“Don’t worry, this mountain isn’t high. I won’t be in danger.” When Han Lin took the small porcelain bottle, his hand brushed against Yang Dai’s fingers, and his words carried a tone of reassurance.
“It’s getting late, you should sleep first.” Han Lin watched Yang Dai finish washing up, then grabbed his things and set out.
The brigade’s mountain wasn’t tall. Halfway up there used to be a monastery, but it was destroyed a few years ago, and the monks disappeared without a trace.
In the past, whenever Han Lin wanted something meaty, he would head up the mountain. Sometimes he managed to catch small prey and roasted it at the monastery to fill his stomach.
With the moonlight overhead, Han Lin didn’t bother turning on his flashlight. He climbed quickly.
Below the halfway point, most of the trees had been planted collectively by the brigade in recent years. Anyone who wanted timber to build furniture or a house had to apply to the brigade, then come chop trees—three per household at most.
Above halfway, though, the trees grew wild and tangled. It was dense and confusing, the path hard to see.
The brigade leader, worried about danger, set a rule: no one was to go past the monastery. Beyond that point, if anything happened, the brigade wouldn’t intervene.
In the past, Han Lin only wanted to fill his belly. With little courage and no great strength, he never dared to go higher.
But now, Han Lin wasn’t afraid. Below halfway had been picked clean by the brigade countless times; there was nothing good left. Only higher up held possibilities.
It was night, so he didn’t go too deep. Once he reached a suitable spot, he dug two traps to see if he could catch some wild pheasants or rabbits.
Meanwhile, Yang Dai had finished washing up. She blew out the candle and lay down, but couldn’t settle—her heart uneasy, her mind scattered.
She sat up, lifted the curtain, and peeked outside. The front gate was properly shut and bolted from inside.
But the wall was low. If someone wanted to climb over, it wouldn’t be hard.
Yang Dai dropped the curtain, then fetched scissors and a longsword from storage.
The scissors she placed under her pillow, the sword by her bedside. She left the candle burning, finally feeling more secure before closing her eyes to sleep.
Han Lin quietly vaulted back over the courtyard wall. He looked back at it, and the thought of making money pressed even harder on him.
Though the house was at the brigade’s center, surrounded by neighbors so thieves were unlikely, the wall still felt unsafe.
He reached the bedroom door and almost pushed it open, but then withdrew his hand and headed instead toward the kitchen.
Still thinking of the traps in the mountain, Han Lin rose early and hurried back.
The air was cool but carried hints of spring. Animals that had hibernated all winter were out foraging, and both his traps had yielded results.
Two pheasants and a rabbit.
They were scrawny after a winter of hunger, but Han Lin didn’t mind. He tied them up, stuffed them into his basket, and descended.
“You didn’t come home last night?” Yang Dai, opening the courtyard gate in the morning, caught Han Lin just as he reached the house and was about to climb the wall.
Han Lin shook his head. “I went out again just now. Breakfast is nearly ready—I’ll stir-fry a dish.”
Remembering yesterday’s dish with its unrecognizable color, Yang Dai grimaced. “No need. We still have plenty of pickled vegetables. Let’s just eat those for breakfast.”
“That stuff…” Han Lin disagreed, but seeing her expression, swallowed his words. “Alright then, just wait—breakfast will be ready soon.”
“The pheasants and rabbit in the basket, and that lamb from yesterday—I’ll cook them at noon.”
Yang Dai said nothing, but her expression grew thoughtful.
Han Lin’s cooking skills were… hardly praise-worthy. Letting him handle those things felt wasteful.
For the first time, Yang Dai began to miss the cooks back at the Duke of Cheng’s estate.
If only she could have a skilled cook here too.
Looking at the plain porridge on the table, alongside pickled vegetables so salty they could kill, Yang Dai felt more and more wretched.
Han Lin himself felt their meals were unimpressive, but becoming a chef clearly wasn’t his path.
“I have lots of recipe books in storage. Do you want to take a look?” For the sake of her stomach, Yang Dai thought it best to salvage Han Lin’s cooking.
The Duke of Cheng’s household had accumulated generations of treasured recipes. They were part of her dowry.
“Sure, I’ll wait for you to teach me.” Han Lin raised an eyebrow and smiled. “Miss Yang is skilled at everything. Teaching cooking will be no trouble for you.”
Yang Dai pressed her lips together, feeling he was being sarcastic again.
But cooking herself was out of the question. Hiring a cook wasn’t realistic either. For now, Han Lin was all she had to rely on.
So she pretended not to hear, even picking up some pickled vegetables and placing them in his bowl. “Comrade Han Lin has worked hard. You’re the great contributor to our household—eat more.”
