CHAPTER 184: CHAPTER 184: QUITE A HARVEST TODAY

The two exchanged a few pleasantries and parted ways. Xinyan climbed all the way up. The mountain behind the Mechanical Factory is a branch of Qianqi Mountain, with lush vegetation. Normally, when the family members have free time, they often team up in threes or fives to go up the mountain to look for wild goods.

There are also a significant number of households that go up the mountain to chop wood and burn the earth stove to save on coal. The stove outside the shed in the small courtyard where she now lives is a wood-burning stove.

Halfway up the mountain, she didn’t follow the already trampled path but turned to walk to places no one usually goes. Along the way, she was lucky, finding plenty of mushrooms and collecting some mycelium under the trees in the space, ensuring self-sufficiency whenever she craved mushrooms in the future.

She also dug up lantern fruit, rosa rugosa, and wild grapes to plant in the space, believing that with the irrigation from Space Stream Water, the fruits will definitely taste better when they ripen.

On the mountain, she also found mountain hawthorn and mountain pear, transplanting a small piece into the space. She discovered raspberries on a slope, loving their sweet and sour taste when ripe, so she moved some into the space too—today’s harvest was quite fruitful.

As she walked, she collected dry branches she encountered into the space. Near the bottom of the mountain, she took some out, tied them into bundles, planning to drag them down.

Unexpectedly, just as she reached the trail, she encountered He Jinxuan, holding a wild chicken in his hand.

He Jinxuan frowned slightly seeing her, "Why did you come up the mountain alone?"

Xinyan smiled lightly, "I was free in the afternoon and wanted to stroll the mountain. I found plenty of mushrooms and picked up some firewood."

He Jinxuan looked at the dry branches she was dragging, "Years ago, there were people who encountered wolves on this mountain. Don’t go up the mountain alone in the future. You don’t need to worry about firewood; I’ll help you gather some when I rest."

Xinyan knew he was concerned about her safety as a girl going up the mountain alone, so she laughed and said, "Don’t worry. If I really encounter a wolf, I’ll climb a tree. Besides, I’m quite strong and wouldn’t be so unlucky."

He Jinxuan was a bit bewildered by her carefree response, "If you go up the mountain, it’s best to go with someone. In case there’s trouble, you can lend each other a hand."

Xinyan nodded, "Brother He, you don’t need to worry. I only have Sundays off from school, so I won’t be going up the mountain often; nothing will happen."

He Jinxuan thought about it and agreed, looking at the basket behind her, "Can you fit this wild chicken in there?"

Xinyan nodded her head.

He Jinxuan found some things and tore some grass from the roadside, wrapped the prey, and placed it under Xinyan’s basket, "I was planning to bring it to you later."

Xinyan naturally understood his intention, "Alright, then I’ll enjoy some meat tonight."

Having spent so much time together, they had developed a mutual understanding, and after all, she would contribute labor too.

He Jinxuan took the firewood from Xinyan’s hand, "You go ahead first; I’ll bring this firewood over when I come by in the evening."

Xinyan knew his reason and didn’t stand on ceremony with He Jinxuan, "Alright, I’ll head off then."

She felt even more grateful towards He Jinxuan; he was genuinely meticulous in his actions.

Upon reaching home, she first boiled hot water, preparing to pluck the chicken feathers later. Then she went inside and took out some vegetables from the space. She wasn’t worried about He Jinxuan having doubts, as people from the family courtyard frequently exchanged vegetables for her fish.

Xinyan did this deliberately, ensuring she had a source for the space’s vegetables. As for those vegetables exchanged for fish, she planned to give some to the solitary elderly man living behind the guesthouse.

She heard that his son disappeared in the Yuquan River while saving someone. They had never found the body, dead or alive. His daughter-in-law remarried, taking their only grandson to her new home.

After losing his son, the factory took back the original house, but he was unwilling to return to his hometown, where no one was left. He believed his son was still alive and was adamantly waiting for his return.

The factory management, considering his special situation, took the issue into account. The previous house had been allocated to others, so they moved him into a small warehouse behind the guesthouse.

The place he lived in was previously inhabited by the warehouse guard. It was filled with items no longer needed by the factory. Due to his poor health and inability to handle heavy work, the factory allowed him to stay and guard the warehouse, providing a modest salary, which was barely enough to get by.