Male Lead's Canon Fodder Wife - Chapter 1114

Chapter 1114: Suggestions, Reasons, Solutions ( 2 )
Once the brigade claimed the mountains, no one would be allowed to enter without permission. If that happened, the Li family’s situation might revert to subsisting on just one meal a day and they wouldn’t be able to have a better life compared to the rest of the villagers.

While he was lost in thought, the next dish—stir-fried crab with Padang sauce—was served. This time, alongside the dish, they brought out steamed rice with pandan leaves.

This time, Xie Xuanzi said nothing when he saw the crab and focused on eating. He knew that if he talked too much, he wouldn’t even get a chance to taste the dish before others devoured it.

At the main table, the Pan family was surprised when they saw the crab. Even in the capital, it was difficult to find crabs of such size and quality, let alone in a small village.

Noticing their expressions, Li Lingyun smiled and explained, “Father, Mother, these crabs were caught by my third brother and his wife in the mountain lake. It’s not much, but the taste is delicious. It’s rare to find such good stuff in the deep mountains, so please eat more.”

Hearing this, the second aunt took a bite of the crab and exclaimed, “I thought we would need to shell the crab, but unexpectedly, the shell is soft and crispy.”

Everyone had assumed the crabs were small because they were freshwater crabs. However, upon tasting them, they discovered that the crabs were soft-shell crabs. Compared to hard-shell crabs, soft-shell crabs were harder to obtain as they had to be caught before their new shells hardened.

The effort required to obtain the ingredients to prepare this dish demonstrated how much importance the Li family placed on Pan Meijia. This realization brought a satisfied smile to Father and Mother Pan’s faces, and their gazes toward their son-in-law grew warmer and more affectionate.

Seeing this, Pan Meijia tugged at her husband’s sleeve and whispered, “Brother Yun, what did you tell my parents? Why are they looking at you like that?”

Leaning closer to his newlywed wife, Li Lingyun whispered back, “Maybe it’s because I’m so handsome today that they like me more.”

Pan Meijia glanced at her husband with blushing cheeks, and whispered, “You are so shameless.”

Raising his eyebrows, Li Lingyun teased, “Wife, are you saying your husband isn’t handsome today?”

Hearing this, Pan Meijia’s blush deepened. After stealing several glances at her husband, she finally muttered in a low voice, “Very handsome.”

Satisfied with her answer, Li Lingyun smiled and replied, “My wife is also very beautiful today.”

“Ahem!”

Sitting beside them, Father Li let out a discreet cough to remind the couple of their surroundings. While they were the bride and groom, excessive public displays of affection were inappropriate, especially with many brigade and production team staff present at the banquet.

Hearing the cough, Pan Meijia and Li Lingyun composed themselves and focused on eating. Although the crab dish was delicious, each portion only contained about fifteen pieces. So, everyone could only get one or two pieces.

At a nearby table, one of the brigade staff remarked, “Sir, I heard from the villagers that most of the ingredients for today’s banquet were foraged from the mountains. With so many resources available, claiming the mountain area could help solve our food shortage.”

Han Yuheng tightened his grip on his chopsticks but said nothing. Instead, the vice team leader chimed in, agreeing with the suggestion.

“Sir, I think this is a good idea. Not only would it prevent individuals from exploiting the resources for personal gain, but it could also ensure sufficient food to support the elderly and orphans.”

Hearing this, the brigade secretary smiled and turned to Han Yuheng.

“Team Leader Han, what do you think of this suggestion?” he asked with curiosity.

Before regaining control of his thoughts and actions, Han Yuheng might have agreed without hesitation since he recognized the brigade secretary’s intent to claim the mountain.

But now, he feels differently. Personal biases aside, he believed claiming the mountain would bring more trouble than benefit. After carefully weighing the pros and cons, he set his chopsticks down and replied, “Sir, I think claiming the mountain offers little benefit and more trouble.”

The brigade secretary raised an eyebrow, intrigued by his words and asked,”Oh? Why do you say so?”

Han Yuheng hesitated briefly before explaining, “Everyone knows the mountains are uncharted. The paths are difficult to walk and confusing, and the terrain is fraught with danger. Besides the random appearance of thick mist and unpredicted weather, the wild animals alone cause significant casualties every year.”

“Even if we claim the mountain, no one knows the roads or the locations of the resources. Although the Li family’s sons could guide us, we would still need substantial manpower to gather and transport the resources.”

“Moreover, there is no guarantee we wouldn’t encounter wild animals. We might be able to hunt wild boars if we are lucky, but what if we come across a tiger, a bear, or even a wolf pack?” he asked.

Seeing that everyone was thinking after listening to his words, he continued, “A few years ago, a villager from a neighboring village barely escaped the mountain after encountering a wild animal.”

“Although he was able to survive the attack and returned to his village, he succumbed to his severe injuries shortly after returning. Since then, those who entered the mountains never returned. The danger outweighs the benefits.”

The crowd nodded solemnly, their faces marked with concern.

The brigade secretary, still looking thoughtful, asked, “Then what do you propose we do?”

Han Yuheng paused before responding, “In my opinion, it’s better not to claim the mountains.”

One brigade staff member frowned and questioned him, “Team Leader Han, don’t you want to improve the villagers’ quality of life?”

Another added, “If we don’t claim the mountain, won’t the resources go to waste?”

Han Yuheng smiled and replied, “Comrades, I also want to improve the villagers’ lives. But sacrificing others to achieve this isn’t the solution. I believe there is a better way.”

The brigade secretary leaned forward and asked with interest, “Do you have a solution?”