Three days passed quickly, and everyone packed their bags and went to the designated meeting place.
Just as Yun Xiaoxiao had guessed, Fan Xiaohua was also there.
There were about ten other women, all of whom were married except for Yun Xiaoxiao.
Of course, Fan Xiaohua is also considered to be married.
Upon seeing Yun Xiaoxiao, Fan Xiaohua's eyes flashed with disdain.
He turned to the woman next to him and said something.
The woman then looked Yun Xiaoxiao up and down thoroughly.
He doesn't look like a good person at all.
Yun Xiaoxiao thought this way, but she had never met this woman and knew nothing about her background.
Whether she's a good person or not, it's none of my business anyway.
If you dare to cause her trouble, don't blame her for being impolite.
Yuan Shitou seemed to have noticed what was happening and stayed close to Yun Xiaoxiao.
Yun Xiaoxiao was carrying a medium-sized basket on her back.
It contained only clothes and a thin blanket.
Yuan Shitou's basket was much larger than Yun Xiao's.
It was filled to the brim with food and tools for salt harvesting.
Everyone else was pretty much the same; the men carried large baskets on their backs, while the women carried small ones.
The village chief was a dark-skinned, thin man in his early forties.
His face is strong and resolute, and his eyes are very penetrating.
He seems to be a fairly upright person.
He craned his neck to look in one direction, then glanced at the sky.
It's obvious that some people haven't arrived yet.
Before long, a withered old man in his sixties with a full head of white hair appeared.
He brought with him a skinny, dark-skinned girl who was about the same age as Yun Xiaoxiao.
Chaihuo Niu was very thin and dark-skinned, but her eyes were big and bright.
They were almost as dark-skinned as Africans.
Upon seeing them arrive, Yuan Shitou and several other tall men helped carry the contents of the old man's basket.
The old man didn't refuse; he just kept thanking him.
The team finally set off.
They marched in a long, imposing procession, all carrying baskets on their backs and propping themselves up with sticks.
The trouser legs were all tied with hemp rope.
This was to prevent snakes and insects from crawling into the trouser leg and biting people.
No one spoke much, and even when they did, they spoke very softly.
Yuan Shitou stayed by Yun Xiaoxiao's side the whole time, carefully protecting her.
Fan Xiaohua followed among the women, glancing at Yuan Shitou from time to time.
Yun Xiaoxiao has excellent hearing; she can clearly hear Fan Xiaohua talking badly about her to others.
The women listened but did not respond to her.
It's obvious they don't want to cause trouble.
The skinny, dark-skinned girl walked silently ahead of Yun Xiaoxiao.
No one spoke to her.
Yun Xiaoxiao was very curious and wanted to ask Yuan Shitou, but she was afraid that it would be bad if others overheard.
They arrived at a place with many trees and a damp environment.
The ground was covered with moss, and the sound of dripping water could be heard from not far away.
The road was slippery, and many people were stumbling.
Someone slipped and fell down up ahead.
This drew a burst of laughter.
The village chief sternly told everyone to be careful and not to make loud noises.
Yun Xiaoxiao was a little confused. It wasn't a snow mountain, so why couldn't she speak loudly?
Just then, the girl in front of him slipped and was about to fall.
Yun Xiaoxiao quickly reached out to support her.
The little girl blinked her big eyes and said, "Thank you."
And that's how Yun Xiaoxiao started talking to Chaihuo Niu.
It turns out that Chaihuo Niu has a nice name, Yuan Min.
Yuan Min is also fourteen years old this year, more than two months older than Yun Xiaoxiao.
She was raised by her grandparents.
Because her mother abandoned them and left home when she was five years old.
Her father fell off a cliff and broke both his legs while trying to find her.
From then on, he could only lie in bed.
Her grandmother was in poor health for many years and couldn't do much work.
Everything in the family was supported by Grandpa.
Now that she's grown up, she can help with some chores that she's capable of.
Grandpa originally didn't want her to come.
It was only after she insisted that her grandfather finally agreed.
Yun Xiaoxiao felt sorry for her. Seeing that she didn't complain even in her condition, she was truly admirable.
As evening approached, everyone began looking for places to rest.
They all used simple tents that they sewed themselves.
This is quite convenient to use.
They didn't use it when they were collecting salt last time, so it must have gone bad.
This was sewn by her mother, Ms. Yuan, just two days ago.
If she had known it was a tent being sewn, she would have insisted on making improvements.
Fan Xiaohua asked with ill intent, "Brother Stone, where are you going to sleep tonight?"
You and Xiaoxiao aren't married yet, so it doesn't seem appropriate for you to live together, does it?
Why don't you live with my brother? He lives alone anyway.
Upon hearing her words, Yuan Shitou immediately became alarmed.
Is Fan Xiaohua trying to make a move on him?
Fortunately, his family members constantly reminded him to guard against Xiaohua's underhanded tricks.
Otherwise, I definitely would have agreed.
Upon hearing his sister's words, Fan Tieniu nodded quickly:
"Stone, come sleep with me."
Yuan Shitou was somewhat disappointed and said indifferently, "No need, I can sleep in the tree."
Fan Xiaohua was still not giving up: "How can you sleep in a tree? What if you accidentally fall down?"
Oh dear, you can sleep with my brother then.
You two have been playing together since you were little, so you're not strangers.
Yuan Shitou wanted to say he was afraid of being haunted, but he felt that saying it would offend some people.
What if they don't have that idea?
Seeing that Yuan Shitou didn't know how to refuse, Yun Xiaoxiao called out:
"Brother Stone, you can sleep with Grandpa Minmin."
Minmin sleeps with me.
That way everyone will have company.
Minmin, would you like to sleep with me?
Don't worry, I won't kick off the covers.
Yuan Min smiled and nodded: "I won't kick off the blanket either."
Yuan Shitou breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing Yun Xiaoxiao's arrangement.
"Then, Second Grandpa, shall I squeeze in with you?"
Master Yuan nodded: "Good, you young people are hot-blooded."
Looks like I won't need a blanket tonight.
Fan Xiaohua didn't say anything, she just pursed her lips.
Several bonfires were lit that night.
Firstly, it serves to ward off wild animals, and secondly, it can dispel the chill of the night.
Several young men took turns keeping watch, and things remained peaceful.
After everyone woke up in the morning, they took turns finding a place to relieve themselves.
Then came breakfast, packing up, and setting off.
Three days passed peacefully.
Nothing happened.
Fan Xiaohua didn't do anything.
Yun Xiaoxiao thought she was overthinking it.
I never expected this to happen.
Because everyone had a limited amount of dry food.
During their breaks, they would also look for food in the surrounding area.
For example, wild vegetables, mushrooms, and the like.
The most common creatures in the mountains and forests are various kinds of snakes.
Fan Xiaohua, relying on the fact that she grew up in the mountains, was not afraid of snakes.
So, taking advantage of Yun Xiaoxiao's inattention, he used a tree branch to flick a green snake as thick as a thumb in front of Yun Xiaoxiao.
The green snake, startled by the sudden jolting, reacted and opened its mouth to bite Yun Xiaoxiao.
Fan Xiaohua's feigned scream attracted a lot of people.
When Yuan Shitou saw the green snake trying to bite Yun Xiaoxiao, he was so frightened that he quickly ran over to help.
But no matter how fast he went, he couldn't outrun the green snake that was right in front of him.
Just as the green snake was about to bite Yun Xiaoxiao.
Yun Xiaoxiao reached out and pinched its vital spot.
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