For the National Day holiday, which combined with Saturday and Sunday for two and a half days off, Xiao Man, Guan Ailan, and Mo Linghui returned to Gongdao Village.
Zheng Shaolian also had leave from the military, but he wasn't allowed to leave the Wancheng City District. He wrote Xiao Man a letter, asking her to visit Wancheng. Xiao Man wrote back, saying: "It's time to pick mountain grapes again. I'm going back to pick a lot this time. Even if you can't eat them right away, I can make wine and save it for you!"
Recalling the rich, sweet aroma of the mountain grape wine, Zheng Shaolian happily agreed.
Meanwhile, Xiao Man and her friends really did take advantage of the holiday to organize a "grand sweep" of the mountains, returning fully loaded with mountain grapes, figs, lemons, and also rice pestles, mountain hickory nuts, and mountain chestnuts.
