Chapter 29 was very fruitful.

A strong wind picked up in the afternoon, blowing away the clouds and making the temperature seem to drop a bit.

Molly, Grandma Ji, and others warmed themselves by the fire, while Ji Liangyou went to clean the cowshed and feed the cows.

"Grandma, do you have enough firewood?" There are mountains behind the farm, planted with trees, and traces of logging can be seen.

“That’s enough. If it’s not enough, that’s fine too. There’s no farm work in winter. Your parents, your aunt, and your cousin will all go up the mountain to cut timber. The farm only needs the big tree trunks; we can bring back the small branches.” Grandma Ji pointed outside the house. “It’s right behind here. When the trees are sold, the farm makes money, and they’ll give us some of it. We’ll then buy daily necessities from the farm.”

What Grandma Ji didn't say was that the farm paid very little; cutting wood for a month might only earn you one yuan.

The mountains behind the farm were lush and verdant, with vegetation that looked even more abundant than in Xiaonan Village. Molly wondered what kind of produce grew there. Grandma Ji asked, but Grandma Ji shook her head. "They go up the mountain to cut wood, and I go to clean the cowshed. I've never been up there. Your parents and aunt used to be waited on hand and foot; even if there were good things on the mountain, they wouldn't recognize them. But I've heard that many villagers from nearby go up the mountain, so they must have made some harvests."

Molly blinked. "I'll go for a walk in the mountains tomorrow."

“You’re going alone? No, there are wild animals in the mountains, it’s dangerous.” Grandma Ji disagreed.

Molly laughed, "It's good to have wild animals around, I'm very good at hunting. I'll be leaving first thing tomorrow morning, so don't worry if you don't see me when you wake up."

Grandma Ji wanted to persuade her further, but Molly grabbed Grandma Ji's hand and said solemnly, "There will be no danger, Grandma, trust me."

Grandma Ji opened her mouth, then closed it again, "Don't go to the deep places."

Molly cooked dinner, a large cured pork leg weighing about ten pounds. There was only a chipped kitchen knife in the thatched hut, which Molly used to slice the meat off the pork leg. She didn't dare use the knife to chop the bones, so she picked up a stone outside and used it to smash the pork leg bones.

There was a good amount of pork leg meat, but Molly only cooked a third of it, which weighed over three pounds. All the bones were stewed, and the meat chunks and radishes were added after stewing for half an hour, filling the entire earthenware pot.

The corn porridge was cooked until soft and mushy, not thick, and even a little thin, much like the soy milk that Uncle Wu brought today.

Molly didn't like this soft, mushy porridge, so she only served herself half a bowl. She didn't eat freely in front of the Ji family, only eating until she was about 60% full at the first two meals, but that was about the same amount as Ji Herun's appetite, so the Ji family didn't think she would go hungry.

There was even more meat at dinner, and Molly put a few more pieces of stewed meat on Grandpa Ji's plate. The old man gave a proud snort, "You've made progress, girl."

Molly rolled her eyes at him. "It's no use praising me. You still eat a bowl of food per meal."

The old man's face stiffened for a moment, but he quickly regained his composure and retorted, "Do I look like the kind of person who lacks discretion?"

Molly: "I didn't say that."

"Molly, sit down and eat. Don't mind him," Grandma Ji said.

Molly sat next to Grandma Ji, with Grandma Ji on her other side. As soon as she sat down, Grandma Ji put a bone on her plate, while Grandma Ji put a piece of meat on her plate. Molly also put a piece of meat on each of their plates.

No one spoke at the dinner table, not because the Ji family had a rule against talking while eating, but simply because they were hungry and the food smelled so good that their attention was focused on eating.

After finishing all the food, Ji Liangyou let out a burp, rubbed his stomach, and smiled sheepishly, "It's been a long time since I've eaten this much."

The others laughed too. It hadn't been that long, had it? Before they were sent down, they weren't short of money, but they usually only ate until they were about 70-80% full. After being sent down, they were lucky not to starve, let alone have enough to eat.

After dinner, Molly took the quilt she had brought that morning back home. When Ji's mother saw this, she took the corduroy fabric and the newly made clothes to Ji's grandfather's bed and instructed Ji Liangyou, "After you've cleaned up Dad's body, cover him with these clothes and fabric after he falls asleep."

Ji Liangyou nodded, "Okay, I understand."

But Mrs. Ji was worried. "It's cold at night. Remember to get up and start a fire. Be careful of the flames, or the house will burn down."

Ji Liangyou smiled somewhat helplessly, "You mention it every day, and I've always remembered it."

Mrs. Ji glared at him. "Do you think I'm being long-winded?"

Ji Liangyou hurriedly replied, "I wouldn't dare."

Tonight, Molly wiped her body with hot water, and after wiping herself, she put on her thermal underwear and went to bed.

The others were also in the room, and seeing her move so quickly and nimbly, like a rabbit, they couldn't help but want to laugh.

When Molly saw that her mother was picking up her clothes, she quickly stopped her, "Mom, don't wash my clothes. I'm going to the mountains tomorrow, so I'll wear dirty clothes."

