Meeting An Acquaintance

Zhou Lan and Jiang Xia had ventured to the foot of the mountain on numerous occasions and knew the route well.

Using a flashlight, they moved quickly towards the mountainside. They wanted to get back before dawn so no one would notice they had secretly gone into the mountain.

Zhou Lan skillfully avoided stones under her feet, looking out for her daughter following behind. She warned her about all the uneven spots on the ground. They reached the foot of the mountain in about an hour, much faster than before.

Without stopping, they went straight to the previously chosen vegetable field. It was barren now, with even fewer green leaves than the last time they visited. Almost nothing was left.

It seemed someone had been continuously picking wild vegetables, not giving them any chance to regrow.

Jiang Xia had a good idea of who was behind this, Jiang Gui from the old Jiang family, who was known for being lazy and only wanting easy pickings.