Starting a new chapter in life

He Chunni nodded repeatedly: "I remember. Make money before others realize it. If someone tries to steal my business, I'll guard my own territory and not be greedy. If it really doesn't work out, I'll just quit. I won't put myself in the spotlight. Zhang, it's so good to know you."

Jing Yan shook her head: "I'm actually glad I met you. I didn't have enough tickets, but I saved a lot by using your services. It's convenient and safe too. We're mutually beneficial."

As they talked, they arrived at the "mountain" that He Chunni had mentioned. Jing Yan looked at the land, which was not much higher than a mound, and asked He Chunni, "Is this the mountain you were talking about?"

He Chunni laughed heartily: "The mountains around here aren't very high, except for the dense forests. But don't underestimate this place. Look, there are over here and over there." She pointed in those directions and continued, "There are a total of thirty companies nearby, and they are spread out quite far apart. Each company can go up this mountain, but the distance is quite long. I grew up here and have never heard of anyone knowing how long this mountain is."

Jingyan looked at the forest in front of her. Well, she didn't think it was a mountain, just a dense forest. The trees were tall and very shady. She didn't continue the topic of whether it was a mountain or not. She followed He Chunni along a narrow, winding path that had been worn into the ground. Before long, they saw patches of grass and wild vegetables.

She had also picked wild vegetables back in her hometown, but she would just dig them up whenever she saw them in the fields. Unlike here, they grow in large patches, so lush and green that it makes you happy. This is the breath of spring, and the charm of vegetables with dipping sauce.

Forget about sighing, she quickly squatted down, picked up a small shovel, and started digging. She loves dandelions the most, oh, they're also called qumacai. Now is the time when they're freshest and most tender. She'll dig them up, wash them clean, fry them with some egg sauce, and eat them with the sauce. They have a slightly bitter taste, but they're very fresh and crisp. Just thinking about it makes her mouth water.

He Chunni was still walking in when she suddenly felt it get quiet. She turned around and looked, and huh? Where did everyone go? She turned back and saw Jing Yan squatting on the ground in the distance, digging with her head down. She found it a little funny and walked back to Jing Yan and said, "We've only just entered the mountains. There are even more of these wild vegetables in the mountains. Let's go in and look for them. We can dig from the inside out. That way, we'll save energy and walk less."

Jingyan looked up and gazed into the mountains. She decided to listen, tossed the dandelion in her hand into her basket, stood up and followed. "There are so many wild vegetables here. There are no mountains near my hometown. It's good if I can find some in the fields every year. Everyone knows how to dig, so you can't get much at all. I think if there were patches like this, I could take them back and make dumplings. It would be so plentiful."

He Chunni nodded and said, "I heard from the people in the company that even in our Great Northern Wilderness, not all places have mountains. It is indeed not easy to find wild vegetables in the vicinity where there are no mountains. Let's dig a little more today, and I will take it to you. It will be enough for you to eat for three or four days."

Jing Yan smiled and said, "My husband should be back on leave by tomorrow night. I'll make him a wild vegetable feast. All winter long, it's just cabbage, potatoes, radishes, and pickled cabbage. We've had enough of that. This time, we can finally improve our meals."

With the guidance of locals, it was easy to find places with abundant wild vegetables among various trees. The two of them started by squatting to dig, and later they sat down to dig. Anyway, all thoughts of appearance and cleanliness were thrown to the wind. Jingyan was really going all out for food.

"Are there mushrooms here too?" Jing Yan kept her eyes peeled and her hands busy. There were many kinds of trees on this mountain. Along the way, she saw pine trees, birch trees, poplar trees and some fruit trees, but they didn't look like they were planted on purpose. They all grew very casually.

"No, not now. You've never picked mushrooms before, have you? If you want to go mushroom picking in the mountains, come around August, preferably the day after it rains. That's when the mushrooms will sprout and are at their freshest. They're delicious when you pick them and stir-fry them with a little oil. If you have some meat, add a few slices and they'll be even more fragrant."

If you pick too much, you can dry it in the yard, store it in a basket, and soak it in warm water in winter to stew chicken or pork ribs. Just thinking about it makes my mouth water. He Chunni was just saying it casually, but unexpectedly, she also got hungry. The two of them sucked their saliva, looked at each other, and burst into laughter. They were both gluttons.

"Okay, I'll definitely come then." Jing Yan was already looking forward to it.

"Oh dear, you should take this too! Don't miss out, it's a good thing," He Chunni said to her as she walked past a clump of weeds.

