The sudden voice almost startled Li Qiao into dropping the egg in her hand.
She immediately turned her head to look behind her. Li Mai stood with her back to the cave, the light from outside falling on her and casting a shadow that enveloped Li Qiao.
For some reason, Li Qiao felt a bit guilty. She quickly explained,
“Of course not. It is just that there does not seem to be anything warm at home, and since these two pieces of clothing are already so torn, they definitely cannot be worn anymore. They are perfect to lay underneath.”
“Then what are you doing?”
Li Mai’s curious gaze still shone even in the dim light.
“I am making a place for the pheasant eggs to hatch into chicks. Eldest Sister, look. As long as these eggs are kept somewhere warm, after a period of time, they will hatch. Then, even if we do not go hunting, we will still have chicken and eggs to eat.”
By the end of her explanation, Li Qiao’s face was filled with confidence.
Hearing that it was for further raising food, Li Mai had originally wanted to say that there would never be a time when she could not hunt.
But when she saw Li Qiao’s smile, she instinctively swallowed those words, nodded, and turned to leave.
Li Qiao, meanwhile, assumed that her eldest sister had agreed with her idea.
It was her first time trying to hatch chicks on her own. In the past, she had only watched her mother do it.
She quickly spread warm dry thatch over the eggs, then placed them on the wooden rack, leaving the rest to time.
Having completed something important in her mind, Li Qiao did not stop to rest. She took the ginger she had set aside yesterday, picked up a hoe, and appeared at the cave entrance.
After glancing at the two who were still busy making the table, she continued walking.
She did not stop until she reached a spot at the foot of the mountain that she had chosen.
She had already observed it. There was sunlight there, but also shade from trees, making it cool.
Although the best season for planting ginger had already passed, the temperature in the shaded mountain area was still lower.
So Li Qiao boldly guessed that ginger could grow there.
However, to be safe, she kept some ginger aside for planting next year.
“Thud, thud, thud.”
The sound of the hoe digging into the thick humus was quite loud, immediately attracting the attention of Li Mai and Li Shu.
Li Mai looked up toward Li Qiao in the distance. All she saw was a thin figure, standing in grass nearly waist-high, vigorously swinging a hoe.
She could not help but look down at Li Shu beside her and ask in confusion,
“What is Li Qiao doing?”
“She is probably planting something.”
Li Shu only took one glance before guessing Li Qiao’s intention. He then added,
“Although there is plenty to eat in the mountains now, when deep winter comes, wild vegetables and mushrooms will disappear, and animals will not come out as much. Planting vegetables now is preparation for winter.”
Hearing this, Li Mai immediately felt a sense of urgency.
She turned to look at the mushrooms spread on the thatch to dry. Compared to yesterday when they had just been picked, they had shrunk significantly.
Yesterday there had been two large bags and a basket, but now it looked like they would barely fill one basket.
Compared to making a table for eating, Li Mai clearly cared more about the food itself.
She quickly put down her tools and said urgently,
“Then I will go pick mushrooms.”
Hearing that she was going up the mountain, Li Shu quickly reminded her,
“Eldest Sister, do not go hunting pheasants or wild boars. We already have enough meat at home. If we cannot finish it, it will go to waste. As for mushrooms and wild vegetables, that is fine, gather more of those since they can be dried and stored.”
As he spoke, Li Mai was about to pick up her new favorite, the bow.
She then glanced at the cave, where the salted wild boar meat and birds had already filled every container to the brim. There was not a single bit of space left.
Thinking about meat spoiling due to lack of storage, Li Mai’s expression darkened.
So when she stepped out of the cave again, she only carried the knife at her waist and a basket, with a bag stuffed inside it.
This time, she intended to make a big sweep.
With the thought of clearing out all the mushrooms in the mountains, Li Mai quickly headed toward the mountain from yesterday.
With the enhancement of her ability, the mushrooms on the ground had nowhere to hide. With just a glance, she could spot them.
She observed as she moved toward each new target.
Along the way, Li Mai’s back never straightened. Her eyes saw nothing but green grass and the occasional dull-colored mushrooms.
So when she finally climbed to the top of another mountain, she weighed the bag of mushrooms in her hand, nearly overflowing, and instinctively looked up.
She was almost blinded by the sunlight reflecting off the leaves, flashing an orange glow.
Darkness suddenly filled her vision, and discomfort spread through her body. It was the first time she had encountered such a situation.
She quickly looked into the distance, focusing on the varying shades of green far away, and the discomfort in her eyes eased.
Only then did she realize how long she had been out.
