Secret Base

No matter how shy Xiaoguo was feeling, she still had to get up and make breakfast.

Before leaving the room, she cracked open the door and saw that Jiang Danhe was not around. Only then did she dare to go out. She ran to the kitchen and filled a pot with water to cook porridge.

Although she did not wish to know where he went, it was quite strange that he was not around when she came out.

Xiaoguo looked out of the window as she cooked. He was neither inside nor outside the house. Where had he gone?

When Xiaoguo had finished cooking and was bringing out the dishes, Jiang Danhe came out of the other room. His body was still damp.

Xiaoguo was surprised to see him. So he was actually in the house. She thought that he had gone out. But with his damp hair, she wondered if he’d just showered.

“It was a little warm, so I took a shower.”

Jiang Danhe looked at her puzzled gaze and explained. He avoided eye contact and sat on a chair while waiting for his meal.

She nodded and didn’t ask more. If he said it was hot, then so be it, even though the weather is pretty cold.

Xiaoguo had cooked plain porridge. She had gone into the other space to take out a few sausages from the refrigerator. After frying the sausages, she went on to prepare some pickled radish slices.

It was just the two of them eating. Without Zhuang Zhuang around, Xiaoguo was still not used to it. She kept thinking about cooking for three.

The two of them were feeling a little awkward because of the small episode in the morning. Neither of them took the initiative to speak, but they still showed concern for each other at the dining table. Jiang Danhe kept adding food to Xiaoguo’s bowl, and Xiaoguo also refilled porridge for Jiang Danhe when his bowl became empty.

After dinner, Jiang Danhe went to wash the dishes. Xiaoguo took a broom and began to sweep the floor. At this moment, Xiaohu from Mrs. Yang’s house came over.

“Auntie, is Zhuang Zhuang here?”

As he spoke, he tiptoed and peeked inside, looking for Zhuang Zhuang.

“Zhuang Zhuang isn’t here. He is in the county with his uncle.”

Xiaoguo stroked Xiaohu’s head and said regretfully,

“Huh…” When Xiaohu heard this, he wailed, “Alright, I’ll go to Doudou’s house first.”

With that, he ran off. Xiaoguo looked at the anxious Xiaohu and smiled. “He is so energetic.”

The two of them had nothing to do at home, so Jiang Danhe invited Xiaoguo out for a walk.

She agreed and strolled with him along the river. The atmosphere was cordial.

“It’s really getting cold.”

Xiaoguo inhaled deeply. Previously, the air still smelled warm, but now it felt a little cold. When she breathed in, she could feel a cooling sensation in her lungs.

“Yes, it’s almost December. It’s getting cold.” When Jiang Danhe heard this, he walked nearer to Xiaoguo and tried to shield her from the cold air.

“That was quick.”

Xiaoguo couldn’t help but sigh as she looked at the yellowing leaves. She still remembered that it was hot when she first arrived. To think that winter is coming soon.

“By the way, is Zhuang Zhuang’s birthday coming up?”

Jiang Danhe thought of December and suddenly thought of the boy’s birthday. He had calculated the dates before. They got married in February, and with ten months of gestation, Zhuang Zhuang should have been born around mid to late December.

When Xiaoguo heard this, she thought about it carefully and realized that it was true. “Twenty-sixth.”

When Zhuang Zhuang was born, he wasn’t a full term baby. He had arrived slightly earlier. Xiaoguo remembered that it was night time. After a long night of labor, Zhuang Zhuang was delivered during sunrise.

Jiang Danhe looked like he was deep in thought with his head lowered.

“What is it?” When she didn’t hear his reply, Xiaoguo turned to look at him curiously.

“Nothing.” Jiang Danhe shook his head and said regretfully, “I might not be able to stay till then.”

Time did not allow him to stay for so long, so he would not be around during Zhuang Zhuang’s birthday.