Jingyan looked at her with some confusion: "What do you want?"

He Chunni quickly walked over, pointed to the clump of weeds beside her, and said, "This is wild garlic. Some Koreans here use it to make pickled vegetables, which are the most delicious." After saying that, she reached out and pulled it out, and with a tap, a bunch of white garlic bulbs were revealed.

Upon seeing the appearance of the garlic, Jingyan blurted out, "Isn't this a small garlic clove?"

He Chunni looked at her in surprise: "Oh my, you know it? Some people do call it 'little garlic,' how come you missed it if you know it?"

Jingyan scratched her head sheepishly: "I recognize the part that grows in the ground, but I'm not familiar with the surface part."

He Chunni couldn't help but burst out laughing. "Alright, now you recognize the ones on the ground. Don't forget to pick them when you see them. These things are easy to grow. If you don't have time to eat them, just dig a hole and plant them in the ground, just like planting onions and garlic. They'll take root and grow."

Jingyan nodded repeatedly, put the small garlic cloves into a bag, still covered in mud. He Chunni could tell from her that she wanted to go back and plant them, so she smiled and went back to her own plot of land to continue digging for wild vegetables.

The two of them came without bringing any food or water. When they were thirsty and hungry, they finally decided to go back. Jingyan got half a bag of wild garlic, half a bag of urea from dandelion, and a small basket of shepherd's purse.

He Chunni brought a large basket. She stuffed the wild vegetables she had dug into Jingyan's bag according to type, threw the two bags into her own basket, and carried them on her back as the two went down the mountain. "Next time you come, bring this kind of basket that you can carry on your back. It can hold a lot, and it's not tiring to carry it on both shoulders. Your sling basket is too heavy on your arms."

Jingyan nodded in understanding: "But my family doesn't have such a basket, and I didn't see any for sale at the market."

“These are usually just something we make at home, it’s not difficult. I’ll give you this one later, and when my husband comes back I’ll have him make another one.” He Chunni said generously.

The two arrived at He Chunni's house, starving. Her mother-in-law heard them return and came out of the house. Seeing their dusty and dirty faces, she quickly helped them fetch water to wash their faces and hands. She then went to the kitchen to cook noodles for them—homemade hand-pulled noodles with a sauce made from eggs and soybean paste. She also washed some wild vegetables for them. The two ate with gusto, finding it very delicious.

After finishing their meal, He Chunni noticed it was getting late and pushed the cart out of the warehouse. The wild vegetables they had dug up that day were loaded onto the cart, while Jingyan placed the hundred eggs she had bought in a basket lined with rice husks to prevent them from being knocked over on the way.

Her mother-in-law collected two hundred extra eggs, having scavenged everything the entire company could get their hands on. These were all placed separately in a large basket, along with a large amount of rice husks. She told He Chunni the number, then hesitated, "It's getting late. When you get to the city, you'll need to find someone to sell the eggs. Where will you be? I'll have Qiangzi meet you when he comes back tonight. It's too dangerous for you to walk alone at night."

Jingyan thought for a moment and said, "Auntie, my husband isn't home tonight. If you can rest assured, Sister He can stay at my house tonight and go back tomorrow. Actually, I think it's already a bit late. If we go back to the city, Sister He might not be able to sell all the eggs. The road back and forth isn't smooth either, and it would be such a waste if they got bumped and broken. It's better to sell them for a while more tomorrow and go back after they're sold out. I just don't know if you can rest assured."

The old woman was also undecided, and looked at He Chunni: "Ni'er, what do you think?"

"Mom, I'll see later. If I can sell them all today, I'll come right back. If I can't sell them all, I'll come back tomorrow. Zhang Meizi's house is in Hongqi Community. The area is very safe, so don't worry. Her husband is a member of the Production and Construction Corps, a soldier."

Upon hearing that he was a soldier, the old woman visibly relaxed: "Oh, Xiao Zhang is a soldier's wife? I'm relieved. Okay, I'll tell Qiangzi when he gets back and put his mind at ease." Turning to Jingyan, she said, "My dear daughter, I'll leave my daughter-in-law to you. When will you come again? We have plenty of good things on the mountain. We didn't have enough time today, and the month isn't right. In July and August, there will be more wild fruits and mushrooms on the mountain. You'll have to stay with me for a few more days then, and I'll show you around."

