Chapter 10: Going Up the Mountain

After days of hard labor, the summer harvest had finally come to an end.

The stacks of wheat were piled high like miniature mountains. Aunties and grannies were busy threshing, seasoned old farmers worked the drying and winnowing grounds, and strong young laborers carried loads on their shoulders or pushed carts to move the grain.

Everyone had a role to play—voices called back and forth, laughter rang out, and the scene was bustling with energy. It was the first time Anran had seen such lively chaos up close. Among the commotion, half-grown kids on school break dashed around the stacks, laughing and shouting, adding an extra layer of joy to the already festive atmosphere. Anran joined in, feeling exhausted—but happy.

It was harvest season, after all. Food was finally within reach, and though people were tired, there was satisfaction written on every face. Once the grain was stored, they’d be able to divide it up. Everyone was looking forward to a hot, hearty meal—something to truly replenish their strength after this intense period.

Some of the hardworking village women had already made plans to go up the mountain to forage for food—something to fill the kids’ bellies and maybe even gather some snacks.

The village chief’s youngest daughter, Xiao Hong, had been helping hand out tools at the threshing ground. Her father had asked her to take the educated youths up the mountain the next day. He was worried they didn’t know the terrain well and might get hurt.

Xiao Hong was the perfect example of a no-nonsense Northeastern girl—straightforward, bold, and efficient. She quickly set a time and meeting place and left. Anran found herself quite liking her style. “So cool. Really knows how to carry herself,” she thought.

That evening, after returning to the youth camp and finishing dinner, everyone went to bed early. They were excited about the trip. None of them had climbed a mountain before, and the whole place buzzed with chatter.

The boys said they’d try to collect firewood and maybe even catch a wild chicken or rabbit to spice up their meals. The girls planned to pick wild fruits and dig up wild vegetables for the same reason—anything to improve their food situation.

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The Next Morning

Everyone gathered at the meeting spot they’d arranged with Xiao Hong—and sure enough, she was already there waiting.

They followed her up the mountain, step by step.

“This time of year, a lot of the wild greens are getting tough,” Xiao Hong explained, “but they’re still edible. And some wild fruits are ripening too. Once it’s September or October, pine nuts, hazelnuts, and chestnuts will be in season. In winter, we rely on those to get by.”

Recently, everything they’d been eating had come from bartering with locals. There hadn’t been time to plant anything on their own land yet. But now that the harvest was done, it was time to consider what they should grow. Huang Jianshe already had some ideas—he’d wait until the next group meeting to discuss.

As they climbed, the group fell into a companionable rhythm. Most didn’t know much about foraging, so they listened quietly, occasionally asking Xiao Hong questions. The mood was light—laughs and curious chatter echoed up the trail.

Then came the inevitable disruption. Wang Xixi, looking displeased, spoke up.

“How much farther is it? We’ve been climbing for ages, and I haven’t seen a single wild fruit. Xiao Hong, are you sure you didn’t take the wrong path? Ah—don’t get me wrong, I just speak my mind. Don’t take it personally.”

Xiao Hong rolled her eyes.

“I grew up in these mountains. How could I possibly get lost? If you don’t trust me, feel free to find your own guide.”

“You misunderstood me, Comrade Xiao Hong,” Wang Xixi said, wearing an innocent expression. “I didn’t mean anything by it. I was just worried, you know, just in case…” —as if to say, How could you be so ungrateful?

At that moment, Wang Mingzhi, the pudgy boy with a shaved head, chimed in,

“Comrade Wang Xixi means well. Accidents can happen—sometimes even experts make mistakes. No harm in being cautious.”

Wang Xixi flashed him a grateful smile, and Wang Mingzhi blushed bright red.

She still found him a bit annoying, but since he was the only male comrade who openly supported her, she decided to let it go.

Xu Zhaodi quickly stepped in to smooth things over.

“Alright, alright. Comrade Xiao Hong is kind enough to guide us—we should be thankful. Even if we don’t find anything, it’s still a nice outing.”

Anran applauded internally like a clapping seal.

“Ah, the female lead’s halo is working overtime. Look, she’s already picked up a loyal puppy.”

After walking a bit more, they stumbled upon a yuan jujube tree. Xiao Hong looked it over.

“These are yuan dates. When they ripen and get soft, they’re really delicious. A few are already ready, but full ripeness is still about a month off. Lucky for us, the kids in the village haven’t found this tree yet—or there’d be nothing left.”

She spoke as she climbed up the tree with practiced ease, plucked a few soft fruits, and tossed them down for everyone to try.

Anran bit into one and thought, “Isn’t this just a tiny kiwi? Even the taste is almost the same.”

Everyone agreed they were tasty. There weren’t many ripe ones, so each person took a small handful and carefully tucked them into their baskets for later.

A bit farther on, they found a wild apple tree, but the apples were still green. Regretfully, they decided to come back later in the season.

Xiao Hong chuckled at their disappointed faces.

“Once those apples are ripe, there’s no guarantee you’ll beat the village kids to them. They’ve got their eyes on every tree. These wild fruits are rare treats for us.”

They kept going, and eventually wild greens started growing more densely. Xiao Hong stopped the group.

“Let’s dig some wild vegetables here. Any farther and the terrain gets risky.”

Everyone split up and crouched down to gather as much as they could.

Wang Mingzhi sidled up to Wang Xixi and said,

“Comrade Wang, let me help you. There’s more wild greens over there.”

Though she secretly thought he was like a toad lusting after a swan, she softened her tone and replied sweetly,

“Thank you, Comrade Wang. You’re so kind. But I don’t want to slow you down. Let’s both work hard and bring back lots of greens—for the team’s benefit.”

Wang Mingzhi thought, “How can anyone be this considerate? She’s an angel.”

Anran, having witnessed the entire exchange, covered her cheeks and muttered, “My teeth hurt just watching that.”

Xiao Hong glanced at her.
“Anran, what’s wrong?”

“Too much sweetness. My teeth can’t handle it.”

Xiao Hong smirked. “Ate too many yuan dates, didn’t you?”

Anran gave a long-suffering sigh. “Don’t blame the jujubes. They’re innocent. I was emotionally injured.”

Meanwhile, Huang Jianshe led the male youths to collect firewood, while the female group followed Xiao Hong to learn about lesser-known wild vegetables. Before long, their baskets were full, and the boys came back with three big bundles of wood—enough to last a while. As for wild chickens or rabbits? That remained wishful thinking.

They started their descent. Unlike the climb up, the walk down was quieter—everyone was a bit tired now.

At the foot of the mountain, they parted ways with Xiao Hong and returned to the youth camp.

There, they sorted the wild vegetables—some for dinner, the rest for drying and preserving. It was common in the village to sun-dry vegetables for later, especially to prepare for the lean seasons.

And here, one couldn’t help but praise Zheng Xiuhong. Though usually quiet and low-key—Anran often saw her as another passive observer like herself—when it came to running a household, Zheng Xiuhong was a natural. Many of the preservation ideas were hers.

Everyone had a light meal, then retreated to their rooms for a well-earned rest.