Lost
She then detailed how she discovered the bamboo rat and how she used a torch to smoke it out.
Zhou Wǔláng only then realized that the half-burned fire in the bamboo grove was started by her. He was quite frightened and quickly asked her, "Why did you bring a fire starter?" Where is it?
Mǎn Bǎo was speechless.
After searching, Zhou Wǔláng discovered that it was missing, and he breathed a sigh of relief, "Did you lose it?"
Mǎn Bǎo could only nod.
Zhou Wǔláng then said sternly, "You are not allowed to play with fire anymore." "What if a fire starts accidentally in the mountains?"
Mǎn Bǎo, feeling indignant, said, "But you all made a fire too, didn't you?"
"Can you handle it like we can?" "We are all grown up, but you are still so young," Zhou Wǔláng said seriously. "In any case, you are not allowed to play with fire, especially in the mountains."
Zhou Wǔláng was strict, and Mǎn Bǎo could only reluctantly agree, looking at their path and asking, "Why hasn't Fourth Brother arrived yet?"
Zhou Wǔláng also looked toward the main road, sitting still without moving. "Let's wait a little longer." "He should have found the message we left by now."
The three of them sat and talked while waiting for the others. Zhou Lùláng reached out and placed the two bamboo rats together. The one they caught was quite large, but still slightly smaller than Man Bao's.
Both bamboo rats were plump, and Zhou Lùláng pinched their necks and estimated, "This one weighs at least five catties, and this one must weigh at least six catties, even more than chicken meat."
Mǎn Bǎo had been carrying the bamboo rat all the way and was no longer afraid of it. She asked, "Are bamboo rats tasty?"
"They are delicious, even better than chicken and lamb."
Mǎn Bǎo swallowed and asked with some doubt, "Really?"
"Of course, it's true." "You've eaten it before, but you probably forgot," Zhou Lùláng replied.
The majority of the land owned by Second Brother was filled with bamboo, and where there is bamboo, there are bamboo rats. Every autumn and winter, Third Brother would take them to catch bamboo rats.
They could catch a few every year, but because the three sisters-in-law at home were afraid of these creatures, they would kill them by the river and bring them back home. Mǎn Bǎo had never seen a live one, but she must have eaten them.
Mǎn Bǎo had a good memory, and when Zhou Wǔláng mentioned it, she remembered. She looked at the bamboo rat with even brighter eyes and, gazing at the sky, became restless. "Let's go home." It will take time to kill the bamboo rats, and in any case, Fourth Brother is an adult. "He will definitely know the way home."
Zhou Wǔláng agreed and, despite his sore legs, got up and quietly instructed Mǎn Bǎo, "Mǎn Bǎo, you must not tell anyone about getting lost today, and don't mention the fire. Do you understand?
Mǎn Bǎo understood and nodded firmly. "I know." If our parents find out, we will definitely be punished.
Zhou Wǔláng and Zhou Lùláng nodded. They didn't know if Mǎn Bǎo would be punished, but the three of them would definitely not escape punishment.
Since they had come this far, they were in no rush to return. Mǎn Bǎo no longer let Zhou Wǔláng carry her and walked with her short legs.
Zhou Wǔláng and Zhou Lùláng each held a bamboo rat.
As the three siblings passed through the village, the villagers who saw them were surprised.
During winter, when everyone had nothing to do, they would sit by the road when the sun was out. When they saw Zhou Wǔláng and Zhou Lùláng holding the bamboo rats, their eyes almost turned green.
This was meat, and it was in such large pieces.
"Wǔláng, where did you catch these bamboo rats?"
Zhou Wǔláng tightened his grip on the bamboo rat and said, "We caught them on Fourth Brother's Mountain."
"So far away?" Are there any more?
Zhou Wǔláng thought for a moment and said, "There should be, but there are only a few clumps of bamboo on my Fourth Brother's mountain, while there are more on the mountain near the village."
"Uncle Jin's family is really lucky this year." Every time the three children go out, they can catch two fat bamboo rats.
"Yes, Man Bao, we have meat to eat again."
The three siblings returned home amidst the envy of the villagers.
Xiao Qian was disgusted when she saw the bamboo rats. Although she liked eating them, she absolutely hated killing them. She turned her head and shouted directly at Zhou Dàláng inside the house, "Dàláng, come out quickly!"
Zhou Dàláng, who rarely slept in, heard the voice and came out drowsily. "What's the matter?"
Xiao Qian pointed at the bamboo rats in Zhou Wulang's hands. "Take them out and deal with them."
Upon seeing the two plump bamboo rats, Zhou Dàláng immediately became excited and approached, asking, "Where did they come from?"
"We caught them on Fourth Brother's Mountain."
Zhou Dàláng took the bamboo rats and called Zhou Sānláng to come out as well, saying happily, "Let's go to the river to catch them." "Oh, and where's Fourth Brother?"
Zhou Wǔláng's eyes drifted away, feeling guilty. "He's still behind." "He should be back soon."
Zhou Dàláng and the others didn't pay much attention. After all, Fourth Brother was an adult and wouldn't get lost.
They didn't ask Zhou Wǔláng and the others for help; instead, they went to the river to hunt bamboo rats with Third Brother.
But they waited until they returned with the clean bamboo rats, and Fourth Brother still hadn't come back.
Xiao Qian had already steamed the rice and looked up at the sky, frowning. "It's almost time for dinner." "Why hasn't Fourth Brother come back yet?"
Zhou Wǔláng was also anxious and quietly said to Zhou Lùláng and Mǎn Bǎo, "Could Fourth Brother have missed the message I left? Should we go back and look for him?
Mǎn Bǎo was also worried and whispered, "Should we go back and look for him?"
Zhou Wǔláng thought for a moment and said, "You stay here. Sixth Brother and I will go."
Fourth Brother was completely unaware of this. In his mind, there was only the half-burned fire pit, and he firmly believed that someone had been there.
He searched along the road all the way to the town of Báimǎguān, but he still didn't find any trace of Mǎn Bǎo. He knelt down directly, tears streaming down his face, and the fear in his heart almost overwhelmed him.
He wiped away his tears, hesitated for a moment, and then rushed into the town to inquire. If the person who started the fire had taken Mǎn Bǎo, they would either return to their village or come to Báimǎguān.
There were many people in their village now, and if they had taken Mǎn Bǎo through, the villagers would have definitely noticed. But it would be different if they came to Báimǎguān.
He had to ask if anyone had seen Mǎn Bǎo passing through the town.
When Zhou Sìláng emerged from the town, the sun was setting on the mountaintop. His legs were trembling, but he didn't dare to stop and ran back along the road.
He planned to return to the mountain to summon Fifth Brother and organize the villagers to join the search.
As he watched the sun almost set, Zhou Sìláng ran with desperation. The sun must not set, or else what would happen to Mǎn Bǎo?
Zhou Sìláng rushed back to the big tree and shouted, "Lǎowǔ," toward the mountain. When he didn't hear a response, he turned around and saw the stone under the tree.
He hurried to inspect it and found a large leaf pressed against the stone, covered in mud, and bearing some claw prints. He carefully examined the document and noticed that the front of the words was slightly blurry, but the phrase "go home" at the end was very clear.
At this point, Zhou Sìláng had no energy to think about anything else. He put the leaf in his pocket and ran back in the direction of home.