Chapter 105

Chapter 105

In the evening, they had dinner at the table in the yard, which Uncle Lin had just sent over. It was much larger than their previous table.

If the kitchen got too hot in summer, they could also cook outside.

They had lit mugwort in the yard, which kept the mosquitoes away.

Not long after the beginning of summer, Lin Taohong had gotten many insect bites, scratching herself every day.

They had collected a lot of mugwort from the mountains, so they could use it right away.

On the table were the small river shrimp that Dog Dan had caught. They hadn’t tasted this flavor in a long time, and when stir-fried with Chinese chives, it was incredibly tasty.

Wang Yingniang was eating the wild vegetable dumplings and crispy dough pockets they had brought back at noon, praising their delicious flavor and saying she would go to the mountains to pick more.

Unfortunately, the dough pockets had lost their crispness.

"I think we should dry more wild vegetables to make dried vegetables. That way, we can have some in the winter."

As the saying goes, autumn harvest and winter storage, they had to plan for the future throughout the year.

Lin Chunyan nodded, "We can dry more of it."

Dissatisfied with the mint water in front of her, Lin Taohong wrinkled her brow and said, "I also want to drink the herbal drink you all have."

The herbal drink in front of them was snowy bean water, which had been boiled for a long time and was very refreshing to drink. Only Lin Taohong had been given a mint drink.

"Didn't you say that after eating the tofu skin sesame pancakes too quickly, your mouth started hurting again? Drink some mint water to reduce the heat."

Lin Taohong reluctantly drank a few sips, complaining that it needed more sugar.

Mrs. Zhang gave her a disapproving look, "Ignore her, she's becoming more spoiled."

She then mentioned that they had dug too deep in the mung bean field, "No wonder it’s not growing as well as Mrs. Qian’s."

"It's okay, the mung beans have already sprouted. We’ll dig a bit shallower next year."

Without a skilled farmer to show them, even a simple instruction to dig shallower would take them some time to figure out.

Seeing the large patch of mint by the door, Lin Chunyan comforted the pouting Lin Taohong, "Drink this for now. Another day, I’ll make mint candies for you."

Hearing this, Lin Taohong stopped complaining and looked smugly at Mrs. Zhang.

"Only Yan Niang indulges you. If it were me, I’d say drink it or leave it."

Lin Taohong wasn’t afraid of her, "Mother, what’s the matter with the little clothes in your room? Elder Sister said you should wash them every day."

Mrs. Zhang was momentarily speechless, feeling as if her throat had been choked, and could only respond with a vague "ah." She secretly glanced at Lin Chunyan, and only when she saw that Lin wasn’t looking did she let out a sigh of relief, "I was going to wash them when I came back today, but I was too tired. I’ve just been knitting my wool pants lately."

Unfortunately, she had run out of yarn and only then realized how convenient knitting was. It didn’t interfere with her socializing and allowed her to get work done.

"Then wait a little longer. Dog Dan’s Father has gone to ask for some."

Mrs. Zhang nodded and took another bite of the shrimp, spitting out the heads while eating the meat and shell.

"It’s really fragrant. I don’t know why we didn’t think of catching these before?"

"Probably because there’s not much meat. It’s not worth the effort when there are other easier options."

Mrs. Zhang thought it was reasonable and decided that on days she didn’t go to the shop, she’d come here for a noon rest.

Xue Tuan emerged from who knows where and meowed as she jumped into Mrs. Zhang's arms.

"On days I don't go to the shop, I'll come here for a noon rest," Mrs. Zhang said.

Mrs. Zhang stroked Xue Tuan's fur while leisurely swinging in the chair, her expression not much different from Xue Tuan's.

Lin Taohong wasn’t having it. "If you don’t go to the shop, I won’t be able to manage it all by myself. How can you only think about slacking off?"

The two of them started squabbling again, and Lin Chunyan told them both to stop the nonsense. "Don’t you see the mugwort? Start rubbing it into ropes."

It wasn’t an easy task, and after a short while, both Mrs. Zhang and Lin Taohong were complaining, each blaming the other for their own discomfort.

"What do you think they’re doing in the kitchen?"

Mrs. Zhang peeked inside but saw nothing.

"I don’t know. They said they were making braised dishes and that there weren’t many left, so they needed to make more."

"I saw Yingniang go down to the cellar to get lotus roots, wood ear mushrooms, and some taro. Who knows what they’re planning?"

As they rubbed the mugwort into ropes, the smell in the air grew stronger, and both of them started to feel hungry.

"What are they making?" Lin Taohong couldn’t stand it anymore and put down the mugwort to sneak a peek into the kitchen. She had intended to be discreet, but no sooner had she hidden behind the door than Lin Chunyan spotted her.

"Big Sister," Lin Taohong said awkwardly, not forgetting her purpose. "What are you making?"

"We’re braising some dishes. They’ll be ready to eat by tomorrow morning."

When Lin Taohong heard it was braised dishes, she asked if they would be tasty. "Why aren’t you braising meat?"

"You’ll find out tomorrow morning. These braised dishes will be delicious too."

Today’s wind was blowing south, and Liu Niangzi took a deep sniff. "What’s smelling so good?"

Wei Rou had noticed the smell earlier and twitched her nose before saying, "It smells like meat is cooking. It’s probably something for the shop."

Liu Niangzi wanted to eat some. Seeing it wasn’t too late, she grabbed just any basket and headed out. "I’m going to ask Mrs. Zhang how she makes this design."

It was clearly an excuse. Wei Rou knew Mrs. Zhang wouldn’t know anything about designs, but she didn’t expose her. After Liu Niangzi left, Wei Rou called for Peng Pingan.

"Ping'an ge, Mother has gone out!"

Peng Pingan was delighted to hear it and came over, immediately hugging Wei Rou.

Liu Niangzi first peeked through the door of Mrs. Zhang's house. Seeing Mrs. Zhang sitting in the chair in the yard, she gave a little cough. "What are you doing?"

Mrs. Zhang was startled but quickly invited her in when she saw it was Liu Niangzi. "Come help me for a bit. My hands are getting stiff from all this rubbing."

Liu Niangzi put down her small basket and started rubbing the mugwort ropes as she asked Mrs. Zhang, "What are you making? It smells so good."

"Braised dishes. They said it won’t be ready to eat until tomorrow morning when the flavors have fully set in."

When Liu Niangzi heard it wouldn’t be ready until tomorrow, she immediately stopped working. "It seems like my daughter-in-law is calling me. I should go back and check."

"Wait, old woman," Mrs. Zhang said, not wanting her to slack off. She quickly pulled Liu Niangzi back. "I’ll get you some dried apricots."

They had previously dried a lot of apricots in their yard, and Liu Niangzi had tasted one that wasn’t fully dried yet. It was already quite tasty—sweet and sour. Thinking about it, she decided to stay a little longer.

Auntie Zhang went to the cellar to get some dried apricots and said, "I haven't gone up the mountain in a long time. I'm actually craving some bitter vegetables. When you go up the mountain next time, bring me along."

Liu Niangzi took a bite of the apricot and replied, "Has the sun started rising from the west now? I can't believe you want to go to the mountains! If it weren't for my daughter-in-law urging me, I wouldn't want to go either."

Liu Niangzi looked at Auntie Zhang as if she was unaware of her good fortune.

Auntie Zhang cleared her throat and said, "You make me sound like a rich landlord who does nothing but eat. It's mainly that no one is willing to eat what I cook. I do the other housework as well."

She bit into the apricot, which was particularly sour, and couldn't help but frown.

Lin Chunyan brought out the dried vegetables she had bought that day and her own sun-dried wood ear mushrooms, tofu skins, and dried bean curd sticks, putting them into the broth they had previously used to braise pig trotters.

The broth had already been simmered twice, so the braised vegetables naturally had a rich and enticing aroma.

Though small when dry, the wood ear mushrooms expanded significantly once soaked.

She also added eggs and tofu, confident that the flavor would be excellent.

The mere aroma had Lin Chunyan eager to eat.

That night, when they went to sleep, they also lit a stick of mugwort.

They had found it painful to rub the mugwort earlier, but now that it was actually in use, they found it very effective.

