In a short while, Chen Lan quickly gathered a full basket of wild chestnuts. Though small, each chestnut was plump, their glossy, reddish-brown skins shining.
Chen Lan found carrying the basket awkward and inconvenient for working. She transferred the basket and its contents directly into the system warehouse. Then, she took out several snakeskin bags. Holding the opening of one bag in one hand and picking chestnuts with the other, she dropped them straight into the bag. This was much more convenient and efficient.
Gusts of northern wind swept through the chestnut grove, shaking more chestnuts loose. Chen Lan was completely immersed in the joy of gathering, and time flew by.
Chen Lan had been crouching and picking chestnuts without a break. Only when the several snakeskin bags she had taken from the system warehouse were completely full did she finally straighten up to catch her breath. She massaged her sore neck and pounded her numb legs, which had gone stiff from squatting.
Glancing at the remaining chestnuts on the ground, she habitually opened the system to check the time. To her surprise, she had been in the wild chestnut forest for almost two hours without realizing it.
She inwardly chided herself, "No, I can't keep picking. I can't waste any more time here. Ming Wei, Cui Qiao, Hu Yuzhen, and Lin Mai are waiting for me in the wild walnut forest to go home together!"
She quickly stretched her legs, kicked her numb limbs, and did some stationary marching to loosen up. Once her legs felt less numb, she tidied up briefly and prepared to find Ming Wei and the others.
Though it pained her greatly to leave so many chestnuts behind, she dared not linger. She quickly stored the six large snakeskin bags of chestnuts into the system warehouse.
She looked up at the sky, oriented herself, confirmed the direction of the wild walnut forest, and without hesitation, set off towards it.
Since Chen Lan hadn't strayed far, having only been wandering around the vicinity of the wild walnut forest, she soon found Ming Wei, Cui Qiao, Hu Yuzhen, and Lin Mai, who were still diligently working in the walnut grove.
The four of them were so engrossed in their work that they didn't notice Chen Lan until she was right beside them. They looked up, greeted her, and then lowered their heads again to continue their battle with the grayish-green husks of the wild walnuts. Their gloves were already stained with brown walnut juice, making them unrecognizable.
Chen Lan walked closer and looked at the wild walnuts in their baskets, with the outer husks already removed. Each basket was about half full.
Chen Lan observed their pace of peeling the walnuts and estimated the time. To fill a basket would likely take at least another half hour.
So, Chen Lan decided to use this half hour to embark on her tree-sawing mission in the nearby scrubland.
Without disturbing them, as they were within sight, she didn't greet Ming Wei and the others. She walked directly towards the nearby scrubland.
Following her usual routine, Chen Lan sawed dead branches and collected them into the system warehouse. She became so absorbed in the task of clearing the scrubland that she lost track of time.
It wasn't until Ming Wei and Cui Qiao called out to her from the distance that Chen Lan stopped. She looked up, saw them waving, and immediately stored the dead branches she had just sawed into the system warehouse before walking over to them.
After they regrouped, they started their journey home, carrying their baskets. The return trip was not as easy as the journey there.
When they came, their baskets were empty, and they had walked with relative ease. The return trip was different. They each carried heavy baskets. Uncured wild walnuts are extremely heavy.
Chen Lan wasn't having an easy time either. She carried a full basket of game and another large snakeskin bag of wild chestnuts. A snakeskin bag of chestnuts likely weighed at least two hundred jin, if not more.
Consequently, their progress was much slower.
The group climbed over mountains and traversed valleys, their breaths coming in ragged gasps as they carried their heavy baskets home. They all arrived home drenched in sweat. They put down their baskets, each panting heavily.
However, it was not yet time to rest. They still needed to take the wild walnuts and chestnuts to the drying ground to dry them in the sun over the next couple of days. Otherwise, the flesh inside the walnuts and chestnuts would mold and spoil.
The group went to the kitchen to get the large winnowing baskets for drying. Chen Lan also put her game in the kitchen. Since the weather was cold, it wouldn't matter much if it wasn't dealt with immediately.
After they had spread the walnuts and chestnuts in the winnowing baskets on the drying ground, everyone was utterly exhausted! Ming Wei, in particular, had never carried anything so heavy or walked such a long distance in the mountains before. It was truly a hardship for her.
She was now so tired that she couldn't get up from the ground. After letting her rest for a while and seeing that she had recovered somewhat, Chen Lan pulled her up.
She said, "Ming Wei, the weather is getting cold. Girls shouldn't sit on the ground for too long, as it can affect your health."
Ming Wei obediently stood up slowly, her legs giving way, and she almost stumbled. Chen Lan quickly steadied her, saying, "Slowly, slowly, no rush."
She then looked back at the others. They all appeared to be very tired.
So, she suggested, "How about we all go soak in the hot springs now? We've worked up a sweat, and we can wash up and relax our muscles." She thought the idea was excellent herself.
Upon hearing this, Ming Wei, Cui Qiao, Hu Yuzhen, and Lin Mai immediately became interested and all agreed to go soak in the hot springs to relieve their fatigue and have a bath.
Since they had decided to go to the hot springs, they didn't dawdle. They all hurried home to get towels and change of clothes. Ming Wei, despite her sore legs and feet, also rushed home to get ready.
Seeing Ming Wei, Cui Qiao, and the others leave, Chen Lan quickly took out three more bags of chestnuts from the system warehouse, poured them into one of the unused winnowing baskets on the drying ground, and began to dry them.
Without further delay, she turned and quickly walked towards her own house. At the entrance to the yard, she took out the dead branches she had collected this time from the system warehouse and placed them on the open ground to the right of the yard before entering her home.
Walking into the living room, she found it empty. She suddenly remembered that the children were likely still napping. She hadn't even had lunch yet! She had truly forgotten the time when she was busy.
She turned and walked into the kitchen, lifted the lid of the pot. As expected, the meal she had left for herself was inside, still warm and steaming.