But it was different with someone experienced like Hua’s father.
“There’s a river over there, full of willow-root fish. Throw in a net and you’ll get a bucketful, fried they are delicious. If you fish, you can catch carp, make it into a soup, add some tofu and coriander…”
“Further inside there’s a graveyard, don’t look that way.”
“See that path to the west? Ride a kilometer and it’s a sandy landscape with a white sand beach and a pine forest. In the summer, you can roll down from the sandy slopes, it’s all clean sand, very fun…”
“Further back, there’s a wild cliff where many people dump newborn babies…” (TL: Dump what? 😮)
“Turn around, and there’s a hazelnut forest, but it’s too close to the city, mostly picked clean. Let’s go further in, where there’s a dense shrubbery, lots of hazelnuts and fewer people picking.”
“See, that pine forest? When autumn begins, the ground there is covered with sorghum fruits, red and sweet…”
For someone who loved adventuring in the mountains and rivers yet couldn’t find their way, these words were like a martial arts secret manual.
Hua’s father chatted casually, clearly a king of the mountains.
Shen Mo followed Hua’s father’s directions, memorizing the route as they rode along, planning to come back on his own next time.
Next spring, come to see the blossoms in March, catch bugs in summer, eat fruits and fish in autumn…
In the late autumn, fallen leaves covered the ground, unswept by any sanitation workers, creating a carpet-like layer. The bicycle tires rolled over the soft ground, moving slowly.
After riding for an hour through the forest trail, the two cyclists finally reached their destination.
“Just park the bicycles on the side, no one will steal them here,” Hua’s father said as he leaned his motorcycle against a tree and began to organize tools like the wicker basket and scissors.
Shen Mo casually placed his bicycle beside him. The small dog Huan Huan, freed from Hua’s mother’s embrace, instantly dashed to Shen Mo’s side, circled around him once, then scampered into the woods. Running so fast, its ears and tail were flapping behind, embodying freedom.
Leaves rustled in the wind, falling like rain on his head and shoulders.
Hua Jie, one hand holding a drawing board and the other clutching her art supplies, said, “Dad, I’ll pick some hazelnuts and play for a bit before I start painting.”
“Weren’t you supposed to be here for plein air painting1Plein air painting refers to the act of painting outdoors, directly in the landscape, rather than from a photograph or in a studio. This approach allows the artist to capture the immediate impression of the scene, particularly the natural light, colors, and atmosphere of the environment. The term “plein air” is French for “open air” and became popular among Impressionist painters in the late 19th century, who valued capturing transient moments and the effects of light. ?” Hua’s father didn’t even look up.
“Just for a bit, hehe, ouch—” As she spoke, she stumbled over a root, flailing and crashing into her father’s motorcycle.
“Hey!” Hua’s father immediately went to check.
“It’s nothing, it’s nothing,” Hua Jie hurriedly waved her hands, trying to reassure her father not to worry.
However, Hua’s father wasn’t checking if she was injured; his concern was entirely for his motorcycle. Only after making sure it hadn’t been scratched by Hua Jie did he relax.
“Ah, Dad, am I really your child?” Hua Jie cried out indignantly.
Feeling somewhat guilty, Hua’s father smiled sheepishly.
This was the first time Shen Mo had seen this father’s smile since meeting him.
A lean, middle-aged man with handsome features, it was clear he had been very attractive in his youth. A serious face broke into a smile, laugh lines framing his eyes and mouth, revealing a hint of childlike mischief.
“Come here, you carry this,” Hua’s father’s smile faded quickly, returning to a serious expression as he gestured to Shen Mo, habitually issuing orders.
Hua Jie looked a bit anxious, turning to Shen Mo, worried that the school bully might be annoyed by her father’s command.
Yet the young man’s expression, though subdued, was obedient as he reached out to take the wicker basket and without hesitation, slung it on his back.
The rough texture of the dirty wicker basket contrasted sharply with the thick, delicate fabric of the young man’s clothes.
He didn’t mind getting his clothes dirty at all, trudging through the fallen leaves and following Hua’s father into the trees, his pant legs soon covered in burrs and grass needles.
“Peel off the green outer shell and crack the hazelnuts with your teeth to eat,” Hua’s father said, tossing the first bunch of hazelnuts to Shen Mo.
Shen Mo had only seen hazelnuts that were either roasted in their shells or shelled kernels.
Holding the fresh hazelnuts wrapped in green leaves, he couldn’t recognize them at all.
Following Hua’s father’s instructions, he peeled off the green skin to reveal the familiar brown hazelnuts, wiped them on his sleeve, and popped them into his mouth.
They tasted slightly bitter and green initially, but as he chewed and the juices flowed, they became crunchier, more fragrant, and sweeter.
Half an hour later, Shen Mo’s fingers were stained green from peeling, and his cheeks ached from cracking nuts, but he was happy and enjoying himself.
Initially, Hua’s father called for Hua’s mother whenever he needed help.
Before long, he started calling ‘Shen Mo’ instead—the young man was strong and quick, much easier to direct than his wife.
After running around with the little dog for a while, Hua Jie found a protruding tree root to sit on. She leaned against the trunk, set up her drawing board, and started painting.
The deep autumn scene included fallen leaves, fresh hazelnuts wrapped in green peels, a middle-aged couple bending to pick fruit, and a serious young man with a tough demeanor.
Hua Jie quickly sketched, capturing every beautiful sight in lines and images.