Soon, no one found the smell unpleasant anymore. After a while, they got used to it, and they could open the windows without worrying about mosquitoes coming in.

Lin Taohong let out a sigh of relief. "Finally, I can have a good night's sleep tonight."

Wang Yingniang, on the other side, said, "As long as we don't get woken up again, it'll be fine."

Lin Taohong blushed slightly, recalling how mosquitoes had bitten her. In her sleep, she had flailed her arms and legs, accidentally waking Lin Chunyan and Wang Yingniang.

"If we had more money, we'd definitely add a couple more rooms, one for each of us," Lin Taohong said.

Xue Tuan, not wanting to sleep yet, ran in meowing loudly, only to be shooed away by Lin Taohong.

"You're shedding everywhere; it's really annoying," she said, yawning as she watched Lin Chunyan and Wang Yingniang take out the clothes.

"This cabinet is really big. I wish I could have one too," Lin Taohong said.

The cabinet had been delivered by Uncle Lin when he brought the table, and it fit perfectly in their room, providing enough space for their everyday clothes.

"Once you two move out, my chest will feel awfully empty," Lin Taohong replied.

After more talk, she insisted on dragging Lin Chunyan and Wang Yingniang to the toilet with her. "I'm scared to go alone."

"The moon is so bright out there," Lin Chunyan said, not wanting to go.

Wang Yingniang, who also needed to use the toilet, put on some clothes and followed her out.

After a while, Lin Chunyan saw Lin Taohong storm back in. She turned around and asked, "What's wrong?"

"Big Sister," Lin Taohong said angrily, "Someone has shorn all the wool from our sheep!"

Wang Yingniang gave a bitter smile, and it didn't take much to guess who was behind it.

Lin Chunyan exclaimed and, without tidying up the bed, went to check the backyard.

Sure enough, the she-goat’s fur had been completely shaved off, leaving only reddish skin underneath, with a few cuts here and there.

The she-goat called out a few times when she saw Lin Chunyan, and to her surprise, Lin Chunyan could hear sounds of grievance in those bleats.

She looked at the wounds with a heavy heart, relieved to see that they weren’t very deep and had stopped bleeding.

Lin Chunyan let out a long breath of relief and went to knock on Mrs. Zhang's door. Mrs. Zhang had heard the commotion, and since her back window faced the backyard directly, she pretended to be asleep, not wanting to face the consequences.

"Auntie, open the door."

Mrs. Zhang started by pretending to snore loudly, but when she saw that Lin Chunyan wasn’t buying it, she pretended to just wake up. "What's going on? I'm already asleep."

"Nothing much, I just wanted to ask where you hid the sheep’s wool."

Feeling guilty, Mrs. Zhang shuffled her slippers and opened the door, trying to fix her messy hair. "What wool? Could it be that I’m dreaming?"

Lin Taohong was impressed by her skill at playing dumb and cut straight to the chase. "Auntie, no need to pretend. No one else entered our yard. If the wool is gone, it’s because you and Aunt Liu cut it."

Mrs. Zhang sighed, averting their eyes. "I thought it was something serious. The wool was sheared by me and Aunt Liu. There’s no need for such a fuss. Go back to sleep. I have to go up the mountain early tomorrow."

Before they could say anything else, she closed the door, letting out a sigh of relief. She had been really scared for a moment there.

Originally, she and Aunt Liu had been sitting under a tree, rubbing mugwort, when Mrs. Zhang started complaining about the wool pants she had been making.

Aunt Liu gestured toward the backyard. "There’s wool right there. Just go and cut it."

So, the two sneaked off to the backyard, with one person holding the sheep steady while the other cut off the wool. They managed to collect a good amount, but because the sheep struggled too much, they accidentally cut its skin in a few places and dared not say anything.

Outside the door, the group looked at one another, stunned, shocked by Mrs. Zhang’s audacity. Lin Taohong was the first to speak. "Auntie is really acting too recklessly."

Lin Chunyan felt the same way but used the oil lamp to carefully check the sheep again, relieved to see that the wounds were indeed not serious.

"She won’t eat tomorrow."

Unaware of Lin Chunyan’s anger, Mrs. Zhang got up early the next morning and went up the mountain with Aunt Liu.

