Several pairs of chopsticks stirred in their bowls, steam rising. With one mouthful of fish soup swallowed, the fresh taste filled their bellies, and each of them let out a satisfied sigh.
Although it was only seasoned with coarse salt and wild mountain ginger, the sharp fragrance of the ginger perfectly cut through the fishy smell, making the fat fish—untainted by modern industrial pollution—taste incomparably fresh.
A single breakfast left them full and content.
The younger siblings’ eyes sparkled as they ate, and the way they looked at her glowed even brighter.
“Sister-in-law, did you spear this fish in the creek behind the house?” Erhe asked, and even before he got an answer, admiration already filled his eyes.
He knew how hard it was to catch fish in that creek, yet sister-in-law had caught two in one go!
When Yu Qiu nodded, Sanya immediately praised out loud, “Sister-in-law, you’re amazing! Can you take me and Second Brother with you?” Her phoenix eyes were round with expectation. Erhe’s phoenix-shaped eyes, so like hers, also looked at Yu Qiu eagerly. Their eyes were different from their mother’s—likely inherited from their late father.
Yu Qiu, however, turned to Li-shi. Though the creek lay on the outskirts of the mountain, the mountain itself was dangerous. She needed Li-shi’s approval before taking the children there.
The two little ones shifted their expectant gazes to Li-shi, their looks turning into pleas.
Li-shi did not think long before agreeing, only adding, “You must listen to your sister-in-law and not run about.”
The two children cheered in delight.
As the elder brother, and the only male left in the household, Erhe was especially diligent and volunteered to wash the bowls.
There wasn’t much else to tidy in the house or yard—there was little to begin with. The weeds were mostly cleared, and the house repairs needed planning. A kitchen had to be rebuilt. All the things that needed to be added… in the end, everything required silver.
While Yu Qiu was mulling it over, she told Li-shi about her idea of going to town.
Li-shi paused in her work. She didn’t ask why Yu Qiu wanted to go, only said, “I’ll go to the village first and find people to go with us.”
Yu Qiu was stunned but quickly agreed. There was no rush, and besides, she didn’t know the way.
The road to town was the official road, the wide highway. There were footpaths too, but women rarely took them—only young, strong men traveling together used the side trails to shorten the journey.
The official road was safer, but Qing Mountain Village was remote, and it took an hour on foot to reach the mountain town. Naturally, Li-shi worried.
Yu Qiu hadn’t expected Li-shi to agree without asking the reason, which eased her heart and made her feel a little more genuine affection.
How could Li-shi not notice Yu Qiu’s change? She had observed her for several days before deciding to take her in. To say she “bought” her was only an excuse—there had been no contract signed.
When Yu Qiu reappeared after leaving that man-eating mountain, Li-shi had sensed she was different. She assumed the girl had been hiding herself before, deliberately luring away the wicked men, not wanting to expose her abilities. So she didn’t press her with questions.
Everyone has their secrets. As long as she bore no ill will, why dig too deep? Besides, she and her children had nothing of value but their lives—not worth anyone scheming over.
Seeing clearly, Li-shi felt freer in her body too. Though she wasn’t radiant, she was in better spirits.
The more she looked at Yu Qiu, the more satisfied she became. Without realizing it, affection softened her gaze.
“If you don’t mind, you could call me ‘Mother.’” The words slipped out before Li-shi realized it. Once spoken, she couldn’t take them back. Feeling awkward, she busied her hands with random work to cover her embarrassment.
Yu Qiu’s heart warmed. Life like this was far freer than she had expected.
Her husband had died in battle before she was even entered into the household registry. Her brother-in-law and sister-in-law were obedient and sensible, and her mother-in-law was so understanding. She couldn’t ask for a better situation.
“Mother, I’ll take the two to the creek to spear fish and bring back some water.” Her smile was gentle, reflecting her inner feelings. Without waiting for Li-shi’s response, Yu Qiu cheerfully called the children and headed toward the back mountain.
Li-shi stood frozen for a moment, then looked at Yu Qiu’s lively figure and muttered with a half-scolding tone, “This girl, she’s only four years older than Erhe. She’s still just a child herself…” Lowering her eyes, she glanced at the small piece of silver in her hand, sighed, and shook her head. “Forget it, I’ll give it to her when we set off for town.”
She also thought of the little girl’s cloth shoes that could no longer cover her toes. She planned to gather cattail leaves, dry them, and weave her two pairs of straw sandals. Before winter came, she’d save some silver to make a few pairs of cotton shoes.
A person should focus on one thing at a time. But once you start thinking deeply, you end up planning even for winter.
Yu Qiu led the two children, each with a basket on their backs, toward the back mountain. She had woven one bamboo basket before without straps, making it small for easier carrying. Now it fit Sanya perfectly, light and just right for wild vegetables and fruits—not much effort for her to carry.
Before setting out, Yu Qiu had them tie their trouser legs tight, sprinkle powder on their straw sandals, and carry branches to swat at the grass—driving out any hidden insects or snakes.
The two children were very obedient along the way, not running about. If they saw edible wild vegetables, they asked before picking them.
On her morning trip, Yu Qiu had already cleared the path to the creek, making it easier to walk now.
She led them to a downstream pond where the terrain was flatter and safer.
The pond was formed by water pooling from the creek’s branch. People fetched water there. Clear and shallow, it didn’t seem to hold many fish.
But the children were excited, waiting for Yu Qiu’s instructions.
She set them to digging earthworms for bait.
Meanwhile, she rolled up her trouser legs, waded into the pond, and placed a few stones inside a basket. When the children brought the worms, her simple fish trap was complete.
Seeing their eager expressions, she didn’t relent but said, “The creek water’s too cold. In the afternoon, when it’s warmer, you can collect it.” Watching their faces fall in disappointment, she quickly added, “For now, just watch. Next time, I’ll let you do it.”
Though disappointed, they brightened instantly at the thought of collecting the trap later.
Children truly had the hearts of children—disappointed one moment, full of energy the next.
Once the trap was set, Yu Qiu wasted no time. She took the children to dig wild vegetables in the mountains.
She had thought about selling fish in town, but the journey was long. By the time she got there, the fish would be dead and no longer fresh, not easy to sell.
So she let the children search near the pond while she went deeper.
With no more red berries, her power reserves were dwindling. That left her uneasy. She wanted to see if this mountain had red berries—or any other fruit to replenish her energy.