Mrs. Ji was taken aback, but helped her leave her outer pants and coat, saying, "Don't wash the outer ones, I'll wash the inner ones for you."

"Hey, no." Molly had no intention of letting Ji Hefeng's mother do her laundry.

But Mrs. Ji wouldn't listen to her. "It's just two pieces of clothing. I'll just wash them."

Molly pursed her lips, feeling inexplicably guilty. It seemed that Mrs. Ji really treated her as her daughter-in-law, but her relationship with Ji Hefeng... She married Ji Hefeng only for his house.

That night, Molly dreamed of Ji Hefeng. Ji Hefeng was lying on the ground covered in blood. When he saw Molly, he smiled and asked her, "Have you met my mom, dad, grandpa, and grandma?"

Molly nodded. "Yes, I saw you."

Ji Hefeng then asked, "Do they like you?"

Molly shook her head. "I don't know."

Ji Hefeng laughed again, "Then of course you like them. What about you, do you like them?"

Molly nodded. "I kind of like it."

Ji Hefeng was taken aback, his expression suddenly turning serious. "Molly, how about I give you my family?"

Molly woke up at this point.

The wind was howling outside, and the rain had stopped.

Molly was no longer sleepy. She got up quietly and dressed.

"Where to?" Mrs. Ji asked softly.

“Let’s go up the mountain.” Molly picked up the burlap sack she had packed yesterday and placed by the door. “If I come back late tonight, don’t worry, don’t wait for me.”

Mrs. Ji was still worried, "Won't you eat something before you go?"

Molly chuckled softly, "I'll go eat in the mountains."

Mrs. Ji didn't know what was in the mountains; she was just worried. "You'll come back, right?"

“Of course. My things are still here,” Molly replied affirmatively.

Molly went out, and Mrs. Ji watched her figure disappear into the night from the doorway. After a long while, she turned back and closed the door.

She went back to bed, and Grandma Ji turned over and asked her, "Isn't Molly nice?"

Mrs. Ji couldn't quite explain it. She was unhappy that Molly hadn't gone to school and didn't have a diploma, but having Molly around made her feel inexplicably at ease.

“I think she and Xiaofeng are a good match. She has her own opinions, and Xiaofeng needs someone like her to manage the household,” Grandma Ji said.

Mrs. Ji did not deny Molly's competence.

Grandma Ji laughed, seemingly thinking of something. "Besides, she's so beautiful, and Xiao Feng is beautiful too. Their child will definitely be beautiful."

When the child was mentioned, Ji's mother couldn't help but feel hopeful. "I'll have Xia An tell He Feng that when Molly is old enough, we'll take her with us to join the army."

Molly sped along, passing through the logging area without stopping, heading straight deeper into the woods. The deeper she went, the more lush the vegetation became, but she didn't encounter any living creatures along the way; instead, she heard birdsong coming from the distant cliffs.

She continued deeper into the area, and as dawn broke, she spotted two brightly colored pheasants.

With just one glance, Molly captured the two pheasants, tied their feet and wings, and put them into a sack.

After harvesting two pheasants, Molly discovered a mouse hole. The mud at the entrance of the hole was fresh, indicating that it had been recently dug out, suggesting that there must be a mouse inside.

Without hesitation, Molly extended her tentacles along the opening and pulled out a plump, shiny mountain rat. The rat squeaked, and the tentacles suddenly tightened, snapping its neck.

After catching the first one, Molly felt like she had discovered a new continent. She stopped focusing on the surface and started paying attention to the underground. Before long, she found two more rat holes and caught three fat mountain rats.

Molly didn't know if the Ji family could accept the mountain rat, so she didn't plan to take it back. She found a place with water, started a fire, and roasted the mountain rat.

The mountain rats sizzled and dripped with oil, smelling even better than roasted rabbit or pheasant. No seasoning was needed, just a sprinkle of salt, and it was delicious. Except for the heads and tails, Molly ate the three mountain rats clean; this was the first time in two days that she had eaten her fill.

Continuing into the mountains, Molly spotted a squirrel. When she saw what the squirrel was holding in its hands, her eyes lit up – it was chestnuts.

There were a few chestnut trees not far away. Due to the drought, the chestnuts did not bear many fruits this year, and the fruits were not big or plump, but Molly did not mind.

Chestnuts are powdery, soft, fragrant, and sweet; they can be eaten as a staple food or cooked as a side dish.

"Go and cut down the trees. Keep an eye out for Molly later," Grandma Ji instructed Ji Liangyou and the others.

Ji Liangyou nodded, "Yes, we'll keep an eye on it. Mom, please be careful when you go to clean the cowshed; the ground is slippery, don't fall. Leave the cow dung there and don't touch it; I'll collect it when I get back tonight."

Grandma Ji was worried about Ji Liangyou and the others who went into the mountains, and Ji Liangyou was also worried about Grandma Ji being alone at home. However, what they were most worried about was Molly who went into the mountains.

By this time, Molly had already collected a whole sack of chestnuts. She had picked up all the ones on the ground and knocked them down from the trees, leaving only a few at the very top.

