The next morning.

Sophia had prepared the dough yesterday, mixing some flour, salt, and aromatic powder, and poured hot oil into the mixture to make the oil dough.

She divided the dough into five small portions, brushed them with oil, and flattened them into oval shapes. She then brushed them with the oil dough and sprinkled chopped green onions on top.

After rolling up each dough, she gently pressed it flat and placed it into the pan, frying both sides until golden brown and crispy before removing it from the pan.

Sophia was about to pinch off a small piece to taste when a sudden hug from behind startled her.

Jackson was tall, and he had to bend down to wrap his arms fully around Sophia. His chin rested in the crook of her neck, and their bodies pressed together, radiating warmth and possession.

Sophia, lost in the act of cooking, was startled at first. But the familiar scent made her feel safe. "Hmm?" she murmured, turning her head to find Jackson gazing at the food in her hands, his expression childlike with curiosity.

With a calm smile, she fed the pancake into his mouth.

"How’s the taste?" she asked.

“It’s delicious,” Jackson replied with a sincere smile, natural and pure, like the mountain breeze.

"Honey, you don’t need to wake up so early to cook for me. You should let the kids sleep in a bit longer,” Jackson’s voice trailed off, almost whispering by the end.

“You’re going hunting, and it’s cold in the mountains. It’s better to eat something warm in the morning,” Sophia said, remembering how she had seen Jackson leave early with just some dry food and hot water when he went hunting. She had wanted to do something nice for him.

After breakfast, Jackson put on his big boots, waved goodbye, and took the bundle of supplies—a few loaves of bread and a water flask—and headed toward the mountains.

Following the path from memory, he walked for nearly two hours before finding the coveted Dendrobium (a type of herb).

Taking out his tools, he began working diligently.

By midday, he had successfully unearthed the Dendrobium.

Sitting down, he finished his bread and drank half a flask of water. The time was still early, so instead of heading down immediately, he decided to gather some dry wood in the hope of finding more valuable herbs.

Sure enough, he stumbled upon a large batch of knotweed.

Excited, he quickly walked over to the patch. To his surprise, there wasn’t just one, but four different sizes and shapes of knotweed growing nearby.

At that moment, Jackson felt this trip to the mountain was well worth it. He wondered why he hadn’t discovered this treasure trove earlier. The deep mountains were full of surprises.

He set down his bundle and broke off some leafy grass to line it, placing the knotweed carefully inside. Afterward, he covered it with a thick layer of grass.

Just as he was about to leave, Jackson caught a glimpse of a small, inconspicuous hole next to an oak tree. Around the entrance were scattered bits of dirt and some animal tracks—signs of a badger.

This, he realized, might be a badger den. Badger meat was delicious and would be good for Sophia’s health, and badger oil was a precious medicinal ingredient.

However, badgers were cunning and elusive, making it no easy task to catch one. Jackson decided to try his luck with a smoke trap.

Searching his pack, he found a handful of dried chili peppers, realizing he wouldn’t need to go down the mountain to prepare additional materials. Carefully, he stuffed the dried chilies and kindling into the den entrance.

As the flames flickered, thick smoke began to billow out, filling the badger den with a pungent odor.

Jackson stepped back, patiently waiting.

The badger, disturbed by the smoke and the unusual smell, would instinctively try to find an escape route. Jackson had already prepared a net at the entrance, waiting for the badger to walk right into it.

He was gambling a bit, knowing that badger dens were often elaborate, with multiple escape routes. From watching nature documentaries, he recalled that badger dens averaged around 6.2 exits, with some having as many as 130.

Time passed slowly, the only sound in the mountains being the occasional bird calls. Jackson’s eyes stayed fixed on the den entrance, his palms sweating slightly.

After about half an hour, just as Jackson was considering giving up and using wet branches to extinguish the fire—fearing that a forest fire might break out—the sound of rustling came from the den.

A furry badger head appeared, its eyes flashing with alarm through the smoke. The badger’s whole body then scrambled out of the den, panicking and heading straight for the trap.

Quick as lightning, Jackson pulled the net rope, trapping the badger securely inside.

The badger weighed about two pounds, and with a one-sixth chance of success, Jackson was very pleased with his catch.

After taking a water bag from his pack, he ensured the fire was completely extinguished before heading down the mountain.

Meanwhile, back at his home, some villagers had heard about Jackson buying a refrigerator and were curious, coming by to see what a “city fridge” looked like.

As the day passed, Jackson’s house was lively, with a steady stream of visitors.

Some of the villagers noticed materials being delivered by Camden for building a house. When they learned that Jackson was planning to build, they were taken aback, many expressing disbelief. They thought Jackson didn’t have enough money to complete such a project.

Whispers spread, criticizing him for wasting money on a useless iron box (the fridge), saying it would waste electricity and be of no real use.

Sophia, exhausted from dealing with the curious villagers all day, thought the house was even more chaotic than it had been during their wedding.

Just as she was about to sit down for a break, she saw Jackson returning with the bundle on his back.

Her eyes lit up, and she hurried toward him, holding the child.

“Why are you back so early?” she asked, noticing the leaves stuffed into his basket. She had grown accustomed to seeing him bring back herbs from his trips to the mountains, and this time, she could guess there was something else inside.

Sophia, in a new red sweater that made her skin appear even more delicate and fair, caught Jackson off guard, momentarily distracting him.

As she reached him, Jackson bent down, preparing to kiss her cheek, but she quickly turned her face away, blushing.

Sophia, a little embarrassed, reminded him, “Meilani and Cara are here!”

At this, Jackson looked around and noticed several villagers inside, all looking curiously at him.

Sophia, sensing his confusion, explained, “The villagers wanted to see the fridge. Luckily, Cara is here to help entertain them.”

Jackson nodded, then noticed his dirty clothes. As he reached to take the child from her, he noticed the mess and decided to bring the bundle into the kitchen first.

Bending slightly, he whispered a few words into Sophia’s ear.

She glanced at the basket and nodded, “Got it.”

Though she didn’t know exactly what he had brought back, she didn’t press him further, as she knew he had plans to go to the city early the next morning.