Chapter 6: Husband and wife are but birds of the same forest, flying their separate ways when disaster strikes.

Unaware of what was happening inside, faint sounds of an argument drifted out, and soon Wang Wei stormed out, pushing the door open in a fit of anger, ready to leave.

Jiang Cha was quick and sharp, stepping forward to block his path.

“You… what are you two doing here?”

Jiang Cha sneered coldly, “Guilty conscience, afraid the ghosts will knock on your door?”

In a panic, Wang Wei pulled a small knife from his pocket and lunged at Jiang Cha without hesitation.

Song Bo stepped forward, restraining Wang Wei’s hand with a sharp snap, knocking the knife to the floor.

“Brother!”

From the doorway came a startled cry. A woman, hastily wrapped in her clothes, rushed out to stand protectively in front of Wang Wei.

“What are you doing?!” Wang Yurong glared angrily at the two and helped Wang Wei to his feet.

With the sudden movement, a large bundle on Wang Wei’s back tumbled down, spilling out a round, plump creature.

[I’m suffocating, finally out!]

The tiger cub was round and adorable, endearing in its clumsy innocence, its faint stripes making it resemble a big cat.

Jiang Cha’s heart melted at the sight of the chubby little tiger, but to the others, the situation was far from endearing.

“Ah— a tiger!”

Zhong Wanwan appeared, and seeing the tiger cub at her feet, screamed in fright and collapsed to the ground.

Jiang Cha bent down and picked up the little cub, looking down at Wanwan from above.

“Why are you screaming? You scared the poor cub—if it gets stressed, you’ll pay for it.”

Song Bo twisted his head in disbelief. He’d heard of cats getting stressed, but never a tiger. He clearly didn’t know this woman.

The cub nestled in Jiang Cha’s arms, clutching her collar tightly, looking pitiful.

[Sister, he wanted to skin me and sell my fur.]

Hearing the cub’s accusation, Jiang Cha gently stroked its fur in comfort, then turned to Song Bo.

“Should we report this to the party secretary?”

Before Song Bo could answer, Wang Yurong hurriedly interrupted, “No, we can’t report it!”

“He stole an endangered South China tiger cub and planned to skin it to sell its pelt. If you don’t report it, do you want to go to jail for him?”

At that moment, Zhong Tianyu appeared, face dark, dressed in an overcoat. He glanced at the two siblings crying miserably and steeled himself.

“Wanwan, go find the party secretary.”

Wang Yurong exploded, “Are you crazy? He’s our own brother! You want to hand him over to jail yourself?!”

Zhong Tianyu’s anger flared. Pointing at them, he scolded, “How can you say that! Didn’t I tell you to keep an eye on him? If he causes trouble, not just him, but you and I will be implicated!”

Then, raising his voice further, as if recalling something important:

“And he’s your brother, not mine! I’ve already been lenient, even giving him Wanwan’s share, but look what he’s done! If you keep protecting him, when the secretary comes, you’ll have to explain.”

Without waiting for any reply from the wailing Wang Yurong, he slammed the door shut behind him.

Jiang Cha clicked her tongue beside Song Bo, “When disaster strikes, even married couples fly apart.”

Zhong Wanwan stood there helplessly, “Then… what about me?”

“No going! I dare anyone to try to find the secretary—I’ll fight anyone who does!”

Wanwan was scolded into silence, biting her lip in distress.

Wang Yurong’s indulgence of her brother had truly reached a dangerous extreme.

“Let’s see who you want to fight.”

From the darkness came a strong, clear voice, followed by several unfamiliar men entering with the party secretary.

The strangers’ attire clashed with the village’s rustic air; they looked like visitors from the big city, not locals.

“Secretary, why are you here…”

Song Yingjie’s face was stern as he scanned the crowd, but upon seeing the tiger cub in Jiang Cha’s arms, his expression softened considerably.

Jiang Yun peeked from behind the secretary, and Jiang Cha understood immediately.

Fearing for Jiang Cha’s safety, Jiang Yun had quickly sought out the secretary. Since the secretary’s son had also gone after the tiger thief, the secretary couldn’t just stand by.

“This… this is a South China tiger!”

One middle-aged man in a deep blue tunic spoke, shocked and trembling slightly.

Jiang Cha did not recognize these men, but since they accompanied the secretary, they must be trustworthy.

She turned the tiger cub’s face towards them for a better look.

“It’s a healthy South China tiger cub, round and uninjured.”

The men visibly relaxed, then their faces hardened as they looked at the slumped Wang Wei on the ground.

“You’re in serious trouble. There are fewer than fifteen hundred of these tigers nationwide—they’re endangered and protected! And you wanted to skin it and sell its fur?”

Wang Wei’s eyes went blank in terror, his whole body trembling. Wang Yurong, heartbroken for her brother, stepped forward to plead.

She was an educated youth with some standing in the village; surely her plea would sway the secretary to leniency.

“Secretary, please don’t take my brother away! He was just confused, trying to help the family earn some money, no ill intentions. The cub is fine, isn’t it? Let this matter go, please. I promise he’ll never do this again!”

Zhong Tianyu, probably hearing the commotion outside, appeared with a dark face, leaning against the doorframe.

Wang Yurong saw no one speaking and shouted at him, “Are you dead? You just watch me beg the secretary alone. Aren’t you going to say anything?!”

Seeing the couple on the verge of conflict, Song Yingjie interrupted firmly.

“For your family, pleading with me is useless. These are experts from the provincial city inspecting the rainforest ecology, and your family has caused this mess.”

Unyielding, Song Yingjie stepped forward and produced a coil of hemp rope. With Song Bo’s help, they quickly bound Wang Wei tightly.

Knowing he was in the wrong and with so many witnesses, Wang Wei stopped struggling and lowered his head, allowing the ropes to bind him firmly.

“Secretary! Don’t tie up my brother! I’ll go to jail for him myself, isn’t that enough?!”

Wang Yurong sobbed uncontrollably, desperately trying to free him, but Zhong Wanwan pulled her back fiercely, and the mother and daughter fell to the ground together.

Zhong Tianyu rubbed his aching head and slapped Wang Yurong.

“Why are you crying? He’s in this mess because you spoiled him. I tolerated you giving him money and rations before! But now he’s breaking the law, and you still want to go to jail for him? What can you offer? Do you want to die for him?”

The room fell silent. Wang Yurong immediately stopped crying, though soft whimpers continued.

After tying him up, Song Yingjie led Wang Wei away, preparing to contact relevant provincial authorities the next day.

[Sister, this family is so noisy. I’m hungry—I haven’t eaten in two days.]

Jiang Cha patted the tiger cub’s sunken belly; it was clearly starving.

“But there’s no meat in my house.”

Tigers are carnivores, but very few in the village could afford meat, and even if they could, they would be reluctant to sell it.

This was quite a predicament.