“Jiu’er, I smell it too.”

“Yes, it really is the smell of sulfur.”

“I smell it too.”

The scent still wasn’t very strong, but everyone could catch a faint trace of it.

“It’s probably buried fairly deep.” Feng Jiu’er set down the soil in her hands and stood.

She glanced up at the darkening sky, then turned back to Qiao Mu.

“Qiao Mu, take the others out. I’ll stay here and keep watch.”

“Have Xing Zizhou and Yang Sheng bring the brothers in to help. For now, there’s no need to alarm A’Jiu or Xiao Jiang about this.”

“You’re not coming back, and you think your A’Jiu won’t ask?” Qiao Mu raised an eyebrow.

Knowing Feng Jiang as well as she did, if Feng Jiu’er was out too late without returning, he would come looking regardless.

“Then just let Yu Jingfeng know.” Feng Jiu’er curved her lips slightly. “And let your Xiao Jiang know too.”

A messenger bird wasn’t necessarily any faster than Qiao Mu, and this wasn’t urgent enough to warrant a signal flare.

“Jiu’er, I’m not leaving. I’ll stay with you.” Xiao Yingtao clearly had no intention of going.

“I’m staying too.” Yue Qinchun shook her head.

“Jiu’er, I’ll stay as well.” Leng Xuepiao said quietly.

Qiao Mu looked around at everyone, her gaze landing on Shen Rong’er.

“Rong’er, are you leaving, or…”

“I want to stay too.” Shen Rong’er looked at Qiao Mu and lowered her head.

She wasn’t sure what use she could be, but watching this group of hardworking, driven young women, she suddenly found she didn’t want to leave either.

“All right.” Qiao Mu nodded. “Everyone stay, then. I’ll let your father know you’re with us and that you’ll head back tomorrow instead.”

“There might be sulfur here — for now, it’s best not to mention this outside.”

“I won’t say a word.” Shen Rong’er waved her hands quickly.

She hadn’t forgotten that she was the only outsider here.

“All right, I trust you.” Qiao Mu nodded, then turned. “It’s getting dark — Jiu’er, all of you be careful!”

“I’ll have the brothers bring tents and food into the mountains. We’re about to head west soon, so the sooner this is settled, the better.”

“Mm.” Feng Jiu’er waved a hand. “I trust you to handle things.”

Qiao Mu said nothing more and turned to leave.

Feng Jiu’er turned back and kept digging.

Unfortunately, they had no tools at all — just two daggers and two oil lamps between them.

Xiao Yingtao took Qiao Mu’s dagger and dug alongside Feng Jiu’er.

Yue Qinchun, Duan Liuyang, and Leng Xuepiao all found bamboo poles to help.

Shen Rong’er gathered some bamboo poles too, propping up two frames to hold the oil lamps steady.

The sky hadn’t fully darkened yet, and getting some things ready in advance would make everything easier later.

“Xiao Yingtao, will they bring a stove when they come?”

“They will.” Xiao Yingtao didn’t look up.

The group was now digging forward along the direction Feng Jiu’er had started in.

“I saw some sweet potatoes and wild greens nearby, and some fruit too. I’m not sure what else I can help with, so I could go gather some food for everyone.”

“Rong’er, don’t go too far, be careful!” Feng Jiu’er glanced back at her.

Shen Rong’er nodded gratefully. “It’s fine, I know this area well. Jiu’er, don’t worry.”

By the time Qiao Mu had led the group into the mountains, the women who remained were sitting on the grass, eating roasted sweet potatoes.

The early-spring night was still bitterly cold.

Once Shen Rong’er had finished roasting the sweet potatoes, everyone washed their hands and gathered around the fire to eat.

Had it not been for the fact they only planned to stay two days, the digging could have waited until morning.

Time was short, so everyone split the work and took turns digging — over the course of a full night, they could still cover a fair bit of ground.

“Jiu’er.” Xing Zizhou, walking up, was looking at his Xiao Yingtao.

He stopped in his tracks and only then glanced at Feng Jiu’er.

“We’ve brought all the food. Qiao Mu told us the situation here too — take your time eating, and I’ll take the brothers to keep digging.”

“Jiu’er, how did you even find your way out here?” Yang Sheng asked, arms full of tools, as he walked over.

“Just kept looking, and ended up here.” Feng Jiu’er said with a smile, looking at everyone.

“We haven’t pinned down the exact spot yet, but for now we know that whatever we dig is progress.”

“You managed to find a place this hard to locate — leave the rest to us.” Yang Sheng nodded slightly.

“Take your time eating, no rush.”

With so many people around now, Shen Rong’er grew a little self-conscious.

She knew who Feng Jiu’er was, and that her people must number quite a few.

Still, after Yang Sheng and Xing Zizhou, when even more of the brothers arrived, she couldn’t help feeling nervous.

“Rong’er, it’s fine — none of our brothers bite.” Xiao Yingtao noticed her unease.

Shen Rong’er looked at her, gave a small smile, and shook her head. “I’m not scared.”

“But I really do envy all of you.”

She glanced around at the group of women her own age gathered together, the corners of her mouth lifting again.

“In life, there’s nothing better than having a lot of good friends working together toward a shared goal.”

“Rong’er, sounds like you have a goal of your own, then.” No sooner had Xiao Yingtao finished speaking than a large basket appeared in front of her.

“Here.” Xing Zizhou crouched down beside Xiao Yingtao and set the basket on the grass, opening it.

“I knew you hadn’t eaten yet — brought this especially for you all. No need to make do with sweet potatoes.”

He pulled out plates of meat, vegetables, and buns, then grabbed a bundle of chopsticks and handed a pair to each person.

“Eat up. Don’t just fill up on sweet potatoes — we won a battle here, we can afford some meat.”

Looking at the still-steaming food, everyone suddenly found the sweet potatoes in their hands a lot less appealing.

“Eat up.” Xiao Yingtao didn’t hold back at all.

Xing Zizhou picked up a bun and held it out to her mouth.

“Xiao Yingtao, this is the meat bun you love most.”

“Xing Zizhou, don’t spoil me — I can do it myself.” Xiao Yingtao glanced at him and used her own chopsticks to take the bun from him.

Xing Zizhou said nothing more, gently pinched her cheek, and stood.

“Jiu’er, take your time eating. I’ll head back over.”

Feng Jiu’er, mid-bite on a bun, looked up and nodded.

Shen Rong’er watched Xing Zizhou walk off, then turned back to Xiao Yingtao.

“Xiao Yingtao, is he your husband?”

Xiao Yingtao’s face reddened slightly. She shook her head. “No.”

“Xiao Yingtao, really not?” Yue Qinchun narrowed her eyes at Xiao Yingtao, arching a brow.

“No!” Xiao Yingtao denied it again.

But the smile at the corners of her mouth was enough to make anyone jealous.

“Not yet now, but it will be soon.” Feng Jiu’er teased.

“Oh, right.” She suddenly remembered something important. “About your and Xing Zizhou’s wedding…”

With so much happening all at once, she’d genuinely let the matter slip her mind.

Xing Zizhou, Xiao Yingtao — sorry about that!

“I already said — after Qiao Mu and Xiao Jiang’s.” Xiao Yingtao raised an eyebrow. “Either way, I’m not the anxious one.”

“That’s true.” Yue Qinchun laughed. “Xiao Yingtao’s not in a hurry — it’s Big Brother Xing who’s anxious.”

“He’s so anxious he can hardly stand it, but with the fighting going on, what choice does he have but to endure it!”