Li Wanting got up, pretending she needed to relieve herself. She nodded to Zhou Dachang, who was on night watch, and slipped off to a secluded spot.
Behind a large boulder, she made sure no one was around, then entered her space. She fed the poultry on the mountain, gathered fruits, vegetables, and eggs, and stored them in the warehouse. After finishing, she stepped out, ready to return, when she suddenly heard faint voices.
“Boss, I’ve scouted it out. The two houses in the northwest corner are a little farther from the night watch. We can get to them.”
“Did you check carefully?”
“Don’t worry. No one will know.”
“Good. Let’s act when the time is right.”
Several dark figures then slipped around the other side of the rocks, creeping toward Zhou Village.
So they were planning a theft. Seeing them disappear into the distance, Li Wanting hurried back. As she entered the firelight’s reach, she saw Zhou Dachang leading two villagers toward her.
“Sister-in-law, I was worried something had happened. You’ve been gone too long—I was about to bring people to look for you,” Zhou Dachang said anxiously.
“Brother Dachang, sorry, my stomach isn’t feeling well,” Li Wanting replied awkwardly.
“Good that you’re fine. Go back and rest a bit,” Zhou Dachang waved his hand.
“Mm,” Li Wanting responded.
As she passed him, she whispered, “A few thieves are trying to steal something. Watch the northwest corner.”
Zhou Dachang was startled. Seeing Li Wanting nod, he acted casual, waved the other two back to the fire, and quietly alerted the night watchers.
Li Wanting returned to sit beside her children, quietly observing the northwest corner. Soon, she saw the shadowy figures creeping toward their camp.
When they tried to lift the grain bags, over twenty people on watch seized their weapons and rushed forward. Cries of terror and pleas for mercy erupted.
The commotion woke everyone, who quickly protected their children and supplies.
Zhou Yunda also got up and hurried over. Seeing the thieves beaten and unable to get up, he had them bound and dragged into the mountains, leaving their fate to chance.
Once everything was safe, everyone lay down and resumed sleeping.
Around early morning, people gradually woke, ate some dry rations. Li Wanting held Zhou Zimeng, while Zhou Zimo laid dry grass and old blankets on the cart, after which Li Wanting placed Zimeng on it.
She fed the cattle and sheep some dry grass and spring water, harnessed the cart to the ox, tied the sheep to the cart handle, and just as the supplies were secured, the village chief called everyone to move.
The morning was cool, and everyone’s pace quickened. Along the way, the number of refugees increased. Zhou Yunda frequently reminded everyone to watch their children and belongings carefully.
Li Wanting leisurely guided the ox-cart, sneaking food to her children from time to time, enjoying the calm.
The morning passed smoothly. By midday, the sun was no longer just hot—it was scorching. Zhou Yunda found a small open grove for everyone to rest and eat.
People gathered firewood, set up stoves, and started cooking.
Li Wanting unhitched the cart from the ox, fed the cattle and sheep, then stewed the rabbit she had salted the night before. Zhou Zimo tended the fire, while Zhou Zimeng fed Hubao and Huniu their goat’s milk.
Li Wanting peeled a few potatoes, mixed them with some coarse grains, and patted them into small cakes, sticking them to the side of the pan.
The aroma of the meat made villagers drool, making their dry rations suddenly seem unappetizing.
“Mom, I want meat too!” a little boy whined, licking his lips.
“Be patient, darling. Your dad will see if he can hunt something in the mountains,” his mother soothed him.
The boy obediently nodded.
Li Wanting, ignoring the gazes of others, served five small bowls of meat. Zhou Zimo delivered them to the five families who had helped them: Zhou Yunda, Zhou Dachang, Zhou Dashuan, Hunter Lin, and Old Lady Tian.
These were the people who had genuinely assisted them. Li Wanting was grateful—if someone treated her well, she would repay them a hundredfold.
The families initially tried to decline, but with children pleading, they accepted. Meat was precious, especially during the refugee period. Some added eggs, some pickled vegetables or wild greens. By the time Zhou Zimo returned, there were no empty bowls left—reciprocation was the way of the world.
After he returned, the three of them finally ate. Braised rabbit with potatoes, paired with crisp grain cakes, tasted heavenly.
After the meal, some rested, others went to the mountains to forage. Li Wanting asked the Wang family to watch the belongings, while she carried her basket, hoe, and machete, leading the children up the mountain.
Along the way, she collected dry grass and wove straw hats for each of them. She also cut three Y-shaped branches for slingshots. The midday sun was blazing.
Most nearby spots had been foraged already, so they ventured deeper. Li Wanting taught the children to use slingshots and occasionally handed them ice chunks to beat the heat.
Suddenly, her eyes brightened—those were taro leaves! Though dry, there was no mistaking them. She hurried a few steps, grabbed her hoe, and began digging.
Soon, she unearthed a fist-sized taro.
“Mom, what’s this?” Zhou Zimeng asked, never having seen one.
Zhou Zimo looked too, curious.
“This is taro, similar to sweet potatoes. You can steam, boil, stew, or roast it—it’s delicious,” Li Wanting explained as she placed it in the basket and continued digging.
In the previous owner’s memory, taro hadn’t been known as edible. Otherwise, someone would have already harvested it, and this patch wouldn’t be untouched.
Hearing it was tasty, Zhou Zimo also dug with a machete. Li Wanting retrieved two shovels from her space, giving one to him and keeping one herself. The two dug while Zimeng placed the taros into the basket.
After filling the basket, Li Wanting stopped, stored half the taros in her space for future planting, and covered the basket with collected firewood. She added a chicken from her space, twisted its neck, and placed several eggs atop, then carried the basket, holding the chicken in one hand and her hoe and machete in the other, leading the children back.
Most people had returned from the mountain, some with wild chickens or rabbits, others with wild vegetables and firewood.
Seeing Li Wanting carrying a wild chicken, everyone was envious.
“This Dashan woman’s luck is unbelievable—she actually caught a wild chicken!”
“Yeah, I heard that rabbit yesterday even ran into her and killed itself.”
“Wow, her luck is just unreal.”
The villagers couldn’t stop talking about Li Wanting’s fortune, the chatter lively and excited.