At this moment, the sound of men laughing and talking could be heard from outside the door.
Tan Xiuping said to He Jianping, "The people building the house for the educated youth are back. Help me take the dishes out."
He Jianping put down the cigarette he had just picked up.
He sighed... Which man is ordered around by his wife every day?
After eating, everyone rested for a while.
In the afternoon, when it was time to go to work, the rain became heavier. Shen Zhao really didn't want to go out, so she didn't.
She went back to her room and slept for over an hour.
After getting up, the rain had lessened considerably, falling intermittently.
So, fully equipped, she went to Tan Youqun's place to have him make an additional bathtub for her.
On the way back, the rain suddenly stopped.
Shen Zhao looked at the green mountains in the distance. From the very first day she arrived, she had set her sights on the mountains. Today, with nothing else to do, she felt a stirring of restlessness.
She decided to do it right away.
She didn't even go back home, but directly turned towards the new house.
Actually, there was a main road going up the mountain in the village, leading to Jiuniangzi Mountain. This was where the villagers usually herded cattle and chopped firewood.
It was composed of nine not-too-high peaks, and was relatively safe.
Moreover, when going to the slopes or to work, they would usually take that road. It was well-trodden, wide, and flat, but there definitely wouldn't be anything good there.
The place where they were building the new house had a bamboo forest behind it.
Passing through the bamboo forest, there was a small path leading up the mountain. Not many people usually took it; this was information she had extracted from He Xiaoshan.
After greeting the people building the house, she turned into the bamboo forest.
It had just rained, and as she walked through the bamboo forest, water droplets from the branches and leaves fell down. Shen Zhao waited until she was sure no one was watching.
She took out an oil-paper umbrella from her space and opened it.
After passing through the bamboo forest, she indeed saw a path wide enough for one person, with plants on both sides almost covering it.
Fortunately, she was wearing tall rain boots; otherwise, her pants would have been soaked after walking through.
Shen Zhao put away the oil-paper umbrella.
She walked along the path for half an hour, only reaching the mountainside. The surroundings were filled with unknown plants, and she found quite a few herbs she recognized.
Things like plantain, dandelion, large thistle, small thistle, and selfheal were all there.
But there was nothing particularly valuable, so she couldn't be bothered to pick them.
She was unwilling to go back empty-handed, so she climbed for another half an hour. The plants became even denser.
Shen Zhao found a large rock to stand on. She could see the village at the foot of the mountain, appearing as small as ants.
Clouds and mist swirled around the mountains, resembling a fairyland.
Suddenly, her gaze sharpened.
In a spot entwined with vines on the side, she discovered Chicken Blood Vine.
There were indeed many treasures on the mountain!
Shen Zhao quickly jumped off the rock, took out her curved saber, and began clearing the way.
Upon reaching the spot, she cut a section of the Chicken Blood Vine. Seeing the bright red sap flowing from the cut surface, she put it into her space.
She cut down all the thicker vines in this area, leaving only the young shoots.
Not long after leaving this place, she successively found Paris Polyphylla and Fritillary bulb, both of which were valuable herbs.
Shen Zhao stayed on the mountain until almost five o'clock and dug up two Five-finger Peach roots.
Seeing that it was getting dark, she quickly packed her things and headed down the mountain.
The bamboo basket only contained a few Fritillary bulbs and some sections of Chicken Blood Vine.
The rest was all stored in her space. She would wait until she had more before taking them to the town or city to sell.
After walking for a short while, she suddenly heard a rustling sound nearby.
Her footsteps paused.
At this season, with this sound, the only thing hidden in the grass could be a wild chicken.
Shen Zhao's heart leaped with joy, and she quickly took out her bow and arrow from her space.
Wild chickens can fly and are extremely fast. She wasn't confident she could catch one with her bare hands.
She drew her bow and nocked an arrow. She stepped on a rock with her toe and quickly kicked it towards the grass where the sound came from. The rock landed, startling the wild chicken hiding inside into flight.
She immediately aimed her bow and arrow, which shot out rapidly.
Thwack!*
The feathered arrow accurately pierced the wild chicken's body, and it fell like a kite with a broken string.
