Li Xiangdong looked the young man up and down suspiciously, his excitement overflowing. Was he trying to take advantage of him because he was a child and his mother was a weak woman?

"Third sister, what's this?"

Luo Yonggang pointed at Li Xiangdong and asked Zhao Sufang.

"This is your second nephew, Xiang Dong."

Luo Yonggang carefully took out a piece of paper from his pocket. "Xiang Dong, you sent the telegram, didn't you?"

Li Xiangdong took the telegram, which was indeed from him: "Uncle, arrive at Hongxing Commune in three days. Li Xiangdong."

The three recognized each other, and Luo Yonggang continued driving the train.

Are you afraid I'm a bad person?

Luo Yonggang asked Li Xiangdong with a smile, "The way you were so wary just now, you looked like a little tiger in the mountains about to eat someone!"

Li Xiangdong was a little embarrassed; his uncle had a sharp eye!

"I'm a little scared because I don't know anyone or anything in these mountains."

Luo Yonggang nodded. "Ever since I received the telegram, I've been going to the commune every day to wait for you. Yesterday, a woman in her forties asked if there was an oxcart going to Liangbo Brigade. I thought it was my third sister. Maybe I was too enthusiastic and scared her away!"

Hahahaha—

Zhao Sufang and her son were amused by Luo Yonggang and laughed heartily, feeling a little touched as well.

"I knew it was you the moment I saw Third Sister's face. Third Sister, you look exactly like Mother."

“Your eyes are just like your mother’s.” Zhao Sufang looked at Luo Yonggang, her heart filled with mixed emotions.

The three chatted and laughed, and soon became acquainted. The journey of several hours passed in a flash.

Luo Yonggang first went to the brigade headquarters to return the oxcart, and then led the two men up the mountain along the winding mountain path.

After climbing for two hours, we finally saw three wooden houses. The wood was black and looked quite old, and many succulents grew on the black tiles on the roof.

Luo Yonggang, carrying two bags, strode into the house. "Mom, Dad, my third sister is here, along with my second nephew!"

Zhao Sufang was panting heavily, her legs felt heavy, and she could barely move. Li Xiangdong helped his mother slowly climb up.

"Sufang! Sufang!"

A weak yet urgent voice came through.

Zhao Sufang trembled, as if endless power was flowing from the soles of her feet to her whole body. She brushed away Li Xiangdong's hand and took three steps at a time towards the source of the sound.

A thin old woman with gray hair tied in a bun at the back of her head, wearing a black coat and trousers with the cuffs tied up.

She was using a cane, with Luo Yonggang supporting her on the other side.

Tears streamed down the old man's cloudy eyes as he strained to look at his daughter, whom he longed for day and night.

Zhao Sufang saw the old woman, but stopped in her tracks. She was a little at a loss. In her memory, her mother was in her prime, with a straight back and beautiful face, but the old woman in front of her...

The old man recognized Zhao Sufang immediately, "Sufang—"

"I'm so sorry, Mother!"

Zhao Sufang suddenly felt wronged and upset, her heart filled with bitterness, like a child wanting to rush into her mother's arms and cry her heart out.

Zhao Sufang and her daughter Liu Jiangsu were crying and laughing. Liu Jiangsu held Zhao Sufang tightly in her arms and wouldn't let go.

Luo Yonggang took this opportunity to introduce his father, Luo Hongkai, and his nephew, Li Xiangdong.

This was the first time Luo Hongkai had met Li Xiangdong, but it was the second time Li Xiangdong had met his stepfather.

My stepfather wasn't a bad person, he was just a bit quiet.

The three men sat in the room, exchanging a few words now and then, but their attention was always on the two women.

Half an hour later, Grandma was still wiping away tears. Li Xiangdong couldn't sit still any longer and stepped forward to persuade her, "Mom, Grandma has just recovered from a serious illness. It's best not to be overly happy or sad. Don't make Grandma cry anymore, okay!"

Zhao Sufang wiped away her tears. "You're right. Mother, how are you feeling? Yonggang said you were unconscious?"

“Mother is much better. I found two Ganoderma lucidum plants on the mountain a few days ago and gave them to her to help her recover.”

It turns out that in his past life, my uncle went up the mountain to find Ganoderma lucidum.

Zhao Sufang nodded, "I went to the doctor in the east and got a few doses of Shengmai Yin. I brought the medicine with me, and I'll brew it for my mother later."

Luo Yonggang then introduced his father to his third sister, and Zhao Sufang called him Uncle Luo.

Luo Hongkai's voice trembled slightly, "Oh, oh, my girl has grown so much. Back then, your mother and I were going to steal you away and take you with us, but who knew..."

"Old Luo, let's not talk about the past. It's getting late, let's cook!"

Grandma Liu Jiangsu interrupted Grandpa's words.

Grandpa listened to Grandma and busied himself starting a fire and cooking, while Luo Yonggang went to help.

Dinner consisted of a pot of broad bean and cured pork rice, a plate of stir-fried mushrooms, a plate of green vegetables, and a bowl of pheasant soup.

"These are mushrooms your uncle specially picked up in the mountains and hunted pheasants, just waiting for you to come and eat together!"

Whether it was seeing her daughter or not, the grandmother's face was glowing and she was in high spirits. During the meal, she did nothing but serve food to Zhao Sufang and soup to Li Xiangdong.

They ate the meal clean, and because Li Xiangdong and his mother were tired from their long journey, they didn't talk much that night and went to bed.

Although it was the height of summer, the mountain breeze was cool. In the middle of the night, the wind blew in through the cracks in the wood, and Li Xiangdong pulled the blanket tightly up to his neck.

The air was filled with the fresh scent of wood, the birds sang in the forest, and a refreshing breeze blew through the mountains. For the first time since his rebirth, Li Xiangdong had a good night's sleep without breaking a sweat!

I opened my eyes, stretched, and took a few breaths of the fresh mountain air. It felt so good!

After finishing breakfast, Li Xiangdong went back to bed for a nap. After two days of eating and sleeping like this, he finally felt that he was back to normal.

He stretched his arms and legs, and his eyes immediately fell on his uncle's hunting rifle. It was heavy in his hands, and the barrel was shiny black. Li Xiangdong touched the rifle with great affection.

He was really eager to try it.

"Xiangdong, let's go mushroom picking!"

Luo Yonggang suddenly spoke from behind.

"OK!"

Li Xiangdong is very interested in mushroom picking!

"No way!" Grandpa said in a low voice, "The mountain is full of mosquitoes, snakes, and poisonous insects. What if we get bitten?"

"I'm here, aren't I? And we have insect repellent. We're just on the edge of the mountain, not deep in the mountains!"

Luo Yonggang took the shotgun from Li Xiangdong.

My goodness, my second nephew is so young, yet he's holding onto the gun and won't let go. What if it accidentally goes off?

Li Xiangdong didn't know that picking mushrooms was an idea his uncle suggested to distract him from the gun. "Yeah, we can just use bamboo poles to rummage through the grass first. As the saying goes, 'beat the grass to scare the snake!'"

Luo Hongkai said helplessly, "I'll go with you."

He's an experienced mountain runner; if anything unexpected happens, his presence will be helpful.

Zhao Sufang was a little worried, "Is it safe in the mountains...?"

Liu Jiangsu comforted her with a smile, "With your brother and Uncle Luo here, there won't be any problems. Let the child go to the mountains to relax and clear his mind. Don't always keep him locked up in the house."

"It's been raining these past few days, so the mushrooms in the woods are probably all out. Pick a lot, dry them, and you can keep them for winter."