When Xiaoguo heard this, she nodded. In the past, Zhuang Zhuang didn’t know that his father was still alive, so he didn’t have much to look forward to on his birthday. But now that Jiang Danhe was still alive, Zhuang Zhuang most probably would wish to spend his birthday with his father.

But the current circumstances did not allow it, and there was nothing they could do.

The two of them walked around the village along the river. The villagers rarely came here, so the road was very quiet. No one was around to disturb them.

Jiang Danhe stopped when they reached an intersection.

“What happened?”

Xiaoguo looked at Jiang Danhe curiously, not understanding why he had suddenly stopped walking.

Jiang Danhe glanced at Xiaoguo and suddenly smiled. Then, he pulled her and walked towards one direction.

“Aye, where are we going?”

Xiaoguo thought that it was strange when she was dragged towards that direction. This seemed to be a path leading to the mountains. Were they going up there?

“Don’t worry, just follow me. I’ll bring you somewhere.”

Jiang Danhe said mysteriously as he held Xiaoguo’s hand tightly.

Xiaoguo was amused by his secretive behavior. “Is he taking me to his secret base?”

She was guessing curiously in her heart while trying to keep up with his pace.

Jiang Danhe looked at the familiar path despite the overgrown weeds. The more he walked, the more memories he had.

When he followed his family from the capital to Peach Blossom Village, he saw for the first time what a poor countryside looked like. For Little Jiang Danhe, who had been born with a silver spoon in his mouth, it was a lot for him to take in. At that time, he was not used to eating plain green vegetables, so he often went on hunger strikes. In order to educate him, Mr. Jiang would stop giving him food to let him have a taste of hunger.

There was once when he ran out in a fit of pique and got lost because he wasn’t familiar with the roads in the village. He wandered around and accidentally found a place. There were many big trees there that had pears growing on them. Some were bearing fruits that he couldn’t name. He gorged on the fruits right there and then. When his family found him, he was holding on to a bundle of fruits wrapped up with his shirt.

From then on, he would often go there to eat the fruits. Although it was not meat, those fruits were much more appetizing to him at that time.

Coming out of his memories, Jiang Danhe brought Xiaoguo to a steep slope that they had to pass through to get to their destination.

“Hold on tight to my hand.”

Jiang Danhe brought Xiaoguo to his side and held her hand tightly. When Xiaoguo heard this, she grabbed hold of him. Although she didn’t know why they were here, Xiaoguo felt safe with him.

The roads here were a little strange and winding. They were also lined with spiky branches. On top of that, they have to go up a steep slope. Even so, Xiaoguo still held on tightly to Jiang Danhe’s hand. With him around, she can go anywhere.

Jiang Danhe was tall and strong. With him carrying Xiaoguo, she didn’t even need to put in much effort. He pulled and lifted her safely onto the flat plains.

Xiaoguo stood on the ground and took in the scene in front of her. This place was too awesome.

“How is it?”

Jiang Danhe patted the dust off behind himself, then he walked around to Xiaoguo’s side. Taking her hand, he led her forward.

“It looks wonderful.”

Xiaoguo took a few steps forward and admired the scenery in front of her—Peach Blossom Village was just a short distance away.

“Is this the top of the mountains?”

Xiaoguo asked curiously. She could see the blue sky, the rising sun, and a bird’s eye view of the entire Peach Blossom Village.

“Of course not. The top is higher than you think. This is only a third of the way up.”

Jiang Danhe scratched her nose in amusement. He found her words very innocent and cute.

Xiaoguo pursed her lips in embarrassment. Indeed, this height was a little too low for a mountaintop.

“Come here.”

Seeing that she was still looking at the village, Jiang Danhe took the initiative to lead her towards the back.

Xiaoguo looked away reluctantly. She was trying to locate their house in the distance, and was wondering if she could see through the windows.

Jiang Danhe stood in front of Xiaoguo and blocked her from the branches. With a few quick moves, he managed to clear the branches in front of him.

At his signal, Xiaoguo bent down and walked through the gap between the branches. As soon as she entered, she was shocked by the rotten pulp spread across the ground.