Yi An paused in her washing of clothes, but without turning around, she simply hummed in response.
"Didn't you say you weren't going?" Yi Nian's voice was hoarse. "You said just a few days ago that the mountains weren't safe and that you should go into the mountains less often in the future..."
She knows her brother too well.
Before each trip into the mountains, he would do this: finish all the chores he could at home, fill the water tank, and wash the clothes, as if... he would never come back.
When she was little, she didn't understand; she just thought her brother was very hardworking.
When she grew up, she realized that her brother had made the worst-case scenario plan, fearing that if something happened to him, at least she would suffer less when living alone.
Yi An stopped what she was doing, turned around and looked at Yi Nian. Her face was still expressionless, but her tone softened a bit. "This time is different. I can earn some money to pay for your medical treatment and buy you some nutritional supplements."
"I don't want money, and I don't want nutritional supplements." Yi Nian shook her head, tears streaming down her face. "I just want my brother to be safe and sound. Please don't go into the mountains, okay? The mountains are so dangerous. What if... what if something happens to you? What will I do all by myself?"
She relied on Yi'an since she was a child. Her parents died early, and her older brother raised her single-handedly.
Her brother was her only family in the world, and she couldn't lose him.
Seeing her younger sister's tears, Yi'an felt a sharp, piercing pain in her heart.
He walked over, took out a piece of hard candy wrapped in a handkerchief from his pocket, and handed it to Yi Nian. "Don't cry, I'll be careful. You stay home and get better. When I come back, I'll take you to the city to see a doctor and buy you the candy you want most."
Yi Nian took the candy, clutching it tightly in her hand, but didn't eat it. She just choked up and said, "Brother, I don't want the candy, and I don't want to see a doctor. I just want you to come back. Promise me you'll come back safe and sound, okay?"
"Okay." Yi An nodded and gently patted Yi Nian's head. "I promise you, I will come back safely."
The dangers of going into the mountains are unknown, and he himself doesn't know whether he can keep his promise.
But sometimes, you have to use white lies.
"Take good care of yourself at home, take your medicine on time, and don't wander around," Yi An instructed. "I've already spoken to Uncle Li. If anything happens, just ask him for help."
With tears in her eyes, Yi Nian nodded emphatically, "I understand, brother. You must be careful when you go into the mountains. If you encounter danger, run away immediately and don't try to tough it out."
"Mm," Yi An replied, turning around to continue tidying the yard.
He also had to chop the firewood, fill the rice jar, and do everything he could think of before he could leave with peace of mind.
Yi Nian stood at the door, watching Yi An's busy figure, her heart filled with unease.
Once Yi'an makes a decision, it's hard to change it.
She could only pray silently in her heart, praying that her brother would return safely.
As the sun rose higher, by afternoon, the clothes in the yard had dried, the firewood was piled up neatly, the rice and water jars were full, and the house and yard were spotless.
Yi'an stopped what she was doing, glanced at the sky, turned around and went into the house. She took out a hunting bow and arrows and a sharpened wood-chopping knife, carefully checked them to make sure there were no problems, then wrapped them in cloth and put them in her bag.
This was his reliance when entering the mountains, and also his weapon for protecting himself.
As night deepened, Yi An stayed by his sister's bedside for most of the night. Only when Yi Nian's breathing became steady and she fell into a deep sleep did he quietly get up and lie down fully clothed at the table.
The night passed exceptionally quickly.
As dawn broke and before the roosters crowed, Yi'an suddenly opened her eyes. Without hesitation, she slung her bag, filled with rations and weapons, gently pushed open the door, and stepped into the morning mist.
He walked briskly straight toward Uncle Li's house.
The village was still shrouded in silence, with only occasional barks of dogs breaking the night sky.
When they arrived at the gate of Uncle Li's house, Yi An gently knocked on the door.
The door opened quickly, and Xu Xinghe was standing behind it, her face still bearing the dark mark of her birthmark.
She changed into a set of durable coarse cloth clothes, carefully tying the trouser legs and wrists with strips of cloth to prevent being scratched by tree branches or bitten by mosquitoes. Her long hair was also tied up high and secured with a wooden hairpin, revealing her smooth forehead. She exuded a neat and capable air.
She carried a rather large bag on her back, which looked quite heavy, presumably containing enough supplies and self-defense items.
Yi An's expression softened slightly, clearly indicating that she was somewhat satisfied with her preparations.
He didn't waste any time with pleasantries, getting straight to the point: "Give me the money, and I'll take it back. Wait for me under the old tree by the river, and don't let anyone see you."
Xu Xinghe nodded, took out a neatly folded handkerchief from her bosom, and handed it over.
Yi An took it, and could feel the thick stack of bills inside. He counted them on the spot, and the brand-new banknotes were neatly stacked together. It was indeed five hundred yuan.
Without saying anything more, he gripped his handkerchief tightly, turned around, and ran home.
His hurried steps caused the wind to lift the hem of his clothes.
When she got home, Yi Nian was still lying in bed with her eyes closed, but her eyelashes were trembling slightly. She was obviously awake, but she didn't want her brother to worry, or rather, she didn't want to face this moment, so she was pretending to be asleep.
Yi An tiptoed to the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed), carefully placed the handkerchief under her pillow, and gently touched her cool cheek.
"Open it after I leave." His voice was very low, with a hint of hoarseness. "Don't tell anyone. No matter who asks, don't say anything. Take good care of yourself."
Yi Nian's eyelashes trembled even more violently, but she still didn't open her eyes, only quietly clenching the blankets beneath her.
Yi An looked at her deeply, as if trying to etch her image into his heart, then turned around abruptly and walked quickly out of the room without any hesitation, closing the dilapidated wooden door behind him once more.
Only when the footsteps outside the courtyard gate completely disappeared did Yi Nian slowly open her eyes, which were already red-rimmed.
She reached out with trembling hands, pulled the handkerchief from under the pillow, and carefully unfolded it.
When she saw the thick stack of brand-new banknotes inside, tears welled up instantly, sliding down her pale cheeks and dripping onto her handkerchief.
In all her life, her brother had never earned so much money.
Most of the money he earned from hunting was used to buy her medicine and nutritional supplements; he himself wouldn't even buy himself a new piece of clothing.
Could such a large sum of money have been earned by my brother at the cost of his life?
Is he really not coming back from this trip into the mountains?
Yi Nian clutched the wad of money tightly, her shoulders trembling violently, and suppressed sobs echoed in the silent room.
She hated her weak body. At this moment, there was nothing she could do but pray in her heart again and again, praying that her brother would come back safely, even if it cost her her life!
Yi'an walked very fast, arriving at the old tree by the river in no more than fifteen minutes.
Xu Xinghe was standing under the tree waiting for him. When she saw him arrive, she immediately asked, "Can we go now?"
Yi An nodded, her gaze sweeping across the river.
The river was shrouded in a thin mist in the early morning, and visibility was low, making it a good time to cross the river.
"Stay close to me and don't make a sound when we cross the river."
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