The two were searching for bitter vegetables and also planned to dig up some chickweed to bring back.

The bitter vegetables were easy to find; they just needed a small hoe or shovel to dig them up and put them in the basket.

As they dug, they chatted, mentioning how last time Lin Yingniang had stripped the water parsley’s veins for cooking. "I don’t understand what’s the point. If it were me, I wouldn’t bother with all that effort."

Aunt Liu nodded in agreement. "I wouldn’t either. These wild vegetables still need to be blanched after bringing them home. It’s too much trouble."

She wished she didn’t have to lift a finger and that Sister Wei Ruo would just serve her the food.

Seeing that there weren’t many people on the mountain at that time, Mrs. Zhang asked her quietly, "You’ve been married for some time now. Are you pregnant?"

Aunt Liu shook her head. "I think it’s better not to have a baby too soon. Otherwise, I’ll have to look after the child later."

The two chatted away, but suddenly, they heard a rustle in the bushes and jumped in fright, thinking it might be a wild animal.

Back at home, Lin Chunyan had selected some of the braised dishes and looked toward the east side of the village, wondering why Mrs. Zhang hadn’t returned yet. "Why has she been gone for so long?"

"Never mind her; she’s probably off gossiping with Aunt Liu again."

Lin Chunyan thought it made sense and directly invited everyone to dig into the braised dishes.

"Let’s taste it first. Today, we’ll use the dried beans from the cellar to make pork belly stir-fried with dried beans."

The taste of these dried beans, when stir-fried, was distinct from that of fresh ones, which got everyone excited.

Even though they had already eaten many delicious dishes, the thought of more good food still delighted them.

"If we go by the timing, fresh beans should be ready soon."

"We haven’t planted many at home, but when they’re harvested, we’ll turn them all into dried vegetables."

The braised dishes were excellent, with the ingredients having absorbed the flavors after being simmered overnight.

The tofu skin and dried bean curd sticks were already delicious, and after absorbing the aroma, they became even more fragrant.

Lin Chunyan loved the lotus roots, which were stewed until soft and easy to chew, retaining the lotus roots’ unique fragrance.

Lin Taohong ate heartily. The wood-ear mushrooms and fragrant mushrooms, which she used to dislike, now tasted much better, combining the flavor of meat without the greasiness.

Just as she was feeling satisfied, Sister Wei Ruo knocked on the door, letting them know that Liu Niangzi hadn’t returned either.

"I hope nothing’s happened. My mother-in-law is always back early for meals."

The sun had already risen, and it was time for them to head to town. Feeling anxious, Lin Chunyan put down her chopsticks and said, "I’ll go check."

Wang Yingniang stopped her, "You go to town to handle things. I’ll search the mountains for the old lady and let you know."

Lin Chunyan shook her head, "Even if I go to town, I won’t be able to be at ease."

It would be better to find them first, so she wouldn’t be so worried and could focus on her tasks.

After much persuasion, Lin Taohong went with Lin Cuixiang and the others, while Lin Chunyan and her sister followed Sister Wei Ruo up the mountain.

Peng Pingan took another route and agreed to shout if they found them.

Lin Chunyan even brought the knife along.

The three of them walked and shouted, searching along the path for a while before they found the place where they had dug the bitter vegetables.

"This must be the spot; the soil is still fresh."

"But where are the people?"

The three didn’t dare to separate and carefully searched the area.

The mountain air was a bit chilly in the morning. Sister Wei Ruo touched her goosebumped arms and whispered, "Could it be that Shiliu’s father is causing trouble?"

This was the mountain where Shiliu’s father had been pushed down, and since Old Man Peng always insisted he had been wronged, Wei Ruo couldn’t help but believe it a little.

She always felt a bit scared, thinking it was eerie, and everything seemed frightening.

Lin Chunyan didn’t believe it, "There’s no such superstitious stuff. And right now, the sun is still above us; they must have gone somewhere."

But after searching for so long, Lin Chunyan started to feel anxious and frowned as she continued up the mountain.

Although Old Lady Zhang was usually lazy, she wasn’t stupid. It was clear she hadn’t been kidnapped. She must have encountered someone or seen something.

