“Ah, Qing… Qingyue, is that you?”
The sudden voice interrupted Xia Qingyue’s actions. She looked up in surprise.
About ten zhang below and slightly to the side, a woman in her thirties or forties stood there.
The woman stared at her, her gaze a mix of curiosity, doubt, and restrained joy.
Looking closer, Xia Qingyue recognized the familiar face.
This was Chen Yuzhen, the neighbor from when the original family lived in Xiushui Village. The two families had always been close and harmonious, visiting each other almost daily.
When the original family decided to move up into the mountains, Qingyue’s parents had informed Chen Yuzhen and her husband, though they hadn’t revealed the exact location—only the general direction.
Chen Yuzhen took a few tentative steps forward.
Whenever she went out, Xia Qingyue dressed as a young boy for convenience.
Because of this, Chen Yuzhen found Qingyue’s facial features familiar, but her attire confusing. She had just heard a dog barking and turned to see Heihe running around her, sniffing in every direction.
“Heihe!” Chen Yuzhen recognized the dog.
Seeing this, Xia Qingyue could no longer pretend. “Auntie, it’s me.”
“Wonderful! Wonderful!” Chen Yuzhen approached, tears of joy welling up. “Ever since you moved up to the mountains, last year in the first half, Brother Dazong came down twice. But from the second half until today, I finally see you. We were so worried something might have happened to you.”
“Auntie, we’re doing fine,” Xia Qingyue laughed awkwardly.
She didn’t dare reveal that Qingyue’s parents had passed away and she was living alone in the mountains. You never know a person’s intentions; she couldn’t risk it.
“Is that so? That’s good, that’s good!”
Chen Yuzhen happily took Xia Qingyue’s arm, asking about life in the mountains, whether they had enough to eat, if it was safe, and so on.
Xia Qingyue gave vague answers, noticing that Chen Yuzhen carried a basket on her back and a smaller basket of wild vegetables in her hands.
“Auntie, you came all this way into the mountains just to gather wild vegetables?”
“Yes. The wild vegetables at the foot of the mountain are gone, so we had to come higher. Life is hard for every household. We rely on the mountain for food. If luck favors us, we get enough to eat; if not, we only have one meal a day. Crops don’t yield enough to pay taxes. Life for ordinary people gets harder every year, and there’s no hope.
“Last night, a gang of bandits attacked the village, stealing chickens, ducks, and grain. The vegetable fields weren’t spared. Anyone who resisted was killed. Several villagers died.
“Today at dawn, the local headman and villagers went to report it to the authorities, but instead of help, they were driven away. It seems there will be no justice.”
She glanced around cautiously, speaking in a low voice. “You live up in the mountains and don’t know what’s happening outside. Recently, due to some unresolved issues, relations between Prince Xiang and Prince Yun have been tense. A few nights ago, soldiers went door to door checking household registrations.”
“We suspect they might be recruiting men for war. My husband and I have already discussed it. In the next couple of days, we plan to pack up and move to the mountains, just like you.”
“Ah?” Xia Qingyue was taken aback by the chain of news.
“Kang’er often goes up the mountain to cut firewood. They say there’s a good cave over there that can fit our whole family. Once we settle there, we can also open up some wasteland for crops.
“Our concern is that the deep mountains have many wild beasts. Also, if war breaks out, villagers will flee to the mountains. With more people, food will be scarce. Not every cave is habitable, and food and shelter will become precious.”
Chen Yuzhen looked worried. Her Kang’er was her eldest son Li Weikang; she also had a younger son, Li Weisheng.
Xia Qingyue noted the direction Chen Yuzhen had indicated for the cave—it was northwest of the sinkhole, likely some distance away.
“The mountains are high and the paths long. Those without food or shelter can do anything.” Chen Yuzhen’s eyes reflected deep worry.
Realizing she had been so grim speaking to a young girl, she quickly laughed to change the topic:
“Qingyue, when you go back, tell your parents to prepare plenty of food.”
“Thank you, Auntie!”
It was clear Chen Yuzhen’s advice was sincere. Xia Qingyue’s gaze shifted to the freshly dug cassava. “Auntie, these are edible, but raw they’re poisonous. If you soak them in water and cook them properly, they’re safe.”
She explained the preparation in detail.
Chen Yuzhen was astonished. “These can really be eaten?”
She noticed there were many more on the hillside nearby.
“They can, as long as you follow my instructions.”
Xia Qingyue picked up her iron spade and continued digging. Following her lead, Chen Yuzhen also grabbed her hoe and dug.
They filled a sack for the basket on her back and two smaller baskets. Xia Qingyue stopped there; she couldn’t carry more.
“Auntie, I have to head back first.”
Chen Yuzhen paused, looking at Xia Qingyue’s thin frame carrying a basket and items in her hands. “You’re carrying so much over the mountain path. Do you want me to help?”
“Thanks, Auntie. No need. I’m used to it. You keep digging.”
Seeing Xia Qingyue truly didn’t need help, Chen Yuzhen smiled. “Alright, Qingyue, thank you. If you hadn’t told me, I wouldn’t have known these were edible. There’s plenty here. I can’t finish digging it all. Next time, you come again.”
“Sure.”
Chen Yuzhen watched Xia Qingyue leave.
On the way back up to the sinkhole, Xia Qingyue thought over Chen Yuzhen’s words.
Given the current situation, war seemed likely. She sensed that the mountains would soon be more crowded and danger would increase.
Clenching her fists, Xia Qingyue’s eyes shone. No one must learn about the sinkhole.
In these chaotic times, a hidden, safe sinkhole was a paradise, a place everyone longed for.
From now on, she needed to stockpile mountain resources, accelerate crop planting, and prepare food. If circumstances became urgent and leaving the cave was impossible, they would rely on these supplies, or risk starving.
Returning to the sinkhole early that day, it was just about lunch.
Xia Qingyue rested briefly, then salted the meat and pork offal she had bought.
For lunch, she cooked cassava rice, cleaned and fried yesterday’s fish in lard until golden. Small fish were so crispy even the bones were crunchy. The white bream was braised in soy sauce and yellow wine, rich in flavor.
She ate a bowl and a half with the fried fish, feeling full and replenished.
After a one-hour nap, she awoke to bright sunshine. Clapping her hands, she said, “Good weather, time to get things done!”
Her afternoon plan was to flood the rice field and plow it.
The field was a distance from the pond and uneven, so carrying water back and forth would be exhausting.
Her original parents had already considered this and found a solution.