The next morning, Shen Yanming and Bi Qiaoan got up, washed up, and checked out of the house.
After putting the luggage in the back seat, Shen Yanming opened the trunk. Bi Qiaoan was stunned by the sight of the trunk overflowing with smoked meat.
"Even though bacon has a long shelf life, it'll probably spoil if I put it in the trunk, right?"
Shen Yanming nodded: "I asked around, and they said that if it's sealed in a jar, it can be preserved for a year."
"Sealing the jar? That means putting it in a jar?"
"Yes, you need to heat the cooking oil, let it cool, and then pour it into the jar. The amount of oil should be enough to completely submerge the smoked meat."
Bi Qiaoan pouted, "This is too much trouble. It would be better to seal it in a vacuum bag."
Shen Yanming smiled and said, "That's true. Let's leave first and then find an opportunity to see how to handle it."
"Alright!" Bi Qiaoan nodded, went into the room and carried An'an out. Shen Yanming followed closely behind, carrying Nuannuan out.
The two babies were still asleep and didn't wake up even when someone put them in the car. Bi Qiaoan said worriedly, "They have no sense of vigilance at all; they didn't even realize someone had taken them away."
Shen Yanming comforted her, "The child is still young and loves to sleep. He'll be fine when he grows up."
Bi Qiaoan nodded and didn't say anything more.
Shen Yanming drove towards Rongbai Mountain, following the navigation. It wasn't until almost noon that he arrived at his destination.
An'an and Nuannuan woke up around nine o'clock. Bi Qiao'an used her mind to make formula for the two babies and wiped their little faces with a damp towel. The two little ones held their bottles and looked out the window, not missing a thing.
The family of four got off the bus and headed towards the ticket office, only to find that it was closed.
The couple looked bewildered, carrying their two children as they walked towards the entrance. There was a staff member there, though.
"Hey, what are you doing?"
"Hello, we're here to have some fun. Why is there no one at the ticket office?" Shen Yanming asked someone.
The person looked at him like he was crazy, shook his head, and said, "Nobody comes here for tourism anymore, they've all gone out of business!"
"Then why are you still here...?"
"I'm only keeping watch here because I'm afraid some unsuspecting people might come looking for trouble. You guys should go back; we haven't maintained or managed this place for years, it's not safe."
Shen Yanming looked troubled: "Fellow villager, we've come from a very, very far place. It would be such a waste to turn back now. How about this, we'll just look around nearby and not go any deeper?"
The administrator glanced at their license plate and, thinking that people often came to the entrance to pick wild vegetables and mushrooms anyway, nodded: "Alright, you can just look around nearby, but don't go too far! There are local residents picking mountain products inside, so follow them and don't get lost."
Shen Yanming nodded. "Okay, don't worry."
"Yes, you need to be out by six o'clock at the latest, otherwise I'll have to close up here. Don't take this lightly; there have been wolves in these mountains in the last two years," the administrator reminded them.
"Okay, we understand."
Shen Yanming and Bi Qiaoan took their two children into the mountains. They originally planned to explore the area, but their camping plans were ruined because Rongbai Mountain Forest Park had been neglected for a long time.
"In that case, let's take a look around the area. In a few hours, we can reach the nearest mountaintop and gaze at the distant, rolling mountains."
Bi Qiaoan nodded, "Okay!"
An'an and Nuannuan stepped into the lush green forest, feeling a surge of excitement. Their eyes darted around, looking left and right.
Finally, unable to contain himself any longer, he slid off the couple's embrace and walked on the mountain path by himself.
The family of four walked into the mountains for less than half an hour before they met the locals the administrator had mentioned.
They looked up in shock, somewhat bewildered by the well-dressed family of four.
The couple smiled kindly at everyone and were about to leave when an older woman suddenly shouted, "Who are you? What are you doing here?"
"Hello, aunties, we've come from out of town. We originally planned to bring our children to see the scenery of Rongbai Mountain and broaden their horizons, but we didn't expect it to be closed to the public now."
Seeing that it wasn't those people who came to cause trouble, the woman lowered her guard and said with a smile, "There's nothing to see, just grass and trees. Nobody's taken care of it, so it's all grown up in a mess. Don't wander around, things haven't been stable around here for the past two years, there have been landslides and stuff all the time, it's not safe."
You two just wander around the neighborhood, and when it gets dark, take the children home, okay?
Bi Qiaoan nodded, "Thank you for reminding me, Auntie." Then she glanced at the other person's basket and asked, "What are you picking?"
The woman put the basket behind her and said, "Young lady, don't be too curious."
Bi Qiaoan felt a little embarrassed, her cheeks flushing red.
Shen Yanming half-huddled around her, patting her arm to comfort her. He smiled and said, "You've misunderstood. We just came from Simon City and got a lot of smoked meat there. If there are any good mountain products here, we can try to trade some too."
The woman's eyes lit up, and she asked incredulously, "Young man, are you serious?"
"Of course, the car is in the parking lot. We always inspect the goods on the spot when we exchange them, so no one can lie to anyone else."
The aunt nodded hurriedly, "Okay, okay, young man, take your time wandering around. When you get down the mountain, be sure to come to my house to find me. I live in Jintao Village at the foot of the mountain. My name is Jin Guihua."
Several middle-aged women who had been listening to the commotion quickly chimed in, "Young man, we're from the same village as her. If you have any extra meat, how about we trade some? We have dried mushrooms and bamboo shoots, as well as chestnuts and hazelnuts. Whatever you want, come over and we'll talk about it."
Shen Yanming nodded, "Sure! It would be even better if someone would be willing to let us stay the night."
Upon hearing this, Jin Guihua waved her hand and said, "Why ask them? They're staying at my house. Auntie will cook delicious food for you."
Shen Yanming smiled and said, "Auntie, then I'll take my leave."
"Hey, what are you talking about? Just come on over." Jin Guihua knew perfectly well that she wouldn't lose out on this deal.
Since they dared to come out and have fun, and even brought meat, it means they have the financial means. Staying at someone's house is just a one-night stand; surely they'll give you some compensation when they leave, right?
The couple greeted the older women and then left. They took An'an and Nuan'nuan's hands and walked along the path into the mountains.
Along the way, the couple quietly scattered a lot of medicinal herb seeds at suitable locations.
An'an and Nuannuan didn't know what their parents were doing. They thought they were picking wildflowers, so they also scrambled to pick some.
But the mountain path was narrow, with one side clinging to a cliff, so how could the two of them let the babies roam freely? They could only hold their little hands and find a safe spot for the two children to pick a few flowers as a token gesture.
After finally reaching the summit, the couple gazed at the rolling mountains and were utterly awestruck. Even their two children let out a "Wow!" to express their excitement.
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