C3 There Was Only One Mountain

Gu Yingchu decided to head to the creek on the west side to fish. Realizing she was short on supplies, she asked, "Mom, can you check if we have any fishing hooks?"

"Yes, Mrs. Liu had a small pack in her house. She used to love fishing, and I just found them," Dung Qiu replied.

Gu Yingchu continued, "Do we have any string?"

"We have some leftover string from when we repaired the fishing net," Dung Qiu said.

"Great."

Gu Yingchu grabbed a bucket and the worms she had dug up and set off. Along the way, she picked up some branches from the ground.

As she walked, she passed by a woman washing clothes by the water's edge. The woman, noticing Gu Yingchu with her old bucket, began to gossip with another nearby.

"A mother with a bad reputation raises a daughter just like her. Like mother, like daughter," one woman said.

"Exactly, even going after someone like Hsu Sheng. Desperate for a man, I guess," the other added.

Gu Yingchu, not far away, heard every word. However, she was more concerned about her empty stomach than arguing with these narrow-minded women. She'd rather focus on catching fish.

Reaching the creek, Gu Yingchu tied the hooks to the branches with string. She moved to a quieter spot, throwing each branch into the water. She kept the other end of the line in her hand, eventually securing it with a rock.

The stream was crystal clear, and the sand felt soft underfoot. But as she stepped on it, she discovered many things that were sharp and uncomfortable. Picking one up and examining it, memories from the original owner of her mind surfaced, and she realized it was edible. In the 22nd century, finding a shell was a rare feat, so the treasures hidden in the sand sparked a playful curiosity in Gu Yingchu.

At this time, the sandbar was unpolluted and untouched by human activity. Barefoot, she found plenty of clams in the sand. An hour later, Gu Yingchu noticed a stick spinning in the water, signaling a fish had taken the bait. She pulled the line, and sure enough, there was a fish, about as thick as three fingers.

She placed the fish and clams into a bucket. In an hour and a half, Gu Yingchu had caught three fish and half a bucket of clams. Hungry and uninterested in staying any longer, she stood up and noticed a mountain not far from the village. It looked tall, and surprisingly, it was lush and green compared to the others. Her brow furrowed slightly—how could there be such a uniquely vibrant mountain?

But her stomach growled, demanding attention, leaving her no energy to ponder the mystery. She picked up the bucket and headed back.

The bottom of the bucket was lined with clams, and on top were several fish squeezed together, unable to swim.

Gu Yingchu's lips curled up slightly as she imagined the delicious fish soup she could make.

When Dung Qiu saw Gu Yingchu returning with the bucket, her face was filled with astonishment at its contents. Her daughter had grown up under her careful protection. Although the Gu family had always looked down on them, Dung Qiu had done everything within her power to shield her daughter from hardship. Gu Yingchu had never caught fish before, yet here she was with such a haul. It was simply incredible.

"Mom, let's grill one and make fish soup with another," Gu Yingchu said, rubbing her stomach. She was starving and didn't care how Dung Qiu was looking at her.

However, Dung Qiu, always thrifty, was a bit taken aback and asked, "Shouldn't we save some for tomorrow?"