I boiled some water and cleaned the wild ducks by the lake.

They don't look thin. With spring here and plenty of fish and shrimp in the water, these ducks are much fatter than the ones they ate during the winter.

Before leaving, the fish trap was still empty. Yan Zheng sighed and went to the rabbit trap. Fortunately, the trip was not in vain. He caught a male rabbit and put it in his basket.

That's why the three of them are always full of energy whenever they come to dig for sweet potatoes.

Because every visit means we can hunt some game, ensuring our family won't lack protein for at least the next two days.

It was already dark when they arrived at the village. Yan Jing'an had already lit a fire and was waiting for them.

Seeing that they had returned, they quickly got up and helped Yan Jing'an unload the potatoes.

Today, we caught two ducks, but we weren't in a hurry to eat the rabbit, so Jiang Xi put it back into the rabbit cage.

Returning home with a full load, it's only natural to prepare a delicious dinner to reward the team.

Jiang Xi thought that since the weather was getting hot, she might as well cook both of them today.

When it comes to cooking elaborate dishes, Yan Zheng is the best.

Stir-fry the duck meat until golden brown in hot oil, then add scallions, star anise, Sichuan peppercorns and other seasonings to release their aroma. Drizzle with honey, and once it's fragrant, pour in two bowls of water and simmer for several tens of minutes.

When it's done cooking, the duck meat is tender and juicy, with a flavor that's not greasy at all. Although the ducks at this time of year are considered fatty, it's not all fat; it's because wild ducks are very active and have plenty of food.

One duck leg is equivalent to two feed ducks used to eat.

Jiang Xi marinated the other, slightly tender duck with various seasonings and then brushed a layer of honey on its surface.

Fearing that the temperature of the roast duck would be too low and the duck meat would become too dry, Jiang Xi preheated the oven for half an hour before putting it in.

The roasted duck skin sizzles with oil and looks golden and crispy.

Because of the limited seasonings and the relatively large size of the duck, apart from the crispy and flavorful skin, the duck meat inside is basically tasteless. However, when you slice it into pieces and chew it slowly, it is a rare delicacy during this time of meat shortage.

The duck meat was thick and flavorful, with a rich, dark sauce. The three of them ate to their hearts' content, and there was still quite a bit left. Jiang Xi covered it with a bowl and took it to the kitchen to reheat it and eat it tomorrow.

She used to hate eating leftovers.

I no longer have the same ideas as before, and I can't be picky about the environment anymore. Being able to have some food to eat is already a blessing.

With the food problem resolved for the next week, the next step is the house renovation project that Yan Jing'an mentioned earlier.

The next morning, Yan Zheng and Yan Jing'an took the rope ruler they had made themselves to measure the dimensions of the area in the blacksmith's shop that needed repair.

The main beam is intact, but many of the porch pillars and corner pillars have collapsed, and it is estimated that about ten pieces of timber will be needed.

After breakfast, Yan Zheng and Yan Jing'an took Xiao Lu and pulled a wooden cart into the forest to find suitable timber.

Jiang Xi stayed in the yard to watch over the little creatures and also weeded the vegetable garden, which had grown taller than the vegetables after a few days of neglect.

She picked out some of the grass she pulled up and used it to feed the rabbits and sheep.

The mother rabbit's belly was already very big, so she deliberately threw some extra hay in front of her.

As she stood up, she caught a glimpse of a patch of grayish-brown fur at the base of the wall.

Jiang Xi felt a chill run down her spine, and alarm bells rang in her mind.

She stood up calmly, slowly moved into the yard, and slammed the gate shut as soon as she entered.

Hearing her commotion, Xiao Hei inside the house quickly ran out and circled around it.

Jiang Xi pulled him into her arms and stared intently at the courtyard gate.

Her heart was racing, and she felt something was getting closer. Sure enough, a few minutes later, she heard a series of knocks on the door.

Jiang Xi remembered her grandmother's story about bears knocking on doors, and she felt her legs go weak. Suppressing her fear, she asked, "Who is it?"

"I."

