Chapter 62: Chapter 62 Shock
Someone on the roof called out that the Branch Secretary had some business, so Yunyi headed into the kitchen.
Seeing that the stove had already been tidied, she placed the new pot she had bought onto the larger burner. She glanced out into the courtyard; no one was looking her way. So, she took out a small iron pot she had brought from Beijing and placed it onto the other burner. With that, she was finished.
Considering this sweltering heat, it would be best to prepare some boiled water for everyone, she thought.
However, after searching around, she couldn’t find a single piece of firewood. She had to ask one of the villagers helping in the courtyard, "Uncle, where do we usually gather firewood around here?"
The villager she’d spoken to pointed towards South Mountain, not far away. "We usually go to South Mountain. It’s safe there. The back mountain, Big Black Mountain, is closer, but occasionally large creatures roam there, so very few people go."
Thinking she was only going up the mountain for firewood, Yunyi didn’t take a back basket with her. Carrying her newly bought hatchet, she left the small courtyard.
To get to South Mountain, I’d have to walk over a kilometer further, Yunyi mused. The back mountain is closer. Although my physical skills haven’t fully recovered, self-defense shouldn’t be an issue, especially with my ’space’ ability as a cheat.
She turned and headed straight for Big Black Mountain. The outer edges seemed to have been recently scoured by firewood gatherers, as not much was left, so she ventured deeper into the woods.
Her luck was decent. After walking further in, she spotted a dead tree in the distance. A few swift strokes with her hatchet, and the job was quickly done.
Just as she was about to drag it back, she heard a stir not far away. Bending down, she picked up a few stones, holding them tightly, her eyes filled with wariness.
When she saw clearly that it was two rabbits, her eyes immediately lit up.
Two SWOOSHES cut through the air, followed by THUDS as the projectiles hit their mark. One rabbit, however, had only been hit in a hind leg and was trying to escape.
I was just wondering how to thank everyone for their help!
she thought. I can’t let this one get away! She quickly gave chase and pounced, catching it. Perfect!Dragging the dead tree and carrying the two rabbits, she headed down the mountain.
The small courtyard wasn’t far from Big Black Mountain, and since few people lived in this area, she didn’t encounter anyone on her way back.
The dead tree was too cumbersome to drag into the courtyard, so Yunyi left it outside the main gate, planning to deal with it later.
The people working on the roof were quite surprised by the sight. They hadn’t expected this delicate-looking young woman from the city to be so capable. That dead tree, once chopped up, would provide firewood for a long time.
Then one of the men called out, "Is that a rabbit she’s carrying?"
At his words, everyone looked over.
Just then, the Branch Secretary came around from the back of the house. He had been intending to arrange for someone to clean out the ashes from the kang stove but was met with the unexpected sight of Yunyi holding two rabbits.
Yunyi held up the rabbits, her eyes crinkling with a smile. "I originally went up the mountain for firewood and didn’t expect such good luck! I caught two rabbits. It seems today is a good day. Branch Secretary, could we discuss something?"
The Branch Secretary hadn’t expected this young woman to be so capable. Even during the slack farming season, villagers might try their luck on the mountain, he thought, but hunting isn’t just about luck; it’s more about skill. This young woman is truly something else. "Go on," he said.
Yunyi smiled. "On such a scorching day, everyone has worked so hard helping us repair the house. I’m incredibly grateful. Especially you, sir; you’ve been running around helping us with everything, even managing to borrow tiles for us. I really can’t thank you enough. Heaven has sent us meat, so it’s perfect for adding an extra dish for everyone at noon. However, I don’t have any seasonings or side ingredients here. I’ll have to trouble your wife to help with the cooking. If she could, perhaps each family could come over at noon to get a bowl. I’ll contribute two yuan for the meal. What do you think?"