Forest fire prevention is a serious matter, emphasized every spring and autumn, yet somehow this mishap still occurred. The forestry center showed exceptional concern over the incident.
The walls of the administration office and key locations were freshly repainted with fire prevention slogans. The daily fire safety broadcasts, already in rotation, were now doubled in frequency.
Qi Fang and Shi Hu received praise for their timely reporting and accurate monitoring, which prevented the fire from spreading. They were even likely to be nominated as "Forest Fire Prevention Model Workers" by the bureau. The rest of the discussions revolved around reinforcing the importance of spring fire prevention—no smoking in the mountains, no open flames...
Rumor had it that the fire had been started by a few children roasting potatoes in the hills. Though the broadcast didn’t name names, everyone knew who they were.
After all, the forestry center was a small place where few things stayed hidden. No one even needed to ask around—just look for the kids walking funny from the spankings they’d gotten.
Yan Xue got an extra firsthand account: Yu Cuiyun’s son had been among them, and she had chased him halfway down the street in a rage.
The problem was, Yu Cuiyun had a shoulder injury and couldn’t land a proper hit. In the end, Liang Qimao had to drag the boy home and give him a proper thrashing. The next day, Yu Cuiyun was in so much pain she had to go back to the hospital.
"Their way of raising kids is all wrong," Aunt Guo remarked to Yan Xue as they picked vegetables together in the yard. "How can they ignore them most of the time and only resort to beating when they mess up?"
Yan Xue agreed. Both Yu Yongzhi and Yu Cuiyun’s son were raised with harsh words but spoiled in practice.
One thought nothing of carrying a gun around recklessly, while the other threw tantrums for roller skates and even dared to roast potatoes in the hills during the most fire-prone season. Yan Xue was skeptical when Director Yu claimed he’d keep his son away from guns—after all, Yu Yongzhi was still drinking without any restraint from his family.
"You’re the one who knows how to raise kids, Aunt Guo," Yan Xue said with a smile. "Our Tiedan is so bright and well-behaved."
"You think he never sneaked matches? Once, he even burned his hand because he didn’t know how to put the flame out. But he’s timid—never dared again after that. I just pretended not to know."
Aunt Guo clearly understood when to be lenient and when to be strict. "Of all my kids, Chang'an got the most beatings—and I loved him the most. When he was little, I had to discipline him because he was stubborn and fearless, willing to try anything no matter how dangerous. The elders used to say kids like that had potential—if raised right, they’d grow up strong. Who would’ve thought..."
Guo Chang'an had indeed been capable. Whether becoming a sawyer’s assistant or finding a partner, he’d done it all on his own, without relying on his family.
But fate had played a cruel joke on him. Now, he was confined to his bed, unable to walk even after a hundred days of recovery. No one knew if he’d ever walk again.
He’d been home for over a month, yet Yan Xue, living in the same courtyard, had never once heard his voice. That’s how silent he’d become.
Not wanting Aunt Guo to dwell on the sadness, Yan Xue deftly changed the subject. "Aunt Guo, is this celery or poison hemlock?"
Aunt Guo adjusted her glasses and quickly snatched the plant from Yan Xue’s hand. "You can’t eat this! A few stalks could kill you."
Guo Changping’s wife, never one to sit idle, had gone foraging for wild vegetables now that the seasonal work had paused and the farming team hadn’t yet started planting.
She’d gathered dandelions, wild chives, swallowtail greens, and even some wild celery—large-leaf celery—from a sunny slope. Each stalk was barely a handful in length.
These made great fillings for dumplings or buns, and they were tasty stir-fried, mixed, or even dipped in sauce. The only downside was the risk of mistaking them for poison hemlock, which looked similar but had tougher stems and a matte underside. Just two or three stalks could be fatal.
Yan Xue had known it was hemlock—she’d only brought it up to distract Aunt Guo. It worked, but then the older woman remembered something else.
"You and Qi Fang have been married for two or three months now, right? How’s it going? Any news yet?"
The moment Aunt Guo lowered her voice, Yan Xue knew it was about that.
Married couples were inevitably asked this question—even if, like her and Qi Fang, they were still just roommates.