No sooner had he spoken than a dark cloud appeared out of nowhere, covering the sun entirely, making it even more eerie than before.

Just then, even Wang Yingniang felt a twinge of fear and pressed close against Lin Chunyan.

"Don't worry, the cloud will disperse soon," Lin Chunyan said.

But it was as if the heavens were playing tricks on them. Instead of dispersing, the cloud thickened, and it seemed like rain would start any second.

The weather in the mountains was very unpredictable, unlike the weather at the mountain's base. Sometimes, the rain only affected a small area. You wouldn't realize until you descended the mountain that your home had remained dry.

"We need to quickly find somewhere to take shelter."

They looked around for a suitable place, well aware that they shouldn’t hide under a big tree. They had heard stories from other cities about people who took shelter under trees and were struck by lightning, reportedly as divine retribution for their sins.

"A small cave will suffice."

"I remember there's one up ahead, and it doesn’t have any wild animals inside."

Lin Chunyan knew this mountain forest well, having come here many times. She led them swiftly toward the cave, and they made it just in time before the sudden downpour began.

"I wonder where they are?"

The three of them watched as the rain fell in torrents, feeling increasingly worried.

While Lin Taohong was serving food to the laborers, she was distracted and made several mistakes. Everyone could see that something was wrong and asked what was going on.

The people in the establishment knew what was happening and also began to worry as they saw the rain. Mrs. Song took the ladle from Lin Taohong's hand and said, "Let me take over. You look too anxious; go and rest for a bit."

But there was no way she could rest. Lin Taohong paced around the room several times before running off to talk to Tutor Duan.

In her eyes, Tutor Duan was an incredibly knowledgeable person who seemed to know everything.

Tutor Duan softened his worried expression and comforted her, "Even if they find them, it will still take quite some time to walk back here from your place. Don't worry too much."

Zhao Liu ran over and said, "You're all good people. Good people are blessed by heaven; they will surely be fine."

Lin Taohong felt somewhat comforted. "They say the wicked live a thousand years. My mother just sheared the wool off the sheep yesterday and said she wouldn't let her eat the freshly made braised dishes today. She’ll definitely be fine."

But there was no way she could stay in the establishment. "I need to go home so that if they find them, I can get the news early."

Without waiting for anyone to accompany her, she put on a raincoat and ran back, all the while muttering about how Mrs. Zhang shouldn’t have gone up the mountain. She never seemed so diligent in her daily life.

Seeing her disappear in the distance, Tutor Duan stroked his beard and said, "In everyday life, they may argue and joke around, but when it counts, they still care deeply for each other."

"How could they not care? After all, since her father ran away, the three of them have been relying on each other for survival."

This kind of bond could not be broken by a few daily arguments.

As Mrs. Song served dishes to the laborers, she silently prayed to Buddha in her heart. She went to pray twice a month, and though she hadn’t seen much blessing in the past, this time she sincerely hoped that they would all return home safely.

Lin Chunyan and the others were waiting for the rain to stop. Once the rain started, they could no longer hear distant sounds. Wei Rou asked worriedly, "What if it continues to rain?"

If it didn't stop, how would they get back today?

They also wondered how Peng Pingan was doing.

Lost in thought, they were startled by a sudden distant rumble of thunder.

Lin Chunyan felt somewhat anxious, thinking that once they found Mrs. Zhang, she must have a proper conversation with her regardless.

Even after it had started raining, the idle delivery men still hadn't gone home. Each of them took out a straw raincoat. Those without one could only hide in the shelter to avoid the rain.

"Why does it keep raining? Will it ever stop?"

"It's already summer; isn't it normal to have a few rain showers?"

"Have you heard? The Hehua Restaurant said that if we help them deliver, they'll give us an extra wen per delivery."

These idlers often shared various bits of news they heard, especially since they went around the streets and knew more than others.

Wang Xianhan nodded, "They approached me before, asking me to put in a good word with the various households, offering two extra wen per delivery."

That would add up to quite a bit more each day.

Wang Xianhan was tempted but didn't express it directly. Instead, he asked the others first.

Some said they would go, while others were unwilling to switch locations.

