The little one's purse connects the two worlds, turning a desolate village into a paradise.

"Yes, Uncle said there are fewer thorns. Grandpa Village Chief, Grandpa Wang, Grandpa Fang, Uncle Zhao, Grandma Fang... everyone, hurry up and eat!"

Ya Ya, with her sharp ears, heard it all. Seeing that everyone was ignoring the delicious pickled fish, she decided to call out names one by one.

The aroma of the sour and tangy food made everyone's mouths water, but fearing there wouldn't be enough for the children, none of them dared to touch it.

The fish slices were white and tender, soaking in the hot, sour soup; they looked incredibly soft and tender.

Hearing Ya Ya mention it, her bright black eyes were still intently watching who hadn't touched their chopsticks before everyone carefully reached out and picked up a small piece.

Grandma Wang had just put a slice of fish into her mouth when she was first startled by its refreshing sour aroma, and then her eyes widened in surprise.

The fish meat is smooth and tender, requiring no chewing at all, and there isn't a single bone.

I ate one piece and wanted more.

"So sour it whets the appetite, so fresh it's intoxicating, so tender it's unbelievable..." Old Fang shook his head.

Zhao Hu looked even more conflicted, wondering why every dish was so delicious!

The people over there are eating so well! What are they putting in all those seasonings? They smell so incredibly delicious!

The fish are well-fed, and they've grown so plump and large.

The village chief silently chewed on the garlic cloves in his sauerkraut fish slices; he hadn't tasted garlic in a long time.

These garlic cloves come with the seasoning packet for the pickled fish fillets.

Should we tell Nannan to buy some garlic?

Planting garlic cloves in the ground will not only produce new garlic bulbs, but the sprouts and bolting scapes will also be edible.

The little guy doesn't understand these things; he probably went to buy ginger specifically because Aunt Lin said they were short of it.

As for garlic, she wouldn't think of buying it if no one told her.

Let's make a note of this and talk about it tomorrow afternoon.

The village chief looked at the lively table, but no one touched the beggar's chicken in the middle. He silently picked up the beggar's chicken. The steamed chicken skin and meat were even softer. With a gentle touch of his chopsticks, the meat fell off the bone.

He carefully placed both plump chicken drumsticks into Ya Ya's bowl, then tore off two shiny chicken wings, tossing one to Xiao Shuanzi and handing the other to Xiao Douzi.

"Eat everything, don't be stingy. Eating chicken will help you grow tall and strong."

The beggar's chicken is wrapped in mud and simmered until thoroughly cooked. As soon as you tear it open, you are greeted with a fragrant aroma, carrying the unique rich fragrance of the mud. One bite and your mouth is filled with fresh and juicy meat.

Ya Ya grabbed a big chicken leg in each hand, her eyes curving into little crescents. After handing one to Grandma Liu, she took the remaining chicken leg and nibbled on it with relish.

Fang Tiesheng ate a bite of fried pork cracklings and a sip of soup with a smile. The night wind seemed to soften, gently caressing everyone's cheeks.

……

In late March in Northwest China, although it was nominally springtime, the wind still carried icy shards.

As the sun began to set in the west, the wind finally subsided a bit.

Xinghua, with her sharp eyes, suddenly called out softly from the shady side of the earthen slope, "There are vegetables... there are wild vegetables here!"

The three of them practically pounced on him.

Those were a few clumps of newly sprouted bitter lettuce, their tender yellow and green hues standing out starkly against the backdrop of withered yellow.

The buds had just sprouted in early spring, not many, but enough for the three of them to catch their breath.

Fang Daniu dared not exert any force with his shoulder, and carefully pulled with only one hand, afraid of breaking the root.

Dr. Chen squatted down beside him, pointing tremblingly, "This is edible, that's poisonous, don't touch it."

Xinghua gathered the wild vegetables she had picked into her bosom, again and again, as if holding a life-saving ration.

A small handful, not much, no pot, no fire, and we dared not light a fire.

They were afraid of attracting stragglers and bandits.

They sat behind the earthen slope, wiped the dirt off the wild vegetables with the corner of their clothes, and chewed them raw.

It was bitter and astringent, and the residue stung my throat.

But none of the three of them spat it out; they chewed it little by little and swallowed it.

As darkness fell completely, the night in Northwest China at the end of March was still bitterly cold.

They found a sheltered spot on an earthen cliff and sat down close together. Doctor Chen sat in the middle, Xinghua was on the left, and Fang Daniu stood on the outermost edge, using his body to block the wind.

No one spoke, so everyone saved their energy, but no one could fall asleep.

As soon as I calm down, my mind flies home.

Xinghua spoke first, her voice as soft as the wind: "Tell me... how's the village doing now? Isn't it... time to sow the wheat? In previous years, the fields would have been plowed all over by this time..."

Dr. Chen sighed, "All the able-bodied men have been conscripted, and what's left in the village are the elderly, children, and women."

Who will farm the land? I don't know how they'll get through this winter.

Fang Daniu's throat tightened. His father's eyesight was already poor, and his body was weak. He didn't pass the imperial examination but instead developed a host of scholar's ailments, becoming frail and weak.

His mother was getting old, and the family relied on him as the only strong laborer. Fortunately, he did not inherit his father's physique; he was strong from a young age, as robust as a calf.

I wonder if his old man, with his frail arms and legs, will be able to make it through this winter. And I wonder if his mother will sit at the village entrance every day waiting for him.

The night wind blew by, making a mournful sound, like weeping.

Dr. Chen closed his eyes and murmured to himself:

"If the village runs out of food...the villagers..."

Even if we walk back, will we still have a home?

They are not afraid of hardship, pain, or the Gobi Desert. What they fear most is the possibility of making their way back home only to find their home gone, their parents gone, their children gone, leaving only an empty village.

Fang Daniu shifted his body, shielding himself from the wind even more tightly, and gritted his teeth, speaking each word clearly:

"There will be... Our home will definitely still be there. As long as we go back alive, we can still farm, build houses, and get our lives back on track."

"As long as people are alive, home is still home."

They didn't know how many more days they would have to travel, where their next meal would be, or whether reunion or despair awaited them.

But as long as they think of the village and their parents, they can hold on a little longer, walk for another day, walk for another night.

Keep walking, walk home.