn’t be right to turn and leave now.

She was a straightforward person, so she immediately said, "I heard from Elder Ghost Wang that you killed a Black Bear. Can you spare a piece of meat for me?"

At this, she paused for less than a second before adding, "Just a strip will do. My little brother wants to eat flatbreads, and he’s been clamoring for it for days."

"Ah." Zhao Jun heard every word she said, but his mind was in a fog. He opened his mouth but could only subconsciously let out a single syllable.

Did that "ah" mean yes or no?

Hearing it, the young woman grew even more annoyed. She was just about to turn and leave when she saw Zhao Jun give her an answer with his actions.

At that moment, Zhao Jun felt nothing at all. It was as if his subconscious was controlling his body. He left the doorway and walked step by step toward the Black Bear’s carcass.

With every step, Zhao Jun felt that the usually flat courtyard ground was full of holes tonight. Each step he took sank deep, one after the other.

And every footfall felt like he was treading on cotton.

No, to be precise, it was as if his whole body was floating on a cloud, weightless.

Zhao Jun reached the Black Bear’s carcass, squatted down, and made a slice across its belly with his knife. Then, with two horizontal cuts, a large chunk of meat came off the bear.

Good heavens, this huge piece of meat had to be eight or nine pounds heavy.

Zhao Jun casually tossed the knife onto the bear’s body and lifted the piece of meat with both hands. As he stood up, he heard the young woman behind him exclaim in surprise, "I can’t take that much!"

Then, she glanced at Zhao Jun’s face and asked quizzically, "Are you drunk?"

A moment ago, when she had greeted and spoken to Zhao Jun, his indifferent response had made her think that showing up to ask for meat had annoyed him.

But now, seeing that Zhao Jun had cut such a large piece of meat for her, she knew that wasn’t his intention.

But seeing Zhao Jun’s dazed state, and how he’d hacked off such a huge piece of meat, she could only assume he was drunk.

"I remember you don’t drink," the young woman muttered to herself.

As if he hadn’t heard, Zhao Jun walked over to her. His voice was deep and trembling slightly. "Take this meat home and eat it."

The young woman refused, "I can’t take this much. Just cut me a smaller strip."

Zhao Jun didn’t respond. He simply held the meat with his right hand, snatched her basket with his left, and then plopped the meat into it.

"This... Thank you," the young woman said, seeing she couldn’t refuse.

Just then, Zhao Jun suddenly remembered something, let go of the basket, and turned to walk away.

When Zhao Jun abruptly let go, the basket was no longer supported by his strength. The young woman’s hand, holding the handle, was yanked downward by the weight.

If she hadn’t reacted in time, the basket and the meat would have fallen to the ground.

"You... you must be drunk, right?" she said, looking at Zhao Jun’s back. "If you’ve been drinking, you should go inside and rest. I’ll be heading back now."

"Ma Ling!" Zhao Jun suddenly called out her name.

As the name "Ma Ling" left his lips, something inside Zhao Jun seemed to sink. The weightless feeling that had enveloped him from head to toe vanished without a trace.

’Sigh...’ Zhao Jun sighed to himself. He bent down, reached into the Black Bear’s belly, and pulled out a Bear’s Paw.

Li Baoyu had removed them up on the mountain. On the way home, the four detached Bear’s Paws had become a nuisance.

Not only were they heavy to carry, but they also got in the way, so Zhao Jun had stuffed them inside the Black Bear’s belly cavity.

A Bear’s Paw, whether from the front or back, has five digits. At their tips grow sharp, hook-like claws.

When Li Baoyu had removed the paws, he had already chopped off the sharp claw tips.

That was why Zhao Jun was able to grip one of the paw’s digits, lift it, and walk back to Ma Ling.

Then, Zhao Jun held up the Bear’s Paw and said to Ma Ling, "Take this Bear’s Paw home and cook it."

"I can’t take this," Ma Ling hastily refused. "You’ve already given me such a big piece of meat. How could I possibly take your Bear’s Paw too?"

"Just take it." Zhao Jun pushed the Bear’s Paw toward Ma Ling.

"But..."

"Take it."

"Then... thank you." Ma Ling reached out and grabbed the other digits of the paw. As Zhao Jun let go, Ma Ling, prepared this time, took it from him.

A moment of silence fell between them. Ma Ling said, "Well... I’ll be heading back then. Since you’ve been drinking, you should get some rest soon."

"Mm," Zhao Jun responded. He didn’t walk her out, just stood where he was and watched Ma Ling leave.

After watching Ma Ling leave his courtyard gate, Zhao Jun turned to go back inside. But as soon as he stepped in, he backed right out again. As he pulled the door shut, Wang Meilan’s voice came through the crack.

"I told you to bring in some thigh meat! What were you daydreaming about? Why were you outside for so long?"

Hearing this, Zhao Jun remained silent. He went over to the Black Bear’s carcass, picked up his knife, and sliced into one of its hind legs.

He chose the inner thigh to make his cuts. After slicing it open, he pulled out strip after strip of thigh meat. He cut twelve or thirteen strips in a row before heading back inside, knife in one hand and a fistful of meat in the other.

「Meanwhile, on a village path.」

Ma Ling had the basket hooked over her left arm, her forearm bent inward to grip its edge. Her right arm hung at her side, a Bear’s Paw clutched in her hand. She staggered homeward.

Suddenly, two people rounded a bend up ahead. By the light spilling from a nearby courtyard, Ma Ling could faintly make out who they were.

"Uncle Zhao, Doctor Han." Ma Ling greeted the two of them.

The two were none other than Zhao Youcai and the village clinic’s doctor, Han Shang.

"What are you doing out so late..." Zhao Youcai didn’t finish his question. He spotted the Bear’s Paw in Ma Ling’s hand, and seeing that she had likely just come from his own home, he swallowed the rest of his words.

Instead, he changed the subject and said, "Hurry on home, then."

"Yes, Uncle. I’ll be on my way," Ma Ling said. Knowing she shouldn’t say much in front of Han Shang, she stepped to the side and passed Zhao Youcai.

After they and Ma Ling had gone their separate ways and walked another dozen steps or so, Han Shang finally asked Zhao Youcai, "Second Uncle, what did the Ma Family’s girl do to help your family out? You gave her such a big piece of meat, and a Bear’s Paw too."

Zhao Youcai naturally understood the implication in Han Shang’s words. He knew the kid was just trying to tell him, ’I’m coming to give your dog a shot, so you’d better not short-change me.’

Zhao Youcai glanced at Han Shang. "Nephew," he said, "do you want a Bear’s Paw, or do you want a leg?"

As soon as Han Shang heard this, he knew that with Zhao Youcai putting it that way, his idea of getting both a paw and a leg was out of the question.

Han Shang might dare to make demands and state his terms at the Li Family’s place with Jin Xiaomei and Li Baoyu, but in front of Zhao Youcai, he was much more restrained. Therefore, he said, "Second Uncle, a Black Bear paw will be just fine."

Zhao Youcai nodded. "That can be arranged."