There were no miraculous wild vegetables growing freely, no pheasants fluttering past, and no hares suddenly dashing by.
Instead, the mountains were covered in weeds, and all the edible wild plants had long been dug up by the villagers.
But Xu Ying wasn’t surprised at all. In this era of food scarcity, when families couldn’t even fill their stomachs, how could anyone afford to leave game or wild vegetables untouched in the mountains?
Only the bravest dared to venture deep into the back mountains. That place was feared by the villagers; it was said that man-eating beasts lived there. In the past, some had entered the depths to hunt—and never returned. Tales of danger had been passed down for generations, painting the deep mountains as a place no sane person would go.
But Xu Ying, who had crawled out of blood and chaos in the apocalypse, wasn’t afraid. Still, it wasn’t convenient to go deep into the mountains with the two little ones in tow.
As they reached the mountain’s edge, Little Shitou puffed up his chest and warned in a serious tone, like a little adult, “Aunty, Huzi, I’m going to gather pigweed. You two can’t wander off, especially not into the deep mountains! There are monsters that eat people in there!”
Hearing this, Huzi’s face scrunched up in fear. His lips trembled, and his eyes filled with tears at the thought of man-eating monsters.
Xu Ying couldn’t help but chuckle at her nephew’s earnest warning. “Alright, you go gather your pigweed. I’ll stay here with Huzi and won’t set foot into the deep mountains.”
Relieved by her promise, Shitou nodded and walked off to forage.
Once he was out of sight, Xu Ying led Huzi by the hand and wandered around. Following memories from her past life, she made her way to a small river.
Huzi’s eyes lit up when he spotted the flowing water, but Xu Ying stopped him from getting too close. “Huzi, be good and wait here for Aunty . I’m going to check if there are fish in the river. If I find any, I’ll catch some for you to eat.”
At the mention of fish, Huzi’s face brightened. He quickly wiped away his drool and nodded eagerly. “Huzi will be good!”
Xu Ying smiled and approached the riverbank. Peering into the water, her sharp eyes quickly spotted some fish swimming by.
There were fish, but catching them was another matter.
She glanced around at the nearby trees, her gaze settling on a sturdy branch. Her eyes gleamed with an idea. Breaking off the branch, she took out a knife from her pocket and skillfully sharpened one end into a point.
Rolling up her pant legs, she slowly waded into the shallow water, holding the makeshift spear.
“Aunty, don’t go in the river!” Huzi had been watching curiously, but as soon as he saw her step into the water, he shouted anxiously.
Xu Ying turned her head to see Huzi running toward her in alarm, his little legs working hard.
Her heart softened at the sight.
“What are you doing here, silly? I’m catching fish for you to eat,” she called out with a grin.
But Huzi stubbornly shook his head, his worried gaze fixed on her. He hadn’t forgotten how she’d once fallen into the river before.
“No! I don’t want fish!” he said, his small face tense with fear.
Xu Ying laughed gently and pinched his cheek. “It’s okay. The water’s not deep. Sister-in-law knows what she’s doing.”
In the past, she’d been unable to swim and had nearly drowned in this very river. But now, after surviving the apocalypse, she’d gained skills and strength. This shallow river was nothing to her.
Yet Huzi wouldn’t let go of her hand, firmly pulling her back.
Seeing his unwavering resolve, Xu Ying sighed and sat down by the bank instead.
Coincidentally, as she sat, several fish swam closer toward the shore, gathering near the shallows.
Xu Ying’s eyes sparkled with delight. Were these fish coming to greet her?
Watching them swim so carefree, she seized the moment. In a flash, she lunged forward, plunging her spear into the water—
With a swift jab, she skewered a fat fish weighing at least two jin (about a kilo).
“Huzi, look! aunty caught a fish!” she called excitedly to the boy.
Huzi’s eyes widened in disbelief as she pulled the fish onto the shore.
Before he could react, Xu Ying struck again, her spear flashing a few more times. Soon, three more fish lay flopping on the bank beside the first.
Huzi stared, mouth agape. “aunty, there really are fish!”
Seeing his adorable, round-eyed astonishment, Xu Ying ruffled his hair affectionately. “Be good and keep watch here. I’m going to check the reeds to see if there are any wild eggs or duck eggs.”
Huzi nodded quickly, his gaze locked on the pile of fish, eyes shining with excitement.
Xu Ying smiled at his obedient expression and strode toward the reeds.
She didn’t expect to find any eggs, but searching gave her an excuse to retrieve some from her space without arousing suspicion.
A cool breeze blew through the autumn air, sending a slight chill down her spine.
To her surprise, luck was on her side: nestled among the reeds was a pheasant’s nest!
Xu Ying immediately crouched low, hiding her presence. Quietly, she took out several small blades from her space. With a flick of her wrist, she hurled them at the flock.
Though her aim wasn’t perfect, sheer quantity made up for it—blades streaked through the air, taking down three pheasants before the rest scattered with frantic flapping.
Xu Ying beamed, rushing forward to gather her prizes. She tied the three pheasants together with reed leaves, then noticed a few eggs nestled nearby.
“Pheasant eggs!” she exclaimed in delight.
Counting carefully, she found eight wild eggs. Without a basket, she took off her jacket, folded it carefully, and wrapped the eggs inside.
From her space, she quietly retrieved ten duck eggs and tucked them in as well. Then she hurried back out of the reeds.
Huzi spotted her approaching and ran over with a grin.
“Huzi, let’s go find your brother,” Xu Ying said cheerfully, picking up the fish from the ground.
They had to be quick. Things found in the mountains were considered collective property now. While small finds were often overlooked, anything significant had to be handed over to the village head or redistributed. With her father as the team leader, someone might use it to stir up trouble if they saw her bringing back too much.
Xu Ying didn’t want unnecessary gossip. Better to be cautious.
“Shitou, come here quickly!” Xu Ying crouched low in the grass near her nephew, calling to him like a secret agent.
Shitou looked around, puzzled, unable to spot anyone.
Grinning mischievously, Xu Ying reached out and grabbed his ankle from the bushes.
“Ahhh! Ghost!” Shitou yelped, nearly jumping out of his skin.
“Shut up, it’s me!” Xu Ying hissed, clapping a hand over his mouth. “Do you want the whole mountain to hear?”
“Geez, aunty! You scared me half to death!” Shitou patted his chest, still wide-eyed. “I thought I was a goner!”
“Look what I got!” Xu Ying said proudly, gesturing toward the bundle of pheasants, fish, and eggs she’d hidden nearby.
Shitou’s jaw dropped. “aunty, you caught all this?”
Without another word, he sprang into action. He emptied more than half the pigweed from his basket, then carefully arranged the pheasants and fish at the bottom. He layered pigweed over them, placed the eggs on top, and finally covered everything with the remaining pigweed, creating a perfect disguise.
Xu Ying watched him work, her heart full of warmth. This kid was smarter than he looked.
“Let’s hurry home,” Shitou urged, licking his lips at the thought of pheasant and fish.
Huzi followed closely, his small hand holding onto Xu Ying’s. “aunty, can we really eat meat when we get back?” he asked, hope shining in his eyes.
Xu Ying smiled and squeezed his hand. “Of course. Why else would I catch them?”
Shitou thought for a moment and said, “Maybe we can trade some for fabric or sugar.”
That’s what their grandmother usually did—use anything extra to barter for food or cloth.
But Xu Ying had no intention of trading. With plenty stored in her space, these would be used to nourish the family’s health instead.
And so, the three of them hurried down the mountain, their steps light and eager—like secretive little thieves carrying home a treasure.