12: Hunger and Foraging for Food
Li Mei's stomach growls, reminding her that it's been hours since she last ate. She checks her small, shabby kitchen, finding only a handful of dried rice grains and a wilted bundle of leafy greens. Realizing that these meager supplies won't sustain her, she decides to venture into the forest for edible plants and perhaps something more filling.
During her walk, she gathers wild vegetables—stalks of bamboo shoots, some wild mushrooms, and a few edible roots she recognizes from past knowledge. Carefully, she carries her finds back to her home, feeling a small sense of accomplishment for this modest meal.