Going Up the Mountains

Xiaoguo walked into the kitchen, and thought about using the ring to bring back all the vegetables that they consume frequently. It was inconvenient to go in and out each time she needed something. Apart from the meat and vegetables, she could bring out various commonly used items and organize them according to her needs.

After doing some packing, Xiaoguo was about to go back to the room when she accidentally kicked a hidden compartment beside the stove. Out of curiosity, she squatted down and removed the brick sitting above it. Underneath the brick, she found a little bundle wrapped in red cloth. She was surprised and shocked. Xiaoguo took the bundle and unwrapped it. Hidden inside was a tael of silver. This must have been money that the previous owner had stashed away and forgotten after some time.

Xiaoguo happily put away the substantial sum of money and returned to the bedroom to rest.

Xiaoguo woke up before dawn the next day. Zhuang Zhuang was still sleeping soundly. She left the house quietly without waking him up. Xiaoguo was planning to make a trip up the mountains. When she stepped out, she saw that the skies were dark and gloomy. Hesitating, she wondered if she should go ahead with her plans. After deliberating for a while, Xiaoguo decided to go up the mountains and take a look. The sooner she set off, the sooner she would be able to return.

Xiaoguo took along a small hoe and headed for the mountains. She got to the base not long after. At this moment, the first rays of sunlight were gradually lighting up the sky. Checking to see that there was no one around, she quickly hiked up the mountains.

Xiaoguo was halfway through when she decided to stop venturing ahead. She was about to reach the deepest part of the mountains and there were just too many unknowns. Xiaoguo was not prepared to take the risk.

Xiaoguo started walking towards the east. As she stepped on the ground, she could feel that the soil here was very different. She squatted down and looked at the earth beneath her feet. The ground was obviously filled with lots of moisture. Xiaoguo grabbed a handful of soil and squeezed with her hand. Water droplets slid through her fingers in an instant. The plants in this area were also lush and green unlike those growing on the other side.

She continued along the east and came to a river not long after. She was delighted by the sight. She had guessed right that there was a water source here. Looking around warily, she checked for signs of danger before moving forward. To her surprise, there was a big fish swimming in the river. It looked almost half a meter in length. She approached it carefully and waited for the right moment to strike. With a single swing of the hoe, she managed to catch the fish and brought it up the river bank. She had not expected herself to be so accurate—this was her first time catching a fish after all.

Keeping her happiness in check, Xiaoguo quickly threw her catch into the pail that she had brought with her. She recalled seeing some animal feces by the river. Xiaoguo went up to take a closer look. She deduced that it looked like the feces of pheasants and wild rabbits. They could have come here frequently to drink water. Xiaoguo quickly set up a few traps and continued to walk. Guessing that there could be larger wild animals coming here to drink water, Xiaoguo didn’t want to stop there for too long.

At the same time, she was thinking about Zhuang Zhuang. Worried that he would start looking for her when he woke up, she did not stop and quickly walked down the mountains.

As she entered the village, smoke could be seen rising from the chimneys of every house. The roosters in the village were beginning to crow. Xiaoguo was quite sure then that she didn’t come home too late. When she reached home, Xiaoguo saw Zhuang Zhuang still sleeping with his back facing the room door. Xiaoguo smiled and went to the kitchen. She transferred the fish into a big basin of water. She would surprise Zhuang Zhuang when he was awake.

Although the day had broken, it was still a little dark in the house. Xiaoguo lit up a candle for light. She reminded herself that she will knock out this wall and install a large window to let the light in.

Xiaoguo started preparing breakfast. She will make porridge, shredded potato salad and a spinach pancake.

Xiaoguo found a small charcoal stove. She lit the charcoal and heated the claypot. The rice was rinsed and put to boil over a strong flame in the covered pot. Once the rice was boiling, she adjusted the fire and let the rice simmer over low heat. The potatoes were julienned and blanched. She then seasoned the potato strips with salt, sugar, vinegar and hot chili oil. Xiaoguo was light-handed with the chili as it was better for young children to avoid spicy food. Done with the potato salad, she washed the spinach and cut them into thin strips. Next, she mixed flour and water to make the pancake batter. In the pot, lard was added and heated up. In no time, a stack of golden spinach pancakes was ready to be served.

When Xiaoguo brought the food into the house, Zhuang Zhuang was woken up by the fragrance. Xiaoguo asked him to wash his hands before eating. When Zhuang Zhuang was done, the both of them started having their breakfast at the table. The food portions were just right for the two of them—exactly enough to fill their bellies.

“Mother, this pancake smells so good. It’s as good as eating meat.” The spinach cake was fried in lard, and the pancake was soaked with the aroma of the lard.

Xiaoguo smiled and said, “Eat more if it’s good.”

Zhuang Zhuang nodded happily.