"Leaving aside her other qualities, Lin Xiaoniang is excellent at her craft. Today, she's made these braised dishes. By noon, many people will likely ask for them."

"But we miss out on a wen for each order. It feels like quite a loss when you think about it."

"I wish Lin Xiaoniang would increase our pay too."

Ye Xianhan and Lin Xianhan exchanged glances. The two had become quite close recently. Ye Xianhan had even invited Lin Xianhan to his home for a meal, and true to his word, he prepared a feast. The two got drunk, and their relationship deepened further.

"Are you going to switch places?" Lin Xianhan asked in a low voice.

The two were in a corner, neither of them having brought raincoats, and could only wait for the rain to stop.

Ye Xianhan shook his head, "I don't want to change places."

Even though the other place offered one or two more wen, he still felt he could earn more delivering for Lin Chunyan.

Lin Xianhan also nodded, "I'm not planning to switch right away either. Let's wait and observe. Those restaurants have their signature dishes too. Truth be told, delivering daily can also be quite profitable."

The rain only began to drizzle down and stop by noon. These men, having rested for half the day, were already impatient and immediately lined up.

Seeing Mrs. Song serving the food, some were curious, "Where's that young lady?"

Mrs. Song only said she had something to do, offering no further explanation.

The person who asked was teased by those around him, "Isn't it good that Mrs. Song is serving the food? That young lady is sharp. If you say something wrong, she'll snap back at you."

"I actually like her straightforward nature. She says what's on her mind."

Those who saw the braised dishes all requested one or two portions each. They weren't sure if it would be easy to deliver, but they took them for now.

Wang Xianhan went to the Wang Estate as usual. Recently, the estate hadn't been ordering much takeout. At first, he thought someone had taken his customers, as there had been several people loitering around him in a suspicious manner. After inquiring, he learned that the old lady had been unwell, and even the young master and young mistress of the estate hadn't dared to order food.

Things had improved a bit now, and it was said that since the old lady had lost her appetite, they had called for Wang Xianhan.

"What a coincidence, there are freshly made braised dishes today. They smell especially fragrant, with nourishing ingredients that aren't too greasy."

The old servant, Zhao Pozi, who had been sent to shop, took both servings immediately upon hearing it, saying, "Don't leave yet. If the master likes it, they'll definitely ask for two more servings. Just wait here."

Wang Xianhan nodded hastily and flattered her with a few more words before Zhao Pozi returned to the estate.

It is said that even an ordinary doorkeeper at the prime minister's residence is superior to common folk outside, and even officials must show respect. Isn't this the case for him as well? He had to flatter the doorkeeper’s wife and those favored in the master's eyes.

But all this is just to earn money; who would argue with money?

Wang Xianhan waited for a moment, and just as the old woman had predicted, he was asked to fetch several more portions of food. "And don’t forget the braised lion’s head, bamboo tube zongzi, and tofu skin pancakes..."

Old Lady Wang hadn’t been very hungry lately. She had been lying ill in bed, with Qing'er and Rong'er taking care of her, and both had lost some weight.

It wasn't until today, when she received a letter, that she felt somewhat better and suddenly wanted to eat something from outside the house, especially some braised dishes. Her interest was piqued.

When she felt somewhat better, all the maids and servants breathed a sigh of relief. Even Qing'er and Rong'er showed smiles.

"I also heard there are bamboo tube zongzi and tofu skin pancakes, all of which are very delicious."

Qing'er’s soft voice made everyone’s mouths water.

"You poor thing, you must be craving these because of my failing health."

Qing'er dared not accept such words and quickly went over to act coquettishly, pulling Old Lady Wang's arm. "It’s because you’re getting better, Grandmother, that I have an appetite. Please don’t misunderstand me."

After a few jokes, the braised dishes were brought in.

The aroma of the braised dishes immediately spread through the room. Everyone looked closely and saw plenty of tofu skin and lotus roots, occasionally mixed with wood ear mushrooms.

"It looks delicious, but we’ll see how it tastes."

Old Lady Wang picked up her chopsticks first. She put a piece of lotus root in her mouth. It had been stewed for a long time and was soft and tender, soaked in the rich broth. She also tasted the tofu skin, which was smooth and left a fragrant aftertaste.

