One hundred yuan is a huge sum of money these days.
Even an average family might not earn that much in a year.
That is to say, the workers in the factory are treated better, and they can earn thirty or forty yuan a month, which is equivalent to three months' wages.
Yi'an was raising his frail and sickly younger sister alone, and they lived in poverty. This money might tempt him.
Looking into Xu Xinghe's eyes, Uncle Li knew she had made up her mind. He sighed, "Why are you so stubborn? It's really not safe in those mountains. What if something happens? How am I supposed to explain this to Political Commissar Wang?"
"Uncle Li, don't worry, I will take good care of myself." As she spoke, Xu Xinghe had already taken out a wad of cash from her pocket.
It's all a collective effort, no more, no less, exactly one hundred.
Looking at the stack of money, Uncle Li felt a mix of emotions.
After hesitating for a moment, he finally agreed, "Alright, I'll go to his house tonight and ask. But I can't guarantee he'll agree. Yi'an is stubborn, but deep down he's not a greedy person."
"Thank you, Uncle Li." Xu Xinghe breathed a sigh of relief. "No matter the outcome, I'm grateful for your help."
After Uncle Li left, Xu Xinghe returned to the house and entered the space again.
She took the piece of fabric from the wooden cabinet, carefully wrapped it in clean oil paper, wrote a short note explaining the origin of the fabric and the information on the note, and put it all into a small sealed iron box.
This is something to be handed over to the military liaison; it must be kept safe.
She planned to wait for Uncle Li to return, and regardless of whether Yi An agreed or not, she would go to the contact point first thing tomorrow morning to deliver the fabric, and then make further plans.
If Yi'an agrees, she will go into the mountains as soon as possible.
If they disagree, she will have to find a way herself, even if it means taking a risk, she must go to Black Wind Ridge.
As night deepened, Xu Xinghe sat at the stone table, waiting quietly.
She didn't know if Uncle Li could persuade Yi'an, nor did she know what awaited her in Black Wind Ridge, but she knew that time was of the essence, and every minute wasted increased the danger to Jiang Linchuan.
For the sake of her identity and her own safety, she had already wasted several days. Now that she had discovered a clue, she didn't want to wait a minute longer!
As night deepened, the smoke from the chimneys in Lijia'ao had long since dissipated, with only a few households still keeping their kerosene lamps lit.
Uncle Li walked into Yi An's house under the cover of night and gently knocked on the dilapidated wooden door.
A slight noise came from inside the room. A moment later, the door was opened a crack, and Yi An's tall and slender figure appeared behind it.
He was wearing a faded short-sleeved shirt, his bangs soaked with sweat and plastered to his dark forehead. He looked at Uncle Li outside the door with some surprise, "Uncle Li? What brings you here so late?"
"I have something urgent to discuss with you. Let's go inside."
“Okay.” Yi An stepped aside and led Uncle Li into the house.
Uncle Li's gaze passed over him and caught a glimpse of what appeared to be a figure lying on the bed under the dim yellow light in the room.
Yi An stepped aside to let him in, then closed the wooden door behind her, lowering her voice, "My little sister caught a chill and just lay down."
The room was simply furnished, with only a worn-out wooden table and two chairs, and some dried herbs piled up in the corner.
On the earthen bed at the back, Yi Nian lay covered with a thin quilt. Her face was pale and bloodless, her brows were slightly furrowed, and her breathing was a little rapid. She was obviously still running a fever.
Hearing the noise, she opened her eyes with difficulty, saw Uncle Li, and weakly forced a smile, "Uncle Li... hello."
"Oh, Niannian, be good, go to sleep." Uncle Li walked over quietly, touched her forehead, and couldn't help but sigh at the burning temperature. "Still running a fever? Haven't you taken her to see a doctor?"
"I took some herbs, let's try them first." Yi An brought over a bowl of cold water and placed it on the table, her voice low, "We're short on money at home."
If the younger sister were in better health, perhaps they could live a good life, and even have some money to spare.
It really proves the saying: "Anything but illness, anything but poverty."
Even if he went hunting every day and returned with a full load, it still wouldn't be enough.
Even the house we used to live in is now down to just this one room.
Uncle Li didn't say anything more, and pulled Yi'an to the outside courtyard.
Yi An stood in the moonlight with her arms crossed, looking calmly at Uncle Li. "Uncle Li, what brings you here so late?"
"I've found you a job that will earn you some money, but it's a bit risky. Let's see if you dare to do it." Uncle Li got straight to the point, his gaze fixed on his face, observing his reaction.
Yi An raised an eyebrow. "Hunting? Or what kind of prey do you want?"
“It’s not hunting,” Uncle Li sighed. “It’s about taking someone into the mountains to two places: Black Wind Ridge and Eagle Beak Cliff. As long as you get her safely to the destination and escort her safely back out after she’s done, I’ll give you one hundred yuan.”
"One hundred yuan?" Yi An's pupils contracted sharply, and his previously calm eyes instantly became turbulent.
He squinted, scrutinizing Uncle Li with great vigilance. "Uncle Li, how do you know someone who can come up with so much money? Who is this person? Could he be one of those city folks who want to go into the mountains to hunt tigers?"
“I’m not doing this job. I’m short of money, but I value my life more. They’re only asking me to lead the way. What if we get into the mountains and they change their minds and make me fight the tiger or do something else dangerous? Who can I complain to? My little sister is waiting for me at home. I can’t let anything happen to her.”
"Don't worry, the person I introduce is absolutely reliable. I've watched you grow up since you were a child, would I ever harm you?" Uncle Li quickly waved his hand, "I just need you to lead the way, you don't need to worry about anything else. What she does or what she looks for is none of your business. You just need to make sure she is safely brought in and out."
"Who exactly is it?" Yi An pressed. "Is it a wealthy person from town? Or a merchant from out of town?"
Uncle Li hesitated for a moment, but finally told the truth, "No, it's Xiao Ya, who just came to my house, Su Xiao."
"Su Xiao?" Yi An was stunned for a moment, his brows furrowing even more. The image of the outsider girl with a birthmark on her face, who had kept her head down and dared not look at anyone, immediately flashed into his mind.
"Her? What would a girl from out of town be doing in a place like Black Wind Ridge? And why would she specifically go to Eagle's Beak Cliff? That place is all cliffs and thorns, what's so great about it?"
"She didn't actually come here to visit relatives. Someone in her family is seriously ill and needs a rare medicinal herb that can only be found near Eagle's Beak Cliff, so she's willing to pay a high price to have someone guide her."
Uncle Li responded as he had agreed with Xu Xinghe beforehand, "This girl is stubborn and determined to go. You can't persuade her otherwise. You know, one hundred yuan is not a small amount. It's enough to pay for Niannian's medical treatment for a long time. Maybe we can even take her to a big hospital for a check-up. In case it can cure the root cause."
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