A Farm Girl: Three Acres of Fertile Land Can Be Exchanged for a Country

“In my hometown, there’s something called a wire harness, which is perfect for slinging people into the air.”

Wenxin couldn't understand, so he stopped asking and turned to chop the tree branch, turning it into a stick.

Wutong stayed behind, tearing apart the clothes she no longer wore and twisting them into ropes of suitable thickness according to her needs. When Wenxin returned with the wooden sticks, she assembled them together to form an indestructible and sturdy wooden frame.

The wooden frame was placed around Duan Fufeng's waist and neck, and then connected with the rope used for climbing the mountain. This way, when she climbed while holding onto the rope, she could pull on the frame to help Duan Fufeng go up. After letting go, the device would automatically lock in place and wouldn't slip. Although it was still heavy, it was much better than before.

"I think it's okay. You go up first, I'll take him down here."

The rope is heavy enough to hold two people without any problem, but it's a bit risky for three people to climb together, so one person needs to go up first.

Wenxin refused, grabbing the rope and saying, "It's too dangerous. You go up first, I'll bring him."

Do you know how to use it?

"you teach me."

He was incredibly stubborn and wouldn't let Wutong touch the rope. Wutong had no choice but to teach him the techniques.

After teaching her, Wenxin tried it out and confirmed that there were no problems, so she taught her the rope and let her go up first.

She took a few steps forward, then turned back and asked, "Why don't you go up first, and I'll stay down here and keep watch? That way, if anything happens, I can lend a hand."

Wenxin shook her head. "No."

"But……"

"Go up."

Wutong grabbed the rope and began to climb, holding on tightly with one hand, one foot wrapped around the rope, while the other hand and feet searched for a foothold on the rock face, trying every possible way to rise.

Having learned from the previous experience, climbing became less difficult.

The sycamore tree climbed halfway up the mountain in one go, then stopped to rest and looked down at the ground.

The ground was already a hundred meters away from her, and Wenxin and Duan Fufeng's bodies had become a ball, seemingly extremely far away from her.

She climbed a little higher and arrived at the place where she had stopped to chat with Wenxin last time. Looking up, she saw the exact same scenery as she remembered, which made her feel as if she had returned to that day.

Of all the people she has wronged in this world, there are two she feels most sorry for.

One is a mouse, and the other is him.

He treated her impeccably well, and she knew how best to repay him. But he was devoted to Buddhism, a man detached from worldly affairs. He should stay in a temple, spending his days eating vegetarian food and chanting Buddhist scriptures, instead of settling down with his family and becoming an ordinary citizen.

Their relationship is a test for the soul; if they can get through it, they will achieve enlightenment; if they can't, they will be doomed.

Thinking about all this, Wutong almost slipped and fell. She focused and continued climbing, finally reaching the summit. She lay on the edge of the cliff and shouted down, "Come on up!"

The surroundings were open and spacious, yet surrounded by mountains in the distance. They felt as if they were in a large basin, and the echoes of their voices soon reverberated in all directions.

"Come up...come up...come up..."

The sound gradually faded away; she could hear the echo but couldn't see anyone. She stared anxiously down below.

From Wutong's current perspective, the bottom of the cliff appeared as a patchwork of green and brown. She knew there were trees and people below, but she couldn't make out the details.

Going down now would likely lead to running into the two of them, which is too dangerous.

She had no choice but to stay where she was and look down, praying in her heart that she would arrive safely.

As the sun set, Wenxin and Duan Fufeng's figures were finally illuminated by the afterglow, as they slowly climbed upwards.

Wutong wanted to give him some advice.

Be patient, don't rush, take it slow. Afraid that her voice would distract him, she could only keep her mouth shut and wait anxiously.

When the distance between the two was less than two meters, Wutong desperately reached out her hand, asking Wenxin for help.

Wenxin didn't grab on; he lightly touched the cliff face with his toes and leaped to the summit, then turned around and pulled Duan Fufeng up.

Wutong quickly helped, and after all three of them arrived safely, she breathed a sigh of relief and lay on the ground, still shaken.

Wenxin looked in the direction of Hanshan Temple and instructed, "You rest here, I'll go to the temple to take a look."

"No, we have to go together."

As if by reflex, Wutong grabbed his hand.

Wenxin paused for a moment, then her stiff expression softened.

"it is good."

Wutong secretly regretted her own foolishness, quickly withdrew her hand, and turned to help Duan Fufeng.

The two men, one on each side, supported the unconscious Duan Fufeng as they walked to the gate of Hanshan Temple.

Hanshan Temple remained unchanged from when I first visited, just as old and shabby. The temple gate, as before, was tightly closed, and the area outside was spotlessly clean, without a single fallen leaf. A corner of a rooftop peeked out from behind the wall, and a faint scent of Buddhist images wafted through the air as the wind blew.

Wenxin let go of the door knocker, walked over, grabbed the brass knocker, and knocked three times as usual, then waited patiently.

There was not a sound coming from inside the walled compound; it was extremely quiet.

Wenxin waited for a full fifteen minutes and knocked a second time, but still no one answered.

He shouted, "Master, it's me!"

The clear voice echoed across the mountaintop, startling a flock of birds. But the temple gate remained tightly shut, showing no sign of opening.

Wutong looked on in confusion, then noticed a pine branch stuck by the door. She picked it off and muttered, "What's this?"

Upon looking at him, Wenxin's expression turned disappointed.

"The master is not in the temple, we should wait outside."

So this pine branch is a token they've agreed upon; leaving it outside means that Master Xuyun has gone out.

Wutong examined the pine branch again and again. It was indeed just an ordinary pine branch, at most a bit prettier in shape and a bit smoother at the break.

I don't know when Xu Yun will be back. It's almost dark, and my stomach has been growling for a while now.

Wutong laid Duan Fufeng flat on the grass and examined the contents of the bundle.

The mountain roads were too difficult to travel, and their carrying capacity was limited, so they kept reducing their belongings to ensure they wouldn't starve to death on the road.

There are only two pieces of dry rations left, enough for tonight. Duan Fufeng's food is long gone, and for the past two days, Wutong has been feeding him soft boiled steamed buns. He eats very little, but it's better than nothing.

In order to climb Fudomine Peak, their clothes were torn into pieces and made into ropes, leaving only the clothes that the three of them were wearing.

Winter is almost here, and if it gets cold at night, we won't even have a blanket.

Wutong sighed, picked up a branch, and planned to dig a hole to start a fire.

Wenxin walked over and took the branch, saying, "I'll take it, you rest."

After walking through the mountains for so many days, he was carrying a person who was taller than him on his back, yet he didn't seem tired at all and never showed any signs of fatigue.

Wutong was thin and weak, and no matter how strong she was, her strength was limited. She was so tired that she didn't even want to blink. So she didn't argue with him and leaned against the tree to rest.

After dinner, Xu Yun still hadn't returned. It was already completely dark, and a bright moon slowly rose from behind a mountain.

Wutong and Wenxin each leaned against a tree, with Duan Fufeng lying between them; neither of them spoke.

1 = Lao Qu said