Xu Ning slept soundly, perhaps because she had taken a relaxing bath the night before. When she finally woke up, the sun was already bright in the sky. She turned to see Xu Mo sleeping next to her, curled up on his side. She thought to herself that this kid had gone to bed so early yesterday, yet he was still fast asleep. What a heavy sleeper!

She grabbed some clothes from the cabinet to get ready. As she lifted the blanket, she noticed a damp patch on the bed beneath her. Xu Ning felt her head buzz for a moment and quickly checked her pajamas; they were dry. Thank goodness! As long as it wasn’t her doing, she thought. If she were still wetting the bed at this age, it would be quite embarrassing. She glanced at Xu Mo, who was now shaking and turned toward her. Holding back a laugh, she said, “Xiao Mo, are you awake?”

Xu Mo, with a red face, sat up and began to sniffle, saying, “Sister, I’m sorry,” before bursting into tears.

Xu Ning stifled a laugh and reassured him, “Xiao Mo, it’s okay. You’re still young; all kids wet the bed sometimes. You’ll grow out of it.”

Mo looked up at her and asked, “Sister, did you wet the bed when you were little?” Xu Ning thought for a moment, considering whether to admit it or not.

Just then, Xu An called from outside, “Sister, Xiao Mo, get up and eat!”

“Okay, we’re getting up!” Xu Ning shouted back, thinking, Ah, An, you’re truly a good little brother.

She quickly grabbed Mo’s clothes and said, “Come on, Xiao Mo, let’s get you dressed. We need to eat and then head up the mountain. Do you still want to go gather wild goods?”

Mo immediately forgot about the bedwetting. He stood up and declared, “Sister, I can dress myself!” He grabbed his padded coat and began putting it on. Xu Ning helped him change out of his shorts and put on a fresh pair, then assisted him with his cotton pants.

(Tl: Oh, believe me, I have the urge to just call Little Mo ‘Mo-cchi.’ I just want to hug him!!!!!)

By the time they were both dressed and ready to go outside, Xu An had already prepared breakfast. His cooking skills were limited, but he had made corn porridge, steamed rice cakes, and boiled three eggs.

As soon as the three of them finished eating, Jianmin and Er Dan came to find Xu An. Xu Ning grabbed two pieces of rice cake and handed one to each of them. Jianmin and Er Dan’s eyes were fixed on the cakes, their mouths watering, but they didn’t take them. Jianmin said, “Xu Zhiqing, we don’t want them. You can keep them for Xiao An. My mother said snacks are really expensive and you need tickets to buy them.” Er Dan chimed in, saying his mother wouldn’t let him have any either.

Xu Ning explained, “These aren’t bought; I made them myself. You can ask Xiao An. They might look big, but they’re soft and don’t use much flour. Look, if I squeeze it, there’s hardly anything left!” She demonstrated by squeezing a piece for them.

Xu An, standing nearby, added, “They’re not bought; my sister made them. Just take them! You used to bring me steamed buns from home all the time.” With that, he took the two pieces from Xu Ning’s hand and handed one to each of them. Only then did they take them, feeling a bit shy, and said, “Thank you, Xu Zhiqing.”

Xu Ning let the three boys go ahead while she took down the bedding to wash, hanging it out to dry on a rope. After filling the water tank, she set off toward the mountain with Xu Mo.

Upon reaching the mountain, she didn’t see the three boys and decided not to venture further. Instead, she planned to chop firewood here while letting Mo play nearby. Since wild goods had become scarce, she didn’t want to search anymore. Her home was almost full, and she intended to gather more firewood before the snow arrived; once it started snowing, she wouldn’t come up the mountain again.

While she was preparing lunch, Xu An returned, carrying a large basket filled with pine cones and chestnuts, along with a small bundle of firewood. Xu Ning told him to wash his hands and get ready to eat. For lunch, she had made millet porridge, corn flatbreads, and stir-fried radish shreds with oil residue.

After finishing her meal, Xu Ning went to the vegetable patch to dig up some green onions. Xu An was washing the dishes while Little Mo gathered the onions he pulled out.