Shen Zhao lowered her bow and ran towards where the wild chicken had fallen.
She quickly found the shot wild chicken.
She picked it up and weighed it. It was about two catties, not particularly plump.
The wild chicken's feathers were brightly colored, and its tail feathers were especially beautiful.
She threw the wild chicken into her bamboo basket, put her bow and arrow into her space, and continued down the mountain.
Her speed was much faster than when she went up the mountain.
When she returned to the He family's home, they had already returned from work.
Tan Xiuping was cooking, He Xiaolan was washing clothes, and He Jianping was sitting with his elderly parents in the main hall, warming themselves by the fire and shelling peanuts.
He Xiaoshan was stealing food nearby.
He Dashan was nowhere to be seen. He was probably doing his winter holiday homework.
Shen Zhao glanced around, put down her bamboo basket, and carried the wild chicken into the kitchen. "Auntie, I traded with someone in town yesterday for a chicken and two Five-finger Peach roots. Tonight, I'll stew a chicken soup with the Five-finger Peach."
Private sales were not supported in those years; material exchange was the norm.
Therefore, it was best to say "traded" when buying things.
Even the things on the mountain, if one were to be strict about it, belonged to the public and could not be privately owned.
She said this hoping to avoid some trouble.
Tan Xiuping turned around and saw the brightly colored wild chicken in Shen Zhao's hand. The corner of her mouth twitched involuntarily.
She was really telling blatant lies. Who would dare to trade a wild chicken in town?
But... how long had it been since they had any meat dishes at home?
Educated Youth Shen was a bit extreme in her ways, but she was generous. She definitely wouldn't be able to finish such a large chicken.
She wouldn't even eat leftovers the next day; this person didn't eat leftovers.
Wouldn't the rest of it benefit her own family?
She immediately took the wild chicken, put on a smile, and said, "Alright, I'll be quick and make sure you can eat it tonight."
After saying that, she yelled for the child's father to boil water and pluck the feathers.
He Jianping walked into the kitchen with his hands behind his back. He almost stumbled when he saw the wild chicken.
"Where did this come from? How dare you be so bold?"
Tan Xiuping put on a fierce expression. "What do you mean, where did it come from? It's a hen I traded for in town. What are you making such a fuss about? I'm telling you, don't put on your official airs at home!"
He Jianping said helplessly, "I didn't say anything."
He then picked up the wild chicken and walked away. Seeing the arrow hole in the chicken, he couldn't help but frown.
This chicken... how did Educated Youth Shen get it?
Never mind, this was meat, and he was craving it too.
Regardless of whether its origin was legitimate or not, once it was plucked and eaten, it was a hen if they said it was a hen.
Shen Zhao then took the two Five-finger Peach roots into the kitchen before turning back to her room.
She had figured it out: Tan Xiuping was someone who could be more enthusiastic than anyone else when there were benefits, but she could also turn hostile quickly.
Her change of expression was as fast as the local weather.
Just then, the rain that had stopped for half a day started again.
Shen Zhao changed into clean cotton-padded clothes and pants. Just then, He Xiaolan came back with the washed clothes, and took her freshly changed clothes to wash.
Old Mrs. He, also known as Grandmother He Xiaoshan, cast a displeased glance at Shen Zhao.
Then, as if nothing had happened, she looked away.
In her opinion, girls like Shen Zhao, relying on having a little money, thought they were something special.
They were lazy all day, and even had their clothes washed by others.
It was like treating her family as hired laborers.
If it were a few years ago, someone like this should have been caught by the Red Guards for a struggle session.
But she was also afraid that if she said the wrong thing, Shen Zhao would hang herself at her doorstep.
What bad luck.
The elderly were more particular about these things than the young.
She decided it was best not to see what she didn't want to see and got up to go back to her room to lie down.
Shen Zhao naturally noticed her displeasure.
This person was a typical bully who picked on the weak and feared the strong.
The first lesson in imperial cultivation: observe expressions and demeanor.
The second lesson in imperial cultivation: those who can't stand me are all in the wrong.
Either endure it, or be buried.
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