After the family split up, my stepmother and scumbag father begged me to come home.

"Let's go, let's see if there's anything on this mountain that we can exchange for money." Lin Qianqian got up, kicked out the fire, slung her basket over her shoulder, and walked forward.

Lin Yulong followed with a frown: "Sister, there are hardly any wild vegetables left on this mountain. What can we sell for money? Haven't you seen that the aunties and grandmas in the village don't go up the mountain anymore? The wild vegetables have all been left to rot; they're too old to eat."

"If there are no wild vegetables... there must be other things." Lin Qianqian continued walking. "Like game."

"Wild game?" Lin Yulong's eyes widened. "We have nothing, we're empty-handed, what can we catch? The rabbits in the mountains are smarter than people, even the adults in the village can't catch them."

It's not that he's discouraged, it's that he really is.

In the past, villagers would go up the mountain to hunt wild game, but now they don't go up the mountain at all.

There are some deep in the mountains, but who would dare to go there!

"Let's give it a try." Lin Qianqian glanced back at him. "Anyway, we can't go home this early. Grandma won't be happy to see us doing nothing."

Lin Yulong deeply understood these words.

His grandmother was not only stingy, but she also couldn't stand seeing people idle. He and his sister were the most qualified to talk about this—children without anyone to protect them are the ones who best understand the coldness and warmth of human nature.

The two continued walking into the mountains. Lin Qianqian kept an eye on her footing as she walked, and casually picked a few handfuls of wild vegetables, but unfortunately most of them were old, and only a small amount were edible.

After walking for a while, they still hadn't found anything.

Lin Qianqian's legs went weak, and her stomach began to rumble.

She didn't eat breakfast; she only had the egg she ate last night and a little bit of wild vegetable pancake.

She secretly grumbled to herself: Other people who transmigrate can easily find wild ginseng, lingzhi and the like, but how come she hasn't seen a single valuable thing here?

She probably got the worst script ever.

"Sister, are we going any further?" Lin Yulong tugged at her sleeve, lowering his voice. "Any further in is deep in the mountains. I've heard there are man-eating monsters in there."

Lin Qianqian paused for a moment, but did not stop.

Lin Yulong tugged again: "Sister."

"Why don't you wait here for me?" Lin Qianqian turned to look at him. "I'll just take a quick look inside and come right back out."

She herself wasn't afraid, but Ah Long was too young. What if something really happened...? She couldn't guarantee it.

But if I don't go and see it, I'll always be thinking about it.

That's just how people are; they always feel hopeful and always want to try.

"No." Lin Yulong grabbed her sleeve, his face serious. "I'll go with you. Sister, you're my only family left."

Lin Qianqian was stunned for a moment, then looked into his bright black eyes and her heart softened.

"Okay." She nodded. "Then let's go a little further in and explore. If it doesn't work out, we'll come right back."

Lin Yulong nodded vigorously, but his hand, which was gripping her sleeve, did not loosen.

The two walked further in, and the area became denser, with more trees and bushes.

Suddenly, a few "coo-coo" bird calls came from the woods, which sounded rather eerie.

"Sis, this is terrifying! Could there really be a monster?" Lin Yulong shrank his neck and hid behind his sister.

Lin Qianqian wanted to laugh inwardly. Wild beasts were possible, but monsters? Those were just for scaring children.

She suddenly turned around and yelled "Wow!" at Lin Yulong.

Lin Yulong jumped in fright, then, regaining his senses, pouted with a wronged expression, "Sister!"

"Boys should be braver." Lin Qianqian patted his shoulder and turned to continue walking inside.