Once they finished digging, Xu Ning placed the onions under the eaves and covered them with dry straw. She remembered the village women had told her this would keep them fresh throughout the winter, even when the heavy snow came.

When Jianmin and Er Dan came to find Xu An, they carried some items in their baskets. Jianmin had two mustard greens, while Er Dan held a bowl of pickled carrots. Xu Ning knew this was their way of returning the favor after her snacks, and she happily accepted them. She gave them a few pieces of fruit candy, and the group headed up the mountain together.

On the way, Xu Ning asked Jianmin why he hadn’t been to school these past few days. She had heard from Xu An that Jianmin was in the third grade, but it seemed like he had been coming to the mountain every day instead of going to class.

Jianmin explained, “Our classroom has been around for many years, and it keeps losing dirt from the roof. The principal is worried that the heavy winter snow will collapse it, so they’re repairing the roof these days.”

Once they reached the mountain, Xu An, Jianmin, and Er Dan went off to look for wild goods. Meanwhile, Xu Ning and Mo stayed near the foot of the mountain to chop firewood. Most of the people gathering wood were older women and some bigger kids; the men preferred to go deeper into the mountain, leaving the outskirts for the women and children.

As Xu Ning looked up, she saw her father and Uncle Lu approaching with axes. They didn’t notice her and headed up the mountain directly. Xu Ning continued chopping, while Mo helped by picking up smaller pieces. After gathering two large bundles, Xu Ning used a shoulder pole to carry the wood down with Mo.

She planned to make a few trips today but worried about Little Mo getting tired. When they returned home, she decided not to take him back up the mountain again. Instead, she gave him an apple to eat and suggested he play with Grandpa Qi, who had difficulty moving and didn’t often leave the cattle shed.

After dinner, Xu Ning filled a pot with water and started heating it. That evening, her mother and Aunt Lu were coming over for a bath. Around eight o’clock, the small door was gently pushed open, and her mother and Aunt Lu entered, each carrying a small bundle. Xu Ning opened the door for them and said, “Mom, Aunt Lu, I’ve already heated the water. Who wants to go in first?”

The two of them hesitated for a while, debating who should go first, but Xu Ning finally said, “If we keep being polite, the water will get cold,” prompting Aunt Lu to head in for her bath.

Once they finished washing, they joined Xu Ning and her siblings on the kang to chat. Aunt Lu remarked, “Xiao Ning, I really don’t know how to thank you. You’ve bought so many things for your uncle and me and brought us food. Ever since we were sent down here over two years ago, we haven’t had such a comfortable time as we’ve had recently.”

Xu Ning quickly said, “Aunt Lu, please don’t say that. Uncle Lu saved both me and Xiao An’s lives. Buying you these things is nothing. These clothes are all defective items from the supply and marketing cooperative; they don’t require tickets and aren’t expensive. I’ll keep the money you gave me, and if I see anything else you need, I’ll buy it directly.”

Xu’s mother chimed in from the side, “They’re like family; there’s no need to be polite. If you need anything in the future, just let her know.”

Aunt Lu sighed and replied, “If it weren’t for Ning Ning taking care of these things, our status here means we couldn’t spend money even if we had it. Old Lu and I have been here for over two years, and I haven’t dared to contact my children. They still don’t know I’m here. I didn’t want my brother to tell them either. My son, if he knew I was here, would have rushed over already.”

Xu’s mother asked, “Sister, where are your daughter and son now?”

“After Old Lu and I ran into trouble, my brother arranged for my daughter to go to the countryside in Xinshi, and my son is serving in the military in Nanshi.”

As they talked about their children who weren’t with them, both women fell silent, reflecting on their absences. Once they regained their composure and noticed the time, they prepared to leave.

Xu Ning went to her room and brought over two large comforters she had bought from the space, saying, “Aunt Lu, I bought these two comforters in the county yesterday—one for you and Uncle Lu, and one for Grandpa Qi. Just put your old ones underneath. These are new cotton, warm and cozy.”

Aunt Lu thought for a moment. Having accepted so many things already, she decided not to be stubborn and took the comforters.

As Xu Ning escorted them to the door, she said, “Have my dad and Uncle Lu come over for a soak tomorrow to relax.” Both women agreed and headed back home.