It took quite a while before everyone finally calmed down.
“So… we’re safe now, right?” someone asked cautiously.
The village chief stepped forward to reassure them.
“It’s fine now. Everyone go back to sleep. But we should still leave two people on watch tonight.”
After the fear subsided, some people immediately began tracing the source of the trouble.
One man grumbled irritably,
“When that wolf cub was brought back, I already thought it was a bad idea. See? It really did attract the wolf pack.”
Old Shuan’s wife also joined the criticism.
“Some people never think about everyone else’s safety. They only care about themselves. So selfish!”
Neither of them mentioned names directly, but everyone knew they were talking about He Wanqing.
Thus, countless gazes turned toward her.
Yet before He Wanqing could even speak, someone else defended her first.
“So what if the wolves were attracted here? Did they bite you? Did they hurt anyone? Since nothing happened, why are you yelling nonsense? Hurry up and go back to sleep!”
The two were unconvinced and wanted to argue further, but the village chief quickly stopped them.
“Enough. Stop talking. Jianshan’s mother didn’t know the wolves would come. Besides, Old Madam Ye is right—nobody was hurt. It’s not worth ruining harmony over this.”
The two sides glared at each other before finally dispersing.
He Wanqing glanced toward Old Madam Ye and parted her lips slightly, wanting to say something.
But the old woman didn’t even spare her a glance before turning and leaving directly.
“……”
After the little wolf left, life gradually returned to normal for He Wanqing’s family.
Aside from occasionally hearing A-Ming mention it, things were much the same as before.
He Wanqing herself had no time for sentimental feelings.
She was too busy traveling, searching for food, and gathering herbs.
Two days later, their grain supply completely ran out.
Not a single grain remained.
From then on, they survived entirely on wild fruits.
The iron pot had fully devolved into nothing more than a tool for boiling water.
That day, while eating a slightly sour peach, He Wanqing sighed deeply.
When would this kind of life finally end?
“Host, once your points reach two thousand, the main system will reward you with something you need. It might even be grain.”
A spark of hope immediately lit up within He Wanqing.
She currently had 1,745 points.
Just a little over two hundred more and she could claim another reward!
Crunch crunch.
She quickly finished the peach, tossed away the pit, and got right back to work.
“Host, there’s one ahead.”
“Host, there’s another beneath those thorn bushes.”
As He Wanqing approached the thorn bushes and bent down, she suddenly spotted numerous slender bamboo shoots sprouting from the ground.
Her eyes instantly lit up.
These were excellent ingredients!
At once, countless dishes flooded her mind:
Bamboo shoots stir-fried with eggs.
Bamboo shoots stir-fried with meat.
Pickled chili bamboo shoots.
Simple stir-fried bamboo shoots.
Cold bamboo shoot salad.
Just imagining them nearly made her drool uncontrollably.
Without hesitation, He Wanqing immediately began snapping them off one after another until the entire patch had been harvested clean.
After all, with the shells still wrapped around them, bamboo shoots could last a long time.
Only after clearing out every shoot did she finally dig up the herb nearby before carrying her abundant harvest back.
The moment she returned, A-Ming excitedly pointed toward several wild chicken eggs.
“Mother, look! Big Brother brought back wild chicken eggs!”
What perfect timing.
Bamboo shoots stir-fried with eggs was officially on the menu!
“Jianshan, well done.”
Ye Jianshan scratched his head honestly.
“Actually… Cousin gave them to me.”
“Oh? He found them?”
“Mhm.”
Ye Jianshan felt too embarrassed to explain their previous agreement, so he didn’t elaborate further.
Looking at the four or five wild eggs, He Wanqing hesitated for a moment before separating out part of the bamboo shoots from the basket.
“Jianshan, take these shoots over to your grandparents.”
With food scarce for everyone, wild chicken eggs counted as extremely valuable.
He Wanqing couldn’t simply keep accepting things without giving anything back.
“Come on, peel these bamboo shoots. Tonight we’re having bamboo shoots stir-fried with eggs.”
Having gone several days without proper stir-fried dishes, the children became visibly excited, peeling bamboo shoots at lightning speed.
When Ye Jianshan carried half a basket of shoots over, both Old Madam Ye and Madam Ye looked confused.
Had the sun risen from the west?
“Your mother really told you to bring these over?”
“Yes, Grandma.”
Ye Jianshan still wanted to explain something, but beside him Ye Jian’an frantically signaled with his eyes, so he swallowed his words.
As they left, Ye Jian’an slung an arm around Ye Jianshan’s shoulders and whispered,
“Brother, don’t mention the wild eggs. Otherwise my mother will nag me to death.”
Ye Jianshan finally understood and smiled helplessly.
“Got it.”
“Alright, hurry back.”
As Ye Jian’an approached his mother and grandmother, the two women were still discussing their confusion.
Immediately, he tiptoed farther away.
Madam Ye slowly peeled bamboo shoots while speaking.
“Mother, what exactly is He-shi trying to do?”
Old Madam Ye worked quickly; within moments, a long bamboo shoot had been stripped completely clean.
