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

In Lotus Village, in Grandma Liu's low, earthen house.

The firewood crackled in the stove, and a small oil lamp on the table, which had only been lit for a short time, emitted a warm yellow light.

The old village chief, Hunter Zhao, Old Man Fang, and Granny Liu sat around the table.

These days, waiting for Ya Ya to come back at night has become an unshakeable rule for them.

Every time Ya Ya comes back, there are rare things that they've never seen before. Every time is a surprise and they learn a lot from her.

Judging by the time, it should be about time to go back.

thump—

A dull, solid thud struck the earthen wall.

It wasn't knocking; it was the sound of a heavy object hitting the wall.

Several people suddenly turned around and looked at the kang (a heated brick bed).

There stood Ya Ya, holding onto a small cart with one hand. A large bag was tied to the cart, and the bag was vaguely black and shaped like a boot.

With his other hand, he held onto a pole that was already leaning against the wall.

The moment that thing came into view, everyone in the room held their breath.

The pole has a horizontal handle at the top, a straight vertical shaft below, and a large, heavy piece of black iron hanging at the bottom. Five sharp iron teeth point downwards, piercing five small dents in the straw mat underneath.

There was also a piece of iron plate lying horizontally above the teeth.

The entire thing is made of solid iron from top to bottom, cold, hard, and heavy.

Under the light of a small flashlight, it gleamed with the cold light characteristic of iron.

The village chief's eyes widened, his legs went weak, and he almost knelt down on the spot.

He'd lived most of his life, when had he ever seen so much iron?

For people in the mountains, a small sickle, a small hoe, and a piece of iron the size of a child's fist are all things that the whole family has to grit their teeth and save up money and food for two years before they dare to exchange them.

Ironware is a precious treasure to them, an ancestral heritage that can be passed down from generation to generation.

But what this little child is holding in his hand is such a large piece of iron!

The color wasn't like that of dull, grayish wrought iron, which would become rough and rusted red after less than six months of use.

It resembles the legendary refined iron, its entire body black and shiny.

Seeing that Ya Ya was trying to pick up the iron object, Zhao the hunter quickly stood up and scrambled to the side on all fours, reaching out to steady the thing. "Oh my little darling, don't lift it! This thing is heavy, don't let it crush you!"

The pole felt cold and hard as soon as I held it.

Zhao Hu gathered his strength and lifted it up.

He had been hunting and working for many years and was quite strong, but even he felt his wrists sink under the weight of the machine—at least six pounds!

"My goodness..." He gasped, feeling the sheer weight in his hand; it was all iron!

Zhao Hu carefully lifted the large iron object off the kang (a heated brick bed) and placed it steadily against the corner of the wall beside the kang, afraid of bumping or damaging this precious item.

Several people immediately gathered around, and Fang Tiesheng held up a small flashlight, shining the beam of light inch by inch, looking very carefully.

The five sharp iron teeth at the bottom look like the claws of a ferocious beast. There is also a thick iron plate on the root of the teeth. Instead of a straight handle like a hoe or rake, there are two short handles on the left and right sides, which can be gripped by both hands at the same time.

"What... what exactly is this thing?" The village chief swallowed hard, his voice trembling. "How do you use it?"

Ya Ya was still lying on the kang (a heated brick bed), head down, struggling to untie the rope binding the rain boots on the cart.

Grandma Liu offered to shine a flashlight on her, but the little one insisted on doing it herself.

The knot was loosened.

A bunch of rain boots, all wrapped in transparent plastic bags, rolled all over the bed, burying Ya Ya's legs.

The crackling sound drew the attention of the three people who were examining the iron block, and they all turned to Ya Ya, who was surrounded by a bunch of shiny black rain boots.

Then move next to her.

What is this huge pile of dark stuff?

It looks a bit stiff, and its shape resembles the boots worn by government officials?

Ya Ya pulled out a rather large bag, and these boots were the biggest. She opened the bag and struggled to lift the two heavy rain boots. "Uncle Zhao, come and try them on."

It wasn't that the little guy favored Zhao Hu; it's just that Zhao Hu had big feet, so his shoes were easier to find.

Zhao Hu stared at the two shiny black boots, his eyes widening in excitement, his hair standing on end.

