Chapter 8: The Peasant Girl’s Splendid Manor
Chapter 8: Wild Chicken Eggs
Mo Yan walked along the mountain path until she reached a valley. The mountains on both sides were not very high, with one side covered in trees and bushes while the other side appeared somewhat barren.
After some thought, she decided to explore the dense forested mountain. Since the vegetation was lush here, there should be a good water source. Although the plants were yellowed due to the drought, they had not withered completely, so there might be something edible.
Mo Yan picked up a wooden stick about two meters long and as thick as her wrist. Using it as a walking stick, she made her way forward, but her weak body forced her to stop and catch her breath every few steps.
By the time she reached halfway up the mountain, a long time had passed.
Throughout the journey, she hadn't encountered a single snake, which left Mo Yan feeling frustrated. She had hoped to catch a snake to make a stew if she couldn't find anything else to eat. However, she hadn't even seen a single mouse.
After wandering around in the forest for a while, just as she was about to head to the other side of the mountain, she heard a commotion from a dense patch of grass ahead. A wild chicken suddenly burst out, flapping its wings and squawking loudly, escaping from Mo Yan's hungry gaze.
Mo Yan regretfully looked at her right hand. In the past, her space would have captured that wild chicken under her control, but unfortunately, her space had been "reset," and its level was not high enough!
Watching the wild chicken disappear, Mo Yan's heart skipped a beat. The feathers of that chicken were not very bright, indicating it was likely a female. Could it have been laying eggs just now?
With anticipation, Mo Yan approached the dense patch of grass where the wild chicken had emerged. Carefully using the wooden stick to push aside the tall grass, she soon discovered a pile of white wild chicken eggs.
Mo Yan almost burst into tears as she eagerly rushed towards the eggs. With hands like chicken claws, she counted the eggs, finding a total of thirteen!
If someone had told her in the past that she would cry over thirteen wild chicken eggs, she would have definitely rolled her eyes at them. But after going hungry for over a month, wouldn't anyone be excited to find food?
Mo Yan swallowed her saliva and carefully placed the thirteen wild chicken eggs into her space. Afraid of using the old, tattered cloth bundle to carry them, she didn't want to risk dropping these precious provisions.
Perhaps luck was on her side, as although she didn't find any more wild chicken eggs, Mo Yan unexpectedly stumbled upon a patch of raspberries. The bright red berries, like little lanterns, hung densely on the vines. She picked one, untouched by cleaning, and popped it into her mouth. Instantly, a sweet and tangy flavor with a hint of fragrance filled her senses, truly a heavenly taste!
Her taste buds, long deprived of such flavors, were stimulated by this sweet and sour taste. Mo Yan couldn't help but eat a few more berries before restraining herself. While raspberries tasted great and were highly nutritious, they were acidic, so one shouldn't eat too many on an empty stomach.
Mo Yan picked a few large leaves from the trees and spent nearly half an hour gathering all the ripe raspberries. She carefully wrapped them in the large leaves and stored them in her space.
Feeling that she had been out for quite a while, Mo Yan decided to head back. She didn't want her father to worry too much.
...
At the entrance of the cave, Mo Zhen sat on a large rock in the shade, while Mo Xin wiped the sweat off his forehead and laid the collected firewood out in the sun to dry. Seeing his brother maintaining the same posture as before without moving, Mo Xin couldn't help but laugh. He poked his brother's head and said, "Don't just sit there like a dummy. Let's go gather firewood with our big sister. We'll need it when she comes back with food!"
Mo Zhen weakly turned his head to avoid his sister's finger, rubbing his stomach with his small hand. He blinked his big eyes and looked at his sister, asking hopefully, "Can big sister really find food? Zhen'er is so hungry!"
Mo Xin patted her brother's head and replied confidently, "Of course, big sister will find food. We won't go hungry." In her heart, her big sister was as capable as their father, and there was nothing they couldn't do.
Upon hearing this, Mo Zhen's eyes lit up. He quickly slid off the big rock and grabbed his sister's hand, urging, "Then let's hurry and gather firewood."
Mo Xin chuckled and held her brother's hand, walking towards a nearby grove.
As ahe approached the cave, Mo Yan took the wild chicken eggs and raspberries out of her space. She carefully stacked them in layers in the cloth bundle, ensuring that the eggs wouldn't fall out of the torn hole. Satisfied that everything was secure, she carried the bundle in her hand.
Just as she took a few steps forward, she ran into Mo Qingze, who was coming out to fetch water.
"Yan'er, did you find any food?"
Mo Qingze immediately noticed the bundle in Mo Yan's hand and nodded approvingly. Finally, the children wouldn't go hungry.
Mo Yan nodded with a smile. "I was lucky today. I found more than a dozen wild chicken eggs!"
Her daughter had actually found wild chicken eggs! Mo Qingze's eyes lit up with joy, though they were also tinged with redness.
Mo Yan pretended not to notice and continued chatting with him casually.
Meanwhile, the two younger children finished gathering firewood and were sitting at the cave entrance, eagerly waiting for their father and elder sister. When they heard their father and sister's conversation, they immediately stood up and saw the bundle in Mo Yan's hand. Excited, they bounced up and down with joy, eager to greet them.
The once quiet cave entrance now buzzed with excitement, all thanks to Mo Yan finding food.
Mo Qingze, tending to the pot of water, added more firewood while listening to his children talk. Occasionally, he answered their innocent questions with a warm smile, his eyes full of affection.
Mo Yan leaned against the cave wall, quietly observing everything. Who would have thought that such joyous laughter would come from the Mo family, who had been fleeing for over a month?
The harsh trials of disaster had not extinguished their hope for survival. Even in the face of death, the original owner of this body firmly believed that their family could reach the city of everlasting plenty!
Mo Yan wondered, if she had encountered such trials in her previous life, would she have been as optimistic and resilient as this thirteen-year-old girl?
Under Mo Qingze's insistence, the thirteen wild chicken eggs were consumed in two meals. Mo Yan couldn't help but feel emotional as she watched her younger siblings enjoy the food. She vowed to find an opportunity to enter her space later that night...
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