The eastern sky gradually lightened, and the old rooster kept by the family crowed louder and louder.
Old Lady Song and Elder Aunt Song had been busy in the kitchen since early morning.
Since they couldn't return home for lunch while going to North Mountain, they needed to prepare dry rations to take along.
A hemp sack was placed in a bamboo basket. Old Man Song and Oldest Song, carrying sickles, headed towards Song Jinzhao's house.
Passing by the second branch of the family, they discovered Second Song and Second Aunt Song arguing inside their room, their sharp and noisy voices carrying all the way to the courtyard gate.
The words on Oldest Song's tongue hesitated as he asked, "Father, should we call Second Brother?"
Second Aunt Song turned her head and saw Old Man Song and Oldest Song standing at the gate, ready to depart. She swiftly threw a bamboo basket into Second Song's arms and pushed him out the door.
"Eldest Brother and Father-in-law are both going. What would it look like if you didn't? Get going now."
Second Song stubbornly gripped the doorframe with his right hand. "Didn't you say you were going too?"
Second Aunt Song forcefully pried his hand loose. "Elder Sister-in-law isn't going, so why should I? I need to stay home to look after the children."
Old Man Song urged impatiently, "All this dilly-dallying! Are we going or not?"
Second Song followed with a bitter expression, regretting having asked yesterday whether selling mushrooms was profitable.
Villagers heading out early to their fields saw the five members of the Song family walking towards the mountain and asked curiously, "What are you all doing up so early?"
Old Man Song replied, "Going up the mountain to pick mushrooms."
The villager frowned and raised his voice, "Huh?"
With bamboo baskets and hemp sacks, going up the mountain this early just for mushrooms... they must have nothing better to do. Might as well dig for some wild vegetables, that would be more practical.
By the time they reached the mountainside, the sun had already leaped out from the clouds.
Looking out, the majestic mountain ranges were all dusted with a glorious, sacred layer of gold. One couldn't help but sigh at the vastness of the world, feeling refreshed and carefree.
Song Jinzhao had them tie on sachets and sprinkle the prepared medicinal powder all over their bodies.
"The herbs and realgar will irritate mosquitoes, insects, snakes, and ants. Don't move too vigorously while walking to prevent the powder from shaking off too quickly."
Second Song pressed his nose close to the sachet, his brows suddenly furrowing tightly as his nostrils stung as if pricked by needles. He said disdainfully, "It smells awful."
Song Jinzhao cut down a wooden stick to clear the path ahead. "If it didn't smell bad, how would it irritate the poisonous creatures? Keep close."
The five of them climbed over the back hill and entered the foothills of North Mountain.
North Mountain was nestled between other peaks, its vegetation so dense it blotted out the sky. The air was thick with the heavy scent of plants and trees.
Following the shade, Song Jinzhao found a woods full of rotting logs. Pine needles covered the ground, and all sorts of colorful fungi scattered everywhere caught everyone's attention.
A flash of delight crossed Second Song's eyes, and his legs impulsively lunged forward.
Song Jinzhao grabbed him by the back of his collar and warned sternly, "The prettier the mushroom, the more poisonous it is. Don't touch any except for the three types I showed you."
Unable to move, Second Song felt somewhat embarrassed. He tilted his head back, trying to break free from Song Jinzhao's grip. "I know, let go already."
Song Jinzhao released her hold and turned to caution Old Man Song and Oldest Song, "Don't wander too far from me, or I won't be able to reach you in time if there's danger."
Old Man Song and Oldest Song gripped their sickles tightly and nodded vigorously.
Song Qiming followed as closely as ever, staying within arm's reach of Song Jinzhao.
Dewdrops still lingered on a few leaves, not completely dried, and the rotting wood on the ground squished underfoot, having lain untouched for who knows how many years.
Song Jinzhao remained constantly alert to the surroundings. She had never set foot in North Mountain before and felt somewhat uneasy.
Old Man Song and the other two, accustomed to manual labor, soon worked with practiced efficiency. Their eyes seemed to have built-in trackers, spotting mushrooms faster and faster.
As the sun rose directly overhead, the temperature in the woods climbed, and the cacophony of insect chirps grew irritating.
They found a flat clearing and sprinkled medicinal powder around it.
Second Song sat down cross-legged as if all the strength had been drained from his body. Bending and moving for two double-hours had left the muscles around his waist sore and stiff; it was no more comfortable than working in the fields.
