Chapter 21: Searching the Mountain

Having exchanged one hundred yuan for the news of a ginseng, Mu Mian’s heart was not calm at all on her way back. She was so excited that her heart pounded wildly.

Was this some kind of reward for being honest?!!

Well, maybe not. After all, she wasn’t guaranteed to find the ginseng. She only knew that it might be in that area.

The mountains were full of weeds and bushes. If the ginseng was hidden in a thicket, it would be really hard to spot.

But what if she actually found it? That would be a fortune falling from the sky!

It would definitely be worth more than one hundred yuan!!

The more Mu Mian thought about it, the more excited she became. Her little legs started bouncing on their own, and she wished she could rush into the mountains right that moment to search.

She hopped all the way home, looking like a carefree little deer.

However, when she arrived at her house, she suddenly forgot all about the ginseng. Her excitement was completely replaced by shock at the sight in her courtyard.

Mu Mian stopped in her tracks, her mouth hanging open wide enough to fit a whole egg.

One, two, three…

If she didn’t recognize their clothes and body shapes, she would’ve struggled to identify the three little boys in front of her.

These three swollen, pig-headed faces—weren’t they the same kids who had been yelling in the mountains earlier? Xiao Chengzi, Gutou, and Dazhuang?!

She had thought they managed to escape getting stung. Turns out, they all got stung!

Xu Lele was also in the courtyard. When she saw Mu Mian, she immediately ran over. “Sister Mianmian, where did you go? You didn’t get stung, did you? I waited for you over there for so long and didn’t see you come down.”

Mu Mian shook her head. “I didn’t get stung. I just accidentally fell and stayed on the mountain for a while, so I came down late.”

Zhao Meihua, who was pounding herbs nearby, looked over. “How did you fall? Did you step into one of those traps people dig? Is your leg okay?”

Mu Mian patted the dust off her pants. She had walked all the way back with dirty trousers. “I didn’t fall into a trap. I just didn’t see a ditch and accidentally slipped.”

There were indeed quite a few people digging traps in the mountains, mostly to catch wild rabbits and pheasants. These traps weren’t deep, and they didn’t have sharp stakes inside since people frequently went up and down the mountain. If the traps were too deep, it would be dangerous if someone fell in.

The deep pits with sharp stakes were usually set up further into the mountains, where few people ventured and where wild boars roamed.

Seeing that her granddaughter was fine, Zhao Meihua didn’t ask any more questions. She casually smeared the freshly pounded herbal paste onto Xiao Chengzi’s face. The bee sting had already been removed earlier.

The bright red, swollen little face instantly turned green from the herbal paste. Xiao Chengzi howled in pain. “It hurts! It hurts! Grandma, be gentler!”

Zhao Meihua scolded him, “Now you know it hurts? But when you were poking the wasp nest, you didn’t think about that, did you? You’re lucky you ran fast. If you had been stung a couple more times, I doubt you’d even be standing here right now.”

Dazhuang and Gutou, who were waiting for their turn to get treated, hung their heads low.

Mu Mian added fuel to the fire. “The more it hurts, the better you’ll remember next time.”

Wasp stings were truly no joke. They hurt way more than bee stings.

Xiao Chengzi wailed even louder. “Sister! Are you really my Sister?”

Mu Mian gave him an innocent look. “No, I’m your cousin. You only have a biological younger sisters.”

Dazhuang couldn’t help but burst out laughing.

Zhao Meihua’s face darkened. “Still laughing? Just wait until your parents get home from work. That wooden stick will be landing on your backside for sure.”

Dazhuang’s laughter instantly disappeared. He looked miserable. “Grandma Zhao, can I sleep over at Xiao Chengzi’s house tonight? I don’t want to go home.”

Zhao Meihua scoffed, “What does that have to do with me? You’re not sleeping with me.”

As his good friend, Xiao Chengzi seriously considered it. Then, in a helpless tone, he said, “There’s no space at my house. My dad sleeps next to me.”

Gutou added, “Same here. My big brother sleeps beside me.”

Dazhuang let out a long sigh.

