The next morning, Lan Yan made two wild vegetable pancakes. They were all the food left at home, and she had to go up the mountain today. She put down the bowl and said to Lan Chuo, "Brother, I'm going up the mountain later."
As soon as she spoke, Lan Chuo's face was filled with worry, while Jun Yelan remained relatively calm.
"Little sister, you were injured the last time you went up the mountain. I think you'd better not go this time." Lan Chuo blamed himself even more, regretting his own uselessness for making his sister consider such things.
Lan Yan insisted, "Brother, you used to take care of me. Now that I've grown up, I can take care of you. I promise I'll protect myself this time and come back safely."
She was almost begging.
Lan Chuo reluctantly agreed, but he was still uneasy. He looked at Jun Yelan and said, "Yelan, go with her."
Jun Yelan put down his chopsticks and nodded gently, appearing unconcerned. He had accompanied Lan Yan last time, but she had held him back, resulting in nothing.
Lan Yan immediately smiled. She turned to meet Jun Yelan's cold gaze and curbed her expression. After eating, she and Jun Yelan walked towards the back mountain, the very place where she had transmigrated.
Jun Yelan walked far ahead, invisibly widening the distance between himself and Lan Yan.
Lan Yan had to quicken her pace, catching up to Jun Yelan while panting, and immediately grabbed his sleeve. "Wait, I can't keep up."
"Let go." Jun Yelan tried to pull his sleeve away, but she held it too tightly. He looked at Lan Yan in annoyance.
Lan Yan curved her lips and said, "Then walk slower, or I'll hold onto you the whole way." Seeing Jun Yelan nod coldly, she let go.
Jun Yelan slowed his pace, glancing at Lan Yan from the corner of his eye. This person was different from before. He had clearly seen a cunning glint in Lan Yan's eyes just now; in the past, there would only be calculation.
Lan Yan walked leisurely, oblivious to Jun Yelan's contemplation. The rustling in the grass caught her attention. "Shh!" She raised a finger and tiptoed towards the grass. Suddenly, she saw a pheasant flying away.
"Don't go!" She lunged forward and fell directly to the ground. Looking up, the pheasant had vanished. "Ouch, my chin. Lost the battle and the spoils!"
Jun Yelan walked over, went straight to the grass where the movement had been, and came out holding several wild eggs. He carefully placed them in the basket and looked at Lan Yan, who was still on the ground. "Aren't you going?"
Lan Yan looked at Jun Yelan's indifferent back, got up, and said, "I was careless just now. Fortunately, you remembered there were eggs left there. These eggs will be good for you and big brother to supplement your health."
Jun Yelan was taken aback, unsure whether Lan Yan was telling the truth.
They continued walking forward and didn't encounter any more pheasants. However, Lan Yan had anticipated this situation and said with a smile, "Jun Yelan, follow me."
She walked mysteriously ahead, searching for the trap she had dug yesterday.
Jun Yelan followed, puzzled, and then heard Lan Yan's exclamation.
Lan Yan pointed to the dug trap, exclaiming, "Jun Yelan, there's a pheasant in my trap, two of them!" She couldn't wait to retrieve them, her mind filled with thoughts of delicious food.
Jun Yelan was also slightly stunned, not expecting Lan Yan to be so capable, though he attributed it to luck. He stood at the edge of the hole, took the pheasants from Lan Yan, and extended his hand towards her.
Lan Yan smiled, grabbed Jun Yelan's hand, and climbed out. She said, "This will make up for my earlier mishap. We'll eat one and sell one later."
She had everything planned in her mind when she suddenly heard a roar from the nearby hillside. Turning her head, she saw a wild boar. Her eyes lit up, but Jun Yelan pulled her to the side.
Jun Yelan's eyes darkened as he stared at the wild boar. They had nowhere to escape and could only attack. Moreover, obtaining this wild boar would at least help them get through the next few days.
He said, "You hide here." He reached for the sharpened bamboo at his waist, tossed the pheasant in his hand, and as the wild boar approached, he stabbed at its neck from behind.
The wild boar let out a loud cry, lifting all four hooves and shaking its body violently. It lowered its head and rammed towards Jun Yelan's stomach, as if trying to take him down with it.
Jun Yelan increased the force in his hands, driving the bamboo deeper into the wild boar's neck, which only resulted in more violent struggles.
Seeing this, Lan Yan picked up a nearby branch and walked out, striking the wild boar's head.
With their combined efforts, the wild boar gradually stopped struggling and fell to the ground.
Lan Yan kicked the wild boar, dropped the branch, and laughed, "Heh heh, you can't move now, can you? Jun Yelan, we've had a bountiful harvest this time."
Jun Yelan didn't reply. Instead, he went to find some wooden sticks, took out rope from the basket, and tied up the wild boar. He slung it over his shoulder with a grunt, his shoulder immediately slumping.
"I'll help too." Lan Yan held the back of the wooden pole and noticed that Jun Yelan's right sleeve was torn, revealing a faint wound underneath. She asked worriedly, "Jun Yelan, your arm?"
Jun Yelan said coldly, "It's nothing." He carried it in front, bearing most of the wild boar's weight on his shoulder, and started walking down the mountain.
Lan Yan had no choice but to follow, sighing softly. This Jun Yelan was too much of a heartbreaker. With his own frail body, he had told her to hide just now, and with his wit and agility, he had killed a wild boar.
Now, he was injured and said nothing.
Jun Yelan, walking ahead, heard the sigh and frowned. What was this Lan Yan up to now? Ever since Lan Yan woke up at the bottom of the slope last time, he found her increasingly incomprehensible.
When they reached the foot of the mountain, their pace quickened, and they soon arrived at their doorstep, surprising Lan Chuo.
"Did you hunt a wild boar?"
Lan Yan nodded and smiled, "Brother, I'm going home to get the cart. I'll go to the market with Jun Yelan to sell it." She also needed to buy rice and medicine.
Lan Chuo was still in shock. Watching his sister and Jun Yelan pull out the cart and place the wild boar on it, he who usually accompanied them, instructed, "Yelan, take good care of Xiao Yan."
Jun Yelan responded with an "En" and pulled the cart ahead.
"Brother, I'm leaving now." Lan Yan pushed from behind, exerting all her strength to ease Jun Yelan's burden. However, the original owner was lazy and accustomed to eating well, and this body was too weak; she got tired after pushing for a while.
Seeing her red hands, she gritted her teeth and continued.
Jun Yelan walked ahead, finally dragging the cart to the back door of the restaurant, the usual place where they sold game. He had been there a few times with Lan Chuo and was familiar with the manager.
The manager came out and was surprised to see such a large wild boar on the cart. He also noticed Lan Yan, whom he had not seen before, and asked Jun Yelan, "Who is this young lady?"