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That rare lunch left the four of them stuffed and deeply satisfied. Bi Chunliu thought to herself, luckily she had tossed in some hand‑pulled noodles while boiling the dumplings—otherwise, the four of them really would have finished all the dumplings, nearly wiping out tomorrow’s breakfast supply.
Bi Qiuguo slid back on her stool until she leaned against the wall, sprawling like a puddle. The moment she opened her mouth—hic~ hic~—two thunderous burps erupted.
Bi Weiguo burst into laughter, but after just two chuckles he clutched his belly and groaned, “Ow, ow, I can’t laugh—too full.”
Bi Chunliu: “…” Why did this kid look so silly? “Don’t just flop around! We rarely get a good meal, if you sit there and let it settle wrong you’ll just end up with indigestion. Up, all of you, move around a little.”
“Oh…”
Bi Xiahe rubbed her belly—she too was stuffed. Even standing up had to be done slowly. She said, “Big Sis, why don’t we tidy up quickly and head to the outskirts early? We can walk it off. Otherwise I don’t think I’ll digest this anytime soon.”
Bi Chunliu nodded. Forget the three younger siblings—even she herself was too full to sit still. She hadn’t eaten much meat since coming back, and suddenly having so much at once, she was half worried she’d get diarrhea. She secretly spat at herself in her heart—what a weakling…
No more delay. They cleaned up pots and bowls, changed into old clothes, and found two small baskets at home. Bi Qiuguo even dug up a burlap sack covered in dust from who‑knows‑where and threw it in too.
The four siblings were ready to head out. Chunliu glanced happily at their newly bought wall clock—12:40, still early, plenty of time to stroll slowly.
Granny Zhang was washing dishes at the sink. Seeing the four siblings stepping out together, she smiled, “Heading out for a walk?”
Bi Chunliu said, “Granny Zhang, we’re going to the outskirts to see if we can find any wild vegetables.”
“That’s nice. The weather now is neither hot nor cold, perfect for going out.” Granny Zhang’s hands kept scrubbing. “Go on, enjoy.”
“Okay, Granny Zhang, see you later! If I catch a rabbit, I’ll share it with you!” Bi Qiuguo declared grandly.
Granny Zhang was so amused she laughed out loud. “Alright, Grandma will be waiting for Qiuguo to bring her meat!”
“Granny Zhang, we’re off!”
“Go carefully, take your time.” Granny Zhang rinsed the last dish, placed everything neatly into a basin, and carried it back inside.
At that moment, Bai Xingzi happened to be returning home. Seeing the smile still on Granny Zhang’s face, she teased, “Yo~ Auntie Zhang, what were you talking about with those four? Look at you two grinning ear to ear.”
Granny Zhang: “Oh, just the kids making me laugh. And besides, seeing you makes me happy too.”
Bai Xingzi raised her brows, exaggerating a laugh. “Really?! Well, seeing you makes me happy too—two words: pure joy!”
Inside the Nie household, someone called out, “Mom—!” It was Nie Xiangxi.
Granny Zhang chuckled, “Better head back, your kid’s calling you.”
Bai Xingzi nodded and hurried in.
Nie Xiangxi immediately said with disdain, “Mom, why do you even bother chatting with that old widow Zhang? She can’t help us at all.”
Bai Xingzi waved her hand, lowering her voice, “The textile factory used to belong to her family. A starved camel is still bigger than a horse. Even if she’s alone now, she must have some savings, not to mention years of wages. Better we sweet‑talk her and maybe she’ll let some of it trickle our way, than let others take advantage.”
Nie Xuesong’s face grew stern. “Don’t listen to your mother. You still need to rely on yourselves. Of course—your Granny Zhang has had it rough. Eldest, Second, Third—you three are grown already. If you see Granny Zhang struggling, lend her a hand. We’re neighbors; show some consideration. And Fourth, be sweet‑tongued when you see her. If you’re free, sit and chat with her. She grew up in a well‑off family—learn a little from her, and it’ll benefit you for life. I remember she was quite fond of you when you were little.”
“Listen to your dad, he’s right!” Bai Xingzi added quickly.
The four Nie children all responded in unison with an “Oh.”
On the way to the outskirts, the Bi siblings ambled along. Just past mealtime, the streets were empty. They strolled lazily, Chunliu smiling to herself—it felt like they were a bunch of loafers wandering the streets.
Qiuguo pulled two stalks of grass from the roadside, swishing them in her hands while humming a tune.
Chunliu glanced at her. “Qiuguo, what’s got you so cheerful today?”
Qiuguo nodded vigorously. “Of course I’m happy! We had delicious dumplings, and Big Sis is even taking us out to play. How could I not be?”
Xiahe cut in quietly, “If your homework were finished, you’d be even happier.”
“Ahhh—Third Sis, you’re the worst!” Qiuguo pouted. Such a buzzkill!
Xiahe chuckled. “I don’t dislike you~ Big Sis, can we go into that forested area later? I heard from a classmate that her uncle’s village sometimes catches wild pheasants there when they want meat. Maybe we could too?”
Weiguo grinned, “Third Sis, we just had meat at lunch, and you’re already craving more?”
Xiahe shot him a look. “And you don’t want meat?”
Weiguo puffed his chest. “Of course I do! But I can’t catch it. We only brought two baskets—pheasants won’t just jump into them themselves.”