Xu Lele, watching the three boys with their swollen “pig heads,” looked relieved. “Good thing I ran fast.”

Mu Mian helped pound more herbs. Medical resources were limited in these times, especially in the countryside, where people relied on home remedies.

For things like reducing swelling and stopping bleeding, families would simply find some herbs and apply them.

Soon, the freshly pounded greenish-purple herbal paste was smeared all over the three boys’ faces. Their swelling probably wouldn’t go down for at least a week.

And they weren’t the only ones who got stung. Some of the others had already gone home.

One could easily imagine that, whether they got stung or not, some households would soon be filled with the sound of “bamboo sticks roasting meat” tonight.

Mu Mian didn’t pay further attention to them. Her mind was preoccupied with what Shi Xiaolian had said.

For the next two days, as soon as school was over, she rushed up the mountain and headed straight for the spot Shi Xiaolian had mentioned. She stayed there for the entire afternoon each time.

Unfortunately, after two days, she hadn’t seen anything.

But since Shi Xiaolian had been searching for two months without success, Mu Mian didn’t feel discouraged. It had only been two days for her. Who knew? Maybe she’d get lucky one day and find it.

Soon, Saturday arrived.

That evening, Mu Fugui brought home a fresh ox tongue.

Liu Shuangcui curiously flipped it over a couple of times and asked, “Did someone send a cow over to you guys? How did it die?”

Mu Mian was also curious and looked up at her father.

Cattle were extremely valuable in these times, considered treasures of the collective. Unless a cow died of natural causes, there was no way people would be allowed to slaughter one for meat.

Mu Fugui explained, “It was a mother cow. The calf was in the wrong position and couldn’t be delivered.”

Liu Shuangcui sighed, “What a pity.”

She only felt bad for about a second before she quickly started handling the ox tongue. “How do you want to eat it?”

Mu Fugui waved a hand. “Stir-fry it. Cut some up and let Mom cook it.”

Liu Shuangcui rolled her eyes at her husband. “What? My cooking isn’t good enough for it?”

That was exactly what he meant, but of course, Mu Fugui didn’t dare admit it. Instead, he turned to his daughter, who was watching them with bright eyes, as if enjoying a show. With a mysterious smile, he said, “I brought something else back too. Want to guess what it is?”

Mu Mian eagerly played along. “What is it? Something delicious, fun, or useful?”

Mu Fugui pointed at the bag he had brought home. “It’s all in there. Go take a look.”

Mu Mian immediately ran over and rummaged through the bag. The first thing she saw was a few large meat buns. “Wow! Are these beef buns?”

Mu Fugui proudly lifted his chin. “Of course! Your dad had to fight tooth and nail to get them.”

Mu Mian, who hadn’t had any meat for half a month and had been relying on malted milk powder to curb her cravings, instantly turned into a little flatterer. “Dad, you’re amazing! You’re the best dad in the entire brigade!”

That malted milk powder had been given to her months ago by the mother of that little boy. She had been rationing it carefully, but it was almost gone.

Mu Fugui laughed heartily at his daughter’s praise. “There’s also a letter from your brother in there.”

Mu Mian hadn’t noticed it earlier. She rummaged through the bag again and found a letter. “Big Brother wrote back again!”

Mu Fugui smirked knowingly. “Guess he didn’t say enough during his last phone call.”

Mu Mian tore open the letter and immediately squeezed in between her parents. She even called Zhao Meihua, who was in the backyard flipping through pickled vegetables, to join them. The four of them huddled together to read the letter.

Mu Mian held onto the letter tightly. “I’ll read it!”

Pretending to be illiterate was actually quite challenging. So over the past few days, Mu Mian had subtly shown her family and teacher that she was gradually learning more and more characters.

It wasn’t difficult to pull off. As long as she knew how to read pinyin, she could sound out the words.

Her brother’s schoolbooks were still at home, and she had taken them to her room to read from time to time. She also went through a stack of old newspapers.

After all her efforts, the results were impressive.

Mu Fugui now firmly believed that his daughter would get into university. He even boasted to others that his family was about to produce a child prodigy.

