RPS – Chapter 76 The Beginning of Reform

Li and Bu went out walking upright but came back carried in sideways. The bloodstains on their bodies hadn’t even been cleaned yet—they looked absolutely miserable. Li was in slightly better condition, with blood mostly around his chest area, but Bu was much worse off. Li Feng and Nuo quickly had them carried to the bed and asked in detail what had happened and how they got injured, so they could care for them properly.

After sending off the clansmen who had carried them back, Li Feng was both angry and distressed. How could they get so seriously injured just on their first hunt of the year? This season was when bears came out of hibernation, so they should’ve been especially careful. How could they have been so careless as to wander into the bears’ territory—and run into two of them at once? Of course they’d get hurt. They didn’t even have decent weapons. Being able to kill both bears was already a miracle.

Li Feng and Nuo immediately boiled water to clean the blood off them and check for other wounds. Internal injuries couldn’t be seen, but external ones were obvious. Li had large bruises across his back and scrapes on his elbows and arms. Thankfully, the animal hide he was wearing was thick—otherwise, the injuries would have been far worse. But they had no way to tell the extent of any internal damage from the impacts.

Since Li had vomited blood, his injury clearly wasn’t minor. Li Feng didn’t understand internal injuries well, but he knew that vomiting blood likely meant damage to the lungs or some internal organ. Yet he couldn’t see or feel any of it—he could only let Li rest carefully in bed. Since he’d only coughed up a mouthful of blood, it probably wasn’t life-threatening, but they still couldn’t take it lightly. He had to stay lying in bed with no shocks or large movements—he had to rest and recover.

Li seemed to be doing okay, but Bu was in much worse shape. He was still unconscious, his body covered in blood and deep claw marks from the bear. Parts of his clothing were torn to shreds, and some wounds had been gouged deep into his flesh. Nuo couldn’t hold back his tears at the sight. Once Li Feng had finished tending to Li, he rushed over to help him. Thankfully, they had some experience from the previous wolf attack and weren’t as panicked this time.

Mo and Lu came back from playing outside and were stunned the moment they stepped in. They saw Li Feng and Nuo carrying bloody basins of water back and forth. When they rushed into the room and saw the two injured people on the bed, they were shocked speechless. What had happened? Why were they both so badly hurt? They turned to Li Feng in confusion, but he simply patted their heads and said, “Be good, go look after the baby. I’ll make dinner soon.”

Ever since the baby had called him “Papa” for the first time, Li Feng had been unwilling to let go. He was overjoyed and kept coaxing the baby to repeat it so he could show off to Li when he came back. When he saw Li being carried in earlier, it felt like his whole world collapsed—he thought… Thankfully, Li was still breathing. To take care of him, he had to put the baby on the other bed and let him sleep. Now, he wasn’t sure if the baby had woken up, so he quickly told Mo and Lu to go watch him—he didn’t want the baby crawling off the bed and falling.

The baby was in the inner room now, and since Li and Bu were in the room originally meant for Mo and the other kids, that was where they were resting. That room was brighter, and now that spring had arrived, the grass mats in the living room had been put away. After a full winter, they were starting to mildew, and besides, they weren’t needed anymore. So now, the only available room for Li and Bu was that front one. The bedrooms where both families lived had smaller windows and were rather dim, so placing them in the brighter front room was best.

Mo and Lu were obedient and thoughtful. Since Li Feng didn’t want to tell them, they didn’t press for answers and simply ran off to look after the baby. Li Feng didn’t want them to worry—they were still young, and knowing what had happened wouldn’t help them. It would only cause unnecessary anxiety.

It was getting late. Li Feng looked up at the sky and then at Li and Bu, who still hadn’t woken up. He told Nuo to keep watch and went to make dinner himself. Even if the adults had no appetite, the children still needed to eat. And if Li and Bu happened to wake up hungry, they’d need food ready. Maybe they’d wake up as soon as the meal was done?

Since both Li and Bu had suffered internal injuries from the impact or blows, it was best for them to eat something light. But they couldn’t eat things like eggs or bean sprouts. Their food supply was already limited, so Li Feng did his best. He cooked wild chicken with bean juice and wild red dates for the children. The remaining chicken soup and meat were for the injured. He himself didn’t have much appetite—drinking some bean juice was already enough. Nuo likely felt the same. Still, he prepared some cornbread and sweet potatoes, just in case they got hungry later.

Once the meal was ready, he let the kids eat first, then fed the baby. He and Nuo drank a little bean juice and ate some bread. Li and Bu still hadn’t woken up. Li Feng, worried sick, held the baby in his arms and sat at the bedside. “Baby, call for Papa to wake up, okay? Tell him dinner’s ready…”

The baby, full and content, giggled and grabbed Li’s hair with his chubby hands. Then, he actually opened his mouth and said, “Papa…” quite clearly. That was all thanks to Li Feng coaxing him all day long. Maybe it was a conditioned reflex, or maybe the baby truly understood what he was saying.

