Chapter 13: Trouble with Chang Sheng

“Hmm!” Chang Ping put down the fire wood and smiled, “I’ve been strong since I was born. Second Uncle said that when I was little, I could lift a sheep all by myself!”

Ye Xin Ran couldn’t help but laugh.

At first, she had thought Chang Ping was just a quiet child, but now she realized the girl had her own special talents!

After the fire was lit, Ye Xin Ran mixed the new rice with some old rice to cook a pot of rice and took out the leftover meat.

Though May’s weather wasn’t too hot, meat left out for too long would start to spoil.

If it went bad, it wouldn’t be edible even if it was meat, quite the waste.

She cut the meat into small pieces, heated the pot, and added oil. From her hidden stash, she retrieved a packet of rock sugar. After caramelizing the sugar, she tossed in the meat to stir-fry. When the fat started to render, she added water and boiled it on high heat.

She added just the right amount of salt, and by the time the sauce thickened into a rich glaze, a plate of fragrant and tender braised pork was ready.

Next, Ye Xin Ran stir-fried some cabbage and made a salad using the purple yam they had dug up. Lunch was ready.

Both Chang Ping and Chang An couldn’t take their eyes off the meat.

The glistening red meat, with thick sauce dripping tantalizingly off each piece, made their mouths water.

In the past, seeing just a hint of meat in Granny Zhang’s cooking was a rare treat. But now, there was an entire plate of it!

Ye Xin Ran served three bowls of rice and, seeing the two children still staring in a daze, chuckled, “What are you standing there for? Eat up!”

“Auntie, is this meat really for us?” Chang Ping asked, almost in disbelief.

Chang An had already climbed onto the bench, swinging his little feet. “Of course! Auntie made it for us. Auntie is the best!”

“Hurry and eat before it gets cold,” Ye Xin Ran urged, placing a piece of meat in her bowl.

Seeing her take the first bite, the two children stopped hesitating and each grabbed a piece of meat.

The pork, cooked over high heat, melted in their mouths, and the flavorful sauce burst on their tongues like fireworks.

Chang Ping quickly swallowed her piece, licking her lips as she savored the taste. “It’s so delicious!”

Chang An, without lifting his head, gobbled one piece and immediately reached for another.

“If you like it, eat more. I’ve already set aside a bowl for your elder brother.”

Hearing that Auntie had saved food for their elder brother, Chang Ping felt an indescribable warmth in her heart.

Yesterday, Auntie had saved noodles for their elder brother, but he didn’t eat them. Yet Auntie hadn’t gotten angry and still set aside food for him today. She truly cared for them.

When his elder brother returned, he would definitely talk to him about this.

But he waited and waited, and by evening, his elder brother still hadn’t come home.

“Chang Ping, what time does Chang Sheng usually return?”

As darkness fell, Ye Xin Ran began to grow anxious.

“He usually comes back long before this. He’s never been this late before!”

Chang Ping stared anxiously out the door, worry written all over her face.

Ye Xin Ran decided she couldn’t wait any longer.

“Didn’t Er Dan leave with your brother? Let’s go to Er Dan’s house and ask what’s going on.”

“Okay!”

Just as they were about to head out, Er Dan came running in, panting heavily.

“Not… not good! Chang Sheng ran into Mi Lu Mountain and can’t get out!”

“What?” Ye Xin Ran was startled.

What did he mean by “can’t get out”?

Er Dan quickly explained, “On our way back, we saw a rabbit, and Chang Sheng insisted on chasing it. He ended up running into the mountain, and he hasn’t come out since. I’ve heard adults say there are wolves and wild boars in the mountain. What if Chang Sheng”

Er Dan didn’t dare finish his sentence.

“Where? Show me the way!” Ye Xin Ran grabbed a hatchet leaning against the wall and immediately prepared to leave.

“I’ll go too!”

“I’ll go too!”

Chang Ping and Chang An followed behind.

“You two are not coming. Go to Er Dan’s house right now and let his parents know he’s with me looking for Chang Sheng so they won’t worry,” Ye Xin Ran instructed decisively.

At that moment, she felt the weight of being alone and unfamiliar with the area. She didn’t even know who to turn to for help.

As they reached Zhang Da Li’s house, his son, Zhang Quan Xi, ran out from the yard.

“Aunt Xiao, my mom heard you’re going to look for Chang Sheng and asked me and my dad to go with you.”

Apparently, their conversation earlier had been overheard next door.

In situations like this, every extra person was a welcome addition. Ye Xin Ran agreed readily. “Thank you.”

As she spoke, Zhang Da Li came out of the yard too.

The tall man had a hatchet tucked into his waist band and a torch in his hand.

Seeing Ye Xin Ran, he looked a bit embarrassed. “Let’s head out then.”

The four of them set off together.

The moonlight in the mountains was particularly bright.

The path was deserted, with only the occasional sound of bird calls breaking the silence.

“Chang Sheng went up from here,” Er Dan said, stopping to point at a trail head.

“Er Dan, you’re the youngest here. It’s unsafe for you to go further up the mountain. Stay here, and if anything happens, shout loudly from below, understood?”

“Okay!” Er Dan nodded obediently.

Ye Xin Ran entered the mountain with Zhang Da Li and his son.

Zhang Da Li lit the torch, illuminating the narrow mountain path.

Ye Xin Ran cupped her hands around her mouth and called out loudly, “Chang Sheng! Are you there?”

“Are you there?”

“…there…”

Her voice echoed through the forest, fading into the distance.

But there was still no reply.

“We should split up. I’ll head east, Sister-in-law, you go west, and Quan Xi will take the middle,” Zhang Da Li suggested.

“Alright!”

The three of them spread out.

After walking further, Ye Xin Ran’s throat was almost hoarse from shouting when suddenly she heard a faint reply.

“Chang Sheng, is that you?” Ye Xin Ran called out again urgently.

“I’m here!”

The voice echoed back from the forest.

This time, Ye Xin Ran could clearly tell it was Chang Sheng’s voice.

She quickly determined the direction of the sound, which seemed to come from a hollow ahead.

Pushing aside the branches, she made her way forward, climbing carefully while continuing to call out to Chang Sheng.

She used his responses to pinpoint his exact location.

After navigating through a dense patch of trees, she finally reached a clearing.

There, she spotted a deep pit, the sound was coming from inside it.

Ye Xin Ran rushed over.

Chang Sheng had been stuck in the trap for nearly two hours by now.

The pit was damp and cold. He had twisted his ankle when he fell, and the pain was excruciating. Cold and hungry, he clutched the furry creature in his arms more tightly, hoping its warmth would help him survive the night until daylight, when he could figure out a way out.

Just as he was about to drift into a restless sleep, a voice suddenly called his name.

The voice was that of a woman, anxious and filled with urgency. Chang Sheng’s eyes welled up, and he shouted back:

“I’m here!”

He continued to respond to the calls, keeping his eyes fixed on the edge of the pit.

Then, suddenly, the moonlight above him dimmed as a slender figure appeared at the edge of the trap.

She stood there, illuminated by the silver moonlight, looking almost like a celestial being who had descended from the heavens.

“Chang Sheng, are you alright?” Ye Xin Ran leaned down to ask.

Chang Sheng clenched his fists and quickly wiped his eyes before answering, “I’m fine!”

But as soon as he spoke, he realized his voice was hoarse and barely audible.