Looking at her abundant harvest, Li Mai finally began her return.
By the time she reached the mountain by the cave, Li Qiao had already prepared lunch. From afar, the rich aroma of bamboo fungus chicken soup could be smelled.
Catching the familiar scent, Li Mai quickened her pace.
Li Qiao and Li Shu were still anxiously waiting for her to return when, in the blink of an eye, the person they had been talking about suddenly appeared before them, startling both of them.
After recognizing her, they were immediately stunned by the large bundles of mushrooms she carried.
Li Qiao’s eyes nearly popped out of their sockets. She could not believe how her eldest sister had managed to gather so much in such a short time.
She quickly ran over and took the bags and basket from Li Mai.
“Eldest Sister, there is no need to rush like this. Picking so many mushrooms must have tired you out. Sit down quickly, I will get you some water to wash your face.”
As soon as she set down the mushrooms, Li Qiao did not wait for Li Mai to refuse and hurriedly brought over cooled water.
Li Mai moved like a machine under Li Qiao’s arrangement, washing up and taking a seat.
The moment she sat down, a bowl full of chicken was placed in front of her.
Although Li Mai loved meat, Li Qiao’s smooth and practiced movements left her somewhat confused.
She instinctively turned to Li Shu, trying to find out what had happened.
Li Shu tugged at the corner of his mouth, looking helpless. He spread his hands and silently sat down.
Unable to get an answer, Li Mai turned to Li Qiao.
But Li Qiao acted as though nothing unusual had happened and said with a smile,
“Eldest Sister, eat quickly. You worked so hard all morning.”
Under Li Qiao’s encouraging gaze, Li Mai hesitantly drank the chicken soup. The familiar rich taste only made her feel even more puzzled.
Although Li Qiao had always taken care of her, what had just happened clearly exceeded her expectations.
What she noticed next confirmed her suspicion that something must have happened while she was away.
Because the second bowl of chicken soup that Li Qiao served was not given to Li Shu, but instead she drank it herself in large gulps.
The sudden change in order matched the strange atmosphere.
Li Shu also felt helpless. He shook his head, picked up his bowl, and served himself a portion with little meat.
But even that was not enough to satisfy Li Qiao. She said with some frustration,
“Eldest Sister, do not be frightened by second brother’s words. Even in winter, we can still find plenty to eat here. When I came, I brought all the seeds we had at home. When the season comes, I will plant cabbage and radish seeds. You will definitely not go hungry.
The mountains are dangerous. Do not go up alone so often. We already have plenty of supplies at home.”
Li Mai’s heart warmed at these words, like being immersed in a pot of rich chicken soup, comforting and pleasant.
Being cared for like this did not feel bad at all.
She suppressed the strange feeling rising in her chest and continued eating the chicken in large bites.
Hearing his sister’s words, Li Shu realized that if he did not say something now, he might lose his standing in the household.
He quickly put down his bowl and added,
“That is right, Eldest Sister, do not misunderstand me. What I meant earlier was that you should go hunting less often, it is dangerous. As for mushrooms and wild vegetables, we can gather those together.”
Hearing this, Li Qiao finally felt a bit more satisfied with her second brother.
However, getting Li Mai to give up food from the mountains was nearly impossible. Those were all delicacies.
“No beasts are my match.”
She spoke calmly, yet her words carried a sharp killing intent, making both Li Qiao and Li Shu’s hearts pound.
They recalled the wild boar from before, killed with a single strike.
But concern for family could not be erased simply by strength.
Li Mai seemed to feel that her words were still not enough, so she added,
“You cannot. You would only hold me back.”
These words pierced straight through their hearts.
Because they were spoken so casually, they hurt even more. Yet the two of them could not deny that what she said was true.
To survive in the mountains, strength was essential. The two exchanged a glance.
Li Shu leaned close to Li Qiao and whispered something.
Almost as soon as he finished, the two of them stood up and bowed deeply toward Li Mai.
Li Shu spoke on their behalf,
“We also want to help and not hold you back. Eldest Sister, could you teach us some skills?”
“Alright.”
Seeing the hopeful expressions in their eyes, Li Mai softened and decided to teach them some techniques she had learned before, methods that could help ordinary people strengthen their bodies.
Hearing this, the two of them exclaimed excitedly, their eyes shining brightly.
“Thank you, Eldest Sister!”
“Thank you, Eldest Sister!”
Motivated by this, they quickly finished the food in their bowls, eager to start practicing immediately.
But Li Mai’s next words shattered their expectations.
“You two are not ready to practice yet.”