Han Lin stared at the salty vegetables, already imagining spitting salt, but said nothing and obediently ate.
Soon, the work bell rang, and neighbors bustled noisily, ready to head out to the fields.
Thinking of yesterday, Yang Dai put on some shabby outer clothes. But underneath, she still wore fine material from storage.
She couldn’t stand coarse homespun directly against her skin.
Yang Dai didn’t want to go work, but recalling her mother-in-law’s words, reluctantly followed Han Lin out.
Han Lin wanted to comfort her, but knowing her temperament, held his tongue. Husband and wife walked together toward the gathering point.
“Yang Dai, Yang Dai.” Halfway there, someone called her. She looked up and saw—it was her mother.
Yang Mother held newspapers and carried a basket on her back. “You just moved in, the house must still be messy. I brought some newspapers. Let’s tidy it up together.”
Tidying at home was better than working the fields, so Yang Dai turned back with her.
“Your mother-in-law’s been hard on you? You’re married off now, why should she still meddle so much?” Yang Mother’s heart ached as she looked at her daughter.
Since Yang Dai’s marriage, she had worried constantly. But once a daughter married, she was someone else’s daughter-in-law. Even her mother couldn’t stay by her side.
Besides, Yang Dai’s second brother was still single. Ever since the wedding, Yang Mother had been busy arranging his marriage.
Just yesterday, she heard how Yang Dai’s mother-in-law hadn’t found her in the fields and then had forced the couple home for dinner.
Worried, Yang Mother rushed over early this morning, determined not to let her daughter go earn work points.
“Yesterday I was late, but my mother-in-law already spoke to the team leader. From now on, I’ll just gather pigweed.” Yang Dai poured her mother a cup of hot water.
“In the basket are vermicelli, half a jin of pork belly, sorghum flour, cornmeal, and some elm seeds. I’ll steam them later so you’ll have easy meals.” Yang Mother unpacked the basket, laying things out and scrutinizing her daughter.
She had seen Yang Dai just two days ago when she moved, but already her daughter looked thinner.
“These are old newspapers your father brought back from the brick kiln. Today our task is to paste them on the walls.”
“I’ll braise the pork belly and vermicelli together. It’ll be ready by noon.” Busy and bustling, Yang Mother didn’t stop working.
“And since you don’t know how to steam buns, I’ll make a batch later. Enough for you and your husband for a week. After that, I’ll come again.” She was always thinking of her daughter’s needs. But when she entered the kitchen and saw pheasants and rabbits tied up by the firewood, plus lamb soaking in the cupboard, she froze.
“Where did this come from?” Yang Mother’s voice shook.
Food wasn’t scarce anymore, but grain was rationed, and pigs belonged to the brigade. Getting meat was nearly impossible.
“Han Lin set traps in the mountains. He brought them back this morning.”
Yang Mother’s face changed. “He went into the mountains? Past the ruined monastery?”
“That’s risking his life! Why didn’t you stop him?”
“Throwing away your life for a bite of meat—if he dies, you’ll be a widow right after marrying! Where will you even cry then?”
This was the first time Yang Dai had seen her mother so fierce. She wanted to ask more about the mountain, but her mother gave no chance.
“If you want meat, wait until your father’s paid. I’ll bring you some then. The mountains aren’t safe—run into a big beast and not even your bones will be left.” Her tone softened after scolding her. She busied herself again.
“I’ll stew the pork belly and lamb today. As for the pheasants and rabbit, once plucked and skinned, salt them and save them. You can eat later when you crave meat.”
“Your father heard the commune’s supply station might hire temporary workers. You should prepare yourself. My girl is pretty, has a good temperament, and is well educated—you’ll definitely get picked.” She looked delighted, not mentioning that they were already preparing gifts for the station’s manager.
With the brick kiln secretary’s backing and no interference, the job was as good as hers.
Yang Mother didn’t say it outright, but Yang Dai had overheard her parents talking. She knew it would cost them dearly.
“Mother, don’t worry. In a few days, I’m going to test-teach at the elementary school. If I pass, I’ll be a teacher—eight work points a day, plus ticket rewards at semester’s end. It’s close to home and easy. I won’t have to rush to the commune every day.” Yang Dai really felt being a teacher was a good path. She couldn’t say this to her mother-in-law, but to her own mother, she spoke freely.
“Our brigade’s elementary school?” Yang Mother’s expression stiffened. She wanted to object, but seeing her daughter so happy, she swallowed her words.
Instead, she shooed Yang Dai out of the kitchen. “Go count the newspapers and see which wall we should start with.”