Molly, carrying a sack of chestnuts and two pheasants, continued her journey through the woods. She was lucky; she found kudzu roots in a ravine. Looking at the sky, she realized it was still early, but her sack couldn't hold much more. After digging up this patch of kudzu, she had to turn back.

It had just rained yesterday, and Molly dug up the kudzu roots from the ground with almost no effort. Before she knew it, she had dug up too many.

Looking at the kudzu root that weighed two or three hundred pounds, Molly had a headache. She had only brought two sacks, one with chestnuts and the other with two pheasants. She could carry the pheasants by hand, but one sack couldn't hold two or three hundred pounds of kudzu root.

It seems I'll have to come back tomorrow.

Molly descended the mountain at lightning speed. She deliberately avoided the logging area and the villagers coming up the mountain. Her figure was like a ghost; only the grass and trees could be seen swaying, but she could not be seen.

Ji Liangyou and others didn't come back for lunch, so Grandma Ji only cooked for herself and her husband. Lunch consisted of kudzu root slices, lean meat, and dried vegetables cooked together. The smoked meat already contained salt, so no additional salt was needed when cooking. No other seasonings were added either. It had a very simple and original flavor, but it was very fragrant.

Grandpa Ji ate a bowl and wanted more, but Grandma Ji didn't give him any.

"You ate two bowls by yourself," Grandpa Ji said angrily.

Grandma Ji was washing the dishes with hot water nearby, not even looking up. "There's still some in the pot. I'll get you another bowl in an hour or two."

"But I'm still hungry." Grandpa Ji really wanted to eat; he felt he had only eaten half a meal.

"Then one hour, I'll give you another bowl in an hour." Grandma Ji washed the dishes, cleaned the house, lit the fire, and then went out.

She also had other chores to do, such as taking the cattle out for a walk with Lao Wu and others.

The cattle grazing area wasn't far. Grandma Ji timed it, and after about an hour, she came back, scooped up the remaining kudzu root paste for Grandpa Ji, and then hurriedly went out again.

She had barely left when Molly returned.

She carried a burlap sack in each hand and had two chickens hanging from her waist. Grandpa Ji was stunned by her appearance.

"I'm back," Molly greeted him, went straight to pour herself a bowl of water, gulped it down, then found some dried sweet potatoes and dried meat, chewed them with her sharp teeth, quickly finished them, and then drank another bowl of water.

"I'm going back to catch up on some sleep. I'll cook dinner when I wake up."

After saying that, Molly left.

Grandpa Ji: "......."

He looked at the two pheasants whose wings, feet, and beaks were bound, then at the two large sacks, his curiosity piqued. What was in the sacks? Where did she get all this stuff? Had she been discovered on her way back?

Molly fell asleep almost instantly after lying down, and woke up after two hours. It got dark quickly in winter, and the sky was already quite dark; the lumberjacks hadn't returned yet. She got dressed and went to the house next door.

The old man had just woken up, and when he saw Molly come in, he quickly asked, "What's in the bag?"

"Chestnuts and kudzu root, brought back from the mountains. I'll cook you chestnut stewed chicken for dinner." Molly poured out a basket of chestnuts, took a knife, and sat by the fire to peel the chestnuts.

"Roasted chestnuts are delicious too, I'll roast a few for you."

When the chestnuts in their shells were put into the fire, they burst open in no time, startling Grandpa Ji.

Molly took out the popped chestnuts, removed the shells, blew on them in her palm, and placed them on the stool in front of the bed. "Please help yourself to eat them."

Grandpa Ji felt that Molly's behavior was just like coaxing a child, but the chestnuts smelled so good that he couldn't resist the temptation. He put the steaming chestnuts into his mouth, bit into them, and found them to be powdery, sweet, and indeed delicious.

Molly roasted a few herself, and after eating them, she continued peeling chestnuts.

A basket full of chestnuts, after shelling, was left with only a plate.

The pheasant was still alive. Molly took a knife and slit its throat, then collected the blood in a basin, planning to make a soup with the blood and dried vegetables that evening.

"How did you manage to bring all that stuff back by yourself?" Master Ji was genuinely curious.

“I’m strong.” Molly said seriously.

She put the chicken in the fire to burn off the feathers, and then washed the chicken's body with water.

"Shall we have smoked meat and mixed grain rice tonight?" Molly asked.

Old Master Ji didn't understand this, so he said, "You can arrange it as you see fit."

Molly nodded. "Then it's decided."

Logging is hard work, so you should eat well, otherwise you'll wear yourself out and won't be able to keep going.

Molly put mixed grains into the earthenware pot, then placed a few slices of smoked bacon with alternating layers of fat and lean meat on top, and simmered it over a low flame. Next, she started chopping chicken; she didn't throw away the giblets, keeping them to make soup with the chicken blood later.

The pheasant was very thin, so Molly first put a few pieces of fatty wild boar meat at the bottom of the pot, then added the chicken, and finally the chestnuts.

She found a few pieces of ginger in the corner, washed them, smashed them, and threw them into the pot.

Cover the earthenware pot with a lid, and then place a layer of loofah sponge on the lid to prevent the meat aroma from escaping.