Chapter 12 Meeting_1

The entire Li Family had their minds preoccupied with various thoughts.

Originally, after listening to Ms. Wu's words, they thought they could score a bargain, but, in the end, they just fed the mosquitoes on the mountain for half the night for nothing.

"Wait until we get back, I'll deal with you!" Li Tian glared fiercely at Ms. Wu as he followed his father and mother down the mountain, ready to leave.

Ms. Wu felt her heart skip a beat as everyone left, fearing another scolding when she returned home.

Nanzhi got up to check on the wild rabbit, making sure it was alright, as a living rabbit would definitely sell for more than a dead one. Seeing it hopping around vigorously in the basket, she threw in a sweet potato.

Then she turned to the kitchen to boil two potatoes, mixing them with some dark flour to make two Potato Cakes before waking up Gougou.

The first thing the little guy did upon waking was to check on the wild rabbit in the basket.

Seeing the fat rabbit still there, he ran joyfully to the kitchen.

"Ama, Ama, are we going to sell the rabbit?" Gougou asked Nanzhi, his eyes shining.

Nanzhi was a bit worried that Gougou was reluctant to sell the wild rabbit, about to explain the family's current situation, when she heard him continue.

"Shall we sell the rabbit and buy lots and lots of grain to bring back, okay?"

Looking into Gougou's bright eyes, Nanzhi nodded her head, realizing she might have been overthinking.

As for the Potato Cake, a dish he had never tasted before, Gougou found it fascinating. After taking a bite and finding it to his liking, he eagerly ate it all up.

"Gougou, if someone asks you what you've been eating at home, what would you say?"

"Eating potatoes, ah." Gougou blinked his eyes innocently.

Potato Cake... is made from potatoes, isn't it?

Nanzhi fondly touched Gougou's small face, pleased with his answer.

After tidying everything and locking the courtyard gate, she took Gougou to find Ms. Liu.

Looking at the cheerful Nanzhi, Ms. Liu asked with some doubts, "Lin girl, did you hear any noise from over by your place last night?"

She was worried that someone might have caused trouble at Nanzhi's home—after all, they were orphans and widows without any support. But seeing Nanzhi appearing to be unaware of any issues, she probably worried too much.

"Noise?" Nanzhi thought hard for a moment then shook her head.

She and Gougou had gone to sleep after eating their porridge last night, well-fed and oblivious to any noises.

"It sounded like Ms. Wu was wailing," Ms. Liu muttered to herself, but didn't think too much of it.

Ms. Wu was not a likeable person; it was likely she had taken another beating from Li Tian.

Only when they reached East Mountain did Nanzhi start to feel that something was amiss. The normally hidden path had been trodden into a much wider trail, and the underbrush was trampled in patches.

It looked very disordered.

Since Uncle Li Zheng had not yet told everyone about the Chestnut Forest, Nanzhi and Ms. Liu were very cautious when going up the mountain, making sure not to leave any obvious signs.

"Auntie, I feel like something is wrong," Nanzhi said, closely examining the ground—footprints were distinctly visible.

Clearly, someone else had been on East Mountain last night, and there might have been more than a few people.

"Has someone been here?" Ms. Liu looked around, her brow furrowed with concern.

"Ama, I found this!" Gougou tugged at Nanzhi's sleeve, holding a printed handkerchief.

"Where did you find this, Gougou?" Nanzhi took the handkerchief and noticed some dark red bloodstains on one corner.

"Isn't this Ms. Wu's handkerchief?" Ms. Liu leaned in to look, recognizing the owner of the handkerchief.

When Ms. Wu first got that handkerchief, she had showed it off around the village for a long time, always taking it out to wipe her sweat whenever she met someone.

Nanzhi would have been oblivious to this event, being occupied at home taking care of the two seriously ill elderly people at the time.

"How did her handkerchief end up on East Mountain?" Ms. Liu echoed Nanzhi's confusion.

"But since there's blood on the handkerchief, something must have happened. Ms. Liu, I think we need to let the village head tell everyone about the Chestnut Forest today."

