Chapter 108: Chapter 108: Mom, Why Do You Need to Borrow Xiao Bai?

After nightfall, the forest becomes pitch black, which is nothing new for everyone who has been traveling for many days.

But when the usually obedient little girl suddenly said this, Yi Meng’s heart skipped a beat, instantly having a bad premonition.

“Brother Jin, it’s getting late; we need to hurry down the mountain.”

Yi Meng took the still crying girl and said to Qi Quanjin, “If we go down the mountain now, it’ll probably be dark by the time we reach the foot.”

“Alright, I’ll have everyone prepare to set off!”

Qi Quanjin also noticed the issue with the sky getting dark.

Others either carrying or dragging gathered around Qi Quanjin.

Fortunately, they also had cloth bags in their baskets, or they wouldn’t be able to carry so many chestnuts.

“Quickly tidy up and get ready to go down the mountain!”

Saying this, Qi Quanjin hoisted his large basket onto his back.

There were also about four bags of chestnuts, each about half a person’s height.

Never mind the weight, just looking at the size of the four bags, anyone could tell it’s not something one person could easily carry down the mountain.

“Too much stuff, we can’t take it all. Leave the bags here, we’ll come back early tomorrow to move them!”

Qi Quanjin decided swiftly.

Even though he wanted to take everything down the mountain… it was getting dark, and if they got lost or encountered danger, it wouldn’t be worth the risk.

As expected, everyone looked unwilling.

Wang Niu scratched his head, “Brother Jin, I’ve got strength, I can do it!”

Zhou Tao quickly chimed in, “Yeah, I can carry too!”

“Listen up, each person gets a basket, and at most one more bag, the rest stays here!”

Saying this, Qi Quanjin was the first to pile his remaining three bags under a big tree nearby.

Others looked at one another, reluctant, but they were used to listening to Qi Quanjin.

Soon, over a dozen bags of chestnuts were stacked together, looking quite delightful.

Yi Meng was happy too, even thinking of sneaking back to store the bags in her space.

But considering that everyone would definitely plan to come back early tomorrow to move the bags.

If they found the bags gone, it would definitely be a blow to them.

Thinking of the five or six bags of chestnuts stored in her space, she finally gave up on these and followed everyone down the mountain.

Although going down wasn’t as easy as climbing up, the group’s spirits were especially high, and with the marks left behind during the climb, they didn’t find it too difficult.

However, the speed at which darkness fell was much faster than Qi Quanjin anticipated.

They hadn’t seen the firelight at the foot of the mountain before the sky turned completely dark.

Yi Meng worried that the child in the basket, Manbao, would be scared, so she spoke with Qi Manman as they walked.

At first, Qi Manman could respond with a couple of words, but soon she fell silent.

This frightened Yi Meng, who quickly stopped to light a firestick to check on her daughter.

She found Qi Manman wrapped in a blanket, blinking with slightly watery eyes.

“Manbao, don’t be scared, Mommy’s here, Daddy’s here, we’ll see Grandpa and Grandma soon.”

Yi Meng rubbed her daughter’s head.

Qi Manman sniffled and softly said, “Mom, let Little White stay with Manbao!”

“Alright!”

Yi Meng hesitated not one bit, with a thought, she released Little White, who had just settled in its nest for sleep.

The sudden change in environment, especially the drop in temperature, caused Little White’s body to stiffen, nearly slipping into hibernation.

“Little White, stay with Manbao.”

Yi Meng said as she put the coiled Little White into Qi Manman’s small hand.

Little White met Qi Manman’s gleaming eyes and immediately flicked its tongue.

Judging by the frequency of the tongue flick, there was no need to ask—it was urgently asking questions.

Sure enough, Qi Manman softly said, “Little White, don’t be afraid, Manbao is here, Manbao will definitely protect you!”

After saying this to Little White, Qi Manman looked up at her mother, “Mom, cover us up! Manbao isn’t scared anymore!”

Yi Meng didn’t dare delay, covered the little girl’s head with a thin blanket to block the wind and cold, and continued heading down the mountain with the basket.

While she took care of the little girl, everyone else leaned against the big tree, panting and resting.

The excitement of finding chestnuts made them stride with vigor at first, ignoring the difficulty of descending the mountain.

But after a whole day’s toil, everyone was truly exhausted now.

After catching their breath and drinking the last bit of water they had, they mustered their energy and continued rushing down the mountain.

A day’s hard work, coupled with not being able to see the ground in the dark, had significantly slowed their pace.

Qi Quanjin and Qi Quanli walked at the front, using small torches for light, seeking the marks left during the ascent.

The mountain wind blew, making the flames flicker, as if they could go out at any moment.

Just then, a howl came from afar.

The sound wasn’t loud, but in the silence of the dark, it seemed amplified many times over.

Everyone was startled.

“We need to hurry down the mountain; it’s getting more dangerous the later it gets!”

Qi Quanjin was eager with worry.

Almost blaming himself for not paying attention to the time; if they’d gone down earlier, they’d have already met with the people at the base.

Qi Sangui, not much of a talker, might not have uttered three sentences all day if not provoked by the wild chestnuts.

Now, seeing his fourth brother so anxious, he struggled for a while before managing to say, “The mountain path is hard to walk in the dark, slower.”

But Qi Quanli was much quicker with his words, “Fourth Brother, now’s not the time to be in a rush. It sounds like the noise is still far, so let’s not panic, otherwise we might not need a wild beast to take us out, we could just roll down ourselves.”

“Jeepers, you’re quite the doomsayer!”

Zhou Tao retorted irritably, “Qi the Sixth, stop talking!”

Their banter eased the tension a bit, lightening the atmosphere.

However, Qi Quanjin still couldn’t relax.

With it being dark, the marks cut into the trees weren’t as visible.

Even with torches, they couldn’t risk getting too close to trees for fear of starting a mountain fire.

Their speed kept slowing, leaving Yi Meng anxious as well; she suddenly thought of Little White in the basket behind her and felt compelled to stop and borrow it from her daughter.

“Mom, why are you borrowing Little White?”

Qi Manman looked at her mom in confusion, “It’s too cold outside; Little White will freeze.”

Little White cooperatively coiled its white snake body.

If snakes had expressions, Yi Meng suspected it would wear a look of nervousness.

Yi Meng gently explained, “Manbao, it’s too dark outside, we can’t find the way back, so we hope Little White can help us find it. If we don’t return soon, Grandpa and Grandma will worry.”

On hearing this, Qi Manman tilted her head and said cutely, “Why use Little White for something so simple? Manbao knows the way!”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep