The path through the forest was not easy to traverse; stumbling and bumping into things was par for the course. Sometimes, beneath the leaves, you never knew what might be lurking.
Even drinking water required utmost caution; they could only glance at the mountain springs.
This place was indeed very primitive.
While it wasn’t to the extent that they couldn’t survive, their pride, at the very least, had been thoroughly crushed.
All those moments when they felt satisfied with themselves turned out to be illusions; they were just nobodies, assessment complete.
"Alright, I’ll go see if there’s any spring water, you start the fire," Bai Dan said, exhausted in both body and spirit.
Many years later, when they had become the exemplary children in other people’s eyes, hearing praises would only make them say, "No, no, no, I’m not good enough."
And it was true; they weren’t good enough. Just stepping into the forest had them thoroughly outmatched.
Ever seen someone chased around the mountains by a goat? That was them.
Ever watched monkeys steal things? They were the victims.
Ever seen wild boars gnawing on a person?
Endless words, but in the end, there was only one sigh left, "Ah..."
Bai Zhi started to make a fire, moved a few stones, and set up a little pot that fit just right.
Moh Li quickly brought back water in a bamboo container. They drank the water they brought from home; this was for boiling noodles.
Mountain spring water may be good, but you couldn’t drink it directly in the deep mountains due to bacteria on the leaves and such.
The two started to cook noodles, adding noodles cakes, soup flavoring packets, and some meat, all of which smelled particularly delicious.
Bai Zhi sniffed, already becoming impatient. She wondered if Grandfather had eaten yet.
He should have; she had packed things for Grandfather, but he hadn’t eaten yet.
Had Bai Dan eaten at that moment?
He had not. Watching his old master, who was over a hundred years old, he was surprised to see he still had to eat such hard rice balls.
Only upon arrival did he discover someone actually lived in the treehouse; he climbed up for a look and, at that moment, Bai Dan almost thought his master had ascended to heaven.
Because this person had died many years ago... they had buried him with their own hands...
"Master, how are you still alive?" asked Bai Dan.
So much so that the first thing Bai Dan asked made Bai Meng want to kill his disrespectful grandson.
"What, you disappointed I’m still alive?"
Now over a hundred years old, Bai Meng had hair as white as it could be, yet he was still spirited and looked robust, almost on par with Bai Dan.
"Not at all, just thinking, didn’t I bury you back then? Who would’ve thought you could blow up your own grave, right?" Bai Dan was truly taken aback. If everyone knew, who knows how thrilled they’d be? This was a genuine ancestor.
"You little rascal..."
Bai Meng took off his straw sandal and threw it at him.
Bai Dan really wanted to run, but with the sandal fueled by Inner Strength, he couldn’t get away.
So the tradition of throwing shoes was inherited from here.
Without any surprise, Bai Dan was hit, clutching his head, feeling very weary; speaking honestly, why was life so difficult these days?
"Master, can you spare me a rice ball? I haven’t eaten yet."
Those were rice balls made by Xingxing, and he hadn’t had a chance to eat yet.
Why did they have to treat him , not sparing a single one? It was too much.
"How long has it been since your grandfather has eaten? You begrudge me a few rice balls?"
He immediately stood up, ready to strike Bai Dan.
Only then did Bai Dan notice Bai Meng’s clothes looked quite trendy. They were modern in style; he must have just come back from somewhere, right?