After lunch, everyone took a half-hour nap.
When Li Mai woke up, she looked at Zhou Quan sleeping quietly by the window. She watched him silently for a while, then remembered the two important tasks she was about to undertake. Suddenly, she felt full of energy and sat up with a quick turn.
In the afternoon, she planned to take Zhou Lei and Zhou Tao up the mountain to dig for wild vegetables.
Since we'll be buying more chickens to feed tomorrow, we can dig up more wild vegetables this afternoon so we don't have to go hungry even though we're feeding more chickens tomorrow.
Having made up her mind, she got out of bed, untied her belt, took off the new clothes her mother-in-law and sister-in-law had made for her, folded them neatly and placed them on the kang (a heated brick bed), and then put on the old clothes she had taken off that morning.
After fastening her belt and turning around, she saw Zhou Quan staring blankly at her.
"Ahem, I didn't mean to peek." Zhou Quan blushed again when she met her gaze.
"It's okay, you can look. I'm not naked underneath." She smiled at him and turned to leave.
Zhou Quan was stunned again. He recalled Li Mai's sweet smile and the words "I like you" from that morning. He wondered to himself, "Could it be that Li Mai really likes me?"
But how could someone like me possibly be worthy of his affection?
Could it be this face? Yes, it must be. This morning she was pinching her own face and saying she liked herself.
Thinking of this, Zhou Quan suddenly felt that life was somewhat wonderful. No, I have to exercise properly. Xiaomai said that I have to wake up the muscles in my legs first.
Thinking this, he placed his hands on the kang (a heated brick bed) and slowly raised his upper body, intending to use them to control his lower body as well.
But there was no reaction in my legs; my lower body felt like it was stuck to the kang (heated brick bed) like a big rock.
No, keep practicing.
He went out to find Zhou Lei and Zhou Tao to talk about going to dig for wild vegetables in the afternoon, completely unaware that Zhou Quan had imagined himself getting himself into trouble and started his great exercise on the kang (heated brick bed) in the house.
When Zhou Lei and Zhou Tao heard their sister-in-law say that she was going to the mountain to dig for wild vegetables in the afternoon, they immediately and happily agreed.
Upon hearing this, Zhou Laode and Zhao Shi said, "No, it's a bit dangerous for you guys to go. Let your father go with you too, it will be safer, and your mother will feel more at ease."
After all, if they encounter wolves, a big man can chase them away.
Li Mai thought for a moment and then agreed. She also asked Old Man Zhou to take a sickle and a rope. Old Man Zhou didn't ask what he was going to do, nodded in agreement, and went to make preparations.
"Mom, Auntie, I want to go too! I want to catch bugs!" Zhuzhu woke up and said anxiously.
Li Mai thought for a moment and then agreed, "Okay, I'll take you with me!"
Children born in the mountains should be exposed to the mountains more often so that they can develop their natural spirituality.
Before leaving, Li Mai went inside and told Zhou Quan something.
When Zhou Quan heard her footsteps approaching the door, he quickly stopped exercising and lay down.
Li Mai came in, said something by the door, and left, not noticing the sweat on Zhou Quan's forehead.
Led by Old Man Zhou, each person carried a basket on their back and a small hoe, and set off for the North Mountain.
If you walk past the Zhou family's house, you will pass through a wasteland, then a grove of trees, and then a small hill, which connects to a rocky hill.
It is also the highest mountain in the vicinity of the village, which has blocked a lot of the northwest winds from entering the village.
There are many trees growing on the mountain, and the villagers mostly collect firewood from here for their fires.
As they were going up the mountain, they ran into two villagers who were coming down. They were carrying a rabbit they had caught. They greeted Old Man Zhou and then went down the mountain.
"They must have gone up the mountain in the morning, and they're coming down now. Catching a rabbit is pretty good," Old Man Zhou explained to the children.
"Dad, do all the villagers go hunting in the mountains?" Li Mai asked curiously.
"No, only a few families with men who know how to shoot arrows dare to go into the mountains. Most villagers don't have the time or know how to shoot arrows, so going into the mountains would be a waste of time and could easily lead to their deaths. Most families still mainly focus on farming."
Li Mai nodded, understanding.
"Mom, look, this kind of wild vegetable, Luhua likes to eat it." Zhuzhu pointed out the wild vegetables on the hillside to Limai.
"Oh, do you know what this is called, Pearl?" Li Mai asked with a smile.
"Gray gooseberry." Zhuzhu remembered it very clearly.
“Okay, let’s start digging then, there’s quite a lot here!” Li Mai said, and Zhou Tao and Zhu Zhu put down their baskets and started digging.
Zhou Lei also squatted down to help.
"Zhuzhu, there's also this kind, we like reed flowers too." Li Mai pointed to the purslane next to her, so that Zhuzhu could see it and dig some up as well.
"Yes, Mother!" Zhuzhu replied happily.
She came out carrying a small basket, but inside the basket was a small porcelain jar, which she planned to use to catch insects.
"Father, please keep an eye on them. I'll go look for some herbs that are suitable for Zhou Quan," Li Mai instructed Old Man Zhou.
Old Man Zhou agreed, telling her not to go too far, and also told Zhou Lei to follow her.
Li Mai responded and walked towards the trees with her basket on her back. Zhou Lei followed behind her and asked her what she was looking for.
Li Mai suggested looking for rare herbs that could promote blood circulation and remove blood stasis.
Rare medicinal herbs usually grow near large trees or in deep forests.
After looking around, she couldn't find any suitable herbs, but she did see a lot of shepherd's purse. Li Mai squatted down and started digging. This stuff is edible, and it's good for your health to eat in the summer. In her memory, the original owner often dug this kind of vegetable for her grandmother to eat.
Zhou Lei also started digging.
"Mom, I've come to find Chongchong!" Zhuzhu's voice came from Li Mai and Zhou Lei, who were busy with their work.
Li Mai looked up and smiled at her. "Okay, be careful."
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