Roommates who shared a bed, but roommates nonetheless.
Yan Xue lowered her head without answering. Aunt Guo took one look and knew the answer. "You’d better hurry. May’s almost here, and Qi Fang won’t stay home for long before heading back to the mountains. If you don’t take this chance, you might have to wait till next year."
Aunt Guo wasn’t just nagging. "Some folks in the forestry center love to gossip. If you still don’t have news by next year, they’ll start talking."
What could Yan Xue say? She could only promise, "Qi Fang and I will work hard. We’ll aim for this year—maybe even two in three years."
"Two in three years? You planning triplets?" Aunt Guo laughed.
Yan Xue wanted to laugh too, but when she looked up, she saw a familiar tall figure standing by the gate. How much had he heard?
This was awkward. Her "two in three years" plan hadn’t been discussed with him.
And after their argument the other day, though she’d calmed down, the memory still stirred her emotions.
That wasn’t like her. She usually brushed off harsh words from outsiders without a second thought.
Qi Fang’s comment hadn’t even been that harsh—just ill-timed. Yet she’d taken it to heart and called him out on it.
Now she felt self-conscious, as if she’d overreacted.
But if she was uncomfortable, Qi Fang was worse. The moment their eyes met, he actually flinched.
He even paused at the gate before stepping into the yard. "Aunt Guo."
Aunt Guo, oblivious to the tension, beamed. "Oh, Qi Fang, you’re back! What happened to your face? That bruise?"
"Fell in the mountains." He went inside to drop off his things, then returned to squat beside them and help with the vegetables.
Tall and long-legged, even crouching, he towered over the two women on their stools. Aunt Guo glanced at him. "We were just talking about you. You and Yan Xue should get moving."
"Yeah." Qi Fang kept his eyes on the vegetables. "Aim for this year—two in three years."
So he had heard. Yan Xue’s hands slowed without her realizing.
Qi Fang noticed and took the bunch from her, still avoiding her gaze.
Aunt Guo, however, looked between the two and smiled knowingly. "I think it’s doable. You’re both good-looking—your kids will be beautiful."
She divided the picked vegetables, handing some to each of them. "There’s not much left. I’ll finish up. You two don’t need to stay—Qi Fang just got back."
But Yan Xue didn’t move. "You said it yourself—there’s not much left. Our hands are already dirty. Might as well finish."
She didn’t move, and neither did Qi Fang. Then, quietly, he pulled the unharvested vegetables on her side over to his own.
Yan Xue reached out but found nothing there. Only then did she realize the vegetables were gone. When she tried to pull them back, her arm was too short to reach, so she could only chat with Aunt Guo empty-handed.
Aunt Guo noticed and quickly sped up her work, finishing the vegetable picking before she got too full.
Qi Fang immediately took the initiative to grab a broom and sweep the floor, tossing out what needed to be discarded and taking the rest to feed the chickens.
Yan Xue didn’t wait for him. She went inside first, set down the vegetables, and began washing her hands.
Not long after, Qi Fang came in. Seeing her washing her hands, he joined her, using the leftover water and the same bar of soap she had just used.
It wasn’t like they hadn’t washed together before—after all, there was only one large basin in the house. But today, perhaps because it was too quiet, Yan Xue started feeling awkward again.
This made her speed up her handwashing. Just as she was about to shake off the water and reach for a towel, her fingertips were suddenly caught.
Qi Fang’s hands were big—Yan Xue had noticed this on their wedding day when he helped her put on her shoes.
Not only were they big, but his fingers were also long and strong, covered with a thin layer of flesh that made his knuckles stand out.
Now, with just a light grasp, her small hand was almost entirely enveloped. Through the slippery water, she could still feel the faint calluses on his fingertips.
Yan Xue instinctively tried to pull away but was immediately held tighter. The man still had unrinsed soap on his hands, yet he managed to keep his grip.
She couldn’t help but look up at him, making him pause before he took the soap and rubbed it over her hand again. "There’s dirt."
"As if I didn’t already know there was dirt and hadn’t washed properly," Yan Xue muttered, pulling her hand free.
