Chapter 2: Heading Up the Mountain

Yang Lan'er finished her meal and checked the sun, calculating that it was probably just before 2 pm. She told her twins, "My babies, Mommy is going up the mountain to see if there's anything to eat. Don't run around at home."

"Mommy, we also want to go with you. Can we?" they asked.

"The mountain road is far and you are small, and you walk slowly. By the time we get to the mountain, the sun will be setting. Mommy will go quickly and come back soon, okay?" Yang Lan'er silently complained in her heart: it's not easy for a woman like her who always hangs out with men to deal with children.

After coaxing the two little children, Yang Lan'er sighed and grabbed her backpack and sickle, walking quickly up the mountain.

Tonight's dinner was still uncertain, and they had only half a bowl of black noodles for lunch, which was very thin even if cooked into porridge. At this point, her stomach was mostly filled with water, and the two little ones were only half full. They were considerate and said they were full, but it was heartbreaking to watch.

Thinking of this, Yang Lan'er adjusted her backpack and picked up her pace. The Tan family was not far from the back of the mountain and was very convenient to get to.

It was already March, and Shanghe Village was in the south, where birds usually fly and grass grows at this time of year. But this year, due to the drought, small grass and wild vegetables were nowhere to be found.

They hadn't grown at all; their roots had been dug up by the villagers. The outskirts of the mountain were all bare, and Yang Lan'er didn't want to waste any time, so she headed straight for the deep mountains.

As she went further, the greenery gradually increased. As she walked, she looked around, hoping to find some wild vegetables. After walking for about twenty minutes, she suddenly saw several plants of purslane in front of her. Although there were only a few small plants, Yang Lan'er was still very happy.

At the same time, she also despised herself: "Yang Lan'er, just a few wild vegetables and you're satisfied? It seems like you're becoming more and more uncivilized!"

After picking the purslane, she continued deeper into the mountain and found some more wild vegetables, such as dandelions and chickweed. But it wasn't enough.

Although it was a drought, who would want to live poorly? Yang Lan'er walked quickly to the deeper part of the mountain.

The mountains behind the Tan family are known as Dachong Mountain. The peaks of Dachong Mountain are interconnected and stretch for hundreds of miles. They are characterized by their rugged, twisting terrain, with cliffs and precipices dotting the landscape. The deep valleys and gullies are shrouded in a mysterious mountain atmosphere.

The rugged mountains rose and fell, with tall trees reaching into the clouds. As she went deeper into the mountains, she felt less of the drought. Of course, there were also many poisonous snakes and fierce beasts in the deep mountains.

The villagers of Shanghe village were afraid to venture deep into the mountains, and they only gathered firewood and dug wild vegetables at the foot of the mountain. Even the village hunters only hunted in the outer areas.

Many people who didn't believe in superstition had entered the mountains before and never came back, so no one dared to venture into the inner circle of Dachong Mountain anymore. The original owner's husband used to be a hunter and often hunted in the outer area.

"Are you the original owner? If so, then you are the original owner, and her husband is now your husband?"

At this moment, the person in question was completely oblivious that she had already escaped her single status!

Yang Lan'er had just arrived at the border between the outer and inner circle of the mountain. She could already hear the birds singing, and she was vigilant and cautious of her surroundings. She searched for edible wild vegetables slowly. Suddenly, a vine plant in front of her caught her attention. She ran over, squatted down, and quickly dug into the soil with a sickle, looking for the thick, purple-red root below.

(Note: This type of yam grows in the south, with a shallow and short surface, different from the northern Tiechu yam.)

Yang Lan'er was ecstatic: "God has not abandoned us!"

They now had dinner sorted out for the evening. In fact, at noon, when she saw the little ones eating only half-full so as not to worry her, but said they were full, she felt quite sad. Yang Lan'er quickly dug up all the nearby yams and put them in her backpack.

Yams are rich in starch and protein, and have the effects of tonifying qi, nourishing the lungs, strengthening the kidneys, and replenishing essence, which are very good dietary supplements for their current family's health.

Carrying the backpack on her back, she continued to walk inward, and harvested more than a dozen yams along the way. Yang Lan'er felt much more relaxed in her heart. The light in the forest became darker and darker, she looked up at the sky and estimated that it was not early, so she thought she should stop here today and go back first.Her two babies are alone at home which made her uneasy. She changed her route on the way back and dug up some wild vegetables from time to time.

Originally, Yang Lan'er wanted to hunt for a wild chicken or rabbit to satisfy her hunger, but she didn't see any. Perhaps it was because of the drought that even the wild vegetables on the periphery had been exposed to sunlight. Rabbits and wild chickens had all gone to the inner circle. Next time, she would go to the inner circle to explore. She couldn't possibly starve to death when she was surrounded by abundant resources in the Dachong Mountain.

As the saying goes, "Those who are brave enough to try will be full, while those who are timid will starve to death."

Of course, she wouldn't treat her life lightly. She would act within her limits, and she valued her life very much.

However, on the way back, she found a small mountain spring in a crack on a cliff, which was a pleasant surprise! She was so thirsty that she used the bamboo tube she carried with her to drink her fill and then filled it up to take home for her two babies. Water was extremely precious during the drought. If it continued to be so dry, there would soon be no water left to drink.

Perhaps soon, the villagers would have to flee due to famine.

Alas! Life was hard! They had to figure out how to survive. A person without foresight will suffer immediate hardship. Yang Lan'er thought it was better to solve immediate problems first and then consider other future problems. Her immediate concern was that she was starving and had to fill her stomach. She had to speed up and hurry home.

When she returned to the yard, it was quiet.

Yang Lan'er's heart was pounding. She shouted loudly: "Bao'er, Bei'er, Mother's back!"

At the same time, she walked towards the room.

"Mother, Brother, Mother's back!" Bao'er smiled. "Mother's back! Haha!" Bei'er was excited. Hearing their voices, Yang Lan'er's heart finally returned to reality.

She threw the backpack at the door of the main room and rushed into the bedroom. She saw the two little ones sitting on the bed, looking like they had just woken up.

They were so cute!

"Bao'er..."

"Bei'er..."

she n held two small heads and kissed each face.

"Hehe... Mother!"

"Hehe... Mother, lots of saliva!"

"mwuahh ..."

"mwuahhh..." Two more kisses.

"Did you miss Mommy?" the two said in unison: "Yes."

"Are you hungry? Mommy will cook something delicious for you, okay?"

"Okay."

Sigh! Who could have imagined that even the queen of the special forces would one day say such sappy lines? (Hehe! Self-consolation! Facepalm!)