Chunliu yawned, rubbing her belly—it felt a little better now. “We’ll see when we get there. If we catch something, great. If not, we’ll gather plenty of wild vegetables. Either way, it won’t be a wasted trip.”
“Okay!”
The further they went, the clearer the two nearby mountains became—one large, one smaller. From afar, the winding mountain paths could even be seen.
No one remembered the real name of the larger mountain. Since a smaller rocky hill sat beside it, people simply called the big one “Big Mountain” or “Green Mountain,” and the smaller one “Little Mountain” or “Stone Mountain.”
Little Mountain was rocky and barren, useful only for gathering stones to build houses. Otherwise, villagers rarely went there—there was nothing to eat.
Though side by side, the two mountains were strikingly different. One bare and jagged, the other lush and green. Someone once compared them vividly: if Little Mountain was a turtle shell, Big Mountain was a turtle shell covered in fur.
Staring at the looming mountains, Qiuguo asked, “Big Sis, Third Sis, I read in books that northeastern mountains are full of treasures—like ginseng and other valuable things. Do you think our mountain has any? If we found one, wouldn’t we strike it rich?! Think of how much meat we could buy—we could eat dumplings and braised pork, one bite after another!” Her eyes sparkled at the thought.
“…”
Xiahe hesitated. “There might be… ginseng doesn’t only grow in the northeast.”
Chunliu nodded. Everyone wanted to dig up ginseng, but luck was the key—not everyone could find it.
Weiguo frowned. “Hey, Qiuguo, why didn’t you ask me?” He felt slighted. He was in his third year of junior high, yet Qiuguo skipped right over him to ask the others. Didn’t she realize he was more knowledgeable?
Qiuguo looked utterly baffled—her face practically said: Don’t you know why I didn’t ask you?
“Shh—quiet.” Xiahe lowered her voice. “Big Sis, isn’t that gray thing over there a rabbit?”
Sometimes hands moved faster than brains. Before Xiahe even finished asking, Chunliu had already hurled two stones with all her strength.
The first startled the rabbit—it froze instead of leaping away. The second struck dead‑on. Crack! Right in the head!
The rabbit collapsed, unmoving. Chunliu stared in disbelief. Wow—did I really have that aim?! Did some god bless my throwing arm when I came back?
Weiguo shouted, “I’ll get it!!” and bolted toward the rabbit.
“Big Sis!! You’re amazing!!! You’ll forever be my sister!!!” he hollered, holding the rabbit aloft while hopping back, grinning ear to ear.
Chunliu: “…” Anyone watching would think a monkey had learned to speak.
Qiuguo’s eyes sparkled brighter than ever. “Big Sis! You’re incredible!!”
Xiahe nodded, giving two thumbs up. Big Sis was getting more and more awesome!
“Hahaha, keep it low‑key. Just luck,” Chunliu waved modestly, though she was secretly thrilled. Taking the rabbit from Weiguo, she whistled softly—this thing was fat, at least four pounds. Images of five‑spice rabbit, spicy rabbit head, stir‑fried rabbit filled her mind. Slurp~
Suddenly, the rabbit’s hind legs twitched. Weiguo immediately handed over a rock, saying reverently, “Big Sis.”
With a quick finish, the rabbit lay still. The four crouched around, watching quietly for a moment. No more movement—it was dead for sure.
Qiuguo clapped. “Applause for our great Big Sis, Bi Chunliu!! Thanks to her, we’ll eat meat again!!”
Xiahe and Weiguo joined in. “Clap clap! Thank you, Big Sis~”
Chunliu felt a little embarrassed. “Alright, enough. Put the rabbit at the bottom of the basket so no one sees. Now, let’s look for wild vegetables.”
“Okay!”
Just like Granny Zhang said, this season was perfect for outings. The mountain was lush with wild grass and edible greens, filling people with joy just to see it.
Chunliu took a deep breath. Ah~ of all four seasons, spring was her favorite. Not just because she was born in spring, but because it felt bright, healthy, and full of hope. Spring meant revival—good things were brewing.
“What’s everyone’s favorite season?” she asked cheerfully.
“I like autumn! So much food to eat!” Qiuguo answered first.
Xiahe thought a moment. “I like summer. It feels passionate, like there are no secrets.”
Qiuguo rubbed her nose. “Third Sis, that sounds so deep!” She scratched her head—how was her sister only a year older, yet so different?
Now all eyes turned to Weiguo. Squatting as he dug for greens, he glanced at Chunliu first. “Big Sis, your favorite is spring?”
“Yup. What about you, Weiguo?”
“Me?” He hesitated. “I think… I like them all. Every season has something tasty. Spring dumplings with wild greens, summer watermelon and popsicles, autumn corn, roasted sweet potatoes in winter… slurp~ Yeah, I like them all.”
Chunliu smiled. “That’s good. The three of us each prefer something distinct, and you appreciate the beauty of every season.”
Qiuguo pouted. “Big Sis, he doesn’t like all the seasons—he just likes all the food!”
Weiguo retorted, “So what? You don’t? If you don’t like it, then give me your dumplings tomorrow. Don’t act innocent—I still remember you tricked me out of a bun last time!”
“Ah! Big Sis, Third Sis, Second Bro—look! Something good over there!” Qiuguo shouted, quickly changing the subject.
Weiguo: “…” He waved a fist at her threateningly. Do you think I’m stupid?