?74: Chapter 73 Tragic Zhuoma 74: Chapter 73 Tragic Zhuoma Lin Shiyan became silent, she knew about the matter, but she also thought it was just a deliberate smear by a competitor against Shiyan Group.

    She had never imagined it was true.

    If that was the case, it was normal for Granny Yangjin and Hazha Meiduo, among others, to have hostility towards her from Shiyan Group.

    This also fully demonstrated that the Zhuanghu people are indeed a warm and hospitable ethnicity; if it were among The Han ethnicity, Lin Shiyan would have been chased out with sticks long ago, with no one allowing her to stay as a guest in their home.

    Initially, Lin Shiyan was confident about obtaining the formula, believing that as long as one worked hard, there was nothing that couldn’t be accomplished.

    But after what Shiyan Group did, harming Granny Yangjin, she had lost all face to ask for the formula.

    The female CEO massaged her temples in pain, her pretty face revealing a hint of exhaustion.

    Wang Dadong felt a tinge of heartache as he watched and gently pulled the female CEO into his arms.

    The female CEO instinctively tried to resist, but then she heard Wang Dadong’s very sincere voice, “Don’t move, I’ll give you a massage.”

    Since it was just the two of them there, she let him be.

    Wang Dadong’s massage skills were very advanced, even more comfortable than the professional massages Lin Shiyan received at beauty salons by a hundredfold, and soon Lin Shiyan entered a state of enjoyment.

    The night was like water, the silver moon shaped like a hook, with the fresh air mixed with the fragrance of the earth, it was the finest gift from nature.

    After the female CEO fell asleep, Wang Dadong continued massaging her for a while before carrying Lin Shiyan into the house.

    Looking at Lin Shiyan, who slept like a baby, Wang Dadong gently straightened the strands of hair scattered across the female CEO’s forehead.

    Early the next morning, Wang Dadong was awakened by Meiduo’s bell-like voice.

    “Zhaxi, Zhaxi, get up quickly, the sun is shining on your butt,” Meiduo said while holding a twig and gently teasing Wang Dadong’s ears with it.

    For some reason, since returning to the country, Wang Dadong had also gradually lost his habit of getting up early.

    “You big lazy bug, if you don’t get up, I’m going to pull off your quilt.”

    Facing Meiduo’s threat, Wang Dadong was not moved, covering his head with the blanket and continuing to sleep.

    Soon, he found himself in an awkward situation.

    He had not expected the Zhuanghu girls to be so bold.

    For the rest of the morning, the young girl’s face was flushed red, like a huge apple, extremely cute.

    Meiduo was a hardworking girl, cooking and washing clothes, then going to the fields to do farm work with Hazha.

    “President Lin, someone has invited me to go hunting in the mountains, do you want to go?” Wang Dadong seemed somewhat excited.

    Since returning to his country, he hadn’t had the chance to exercise for a long time.

    Lin Shiyan shook her head, indicating she didn’t wish to participate in activities men enjoyed.

    “Then I’ll go,” Wang Dadong said and departed to the mountains with several of the Zhuang ethnic people.

    Meiduo went to do farm work, Granny Yangjin was treating patients, and only Zhuoma sat sadly alone in the courtyard.

    “Sister Zhuoma, what exactly happened, could you tell me?” Having learned of the truth, Lin Shiyan felt guilty and her attitude became much more humble.

    “His name is A Yong, the bravest man in the village...” It was clear Zhuoma had deep and admiring feelings for A Yong; pride involuntarily filled her eyes when she mentioned his name.

    After hearing Zhuoma’s story, Lin Shiyan’s eyes couldn’t help but moisten.

    It turned out that in Zhuanghu, there was a very special custom where a man, when wooing a woman, would hunt down a fierce beast in the mountains as proof of his bravery.

    Different people would choose different beasts.

    The weaker men would hunt wild boars, deer, buffalo.

    Strong men, on the other hand, would choose fierce beasts like wolves, black bears, but only the strongest would take on super predators like leopards, tigers, lions.

    The more advanced the beast chosen, the more it proved one’s bravery.

    In combat with wild beasts, use of distant attack weapons such as bows and arrows or traps was forbidden; one must engage in close-quarters combat with a dagger.

    In order to prove himself the top warrior of the village, A Yong had chosen to hunt a cheetah.

    However, A Yong did not defeat the cheetah and instead became its prey.

    Although in Lin Shiyan’s view, such customs were unscientific, even foolish.

    After all, a man’s strength isn’t measured by his ability to kill formidable wild beasts.

    But after hearing Zhuoma’s story, a faint hope arose in her heart—could there also be a man willing to fight the world’s most ferocious animals for her?

    “Sister Zhuoma, don’t be sad, you’ll find a better man.” Lin Shiyan took Zhuoma’s hand.

    Zhuoma showed a trace of sadness, “According to Zhuanghu customs, my next man must be able to defeat the cheetah, or I can never remarry in this lifetime.”

    Lin Shiyan was slightly stunned upon hearing this.

    The cheetah is an incredibly fierce animal, its speed renowned as the fastest among beasts.

    If one could use traps and bows and arrows, there might be a chance to hunt it.

    But if only with a dagger, that’s practically equivalent to suicide.

    Even A Yong, famed as the bravest, became food for the cheetah.

    Who else would take such a risk for a widow?

    Aside from putting men’s lives at stake, they could also end up unmarried for life.

    Zhuoma’s fate was indeed tragic.

    Looking at herself, it was just marrying a man she didn’t like; compared to Zhuoma, she was much better off.

    And that guy, although he always liked to annoy her, sometimes he fascinated her.

    Like the time at the Civil Affairs Bureau, or when he blocked the door insisting she eat, arrogantly lifting her into the air...

    The Zhuanghu mountain area was extremely rich, teeming with various animals.

    Rabbits, wild boars, sika deer, you name it.

    Every man in Zhuanghu was a sharpshooter, never missing his mark.

    Soon, everyone donned trophies of their hunt.

    Wang Dadong also showed off his archery a little bit; with three arrows, he hit a wild rabbit, a wild boar, and a wild fox.

    “Brother Zhaxi, your archery is really good,” complimented the Zhuang ethnic people, giving a thumbs up.

    “Brother Qiangba, your archery is also very good,” Wang Dadong smiled and returned the compliment.

    “We’ve got enough game for the whole village for three days, Brother Zhaxi, let’s head back.”

    The party of three prepared to make their way home.

    Suddenly, Qiangba, who was leading the way, stopped.

    “Brother Qiangba, what’s wrong?”

    Qiangba pointed ahead, his expression very somber.

    In front of the three men, about a hundred meters away, an animal covered in spots and somewhat resembling a cat was slowly walking.

    That was no cat, but a cheetah!