"Ah, put on your shoes properly before you go out."
Feeling helpless, Li Xiu'e held the baby girl and walked out of the room, closing the doors and windows.
*******
The family followed the baby girl's pointing direction, left the compound, and entered the mountain forest. They climbed up the winding and rugged mountain path for less than a hundred meters. The chirping baby bird leading the way flew down from between the branches and landed in front of an unremarkable dirt mound.
Among the withered yellow weeds in front of the mound, there were a few small, shriveled berries the size of soybeans. No one would notice these uninteresting wild fruits without deliberately looking for them, let alone imagine that there was more to the ground beneath them.
"Chirp chirp..."
The baby bird landed in the grass, took the shriveled berries in its beak, swallowed it one after another, its black eyes flashing with excitement.
The fruits produced by the Hundred-Year-Old Ginseng were indeed nutritious for a newly born baby bird.
"Ya ya ya."
The baby girl's smooth white fingers eagerly pointed to the soil beneath the berries.
"Let me see what she is pointing at."
Su Hu squatted down, parted the grass, and grabbed a handful of soil, lifting it to his nose for a sniff.
The soil moistened with morning dew, damp and soft, smelled no different from day to day.
"Chirp chirp."
The baby bird saw that he didn't get the gist, hopped up, and with its pointed beak, pushed aside the soil, revealing the roots hidden under the grass.
"Dad, it's not about smelling the soil, there's something beneath it."
With a burst of insight, Li Xiu'e understood what the baby bird was trying to say: "Dig up and take a look."
"Ok!"
Su Hu's faced flushed red, self-consciously scratched the back of his head, and cracked a goofy grin.
Years of logging, hunting, and hard labor had made his hands as sturdy as iron hooks.
He cleared away the blocking dead grass and quickly dug two uneven pits on either side of the root, revealing the Ginseng roots planted in the soil.
"Ah, Sister Qiao, help me, I feel weak in my legs."
Spotting the gradually visible Ginseng, Li Xiu'e's heartbeat quickened, causing a dizzy spell, almost unable to stand up.
"Mother, be careful."
Sister Qiao quickly stepped up and supported her by the arm.
"Sister Qiao, you run fast, go home and get a small shovel."
Su Hu's gaze became serious, he looked up at his sensible elder daughter, carefully reminding her, "And the vegetable basket, bring them both. Don't speak more than necessary to outsiders on the way, don't tell anyone that your mother and I are here."
"Mm, Sister Qiao understands."
With an understanding nod, Sister Qiao released her mother's arm and scampered down the mountain.
"Buddha bless us, thank you, heaven, for giving us this cute and blessed daughter."
With her heart quietened, Li Xiu'e, held the chuckling pretty-eyed baby girl, suddenly felt blessed, enlightened, formed a steeple with her hands and bowed in the direction of Foshou temple.
"Let's name the baby."
Su Hu stopped digging, looked up at his wife with a gentle expression, "Since we've decided to adopt her, she's considered part of our family, she should have a name."
"Oh, it's about time we gave her a proper name."
Facing the tender gaze of her husband, Li Xiu'e felt a warmth within. She held the Little Lucky Doll, a gift from heaven, evermore in love.
"Since she is a gift from heaven, let's call her Tianci."
Remembering his wife's words of gratitude from earlier, Su Hu suddenly had an inspiration, in high spirits, he beamed.
No no no!
That sounds terrible!
Both the baby girl and the baby bird shivered simultaneously and shook their heads.
"You, what kind of name are you coming up with?"
Seeing the displeased expressions of both the baby and the bird, Li Xiu'e couldn't help but laugh out, "Who names a girl like that?"