"There are a lot of wild vegetables here! Come here quickly!" Nowadays, there are many people going up the mountain, and she is worried about being robbed. Ahua reminded the people who came with her in a low voice, and then she quickly squatted down to pull the wild vegetables.
During the process of pulling it out, I didn't care whether it was clean or not. I just shook the mud off the root and put it in my mouth to chew.
If Jiang Yue met her, he would be shocked.
Last year, Ah Hua was already very skinny and looked like she weighed seventy pounds. But now, with her big head and small body, she looks like she can't even weigh sixty pounds. It was really a white skeleton covered in human skin that was moving.
"Stop looking for wild vegetables! I just saw the mountain rat running past!"
"Hey! Then, over there, did a hare run past?"
Mountain rats and hares were indeed much more attractive than wild vegetables, and immediately everyone, men, women, old and young, went to dig holes.
Jiang Yue and the others led the mules to the lake where they fished before. There was water there and the grass grew lusher.
Jiang Yue untied the mule's rope, and then also looked for wild vegetables on the ground. If you eat too much green vegetables, it’s good to change the taste occasionally.
She plucked a few bushes of wild onions, which were crisp and tender green. Just the smell of them was fragrant. They were the best when fried with meat.
She also went to the bamboo forest that she had been thinking about for a long time. She took out a small hoe and saw some spring bamboo shoots pushing through the cracks in the ground. If they sprouted slightly, she could dig deeper. It won't be tender enough until it's completely grown out of the ground.
Jiang Nian remained silent and lowered his head to help her dig.
Jiang Yue only found five or six small spring bamboo shoots, so she stopped and saved them for frying next time.
The spring breeze was brisk and chilly. She buttoned up her cotton-padded coat and observed corners that she had not seen before while walking. The whole mountain is surrounded by clouds and mist, with heavy tree shadows and dewdrops, just like the ink paintings often praised by literati.
She came to a place that was "abandoned" by the forest. The weeds grew sparser than other places, and large rocks were exposed.
"Baby, please carry me up. I want to see the whole view."
Jiang Nian hugged her legs, lifted her up onto the big rock, and then jumped on easily.
Jiang Yue sat down and found that this was an excellent scenic spot. She could see most of the mountains and the city below, which was clearer than what she could see in the cave.
The situation at the foot of the mountain is indeed much better than before. Occasionally, you can see people coming and going outside the city, carrying wild vegetables or firewood.
"Huh-" She had just put her hands on the stone, which was stained with a lot of dust.
She clapped her hands but stared at the big rock.
"What's wrong?" Jiang Nian followed her gaze and found nothing wrong with the stone.
"This seems to be limestone." The stone was gray-white. She rubbed it again with her fingers, and she could feel that it was different from ordinary stones. Somewhat "soft", not that hard. She knew that this was "soft rock".
She was a little excited, but only a little.
When I was studying, my teacher used to expand my knowledge. Limestone has many uses. For the current situation, compared to glass, desiccant, rubber, etc., cement is the largest and most effective use.
However, limestone is the main raw material used to make cement, but in addition, important materials such as iron ore are also needed to be mixed to make it. These are not materials that ordinary people can access.
There is another important step. She probably knows what the ingredients of cement are, but she doesn't know much about the ratio.
If there is a chance in the future and she meets good officials, she will naturally tell them this discovery. Why not do something that is beneficial to people's livelihood.
She noted the location, and when the wind blew enough, she went to the lake to wash her hands.
She shook her hands dry. They were cold and turned red from the cold. But she was more concerned about another thing. She looked up at the people around her. Jiang Nian was too silent today.
He looked distracted. This was the first time he had been in such a state. Jiang Yue couldn't help but worry.
"Baby, what's wrong with you? Are you feeling uncomfortable somewhere?"
Jiang Nian didn't know how to describe his uneasiness, and frowned, "I don't know what's wrong, I always feel uneasy."
Not at ease?
Spring is here, everything is coming back to life, and everything is thriving. What’s not to be sure of?
Jiang Yue held his hand and clasped their fingers together, "Do you want to go down the mountain? We can also go down the mountain to have a look and try a different environment."
Logically speaking, Jiang Nian was born and raised in the mountains, so he should not be "allergic" to life in the mountains.
There was a stone in Jiang Yue's heart, and she kept reviewing the limited knowledge in her mind, but she didn't expect any connection at the moment.
Jiang Nian held her in his arms and said, "You can live in the mountains if you like. I can go wherever you want."
Maybe, it's just his illusion?
Jiang Yue nodded and waited for her to go back and sort out her thoughts. Even if you want to go down the mountain, you have to re-plan your route to see if you want to continue walking eastward.
The two were not in the mood to enjoy the spring scenery, so they led the mules back to the cave.
Passing by the entrance of the cave, Jiang Yue was surprised to find that the little kitten was actually fighting with the white tiger!
It was indeed strange that there were blood marks on the white tiger's face, and the kittens were trampled under the white tiger's feet. One meowed and the other growled lowly.
Cats and tigers belong to the feline family and share the same ancestor. In other words, they are indeed close relatives. But it's rare to have a relationship as good as human brothers. These brothers actually got into a fight today! Incredible!
Jiang Yue's heart skipped a beat. There was no need to hesitate now and she would go down the mountain immediately tomorrow morning.
In the middle of the night, Jiang Nian actually started howling.
Jiang Yue felt increasingly uneasy.
When it was midnight, the sky was bright and they could see the road clearly, so they packed up their things and headed down the mountain.
The kitten and the white tiger went somewhere to look for food. Before leaving, Jiang Yue placed a few big meat buns and steamed buns next to the black snake as a farewell meal.
The two led the mules and walked down the mountain. When they were almost at the foot of the mountain, they met the "former neighbor" who was walking up the mountain.
They didn't expect that these two people were still alive, not eaten by wild beasts, and their faces looked better than before.
Those people still remembered the ferocity of the two men, so they did not dare to get close and whispered.
Jiang Yue turned a deaf ear. The mountain road was narrow, so she let go of the mule's reins.
"Why!"
Perhaps the desire in the eyes of those people was too naked, and the mule seemed to feel fear, and ran away like a joy.
"It's okay, I'll bring it back." Jiang Nian strode towards the mule. Fortunately, the mule still had some sense and didn't dare to run too far. Jiang Nian caught it soon.
Jiang Yue breathed a sigh of relief, and before she could smile, her feet suddenly tilted.
She thought she had lost her footing, but when she saw Jiang Nian's expression changed drastically, he even gave up the mule and ran towards her.
But in an instant, the world was spinning, and cracks opened on the ground.
She quickly realized it was an earthquake!
