The Magical Wooden House

Little Anty struggled to trudge through the snow. She was already twelve years old and had grown to the height of her mother's chin, but everyone still called her Little Anty. She used to be quite unhappy about it, but now she finally admitted that she hadn't really grown up yet.

Her parents could check all the traps in a day, while she had only managed to get through two-fifths of them before having to give up on the rest. However, it was worth celebrating that today's harvest was not bad – Little Anty carried a young dwarf deer on her back and held a plump snow bunny in her hand.

Gradually, the piercing cold wind rolled up the snowflakes on the ground and whipped them against Little Anty's face, not only blowing away her joy but also making her cold and hungry. The water in her canteen had frozen, and she had only eaten a roasted potato for the whole day. Little Anty licked her chapped lips, rubbed her protesting stomach, and pushed forward against the gale towards home.

There were still two hours to go, and if she was lucky enough and the wind was a little gentler, maybe it would only take an hour and a half.

But she wasn't a lucky person, and perhaps for hunters, entrusting one's life to the Goddess of Luck was very dangerous. The sky darkened, which not only meant that Little Anty might get lost in the snowy night, but also signaled the beginning of a crisis – cold and wild beasts, any of which would take her life.

Her grandmother was still waiting for her at home. Little Anty fell to the ground, and her thick clothes didn't make her feel pain. Lying on the ground, she felt a sense of relaxation instead.

Was her grandmother awake yet? Did she see the drawings Little Anty left on the ground, and did she know that she went to fetch the prey?

Little Anty forced herself to stand up, picked up the snow bunny that had fallen out of her hand, and continued to stumble forward.

If she could make it home, she would completely skin the rabbit, making it easier to use the rabbit fur for new gloves or collars. She was already skilled in handling such small prey, doing it quickly and well.

Then she would cut the rabbit into small pieces, clean it, and stew it with matsutake mushrooms or potatoes into a thick, hot meat soup. Her grandmother's teeth weren't very good, so the meat had to be stewed until it was tender. The two of them could gather around the fire and have a bowl of hot soup first – once the warm soup entered their stomachs, they would no longer feel cold.

Stumbling in the deepening night, Little Anty realized that there were no matsutake mushrooms and potatoes at home, and she might not even see her grandmother again.

Just then, Little Anty saw a faint light in the distance.

A surge of strength filled her exhausted body as she hurriedly took two steps towards the light.

It was a wooden house she had never seen before, with large, bright windows that boldly displayed warmth and brightness, as if telling every passerby to come in, and they would surely love it here.

Little Anty thought of the stories her grandmother told her, about devils and temptations.

I'm sorry, Grandma. I'm not a good child who can resist temptation, Little Anty thought silently to herself.

She pushed open the wooden door, closed her eyes, and shouted, "I apologize for the intrusion, but I'm really too cold. May I warm myself by the fire here?"

No one responded.

Little Anty opened her eyes to find the wooden house empty. There was only a strange, large vending machine in the middle, taller than her. She walked around the machine and saw a burning stove, making the room incredibly warm.

Little Anty's eyes widened in disbelief – there was a fire that could burn in the icy cold?!

She felt the fine starlight cast upon her and rubbed her eyes in astonishment. The lights above and the ceiling shimmered with brilliant stars, a sight Little Anty only saw on the clearest winter nights.

It was then that she noticed the carpet beneath her feet, and she took a step back in fright. A hideous black creature engulfed in burning black flames seemed so lifelike it could jump out at any moment.

Little Anty's heart pounded with anxiety. She didn't recklessly move around, instead choosing to sit by the door, afraid the melting snow on her shoes would dirty the carpet.

Although the wooden house was strange, and one could say both beautiful and peculiar, Little Anty didn't feel any danger. She rubbed her hands and feet while examining the peculiar vending machine before her. It had strange flashing lights on the top, and a large, transparent glass panel in the front. Inside were... food! Little Anty saw white bread, black bread, and other items she couldn't name, but they were all food!

This was becoming more and more like the devil's temptation from the stories. A warm wooden house filled with food appeared when she was hungry and cold.

At that moment, the vending machine in front of Little Anty suddenly spoke.

"Please insert coins or food ingredients to exchange for food from the vending machine."

Having said that, a large tray popped out from the side of the machine, seemingly suggesting that Little Anty should place coins or food ingredients on it.

Little Anty was startled but had already mentally prepared for the worst-case scenario of exchanging her soul with the devil, so she didn't run away in panic. As if under a spell, she stood in front of the machine for a while and hesitantly placed the snow rabbit she had in her hand on the tray.

The tray immediately retracted, and a similar voice said:

"Points exchanged: 16. Please choose food."

Little Anty immediately rushed to where the tray had disappeared, shaking the machine vigorously. "Give me back my rabbit!"

"You have selected food: Red bean bun. Cost: 2 points. Please collect."

"Since you are the first customer of this vending machine, you will receive a complimentary fresh vegetable egg drop soup."

Little Anty didn't understand these strange words, but she knew her rabbit had been eaten by the machine in front of her.

She stood there distressed for a moment, then decided to give up the snow rabbit. It seemed reasonable to pay for a night's stay using a rabbit. But this meant the devil couldn't take her soul anymore; she had already paid for her stay!

At that moment, the machine made a clattering noise, and a transparent box rolled out, followed by a round cup.

Recalling the strange words the machine had spoken earlier, Little Anty realized these items were given to her in exchange for the rabbit.

She picked up the box, clumsily opened it, and found five round white buns inside, slightly smaller than her fist, and still steaming.

Little Anty took a bite, and to her delight, there was a sweet and sticky deep pink filling. She closed her eyes in satisfaction, quickly finishing the white bun in just a few bites.

After eating three sweet-filled white buns, Little Anty's stomach finally stopped grumbling in protest. She carefully closed the box, intending to bring the remaining buns back to her grandmother. She shook the other cup-shaped container, which seemed to contain some liquid, and could feel the warmth through the cup. She had melted ice water in her water pouch, but after tasting the delicious white buns, Little Anty had high expectations for the liquid in the cup and didn't want to drink the cold water.

The cup's lid was covered with a thin film, and a simple drawing on it taught Little Anty how to gently peel it off.

Little Anty skillfully removed the film without spilling a drop. She leaned in closer, gently blew on the liquid, and took a sip.

It was delicious hot soup!

The hot soup warmed her stomach quickly, and the silky egg soup lingered on her tongue, mixed with some vegetables she didn't recognize.

Little Anty let out a long sigh. No wonder people couldn't resist the devil's temptation; this place was simply too wonderful!

She slept curled up at the entrance, holding the box. She woke up refreshed just before the first light of day appeared. The snow had stopped, and she could go home now.

Little Anty sincerely thanked the vending machine, her fingers brushing over the machine as if praying it would give her more food to share with her grandmother.

"You have selected food: Custard bun, brown sugar steamed bun. Cost: 4 points. Please collect."

Two more boxes of food rolled out from the huge machine! Little Anty was overjoyed, and she bowed repeatedly, tucking the boxes under her arm and carrying the young deer on her back as she left.

On the way back, Little Anty kept looking back, repeatedly making sure the magical wooden house hadn't disappeared until she safely arrived at the village. Touching the food in her arms that hadn't disappeared, she realized that the mysterious wooden house was only a little more than half an hour's walk from their village.