After calling twice and getting no reaction, the baby noticed that Li wasn’t moving at all. His chubby little hand slapped Li’s face. Li Feng’s attention was completely on Li—though he was holding the baby, he hadn’t noticed his actions. It wasn’t until the slap landed on Li’s face that he snapped out of it and quickly pulled the baby’s hand back. “Baby, what are you doing? You can’t hit Papa!” His tone was a bit stern—he’d raised his voice without meaning to.

Startled by Li Feng’s sudden tone, the baby froze for a moment before his little mouth quivered and he burst into tears. Li Feng had never been harsh with him before. He had always been gentle and indulgent. The sudden scolding really frightened the baby.

When Li Feng saw the baby crying, he immediately realized his mistake—his voice had been too loud. He’d been so anxious over Li not waking up. That slap from the baby hadn’t had much strength, but still, Li hadn’t reacted at all… “Baby, don’t cry, okay? It’s Daddy’s fault. I shouldn’t have raised my voice. Don’t cry, baby… be good,” he said, gently coaxing him.

How could he blame the baby? He didn’t understand anything yet.

The baby’s tears slowly stopped under Li Feng’s gentle coaxing. Though he still hiccupped a little, at least he wasn’t crying loudly anymore. His chubby face was still wet with tears, looking pitiful and heart-wrenching. Li Feng reached out and gently wiped his face clean. “Baby, your Papa Li hasn’t woken up yet. Shall we call for him again?” Maybe, just maybe, if the baby called again, Li would hear him.

The baby wrapped his little arms around Li Feng’s neck and, sobbing, called out “Daddy” several times. No one knew whether he was calling Li Feng or Li, but that didn’t matter—as long as Li could hear him. Perhaps he really did hear the baby’s voice, because Li’s tightly shut eyelashes trembled slightly. Then, under Li Feng’s elated gaze, his eyes slowly opened. They were still unfocused, but Li Feng quickly leaned in close.

“Li, Li, how do you feel? Is anything uncomfortable? Does your chest still hurt?”

Li opened his mouth, just about to speak, but Li Feng hurriedly stopped him. “Wait, drink some water first.”

He picked up the warm water from the bedside and carefully fed it to Li.

“I’m fine. How’s Bu?” Li asked weakly after drinking. His voice was so soft he dared not speak louder—any force made his chest throb with pain.

“Bu hasn’t woken up yet. He’s right beside you!” The stone bed was wide, and they were both lying across it. Nuo was sitting beside Bu, taking care of him, while Li Feng sat next to Li. Between them sat Mo and Lu, the two children, watching over them. Seeing Li awake, they too lit up with joy.

Li turned his head to look at Bu, whose face was still pale. He couldn’t help sighing. This trip had gone terribly wrong—they hadn’t caught any prey and had instead been ambushed, nearly losing their lives. Li had even fallen into a pit and sustained serious injuries. Now even speaking hurt.

Li Feng brought over the chicken soup and soybean milk that had been kept warm. “The baby can call you daddy now. He’s been calling you nonstop just now—did you hear it?”

“Really? I vaguely remember hearing a soft little voice calling something, but I couldn’t tell what it was. I thought I was dreaming.” Li took a sip of the soup, chewed the tender chicken meat, and smiled. “Baby, call out again. Daddy didn’t hear you earlier.”

The baby looked up with his chubby face, glanced at Li, and obligingly let out a soft “Daddy… da… da…” After calling, he eagerly tried to climb onto Li. He moved quickly, but Li Feng was faster, catching him and handing him over to Mo to watch. Li couldn’t afford to get too excited and try to hug the baby—his body was still injured.

Li felt the same ecstatic happiness as Li Feng had earlier. Overcome with joy, he even forgot his injuries and laughed—only to be quickly overwhelmed by the pain. He tried to struggle up to hug the baby, but Li Feng pressed him back down.

“You need to rest and recover first. There will be plenty of chances later. You want to hear the baby call you? That’s easy. He can call you every day. Just don’t get annoyed by it then.”

“How could I ever get annoyed?” Li chuckled softly, holding his chest.

That posture instantly brought a phrase to Li Feng’s mind: Xi Shi clutching her heart. He quickly shook his head to banish the strange thought, but still—Li was truly handsome. Even clutching his chest didn’t make him look any less graceful than the legendary beauty Xi Shi. Though Li Feng had never seen her, Li’s current appearance was rare—so weak and so alluring.

While Li Feng was lost in thought, Nuo’s voice rang out. “Bu, you’re awake? How do you feel? Anywhere uncomfortable?”

Li Feng quickly looked over—Bu had woken up. But he looked much worse, with visible injuries all over his body. He seemed seriously hurt, even if the internal damage wasn’t obvious.

Now that both of them were awake, everyone could finally relax. Though internal injuries were slow and difficult to heal, at least their lives were no longer in danger. That in itself was already a blessing—they were alive!

