Kind people saw Jiang Qiao, a young girl, and warned her not to go into the mountains, mainly because there were wolves.
After thanking them, Jiang Qiao continued picking as she walked, but she didn't forget to mark the spot. She wasn't familiar with the area and might get lost. She continued picking as she walked, getting further and further away from the crowd, but she also found more and more good things. Not to mention some good medicinal herbs, there were even more prey.
Jiang Qiao wouldn't hold back if there was something to hunt; she simply planted some hard-to-find medicinal herbs on the ground in her space.
Besides some vegetables and a few fruit trees, there was still a large area left in the space, which was perfect for her to grow medicinal herbs.
She also planted a few wild bamboo shoots in the ground, so it would be convenient to eat bamboo shoots in the future.
Unbeknownst to her, Jiang Qiao wandered deeper and deeper into the woods. By the time she realized it, she had reached the heart of the forest. Feeling somewhat uneasy, she realized she had collected quite a few things in her spatial storage and should return.
But when she turned around, she found a stream in the distance. The problem was, what were those dark, swirling things on the banks of the stream?
Everyone has curiosity, and Jiang Qiao is no exception. As soon as she got close, she felt like vomiting. There were so many snakes! She didn't know why, in the middle of winter, these snakes weren't hibernating and were all out. It was too strange. Could it be that there would be another famine this year?
That's all she could think of. Something was definitely amiss. That was the only thing she could come up with. Wars could only be localized, and large-scale ones were impossible. So the only explanation was probably what she had just thought of.
She initially wanted to leave immediately, but then she thought about it and couldn't bear to go. She didn't like snakes, but they were still meat, and more importantly, snake oil could be made from them. Considering her parents' situation, she couldn't take that step.
He scratched his head, sighed, and turned to face the tangled mass of cold-blooded animals.
Although she doesn't particularly like touching these things, Jiang Qiao is quick when she actually gets her hands on them. Who told them not to hibernate and come out? Now they're all at her mercy.
After collecting the snakes, Jiang Qiao quickly left. It's said that these creatures hold grudges, and since he hadn't found any that were left behind, he'd better get going.
When she arrived in the city, it was almost dark, but she suddenly noticed a strange phenomenon: in a small alley, people were coming and going, and most importantly, there were people keeping watch outside.
Jiang Qiao couldn't figure out what these people did. Judging from their clothes, they all had different identities, but they all looked pretty much the same. They rushed in and didn't see anyone leave.
Her first thought was, "Could this be some kind of shady or evil thing? I've been into it before."
Driven by curiosity, she walked towards that place. Seeing that Jiang Qiao was a young girl carrying a basket, the other person didn't stop her. Once inside, she realized what was going on; it turned out to be a black market.
The crowd was bustling with people, each seeking something, mostly exchanging for food and drink. Unfortunately, not many people had enough food and meat to offer at this time; some even brought their own fruits and vegetables to sell.
Suddenly, someone spotted Jiang Qiao, noticed the basket behind her, quickly pulled her aside, and whispered, "Do you have any meat or grain?"
Jiang Qiao sized up the other party, then glanced at the surroundings. The people exchanging items were mostly talking in hushed tones. Judging from their pale and sickly faces, they were clearly malnourished and starving.
Jiang Qiao nodded and said in a low voice, "What will you use to exchange?"
The man took out a box from his pocket, which contained several pieces of jewelry, all of them top-quality jade and diamonds.
He looked at Jiang Qiao anxiously, "This is all I have, and it won't fetch much money. My elderly parents and children at home really can't take it anymore. Young comrade, could you give me ten jin of grain?"
This stuff used to be worth a lot of money, but in these times, nothing is more expensive than grain.
Jiang Qiao took the things and then took out a bag of grain from the basket, which should weigh about 20 jin.
She handed it directly to the man, saying, "I won't weigh it; it'll be more than enough."
The man wasn't stupid; he immediately knew how much was in the bag. He bowed to Jiang Qiao, then turned and left.
Some people have managed to exchange for food, and sharp-eyed people are crowding around Jiang Qiao. Jiang Qiao has been rushing back, wearing a scarf and hat, so it's really not easy for others to see her face.
However, no one paid much attention to this; their main purpose was food and sustenance.
With the Chinese New Year approaching, many things are simply unavailable through normal channels, so they try to go to the black market.
Jiang Qiao doesn't plan to sell grain this time. She has fish and meat in her space, so it's better to get rid of the seafood.
However, she couldn't take too much. Those who traded seafood with Jiang Qiao were mostly wealthy people. After receiving the jewelry, she didn't feel anything anymore.
Once she sold everything, she left immediately, partly because she was afraid of being targeted, and partly because her two elderly relatives were waiting for her to return home.
"Grandpa, I'm home!"
After wandering around for a long time, Jiang Qiao finally got home. It was already completely dark outside. Ma Liu was worried that Jiang Qiao might get lost, but Qiao Jie wasn't too worried. He knew his granddaughter well; she was capable and clever, and she definitely wouldn't get lost. He guessed that something had delayed her.
Jiang Qiao's shout immediately put the old man at ease. "Girl, why did it take you so long to come back? Did something happen?"
Jiang Qiao smiled and put down the basket on her back. "Grandpa, look at all this stuff. Do you think I can walk fast with all this stuff I brought back? Could you help me figure out how to peel these things? I really don't want to touch them."
Qiao Jie was stunned when he saw a basket of headless snakes. Then he couldn't help but laugh. "You little rascal, this is amazing! You actually brought this back. Alright, alright, Grandpa will make it. We can make snake oil and eat the meat."
"Let me tell you, don't be scared by its appearance. Snake meat is actually quite delicious, similar to pork ribs. Just don't think of it as a snake."
Jiang Qiao shook her head. "I really can't get over that mental hurdle. Have you guys eaten yet?"
The old man shook his head. "You haven't come back yet, what are we going to eat? Your sixth grandpa is worried about you. Go and prepare the food, we'll eat right away."
Seeing that his granddaughter had picked quite a few herbs, the old man quickly went back into the house and spread them out, afraid that the wind would blow them away at night.
Speaking of which, Qiao Jie's cooking skills are quite good. After all, he's a senior doctor, so he pays a lot of attention to health and wellness.
Jiang Qiao took all the food to Ma Liu's room so that she could feed the old man.
While eating, the old man chatted with Jiang Qiao about what to prepare for the New Year. After all, their supplies were from their hometown, and they only had enough for Ma Liu. They had to find a way to prepare a decent New Year's Eve dinner.
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