Early the next morning, just after breakfast, Yu Xiaolian avoided Yu Changhe and Mrs. Sun. She secretly put on black cosmetic contact lenses and took the clothes she had changed out of yesterday to the riverbank.
Fortunately, people in the village had always avoided her like the plague, so besides the Yu Family members, no one else had ever closely observed her eyes.
She knew Jiang Lin was surely waiting for her at the foot of the mountain, but she just didn't want to go. After seeing Jiang Lin's behavior yesterday, she was inexplicably angry.
He dug the pit, she fell into it; him pulling her out was as it should be, so why should she owe him gratitude?
Maybe it was because the river water was too cold in the morning, there was no one at the riverbank now. Only Yu Xiaolian was there washing clothes.
Yu Xiaolian had been here for many days and hadn't really seen what the original owner looked like. Out of curiosity, she looked into the river water.
Hmm, the features were upright, big eyes, small cherry lips, delicate nose; just a bit dark and skinny, but Yu Xiaolian was quite satisfied with the appearance of this body.
If the original owner didn't look good, Jun Mobai wouldn't have taken her as a concubine, nor favored her later. Although there was the reason of being threatened by the original owner, if the original owner were an ugly creature, Jun Mobai probably wouldn't have been interested.
Yu Xiaolian wasn't accustomed to using the clothes beater like Mrs. Sun and her companions, so she washed the clothes by hand, bit by bit. Although the river water was a bit cold, fortunately, it was still summer, so it was bearable.
After washing the clothes, Yu Xiaolian picked up the wooden basin intending to go home. She had only walked halfway when she saw Jiang Lin standing with his arms crossed, leaning against a tree in front. He was indeed waiting for her.
Yu Xiaolian planned to ignore him and pass by when Jiang Lin suddenly said, "Is this how you repay your savior? Truly living up to your hard-to-escape ominous little jinx reputation — heartless and unfeeling."
Yu Xiaolian stopped walking and turned her head, "Even if you hadn't come yesterday, I could have got myself out. It would have been a bit strenuous, but not life-threatening."
Jiang Lin approached, leaning closer to Yu Xiaolian, "So, are you not planning to honor your promise from yesterday today?"
"Obviously, my dad asked you to find me, so if you want gratitude, it should be from him."
"Oh, so that's why." Jiang Lin touched his chin and laughed.
"If I say, you won't regret going out with me today, will you go?"
Yu Xiaolian raised an eyebrow, "My life is cheap; good things don't come to me."
"As far as I know, your family's situation now, even getting through winter is a problem. Aren't you tempted? This might be a chance for a windfall of riches."
When Yu Xiaolian heard this from Jiang Lin, she finally seriously considered Jiang Lin himself.
Jiang Lin looked around seventeen or eighteen, tall, average-looking, with hair as messy as a chicken coop, giving an impression of being dirty and dissolute.
Looking at his clothes, he had a long hemp rope tied around his waist, wore a sleeveless short coat exposing two thick arms, and his coat was covered in large patches over small ones, no better than Yu Xiaolian's clothes.
"Why do you come to me for a lucrative opportunity?" Yu Xiaolian naturally didn't believe in pie falling from the sky.
Jiang Lin glanced around, seeing no one, he leaned closer to Yu Xiaolian's ear, whispering quietly.
Yu Xiaolian listened to Jiang Lin's words, her eyes lit up with excitement, "Wait for me, I'll send the clothes home and then come."
As soon as Yu Xiaolian entered the yard, she couldn't wait to hang up the clothes. Just as she was about to run, she swiftly grabbed the basket from yesterday and the small wooden-handled knife for digging wild vegetables.
The contents in the basket were gone, presumably already pickled by Mrs. Sun.
Yu Xiaolian didn't see Mrs. Sun around and had to ask Yu Changhe, who was weaving baskets in the corner of the yard, "Dad, where's Mom?"
