CHAPTER 115: CHAPTER 96: ACQUIRING MOUNTAIN GOODS

After lunch, Lin Lishan watched as Zhou Jiao and Ping’an had fallen asleep. She swiftly washed the diapers, packed some money and tickets into a bag, and tidied herself up.

Leaving the west wing, she found Xi Zi, and took him to the kitchen, where she immediately saw Mother Zhang and others tidying up.

"Sis, Jiao Jiao and Ping’an are asleep. I’m taking Xi Zi out and will be back before dinner. Do you need anything? I happen to have some tickets, so you can avoid the inconvenience of going out."

Mother Zhang put down the bowl in her hand, wiped her hands, and seeing Xi Zi following behind, said, "There’s nothing we need to buy; we prepared everything recently. It’s good you’re taking Xi Zi out to walk around and see. Xi Zi, follow your grandmother and avoid those secluded, unruly places, remember to remind her."

Xi Zi, carrying his new military bag, excitedly assured her loudly, promising to bring back his grandmother safely.

Lin Lishan drove the car, occasionally looking at the road on both sides, and drove north along the dirt road flanking the mountain peaks.

Seated in the passenger seat, Xi Zi curiously looked around and found that it was not the road to the county town, pointing at a fork they had just passed.

"Grandma, where are we going? I think you took the wrong road. I often go to my uncle’s place; the avenue ahead leads straight to the county town."

Lin Lishan replied with a smile, "Grandma didn’t plan to go to the county town. Look at this, grandma is driving towards Daqing Mountain. We’re going along this mountain to see where there’s a big village to buy things. Villages close to the mountains have mountain goods and wild taste; those places have plenty of things, and they’ll sell if there’s money. The villages near the county town are close to yours, inconvenient."

Xi Zi’s eyes rolled, understanding this was a hunt for wild goods, "Grandma, I know where. You can head into the small road ahead; there are several villages at the foot of the mountain, and there are people hunting. My younger uncle told me that the north of Daqing Mountain’s foot also has hunters, who hunt every year and last year even bagged quite a few wild boars and sold them to the commune."

Following Xi Zi’s guidance, Lin Lishan drove to the village entrance and parked under the big oak tree.

The villagers were just before starting work; some villagers and children, upon seeing the car, gathered around to look at it, with some bold boys circling the car, almost climbing it, until disciplined by nearby adults.

Lin Lishan explained her intention to the crowd as an amiable grandma happened to pass by and was called by the villagers. Upon hearing she’s buying wild goods and mountain products, the old grandma looked at them and led them back home.

On the way, Lin Lishan learned from the elderly woman that this village sold its stock usually after autumn harvest. Her home was at the foot of the mountain; her grandsons often went up the mountains, and they had abundant stock, not in a hurry for money, planning to sell at the year’s end market. She finally understood why, upon announcing her intention to buy mountain goods and wild taste, the villagers directed her to this household.

The grandma lived at the relatively secluded foot of the mountain, where a big yard was encircled with stones outside the thatched house, presumably for safety, with the walls built high. The yard was very tidy, with wild goods still draining under the eaves, and upon seeing the elderly with guests, the whole family came out, curiously sizing up Lin Lishan.

Lin Lishan smiled at them, listening as the grandmother arranged the family to fetch the stock.

Entering the living room, she sat for a while and bought all the household’s autumn mountain goods, wind-dried wild goods, and some preserved meat and other stock. Seeing that even the children of this family wore straw sandals, and the grandmother’s washed-out, patched-up coat, Lin Lishan generously paid in full without haggling and additionally gave two pounds of sugar tickets.

Unfortunately, the family was unwilling to sell their hens, keeping them for eggs. Perhaps due to Lin Lishan’s straightforward nature and generosity, the grandmother instructed her daughter-in-law to find two old hens for her in the village.

Upon learning she intended to continue purchasing wild goods, the elderly provided a detailed account of surrounding villages and which households had stock, and where the experienced hunters were.

With sharp eyes, Lin Lishan saw half a leftover cornbread on the heated bed table and dropped the idea of asking about delicate grains.

Saying goodbye to this household, Lin Lishan slowly drove the car, gazing at the thatched cottages beside the path, some children wearing patched clothes, each as skinny as chicks, sighed deeply; even families reliant on the mountains led such harsh lives; how would other villages be? No wonder Mother Zhang kept reminding Xi Zi not to take her to unruly villages.