Chapter 9: The Second Ascent

The next morning, while the sky was still dim, the people at the cattle shed were already awake. After a quick breakfast, they hurried to the fields to continue harvesting rice.

The harvest season hadn’t yet ended, and Fang Mingxi was once again entrusted to Tang Yao by Tong Lingxian.

With no peers around at the cattle shed, Tang Yao was delighted. She hugged the still-sleeping Fang Mingxi, watching the others disappear into the distance.

Once no one was in sight, Tang Yao prepared to head back for breakfast. But when she glanced down, she found that Fang Mingxi, who had been asleep just moments ago, now had bright, alert eyes, not a trace of sleepiness.

Tang Yao carried Fang Mingxi back inside. “Xixi, are you hungry?” she asked, placing her on the bed and taking the bottle Tong Lingxian had given her to warm in water.

There wasn’t much food at the cattle shed. Last night had been nearly everyone’s first full meal in a long time. When they first arrived, they had only survived the food shortage thanks to rations borrowed from the brigade leader.

Even so, meals were often irregular, which was especially hard on Fang Mingxi, who was not yet nine months old.

Just this morning, Grandmother Tong had mentioned stopping Xixi’s malted milk. The bottle Tang Yao was warming now held the last of it.

Tang Yao sighed. Poor Xixi, not only was there no milk, but now there was barely any rice porridge left. She tested the porridge’s temperature on her hand before slipping the bottle into Fang Mingxi’s mouth.

Glancing at the empty basket by her feet, Tang Yao’s thoughts drifted back to the mountains. Yesterday had been lucky, should she try her luck there again today?

Grandfather Yu had said last night that if the chicken mushroom nests weren’t too damaged, new ones would sprout in a few days. He had also emphasized the importance of gathering mushrooms early; they spoiled quickly, often within hours.

Tang Yao had been careful yesterday, likely leaving the nests intact. So why not go and try her luck before dawn?

The people they had encountered yesterday were probably still asleep. Going now would avoid them, and with most others working in the fields, help would be nearby if danger arose.

Though risky, danger and opportunity were proportional, a lesson her grandfather had once taught her. Tang Yao found that advice useful, and today she wanted to test it.

She looked at Fang Mingxi, drinking the porridge intently. The mountain dew was heavy, and Xixi had just recovered from a serious illness. Would bringing her along risk another sickness?

Tang Yao hesitated. In the past, picking firewood on the mountain had never yielded mushrooms. But yesterday, bringing Xixi along had led to a huge harvest, a true stroke of luck.

After much consideration, Tang Yao decided to take Fang Mingxi with her.

She returned to her room, wrapped Fang Mingxi in a thick blanket, secured her with a carrying strap on her back, and then covered her head with the other end of the blanket.

Fang Mingxi was still thinking about what excuse she could use to go up the mountain today, but Tang Yao didn’t give her a chance to speak, she was already bundled up.

The ropes wrapped around her legs and the blanket several times, until Tang Yao herself was almost like a small bear. Only then did Fang Mingxi realize she was being taken out.

Her expression went beyond surprise, it was pure shock. She wanted to hug Tang Yao on the spot, but all she could feel was the sheer joy of their unspoken connection.

Tang Yao took Fang Mingxi for a few laps inside the house. The added weight of the blanket made her a little warm and sluggish, but it was manageable.

She cleaned Fang Mingxi’s bottle with water, closed the door, and headed toward the mountain with the wooden bucket from yesterday.

By the time they started, the sky was nearly bright, and from the cattle shed, Maple Leaf Mountain was visible in the distance.

At night, Maple Leaf Mountain had a different feel, mist rolled through the forests, trees were pitch black, and the only path up the mountain seemed like a black hole, intimidating anyone who looked upon it.

The Maple Leaf Brigade was the closest and most well-equipped brigade to Hongqi Commune. The mountain had sustained countless members during famine.

Normally, the brigade leader did not allow anyone to hunt on the mountain alone. Tigers roamed the forest, and any mishap would be beyond their control. Beyond Maple Leaf Mountain lay the border, and spies could potentially sneak in.

If a member accidentally crossed paths with one, leaking sensitive information could even land them in prison. Therefore, the mountain was strictly monitored, with only partnered trips allowed for woodcutting.

The recent harvest season had relaxed vigilance; otherwise, Tang Yao would never dare roam the southern slopes of Maple Leaf Mountain, let alone harvest so many mushrooms yesterday.

Now, standing at the foot of the mountain, Tang Yao swallowed hard, slightly intimidated by the dense forest ahead.

No one had warned her how Maple Leaf Mountain looked at dawn. Compared to yesterday’s forest, this was a world apart.

Fang Mingxi hugged Tang Yao’s neck, babbling in encouragement.

“Sis…si…” Come on, don’t be scared. We’ll go together.

Tang Yao turned to her face and felt a surge of courage. With Xixi along, what was there to fear? They weren’t alone, and since they were here, they might as well see what they could find.

Better to face danger than starve, she thought.

Summoning her courage and relying on yesterday’s memory, she stepped onto the mountain path.

Fang Mingxi, on her back, immediately activated her panel. The cooldown had ended, and new exploration attempts were available. She tapped “explore,” and in an instant, the two forest layers overlapped again.

Seeing that Maple Leaf Mountain hadn’t suddenly brightened, Fang Mingxi finally relaxed. The mountain-harvest trading game was surprisingly smart, adjusting to reality, otherwise, she wouldn’t know how to explain the daylight change.

Was this a dream, or a hallucination?

Following the same path as yesterday, Tang Yao climbed higher as the sun peeked over the horizon.

Fang Mingxi roughly estimated it was around six o’clock. From above, she could see people working diligently in the fields.

Her gaze darkened. What if she ran into He Xi and her group today? This small frame wouldn’t stand a chance, they could only curse in their hearts.

It was frustrating, a feeling like wanting to slap the screen but being powerless. Why did she have to transmigrate into a child?

“Xixi, the chicken mushrooms from yesterday don’t seem to be here.”

Tang Yao crouched under the tree where she had found the mushrooms, flipping through the soil. Her heart sank, nothing.

She poked at the dirt with a stick, but still found no mushrooms.

Fang Mingxi lifted the blanket over her head, pointing ahead, signaling Tang Yao to continue up the mountain.

“Go…sis.”

Tang Yao propped herself up with her hands on her knees. “Xixi, what did you say?”

Fang Mingxi reached out, pointing forward, and babbled, “Si…sister.” She meant, “Up the mountain, let’s go, good stuff is up there.”

Hearing “sister,” Tang Yao’s expression softened. She followed the finger and saw a few small flowers, and beyond them, the path continued uphill.

She looked at the wooden bucket in her hand, then at the excited Fang Mingxi, and smiled, picking a small yellow flower to give her.

“Xixi, you can actually say ‘sister’ now! Hold onto it for now, and I’ll take you further up the mountain to explore.”