After the turmoil in the village subsided, Xu Xinghe's life returned to its usual tranquility.

Every morning, I wash up, organize clues, occasionally go to the river to wash clothes, and go to town to buy necessities.

He spends most of his remaining time at Uncle Li's house.

She didn't have many interactions with Yi'an. They would occasionally meet at the village entrance or by the river, and he would always seem to have something to say but hesitate.

Yi An's eyes were complicated, and her lips moved as if she had a lot to say but didn't know where to start. In the end, she could only let out a barely audible sigh.

Xu Xinghe didn't care about this. Every time they met, she would just nod slightly as a greeting, and then walk straight past without saying a word.

With Jiang Linchuan on her mind, she had no interest in figuring out what others were thinking, nor did she want to get involved in any irrelevant disputes.

Afternoon.

The sun is shining brightly.

Xu Xinghe carried a wooden basin full of clothes, walked to the bluestone slab by the river, squatted down, and scooped up river water to slowly wash them.

The clear river water reflected her calm profile, and the birthmark on her face was particularly clear in the sunlight, but she didn't care at all, and quickly washed the clothes.

Before anyone knew it, Yi'an's figure appeared on the riverbank.

He stood under a willow tree not far away, silently watching her retreating figure.

He finally stepped over when Xu Xinghe finished washing the last piece of clothing and got up to leave.

"Are you going to Eagle's Beak Cliff?" Yi An's voice was a little hoarse.

Xu Xinghe paused, turned to look at him, her eyes calm and expressionless. "What's wrong?"

“Judging from the sky, it looks like it’s going to rain in a few days.” Yi An looked up at the sky and said seriously, “Once it rains heavily, the mountain road will become muddy and difficult to travel, and it will also easily cause flash floods. Eagle Beak Cliff is a dangerous place, and it will be even more difficult to climb up then. If we don’t go now, we may not have a suitable opportunity later.”

Xu Xinghe followed his gaze to the horizon. The sun was high in the sky, and the weather was excellent.

However, since Yi'an is a hunter, she should have her own way of observing the weather.

Sometimes, you should never underestimate the wisdom of the common people.

There's still no news about the soil test results, but Eagle Beak Cliff, as a place where Jiang Linchuan might have left clues, really can't be delayed any longer.

She hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "Okay, let's go tomorrow."

A glint of light flashed in Yi An's eyes, and she quickly said, "Okay, we'll meet at the back of the village before dawn tomorrow. We'll set off then, reach Eagle's Beak Cliff by noon, and be back before sunset."

“Okay.” Xu Xinghe had no objection, folded the washed clothes into the wooden basin, and turned to leave.

"Then I'll wait for you on the back mountain tomorrow," Yi An added, watching her retreating figure.

Xu Xinghe didn't turn around, but simply hummed in response.

Yi'an returned home.

Yi Nian was sitting on a small stool in the yard, basking in the sun.

Her face was still somewhat pale, and her body was weak, but she still tried her best to live.

Seeing her brother return, she pursed her chapped lips, hesitated for a long time, and finally couldn't help but ask, "Brother, is something on your mind?"

Yi An paused for a moment, then walked over and sat down next to her. "No, why do you ask that?"

“I feel like you’ve changed since you came back from the last hunting trip.” Yi Nian’s voice was very soft. “You used to be quiet, but your eyes were calm. Now you always look preoccupied, and sometimes you’ll stare out the window in a daze.”

Yi An was silent for a moment, then said in a low voice, "I just... I just feel that taking five hundred yuan is a bit too much."

"Five hundred yuan?" Yi Nian asked, puzzled. "Didn't we agree that this was your reward for leading people to Black Wind Ridge and Eagle Beak Cliff?"

“It is indeed payment,” Yi An sighed, “but that trip to Black Wind Ridge was not dangerous, and there wasn’t much need for me.”

He never liked owing anyone anything, whether it was a favor or something else.

The fact that Xu Xinghe could come up with so much money shows that she is definitely not short of money.

But he remained uneasy, feeling that he should do something for her to put his mind at ease.

Yi Nian immediately said, "That's easy! Just return the money. I haven't touched it anyway, so I should be able to get a refund."

Yi An shook her head, her eyes dimming.

How can he return the money?

My sister's medicine costs a considerable amount every month. With the weather getting colder and the prey in the mountains becoming fewer and fewer, they will be unable to hunt and will have no choice but to live off their savings.

This 500 yuan is for his sister's medicine and living expenses for the next few months. He can't let his own anxiety cut off his sister's path to survival.

"I can't pay it back; I need the money."

Seeing that he was unwilling, Yi Nian thought for a moment and said, "How about you help her with some work? Chopping wood, carrying water, anything is fine. Just consider it as paying part of her wages with your labor. That way you'll feel better."

Yi An shook her head again, "She doesn't need me. She's quite skilled and efficient. She doesn't need my help with these little things at all."

Nothing worked, nothing worked, and Yi Nian couldn't think of any other good solutions, so she could only stay silent with her brother.

Only the rustling of leaves in the wind could be heard in the courtyard.

Yi'an looked at her sister's pale face and decided to let it go.

Tomorrow we're going to Eagle's Beak Cliff; we must help Xu Xinghe properly.

Even if we can't find what she wants, we must ensure her safety.

If possible, he will try to do as much as possible.

The next day, before dawn, with the night not yet completely gone, a light mist hung in the air in the mountains, carrying the chill of the early morning.

Xu Xinghe, carrying a simple bag containing water, dry food, and a short knife, arrived at the meeting point on the back mountain of the village on time.

From afar, one could see Yi An standing under an old tree. He was still carrying a hunting rifle, wearing durable coarse cloth clothes and thick straw sandals, clearly having made all the necessary preparations.

Seeing Xu Xinghe approaching, a glint of light flashed in his eyes as he went to greet her, saying, "You're here."

"Mm." Xu Xinghe nodded in response, and without saying anything more, took the lead and walked into the mountains.

The back mountain is not as dangerous as Black Wind Ridge.

This is a place where villagers often come to cut firewood and dig for wild vegetables. They have trod out a path that is not very regular but is clear. Along the way, you can occasionally see scattered firewood, pits where wild vegetables have been dug, and even marks left by villagers to remind others where there are steep slopes and mountain springs.

The two walked one after the other, the mist dampening their hair and clothes, bringing a chill.

Yi An would occasionally remind Xu Xinghe to watch out for the loose stones under her feet, or tell her which way to go if there was a fork in the road ahead. Xu Xinghe would usually just respond with an "uh-huh".

Occasionally, when she encounters a difficult section of the road, she will reach out and hold onto the tree trunk next to her, her movements swift and efficient, showing no signs of fatigue.

Along the way, apart from the sound of footsteps and the sound of the wind, there were no other sounds.

Yi An wanted to say something several times, such as asking her why she was looking for Eagle Beak Cliff, or chatting about the village's recent situation, but seeing Xu Xinghe's focused back as she walked forward, she swallowed her words and ultimately remained silent.