Yang Zhi looked at the unremarkable, dry little ginseng seedling. “Daughter, wild ginseng is hard to find, but these just-sprouted ones are common. They’re difficult to keep alive; the slightest difference in terrain or a little standing water will drown them. There are many animals in the mountains, and even more will eat them. Only those that manage to grow into maturity are real wild ginseng.”

Cheng Ying felt a flaw in her understanding—what was this all about? So, not all ginseng was valuable.

Yang Zhi continued, “But taking this home to soak in liquor for your grandpa wouldn’t be bad. Hmm, this spot is quite nice; perhaps it could grow here. If we nurture it for ten or so years, it’ll be something special. But that’s hard.”

Yang Zhi spoke with considerable professional knowledge.

Cheng Ying nodded in agreement. Of course, if people came and went, who wouldn't take something good home? It would be strange if this one managed to thrive.

After speaking, Yang Zhi picked up the bundle of firewood they had gathered earlier. The matter seemed settled, and she prepared to leave. “Let’s go.”

Cheng Ying swallowed hard. What kind of person was her own mother? “Just leaving like that? Aren’t we taking it?”

That was ginseng. In Cheng Ying’s eyes, never mind wild ginseng, even Danshen or American ginseng—anything labeled ‘ginseng’ was valuable. Forgive the child for her limited perspective.

Yang Zhi looked at her daughter, not understanding what the child was so conflicted about. “Well, let’s see if it lives first. We can decide later; it’s not needed right now.”

Cheng Ying felt a sharp pang of distress. “What if someone else takes it?” she voiced, sounding genuinely worried.

Yang Zhi replied, “What can be done?” This child—what was wrong with her? It was just a little seedling; if it was gone, it was gone.

Yang Zhi noticed her daughter’s distress. A tiny ginseng sprout—was it worth all this fuss?

Cheng Ying looked at her mother’s attitude and concluded the thing truly wasn't worth much. Maybe the people here just hadn't recognized its value yet.

Cheng Ying picked up her share of the firewood and walked forward dejectedly, the longing in her heart known only to her.

That careless brat, Chi Wu, trotted ahead, empty-headed and heartless. No one here likely understood Cheng Ying’s inner turmoil.

The pile of firewood Yang Zhi carried was so heavy she struggled to lift it. The three of them had finally managed to gather it all.

When Yang Zhi hoisted the firewood, she needed Cheng Ying and Chi Wu pulling from behind just to get it up.

Yang Zhi said, “You two walk slowly. I’m going ahead. This wood has weight; I can’t wait for you.”

With that, Yang Zhi strode forward and took the lead.

Cheng Ying watched her mother’s receding back, her thoughts murky and unclear. If she wouldn't pick up gold, that definitely wasn't her style.

She turned to Chi Wu. “My stomach hurts. Wait for me here, and don’t you dare leave.”

Then she bolted, running full tilt. Regardless of its immediate value, once she had seen ginseng, she wasn't going to let it go. That simply wasn't Cheng Ying’s way.

Cheng Ying used a small wooden stick to dig beneath the patch of dead leaves where her mother had been looking. Winter earth was frozen solid, making digging on the surface extremely difficult, especially since Cheng Ying lacked proper tools. Moreover, due to Cheng Ying’s near-reverence for the ginseng, she dug with extreme caution.

This process was slow, time-consuming, and required tremendous effort. Finally, Cheng Ying managed to unearth a clump of soil, confident that she hadn't damaged the ginseng’s fine root hairs. Cheng Ying was satisfied.

In reality, Cheng Ying hadn't even seen the ginseng itself as she dug it out, let alone its root hairs. She tossed the dirt clod into her spatial storage like a thief. Thankfully, the space didn't have the same restrictions as money that prevented entry.

Cheng Ying stretched her back, thinking that if this thing weren't ginseng, she wouldn't have been caught lying on the ground doing such work.

Chi Wu waited a long time before Cheng Ying finally caught up. Chi Wu’s tone, when he spoke, was decidedly sour. “Do you want to stay here tonight and feed the wolves?”

The sweat Cheng Ying had worked up while digging instantly turned cold, replaced by the chill of shock after hearing Chi Wu’s words.

Brushing the dirt from her hands, she feigned composure and followed Chi Wu down the mountain with her bundle.

Cheng Ying felt a chilling realization: how could she have forgotten about wolves on the mountain? How could she have dared to lie in a ditch by herself for so long? That little brat, only telling her now! Cheng Ying wanted to kick Chi Wu right on his backside.

However, her spoken words carried conviction: “Do you think I’m afraid of wolves?”

Still, her footsteps kept her deliberately ahead of Chi Wu, terrified a wolf might leap out from behind her.

Chi Wu watched Cheng Ying’s hurried retreat, his expression grim. Did she look like someone unafraid of wolves?

As the malicious ten-year-old boy he was, Chi Wu ruthlessly jabbed at Cheng Ying’s soft spot. “Wolves don’t necessarily come from behind.”

The words were light, but Cheng Ying, a soul of over thirty years, was thoroughly startled by a child. Her pace slowed to a crawl. If the mountain path hadn't been so narrow, she would have tried to walk right beside Chi Wu.

That annoying kid, Chi Wu, burst into a triumphant laugh.

Cheng Ying turned back to see Chi Wu laughing so hard he was crying tears. It was the first time she had seen him this openly delighted. He actually looked quite sunny when he smiled, his usual slyness gone.

