The two pushed forward without stopping.
Along the way, Ye Li didn't stay idle either. From time to time, she hopped over a wall or slipped through a gate, “begging” a mouthful of water here and “borrowing” fire there, eventually even managing to get hold of a tattered cotton quilt from who-knew-where, slinging it over her shoulder.
Watching the entire performance, Qiao Bei’s eyes sparkled, inwardly marveling at her incredible moves.
Finally, they made their way through the slums and found an abandoned little mountain temple halfway up a hill to use as their resting spot.
The temple had no doors. The courtyard was already overgrown with weeds, and inside, it was dilapidated and cluttered with debris.
In the post-apocalyptic world, people lived in utter misery every single day. Barely able to look after themselves, they had long since cast aside the gods and Buddhas they once worshiped like old shoes, leaving their dwellings completely desolate.
When Ye Li stepped inside to investigate, she was nearly tripped by a clay head lying across the main hall. Its originally benevolent facial features, marred by peeling, flaking paint, looked exceptionally creepy in the pitch-black night.
Finding a spot sheltered from the wind, Ye Li tidied it up briefly, spread the tattered quilt on the ground, and had Qiao Bei set Duoduo down.
Then she went back outside, gathered some withered branches, dead leaves, and broken pieces of wood, and built a small fire nearby.
The orange-red flames flickered and licked at the wood, dispelling the nighttime chill and bringing a soothing calm to their anxious hearts.
Ye Li let the fire burn for a while. Once a bed of hot embers had accumulated, she moved the burning firewood aside and buried the sweet potatoes she had swiped earlier into the coals one by one.
There were six sweet potatoes in total, only about two or three fingers thick. None of them were large, but it was better than nothing.
Having buried the sweet potatoes, Ye Li stacked the firewood back on top, adding a few more logs to keep the fire going.
“Big Sis,” Qiao Bei said, crouching beside the fire and rubbing his hands together in admiration, “you're amazing. You even know how to roast sweet potatoes.”
Ye Li glanced at him without answering. She reached into her pocket, fumbled around, and pulled out a small handful of unhusked rice grains.
This was another thing she had swiped from someone’s house along the way. Since it wasn't easy to carry or convenient to eat, she had only grabbed a handful.
Ye Li sprinkled some of the unhusked grains into the hot embers at the edge of the fire.
Soon, accompanied by a series of popping and crackling sounds, tiny white puffed grains popped open and danced into the air, tumbling onto the ash.
Ye Li pulled out a long branch, snapped it in half, and snapped those in half again. She handed two to Qiao Bei and used the other two as chopsticks to pluck the puffed rice from the ash.
She blew gently on the few grains she had picked up, brushing away the surface ash from her palm, and couldn't wait to pop them into her mouth.
Seeing this, Qiao Bei quickly followed suit.
The crispy, crunchy texture of the puffed rice burst between their teeth, carrying a subtle, sweet freshness. It was delicious beyond words. Though it couldn't fill their bellies, it was enough to satisfy a craving.
“I had no idea you could make rice like this! It’s my first time eating it, and it’s so good.” A look of novelty on his face, Qiao Bei wielded his makeshift chopsticks continuously.
Seeing how uncultured he looked, Ye Li shot him a look of deep disdain. “Fine, it’s good, but slow down! Don't snatch them all!”
Qiao Bei gave a sheepish chuckle. “I want to grab some for Duoduo. When she wakes up, she can try some. I'm sure she’s never had this before either.”
Ye Li didn't say anything more, but she tossed all the remaining grains into the embers.
Soon, the two of them finished dividing up the freshly popped rice.
Ye Li stayed by the fire, using a branch from time to time to poke at the sweet potatoes beneath the embers to check if they were cooked through.
The sweet potatoes were small to begin with; if they were overcooked and turned to charcoal, that would be a terrible waste.
Qiao Bei sat to the side, propping his head up with one hand as his eyelids drooped uncontrollably, enduring the agonizing wait for “dinner.”
Fortunately, the wait finally came to an end.
Once Ye Li felt that the sweet potatoes beneath the ash were soft enough, she raked them out one by one.
Wrapping one in leaves she had readied beforehand, she ignored the stinging heat and began peeling off the skin.
