With water and firewood prepared, Tian Jing gnawed on corn stalks, directing Li Min as she was to eat the roasted corn first.
Brought to Qingsongyan, Li’s mother saw the arrangement in the left cave and tears welled up. Everything was arranged according to her habits. This place, counting herself and Minmin, was theirs.
She was no longer afraid. At any time, she had a fallback.
There was farmland, water, and that hot spring. Her son had also told her that winter here was much like late autumn. Such a good place, her son and daughter-in-law had not forgotten her, she was content.
Li Zhengguo approached his mother, "Mom, Tiantian said this is the rear defense line. In times of danger, we will bring you here."
"Mmm, mmm, mmm, Mom feels at ease and happy. I'm settled, no longer worried or scared."
Li’s mother turned to look at the cliff below, "When the cotton starts to bloom, we’ll come in to pick it and make quilts. And the pot, that big iron pot…"
"Ouyang Lei has already been asked to bring another pot."
"Mmm, we should also weave some mats to store grain, and also…"
Li Zhengguo listened to his mother's rambling and nodded along. His mother had been starved by the lean years.
Li Min called them to eat, and only then did the mother and daughter go to the right cave.
There were tables, stools, bowls, chopsticks, basins, and plates, but "besides the big iron pot, a water vat is missing."
"Mom, a water vat lasts for decades. It can't be hidden. That big lake isn't very far, and Wolf can carry water."
"Alright, alright, this side just needs a big pot. You can also make a big lid for it, Tiantian wants to eat boiled corn, doesn't she?"
"Mmm, as you say, Mom. Let's eat quickly."
After the meal, they sent the mother and two daughters down to work, and Tian Jing felt sleepy.
Li Zhengguo insisted on taking her to the hot spring courtyard to sleep. The cave was windy, while the hot spring courtyard was moist and warm.
Tian Jing: "..." It was already June, and he was talking about warmth?
When Tian Jing woke up, the wheat outside had already been harvested, and the corn had been picked and pulled up.
Li Zhengguo was explaining the hot spring to his mother and sister.
Tian Jing yawned, "I'll take them to soak." Su Dan Novel Network
"Soak in that one," Li Zhengguo pointed to the hot spring courtyard on the south side.
"Okay."
All three hot spring pools were sulfur springs, but the southern one had not been used. It was originally intended for the mother-in-law and sister-in-law.
Li’s mother and Li Min scrubbed themselves vigorously, almost peeling off a layer of skin.
Before, they only wiped themselves. After their daughter-in-law (elder brother's wife) prepared bathtubs for them, they would still soak twice a month because carrying water was inconvenient.
Now, with a pool where they didn't need to carry water, boil water, or change water, of course they would wash with great effort.
Next time, they would probably only be able to come when picking cotton, at least three months away.
The only downside was that they couldn't soak for too long.
...
As the sun began to set, the 'two carts' were transported to the outskirts of the deep mountains. Thinking of walking back slowly, it was almost dark by the time they reached the foot of the mountain, so they wouldn't attract attention.
Who knew that as soon as they reached the foot of the mountain, they were surrounded.
"Aunt Li, Tian Jing, you're finally back?"
"Yes, Aunt Li, we didn't dare to go into the mountain, so we could only wait here. Brother Lei took people into the mountain, and Zhao Xiaofang led the way."
"Exactly, that..."
"Stop!" Tian Jing interrupted the person behind her, "Who was it just now, who said who led Brother Lei into the mountain?"
"Zhao Xiaofang."
"How many people?"
"Three, Lin Guangde and Lin Silai."
Tian Jing handed the wolf cub to Li Zhengguo, "Zheng Ge, you take Mom and Minmin back, handle the follow-up issues. I'm going into the mountain to find them."
"Okay."
As soon as he said "Okay," Tian Jing disappeared on her own.
The villagers once again witnessed Tian Jing's skills with their own eyes and made up their minds that such a capable and kind master must not leave their Kuxian Mountain.
With every stride she took, Tian Jing communicated with the plants. She was extremely anxious. Zhao Xiaofang was particularly good at using women's fragility. Would Ouyang Lei be…
When she saw Ouyang Lei and Zhao Xiaofang, who was being held by Lin Guangde and Lin Silai, outside the dense forest, Tian Jing breathed a sigh of relief.
Then, she was filled with rage, "Ouyang Lei, do you have a pig’s head on your shoulder?"
"Tian, little sister, are you alright?"
Ouyang Lei's surprised expression and tone dissipated Tian Jing's anger, but she would not let him off easily, "Nonsense, if you were in trouble, I wouldn't be alright either. I hate ignorant people who overestimate themselves and cause trouble the most."
Ouyang Lei apologized with a silly grin, "Hehe, sorry. I heard someone was coming to cause trouble, and you wanted to leave? Where are you going? I'll give you a ride."
"Are you saying I should leave, or that I shouldn't leave?"
"Of course, you should leave. What's so good about this poor, desolate place? In the county or city, as long as you wish, I guarantee I can take you there."
"And then you won't cut ties with me, right?"
"Of course, of course. I've only met a master like you in half my life, so I definitely can't give up following you."
"Alright, stop talking nonsense," Tian Jing waved her hand, "How did you find this place?"
"Her," Ouyang Lei pointed to Zhao Xiaofang, "She led the way. When we got here, she wanted to rush in, so I had Lin Guangde and his son stop her."
"Oh~ All the way here, she didn't seduce you?"
"Bah!" Ouyang Lei spat directly, "She wished she could. What kind of person haven't I seen? Only Li Rongguo has doted on her like a treasure for over ten years."
Tian Jing gave a self-deprecating laugh, "Hehe, I was also tricked by her. In the future, I shouldn't be so kind to people indiscriminately."
"Little sister, what do you want to do to retaliate against her? Should we just abandon her, or…?"
"No, no," Zhao Xiaofang repeatedly shook her head, "Don't abandon me, there are wild beasts here."
Tian Jing glanced at her dismissively, "Zhao Xiaofang, the whole thing started with a little brown sugar. That brown sugar was for your eldest daughter, Damai, to replenish her health. Who knew that the silly girl actually gave it to her own mother."
"Hehe, own mother. They say even tigers don't eat their cubs, but you are more poisonous than a tiger. You schemed against her, and by extension, schemed against me."
"Even today, you could kneel before your own daughter to beg her to spare you when coming to cause trouble. You used lies, weakness, and all sorts of tricks to deal with a ten-year-old girl."
"You are truly the most poisonous woman I have ever met, the most poisonous mother."
"Did you take this opportunity to enter this dense forest because you wanted to find that life-saving medicine?"
"Unfortunately, to save this ungrateful wretch, I used it all up at once. That kind of medicine is like an immortal elixir, how could there be any extra? To avoid future trouble, I could only deceive you and tell you not to mention it outside."
"I think that medicine, after saving you, this ungrateful wretch, would regret being made into life-saving medicine instead of lethal poison, wouldn't it?"
"Alright, we're going down the mountain. Are you staying to continue looking for medicine, or are you coming down with us?"
"I, I…" Zhao Xiaofang’s eyes glanced towards the dense forest.
"Hesitating like this, do you want us to accompany you to find medicine, and then go down the mountain together?"
Ouyang Lei glared with his tiger-like eyes and waved his hand, "Take her away."
"Don't!"
It was Tian Jing who stopped him, "Let her look. You can't let her lead us for free. Look for it, and only then will you be at ease."