Wei Cheng found a stick about the thickness of his forearm, tied it to one end of the trap, and carefully lowered the long trap into the water, leaving the stick outside to pull it up later.

He exhaled a puff of cold air and quickly buried thick snow around the hole.

When he finished, it was completely dark, only a cluster of warm light by the narrow stream.

Wei Cheng looked back at Guan Guan, who was staring behind them.

Wei Cheng put away his tools. “Guan Guan, let’s go home.”

Guan Guan ran over, taking Wei Cheng’s hand, looking at him with confusion. “Frogs?”

“We’ll check tomorrow morning. If not, then the day after.”

Wei Cheng picked up the torch. “Let’s go home. Brother will try again tomorrow.”

They hadn’t felt the cold while working, but now, Wei Cheng’s sweat turned cold. He shivered. “Hopefully, tomorrow morning will be full of frogs.”

“There will be, Brother is amazing, Brother is a good person,” Guan Guan said.

Wei Cheng smiled. This little one could give compliments. He patted Guan Guan’s head. “Yes, Guan Guan is right.”

“Good people get rich! Brother will get rich, Guan Guan will too!”

The two children walked down the mountain, unaware that a skinny old wolf was lurking behind them in the snow. Its eyes were like green candles, its teeth sharp, but it seemed controlled, its paws on the ground, whimpering softly, like a mosquito.

Wei Cheng woke up early the next morning, unable to sleep well. He wondered how he and Guan Guan would spend the money if he caught golden frogs, and if he didn’t, he couldn’t bring Guan Guan to gather firewood, as it was dangerous, and Guan Guan’s borrowed coat might hinder his movement. But leaving Guan Guan alone was also risky.

He was worried all night.

“Brother, Guan Guan will go too…” Guan Guan rubbed his eyes and sat up. “Want to go…”

“Sleep a little longer,”

Wei Cheng stroked the child’s hair. “Your eyes aren’t even open.”

Guan Guan yawned, holding his eyelids open. “They’re open.”

Wei Cheng chuckled and dressed him.

They hurried up the mountain to avoid being seen.

This time, they were more familiar with the path. Hope filled them.

Reaching the stream, Wei Cheng’s face changed. Wolf tracks were in the snow!

He pulled Guan Guan into his arms, looking around. The snow was undisturbed, but there was no sign of the wolf.

Guan Guan urged, “Brother, quickly, catch frogs, catch frogs.”

Wei Cheng swallowed his fear. “Don’t run around. Brother will pull up the trap, whether there are frogs or not, we’ll run down the mountain. Follow Brother.”

Guan Guan didn’t understand Brother’s fear, but obediently said, “Okay.”

Wei Cheng kicked away the snow and branches, pulling the trap. It was easy at first, but then he couldn’t move it at all!

He must have caught some!

Wei Cheng whispered, “Guan Guan, come here!”

“Guan Guan, help Brother pull this stick.”

“Coming!”

Guan Guan stood in front of Wei Cheng, gripping the wet stick, frowning and grunting.

They pulled together, most of the effort from Wei Cheng.

Suddenly, the weight lightened. The last part of the trap came out of the hole.

The children fell backward.

Wei Cheng was stunned. Guan Guan exclaimed happily, “Wow, frogs! So many frogs!”

Wei Cheng’s heart pounded. He helped Guan Guan up, put the trap in the backpack, and ran down the mountain.

Wei Cheng didn’t breathe heavily until he reached the hut and realized he was drenched in sweat!

Guan Guan, oblivious, asked, “Brother, why did you run so fast?”

“Nothing, just wanted to go home quickly.”

Wei Cheng didn’t want to scare him, deciding not to mention the wolf.

He wondered if the wolf came while they were gone, or while they were there… No, it couldn’t have been while they were there. If they’d met, the wolf wouldn’t have let them go.

Wei Cheng was scared, but greater joy awaited him.

He saw Guan Guan trying to take the trap out of the backpack.

Wei Cheng took out the trap. Many frogs were jumping inside!

“Wow, so many.”

Guan Guan squatted down, cautiously reaching out to touch a frog, but jumped back, almost crying, hugging Wei Cheng’s leg.

Wei Cheng laughed. “Don’t be afraid, frogs don’t bite.”

“Let’s take them out.”

Guan Guan followed him, no longer touching the frogs.

Wei Cheng took the basket, pointing to the lid. “Brother will put one in, you lift the edge, don’t let them escape.”

Guan Guan pursed his lips, looking serious. “Okay!”

Wei Cheng wasn’t afraid of frogs. He reached in and pulled out a frog. “It’s a female!”

Female frogs were larger, with swollen bellies, and their oil was more valuable. Male frogs were smaller, with a black lump on their front paws.

Wei Cheng had learned this from Gou Sanshi.

Few villagers could catch frogs, so only people like Gou Sanshi knew these details.

Male frogs were eighty cash each, female frogs two hundred!

Wei Cheng was excited, showing Guan Guan. “Guan Guan, look, it’s a female frog.”

Guan Guan wrinkled his nose, hiding. “Ugly.”

“Ugly?”

Wei Cheng continued, finding several male frogs. He laughed, “One female frog can buy you many ground beans.”

Guan Guan’s eyes lit up. “Many? How many?”

Wei Cheng said happily, “You can eat two every day from now until autumn.”

“Okay, it’s not ugly anymore.” Guan Guan poked the basket. “Pretty, really pretty.”

Wei Cheng laughed.

All the frogs were in the basket: ten large female frogs and thirty-six smaller male frogs.

Wei Cheng could count, but calculating was slow.

The children looked at the basket. Wei Cheng hesitated. “A female frog is two hundred cash, ten is…”

Guan Guan looked at him expectantly.

Wei Cheng cleared his throat. “Don’t rush, Brother will calculate.”

Guan Guan nodded, his eyes shining.

“One female frog… ten,” Wei Cheng muttered, using his fingers. “One is two hundred, two is four hundred, three is six hundred… ten is… two thousand!”

Wei Cheng exclaimed, overjoyed. “Guan Guan, we’re rich!”

“Two… two thousand cash, how many beans?” Guan Guan cared only about beans.

“Many, you can eat them until autumn.”

Guan Guan jumped for joy. “So many beans, so many beans!”

Wei Cheng couldn’t calculate the male frogs. He decided to ask Mo.

For breakfast, Wei Cheng roasted a ground bean and two sweet potatoes. After eating, the children locked the door and went to the herbalist’s house.

The herbalist family was just waking up. Mo was surprised to see them. “Cheng, you’re here. For medicine?”

Wei Cheng nodded.

Mo let them in, touching Guan Guan’s face. “This child is handsome, he looks like a girl.”

Guan Guan liked Mo.

The herbalist examined Wei Cheng’s wound. “Much better, you don’t need more medicine.”

Wei Cheng thanked him.

As the herbalist prepared the medicine, Wei Cheng said, “Herbalist, I have a question.”

“Ask.” The herbalist said casually.