Cheng Ying’s lips curved upward. Looking back, she noticed something else: a handsome boy. He was the type who grew more attractive the second time you looked. In the past, he always kept a tight face, and she had underestimated him. Cheng Ying decided that even if the future Chi Wu was limited by height, he would still be handsome.

Cheng Ying was somewhat of a Yan Kong (someone who judges based on looks); seeing a handsome face usually made her forget about wolves. It wasn't that the usual Chi Wu was unattractive—in Cheng Ying’s opinion, he was handsome too—but he lacked distinct features, and coupled with her disdain for his height, she hadn't paid much attention.

Today, seeing him laugh, Cheng Ying scrutinized him seriously. This boy was quite good-looking. When he smiled, his whole person came alive. He even had a dimple on one cheek. He wasn't quite a dazzling prodigy, but he was certainly charming.

Cheng Ying felt her pride pricked. No matter how handsome, he was still just a little kid! She resorted to a personal attack. “Your gap-toothed, red-gum smile is showing!”

Chi Wu immediately clamped his mouth shut. Even though his face flushed crimson, he managed not to laugh out loud. A boy going through teething could not afford to be humiliated.

Chi Wu snorted coldly. “Hurry up! Do you really want to become wolf bait?”

The atmosphere between them immediately stiffened.

Cheng Ying certainly didn’t think she was at fault. Young boys were just so difficult to appease. How would this boy ever manage to find a girlfriend in the future? Cheng Ying worried that his temper needed fixing, or he’d never attract a girlfriend. She was even worrying on Chi Wu’s behalf.

When they reached the edge of the village, even though their loads weren't heavy, Cheng Ying’s shoulders already showed red marks from the straps. For her, this feeling was uncomfortable—not because she was delicate, but because she hadn't experienced this sensation in many years and needed time to readjust. “Let’s rest for a bit.”

Despite his young age, Chi Wu showed a manly sense of responsibility. “You rest here. I’ll come back to get you.”

Cheng Ying felt her aged face flush. Being looked down upon by a teenager was one thing, but being treated like a little girl needing care by a teenager was truly embarrassing. Cheng Ying wasn't that thick-skinned. “Then let’s keep going.”

Fortunately, from a distance, Cheng Ying spotted her mother and stepfather walking side-by-side—they had come to meet them. Cheng Ying’s eyes lit up with relief. Her little body really couldn't hold out much longer; if she stunted her growth by carrying loads, that would be a lifelong regret.

It had to be her stepfather; he knew how to handle things. He walked past Chi Wu from a distance and lifted the frame off Cheng Ying’s shoulders. Watching this man, Cheng Ying couldn't help but compare the two: her mother and her stepfather were simply not on the same level. Her stepfather handled bureaucratic matters with ease.

Remembering that she had taken over a hundred yuan from him just two days ago, Cheng Ying looked up and offered her stepfather a smile. “Uncle, we finished work early today.”

You reap what you sow—the feeling of owing someone became immediately apparent here.

Chi Yong looked at the little girl who offered him a smile. He understood the girl’s feelings about his presence, but he couldn't understand the rapid changes in her behavior over the last few days. The girl was becoming more and more interesting. “Mm. I’ll take you to the county town tomorrow. Go home early today to prepare.”

Cheng Ying nodded, understanding the conversation from the day before: “Just you and me, Uncle?”

Chi Yong replied, “Old Man Sun, who drives the cart, is going too. How is your head? Does it still hurt?”

Cheng Ying was preoccupied with the issue of who should go to town, so she replied casually while walking behind her stepfather, “It doesn’t hurt.”

She watched as Yang Zhi took Chi Wu’s basket. The four of them walked toward home.

The time Cheng Ying and Chi Wu returned coincided with the official end of the workday, so the roads were busy. Furthermore, the New Year festival was approaching, and now only the men were out earning work points; most women were at home preparing festive goods. Thus, as the four of them walked through the village together, several groups of women began whispering and gossiping.

Cheng Ying glanced at her mother’s stiff expression, her stepfather’s composure, and Chi Wu’s lowered head. Ah, people’s true natures were revealed in moments like these. Cheng Ying puffed out her chest and held her head high. These villagers had such limited vision; what was there to gossip about?

Chi Yong glanced back at the girl. Not bad. Better than his own son, Chi Wu. He felt a pang of resentment that the child he personally raised was inferior to a country girl. He delivered a light but firm kick to Chi Wu’s backside—enough to make Chi Wu stand up straight.

Chi Wu glared backward with fire in his eyes, but calmed down when he realized it was his own father.

This was the first time Cheng Ying had seen her usually inconspicuous stepfather display such temper. That kick was rather bold. However, he could control Chi Wu, which was better than she could. It seemed her stepfather held considerable weight in Chi Wu’s heart.

Yang Zhi, having spent the whole day in the mountains with the two children, found that the old grandmother had already prepared dinner at home. It was still millet porridge, but she had stewed a small bowl of cabbage.

During the meal, that bowl of cabbage was placed directly in front of Cheng Ying; no one else dared to touch it. Even Chi Wu didn't spare it a glance. It seemed the old grandmother was specifically providing extra nourishment for Cheng Ying. Cheng Ying felt immense pressure from this special treatment.

The thing was, no matter the time, everyone enjoyed fighting for food. Even if Cheng Ying had long craved vegetables, it became hard to swallow when the entire table was staring at her eating alone. Why did it feel so awkward when their family ate something slightly different?

Cheng Ying picked up a piece of cabbage with her chopsticks and offered it to the old grandmother, then to her mother, stepfather, and Chi Wu. “I can’t eat all of this by myself.”