When it started to dawn, Uncle Chen busied away in the kitchen. This morning he cooked some wild vegetables that grow by themself in the fields and nobody in the village would resent others picking it up.

He hurried out to find Li Xuejian to give the child something to eat but when the small fenced courtyard appeared in Uncle Chen’s sight, he saw that Li Xuejian had been already up, sitting on a wooden stool outside.

Uncle Chen cautiously approached him: “Xue Jian, what are you doing so early in the morning? You are still recovering from the fever and should stay at home.”

Li Xuejian got up a bit earlier than Uncle Chen. After he woke up, the first thing he wanted to do was to wash his face, but it quickly turned out that there was no water in the kitchen. He couldn't wash up, not to mention to boil some water to drink and quench his thirst. 

With the memory of the original owner, Li Xuejian easily found the nearest way to the well. He went back and forth several times, carrying the water in buckets at both ends of the bamboo pole. He was done after storing all of it in the wooden basin.

Finally taking the opportunity to boil water, Li Xuejian also carefully observed the house in broad daylight. As expected there were no farm tools in the house, only a bone knife and a rusty, made from copper machete. Also, a few arrows were thrown around upside down but Li Xuejian couldn't find a bow among them. He thought it was possible that the original owner's father could carry it with him and drop it the day he died in the mountain forest.

Before the arrival of Uncle Chen, Li Xuejian even got a chance to pick up the broom and sweep the floor in the house. He also cleaned up the courtyard that was completely covered in dust. 

When Li Xuejian took a short break to rest, Uncle Chen came. At this moment, it was quiet all around them with the occasional cry of insects and birds.

Seeing Uncle Chen looking at him with a worried gaze, he didn't want to pretend to be sick like he had intended in advance.

Li Xuejian felt a little complicated: “Look Uncle, I am fine. I seem to have improved a lot by night... Maybe the environment here is suitable for me to recuperate or it was not a poisonous snake that bit me.”

Uncle Chen looked down in surprise. He didn't know anyone recovering so quickly from a snake poison so maybe indeed the child's hunger and fatigue from the trip to the mountain made him sick and faint.

As for Li Xuejian, he will never tell this secret to anyone in his life. It was not because of distrust, but telling others is not good for anyone. He himself would find that hard to believe and at the same time, he can't prove anything.

Uncle Chen was silent for a long time, then nodded gently: "Then you… really feeling well now?"

Li Xuejian's stomach grunted in response to the question. 

Li Xuejian lowered his head to look at his loud stomach and said: "I'm hungry." There was a smile on the corner of his mouth. It was obvious that he knew that Uncle Chen brought him food. 

The old man laughed and handed the bowl to him: "Eat!"

The boiled vegetables were no longer hot, but they were still warm. 

Li Xuejian felt that morning fatigue was gone after the bowl of vegetables was eaten: “Thank you, Uncle!” 

Uncle Chen heard his thanks and was a little embarrassed: “Are you full? Shall I fetch you another bowl?”

Li Xuejian smiled at him and then shook his head: "I'm full, thank you, Uncle. But I have something to ask you… Does Uncle know where I can find a bamboo grove in the village? Is there a place like this?"

Uncle Chen replied without a second thought: "There is a clump of mao shu bamboo by the west side at the edge of the village. It does not belong to anyone and nobody takes care of it so it grows wild without being cultivated there."

Mao shu is a local kind of bamboo that has dull green straight canes and feathery leaves. This bamboo will reach up to 3.5 to 4 meters in height and is often used by villagers as shelter from the sun during the break at work.

It is also served for making everything from houses and roofing to household articles and weapons. Because of great durability, the products made from mao shu can withstand many years of use and rarely need to be replaced with new ones.

“Xue Jian, what do you want to do with the bamboo?” Uncle Chen was puzzled. Although he could dig some bamboo shoots to eat, it would not only take time but also a lot of effort, it is more cost-effective than picking up other widely available goods in the village.

Li Xuejian immediately hesitated what excuse he should use: “The house is missing a lot of things.” That’s was a half-truth. 

Li Xuejian was afraid that if he confessed that he want to make a bamboo bow and later go to the forest mountain to hunt, just like the original owner did yesterday, the lovely old man can drop dead of a heart attack.

Uncle Chen nodded and agreed: “Good! It’s good that you started to take care of the house.” 

Li Xuejian has reached the age of getting married and having children. Uncle Chen was alone all his life and couldn’t let the child do the same. He always wanted to buy someone for him but the money in his hand wasn’t enough. Even if he had some silvers, there was a high probability that he would buy a cheap husband for him.

Aiyo, children grow up so fast, don't they? He still can remember drinking Jiu Xi wine with Xu Jian’s father, celebrating the child’s birth, and now it’s time for the child to have his own children. 

Li Xuejian watched Uncle Chen’s expression constantly changing until the old man gave a melancholy sigh. He preferred not to talk further about this topic. But if Li Xuejian knew what Uncle Chen was thinking, he would be speechless either way.

After Uncle Chen left with hands behind his back and enigmatic face, Li Xuejian went to find a wooden cart that he considered as one of the most valuable in the household. The original owner’s father used it to carry the prey or the brought goods back from the county town. Now, Li Xuejian can transport what he wants. 

In addition to the house in the courtyard, there was another smaller wooden shed. It was typically used for livestock, but the old hunter used it as an extra storeroom.

Li Xujian took a machete, dragged the wooden cart, and headed out.

It will be his first visit to the village!