"Whoa whoa whoa slow down! Slow down!" 。Crisp laughter and cheers mingled with the elders' sighs and playful remarks. Jiang Yan was completely immersed in this joyous atmosphere. She gripped the handrail of her sled, her almond eyes crinkling with laughter as she shouted loudly at He Jian Guo who was pulling the sled forward with all his might. 。This was the third day after the snow. The snow on the ground had melted and refrozen several times. Almost everyone in the village came out, not just young people anymore. Even girls, such as Jiang Yan's familiar Niu Xiaolan and Xinghua, joined in. 。The power of women is undeniable, as they shoulder the responsibility of handling the game, taking turns to safely escort the prey back to the village. 。Last year, He Jian Guo was still that steady and composed person. This year, he seems to have undergone a complete transformation. His change has made the older generation sigh at how magical time truly is. 。Jiang Yan was immersed in He Jian Guo's humor and thoughtfulness, like bathing in the winter sunshine. His laughter flowed out constantly as he imitated the comical characters in the snow, driving a simple sled at lightning speed. He would also come up with whimsical surprises—sparkling ice-carved branches, vibrant wild berries hidden in the snow, even the occasional caught squirrel—all cleverly woven into their adventure. 。However, that vinegar-flavored cat always tried to steal the spotlight. Jiang Yan had to keep a close eye on it lest the little life met with an accident. 。Jiang Yan's pet cat is no longer just the petite Pekingese it used to be. The thick winter coat makes it appear plump and round, more like a miniature black panther. This has made Jiang Yan absolutely smitten with it; wherever they go, he carries it in his arms like a precious treasure. 。Although the cat usually doesn't compete for affection with its mother, when Jiang Yan goes out, it follows her like a shadow. At first, it was for warmth, but later it became part of Jiang Yan's happy atmosphere, hanging around her neck like a lively scarf. 。The team ventured deep into Daheishan, avoiding last year's encampment. They moved cautiously, wary of a repeat encounter with the wolf pack from the previous year. 。The children's curiosity was ignited, and they gathered around the most patient Fifth Grandfather, asking: "Fifth Grandfather, why are we going to Dragon Head Mountain this year" 。Wǔyé gave a concise explanation: “We are going to capture the foxes there. It is said that their fur is helpful for our engineering.” 。His answer made the sensible children understand that every step, whether it's electrical engineering, school construction, or safety considerations, has its own etiquette and meaning, especially in a rural area where human relationships are valued deeply. 。Jiang Yan's curiosity drove her to ask about the details of the fox den, which in turn sparked a lively discussion among the children. They described a mysterious world to Jiang Yan through stories passed down by word of mouth. 。One story tells of a scholar who encounters a beautiful woman at night. The woman, appearing kind, invites him to stay the night. 。However, the scholar woke up in the dead of night to find that the once magnificent mansion had become eerie and terrifying. It turned out that the woman was no ordinary person. 。He fled in panic, and just happened to see a fiery red fox bowing to the moon under the moonlight. 。The scholar knew the key to the fox's cultivation and feared its revenge, so he decisively took action, resulting in the fox's death. 。Many years later, the scholar passed the imperial examination and became a high-ranking official. However, due to that past encounter, he unexpectedly saw the fox's phantom during the final imperial exam and fainted in fear. This angered the emperor, and he was sentenced to death. 。Another is a Chinese version of the Cinderella story, with its entanglement between foxes and humans, filled with fantasy. 。,Although the children were curious, they were warned that once inside the forest, they must follow the guidance of the elders. They knew the mountain like no other, and disobedience would have its consequences.,When the children agreed to bypass White Fox Cave and go to Rat Squirrel Forest, no one questioned 。However, they underestimated the complexity of the situation. After bypassing a boundary, they discovered an orange-white fox with slight differences from before, quietly residing on a slanted dead tree, its eyes fixed intently on them. 。"Damn, what the hell is it trying to do" 。An elder became agitated and wanted to immediately show force with a gun, but was stopped by the other three elders. 。At this time, He Guqiang calmly spoke from the side: "This is not the one from just now..." 。Guoqiang squinted, avoiding the glare of the sun. He pointed out clearly that although the white fox before him was similar in size and color, it was slightly thinner and had slightly paler fur on its pointed ears, different from the previous one. 。This eased the originally tense atmosphere a little. 。"Could it be that these cunning creatures have sensed our intentions and begun to secretly observe us" 。Niu Xiaolan savored the discussion that had just taken place, and a sense of unease crept into her heart. 。They seem to be looking for some kind of clue. 。Jiang Yan, imitating Uncle He's observational angle, saw the foxes shuttle back and forth, scrutinizing their squad as if searching for some trace. They moved from the front of the line to the tail, seeming to be conducting a secret exploration. 。"Fifth Uncle, how is our camp at the longan grove It's conveniently located between the fox den and the marten forest, so we won't have to travel back and forth too much. " 。"Da Zhuang thought carefully, he knew the terrain of the mountains well, at a glance, he saw the superiority of this location. The surrounding rocks perfectly concealed the camp, and behind it was a gentle slope rising upward. A giant canopy acted like a natural umbrella, shielding the hot spring area from wind and rain." 。"Agreed, let's set up camp first and then talk." 。Five Grandpa nodded. The several old hunters were so cautious, it stemmed from their reverence for mysterious powers and also from the alertness of a hunter's instincts. Any slight change in the mountains could be a dangerous omen. 。Jiang Yan was surprised to find that the so-called lychee was actually a hidden hot spring. 。The water temperature was just right, around twenty degrees Celsius. Beneath the surface lay a deep cavern, beckoning like an eye. 。The circular pool is surrounded by natural stone walls. The small hill and large trees behind it form a natural barrier, protecting this peaceful place. 。。
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