In the past, Qi Fang would have let it go—after all, with his temperament, he wasn’t the type to actively grab someone’s hand. But this time, he reached for her again, clasping both of her hands, and said in a low voice, "I was wrong, alright? I admit I was wrong."
It was unclear whether he was referring to his earlier comment about the dirt or the things he’d said days ago that had upset her.
And why did those words sound so familiar?
It was as if she’d heard Liu Weiguo saying something similar to Zhou Wenhui the other night when he was trying to coax her…
But with Qi Fang’s coldly handsome face and equally indifferent tone, Yan Xue couldn’t help but doubt whether she’d misheard.
Unable to resist, she glanced up at him again. The man wasn’t looking at her but was instead focused on washing her hands with great care. When he finished, he even took a towel to dry them for her.
The service was impeccable. Aside from when she was a child or during the months she’d been bedridden after hitting her head, Yan Xue had never been waited on like this.
Qi Fang probably hadn’t done this for anyone else either. He lifted his eyes to glance at her before lowering them again. "I brought you something."
Why did this feel like he’d done something wrong and was now trying to appease her by reading her mood?
Yan Xue raised an eyebrow. The man had already walked inside and opened the cloth bag she’d taken up the mountain.
It was just as full as when she’d carried it, but now, instead of food, it was packed with silkworm cocoons—far more than they’d gathered last time.
Yan Xue couldn’t help but give him another look. "Did you just clear out every silkworm from the nearby hills?"
Qi Fang actually hesitated.
"You really did?" Yan Xue’s eyes widened.
How long had that taken? Last time, they’d only managed to collect a dozen or so while walking and keeping an eye out.
Qi Fang seemed to have misunderstood her reaction. After a pause, he said, "Next year, I’ll find a way to buy some for you from the neighboring province."
"It’s not like I’m obsessed with eating these," Yan Xue said, exasperated.
But despite the lingering awkwardness, since he’d gone to the trouble of making amends, she didn’t want to drag things out. After all, she felt her anger had been a bit out of character.
Still, she didn’t bring up what had happened that day, nor did she ask about it. Instead, she and Qi Fang set about preparing the cocoons to eat that very day.
It was already late April. If they didn’t eat them soon, the pupae would turn into moths.
This time, boiling them and frying them in oil went smoothly. Soon, the enticing aroma filled their small, half-earthen house.
Yan Xue scooped the food from the sizzling pan onto a large plate. Qi Fang took it and was about to carry it to the table when someone, drawn by the smell, called out, "What’s cooking? Smells amazing!"
Before Yan Xue could turn around, Qi Fang, who was facing the door, had already fixed the newcomer with a stare, freezing him in place.
"What? Bad timing?"
Liu Weiguo had already stepped one foot inside. He glanced between the two of them but didn’t sense any tension.
"No, you came at just the right time," Yan Xue said with a laugh. "Every time I cook something good, you manage to show up."
Hearing this, Liu Weiguo caught on and shot Qi Fang a look. "Should I pretend I wasn’t here and come back later?" He made as if to retreat.
It was clearly just for show, but to his surprise, Qi Fang replied coolly, "Sure."
Liu Weiguo stopped dead in his tracks, nearly making Yan Xue burst out laughing.
"Alright, stop teasing him," she said, nudging the man.
Qi Fang glanced down at the small hand pressed against his waist but said nothing more, carrying the plate inside.
Only then did Liu Weiguo bring his other foot in, along with a metal bucket. "Since when is he this stingy? What’s marriage done to him?"
"He’s just messing with you," Yan Xue explained.
Liu Weiguo snorted in disbelief. "Yeah, right. He’d rather stuff himself sick than share a single bite."
As he entered, Yan Xue saw that the bucket was full of fish. Liu Weiguo hadn’t come alone—behind him was Zhou Wenhui, her cheeks flushed and her eyes bright.
Yan Xue understood immediately. This guy had probably taken his sweetheart out to show off his skills. "You two went fishing?"
"Not fishing—we set up traps in the river," Liu Weiguo said, setting down the bucket. "Since we caused Qi Fang trouble with that watch repair last time, consider this our apology."
