In the Northeast dialect, there’s a word for it: *zuō*. It means to willfully stir up trouble when things could have been perfectly fine.

For example, a mischievous child acting up and causing a ruckus? That’s *zuō*.

And someone like Zhang Yuanmin, always full of brilliant schemes and clever ploys? That’s called courting death.

No, scratch that. It’s called courting a *spectacular* death.

Inside Zhang Yuanmin’s house, Zhao Jun stared at him, dumbfounded and at a complete loss for words.

Just then, Yang Yufeng came in carrying a white porcelain mug. She placed it in front of Zhao Jun and smiled. "Brother, have some hot water to warm up."

Zhao Jun took the mug and was just about to thank her when he saw Yang Yufeng point at Zhang Yuanmin. "Can’t you go one day without spouting nonsense? It’s only been three good days; have you already forgotten how Xiong Ba dealt with you?"

At the mention of this past event, Zhang Yuanmin was instantly reminded of the terror of being hunted by Xiong Ba. A flicker of fear ran through him, and he couldn’t help but shrink his neck.

But when his gaze fell upon the cover of the *Romance of the Three Kingdoms* comic book on the low table, the sight of the fierce general on horseback brandishing his blade somehow filled him with courage. He lifted his head and said to Yang Yufeng, "The men are talking here. Women shouldn’t be meddling in everything. Hurry up and go make a meal for our brother."

In the Northeast, women truly can hold up half the sky. But when outsiders are present, they usually give their men some face.

After being talked back to by Zhang Yuanmin, Yang Yufeng thought, ’Zhao Jun is still here. I can’t make him feel uncomfortable.’ She shot her husband a glare, then turned to Zhao Jun. "Brother, don’t leave today. Stay for dinner." With that, she was about to head to the outer room to cook.

"Sister-in-law." Zhao Jun quickly stopped Yang Yufeng, saying, "Please, don’t go to any trouble. I just came over today because there’s something I need to tell you and Big Brother. I’ll leave right after."

"Brother, look at you, always in such a rush to leave every time you visit," Yang Yufeng said. "You can say what you need to say, but you also have to eat. Brother, whatever you have to say, say it now. After you’re done, I’ll go cook for you."

Seeing that it was hard to refuse her warm hospitality, Zhao Jun could only nod. He then turned to Zhang Yuanmin, who was, after all, the head of the household.

Zhao Jun looked at Zhang Yuanmin and asked, "Big Brother, I found a job for you at the Logging Camp. Would you be able to do it?"

"What kind of job?" Zhang Yuanmin’s eyes lit up at his words. Just as the couple had told Zhao Jun last time, their plot of land was of a fixed size, and the busy farming season was always at the same time each year.

Once the farm work was done, the rest of the year, aside from gathering some mountain goods, was spent just sitting around.

Work at the Logging Camp, however, was usually in the winter and early spring, which perfectly avoided the busy farming season. If he could really get a job at the camp, he could earn some extra money to support the family during the off-season.

Zhao Jun said, "I’ve been at the Logging Camp the last couple of days and got to know a sled driver. He needs a partner, and the timber he’s assigned is good, easy to fell. The site is pretty good too—the slopes aren’t slippery and the paths are easy to walk.

"I was thinking you could get a chainsaw and go up the mountain. You’d fell the trees, and he’d be your assistant. Once the trees are down, you two would trim the branches. Before heading down the mountain, he’ll drive the sled, and you can give him a hand. What do you think?"

Hearing Zhao Jun’s words, Zhang Yuanmin looked up and met Yang Yufeng’s eyes. Yang Yufeng quickly nodded at him again and again. She trusted Zhao Jun’s character and believed that what he said couldn’t be wrong.

And the terms Zhao Jun described were truly excellent. Felling trees and trimming branches, as long as one was willing to work, it was piece-rate pay. You could earn a lot over a single winter.

But Zhang Yuanmin looked troubled. He scratched his head and said, "Brother, this... this... how do I put this?"

Zhao Jun glanced at Zhang Yuanmin, then turned to look at Yang Yufeng. When he turned back, he said to Zhang Yuanmin, "Big Brother, you don’t have to say anything. I understand.

"Let me put it this way. That Bear Gall we got is going to sell for well over a thousand yuan. Divided three ways, your share will be at least four or five hundred yuan. I’ll bring you two hundred yuan tomorrow first. The rest I’ll give you after we sell the Bear Gall."

Yang Yufeng, who was beside Zhao Jun, was overwhelmed with gratitude as she listened. ’He knows,’ she thought. ’Zhao Jun is just using the Bear Gall as an excuse to save our face. In reality, this money is a loan from him.’

But Zhao Jun wasn’t married yet and didn’t control his own finances at home, so this money must have come from his family.

Such righteousness and loyalty—who wouldn’t be moved?

Zhang Yuanmin was equally moved. He stood up and grabbed Zhao Jun’s hand.

At that moment, Yang Yufeng nodded at Zhang Yuanmin, signaling him to quickly and properly thank his brother.

Zhang Yuanmin did not disappoint. He opened his mouth to praise him, but what came out was, "Brother, you are even more righteous than Lord Guan!"

The moment he said this, the smile on Yang Yufeng’s face froze and then vanished. She took two steps to Zhang Yuanmin’s side, raised her Big Palm, and smacked him on the shoulder.

SMACK! Zhang Yuanmin whipped his head around and said angrily, "What do you think you’re doing, woman?"

"What am I doing?" Yang Yufeng was furious now too. She pointed at Zhang Yuanmin’s nose and yelled, "What kind of nonsense are you spouting to our brother? Bringing up Lord Guan... Stop talking such rubbish!

After scolding Zhang Yuanmin, Yang Yufeng turned back to Zhao Jun. "Brother, you’ve saved your big brother several times now. We think of you as family. Please don’t laugh at us, okay?"

Indeed, hitting her own husband in front of someone else was a bit improper. But what Zhang Yuanmin had said was just too ridiculous, and Yang Yufeng was afraid that Zhao Jun would think their family were ungrateful people.

Zhao Jun smiled slightly and shook his head. "Sister-in-law, it’s alright. We’re all family here. Big Brother and I get along great. I was just thinking that if I found him a job at the Logging Camp, it would keep him from always running into the woods, messing with Black Bears and whatnot. Your family used to have hunters, Sister-in-law, so you know that a Black Bear is not something to be taken lightly."