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墨書 Inktalez
If they were just going to have a barbecue, they needed to gather plenty of food, and they couldn't ask others for it. There would surely be many children eager to join, so she looked up at the back mountain, contemplating her plan, then turned to Liu Grandma and asked, "Where does this back mountain lead? Is there anything up there?"
Liu Grandma, hearing her question, gazed at the towering mountain with a hint of heaviness in her voice. "This mountain used to connect to another town. It was much closer than taking the main road. People liked going that way at first, but then Lin Family Boy from Village Entrance went up the mountain with his father to sell dried fish. They encountered some wild beast, and his father was bitten to death. He survived only because his father protected him. According to him, it wasn't dangerous around here; it was when they were nearing the town that trouble struck. Since then, no one dares to take that path."
"Does that mean no one goes up the mountain anymore?" Qing Luan asked, a bit unwilling to accept this.
"Some do. Life is tough for everyone; they can only seek enough to eat. So occasionally, they go up to gather mushrooms and such. Even the children have gone up in recent years; it's safe around here, but they aren't allowed to venture far," Liu Grandma explained while busying herself.
After hearing this, Qing Luan's eyes darted around as she hesitated before asking, "Then... Liu Grandma, I want to go up the mountain and gather some mushrooms and wild vegetables. I’ll invite Little Tide’s friends over tonight and cook for them. Would that be alright?"
Now understanding her intention, Liu Grandma smiled slightly and said, "You little rascal, trying to get me on board! Go ahead; there's nothing dangerous in that mountain—just some wild rabbits or pheasants at most. But remember not to wander too far, alright?"
"Okay, got it!" Qing Luan beamed with joy upon receiving her approval and excitedly called out to Tide and Qin'er.
"Qing Luan sister, take me with you!" Erwa from Aunt Zhang's family pleaded; he liked this place and adored this beautiful sister.
"Well..." Qing Luan hesitated because she could only take Tide along since Liu Grandma had agreed. But Aunt Zhang hadn't given her permission, so she crouched down and coaxed him gently, "Erwa, I'm not going up there for fun; I have something important to do. When we come back later, I’ll make you something delicious—something you've never tasted before! How about that?" She figured food would be the best way to persuade him.
Erwa initially resisted but reluctantly nodded after thinking about the promise of good food.
With Erwa's pitiful gaze following them, Qing Luan led Qin'er and Tide up the mountain. Before leaving, she took along some fire starters, salt, and spices like chili powder—thinking they might come in handy.
The path up the back mountain was relatively easy to navigate. Tide bounced along happily with a wide grin on his face. Although Qing Luan was also in high spirits initially, an inexplicable heaviness settled in her heart as they reached halfway up the mountain. She felt uneasy as if something ominous was about to happen, leaving her restless and anxious.
"Miss, the little ones have run far away. If we don't catch up soon, we'll lose them," Qin'er said with a smile, noticing that her mistress kept looking back at the mountain.
Qing Luan shook her head to dispel the shadows in her mind and quickly moved forward, following Qin'er's gesture to catch up with Little Tide. She began to tease her as they slowly made their way up the mountain.
"Wow, it's so beautiful!?" Upon reaching the top, Qin'er was immediately enchanted by clusters of wildflowers swaying in the wind. She was as excited as a runaway horse, joining Little Tide in playfully picking the flowers.
Seeing Qin'er so happy, Qing Luan thought that days like this were actually quite nice. At least Qin'er was no longer restrained or fearful; her smile grew more relaxed and genuine. For them, such days were truly wonderful.
Qin'er and Tide were there to play, while Qing Luan was there to gather mushrooms and wild vegetables. As they walked, she carefully searched for any good finds.
They didn't collect many mushrooms, but the wild vegetables were decent. However, it was the wild fruits that brought Qing Luan unexpected joy. Once cleaned, they could serve as snacks for the children. Having tasted them before, she knew they were safe to eat.
As she and Qin'er each carried a full basket and held Little Tide's hand while heading down the mountain, they suddenly saw a thick darkness enveloping the village below. Qing Luan froze for a moment, thinking there had been a fire. But upon closer inspection, she realized it wasn't just one house on fire; many homes were ablaze, accompanied by cries and screams...
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