Chapter 186: You Can’t Guard Against Thieves for 1000 Days

Chapter 186: Chapter 186: You Can’t Guard Against Thieves for 1000 Days

Although they had encountered a slight accident going up the mountain, the harvest was still substantial. They had mapped out the distribution of plants, fruit trees, and herbs on the mountain, and now knew that black bears inhabited these deep woods. In the future, they would know exactly where to go for foraging. They had also scouted out the herbs and could visit specific locations to dig them up. Of course, finding high-quality herbs still required a bit of luck and frequent trips up the mountain to search; sometimes, the best herbs were hidden under tree roots or in the tall grass, requiring careful observation.

By the time they made their way back down the mountain, the entire morning had already passed.

Relatives and friends of the exiled prisoners arrived wave after wave, drawing the curious villagers out to sneak a few peeks. Walking outside, one could even hear their hushed gossip.

"Wow, I didn’t expect them to be so well-connected. Even in exile, they still have relatives and friends coming to deliver things. How come no one ever sent us anything before?"

"Sigh, that’s human nature. People stay away out of fear of being implicated. But it’s not like everyone has relatives visiting either. Look at that family on the far edge, and the one in the middle—didn’t their in-laws abandon them too?"

"True. What do you think is in all those bags they’re carrying? Gold and jewelry? They aren’t here to suffer; they’re here to enjoy life, aren’t they?"

"Who knows..."

Hearing this, Ling Qianjun knitted his brows. He closed the door, turned around, and sat at the table before addressing the Ling family.

"Wealth should not be exposed, but we can’t hide absolutely everything either," he said. "The villagers have all seen how many people are delivering goods to those families outside, and how they try to hide it. I’m afraid it will attract thieves.

"If Buwan comes, we can slightly show off the things she brings us. We’ll only expose the tools and food, just enough for them to see."

Ling Qianjun tapped his fingers lightly on the table, thinking he should go out and scout tonight. As long as those thieves were in the village, they had to be on guard. There was no telling when those criminals might set their sights on the Ling family. After all, one couldn’t play defense against thieves forever.

Xu Panqing thought of the situation outside and the villagers’ gossip, nodding in agreement. "Indeed. Although the villagers didn’t reject us when we arrived, it doesn’t mean all of them are good people. Wealth stirs the heart, and nothing tests human nature quite like money."

Ling Yunge put on a solemn expression. "We definitely need to lock the doors and windows securely at night, and be careful during the day. By the way, Qianjun, you mentioned earlier about asking Sister Wan to trade for a lock. Don’t forget, let’s trade for the lock today. Safety is the most important thing."

Ling Qianfan nodded vigorously. "Yes, exactly! It would be terrifying if someone sneaked in after we fell asleep tonight."

"Yeah, I’ll go find her in a bit. Let’s make something to eat first." Ling Qianjun estimated the time, figuring that Hua Buwan would be waking up soon. However, she would definitely need to wash up and eat, so he still had plenty of time.

At his words, the Ling family exchanged helpless glances. Right now, this house had neither a pot nor a clay jug, making it incredibly difficult to cook anything. Furthermore, they only had the wild vegetables and fruits they had gathered on the mountain this morning—nothing else. Because they had been busy avoiding the black bears, neither Ling Qianjun nor Ling Qianfan had caught any wild game to bring back. Whatever they had caught last night was already eaten, and there were no provisions left in the house.

Xu Panqing considered their options for a moment before speaking up. "Let’s eat some wild fruits. We can find a stone with a hollow in it to boil some wild vegetable mush. Later, we’ll go beachcombing. We can keep a portion of what we catch to sell or trade with the villagers, and save the rest for dinner tonight. As long as we get through today, everything will get better."