"Delicious! Worthy of being made by Madam Lin."

To receive such praise from her meant that the dish truly suited Old Lady Wang's taste.

Both Qing'er and Rong'er reached for their chopsticks. Rong'er ate the wood ear mushrooms, which were crispy and fragrant.

Young Master Wang had just returned from his private academy and saw that the three of them had already begun eating. He exclaimed in surprise and then complained.

"Why did you start without me? Is there anything left?"

Old Lady Wang laughed. "We thought you'd be a bit late. We've already sent the servants to purchase additional food, including bamboo tube zongzi, tofu skin pancakes, and even some extra braised dishes."

Just as she finished speaking, the maid brought in several items. Sure enough, it was the bamboo tube zongzi and tofu skin pancakes.

There was also a new portion of braised dishes. Only then did Young Master Wang feel relieved, washed his hands, and sat down, first picking up the bamboo tube zongzi.

"This is quite elegant, with the fragrance of bamboo and red beans; it needs no additional sugar."

Lin Chunyan saw that the rain had stopped, and the leaves were adorned with crystal-clear dew drops. The whole world seemed purified, filled with a light, earthy scent.

She didn’t have time to savor it carefully and hurriedly continued walking and calling out with her companions.

The mountain path was even muddier after the rain, and some sections were hard to navigate. They almost slipped and fell, so they had to find sticks and slowly climb up.

When Lin Taohong returned home and saw that no one was back yet, she burst into tears, crying uncontrollably. No one could console her, and she insisted on going up the mountain in the rain.

Second Aunt Lin said, "We can’t go up the mountain on a rainy day. Wait until the rain stops, and let your second and third uncles go look for them together."

She was also worried, unsure where those two unreliable people had gone.

"We’ve found them!"

Peng Pingan took a different path, and it was only after circling to the other side of the mountain that he found Mrs. Zhang and Liu Niangzi.

The two of them were inside the cave, worrying about the rain that had begun to fall.

They had originally planned to descend the mountain, but the rain forced them to return to the cave.

Apart from the two of them, a family of five, who were evidently refugees, were also sheltering in the cave. Their clothes were tattered, and they looked as if they hadn’t eaten in a long time.

A man lay on the ground with a large wound where the flesh had been torn, still bleeding. The sight was terrifying, and it was Zhao Huaizi from their village.

After they had dug up some bitter herbs, Mrs. Zhang and Liu Niangzi had planned to descend the mountain early, but as they turned around, they were thoroughly startled by the sight of two unfamiliar children.

The children were speaking a different dialect, and only after much gesturing did they understand that the children had found an injured man and brought him back. He had lost a lot of blood and was likely to die.

Mrs. Zhang immediately guessed it was Zhao Huaizi. They were distantly related and had always helped his family, so she couldn’t just leave him be. Still, she feared it might be a trap and hesitated, wondering if it was a ploy.

Finally, she stomped her foot and said, "Let’s go down and get help."

Liu Niangzi pointed at herself and said, "In this deep mountain forest, what would they want from us two? If it really is Zhao Huaizi who got bitten, then so be it. If not, we’ll be ridiculed."

They still had a machete in their basket, so even if things went wrong, they would still be able to handle these refugees.

Determined, Mrs. Zhang decided to see for herself and followed the children.

The two of them weren’t stupid; they left markers as they walked, and Peng Pingan followed these markers to find them.

When he arrived, he saw that apart from the two children, there was another child even younger among the refugees, who hid from them in fear.

They were more afraid than Peng Pingan and the others.

If Zhao Huaizi's condition hadn't worsened significantly, they probably wouldn’t have looked for anyone and would have just remained hidden.

"We need to head back immediately," Mrs. Zhang urged. "We have to get some people to carry him back."

But just then, it started raining heavily, trapping them inside the cave, which is why they were delayed until this point.

After finding them, Peng Pingan went to inform Lin Chunyan and the others first, before heading down the mountain without a pause, needing to get help from the villagers to bring him back.

Upon seeing Zhao Huaizi, Peng Pingan feared something might really be wrong.

"You don’t need to go up there. My mother and the others are right behind us and should be coming down soon."