Yan Xue chuckled. "Didn’t we settle that already? You even helped us gather firewood all afternoon."
"That was different," Liu Weiguo said seriously, sneaking a glance at Zhou Wenhui. "An apology is one thing, but this is our gift to make up for it."
He’d said "our" three times now. If Yan Xue couldn’t tell he was also trying to flaunt their relationship, she’d have to be blind.
She decided not to refuse—after all, this was just a bonus attached to their display of affection.
But Zhou Wenhui hadn’t just come to deliver fish. She also brought news: the county’s local products supply department had agreed to help Yan Xue find the types of seaweed she needed. "They said the first two might be hard to get, but they can definitely find laver. They asked how much you want."
Laver had the lowest gel yield among the materials, but if the other two were unavailable, it would have to do.
Yan Xue thought for a moment. "If they can get the other two, ten pounds each. For laver, twenty pounds."
After a pause, she added, "It’s dried, right?"
"Should be."
In this era, transporting fresh seaweed was impractical—even kelp was sold dried.
For making agar, dried seaweed needed to be soaked first, but it wouldn’t affect the gel extraction.
Zhou Wenhui carefully noted everything down and was about to leave when Yan Xue called out with a smile, "Since you're already here, why not stay for a bite?"
"No, I'll just eat at the cafeteria," Zhou Wenhui quickly declined.
Liu Weiguo, however, had already been lured in by the aroma outside the door, his curiosity getting the better of him. "What did you make? I’ll ask my mom to make some too when I get back."
"That might be hard—Qi Fang pretty much cleared out all the nearby mountains," Yan Xue laughed, bringing out bowls and chopsticks to scoop some into the room. "These are silkworm pupae we foraged from the mountains. See if you can stomach them."
Zhou Wenhui found the smell enticing, but the sight of the dish made her hesitate.
Liu Weiguo, on the other hand, had no qualms. Having roasted wood-boring insects while chopping firewood before, he took a bite without hesitation. "This is delicious—even better than meat!"
The surface was crispy from frying, infused with rich flavor, while the inside remained tender and protein-rich. The combination completely won over his taste buds.
He immediately picked up another one for Zhou Wenhui. "Try it. It’s rare to get anything out of Qi Fang’s hands."
Zhou Wenhui looked down, still unsure.
"It’s really good," Liu Weiguo insisted. "Otherwise, why would Qi Fang have cleared out the whole mountain for these?"
Yan Xue also encouraged her to try, so Zhou Wenhui, her face flushed, mustered up the courage to take a bite.
She even closed her eyes as if bracing for a heroic sacrifice. But after chewing a small piece, she couldn’t help but open them again in surprise. "It really is delicious!"
"Right?" Liu Weiguo, forgetting about himself, eagerly pushed the bowl toward her.
Zhou Wenhui ate two more but refused any further. Liu Weiguo didn’t have much either. "Ask Qi Fang which mountains he hasn’t cleared yet—I’ll go finish the job."
It was clearly a joke, and just then, Qi Fang emerged from the inner room. Yan Xue tilted her chin. "Ask him yourself."
"Never mind, I’d rather not risk him making me spit it out," Liu Weiguo said, quickly making his exit. "We’ll head back now. You two take care."
Yan Xue took out some previously marinated meat and stir-fried a dish of wild celery to complete the meal.
Mountain vegetables were tasty but absorbed oil like a sponge. Without enough oil, they’d turn out dry and tough.
As usual, Qi Fang took over the cooking. Yan Xue removed her apron. "The celery’s still a bit young—the flavor isn’t strong enough. I’ll forage some more in a couple of days. We’ll make dumplings for May Day."
Mentioning the mountains made her pause, unintentionally recalling what Qi Fang had said to her that day.
Qi Fang seemed to remember too, looking up at her earnestly. "I spoke out of fear that day. I didn’t mean to stop you from going up the mountain or talking to people."
His sincere apology made Yan Xue feel awkward again. "I know. I was just in a bad mood."
She quickly changed the subject. "Liu Weiguo brought quite a few fish—enough for a full plate of the bigger ones and half a plate of the smaller ones. How do you want to cook them?"