Just as he was about to take the letter and read it, Mu Fugui pulled his hand back. “Alright, our daughter will read it!”

Mu Zhuo hadn’t written much in the letter. He mentioned that he had received the pine nuts sent last time and had shared them with his comrades, who all loved them.

He wrote that it had been raining for more than half a month on his side, causing floods in some counties. They had participated in disaster relief efforts, and he had saved several families.

He also mentioned that he wouldn’t be able to come back for Grandma’s sixtieth birthday, so he wished her a long life in the letter. He promised to send her something nice when he found it.

Hearing this, Zhao Meihua’s eyes turned red.

That was how elders were. When their grandchildren were home, they found them noisy. But when they left and didn’t return for years, they missed them terribly.

Mu Fugui and Liu Shuangcui weren’t too worried. Their eldest son wrote home frequently, so they knew he was doing well.

Afraid that his mother would get too emotional, Mu Fugui patted his daughter’s head and praised her, changing the subject. “This girl is really smart. I think she could start middle school in two years.”

He wasn’t just saying it. He truly believed it.

When he was eight, he barely knew how to count to three. Compared to them, his daughter was far more intelligent.

Liu Shuangcui smacked her husband lightly. “You’re talking nonsense. Middle school requires living at the school dormitory. She’s still so young. How will she manage?”

The thought of his little daughter living alone outside made Mu Fugui shake his head like a rattle. “No, no, let’s not rush. She can take it slow, step by step.”

Mu Mian smiled. “I’ll listen to Mom and Dad!”

She had no plans to skip grades anyway. She preferred staying in the countryside.

Besides, what was the point of skipping? The college entrance exam would be suspended soon.

With the topic shifted, the old lady stopped dwelling on her eldest grandson.

Inside the envelope, there were also some ration tickets and fabric coupons.

As for the bicycle ticket Mu Fugui had been hoping for, there was none. Naturally, Mu Zhuo couldn’t get one at his age and rank.

—

Dinner was a rare feast that evening. Stir-fried beef tongue with scallions was tender and fragrant, without any gamy taste.

The beef buns were equally delicious—thin-skinned, stuffed to the brim, and hearty.

Mu Mian ate happily, her eyes narrowing in satisfaction. She hadn’t been fond of organ meats and animal heads before. But now, aside from insects, every kind of meat tasted good to her.

Once again, she showered her grandmother with praise. “Grandma, you’re amazing! You could work as a chef in a state-run restaurant. I bet even their chefs aren’t as skilled as you!”

Zhao Meihua laughed. “They wouldn’t hire an old lady like me.”

Mu Mian immediately countered, “You’re not old at all! You’ll live at least another forty or fifty years!”

Zhao Meihua chuckled. “Wouldn’t that make me a fairy?”

Mu Mian’s sweet words flowed naturally. “How could you be a fairy? You’re the treasure of our family. They say having an elder at home is like having a treasure!”

Mu Fugui almost spat out his food from laughter. “Then when your mom and I get old, you’ll have three treasures!”

Liu Shuangcui was also amused by her daughter’s antics. She played along. “So, your grandma and dad are amazing, but what about me?”

Mu Mian’s big round eyes widened slightly. “Mom is the best! You’re the pillar of our family, the stabilizing force, just like a bicycle chain. Without it, the wheels wouldn’t turn!”

Liu Shuangcui laughed so hard that wrinkles appeared on her face. “With a mouth like yours, it’s a good thing you’re not a boy. Otherwise, I’d worry about you sweet-talking girls.”

Mu Mian pursed her lips, disagreeing. “That’s not true. My brother is good with words too, but he still hasn’t won over any girls.”

Thinking about Mu Zhuo, who was about to turn twenty and still single, the three adults fell into silence.

She had a point. There was no arguing with that logic.

—

Dinner didn’t take long. Since it was summer, the sun hadn’t fully set yet by the time they finished eating.

While the adults washed the dishes, Mu Mian wiped the table with a cloth, cleaning off the grease.

The table legs were a bit wobbly. Every time she wiped, it let out a creak.