It was a man's voice, and it felt incredibly familiar to her.

Jiang Xi opened the door a crack and saw the child they had chased away standing at the gate.

He was still as black as ever, covered in black mud and ash from head to toe. Jiang Xi thought he must have applied another layer, because he looked even darker than before.

The child was still carrying the basket he had been given, covered with a layer of fur.

Seeing that she had opened the door, the man took two more steps forward.

"Stop!" Jiang Xi snapped.

The man stopped moving when he heard his voice.

Jiang Xi asked coldly, "What are you going to do?"

It wasn't that she was making a mountain out of a molehill; it's just that neither of the two men in the house were home, and he chose this particular time to come over.

Jiang Xi didn't know his intentions, so she thought she should act more assertive so that if he had any bad ideas, it would make him back down.

The child was not angered by his harsh words.

He lifted the fur on the basket, and Jiang Xi saw that it was full of root potatoes.

Seeing that she was very scared, the child did not go any further. He simply placed the basket in front of the courtyard gate and opened his mouth for a long time before finally managing to say, "Thank...thank you."

He mumbled what he had said, then turned and went into the woods.

Jiang Xi watched him walk away before opening the door and picking up the basket. Inside was a basket of sweet potatoes, with a handful of shepherd's purse at the bottom.

There were also two fruits that were about the size of pomelos, but they felt quite light when you picked them up.

This is... his thank-you gift?

Jiang Xi then realized that he didn't dare to come when Yan Zheng and Yan Jing'an were around, so he specially chose to deliver it when she was home alone.

He had been hungry earlier and followed Yan Zheng and Yan Jing'an, which means he didn't know that root potatoes and this wild vegetable were edible.

Did he rely on this round fruit to fill his stomach before? If he was still that hungry, it's clear that this fruit is not common, and he probably searched for a long time before finding these two.

They even sent them a thank-you gift.

Something inside Jiang Xi was slowly softening. She was surprised by her own reaction and knew that being soft-hearted now was not a wise choice.

This was not a good sign, so she put her things down and quickly found something else to do.

Later that evening, Yan Zheng and Yan Jing'an returned with a cartload of timber.

Yan Jing'an was very surprised to see the things on the table. He picked up the round fruit and asked Jiang Xi where it came from.

Jiang Xi told the two of them everything that the child had given her that day, including the child's thanks!

She originally thought that Yan Zheng and Yan Jing'an would refuse her contact with him, but unexpectedly Yan Jing'an said slyly, "Next time, don't let others return empty-handed. At least give them a return gift."

His attitude surprised Jiang Xi. She glanced at Yan Jing'an, chuckled, and asked, "What are you up to now?"

Having known each other for so long, he understood Yan Jing'an's personality; he was the type who wouldn't act until he saw the benefits.

Now they're even telling her to prepare a return gift.

Something was definitely amiss, but no matter what Jiang Xi asked him, he wouldn't say anything.

Finally, Jiang Xi asked Yan Zheng instead, "Do you know what he's planning?"

Yan Zheng initially pretended to be innocent and said he didn't know, but Jiang Xi kept nagging at his ear for a long time.

Yan Zheng surrendered with both hands when asked: "This child is obviously more familiar with this forest. With his help, we will find more useful things and ingredients."

"Since he intends to get along well with us, we should of course be magnanimous like adults. Next time he comes, just do as Yan Jing'an says, give him something in return, and express our goodwill."

Jiang Xi suddenly realized what was going on after hearing this.

He said that given Yan Jing'an's eccentricities, how could he suddenly accept the kindness of an outsider? It seems that there is still a time when he needs the help of others.

Yan Zheng pinched her nose and said, "There's only one rule: don't get too close to him, be careful, and tell me immediately if anything seems wrong."

"Okay, okay, I understand."

Jiang Xi readily agreed, but in her heart she was thinking: What gift should I give in return?

Red dates are fine, but dried mushrooms won't do; he probably doesn't know how to start a fire for cooking.

Alternatively, you can prepare cooked food or snacks.

Clothes should be fine too, right?