This year, Wen Qian was forty-seven years old, marking exactly ten years since she had arrived in the Northern Forest from Xia Province.
She had truly settled down here, with the fields and orchards around her home looking well-established.
Including the thorn hedge she had wanted to plant, which had now grown tall, encircling the farmlands and protecting them from other wild animals.
Ten years had passed, and her home was secure. The hunter's cabin had been built, and everything had been adapted. All the crops she wanted to grow had been planted.
As long as Wen Qian did her seasonal tasks each year, she would not lack for food and drink.
However, last autumn, she had found an infant girl, just as her own grandparents had found her.
The story had begun a new cycle, with Wen Qian caring for another young life, just as her own family had done for her.
Wen Qian felt that her life had entered a new stage, where she needed to be responsible for another little life, and not just live for herself.
Little Ning from the Big Jin Family had also come of age, only a little younger than their eldest son. Although his parents were anxious about the children's futures and partners, it was of no use.
Aside from the village, there were no other girls here, so they would have to go to the city to find matches.
Their parents had suggested mingling with the villagers to get acquainted, but although they had become familiar faces, there were not many peers, making it difficult to form partnerships.
At this time, all it took for a wedding was for two people to be mutually attracted. The couple would build their own house, farm their own land, and young couples would move out to live independently after starting their families.
Wen Qian had once witnessed a village wedding ceremony, without any guests or rituals. The families simply sent the couple into the new house, and the surrounding onlookers applauded.
Perhaps the two families would provide some grain, seeds, and household items, but the young couple had to fend for themselves.
As for the young couple, whether they had children, how many, or none at all, no one pressured them.
In this era, giving birth was like passing through the gates of the underworld, and child survival rates were low. Coupled with the harsh living conditions, people did not have the habit of pressuring others to have children.
Or perhaps some of the older generation, although holding traditional views that continuation was important, had witnessed too much death after the virus and volcanic eruptions.
This was undoubtedly a shock for them, and many felt that living in the present was most important.
No one knew which would come first, tomorrow or misfortune, and this awareness emerged in many people. Thus, they refrained from imposting their will on others' lives when possible.
Everyone's survival was difficult enough.
Some stayed together, while others parted ways. When a couple felt they were not suited for each other, they would quickly go their separate ways. In such cases, people did not have children too early.
So when separating without disputes over children, they would mostly split their household, dividing their food and money accordingly.
Or one party might drive the other away, because some people, once together, wanted to be lazy and have their partner support them unconditionally without doing anything themselves.
Without marriage or divorce certificates, people stayed together or parted based on their feelings.
And so, there was a scandal surrounding Old Liu, which had reached the Big Jin Family and Ni Sha.
Apparently, Old Liu was fooling around elsewhere and only returned home when he had no food or money. But his wife seemed to put up with it all, with no intention of leaving.
Moreover, Ni Sha gossiped and scoffed that when she encountered Old Liu's wife, the latter seemed ill but still said she had to go home and cook.
Ni Sha advised her to rest and not cook, but she insisted that if she didn't, her husband would truly go hungry.
Ridiculous! It seemed Old Liu had grown up drinking dewdrops before marrying her, or he wouldn't have survived.
But since it was a case of one willing party and another, Wen Qian did not comment. Instead, Ni Sha said she didn't want to talk to this "saint" anymore, as it affected her mood.
She could not turn a blind eye, nor did she understand why this person behaved that way, only finding her pitiable and dispirited.
Advising was useless, as the person would not change, and confiding in Ni Sha was akin to dumping negative garbage on her.
Ni Sha chose to distance herself, protecting her own mood, which was a better approach.
Wen Qian thought that if Old Liu's family didn't live in such a remote location, this person might even have brought his mistress home.
His wife could not have been unaware of his outside affairs, but she felt the family should not break up, so she single-handedly maintained it.
She still hoped her son would return and her husband would reform, but in the end, she would realize neither would happen.
The little girl started walking in autumn, and Wen Qian made her a simple walking aid using small wheels from her space.
She fixed an area for the girl to move around in front of the house, separate from the vegetable garden, so the crops would not be damaged.
This year, Wen Qian spent little time hunting and mostly relied on traps. She would trade with the general store owner, using her earned money to exchange for game with others.
Since a small river was nearby, she also spent a lot of time fishing.
She still needed to stockpile food, increasing her efforts in one area when another decreased, not relying solely on foraging.
When Wen Qian was working, the little girl was mostly within her sight, either in a fixed seat or on a padded mat.
The boundary Wen Qian set was like the circle drawn by Sun Wukong, and after a few lessons, the child obediently stayed within it.
Of course, this obedience was also due to the small toys and snacks Wen Qian made for her. As long as she was good, she would get delicious treats, so the child was eager to cooperate.
There were a few times when she didn't listen, like when Wen Qian clearly told her to play on the mat while she was gathering lotus roots in the shallows, but the girl not only crawled out but also got herself covered in mud.
In the end, Wen Qian had to take the child back, bathe her, and change her clothes, wasting a lot of time.
The little girl was mostly adorable, with just a few headache-inducing moments, but overall, Wen Qian felt their life together was quite pleasant.
With only Wen Qian by her side, the child was very dependent on her. Sometimes when Wen Qian was in the yard, the girl would wake up in bed and keep calling for her.
No matter how Wen Qian kept responding, the other party would only feel secure once they saw her appear, as if that were the only way to feel safe.
So afterwards, Wen Qian kept Little Ning in a place where she could always be seen, whether she was awake or asleep.
Having someone dependent on her, Wen Qian also felt a sense of attachment. Many things were no longer just about considering herself, but also about considering the child.
One decade passed this way, and Wen Qian moved on to the next decade.