“Who cares what she’s thinking? Isn’t having something to eat enough?”
“I’m just worried she has ulterior motives.”
Old Madam Ye lifted her eyelids and snorted.
“Stop overthinking all day long. She’s not your enemy.
I know you two don’t get along, but no matter what, as long as your father and I are alive, you remain family even after dividing households. Family should help each other.”
Madam Ye curled her lips.
“I know already. Didn’t I stand together with everyone during the Shuanzi incident?”
“Yes, Mother knows you’re a good person. Your habit of calculating things carefully is for your own small family—that’s only natural, and I understand it.
But you also need to understand me. Second Brother is gone. He-shi raising four children alone isn’t easy. If she encounters difficulties, we should still help when we can.
Especially when outsiders bully their family, we must stand together. Otherwise people will criticize us behind our backs.”
Old Madam Ye was extremely skilled at alternating harshness with kindness.
And the method worked remarkably well.
Sure enough, Madam Ye’s attitude softened.
“Mother, your daughter-in-law understands.”
Old Madam Ye patted her hand gently.
“That’s better.”
After much busy work, once He Wanqing finally tasted the bamboo shoot and egg stir-fry, her eyes narrowed blissfully.
So delicious.
If only there were a bowl of white rice to go with it.
The children also ate with complete satisfaction.
The two large bowls of bamboo shoots and eggs disappeared rapidly under the attacks of five hungry mouths.
Even the oil residue clinging to the bowls was licked clean by A-Ming.
Looking at the astonishingly spotless dishes, He Wanqing shook her head with a bitter smile.
She truly never expected she and the children would end up living like this.
Another day passed.
After traveling all day, the refugee group finally found a suitable resting place.
Rather than sitting down immediately, He Wanqing grabbed a basket and took several children out searching for food, leaving the second son behind to guard their belongings.
Now that the system could scan within a twenty-meter radius, their family always managed to find more useful things than everyone else.
Not far away, Widow Liu noticed He Wanqing leaving and quietly followed in the same direction.
Cuihua felt this behavior was inappropriate, but she knew she couldn’t stop her mother, so she simply chose another direction herself.
Hearing footsteps behind her, He Wanqing turned her head.
Widow Liu instantly lowered her head guiltily.
He Wanqing frowned slightly but said nothing, continuing onward.
Seeing herself discovered, Widow Liu became even more shameless about following along.
After all, the road didn’t belong solely to He Wanqing.
“Host, there’s a bayberry tree about ten meters ahead.”
Bayberries?
He Wanqing instantly quickened her pace.
The children hurried after her.
Seeing this, Widow Liu also began jogging.
That woman definitely discovered something good!
Very soon, the bayberry tree appeared before them.
Purple-red fruits covered the branches densely, stimulating He Wanqing’s appetite so strongly her mouth watered.
Without wasting time, Ye Jianwu swiftly climbed the tree in just a few moves.
“Big Brother, pass me the basket!”
He Wanqing looked upward.
“Jianwu, be careful. Don’t pick the unripe ones.”
“Got it, Mother. You all stand farther away. I’m afraid bits might fall into your eyes.”
A few paces away, Widow Liu also spotted the tree.
Without hesitation, she turned and ran back immediately.
“Brother Dayou! Brother Dayou! I found a bayberry tree! Hurry and bring a basket with me!”
Wu Dayou immediately followed her.
By the time they arrived, Ye Jianwu had already filled half a basket and was preparing to climb down.
Upon seeing Wu Dayou and Widow Liu, however, he changed his mind.
“Mother, pass me your basket too. I’ll pick some for Uncle’s family as well.”
Switching to another empty basket, Ye Jianwu continued harvesting.
Meanwhile, Wu Dayou climbed up recklessly without caring whether the tree could support two grown men at once.
“Brother Dayou, be careful!”
“Relax. It’s just a tree. I—”
Before finishing his sentence, his foot slipped and he crashed flat onto the ground.
The heavy thud sounded painful even to He Wanqing.
“Damn it! I refuse to believe I can’t climb this!”
Wu Dayou tried again.
This time he succeeded.
Widow Liu handed him a basket while smiling shyly.
“Brother Dayou, just give me a small portion afterward.”
“How could a small portion be enough for you? I’ll leave a little for myself to taste and give the rest to you.”
Widow Liu secretly bloomed with delight inside, though her expression remained hesitant.
“Aren’t you taking any home for Sister-in-law and the others?”
“What would that yellow-faced woman eat these for? No need. Your skin is much fairer—you should eat more.”
He Wanqing: “……”
She suddenly wished she could block her ears.
Thankfully, Ye Jianwu moved quickly and climbed down roughly fifteen minutes later.
He Wanqing immediately led the children away at top speed.
“Mother, here.”
Along the way, Ye Jianwu selected the darkest, ripest bayberry and handed it to her.
Even knowing there was a chance of tiny bugs inside, He Wanqing still couldn’t resist.
She popped it straight into her mouth.
The sweet-and-sour flavor instantly exploded across her tongue.
