Bo Xi carried the wooden boards inside and assembled her bed, hanging the curtain neatly around it. When she finished, she sat on a chair and slowly ate her wontons. They were already cold, and she didn't know how to light a fire, she didn't even have firewood yet.
After her simple meal, she fetched water from the well and took a quick bath. Thankfully, it was summer. Exhausted both mentally and physically, she changed into her sleeping gown and fell asleep almost instantly.
Morning came with sunlight pouring straight through the open window. The house looked even emptier than yesterday, with all the furniture still sitting outside. Half-asleep, Bo Xi raised a hand to block the sun and reached out, instinctively searching for her phone.
Then reality hit her, she was no longer in her own world.
She lay in bed for a while, dazed, before finally sitting up and gathering her thoughts. When she stepped outside, villagers were already at work. Some paused to glance at her with open curiosity.
Bo Xi drew water from the well to wash her face, then began moving her furniture inside. It took quite a bit of effort, but eventually, her home looked more like a place someone lived in.
Hunger reminded her of the cold bun she'd bought yesterday. She ate it and then decided to learn how to make a fire. Yesterday, she had asked a servant who happened to be working in a shop; the woman gave her a strange look but patiently demonstrated the steps.
Bo Xi had already bought a flint stone. She decided to practice outside, just in case she accidentally burned the house down.
After eating and changing clothes, she took a bucket of water for safety and an axe to gather firewood. As she walked toward the back mountain, a few men glanced her way, whispering among themselves. Several older women puffed on pipes, watching her with mild interest.
When she reached a quiet, empty clearing, she cleared a space on the ground, arranged dry leaves and grass, and struck the flint over and over. Smoke curled up occasionally, but no flame ever appeared. Ash smeared her hands and face, and frustration bubbled up as she glared at the stubborn pile of grass.
A rustling sound made her tense. She grabbed her axe and turned toward it, only to see a young man step out.
The boy from yesterday… Han Fei, she remembered, lowering the axe.
Han Fei looked equally surprised. His gaze drifted to the mess she'd created, and he couldn't help smiling.
"Do you want any help?" he asked.
"…Yes," Bo Xi admitted after a pause.
He took the flint and, with practiced ease, sparked a fire within moments. As he worked, he explained each step patiently.
When Bo Xi finally succeeded in creating a flame herself, her eyes stung, almost with tears."Thank you. If you ever need help, just tell me," she said sincerely.
"No need. It was a small thing," Han Fei replied as he prepared to head deeper into the mountain.
"What are you looking for?" she asked.
"Wild vegetables," he said, scanning the ground as he spoke.
Another thing she knew nothing about. She couldn't even offer to assist.
"Oh… I see." She hesitated, not knowing what else to say. "I'm here to hunt, so I should get going."
She walked off in the opposite direction, awkwardly. Behind her, Han Fei watched her leave and smiled slightly, though she didn't notice.
Thankfully, Bo Xi had some basic hunting experience. She set a few simple traps, practiced her fire-starting again, and gathered wood while waiting.
By evening, she checked her traps and was lucky; one held a rabbit. Tonight, she would have roasted rabbit with rice.
She returned home and cooked her dinner. How it ended up like that, she had no idea, half the rice was still uncooked while the other half was slightly burnt. She separated the parts that were edible and ate gratefully.
Finally, warm food, she thought as she washed her dishes outside.
Tired to the bone, she washed up and went straight to bed, falling asleep within minutes.
The next morning, after a simple breakfast of pancakes, Bo Xi headed toward the mountain again. She planned to set a few traps first, then return to check the land she had bought and start working on it.
After placing the traps, she turned to head back down, only to pause when she spotted a familiar figure.
Han Fei.
He was slowly climbing the mountain, his face pale and his forehead beaded with sweat. His thin arms trembled slightly from the effort of carrying the basket strapped to his back.
Bo Xi felt a tug of sympathy. She walked toward him.
"Let me carry the basket," she said softly, asking for permission rather than insisting.
Han Fei looked up, surprised. Then he offered her a small, gentle smile.
"Thank you."