Chapter 16: Spending the Night in the Mountains with a Beauty

Liu Hongyan and I set off for Gude Village. This time, it was much more tragic than when I came to Suxi Township. I felt like I really had the taste of "The wind is blowing, the Yi River is cold."

We went down the small road, down to the bottom of the gully along the hillside. There was a small stream at the bottom of the gully, with strange rocks standing in the middle. Turning around a big mountain along the stream, we could find the small road leading to Gude Village.

The side of this stream was full of shrubs, and there was no road. We walked through the shrubs, occasionally a cluster of thorns hooking our clothes and tearing at our exposed skin. Liu Hongyan was used to such mountain roads. She walked easily in front, still humming melodious mountain songs, occasionally turning back to remind me to watch my feet. The stumbling and bumping made me suffer; I almost didn't want to mention lifting my feet to finish the remaining road.

After coming out in the morning, we ate some biscuits we brought on the road. Now we were hungry. Looking at the endless mountains, in the uninhabited forest, I couldn't help but feel sad. I waved my hand and called to Hongyan, who was jumping forward: "Let's rest for a while."

Liu Hongyan stopped: "Okay, but we have to hurry, otherwise we won't arrive today."

"No way?" I opened my mouth exaggeratedly. A township-affiliated village, a road that couldn't be walked in a day.

"I suspect we're lost." Liu Hongyan came over and sat on a smooth, protruding rock, took off her water bottle from her waist, and drank a mouthful.

"Lost?" I was shocked: "How can that be? We've been walking according to the mountain, the direction shouldn't be wrong."

"Mountains have many ghosts, don't you know?" Hongyan giggled: "In the mountains, it's common to walk in a mountain nest for a whole day."

A layer of cold sweat broke out on my back. I was afraid of ghosts.

"How about this, let's find something to eat first. Once we're full, we won't be afraid of anything." Hongyan said, looking at the rocks in the stream.

I took the bag off my back and turned it upside down. Apart from half a pack of biscuits, I couldn't find anything else to eat. I said: "That's all there is, what should we do?"

Liu Hongyan didn't pay attention to me. She took off her shoes and walked toward the rocks in the stream. Standing by the rocks, she shouted to me: "Why are you still standing there? Come over, I'll find you something good to eat."

I took off my shoes and went into the water suspiciously. The stream water was ice-cold, soaking straight into my bones.

Hongyan turned over a rock, grabbed something that looked like a frog with both hands, held it in front of me, and said: "See? This is a stone frog. Come, you hold it, we'll catch a few and it'll be enough for tonight's dinner."

We found some dry firewood on the shore. Hongyan skewered the stone frogs with bamboo sticks, took a bag of salt from her backpack, sprinkled some on them, and put them directly on the fire to roast.

After eating, my spirits were much better. I went back to the stream and drank a few mouthfuls of water, feeling refreshed.

We continued on our way. This time, I walked in front, carefully pushing aside the thorns that blocked the road. After walking for a while, the sky gradually darkened.

Liu Hongyan looked at the sky and said: "I'm afraid we won't arrive today. We have to spend a night in the mountains."

I looked around, spread a pile of dry grass in a sheltered place, and sat down, not wanting to stand up again. Hongyan found some dry firewood and lit a fire.

"There are no wolves in the mountains, but there are wild boars. Wild boars won't actively attack people. It's dangerous to walk at night, so let's get up early tomorrow to hurry," Hongyan said, holding her legs with both hands and staring at the jumping firelight.

The dew in the mountains was heavy. I was frozen awake in the middle of the night.

Opening my eyes, I found Hongyan adding firewood to the fire that was about to go out. A night wind blew, drilling into my clothes like a snake, making me feel cold all over.

Seeing me wake up, Hongyan hugged her shoulders and said: "So cold."

I nodded, took out a cigarette, and took a drag from the red charcoal on the fire.

"Let's sit closer," Hongyan said, signaling me to come over. I hesitated, but couldn't resist the attack of the night wind. I sat down beside her and poked the fire with a stick, neither of us wanting to speak. The firelight reddened our faces. Outside the fire, the pitch-black mountains pocketed in like a bag, suppressing one's breathing.

Hongyan said gloomily: "When the golden wind and jade dew meet, it surpasses countless people in the world!"

I felt my face heat up. Could Liu Hongyan's Tang poem be pointing to something?

Early the next morning, we finally arrived at Gude Village.

The branch secretary wasn't home. His wife was very polite, rubbing her hands and looking at us awkwardly. Hongyan knew her and called her sister-in-law very affectionately.

Upon asking, I learned that the village branch secretary had gone out early this morning. A Yao villager's plow ox had been stolen last night, and they were currently chasing it everywhere.

A while later, a girl came over, looking about fifteen or sixteen years old, with a delicate appearance, wearing a big ponytail, holding a bamboo pole, and walking gracefully. Seeing me, she smiled charmingly and asked: "Are you a cadre from the township?"

I nodded, and Hongyan shouted for me to come in and drink tea.

Hearing the voice, the little girl asked me: "Is Secretary Little Liu here?"

I said: "Yes."

The little girl shouted into the room: "Secretary Little Liu, is that you?"

Hongyan responded and walked out of the door. Seeing the little girl, she took her hand very affectionately and said: "Oh my, it's Little Qin. Haven't seen you for a long time. Do you miss sister?" Saying this, she took Little Qin's hand and led her into the room.