Delicious!
Spitting out the seed, He Wanqing motioned for the children to eat too.
“Well? Tasty, right?”
“Mhm! Really tasty!”
A-Ming swayed his head happily.
After returning, Ye Jianwu brought half a basket of bayberries to the main Ye family.
“Grandpa, Grandma, these bayberries are delicious. Eat lots.”
Old Master Ye happily selected a large one.
“Mmm, not bad at all. Where’d you pick them?”
“Just keep walking that direction and you’ll see the bayberry tree. Wu Dayou’s there picking now, but there are lots left on the tree.”
Old Master Ye immediately wanted to go gather some himself, only to get scolded by Old Madam Ye.
“Isn’t this already enough for you to eat?”
After snapping at him, she softened while looking toward Ye Jianwu.
“The fruit may taste good, but don’t eat too much or your mouth will blister.”
“Got it, Grandma. Then I’ll head back.”
“Wait. Take some wild hawthorn fruit home too. Your uncle just gathered these.”
With some bayberries and hawthorn fruit, He Wanqing’s family barely scraped together dinner once again.
The family of five sat around the bonfire together.
In the quiet atmosphere, Ye Jianwu suddenly pulled out something wrapped in cloth.
“Mother, this is for you.”
He Wanqing opened it and stared in surprise.
A wooden hairpin lay inside.
“You carved this yourself?”
“Mhm. The flower carving isn’t very good, so don’t dislike it.”
Truthfully, this was already Ye Jianwu’s second attempt.
The first hairpin had broken because the wood quality was poor, so he’d carefully chosen a sturdier piece afterward.
Running her fingers across the completely smooth surface without a single splinter, warmth spread through He Wanqing’s chest.
“I don’t dislike it at all. Mother really likes it.”
She immediately replaced her current hairpin with the new wooden one.
Ye Jianwu grinned foolishly.
“Mother looks really beautiful wearing it.”
Watching his third brother gift their mother something, Ye Jianwen suddenly felt guilty.
He’d never once thought about giving Mother anything.
Quietly, he resolved to remember this.
Meanwhile, Ye Jianshan and A-Ming simply thought their third brother was incredibly amazing for being able to carve a hairpin.
Night fell.
The family prepared to sleep.
Suddenly, rustling sounds emerged from the thorn bushes directly ahead.
He Wanqing’s entire body instantly tensed.
“Jianwu, is there something over there?”
Ye Jianwu immediately grabbed a long wooden stick and stared warily toward the bushes.
“Mother, all of you stay behind me.”
A moment later, a familiar small figure crawled out from the thorn bushes.
“Woo~”
“Little Wolf?!”
A-Ming’s eyes widened round with shock before he sprinted over instantly.
Even He Wanqing looked astonished.
Hadn’t this little thing already left with the wolf pack?
Why had it come back?
Soon afterward, A-Ming excitedly carried the wolf cub back over.
“Mother, look! It really is Little Wolf! It came back to find us!”
Seeing no other wolves nearby, Ye Jianwu finally relaxed his guard.
Looking at the cub covered in dirt again, He Wanqing sighed helplessly.
“Little thing, how did you make yourself this miserable again?”
The wolf whimpered softly toward He Wanqing.
Its low mournful cries carried overwhelming sadness.
Hearing those pitiful sounds, He Wanqing’s heart softened.
She lifted the cub into her arms—only to immediately smell blood.
Yet after checking its body carefully, she found no wounds at all.
He Wanqing frowned slightly.
What was going on?
Could the wolf pack have been attacked by some fierce beast and scattered apart?
No…
Even if scattered, wolves should’ve been able to regroup.
But now this cub had returned alone.
So…
Was the entire wolf pack gone?
Thinking this, He Wanqing’s gaze toward the little wolf became even more sympathetic.
“Jianshan, bring some water and help wash it.”
A-Ming happily carried the wolf away.
Soon, the cub became clean once more.
Yet its expression remained sorrowful, head drooping listlessly.
A-Ming worried deeply.
“Mother, what’s wrong with it?”
“It probably experienced something very sad. It’ll slowly recover.”
“So… it won’t leave anymore?”
A-Ming’s eyes widened hopefully.
“Probably not. So you’ll need to take good care of it.”
Since it had come searching for them again, He Wanqing believed the wolf likely wanted to stay with them now.
Thus, she gave A-Ming a reassuring answer.
“Don’t worry, Mother! I’ll definitely take good care of it! Oh right, Mother—we should give it a name!”
“Alright. You choose one.”
Staring into the wolf’s clear pale-blue eyes, A-Ming blurted out immediately,
“Let’s call it A-Lan! Mother, what do you think?”
“A-Lan? Sounds good.”
In her previous life, He Wanqing had never liked raising pets.
Too troublesome.
Yet somehow, after coming here, she’d ended up keeping a wolf cub.
And strangely enough…
It didn’t seem so bad.
Of course, that feeling depended entirely on one condition:
She wasn’t the one responsible for taking care of it. （＾∀＾●）ﾉｼ