The kang (heated brick bed) for left-behind women

Chapter 36 Re-entering the Deep Mountains

The determination to get rich weighed heavily on Lin Dachun's mind. Before he could raise enough money to buy lambs, he had to go into the mountains again to try his luck.

He didn't plan to bring Li Ruoxue this time. Firstly, hunting was dangerous, and secondly, the newly transplanted sea buckthorn seedlings and daily chores at home needed someone to take care of them.

Before setting off, Lin Dachun carefully checked the hunting rifle and ammunition, prepared enough dry food and water, and even sharpened the sharp hunting knife until it shone brightly.

"Ruoxue, I'm going into the mountains to see if I can get some more things to sell for money." He instructed Li Ruoxue, who was drying wild vegetables, "Keep the door closed. Don't open it for anyone while I'm gone. Especially that old black dog. If he comes to bother you, don't be polite to him."

"I watered the sea buckthorn patch thoroughly yesterday. Check on it these next couple of days; if it gets too dry in the evening, water it again. I... I don't know when I'll be back, maybe a day or two, or even longer."

Lin Dachun brought enough dry food and a water bottle.

They will hunt until they catch the biggest prey.

Looking at him fully armed, Li Ruoxue's eyes were full of worry: "You're alone... be careful."

"Okay, don't worry." Lin Dachun nodded, paused, and then said, "I asked Ma Guihua from the west end of the village to go with me."

Ma Guihua?

Li Ruoxue was stunned for a moment.

Ma Guihua was a well-known "female bachelor" in the village. She was a widow whose husband had died young and who had no children. She was shrewish, bold, and strong, and was no less than a man.

She used to go into the mountains with the men to collect herbs and set traps, so she knew the mountains better than most women.

Lin Dachun called her, probably because she knew the way, was experienced, and could lend a hand.

A strange feeling crossed Li Ruoxue's mind, but looking at Da Chun's open and honest eyes, she suppressed her doubts.

Now is not the time to worry about these things; having more people means more support.

"Aunt Ma...that's fine. Please be very careful."

Lin Dachun grunted in agreement, slung his gear over his shoulder, and strode out the door.

Li Ruoxue escorted him all the way to the gate of the courtyard, watching his tall and upright figure disappear into the path leading into the deep mountains, before she anxiously closed the gate and bolted it shut.

Lin Dachun and Ma Guihua met at the mountain pass outside the village.

Ma Guihua was in her early forties, with a dark red face, a neatly tied headscarf, a basket on her back, and a sturdy wooden stick in her hand.

Upon seeing Lin Dachun, she grinned, revealing a set of strong, white teeth: "Brother Dachun, we've been waiting for you! Let's go, today we're heading towards Laoheigou, there are lots of wild animals there, but the road is a bit dangerous."

"Yes, this time when we go into the mountains, we must hunt big game. We'll also pick up some small game along the way," Lin Dachun affirmed.

"I heard you're looking to buy lambs," Ma Guihua asked.

"Yes, buy more. We don't have the capital, so we're hoping to earn some money by hunting," Lin Dachun said with a smile.

"That one wild boar isn't enough; we still need to divide it up," Ma Guihua said.

"Sell some more things from home to make up the difference."

The two entered the mountain one after the other.

Ma Guihua was indeed familiar with the area, always choosing animal trails. With her sharp eyes, she could occasionally spot some blurry footprints or signs of nibbling.

Lin Dachun held his hunting rifle, cautiously observing his surroundings.

However, luck seemed to be against them.

First of all, the weather is bad, gloomy and damp, and it might even rain.

They wandered around Laoheigou for most of the day, only seeing a few pheasants and squirrels, not worth shooting, and didn't find any new traces of large prey.

As the sun gradually set in the west, the light in the mountains became dim.

"This is weird, why is it so quiet in this ditch today?" Ma Guihua wiped her sweat, somewhat anxious.

"continue!!"

"If we go any further, we won't be able to get back tonight," Ma Guihua said.

"Let's continue. All the prey outside has been hunted out, and they're too scared to come down. We need to go deeper into the mountains, where no one has ventured. That's feasible," Lin Dachun explained.

"It's feasible, but dangerous. There are wolf packs and black bears; it's not something we can handle. If we encounter them, we'll be half dead." Ma Guihua was still very cautious.

"Let's take a gamble."

Lin Dachun continued walking deeper into the area.

This time, we went even deeper.

Once you venture deeper, you'll reap the rewards; along the way, you'll encounter plenty of prey droppings and traces.

"I think there's plenty of prey in this depth; it all depends on our luck. Hehe." Lin Dachun gained confidence.

"Nobody comes here, it's too dangerous." Ma Guihua looked around.

In those days, there were still plenty of prey in the forests.

Eagles and crows are flying in the sky.

There are plenty of wild rabbits, pheasants, wild sheep, wild boars, wild deer, wolf packs, and bears.

However, this deep dive was all talk and no action; there were only droppings and footprints, but no prey was found.

"We can't go any further. It's getting dark, and we need to find a place to spend the night."

They needed to find a place to spend the night.

"I remember there's a cave around here. I've been here once, but I don't know if I can still find it."

Ma Guihua remembers there was a small cave nearby where she used to take shelter from the rain when she was collecting herbs.

Following her memory, Ma Guihua found the hidden cave entrance at the foot of a sheltered cliff halfway up the mountain.

The entrance to the cave wasn't large, and it was dark inside, but it was relatively dry, big enough for three or four people to curl up in.

They gathered some dry firewood and lit a small fire at the entrance of the cave, which would both keep them warm and scare away wild animals.

The two men ate their hard, dry rations by the light of the fire.

"Luckily I brought you along. This cave is nice; we can come back here again next time," Lin Dachun said, eating a steamed bun.

"Hehe, but as a woman, I can't hunt alone. I can only come here to gather herbs. Once, I found a wild ginseng that was quite old and sold it for a very good price," Ma Guihua said proudly.

Although Ma Guihua was a widow, she was a capable woman and managed her household very well.

She also has a mother-in-law who can help take care of the baby.

Night had completely enveloped the mountains and forests. The cries of unknown night birds and the whistling of the wind through the treetops came from afar, making the silence inside and outside the cave seem even more eerie.

The flickering firelight illuminated the two men's tired yet vigilant faces.

"Brother Dachun, are you still on guard tonight?" Ma Guihua asked.

Some experienced hunters will lie in wait at night because some animals are only active at night.

Lin Dachun looked at the impenetrable darkness outside the cave and pondered for a moment: "Keep watch. We'll keep watch for the first half of the night, and then we'll sleep for the second half. Some animals like to come out in the morning to find food."

Even if you manage to find a spot, it's extremely difficult to catch prey in the pitch black outside.

He stoked the fire until it burned brighter, then, clutching his gun, sat down against the cold stone wall, his eyes blazing as he stared at the unknown darkness outside the cave entrance, barely illuminated by the firelight.

This is a life-saving fire.

Ma Guihua wrapped her clothes tightly around herself and curled up in a more sheltered spot a little further from the fire, soon emitting even breathing sounds.

People who make a living in the mountains have all developed the skill of seizing every opportunity to rest.