Jing Yan readily agreed. Just before leaving, He Chunni went into the chicken coop and pulled out two half-grown chickens and five chicks. She tied the legs of the half-grown chickens with hemp rope and threw them into the basket on the car. She put the five chicks directly into Jing Yan's basket, casually covered the basket with a tattered bag, pushed the car, and left.

Jingyan smiled and said goodbye to her mother-in-law, then quickened her pace to catch up. With someone accompanying her, she didn't feel tired at all. They went straight home, where He Chunni helped her put the chickens into the coop. Looking at the brick coop, she said with envy, "Your chicken coop is really nice. It should last at least seven or eight years, if not ten. It's so big, raising eight or nine chickens shouldn't be a problem."

"Sister Gao helped me make the contact. That family was rebuilding their wall, right? I bought the bricks they had replaced, and they hired someone to build a chicken coop for me. It cost five yuan in total, which I think is a good deal. Look, isn't it sturdy and spacious?"

He Chunni nodded in agreement: "It is quite sturdy. When I save up some money, I will first demolish the thatched house and replace it with a brick house. If there is any left over, I will build a chicken coop."

"How many children does your husband's family have? I don't think I've heard you mention your husband's brothers and sisters before." Jingyan suddenly remembered this.

“Oh, my husband’s family only has three children. My husband is the only son. He has an older sister and a younger sister. They are all married now, so we live with my parents-in-law. It’s spring planting season now. My husband and father-in-law go to the fields to earn work points, while my mother-in-law and I stay home and do housework. I also have a son who is just two years old this year. He usually plays with the neighborhood kids.”

"Oh, it's the family I went to to exchange wild ginseng for money before the New Year. Their old lady actually survived and is recovering quite well. They have a little grandson, so the two kids can keep each other company. Since I didn't bring anything, the kids usually stay at their house, and my mother-in-law picks them up in the evening."

"What do you usually feed these chicks? Besides millet, rice husks, and corn stubble, what else do you feed them?" Jingyan asked.

“Chickens aren’t picky eaters; they’ll eat anything. They can eat leftovers from home, insect eggs from the ground, and grass seeds. They can even be fed wild vegetables and leafy greens that we eat. If you’re particular, you can wash the vegetables and dry them before using them. If you’re not particular, you can just dig them up and feed them directly without any problem,” He Chunni said casually.

Jingyan nodded, went to the kitchen, scooped out half a bowl of millet, feeling a little reluctant to waste it, as millet porridge was quite delicious. "Feed them some millet to tide them over for the night. Tomorrow I'll go to the supply and marketing cooperative to see if they have any old rice for sale. We can't bear to feed the chickens what we eat ourselves." As she spoke, Jingyan poured the millet onto the floor of the chicken coop.

Several chickens, who had been huddled together near the coop, mustered their courage and cautiously peered over when they heard the sound of rice grains falling. They secretly ate a couple of bites, and seeing that the people standing outside didn't stop them, they boldly began to peck at the rice.

After watching the chicks eat, Jingyan put the bowl back inside. He Chunni helped her put the wild vegetables and eggs in the kitchen, while Jingyan went to knock on the door next door. Chen Xinyue got off work early and was already home. Hearing the knock, she came to open the door and was very happy to see Jingyan: "Why did you come over today? Is something wrong?"

Jing Yan smiled and said, "Eggs, seven cents each, want some?"

"Yes!" He answered decisively.

"Wait a moment, I'll go get the basket." She turned and ran into the house. Jingyan waited by the door. Chen Xinyue quickly came out, closed the door, and walked a few steps towards Jingyan's house. An older woman with short hair approached, holding a piece of cloth in her hand, and greeted Chen Xinyue, "Where are you going, Teacher Chen?"

Chen Xinyue greeted her with a smile: "Aunt Qi, are you off work? I'm going to visit my neighbor next door."

"Oh, this must be the new Zhang who just moved in. Hello, my surname is Qi, you can just call me Aunt Qi. I work as a household registration officer at the local police station. If you need anything, you can come to me. Registration, household transfer, and children's schooling are all within my job scope. We're neighbors, so don't be shy." Aunt Qi spoke very straightforwardly, and her voice was loud too.

Jing Yan smiled and nodded in agreement.

"Why are you bringing a basket when you go visiting neighbors?" No wonder you work in the Public Security Bureau; even if you're only in charge of household registration, your investigative eyesight is impressive.

Chen Xinyue approached her and lowered her voice: "Aunt Qi, please speak softly. Jingyan's cousin married into a nearby production team. So, I brought her some eggs. Jingyan was thinking of me and wanted to share some with me."