Early morning. Pale golden sunlight streamed through the window, falling across the floral-patterned quilt.
Ye Qingyan lay in bed, her raven hair spread out around her. Her features were relaxed; her peaceful sleeping face looked soft and gentle in the sunlight.
Faint sounds came from outside the door — it sounded like Ji Qiuyun sweeping the yard.
Ye Qingyan opened her eyes and stretched lazily, yawning. She’d woken up later than usual, worn out from yesterday’s trip into the mountains.
“Awake?” Ji Qiuyun smiled as she saw Ye Qingyan step out of the room. “I’ve drawn water for you. Go wash up, then we’ll have breakfast.”
“Alright, Mom.” Ye Qingyan nodded.
As she washed her face, she noticed the scab on her forehead had fallen away — the wound had finally healed.
She didn’t dwell on it. Back in her room, she braided her long hair into a single plait, then sat down to eat. Ji Qiuyun had cooked the chestnuts they’d gathered from the mountains the day before.
Ji Qiuyun finished sweeping the fallen leaves and sat across from her, watching her eat.
“Oh dear! You’ve been left with a scar on your forehead!” Ji Qiuyun cried out in alarm — then her tone turned sharp. “That damned, heartless brute! He doesn’t deserve to call himself a father!”
“Mom, I just looked in the mirror — it’s only a tiny mark, no bigger than a grain of rice,” Ye Qingyan soothed her. “It’s nothing, really. Hardly noticeable at all.”
The little scar sat near her hairline, curved faintly like a crescent moon.
“Divorce has already affected you enough — and now this… a scar on your face.” Ji Qiuyun blamed herself deeply. “How will you ever find a good marriage match now? It’s all my fault… I’ve brought this on you.”
Raised in difficult circumstances, Ji Qiuyun was gentle and dutiful, and always quick to blame herself whenever trouble came.
“Mom, none of this is your fault,” Ye Qingyan said softly. “You didn’t hurt me. It’s just a tiny mark — you’d never even spot it if you weren’t looking closely. And besides… I’ve no intention of rushing into marriage.”
Ji Qiuyun looked confused. “Why wouldn’t you want to marry? Surely you’re not still thinking about that Huo Wenzhou?”
“Of course not! Why would I waste a thought on that good-for-nothing?” Ye Qingyan decided to speak plainly. “The college entrance exam has been reinstated. I plan to take it next year.”
Now that she and Ji Qiuyun would be relying on each other, Ye Qingyan wanted to share her hopes. She wouldn’t lay out every grand ambition all at once — not yet.
Ji Qiuyun looked surprised at first, but then nodded slowly — it made perfect sense. Ye Qingyan had always been an excellent student, consistently ranking at the top of her class. That brute Ye Xingcai had pulled her out of school as soon as she finished junior high, declaring education wasted on girls and that she was better off working the fields to earn work points.
“Fine by me!” Ji Qiuyun beamed. “Whatever you want to do, Mom’s right behind you.”
Ye Qingyan nodded gratefully. Ji Qiuyun might be timid by nature, but her heart was pure and loving. Having grown up an orphan, Ye Qingyan felt deeply moved — in this short time together, she had truly come to think of Ji Qiuyun as her own mother.
That afternoon, Ye Qingyan set off into the mountains again, accompanied by her dog, Chu Yi.
Buoyed by yesterday’s hare, both girl and dog were eager and hopeful their luck would hold. Ye Qingyan hiked deep into the hills. Just as she began to think today would bring nothing, she spotted a familiar-looking plant.
“Could this really be… ginseng?” she murmured. She knelt and carefully brushed away the earth around its roots.
As the soil fell away, the roots came clearly into view. It was ginseng! And it looked very old — easily fifty years or more!
A bright, radiant smile lit up her face. This was a wonderful find! With this ginseng, they wouldn’t have to worry about getting through the winter hungry.
Chu Yi trotted over, sniffing curiously, and made to paw at the plant.
“Chu Yi — no! Stay back! Don’t damage my ginseng!”
At her sharp word, Chu Yi backed away a few paces and sat obediently, watching from a respectful distance.
Harvesting wild ginseng required care — damaging the fine rootlets would ruin its value. With no experience, Ye Qingyan took her time, gently brushing away soil bit by bit. It took nearly an hour to free the whole plant unharmed.
She placed it safely in her wicker basket and searched the surrounding area, but found no others.
On the way down the mountain, Chu Yi flushed a pheasant. A dog’s hearing is sixteen times keener than a human’s — he was always the first to pick up the slightest movement. That was exactly why she brought him along.
Girl and dog gave chase, running as fast as they could — determined to catch their dinner.
Ye Qingyan caught the bird. Holding it firmly in one hand, she tore a length of vine and bound its feet. She kept the pheasant in her hand all the way down, careful not to jostle or harm the precious ginseng in her basket.
She told no one about the ginseng. In these times of a planned economy, everyone here lived on meager work points — every family struggled to get by. If word got out she’d found old wild ginseng, it would surely arouse envy and bring unwanted attention. Fifty-year-old ginseng fetched a very high price indeed.
Back home, she shut the gate securely behind her.
Ji Qiuyun’s eyes lit up at the sight of the pheasant. “Qingyan, you’re amazing! To catch a pheasant on your own!”
“The pheasant’s not the best part,” Ye Qingyan said, setting the bird down and holding out her basket. “Look inside — I’ve found something far better.”
Ji Qiuyun peered in and gasped. “This… this ginseng must be at least thirty years old!”
Ye Qingyan shook her head. “Older than that, I’d say. Closer to fifty, or more.”
“Goodness!” Ji Qiuyun beamed with delight. “My clever, lucky girl! Fortune truly smiles on you!”
It was remarkable luck indeed — two bountiful days in a row, and such a treasure found! Few could boast such good fortune.
Ji Qiuyun hurried inside and returned with a cup of warm brown sugar water. “Drink this, rest yourself. I’ll pluck and dress the bird — we’ll have a rich pheasant stew for dinner.”
“Thank you, Mom.” Ye Qingyan was tired and thirsty after hours of hiking. She sipped the sweet, warm drink gratefully.
That evening they ate noodles and rich, savory pheasant soup. Warmth spread through her as she ate.
Ji Qiuyun sighed happily. “The meat we’ve eaten these past two days is more than I’d eat in a whole year before.”
Thinking back on all the hardship they’d endured, Ji Qiuyun felt for the first time that life was truly worth living — not just having meat on the table, but living without fear, without walking on eggshells, without fear of being struck or scolded.
“Mom,” Ye Qingyan said, her eyes shining bright, “things will get better and better. One day… I’ll make everyone look at us with newfound respect.”