It had always been this way. Whenever there was something good to eat—whether expensive or simple—he would always make sure she had it first.
After their son was born, nothing changed. She still came first, then their child. At most, she and An’an would split things evenly, but he never pushed her behind the child just because they now had one. As for himself, he was always last.
He wasn’t particularly clever with words, nor was he the type to shower people with sweet talk. He was a little simple, a little clumsy—but he proved his love through actions, quietly and consistently.
And because he was by her side, even in this frightening and uncertain situation, she felt much more at ease.
Tang Jiao came back to herself and silently took a bite of her bun. Watching Gu Yu finish his breakfast in just a few mouthfuls and drink some hot water, she said, “Will you really be okay on your own? I’m still worried. Why don’t we wait until An’an wakes up and we go together?”
This had already been discussed the night before. The weather was clearly turning colder, and they didn’t know if they would ever be able to return to their own world, so they had to prepare for the worst.
This cave was too small and poorly located to be a long-term shelter. Today, Gu Yu planned to explore the surrounding area to find a more suitable place to live, one that could see them through a potentially harsh winter.
Ideally, they would find another cave. Failing that, they needed a site suitable for building a shelter. A cave would be warmer and sturdier in winter, while a man-made shelter would have to be extremely solid and well-insulated to withstand the cold and any dangers. But building something like that would take a lot of time, and they worried winter might arrive before they could finish.
Of course, whether they could find a cave at all would depend largely on luck.
No matter what, they needed to explore first—to get a basic understanding of the nearby terrain, food sources, and water.
Originally, they had agreed that Gu Yu would go alone. If both adults went, An’an was too young; carrying or piggybacking him would slow them down significantly. And if danger appeared, escaping with a child would be far more difficult.
They had already spent a full day and night here without encountering any immediate threats, so for now, Tang Jiao and An’an staying behind was relatively safe.
Still, Tang Jiao couldn’t stop worrying. With Gu Yu not by her side, her heart felt unsettled.
Seeing her unease, Gu Yu said, “Don’t worry, wife. I’ve got the entrenching shovel and the slingshot with me. I’ll be careful. If I run into danger, I can dodge and retreat on my own. You don’t need to worry about me. You and An’an just stay here—don’t wander off anywhere. If you do, I’ll be the one worrying.”
Tang Jiao knew he was right and could only nod in agreement.
She found him a pair of high boots—a pair of military-style yellow combat boots—and tucked his pant legs into them to prevent insects from crawling up inside.
Then she packed two large buns, one salted duck egg, a packet of pickled vegetables, a mooncake, and a thermos of hot water into the backpack he had already prepared.
Gu Yu handed her a whistle and said, “This is An’an’s toy whistle, but it’s loud. If anything dangerous happens, blow it. I’ll come back as soon as I hear it. If things get bad, head straight back into the cave and bar the door—that should at least hold things off for a while.”
Tang Jiao nodded again.
Once he had everything ready, Gu Yu slung the backpack over his shoulders, picked up the entrenching shovel and slingshot, hugged Tang Jiao, and set off.
She watched him leave, worry filling her eyes. Just then, she heard An’an call out, “Mama,” and quickly steadied herself before returning to the cave.
An’an was already awake and sitting up. This was his first night ever spent outdoors, and he found it novel and exciting. At his young age, he had no real understanding of their family’s situation. All he knew was that his parents were with him and that sleeping outside was fun—and that made him happy.
Seeing the joy on her son’s little face, Tang Jiao’s mood gradually brightened as well.
After getting An’an settled, she found herself with some free time. And when things quieted down, her thoughts started to wander. Remembering the wild vegetables she had spotted in the nearby grass while moving supplies the day before, she decided to dig some up.
She picked up a sturdy branch and snapped it at an angle, forming a sharp edge that worked surprisingly well for digging. Having grown up in the countryside, she was used to this—whenever they spotted wild greens in the fields without a shovel or knife at hand, this was exactly how they did it. It was simple, but effective.
She rummaged around and found a plastic bag. Seeing An’an playing with the two little “fur kids,” she reminded him not to wander off. She didn’t dare go far herself, either, and stayed close as she searched.
There was quite a variety of wild plants in this grassy area. Most of them were technically edible, but Tang Jiao recognized only a few. Many looked familiar, but she wasn’t sure whether they were safe to eat, so she only dug up the ones she knew well.
A quick look revealed dandelion, plantain, wild chives, wild chrysanthemum—and to her delight, even a shepherd’s purse. Her excitement rose instantly, and she got to work with enthusiasm.
Digging wild greens was surprisingly addictive. It wasn’t just about how delicious they were—the act of gathering itself was soothing and deeply satisfying, filling her with a sense of accomplishment.
This love for collecting and storing food was probably instinctive to humans, and Tang Jiao was no exception.
There were plenty of wild vegetables. The more she dug, the happier she became, gradually forgetting her anxiety and unease. Before long, she had filled an entire bag.
Seeing his mother busy, An’an brought the two little ones over to help. Clearly, he loved digging for wild greens too. One big, one small, plus two furry helpers—everyone worked together with great enthusiasm.
By the time Gu Yu returned, the two of them had already harvested a large pile, sorted and cleaned it neatly. If they hadn’t been afraid to stray too far, they could have gathered even more.
The moment An’an spotted his father, he ran over excitedly to greet him, proudly showing off the day’s harvest. The two little ones followed along, scampering after him.
Gu Yu scooped An’an up and set him on his shoulders, striding toward Tang Jiao. Seeing this, she hurried over. “An’an, be good. Daddy’s tired—come down and let him rest for a bit,” she said as she reached for him.
Gu Yu laughed. “It’s fine, I can still carry him.”
Tang Jiao shot him a look anyway and took An’an down, setting him on the ground. Gu Yu chuckled sheepishly and sat down to rest as well.
She handed him a cup, motioning for him to drink some water, then asked, “Are you hungry? Did you eat?”
“I ate,” Gu Yu replied. “Finished everything I brought, and I’m not hungry yet. I even picked some pears along the way—oh, right, I brought some back for you.”
As he spoke, he pulled two pears from his backpack, quickly took out a small knife, peeled them, and handed one each to Tang Jiao and An’an.
“We’ll head that way again later,” he said. “Pears are heavy, so I didn’t pick many—just one each for you. Try it, they’re really good.”
An’an had already taken a bite. “Mama, it’s really sweet! You have to try it!”
Tang Jiao smiled and took a bite herself. Crisp, juicy, and lightly sweet—it was truly delicious. She thought to herself that this might just be the best pear she had ever eaten.