Lin Fan wielded his sickle, enthusiastically harvesting honey.
There were three chunks in total, each weighing seven or eight jin.
Wild honey was about three hundred yuan per jin. If sold, these would fetch at least six thousand yuan.
The bees, having lost their hive, flew about like headless flies, wanting to attack Lin Fan but fearing the scent emanating from him.
The clever trick of using pyrethrum to drive away bees was a piece of medical knowledge from the "Zhi Heng Lu Dian". He had been unsure at first, but now he was completely at ease.
The bees in this hive were not ordinary. Most of them were hornets with long stingers at their tails. A single sting would mean days of pain, at the very least.
"Sister Yueyue, you go first. These are all venomous hornets," Lin Fan shouted.
"Oh, be careful then," Song Yue said, retreating quietly.
Lin Fan climbed down the cliff. The hornets followed for a moment but none dared to approach.
"Xiao Fan, did the hornets sting you?" Song Yue called from not too far away.
"No, I'm fine. Look," Lin Fan replied.
Lin Fan ran over and placed the bamboo basket on the ground.
"Wow, so much wild honey! You're rich now!" Song Yue exclaimed, a hint of envy in her eyes. In truth, her life was not prosperous, especially with a child to raise.
"Sister Yueyue, thanks to you for guiding me. I'll get the cash tonight and give you a share," Lin Fan said with a smile.
Song Yue waved her hands repeatedly. "That won't do. I can't keep taking your money."
"It's settled then," Lin Fan said assertively.
"Kid from the neighboring village, who gave you permission to touch my honey?"
Suddenly, an extremely arrogant voice came from behind.
Immediately after, three men swaggered out from the woods.
These three men were all disheveled, with cigarettes dangling from their mouths, looking like common ruffians.
Song Yue's expression changed, and she whispered in Lin Fan's ear, "Xiao Fan, they are ruffians from Datong Village. They bully men and women. Be careful."
She still had lingering fear from when these scoundrels had harassed her at the market in Shimenzhen, almost taking advantage of her.
"So they are from Datong Village."
Lin Fan frowned slightly. Datong Village and Luofeng Village were neighboring villages, and the two had always been at odds.
Datong Village was relatively wealthier and had more able-bodied men. They often bullied the villagers of Luofeng Village.
Since Datong Village was upstream of Luofeng Village, whenever river water was needed in spring, Datong Village would hold them hostage.
As a result, the villagers of the two villages almost fought every year.
Of course, the villagers of Luofeng Village were always the ones who suffered.
Lin Fan recognized them now. These three were Chen Ergou, Li Erdan, and Wang Daniu. They were all idlers, the kind of scoundrels even dogs disdained.
In some rural areas, elders would name their children after animals, believing that a humble name would make the child easier to raise.
Among them, Chen Ergou was bald, Wang Daniu had lost an eye, and Li Erdan stuttered when he spoke.
Therefore, these three had not found wives yet.
"This honey is clearly wild. How did it become yours?"
If it were a year ago, Lin Fan would have been intimidated by these three thugs. But now, with his newfound strength, he felt no fear.
Chen Ergou snorted. "Hmph, even Fengyu Gorge belongs to our Datong Village. Do you think the honey doesn't?"
They had discovered this honey long ago, but it was too high to reach, so they could only stare at it enviously.
Even so, they wouldn't let anyone else touch it, let alone people from Luofeng Village and Wangjia Village.
Lin Fan crossed his arms. "That's a joke. Fengyu Gorge is a primal forest; it doesn't belong to anyone. Moreover, it's closest to our Luofeng Village. If anything, it should belong to us."
"Nonsense!"
"I... I said... it's ours, so... so... so it is. What are you talking about!" Li Erdan's face turned red as he managed to utter a few words.
Wang Daniu rolled his eyes at him. "Erdan, can you, a stutterer, say less? Listening to you speak makes me... makes me... makes me so anxious."
"Damn it! You made me stutter too!"
Chen Ergou looked at the voluptuous Song Yue, secretly swallowing. "In a word, either leave the honey, or have this little lady Song Yue serve us three brothers. Make your choice!"
Wang Daniu chuckled. "Ergou, why give them a choice? We can have both the honey and the woman!"
Song Yue gritted her teeth in anger. "You scoundrels, why don't you just die!"
"Little girl, if we die, who will satisfy you!" Chen Ergou leered.
Lin Fan sneered. "You dream on!"
With that, he grabbed Song Yue's hand and turned to run.
"Damn it! They're running, chase them!"
The three gave chase relentlessly.
Soon, they reached the foot of the cliff.
Chen Ergou's face twisted into a sinister grin. "Run! Run some more for us to see."
Lin Fan remained calm and said with a smile, "It will be you running soon."
Wang Daniu laughed heartily. "Kid, with your scrawny arms and legs, you think you can make us run? Are you scared out of your wits?"
"Idiot!"
As Lin Fan's voice fell, a deafening "buzz" echoed, and swarms of hornets descended from the cliff.
Their nest had been destroyed, and these hornets were already furious. Now, more humans were causing trouble.
Lin Fan grabbed a handful of pyrethrum and handed it to Song Yue. "Hold this, put it above your head, and squat down."
Song Yue quickly followed his instructions.
Chen Ergou and the other two were stunned for a moment before they realized what was happening, and their faces turned green. "Oh my god! It's hornets! Run!"
The three turned and fled, wishing they had been born with faster legs.
The hornets, not daring to provoke Lin Fan and Song Yue, vented their anger on the trio. Almost ninety-nine percent of the hornets swarmed towards them.
The three tried every possible way to escape the hornets' pursuit, but it was impossible, as the hornets had wings.
"Ah..."
Screams followed one after another, ceaselessly.
Lin Fan's lips curved into a smug smile. "Let's go, Sister Yueyue. These three will be lucky if they don't shed a layer of skin today. It's much more fun than doing it myself."
These hornets were as big as little fingers. Lin Fan couldn't imagine what it would feel like to have their stingers pierce flesh, but it surely would be excruciating.
Song Yue was still a bit shaken. "You scared me to death, Xiao Fan. You're really wicked, but I like it, hehehe."
"They bullied you, they deserve it," Lin Fan said with indignation.
Song Yue's eyes sparkled with enchanting charm. "What, are you feeling bad for them?"
"Sister Yueyue, isn't that stating the obvious?" Lin Fan replied irritably.
Then he added, "Let's hurry back. It wouldn't be good if more people from Datong Village came looking for trouble."