Shen Ye and Shen Qiu walked in front, while Shen Miaomiao pointed the way. Shen An followed in the middle, and the two adults brought up the rear.
Because Shen Xingshen wasn't familiar with the area, he had to walk with Shen Miaomiao at the back.
The path beneath their feet was uneven, rough, and scattered with stones and stubborn twigs. Each time Shen Xingshen staggered, Shen Miaomiao caught his arm in a flash. Although she kept him from having intimate contact with the dirt, his feet still ached from all the bumps.
Clinging to his last shred of decency, he held the hem of Shen Miaomiao's shirt and trailed behind her with cautious steps.
But mountain paths are not only a tripping hazard, they are also prone to accidental slipping. Neither his core strength nor sense of balance can match the local children who darted along the trail with ease.
Even as he followed their steps and kept his eyes glued to the ground, his feet still managed to lose their footing.
"Ugh!"
One slip made him clutch Shen Miaomiao's tear-resistant work shirt down, almost dragging her with him and choking her in the process.
Holy mother of btches!
"Sorry! Sorry, are you alright?" Shen Xingshen immediately said.
Thankfully, as a child raised by the mountains and rivers, Shen Miaomiao has good reflexes and a strong build. She steadied herself in an instant, then spun around to catch Shen Xingshen before he kowtowed to the mother earth.
"I think you need some exercise."
At her words, Shen Xingshen pursed his lips together in silence.
"Oh."
Whether he agreed or not was unclear from his tone; he simply turned his face and let the conversation drop. He even forgot his polite 'thank you,' which was his common response.
Shen Miaomiao, "...."
I don't get it, but my fault, my fault, ok?
To put an end to the mishaps, Shen Miaomiao handed him the bamboo stick and took his other hand. Shen Xingshen's ears burned with embarrassment, but he didn't pull away. Instead, he edged closer from behind, almost hugging her arm.
Walking with someone practically clinging to her side was harder, but at least the accidents finally stopped.
The three little dumplings up ahead kept sneaking glances back, quietly noting a new understanding about their little aunt's future husband.
After a quarter of an hour of trekking, they finally reached a small tributary, which was hidden by tangles of overgrown bushes.
The trail Shen Miaomiao previously carved was just wide enough for one person to pass at a time. She glanced at Shen Xingshen's unblemished, tender, and smooth skin, eyed the twigs poking over the path, and hesitated.
"Little aunt?"
Shen Miaomiao sighed as she made up her mind, instructing, "Wait a moment."
With a sly grin at the silent Shen Xingshen, she conjured a heavy, single-edged, large chopping knife from her basket.
Shen Xingshen, "...."
He can't decide whether to feel oddly reassured or downright alarmed.
Entering the mountains was dangerous, and he knew it was common sense to bring self-defense weapons. He should feel relieved that Shen Miaomiao was prepared but such a big knife, why are you hiding it?! Are you really not luring me into the wilderness, trying to look harmless, before putting it on my neck and then threatening me?
Hey, what a great injustice.
Seriously, isn't it precisely because she's afraid that her potential roommate was too timid? Her courting strategies might not be working as planned, but she swore! She's trying her best to hide her sharp claws, ok?
Shen Miaomiao chopped away all the twigs hanging over. Although the trail cannot be temporarily widened, at least nothing would scratch Shen Xingshen's precious skin.
The stream ahead flowed slowly, with shallow waters and a rocky shore.
Excited, Shen Ye and Shen Qiu ran to the edge of the water and saw the partially emerged bamboo traps.
"Auntie! Auntie!"
The two urged their little aunt to hurry. If they weren't afraid of being hung from the tree, the two of them really wanted to jump into the water.
Shen Miaomiao ignored them, busy catering to her delicate partner.
"Don't worry, we won't stay here for long. We'll just grab a quick snack."
"Don't mind me. Just do your thing." Shen Xingshen sat on a stone and smiled.
Watching him slip back into his gentle temperament, Shen Miaomiao noted that he was not the type to hold grudges. His temper was just as quick as his face changing.
Though she still has no idea what irritated him.
"I'm good at grilling. I'll show you my skills. It'll be really quick!"
Shen Miaomiao shooed the two kids. "Go. Go away. You are the older brothers; why aren't you helping the ninth dumpling?"
"Aaaawwwww."
The two protested, but Shen Miaomiao raised her bamboo stick, and they dared not anymore.
To check the fish population, three bamboo traps were set at the edge, two in the shallows, and one submerged in the middle of the stream.
She checked each trap, and all produced a heavy harvest.
Shen Miaomiao transferred the big fish into the children's baskets from the bamboo trap and threw the smaller ones back into the water. The little shrimps and snails were treated as a bonus and were collected as well.
After setting the traps back, she returned to Shen Xingshen with a full load.
"Sister, you are so capable," he greeted as soon as she neared, his eyes shone with admiration.
Shen Miaomiao shrugged and set down all the straw baskets."Our village is near a major river, with numerous tributaries and streams around us. Here, it's common for people to learn to fish and swim. Even those who can't still know how to make traps and set them."
Shen Xingshen nodded in understanding, then exclaimed, "So many?!"
Examining the fish, Shen Miaomiao concluded with a smile, "Well, these are early immigrating fish. Looks like their routes here."
"That's great, right? The village has an abundance of fish, and we have another good fishing spot."
"Not really. We don't fish."
Shen Xingshen looks at Shen Miaomiao with confusion.
"We don't hunt. We don't fish. At least not together. The commune says these resources are collective properties, and a portion must be surrendered."
"So the brigade banned it?"
"No. Of course not. We just stopped organizing large gatherings. If brigade members want to fish or hunt, or pick mountain products, the cadres usually turn a blind eye as long as we are restrained."
Shen Xingshen looked at the basket full of fish that doesn't describe 'restrain' in every way.
"I have a lot of nieces and nephews, some orphaned or widowed. These are for them to have a taste." Shen Miaomiao coughed. "Anyway, even if someone makes a fuss at the commune, they can do nothing if we only got enough for personal consumption."