The trees on Lion Mountain had already withered in the winter cold, and the prolonged lack of rain had left the mountain paths cracked and dry.

The wind on the mountain howled, stinging the face like knives.

With plenty of time today, Qian Chunhua walked as she took in the surroundings.

Worried about the approaching cold weather, many villagers from Huanghualing had also come in small groups to chop firewood on Lion Mountain.

However, among them were only the main laborers of each household—mostly men.

No women had come to chop wood.

Among these people, some saw Qian Chunhua and sneered inwardly.
Serves her right, a woman who doesn’t follow the rules, insisting on breaking ties with her husband’s family.

The leader of this group was Ma Yubo, Zhang Qiurong’s husband.

These men disliked Qian Chunhua’s actions, believing she had set a bad precedent in Huanghualing.

Qian Chunhua’s public severing of ties with the Zhao family had led to a subtle awakening among the village’s women.

It turned out that in one’s husband’s family, it wasn’t just about being divorced or abandoned—
A woman could also take the initiative: to divide the household, to cut ties completely.

Of course, not everyone disapproved of Qian Chunhua.

Some admired her, like the sons of Granny Xu’s family, who deeply respected her.

In Qian Chunhua, they saw a reflection of their own mother—who, in her younger days, had raised five sons alone with strength and determination.

“Chunhua, heading up the mountain for firewood?” Xu Jiang, the eldest son of Granny Xu, called out.

Hearing this, Qian Chunhua looked over. From the memories of her predecessor, she recognized him as Xu Jiang, Granny Xu’s eldest son.

Because Granny Xu had spoken up for her during the family dispute, Qian Chunhua had a favorable impression of the Xu family.
“Brother Xu, yes, I’m here to chop firewood. You all too?”

Xu Jiang was a cheerful and hearty man. He smiled and offered,
“Why not join us, Chunhua? We’re strong—we’ll chop, and you can pick up the fallen branches.”

Qian Chunhua appreciated the kind gesture but quickly declined—it would prevent her from going up the mountain to fetch water.

“Thank you, Brother Xu, but I plan to go higher up. There’s more firewood there.”

She quickly picked up her pace, not wanting to be invited again, and walked off without looking back.

Xu Jiang watched her retreating figure with admiration and said to his younger brother Xu He,
“See that? Chunhua’s got backbone. If she ever runs into trouble, we should help her if we can.”

Xu He nodded in agreement.

Qian Chunhua didn’t realize that her rejection—because of the space—had left a strong impression on the Xu brothers, one of self-reliance and determination.

It also laid the groundwork for them to stand up for her in the future when she would need help.

Worried she might encounter more acquaintances, Qian Chunhua didn’t dare stop again and went straight to the spring at the mountain peak.

The top of Lion Mountain was bitterly cold today—colder than yesterday. The wind was sharper, and it seemed the temperature had dropped further.

Fortunately, the spring hadn’t frozen over yet.

After checking to make sure no one was around, she took out a large ton-sized barrel from her space and placed it beneath the spring to collect water.

While the water filled, she retrieved an electric chainsaw from her space.

All the fallen branches nearby had already been picked clean. If she needed more firewood, she’d have to cut from the trees themselves—and nothing worked faster than an electric chainsaw.

She had originally stocked up on the chainsaw as a defensive tool, never imagining it would come in handy like this.

She moved a bit farther from the spring and began working—sawing off branches and collecting them into her space.

Every ten minutes or so, she returned to switch out the water barrel.
Busy like this for a while, she eventually filled every bucket in her space.

Checking the time, she saw it was already past 4 PM.

She was so hungry, her stomach felt like it was glued to her spine.

Taking advantage of the empty surroundings, she pulled out some meat buns from her space and devoured three in a row before finally feeling a bit better.

Looking at the fully stocked space filled with water and firewood, she smiled with satisfaction.

No matter how cold or dry the weather got in the future, she wouldn’t have to worry anymore.

After preparing the firewood she would carry down the mountain, she started heading back.

On the way down, she heard the voices of Xu Jiang and his group, so she quickly pulled out the firewood bundle she had prepared and hefted it onto her back.

Ugh, just my luck, she grumbled inwardly.

Now that someone saw me, I’ll have to carry this the whole way.

She sighed but could do nothing about it.

“Chunhua!” Xu Jiang’s voice called from the roadside.

Qian Chunhua pretended to have just noticed him and exclaimed with surprise,
“Brother Xu! You guys finished chopping already?”

Xu Jiang nodded, but when he saw the massive bundle of firewood on Qian Chunhua’s back—taller than she was—he was stunned.
“So much firewood on the upper mountain?”

Qian Chunhua smiled and nodded,
“Yep, fewer people go up there, so there’s more wood. But you do have to walk further.”

Xu He was full of envy.
“Brother, let’s go up there tomorrow too.”

Xu Jiang agreed immediately,
“Tomorrow let’s bring the third and fourth brothers too. The lower trees are almost all picked clean.”

What Xu Jiang meant was that the branches had been trimmed off many trees. In one or two years, those would grow back.
No one touched the trunks—everyone in the mountains knew better than to kill the tree entirely. No one wanted to kill the chicken for one egg.

“Chunhua, let me help you carry that,” Xu Jiang offered, concerned by the sheer size of her load—it was double what he had gathered.

Qian Chunhua inwardly begged, Please go, or I really will collapse from exhaustion, but outwardly she politely declined,
“No need, Brother Xu. You go ahead. I’ll just walk slowly.”

She stepped aside and stood by the road to let the Xu brothers pass first.

Seeing that she wouldn’t accept help, the Xu brothers continued on. But this made them admire her independence even more.

Once they were far enough ahead, Qian Chunhua quickly stuffed the firewood back into her space.
If she had to carry it the whole way, she would collapse.

She rested a bit longer, and once she was sure the brothers were far ahead, she resumed her descent.

About half an hour later, near the foot of the mountain and with no one in sight, she once again took out a bundle of firewood from her space.

Hoisting it onto her back, she hurried toward the Qian household.

When she entered the courtyard with the bundle, Qian’s mother was startled.
“You silly girl! Aren’t you afraid of hurting yourself carrying all that?!”

Qian Chunhua chuckled and dragged the firewood into the woodshed.

Qian’s mother quickly tried to stop her.
“Don’t give it to me—I told Xing Shan to go chop wood after school!”

Qian Chunhua smiled,
“It’s just one bundle. Let’s have little brother do it next time.”

Before her mother could object again, Qian Chunhua had already stuffed the wood inside.
“Mom, don’t stop me. I left another bundle partway up the mountain—I couldn’t carry both. I need to get it before someone else finds it.”

Hearing this, Qian’s mother stepped aside quickly.
“Want me to go with you?”

Qian Chunhua waved her hand without looking back.
“No need, Mom. Just watch over Qingfeng for me.”

Qingfeng, who was playing in the courtyard, looked up at his mother’s departing figure, then lowered his head and continued playing.

But Qian Chunhua wasn’t foolish enough to really go all the way back up.

She only walked to the foot of the mountain, rested briefly, and, seeing no one around, pulled another bundle of firewood from her space.

This bundle she planned to carry home to her own house.