Liu Shuangcui glanced over. “We should fix that leg soon. Otherwise, one day we’ll be eating, and the whole table will collapse.”

Mu Fugui came over, shook the table a couple of times, and examined it closely. “I’ll take care of it tomorrow. It’s just a matter of replacing a leg.”

Mu Mian casually added, “The stool in my room creaks too.”

Mu Fugui asked, “Really? Bring it over so Dad can check. If it’s no good, I’ll make you a new one.”

Men in the countryside usually knew a bit of carpentry. Making a table or a stool was simple enough.

Though most weren’t skilled craftsmen, as long as the furniture was functional, no one cared too much about the details.

Only when a family had a daughter getting married would they hire a proper carpenter to craft wedding furniture. Those carpenters would carve patterns and designs, making the pieces much more elegant than plain wooden boxes and cabinets.

Mu Fugui was a man of action. If he said he’d fix it tomorrow, he meant it.

The next morning, right after breakfast, he planned to go into the mountains to find suitable wood.

Mu Mian, still thinking about her ginseng, grabbed a basket and a small shovel, ready to tag along.

Holding a hatchet, Mu Fugui was quite happy. “What do they call this? Father-daughter soldiers on the battlefield!”

Liu Shuangcui rolled her eyes at him. “It’s just chopping wood, and you’re making it sound like we’re going to war.”

Amid Liu Shuangcui’s speechlessness, the father and daughter laughed and chatted as they walked up the mountain together.

Although Mu Fugui spoke of father-daughter soldiers, Mu Mian had no intention of accompanying her father.

She walked straight toward the small pond she had found earlier.

Mu Fugui was puzzled. “Daughter, where are you going?”

Mu Mian replied naturally, “I’ve already been around this area plenty of times. I want to check out that side.”

Mu Fugui immediately followed. “I’ll go with you.”

Mu Mian was more than happy to have her father come along. If they really found something, she wouldn’t even have to do the digging herself.

Ginseng had to be carefully dug out to avoid breaking the fine roots. Keeping them intact meant fetching a better price.

A man of her father’s age was sure to have more experience than she did.

Mu Fugui, however, had no idea what little thoughts were running through his daughter’s mind.

As they neared a steep slope, Mu Fugui stopped. He had his eye on a fallen poplar tree that was about the right size—just perfect for making two stools once brought home.

It wasn’t completely dried out yet, probably knocked over by the heavy rain from a few days ago.

While trimming off the smaller branches, Mu Fugui glanced at his daughter. “Are you heading down there? That slope is too steep. You better not go.”

Mu Mian shook her head. “I’m not going down. Just looking around. Last time, I found honeysuckle here. Maybe there’s more.”

Mu Fugui immediately praised her. “My daughter has sharp eyes!”

Carrying the title of “sharp-eyed,” Mu Mian moved toward the southwestern corner, stick in hand. She poked around the base of pine trees as she passed them, but there were simply too many—large and small, scattered everywhere.

By the time Mu Fugui had chopped the tree into two sections and was ready to drag it back, Mu Mian was still empty-handed, just like the last two times.

Mu Fugui walked over to call his daughter back, but seeing her like this, he instantly understood. “Looking for rabbit holes?”

Mu Mian didn’t even pause, replying smoothly, “Mhm, last time I caught one down there. There’s bound to be another.”

Mu Fugui was experienced in this. “Not likely in this area. Next time, let’s switch spots. I’ll teach you how to smoke them out.”

Mu Mian’s eyes remained fixed on a patch of weeds beneath a pine tree while she casually asked, “Then where would be a good spot?”

Mu Fugui began passing down his knowledge. “You have to look for patches where the grass has been gnawed on, and also—”

Before he could finish, Mu Mian suddenly stopped moving.

She took another closer look before calling out, “Dad, dad, dad! Come see this! What is it?!”

Interrupted mid-sentence, Mu Fugui walked over curiously. “What is it? Did you really find a rabbit hole? Then did you bring—”

He had been about to ask if she brought matches, thinking they could smoke the rabbits out. But the moment he saw what she was pointing at, his eyes widened.

“This is… ginseng?!”