Gu Xiaobei left hastily and without delay. She found an inconspicuous little inn for the night, fearful of oversleeping. She barely slept and at five o'clock, she rushed to wash her face to catch the bus to Victory Ranch.
After a bumpy ride, she arrived at Victory Ranch around ten o'clock. She had left in such haste this morning that she didn't finish her breakfast and now she felt famished. She made her way to the market in the ranch's station, bought twenty buns from a vendor thinking she might have to head into the mountains if she couldn't find her husband today, and wolfed down five buns that rejuvenated her energy.
After buying the buns, Gu Xiaobei asked the vendor if he saw a group of soldiers passing by. The vendor pointed towards the mountain and said, "they went up the mountain early this morning."
Hearing this information, Gu Xiaobei realized she couldn't possibly catch them up due to her slow pacing. "Uncle, is there a shortcut to the Chen family village?" she asked.