Sure enough, it wasn’t long before Mrs. Zhang and Liu Niangzi came down, leaning on each other. When they saw them, they awkwardly turned away, neither daring to speak.

Earlier, Peng Pingan had given them a good scolding, letting them know how worried everyone had been due to their absence.

On the way back, Mrs. Zhang and Liu Niangzi were still arguing about whether Lin Chunyan or Sister Wei Rou was more intimidating when angry.

Neither gave in, each insisting that the person they mentioned was scarier. But seeing Lin Chunyan and Sister Wei Rou standing there, both stern and silent, they were too frightened to continue.

Lin Chunyan had intended to scold Mrs. Zhang, but seeing her stand there like a frightened quail, slightly wet, she decided to hold back.

Forget it, she’d scold her later.

Sister Wei Rou felt the same, though she was worried about Ping'an, and hurried down the mountain.

This area was one they had often frequented in the autumn of the previous year. This spring, there had been many things to attend to, and each time they went up the mountain, they didn’t venture far. They hadn’t noticed that so many broad beans had grown here.

The wild broad beans had just sprouted and weren’t old yet. She decided that next time she had the chance to come up the mountain, she would pick all of them to take home.

Mrs. Zhang and Liu Niangzi saw that the two only glared at them a few times without immediately scolding them and quietly let out a sigh of relief.

Mrs. Zhang even tugged on Wang Yingniang's sleeve and whispered, "Goddaughter, when we get back and they start scolding me, please try to persuade them."

Wang Yingniang gave a bitter smile. "Mother, why did you have to go up the mountain? Even if you had just gone back to give them a heads-up, it would have been better than having us search all over for you."

Mrs. Zhang sighed. "We must have been blinded by foolishness."

Meanwhile, Peng Pingan's steps were hurried. Fortunate to have been up the mountain frequently, he knew the path well and quickly reached the foot of the mountain.

Lin Ershu was called back from the fields. Just as they were about to go up the mountain to look for Mrs. Zhang, Peng Pingan stopped them. "We only need to go to the cave over there and bring a stretcher. Huaizi was attacked by a wild boar."

Lin Ershu also became anxious. He grabbed a plank from his house and rallied a few people. They set off up the mountain in a grand procession.

On the way, they met Lin Chunyan and the others. Peng Pingan only asked them to go and check if they could find a doctor. "It looks like Huaizi is in bad shape."

Mrs. Zhang, who had the most authority to speak, added, "Exactly, the blood flowed profusely. Fortunately, those refugees helped, but Huaizi has been unconscious this whole time."

At this point, she sighed, hoping that Zhao Huaizi would be alright. He was supposed to marry soon, and no one expected this to happen.

Wang Danie was also unlucky; who knows how many people would gossip about her.

Lin Chunyan quickened her pace. By the time they reached the foot of the mountain, Second Aunt Lin was preparing to go to town to fetch Dr. Hou. The village doctor could only treat minor ailments like headaches and fevers, and such an injury was beyond his capabilities.

Upon hearing this, Mrs. Zhao hurriedly stopped her. "There's no need to go to town. Dr. Hou is right here in our village."

It turned out that Xinghua's mother had been suffering from constant diarrhea, and even the village doctor couldn't figure out what was wrong. They had spent money to bring Dr. Hou from town to take a look.

"What a coincidence."

Second Aunt Lin and the others immediately went to fetch Dr. Hou. Meanwhile, Madam Sun paced back and forth in the courtyard. She knew it wasn't the right time to intervene, but seeing someone in such a state, she couldn't stay at ease.

"Let’s trust that good fortune favors the good," Mrs. Zhang could only offer this comfort before quietly heading into the house with Liu Niangzi.

Liu Niangzi didn’t dare return home, knowing that Sister Wei Rou would surely scold her. At this moment, she didn't know how to face her.

Mrs. Zhang also felt a little guilty and avoided looking at them. She only stopped when Lin Chunyan scolded her.

She forced a smile. "Yan Niang, don't worry about me. You go on and handle your matters."

"At this point, what else is there to do? Besides, I’m not going to the shop. I'll just send someone to inform them. We’ll sort this out together."