As the blackened, charred outer skin was stripped away to reveal the glistening, translucent orange flesh inside, the distinctive, mouthwatering aroma of roasted sweet potato wafted up, making their appetites surge.
Eagerly taking a bite, the soft, fragrant, and sugary-sweet flavor felt like nothing short of heaven to them in their current state.
Neither cared about burning their tongues, blowing on the food as they wolfed it down. Their hands were blackened with soot, and the corners of their mouths were smudged with charcoal, but the irresistible deliciousness overshadowed everything.
Perhaps the aroma of the roasted sweet potatoes was simply too tempting, as even Duoduo, who had been in a deep sleep the entire time, fluttered her eyes open.
The sedative's effects hadn't completely worn off yet; even after waking, the child looked dazed and listless, sitting on the tattered quilt and rubbing her eyes continuously.
Qiao Bei hurriedly stepped forward to scoop her up. He gave her a sip of water first, then patiently peeled a roasted sweet potato and fed it to her.
Ye Li stopped after eating two sweet potatoes, leaving the rest for Qiao Bei and Duoduo.
Casually wiping her soot-stained mouth and hands, she lay down in her clothes on one side of the tattered quilt. Before falling asleep, she didn't forget to instruct, “Remember to put out the fire later!”
“Got it,” Qiao Bei responded, continuing to feed the child.
Once Duoduo finished both the puffed rice and sweet potato, Qiao Bei coaxed her back to sleep. Only then did he extinguish the fire and lie down on the other side of the quilt.
The tattered quilt underneath them was thin and stiff, reeking of damp mildew, making it far from comfortable.
The chilly mountain wind whistled in through gaps in the damaged walls from time to time, chilling them to the bone; it was only thanks to the residual warmth of the nearby embers that they managed to stave off freezing.
Yet even with an empty belly, thin clothes, uncomfortable rest, and an uncertain road ahead, Qiao Bei’s heart was still bursting with joy.
The taste of freedom felt truly wonderful!
...
Early the next morning, just as dawn was breaking, Ye Li’s eyes snapped open. Her dark pupils were completely clear, showing none of the grogginess typical of someone newly awakened.
She quickly rose and walked outside the temple entrance.
From down below in the dense mountain forest came the occasional sound of barking dogs, accompanied by a faint, persistent buzzing in the sky above.
Immediately realizing what was happening, Ye Li frowned and swiftly turned back inside to wake Qiao Bei and the child.
“Get up, quick. They've started combing the mountain down below.”
Hearing this, all sleepiness fled from Qiao Bei in an instant, every nerve and cell in his body screaming with tension.
Duoduo was awake as well, her little face filled with bewilderment as she took in the unfamiliar surroundings.
Ye Li crouched down directly, had the child climb onto her back, secured her with the clothes, and prepared to leave.
Qiao Bei quickly packed up their things and followed close behind.
The three passed through the main hall into the backyard, slipped through a gap in the temple’s crumbling rear wall, and dashed up the mountain trail without stopping.
By now, Qiao Bei could also hear the commotion below. A look of confusion washed over his face. “Big Sis, why did they bring dogs and send out drones to search for us?”
The three of them were nothing more than insignificant nobodies. Why would the other side go to such great lengths, acting as if they wouldn't rest until they dragged them back?
“I don't know!”
Ye Li was puzzled as well, but she didn't dwell on it. “Either way, running comes first.”
“Then where are we heading now?” Qiao Bei asked, pushing aside branches blocking their path.
He was never one to make decisions, let alone Duoduo. Right now, Big Sis was their backbone; they relied entirely on her!
Ye Li thought for a moment and asked, “Do you know of a place called Pinghuabei west of the city?”
“I do.” Qiao Bei nodded. “There's a century-old ginkgo tree nearby. It used to be a famous scenic spot; I visited a few times with my classmates. The scenery is quite beautiful.”
“Then that's where we're going!” Ye Li decided on the spot.
“Huh?” Qiao Bei was taken aback. “Why there?”
Ye Li curled her lips. A glimmer danced in her bright, dark eyes, an unmistakable flicker of excitement simmering beneath the surface.
“To enjoy the scenery, of course!”
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