"Whatever you prefer," Qi Fang said, indifferent to food as always.
He picked out a few silkworm pupae for Yan Xue. Seeing that she didn’t bring up the incident again, he let it drop too.
Some unpleasant matters were better left unmentioned—no need to ruin her meal. Last time, she hadn’t even gotten to try the pupae.
Since Qi Fang didn’t press further, Yan Xue assumed the matter was settled. But right after dinner, Liu Weiguo returned, carrying a shovel and pickaxe. "Finished eating? The four tractors from the forestry center have arrived. The drivers are test-running them, and they want us young folks to clear the big rocks from the mountain."
"They’re here already?" Yan Xue had thought they wouldn’t arrive until autumn.
"New equipment needs testing. Who’d dare take it up the mountain for logging otherwise?"
Liu Weiguo nudged Qi Fang. "My dad and Uncle Hu both recommended you this year. Now’s your chance to prove yourself—don’t give anyone a reason to criticize you."
Clearing rocks was unpaid volunteer work, but unpaid labor was common in those days.
Building field offices, repairing forestry roads—all done by workers after hours, sometimes even with their kids pitching in. The last patrol had come with a bonus because of the danger involved.
This rock-clearing job wasn’t mandatory, but if Qi Fang skipped it, it’d be easy for others to make an issue of it.
Qi Fang understood his concern and gestured toward the inner room. "Wait, let me change my shirt."
"What’s there to hide? We’re all men here," Liu Weiguo teased but stepped outside anyway. Halfway out, he paused. "If you’re worried about dirt, just change your pants. Why the shirt?"
From inside came Qi Fang’s casual reply: "Yan Xue just bought it for me."
"Damn it!" Liu Weiguo couldn’t help but curse.
He’d shown off before dinner, only to have Qi Fang one-up him right after. This was definitely intentional!
By the time they arrived, Liang Qimao and another driver were already test-running the machines on level ground.
Secretary Lang, Director Yu, Xu Wenli, and a few unfamiliar faces stood nearby. Director Yu glanced their way as they approached.
"See that? They’re watching for any slip-ups," Liu Weiguo muttered before raising his voice. "Which part of the mountain needs clearing?"
The test area had already been marked. Secretary Lang gestured toward the slope. "Over there, up to the halfway point. Just clear the most obstructive rocks—leave the rest."
One of the strangers added with a smile, "A light clearing will do. Our Jicai-50 is nicknamed the ‘Mountain Tiger’—it can handle rough terrain."
Unlike the post-land-reform era, where small four-wheel tractors dominated due to divided farmland, the backbone of agriculture at this time was still the tracked tractor.
Forestry tractors differed from agricultural ones—wider tracks, stronger engines, built for rugged mountain paths. The cargo bed was replaced with a simple sled, allowing logs to be dragged swiftly through the woods, large end secured, small end trailing.
Without any load, the Jicai-50 moved even more freely, quickly climbing the path cleared by the workers.
Liu Weiguo watched from a distance. "This batch they approved is pretty powerful, huh? Steep slopes, deep ditches—it just plows right through."
Qi Fang kept working, only offering a noncommittal "Hmm."
"Rumor has it the engine’s been upgraded to run on diesel," Liu Weiguo continued. "The old Soviet TY-12 had to burn wood blocks—what a pain to start."
China had later imported some J40s from the USSR that didn’t require wood fuel, but Jinquan Forestry Center didn’t have any. Qi Fang still didn’t respond.
As an audience, Qi Fang was nowhere near as attentive as his wife, Yan Xue. Liu Weiguo’s enthusiasm dimmed slightly.
But he pressed on. "They say this batch of Jicai-50s is different—fitted with some new hydrostatic system…"
Before he could finish, Qi Fang, who’d seemed barely listening, suddenly looked up. "What did you just say? What system?"
The following year, Qi Fang went to the headquarters to ask Secretary Lang for a travel permit.
Secretary Lang: "Destination?"
Qi Fang: "The neighboring province."
Secretary Lang: "Reason for the trip?"
Qi Fang: "To buy silkworm pupae for my wife."
Secretary Lang: "..."