Old Man Song took out millet-bean cakes and handed one to Song Jinzhao.
"No need, Qiming and I brought lunch."
The meat pies fried that morning had crispy crusts. One bite revealed a filling packed with minced meat, exuding a rich aroma of lard.
Old Man Song's gaze softened, pleased to see they were living well.
Oldest Song chewed his millet-bean cake in big mouthfuls. Though there was envy in his eyes, there was no jealousy.
Once they sold the mushrooms, his family could eat whatever they wanted.
Only Second Song stared fixedly at the meat pies, swallowing hard.
Song Qiming noticed his longing gaze, looked down at the meat pie in his own hand, thought for two seconds, then broke it in half and offered a piece.
"Second Uncle, here."
Song Jinzhao glanced over, then looked away, her eyes crinkling with a smile but saying nothing.
Second Song's breath hitched, not expecting his little nephew to be the one sharing his meat pie.
He swallowed again, reached out to take the pie, and praised with a smile, "Qiming is so filial."
Old Man Song watched him bite off a third of the pie in one mouthful, rolled his eyes skyward, unable to bear the sight.
After harvesting the mushrooms in the vicinity, Song Jinzhao led them through the woods towards an area with damper soil.
Summer weeds grew waist-high, completely obscuring the lower half of a person's body. Song Jinzhao, clearing the path ahead, constantly swept the grass aside with her stick.
The gurgling sound of flowing water came from a distance. Standing on a cliff looking out, about a hundred meters away was a mountain stream roughly five meters wide.
The current was swift, white spray splashing against the rocks like blooming snowflakes or ice sculptures.
Old Man Song looked in the direction of the flow. "The upstream part of the creek at the village end winds behind the back hill. I never knew there was a tributary here."
A grey figure darted out from the bushes on the opposite bank, streaking forward like lightning.
Song Jinzhao narrowed her eyes. It was a wolf.
Following the wolf's direction, she saw a herd of wild boars startled and fleeing.
Second Song's eyes widened. "It's..."
Oldest Song quickly covered his mouth, his brow furrowed.
Don't make a sound. They were so close; if the wolf noticed them, wouldn't it be dangerous?
Second Song's pupils bulged. He kept his mouth shut, pried Oldest Song's hand away, and whispered, "It's a wolf."
To encounter a wolf on the very first day up the mountain... he never should have come.
Song Jinzhao stared unblinkingly into the distance, her gaze as calm as deep pool water. "More than one."
The wolf pack had already surrounded the boar herd and was launching fierce attacks.
Song Qiming, frightened, grabbed Song Jinzhao's hand hanging by her side. His heart filled with fear, making it hard to concentrate.
A cold sweat drop slid from his temple. Old Man Song's throat tightened. "Let's go. Now."
Song Jinzhao nodded. They were less than two hundred meters from the wolf pack. The stream wasn't wide; animals from the opposite bank could easily swim or jump across.
As they turned to leave, her peripheral vision caught the fleeing herd of wild boars and some deer.
There were many animals across the river, certainly more than what they could see now.
Second Song's legs felt weak with the urge to flee. He kept urging them to hurry, wishing he could sprout wings and fly back immediately.
His eldest niece might be able to handle one wolf, but definitely not a dozen.
If they really encountered them, not even their bones would remain.
"Wait. There's a termitomyces nest ahead," Song Jinzhao stopped, pointing to the right front.
Second Song's features scrunched up. "Forget the termitomyces nest! Let's just escape! If the wolf pack catches up, we're done for."
Song Jinzhao stood her ground, unmoving. "They've already caught their prey. They won't hunt again for a while, and it didn't notice us earlier."
Second Song's nerves were frayed, and he was reluctant to stay. "We could go back to the rear hills to gather them."
Song Jinzhao shook her head. "The rear hills have already been picked clean by Qiming and me."
Seeing her insistence on staying, Second Song turned a miserable face to Old Man Song, pleading, "Father~"
Old Man Song was equally frightened, but their purpose for coming up the mountain was to gather mushrooms, and the sack wasn't full yet.
Song Jinzhao addressed the three of them. "Wild beasts are everywhere in these mountains. That leopard we encountered last time was on the rear hills. It's the same no matter where we go."
Old Man Song stared ahead, his lips twitching occasionally as he thought. "We keep gathering."
Second Song tilted his head back with a sigh, stewing in silent agony.
He didn't dare to leave alone, so he stuck close to Old Man Song and Oldest Song.
