Chapter 111 – Little One
Not only did they fail to gain a daughter-in-law for free, but they also had to use their own ox cart to help move things.
How could Ms. Wang feel good about this?
She grabbed Tian Dazhuang’s arm and pinched it hard.
“You foolish boy, why do you worry about other people’s business? Our old yellow ox is for plowing fields, not for moving other people’s stuff. Let’s go home and mind our own business.”
“Mom, Xiaosi is my best friend. How can it be considered meddling if I help him?”
“You foolish boy, you regard others as brothers, but they don’t see you as one. If they did, why would they ruin your marriage? Wake up.”
Yan Xiaosi, who had overused his mental energy, was already somewhat exhausted, and the quarreling mother and son in front of her gave her a headache.
“Brother Dazhuang, you should go home with your mother. We don’t need your ox cart to move our belongings.”
“Did you hear that? They said they don’t need our ox cart. Save your energy, you foolish boy.”
Tian Dazhuang was dragged away by Ms. Wang.
After the people from the Tian family left, Yan Xiaosi stared at the pile of broken belongings on the ground, her headache making her eyebrows twitch.
“Mom, let’s get rid of the things we don’t need and just take the important ones to the cave. The old wooden table and chairs we use for meals are so old and heavy, let’s not take them.”
The wooden table and chairs they usually used for meals were already worn out. If they were to be carried up the mountain, they’d likely fall apart before reaching the cave.
Ms. Zhong found it very hard to part with them.
Although these belongings were worn out, she had developed feelings for them after using them for so many years.
“Xiaosi, our table and chairs may be a bit old, but if we throw them away, what will we do when we need to eat? We can’t make you and your sisters eat on the ground.”
Yan Xiaosi knew she was reluctant to part with these old pieces of furniture, but carrying these wobbly items up the mountain would be a waste of energy. “Mom, there’s plenty of wood on the mountain. You don’t need to worry about not having chairs when we eat. Once we settle down in the cave, we’ll cut down a big tree and chop up some logs for seats. For a dining table, we’ll find a smooth, flat stone on the mountain and bring it into the cave. Look at our table and chairs, they’re old and wobbly. If we try to carry them up the mountain, they might fall apart before we even reach the cave.”
After hearing Yan Xiaosi’s words, Ms. Zhong reached out and shook the old wooden table.
With a creak, the table sounded like it would collapse with just a little more force. It was so old that even if they carefully moved it up the mountain, it wouldn’t last much longer.
“Alright, I’ll listen to you.”
Discarding the table, chairs, benches, and some unusable wooden basins, the family’s belongings were reduced to simple bedding, clothing, pots, pans, baskets, sickles, and hoes.
Ms. Zhong rolled up a few thin quilts and some clothes, stuffed them into the basket, and asked Yan Shuyun to carry them.
She and Yan Shuqin, Yan Shuxue took care of the rest of the belongings.
Ms. Zhong, carrying a blackened iron pot in her right hand and two wooden basins in her left, with a basket on her back containing leftover oil, salt, rice, vegetables, and meat, turned to Yan Xiaosi with difficulty and asked, “Xiaosi, are you feeling better? Can you walk up the mountain by yourself? If not, let your eldest sister put down the things in her hand and help you up first.”
Yan Shuqin also had a basket on her back, which contained a hoe and four sickles for chopping wood; the most valuable items in their family that were most cherished by Ms. Zhong.
Yan Xiaosi gave a playful smile and said, “Mom, you were just upset about that old table and chairs, but if you let Big Sister put down the hoe and sickles to help me up the mountain, aren’t you afraid someone will take our hoe and sickles?”
“You child, I value the sickles and hoe in our house, but I value you sisters more.”
They had been able to make a living from chopping wood thanks to the useful sickles at home.
Yan Xiaosi felt warmth.
“Mom, don’t worry, I’m fine. I don’t need Big Sister to help me.”
Overusing mental power only causes a moment of weakness. She had been resting for a while and her body and spirit had recovered somewhat. Although she was still a bit weak, she had no problem climbing up the mountain and reaching the cave.
“I just can’t help you carry some things.”
“We don’t have much to carry. With me, mom, and my two sisters, we’ll manage. You, little one, just take care of yourself.”
Little one!
Yan Shuqin’s nickname for herself made Yan Xiaosi twitch at the corner of her mouth speechlessly.
She was not a little one, her age combined from both lives was catching up to Ms. Zhong’s.
However, she quite liked Yan Shuqin calling her “little one”, a simple nickname filled with endless affection.
Yan Shuxue was carrying a cutting board, kitchen knife, spatula, pot lid, and wooden bowls and chopsticks for eating in a basket that was not very heavy.
After getting everything in order, the family of five set off towards the Four Sisters Mountain under the gentle sunlight.
In the morning, with autumn dew not yet dry, the mountain road was a bit slippery. With the weight they were carrying, the journey up the mountain was quite difficult for the five of them.
The cave that Yan Xiaosi had found was on the side of the First Sister Peak.
It took the family nearly an hour to reach their destination.
Sweating profusely, Yan Xiaosi wiped the sweat from her forehead with her sleeve and pointed to a cluster of withered bushes ahead. “Mom, Big Sister, Second Sister, Third Sister, the cave we’re looking for is just up ahead.”
She and Tian Dazhuang had discovered this cave by chance. It was rather spacious and dry inside. Whenever they went up the mountain to collect herbs and got tired, they would rest in this cave. To prevent other hunters or wild animals from discovering it, she had blocked the entrance with a pile of branches.
After informing Ms. Zhong and her sisters, she quickened her pace and walked to the entrance of the cave, lifting the dried branches with her hand.
As soon as she lifted the withered branches, a wave of warm and dry heat hit her face.
The heat coming from the cave surprised and pleased Yan Xiaosi.
A few days ago, when she had gone up the mountain to collect herbs and rested in the cave, there was no heat inside.
Similar to a cave dwelling, the cave provided warmth during winter and coolness during summer. As late autumn set in, with the presence of morning and evening dew, the cave’s temperature rose accordingly. Living in such a cave seemed more comfortable compared to the dilapidated grass temple situated at the edge of Shaoyao Village, at the foot of the mountain. At night, despite the use of rigid and thin quilts, they might be able to avoid feeling the bone-chilling cold that made it hard to sleep..