The baskets Yu Changhe made were both sturdy and aesthetically pleasing, but each basket only sold for five to six coins or so. Yu Changhe had gotten up early in the morning, and by now, he had already made three baskets. Thinking of the fifteen coins soon in hand, Yu Changhe was in a good mood. Seeing Yu Xiaolian ask him, he answered with a smile, "Your mom went to the Zhao Family to do some embroidery work."
Seeing Yu Xiaolian holding a basket, he asked, "Going up the mountain to dig wild vegetables again?"
Yu Xiaolian nodded, "Did those from yesterday already get pickled? I'll go and dig more today for Mom to pickle more, so we won't be without something to eat with porridge in winter."
Yu Changhe cautioned her with a smile, "Go ahead, remember not to go to the east side, come back early?"
Yu Xiaolian agreed to each and then left Yu Family's yard, holding the basket as she dashed towards the foot of the mountain like a frolicking bird.
Jiang Lin still had the long hemp rope around his waist, fiddling idly with the curved knife in his hand. Seeing Yu Xiaolian come out with a basket, he knew she was pretending to dig wild vegetables, and without further ado, he took Yu Xiaolian's basket in his hand.
Jiang Lin walked in front, Yu Xiaolian closely followed behind him. Occasionally, when the vegetation was thick, Jiang Lin would randomly slash a few times with the curved knife, preventing their clothes from getting wet with the morning dew.
They walked for more than half an hour, Yu Xiaolian couldn't help but ask, "How much farther?"
Jiang Lin's steps didn't slow, "Tired?"
Yu Xiaolian nodded, "A little."
After all, they walked this long mountain road, which wasn't flat, plus the tall wild grass always caught their feet, making the trek more tiring than usual.
Yu Xiaolian pointed to a tree stump that had been cut down, "Shall we sit and rest a bit before continuing?"
Just as Yu Xiaolian was about to walk over and sit down, Jiang Lin raised her by the arms, pulling her up, "That's the Mountain God's dining table, we can't sit there."
Yu Xiaolian was so tired her legs felt weak. She didn't care about the Mountain God's dining table; she just wanted to find a place to sit and rest her feet.
"You're so superstitious for your age!"
"Don't you believe the Mountain God truly exists?" Jiang Lin exclaimed in surprise.
For him and his father, who made a living hunting and relied on the mountain, they had no doubt about the existence of the Mountain God.
Yu Xiaolian initially wanted to say, I don't believe it.
But thinking of herself mysteriously caught in someone else's spirit, she swallowed the words back down.
"Fine, I won't sit on it, but I can sit on the ground, right?"
Yu Xiaolian sat down on the grass, fortunately, by now, the dew had dried.
"How much farther?"
"Almost there, once we get over this hill." Jiang Lin sat down next to Yu Xiaolian on the grass, "Aren't you worried I'm tricking you?"
"I'm the little jinx; if you're not afraid of bad luck, why should I be worried?"
"True, haha, I didn't expect you to be so brave. I talked to my dad many times, but he wouldn't let me come. I told you once, and here you are."
Yu Xiaolian casually pulled a handful of wild grass next to her, "It's agreed, if there's really something good inside, we split it half and half."
Jiang Lin patted his chest, "Rest assured, there's definitely something good inside."
Yu Xiaolian was half-believing, half-doubting Jiang Lin's words.
If there were really good things, why did Jiang the Hunter have such taboos about it?
Whether taboo or not, they've come halfway now, with no room for her to back out. She definitely had to see it for herself.
Suddenly, Jiang Lin took out an oil paper package from his bosom and handed it to Yu Xiaolian, "Here!"
Yu Xiaolian looked and was surprised to find a big, golden drumstick. She couldn't help but swallow, "Did you bring this especially for me?"
Jiang Lin shook his head, "I brought this for myself."
"Then why give it to me?"
Jiang Lin turned away to avoid Yu Xiaolian's scrutinizing gaze, "If I give it to you, just eat it. Why so much talk?"