Chapter 60: 060: Eating Potatoes and Listening to Stories at Night

Chapter 60: Chapter 060: Eating Potatoes and Listening to Stories at Night

The bonfire in Peng Village never ended up being lit that evening; not only was it not lit, Su Shu faintly sensed that the atmosphere in the village had become somewhat heavy.

Peng Sanye and some of the elders headed toward the foot of the mountain as if they had some urgent matters to handle.

Standing at the entrance of the village community center, she gently stopped the village chief’s wife who was just about to enter, “Sister Feng, is it because I’ve come…” She didn’t finish her sentence, knowing in her heart that perhaps the issue wasn’t related to her. Yet she said it as a mere courtesy.

Feng Hua patted her on the arm and said, “Sister Su, don’t worry too much, it has nothing to do with you. Wait for me a moment, I’ll take you home soon, you just stay put and think of nothing. When morning comes and it’s bright, I’ll arrange for someone to collect and ship your goods.”

“Okay, no rush.” She pointed toward the foot of the mountain, “I just saw Peng Sanye and the others heading up the mountain. Is it safe this late?”

“They are not really going into the mountain, just to the base to check things out and then they’ll come back. No one from the village who went into the mountain has returned or sent any signals yet, so Sanye and the others are a bit worried, but it’s nothing.”

...

With that said, if she still couldn’t understand, then she would be too foolish.

The other party didn’t want to divulge too much. She wisely didn’t ask further and called Xiao’ai, who was still reluctantly lingering under the starlight, to come back. Feng Hua went inside for some unknown reason and soon came back out.

“Let’s go, we’re heading home.”

Thus, Su Shu and Xiao’ai went to stay at Sister Feng’s house.

After eating an authentic rural meal at Feng Hua’s home, Feng Hua said there was some unfinished business and left. Su Shu and Xiao’ai played a children’s version of a card game on the warm kang in the side room.

Soon, there was a knock on the door.

“Who is it?”

“Aunt Su, it’s me, Dongzi.”

Su Shu put down the cards and hurriedly went to open the door, only to see Dongzi enter with a small basin, lowering his head under her armpit and heading straight for Xiao’ai.

“Xiao’ai, look, what’s this?”

Su Shu closed the door and came back, laughing when she saw what Dongzi was holding, “Did you bake these?”

“Ah, while my mom was cooking dinner I used the remaining heat to bake a few, they’re really fragrant. Aunt Su, you and Xiao’ai have a taste?”

Su Shu smiled, pulled up a small dining table by the side, and patted it, upon which Dongzi placed a small basin of baked potatoes.

The three gathered around the small table and started eating. Remembering that Feng Hua hadn’t returned yet, curiosity struck her as she peeled the hot potato skins and asked.

“Dongzi, I see there are so many mountains here, much more than in our City C. Do people from the village often go hunting in the mountains?”

Clutching the steaming hot potato, Dongzi wiped his mouth and said, “No, there are rules for hunting in the mountains. Usually, people only forage for wild vegetables or set traps to catch a rabbit or two by the foothills. Not many dare to go deep into the mountains now.

“Oh, I noticed Peng Grandpa and the others didn’t look so good today.” Su Shu took a bite, which was scalding hot.

Dongzi said, “There were many people who went this time, they had to camp in the mountain. Recently, something’s not right in the village, so Grandpa Peng and the others didn’t let my dad and them venture too far into the deep mountain. They were supposed to send a signal after setting up camp at night, but it seems like there has been no movement; something might have gone wrong, maybe.”

Su Shu was slightly shocked and looked up to say, “Something went wrong?”

Dongzi is but a child, no matter how clever, it’s hard to keep things concealed, especially since Su Shu had given them so many treats during the day, Dongzi didn’t treat her as an outsider and just said what was on his mind.

“I’m not too sure myself as the adults don’t let us kids go into the mountains to play, always scaring us with tales of monsters that eat children. But I know, there are none.” Dongzi lifted his head, thought for a moment, and added, “However, I once heard my dad and mom mention that there’s something like a ‘Mesmerizing Array’ in the mountains, quite dangerous.”