Xia Dabao and Tian Xiaobei set off rather early. When they ascended the mountain, the morning fog had yet to disperse, and droplets of mist hung on the tips of the leaves of the plants that filled the mountain. Xia Dabao and Tian Xiaobei chatted as they climbed.
At the mid-mountain, there was a fork in the road. The two of them each took a different path; Tian Xiaobei continued deeper into the mountain to pick his medicinal herbs, while Xia Dabao went to chop wood. She knew where to find the better kind of firewood for burning.
Xia Dabao had almost finished chopping when she bundled up the firewood. She was just about to go hunt for rabbits when she heard voices from not too far away. She immediately climbed up a tree and parted some dense branches to look through.
"Zhao Datu and Axiang? How did they end up together?" Xia Dabao muttered to herself. She watched them for a while. The two weren't talking; Axiang walked in front, with Zhao Datu following behind.