Although she had no camera, she could record these warm and joyful moments with her paintbrush.
…
Meanwhile, Hua’s father deduced the location of a lark’s nest based on its flight path in the sky.
Leading Shen Mo through tree climbing and bush searching, they actually found it.
As Hua’s father was about to catch the young birds, seeing Shen Mo’s eager eyes, he handed over his gloves to him.
He also crushed some leaves and rubbed them on the gloves to mask the human scent.
“If the adult bird smells a different scent, it might abandon the nest, and all the chicks would starve,” Hua’s father instructed while teaching Shen Mo:
“This brood was born late; deep autumn is nearly here and it might snow soon, they might not survive.”
Shen Mo listened intently.
“A brood of four will definitely have one or two starve, we’ll take the smaller ones, and leave the bigger ones for the mother bird to feed.”
“We’ll feed the small ones at home with egg yolk, mashed mung beans, and crushed eggshell powder mixed with water, feeding them from an ice pop bag; they can be kept alive.”
Hua’s father carefully directed Shen Mo to pick the two smallest chicks from the nest, and they swiftly took them.
He then had Shen Mo remove the gloves to line a motorcycle helmet, placing the chicks inside.
Holding the motorcycle helmet, Shen Mo stared at the little bird inside, its feathers not yet fully grown, with a smile as pure and silly as that of a six or seven-year-old child, brimming with enthusiasm.
Shen Mo smiled at the bird, and Hua’s father watched Shen Mo, amused.
In Hua’s father’s eyes, Shen Mo was like a little animal too.
He had always enjoyed the wilds; he too was a rebellious, carefree youth who loved freedom. Unfortunately, having a daughter like Hua Jie meant he could share fun times but not adventurous escapades.
Now, as he took Shen Mo climbing trees and exploring holes, although initially resistant to his daughter’s male classmate, he grew fond of the boy over the afternoon. Seeing that Shen Mo didn’t shy away from hard tasks or show any fear, and displayed curiosity in everything, clearly enjoying nature as much as he did, Hua’s father gradually felt a paternal fondness and appreciation for him.
As the sky darkened, Hua’s father even felt a twinge of regret.
It was a pity that this boy wasn’t his own son or nephew; otherwise, he would often call him over to help out and share his knowledge of fun and games, surely making life more enjoyable.
…
As the sun set and the temperature dropped further.
The family of three, plus Shen Mo, not only picked a lot of hazelnuts and gathered many mushrooms, filling the wicker basket and several cloth bags to the brim, but also brought home two hungry fledgling larks.
With Shen Mo’s help, their efficiency in gathering and hunting was astonishing.
Hua Jie also made significant progress, painting several pictures.
The paintings included landscapes, the dog, her parents, and Shen Mo.
She even created a large group portrait including her parents, the dog, and the “wild man.”
But before anyone could see it, she quietly slipped it into a compartment of her drawing board.
She planned to color and finish the painting at home carefully… then secretly stash it under her bed, hidden from others.
…
Shen Mo arrived as a sprightly young man but left looking scruffy and dirty, his normally neat hair turned into a bird’s nest. Unusually for him, he didn’t mind at all.
The ride back to Hua Jie’s home was bumpy, and by the time they arrived, it was completely dark.
They had played so freely and thoroughly enjoyed themselves today.
Hua’s mother offered Shen Mo to stay for noodles, but this time the young man earnestly declined.
“You won’t be able to keep the little bird alive; let me raise it a bit more. If you want, I’ll give you one later,” Hua’s father said, then turned and walked back to the yard, neither saying goodbye to Shen Mo nor giving him a chance to say farewell.
“I’ll roast the hazelnuts and dry the mushrooms, and Hua Jie will bring some to you later,” Hua’s mother said with a smile that, despite some weariness, remained gentle.
Hua Jie stood at the doorway, holding tightly to the little dog Huan Huan to prevent it from following Shen Mo, while handing him his homework book.
After expressing his thanks and saying goodbye, Shen Mo tucked the homework book under his arm, his pants covered in various weed seeds, and headed home under the starry sky.
The villa was still quiet and empty, a solitude Shen Mo was accustomed to, but today he felt somewhat discontent.
Too tired to bathe, he sat down at the dining table and hurriedly ate two large bowls of rice, only to sigh quietly at how tasteless it was compared to the meals prepared by Hua Jie’s mother.
While eating, Shen Jiaru had been pondering the balance of black and red blocks in his recent paintings, only realizing how disheveled his son looked after finishing his meal. But before he could inquire, his son had already dashed back to his room.
He didn’t think much of it and returned to his studio to continue his work.
After a quick shower, Shen Mo was too tired to read or play games by the time he finished his homework.
Lying in bed, he felt every limb sore and exhausted.
Reflecting on his day, he summarized it in two words:
Utterly bewitched!
How had he ended up spending an entire afternoon with a family of three?
He had only known Hua Jie for a few days, after all.
Yet…
As he drifted to sleep, a smile lingered on his face, clearly satisfied with the day’s experiences.
In the deep night, the cold wind danced wildly, and the temperature dropped sharply.
Winter arrived unusually early this year; it was only mid-September, yet the temperature had already fallen below zero.
As light snow quietly fell at night, many fields that had not yet been fully harvested suddenly frosted over, damaged by the cold.
This Sunday turned out to be the last day of 2000 suitable for gathering hazelnuts in the mountains.