Chapter 26: Head to the Back Mountain!

Outside the town, Chen Daniu paced back and forth beside his ox cart, his eyes darting toward the town entrance.

"Brother Chen, we're back."

Just as he was bowing his head, contemplating whether to ask someone to watch the cart for him, a familiar voice drifted over from nearby. He looked up to see the family emerging from the town gates, laden with bags and bundles.

"How did you end up buying so much stuff?" Chen Daniu exclaimed, hurrying forward to help. With two bags of grain, several bolts of cloth, and a chaotic assortment of parcels, the family looked as if they were moving house rather than just visiting town.

He took the items and loaded them into the cart, but noticing the absence of any medicine packets, he furrowed his brows and asked, "How is Ruyu’s injury?" He feared they had spent all their money on these goods and had nothing left for medicine.

"Ruyu is mostly recovered," Bai Xiuming replied, unsure how to elaborate, so he kept his answer vague.

"Uncle Daniu, I’m perfectly fine now. Dr. Liu at the apothecary gave me two acupuncture needles in my head, and I felt better right away," Bai Ruyu chimed in with a smile.

"That’s good, as long as you’re fine. Our girl Ruyu is blessed with great fortune; there are many good days ahead for you." Hearing she was well, Chen Daniu finally breathed a sigh of relief, his honest face breaking into a warm smile. He looked at Bai Ruyu as if she were his own kin.

Back on the ox cart, Bai Ruyu calmly laid a bolt of cloth beneath her. It wasn’t for any particular reason—it was just that the morning ride had nearly shaken her bones apart.

As they passed through the desolate village again, the mood among the group was somber, especially for Chen Daniu. Having learned that the price of grain had skyrocketed, he hadn't spoken a word since. He was anxious to get back and discuss with the village chief and his family whether they should stay or leave.

The sun began to set, casting an orange-red glow across the horizon. It should have been a warm, comforting hue, but in this moment, it felt ominous. The breeze blew like a wave of heat, washing over everyone, and even as the light faded, the stifling air remained oppressive.

Inside the Bai ancestral hall, the entire village—both those surnamed Bai and those of other clans—had gathered. Everyone kept their heads down, their already weary faces appearing even more exhausted.

As soon as Chen Daniu returned, he didn't even stop to tether his ox; he ran straight to the village chief to relay the news about the grain prices. Upon hearing this, the village chief’s face turned pale. He hadn't expected the situation in town to be as dire as it was in the county.

He had visited the government office on business that day and stopped by the grain shop afterward. The prices were enough to make one’s jaw drop.

"What does everyone think? Should we stay or go?" The village chief looked at them, his voice heavy with helplessness. He had spent most of his life in Wushan Village; his ancestors had lived here for generations. If there were any other way, he wouldn't want to leave.

"Uncle Chief, there are still many families in the village who haven't harvested their grain yet. Could we... wait a few more days?" Bai Xiuming, standing at the back of the crowd, voiced his thoughts. He was at the back because he had only just finished securing his ox and moving his belongings home before joining the others.

Seeing everyone turn to look at him, Bai Xiuming raised his eyebrows and continued, "Starting tomorrow, our village can send two people each day—one to the county and one to the town—to monitor the grain prices. If the price keeps rising, we leave. If it drops, we’ll wait a bit longer."

The crowd murmured in low voices, consulting those nearby. After a while, Chen Daniu was the first to speak. "I think Brother Ming’s suggestion makes sense. It’s a good plan. I’ll go to the county or the town tomorrow to check the prices."

As soon as he finished, a teenage boy in the crowd raised his hand. "My family has an ox cart too; I’ll go to the town tomorrow."

Seeing someone volunteer, the others voiced no objections. It was clear they all agreed with Bai Xiuming’s plan. Nobody wanted to leave Wushan Village. They were all praying the grain prices would fall. Who would willingly choose to be displaced, left without a roof over their heads, forced to abandon the land they had relied on for most of their lives to start over from scratch in a new place?

Seeing no dissent, the village chief nodded in agreement and urged everyone: regardless of the grain prices, they must harvest their fields as quickly as possible so as not to delay further.

...

The next morning, Bai Xiuming and Madame Jiang rose early. Taking advantage of the cool morning air before the sun became scorching, they went together to harvest the rice from the fields they had reclaimed from Old Man Bai’s family.

As the sun began to climb, Bai Ruyu stretched in her room, yawning with sleepy eyes. She was finally able to wake up naturally!

"Shouldn't we call Sister to come with us?" Sanwa’s voice sounded puzzled in the courtyard, followed by Ergou’s voice, which was filled with concern. "Sister has been exhausted the past two days. Do you really want her to go up the mountain with us?"

As they spoke, four-year-old Xiaoya stood by, pursing her lips in silence.

Hearing the two little ones outside, Bai Ruyu quickly dressed and walked to the door, just as she twisted her hair into a bun held by a wooden pin. She threw the door open and teased, "You three are going to the mountain to play and not bringing me?"

Her voice had a slightly playful, eerie edge to it, which made the three in the courtyard jump in surprise!

"Sister, you're up!" Xiaoya trotted over and hugged her leg, clearly acting spoiled.

"Sister, we aren't going to the mountain to play. We’re going to dig for wild vegetables and see if we can catch a rabbit or a pheasant," Ergou stood obediently in place, whispering his defense.

"Perfect, I haven't been yet. Let’s go together." Bai Ruyu took Xiaoya’s hand, grabbed the small basket from her, and walked out of the courtyard. Seeing this, Ergou and Sanwa had no choice but to follow close behind.

Bai Ruyu trailed behind them, walking along the winding path into the mountains. Occasionally, they encountered other villagers going up or down—some carrying water, others looking for game or wild vegetables. However, the harvests were meager.

"Ergou, is the stream around here very deep?" As they walked, a vision of a delicacy flashed through Bai Ruyu’s mind—a rare and delicious treat.

"It used to be quite deep, but it’s become much shallower lately," Ergou said, walking in the lead and turning his head in confusion. "Sister, why are you asking about that?"

Bai Ruyu smiled mysteriously. "To get you all something good to eat. We’re going to the stream right now!" She had the basket, so she didn't need to go back home, provided the water hadn't dried up. That thing would definitely still be there.

"What good thing? Is it tasty?" Sanwa swallowed hard, his eyes full of anticipation.

Was it tasty? Bai Ruyu wasn't entirely sure how to guarantee it. The first time the old woman had made it for her, she had been resistant. But later... it was a classic case of "the truth is in the taste!" Though, some people just couldn't get used to it.

"It’s a secret for now. When I’ve finished making it, you can taste it and decide for yourselves if it's good."

As soon as Bai Ruyu finished speaking, Sanwa grabbed her other hand and started pulling her forward. "Then what are we waiting for! Sister, let's go quickly!"