Li and Bu had originally gone out to let off some steam after the long winter, but they were back within a day, returning not as triumphant hunters but as the wounded. They had no choice but to resume their previous pig-like recovery lifestyle—probably even wild boars lived more comfortably than them now.

During this time, the tribe leader led the tribe out to hunt daily and also delivered food to Li’s household. But once all the wounded recovered, this treatment would likely end.

After over half a month of rest, Li and Bu looked fine on the outside, but only Li Feng knew their internal injuries still needed time to fully heal. Still, the tribe leader had already visited and declared them recovered—as long as bones weren’t broken and external wounds were gone, people were considered fit. They could now attend the tribal meeting, where a major announcement was to be made. Everyone in the tribe was required to attend.

Once the people were gathered, the tribe leader began:

“Now that this harsh winter has passed, I believe you’ve all noticed—although our food and shelter got us through safely, the consequences are beginning to show.”

He paused, watching the murmuring crowd.

“I’ve noticed that our once-brave warriors have changed. They’ve become timid and lazy. When faced with danger, they hesitate and falter. At first, I wasn’t sure whether to announce what’s coming. But after these past hunting trips, I see it clearly. Some people have changed. When food is distributed, they try to take more or pick the best for themselves. What has made you this way?”

The crowd buzzed with speculation—what was the chief about to announce?

“I know you’re all curious. Let me tell you now: from today onward, all food and goods in the tribe will no longer be distributed equally. Soon, everything will be divided up, and from now on, anything allocated to your household will be yours to keep. Any prey hunted together belongs to the group that hunted it. And in the future, whether it’s wheat or other crops, as long as you earned it yourself, you don’t have to share it with others. If you want a better life and more food, work for it—it’ll all be yours.”

Before anyone could respond, he continued:

“As for those who are lazy, who refuse to hunt or work—then you won’t have food. No one will feed you. In this new system, the more effort you put in, the better your life will be. Every household can grow wheat, yams, and more—there will be more and more food.”

“You’ve all thought about this before, haven’t you? That everything should belong to your own family, to be controlled by you alone? To eat what you want, do what you want, without worrying someone else might take it?”

The chief hit the nail on the head. Many had entertained such thoughts—privately owned goods always felt better than publicly controlled ones.

The announcement sparked mixed reactions—some were thrilled. Everything being their own felt exciting and motivating. They had always believed their contributions deserved more. When prey caught by one or a few had to be evenly split, it felt unfair. This spring, especially after a winter of deprivation, such thoughts had grown stronger.

Now that food was plentiful, some people who still lacked enough wanted to take from those who had plenty. That made people feel their well-earned food was being unfairly diminished. It wasn’t a good feeling.

Hunting had also become lazier. The easier life got, the lazier some became. Some even intentionally fell behind during dangerous hunts, pretending no one would notice. But when it came time to collect food, they were the first to rush up and take the best. No one was blind—everyone could see what was going on. Once or twice, people could endure it. But repeatedly? That’s not sustainable. Those who worked hard naturally didn’t want to continue like that. Now that the chief had taken the lead, they all supported the change.

Of course, those who had been lazy weren’t happy, but they didn’t dare speak up. Complaining would be admitting they were the freeloaders the chief spoke of. Anyone with ambition would support this privatized system—it rewarded hard work.

“There’s one more point,” the chief added. “Hunting still needs to be done together, but we can form small groups to share traps. Then distribution becomes simple—whoever slacks off won’t get food. You can choose your own teammates. Also, the wheat we planted together earlier will be divided during harvest. Whether you eat or replant it later is up to you.”

All the tribe’s children were adopted by households without children or those who couldn’t have them. The elders had mostly perished in the wolf attack. As for group hunting, most families had several able-bodied members, so many could hunt on their own. Those short on people could still form groups. With fewer participants, there was less freeloading, and though prey might be scarcer, the shares would be larger.

Among everyone, Li Feng was probably the happiest. He had long wanted things to be this way. Now they wouldn’t have to worry about food distribution all the time. They could finally live the free and fulfilling life they dreamed of.

Of course, this didn’t mean they would ignore the tribe. Anything valuable would still be shared—only a strong tribe could ensure their safety and future. As long as they worked hard, life would keep getting better. They had a home, a house, a child, a loving partner, and caring family. What more could they want?

Though there were still many dangers and imperfections, Li Feng believed that as long as they worked together, they could overcome anything. In the future, they’d plant in spring and harvest in autumn, pull weeds, bask in the sun—no more daily hunts. They could fence in a yard, grow vegetables, raise animals. They didn’t need meat every day. With corn, soybeans, wheat, sweet potatoes, taro, and more, they could live an idyllic rural life.

What he wanted wasn’t much—just to grow old with the one he loved, live peacefully and happily with family, and spend a quiet, stable life. That was enough.