He rubbed his hands together, chuckled, and quickly reached for the boots by the kang (a heated brick bed).

He immediately took off his tattered cloth shoes, slipped his feet into the boots, and they went in smoothly in no time.

The boots have a stiff upper, the material feels smooth to the touch, and they feel a little cool to wear.

The village chief and Fang Tiesheng each took a pair from the kang (a heated brick bed).

"So slippery, why is the material of these shoes so smooth?"

"It's firm and looks sturdy!"

Zhao Hu imitated the officials, stuffing the legs of his cotton trousers into his pants, and then happily walked back and forth a couple of steps.

This sole is so soft and bouncy, it's so fun to walk on!

"These are called rain boots," Ya Ya's childish voice rang out.

"Wear them when it rains, wear them when you're working. Water won't get in, they're not slippery or uncomfortable, and if they get dirty, just rinse them with water. Like Uncle Zhao, tuck the pant legs in, and you won't have to worry about your pants getting dirty."

It's not afraid of getting dirty, it doesn't get wet, and if it gets dirty, you can just rinse it off with water.

Are there really shoes like these in the world?

The village chief jumped up, looked at the boots in his hand, thought for a moment, and then pushed open the door and went out.

The mud outside the yard was still wet.

He squatted down, hesitated for a moment, and then fiercely plunged the boots in his hands into the mud, stirring them around until the uppers and soles were covered in mud.

Zhao Hu and Ya Ya peered through the door frame.

He hadn't had enough of his boots yet and was reluctant to take them off, but he was also afraid of getting them dirty if he went outside. So the two of them watched the village chief conduct the experiment with bated breath.

The courtyard was pitch black, with only a small flashlight providing a glimmer of light.

Ya Ya looked up at the sky, wishing there were those bright signs in the village too.

It can glow on its own even at night, making it as bright as day.

The village chief scooped up water with a ladle in one hand, put on a muddy boot in the other, walked to the door of the house, and poured water on the rain boot.

wow-

The mud splattered on the smooth surface of the boots was washed away clean in one go, and a lot of mud on the soles was also washed off. I reckon a few more rinses will be enough.

My hands are still dry; they really don't get wet!

If it gets dirty, just let it flow into the riverbank and it will be clean!

"Wow—!" Ya Ya had only heard that it could be rinsed clean, but now she saw it with her own eyes. How amazing!

"Don't crowd at the door, everyone come inside and close the door. Don't get cold."

The village chief herded them all inside like chicks.

Putting down his boots, before Ya Ya could even climb back onto the kang (heated brick bed), Fang Tiesheng hurriedly asked, "Daughter, do you know how to use this big iron block? How much did it cost? Do you have any money left in your pocket?"

Four pairs of eyes stared at her intently, their breaths almost falling silent.

They weren't worried about the price of that metal lump.

This treasure is worthy of being the village's most prized possession; it's worth any price.

They were worried that Ya Ya would spend all her money and then not have any left when she went there, so she wouldn't be able to buy or eat what she wanted.

"If we don't have enough money, we'll split up tomorrow. One group will go harvest wheat, and the other will go up the mountain to dig for wild vegetables. We'll bring back more money, and we absolutely can't let you suffer any losses," the village chief quickly added, his face full of worry.

Ya Ya sat on the kang (a heated brick bed), swinging her little legs and patting her little satchel.

"Ya Ya still has money, lots of money!"

None of the four of them were entirely convinced.

How is that possible? Such fine farm tools, such a large piece of refined iron.

The next second, Ya Ya said, "This is called... Five-Toothed Earth Turner, I think that's the name, it costs thirty yuan."

thirty?

Thirty?

Such a large, shiny black iron, so heavy, so sharp, such a terrifying treasure...

It's not a few taels of silver, not a few strings of cash, not going bankrupt, it's just... thirty?

They racked their brains but couldn't figure it out.

The iron they'd trade their entire family's lives for.

In the place Ya Ya went to, you could take her home for thirty?

The four of them just stood there, dumbfounded.

Their eyes were vacant, their expressions blank, and no one spoke for a long time.

All that remained was a profound, overwhelming shock, as if the sky had fallen.