Chapter 85: The Map
Ning Xiyue’s gaze landed on the final sign-in reward — a mysterious box.
The box’s exterior was worn and chipped, its paint flaking off, giving it an aged, weathered look. She couldn’t help but wonder if what was inside was just as old.
When she opened it, she found a rolled-up, yellowed sheet of paper — or rather, a detailed map of resources within Da Qi Mountain, along with a handwritten booklet explaining the meaning of each symbol marked on the map.
The map had originally belonged to a hunter.
A hunter named A Niu had made a living hunting in Da Qi Mountain to support himself and his family.
Da Qi Mountain was the official name for the towering peak behind the educated youth Institute and the four smaller mountains connected to it — the whole range was collectively known as Da Qi Mountain.
This map was the one A Niu had been updating since he first started hunting there.
On it, he’d marked all the locations he had encountered or learned about — anything he considered important. Some notes were minor, others crucial.
There were areas clearly marked “Do Not Enter”, such as the territory of ferocious beasts — like tigers, highlighted by A Niu with special emphasis: “The big cats eat people.”
He also noted the nests of smaller game animals suitable for hunting, as well as abandoned caves that could serve as temporary shelters in the mountains.
Of course, the most abundant things in the mountains were natural resources, which was exactly the part that most interested Ning Xiyue.
The map also indicated where various fruit trees grew, with the booklet providing additional information — including harvest seasons, fruit types, and flavor descriptions.
Beyond fruit trees, there were also mushroom-growing areas marked — the booklet recorded which types of mushrooms grew where, and those details were mapped as well.
Finally, there were hidden locations where medicinal herbs grew. The map showed where A Niu had found ginseng, schisandra, saposhnikovia, asarum, and many others. Even common herbs and the larger areas where they thrived were all meticulously noted.
Ning Xiyue’s eyes lit up — so many wild herbs! They grew year after year, abundant and self-sustaining.
The wild fruits and other mountain goods were also wonderful. With this “treasure map” of nature in hand, exploring the entire Da Qi Mountain would be as easy as strolling through her own backyard — she could find anything with pinpoint accuracy.
Studying the map and the explanatory notes, Ning Xiyue felt deeply satisfied.
She had to make a trip into the mountains when she had time. With such a natural treasure trove right next door, how could she not go and take advantage of it?
She carefully stored the map away and began planning her schedule.
After the autumn harvest, things wouldn’t be too busy, and that was precisely when mountain resources were at their richest. She had to use that time to explore — and if she didn’t, the other commune members surely would.
“Host, when are you planning to go?” the system asked.
“Tomorrow,” she replied. “We still have two days of vacation, right? I’ll get up early and head into the mountains tomorrow. Whatever I can gather in a day is worth it. I’ll scout out the situation and then invite the Second Brother to go with me next time — the two of us can harvest nature’s bounty together.”
After the autumn harvest, the team had been given a three-day break to recover from the labor. And Ning Xiyue knew the commune members well — none of them could sit still. The mountains would definitely be crowded these few days.
People relied on the mountains for survival — everyone knew autumn was the season of abundance, and the same was true for the mountains. In these times of material scarcity, once a holiday started, everyone would flock to the hills to collect things to store away. During the lean spring months, those mountain goods would be lifesavers.
While chatting with the system, Ning Xiyue stood up to clear the dishes and tidy the kitchen.
Finally, she poured Little Gray’s lunch into its bowl. Only after watching the dog finish eating did she unlock the kitchen door.
Just then, Liu Yao came around the corner of the educated youth Institute and called out, “Xiyue, perfect timing! There’s someone outside looking for you — says he’s your second brother.”
“Okay, thanks!”
Calling Little Gray to follow her, Ning Xiyue locked the kitchen and hurried toward the front of the institute.
She had just been thinking about her second brother — and now he was here. Even faster than Cao Cao himself.
Little Gray caught the familiar scent and sprinted ahead. By the time Ning Xiyue arrived, the dog was already circling around her brother excitedly.
“Second Brother!”
“Sis! I came to see you.” Ning Qingyuan’s face broke into a joyful smile. He swung the basket off his back. “Look, I went to the supply cooperative today. Everything in here is for you — take it and put it away.”
Noticing the curious glances from people inside the institute, Ning Xiyue didn’t want to be the center of attention, so she led her brother around to the back.
“Come on, Second Brother. Let’s talk in my kitchen — I built a little one for myself. It’s super convenient.”
“Alright.”
When Ning Qingyuan saw the small kitchen, he felt happy and reassured. Seeing the complete set of cooking utensils inside put his mind at ease — everything showed that his little sister was living well here.
He didn’t hold back his praise.
“Sis, you’re so smart and capable. Cooking separately means you don’t suffer, you can eat whatever you want, and you’ve got your own little private space. That keeps conflicts with the others to a minimum. With things like this, I’m relieved — and so are Mom and Dad. This is great.”
Ning Xiyue wasn’t the modest type — she accepted every compliment and lifted her chin proudly. “Of course. I came here carrying my family’s love. If I didn’t live well, I’d be letting all of you down.”
“Good. As long as you’re happy, Mom, Dad, Big Brother, and I can all rest easy.” Ning Qingyuan nodded, then changed the subject. “By the way, where’s Ning Xiaoxiao? I haven’t seen her. I came here to give her a piece of my mind.”
“Don’t worry about her. She’s still at the police station — won’t be out for another two days.”
Ning Xiyue briefly explained what had happened that night.
Ning Qingyuan snorted. “She got off too easy.”
“Let’s not talk about her. It’ll only ruin our mood.”
Ning Xiyue pulled a few pieces of wild boar meat from the cabinet under the counter.
“Here, Brother. This is the meat I managed to get my hands on the other day. Take a few pieces home — I can’t finish it all. I learned how to make cured meat from the aunties in the team. I even sent some to Big Brother and our parents. You should take some too and try my cooking.”
“You made this yourself? Then I have to try it.”
Ning Qingyuan had planned to refuse, but once she said that, how could he? Especially knowing that their big brother had already eaten some — he couldn’t let him have the bragging rights alone. This way, he could also say he’d tasted it, personally handed to him by his sister.
Ning Xiyue also accepted half of the pastries her brother had brought.
The siblings had successfully exchanged goods.
“Second Brother, do you guys get two days off too?”
Ning Qingyuan nodded, sharing his plan. “Yes. I was actually hoping to go into the mountains with you. There are always some wild fruits ripening after the harvest. I know a few hidden spots. Let’s go together tomorrow morning.”
Ning Xiyue let out a hearty laugh, slapping her thigh. “See? That’s what I call sibling telepathy. I was planning to invite you to the mountains too! Perfect — let’s go together tomorrow morning.”