Nanzhi felt a heavy weight in her heart. She had hoped to pick more chestnuts today, but it seemed likely that Ms. Wu already knew about the Chestnut Forest. They had to move their plans forward to avoid being unfairly slandered by Ms. Wu.

"Okay." Ms. Liu was not a foolish woman; just a bit further along and one could see the Chestnut Forest. How could Ms. Wu, such a lazy person, possibly have suddenly run to East Mountain to look for something?

She probably followed them up the mountain yesterday.

But it seemed that she might have had an accident and not found the right place.

"Ms. Liu, I need to go down the mountain for a while to inform Uncle Li Zheng. Do you think we should go back and call Uncle Shen and the others to pick more chestnuts? I'm afraid we won't be able to pick them until noon today."

Ms. Liu nodded emphatically, and the three of them hid their things behind a pile of grass before hurrying down the mountain.

Even if Gougou didn't understand why they had to descend after just climbing up, he obediently held Nanzhi's hand all the way.

"Ms. Qin." Nanzhi knocked on the courtyard gate.

By now, dawn was breaking, and most of the villagers were already up.

Ms. Qin was originally sweeping the yard when she heard Nanzhi's voice and hurriedly opened the door.

"Nanzhi, why have you come so early?"

"Auntie, is Uncle Li Zheng in?"

Seeing Nanzhi and Gougou sweating profusely, Ms. Qin hurriedly let them into the house and poured a bowl of water for each of them before calling for Shen Dashan.

"Nanzhi, what's the rush?" Shen Dashan had just washed his face and rushed over, afraid that it was some serious matter.

"Uncle Li Zheng, you'll have to tell the villagers about the Chestnut Forest by noon today." Nanzhi took a sip of water before feeling a bit more revived.

Thinking it urgent, she had run here cradling Gougou in her arms.

"What's happened?" Shen Dashan was also surprised. He had planned to tell the villagers tomorrow morning, considering the chestnut trees weren't going anywhere, and he wasn't worried about them running off.

Nanzhi didn't say much and just took out the blood-stained silk handkerchief to give to Ms. Qin.

"Isn't this Ms. Wu's handkerchief? Why is there blood on it?" Ms. Qin exclaimed upon seeing the handkerchief, the large patches of dark blood stains looked frightening.

"I found it on the mountain," Nanzhi said.

"On East Mountain?" Shen Dashan smacked his lips. Who had been to East Mountain in so many years? Only someone like Nanzhi, a widow with no one to rely on, would run up East Mountain. Ms. Wu, known throughout the village for her laziness, would go there?

Nanzhi looked at Shen Dashan earnestly and said, "It seems it was not just one person."

"What do you mean?"

Shen Dashan, who could become the village chief, was naturally no fool. Ms. Wu always sought petty advantages and lived next to Nanzhi. He guessed she might have followed them into the mountain and discovered the Chestnut Forest.

This handkerchief stained with blood likely signified that something had happened on East Mountain. He remembered hearing some noise last night, but it lasted only for a moment, so he didn't pay much attention to it.

But if it was really as he suspected, then Ms. Wu would probably try to sling mud at Nanzhi again.

"I don't want to cause any trouble."

Nanzhi stroked Gougou's head; the mother and son looked pitiful.

"Alright, I understand. Nanzhi, you go pick as many chestnuts as you can now, and remember to come back stealthily before noon," Shen Dashan advised after being told the exact location of the Chestnut Forest.

Afterward, Nanzhi once again took Gougou and went into the mountain.

Shen Dashan, having finished his breakfast at home, went door to door with Shen Qingchuan and Shen Qinghe, asking a representative of each household to gather at the village entrance.

To others who inquired about the reason, he merely stated there was an important matter to discuss.

It took the villagers about half an hour to gather at the entrance to the village.

Watching the noisy crowd, Shen Dashan cleared his throat.

"Qingchuan, which family hasn't sent someone?"

"Father, the Li family hasn't sent anyone," Shen Qingchuan quickly scanned the crowd and answered.

Shen Qinghe scratched his head and added, "When I knocked on their door just now, there was no response. They must not be home."

"Hmm," Shen Dashan didn't say much, only asking his eldest son, Shen Qingchuan, to ring the copper gong.