Bolati's horse carried two bulging sacks, so full that it could not run fast without its legs knocking against them.
When he reached the Small Wooden Cabin, Bolati dismounted and greeted Li Long. He unloaded the two sacks from the horse's back and said to Li Long with some pride:
"Look at the good stuff I brought you today! Plenty, eh? Two whole sacks!"
After moving the sacks to the cabin door, Bolati clapped the dust off his hands. As he turned, he spotted Mo Linsheng, narrowed his eyes to study him, and said:
"Haven't I seen you before? Are you digging medicinal herbs in the mountains too?"
"Yes. You didn't just see me-you confiscated half a sack of my Fritillaria." In the past, Mo Linsheng would never have dared speak so directly to Bolati, but after knocking down the three fellows who had tried to rob him of his Fritillaria that morning, he had grown bolder.
"Nothing I could do about that. It's my job." Bolati smiled. "You were unlucky to run into me then."
Mo Linsheng did not respond. Guessing he had come to trade for supplies, Bolati paid him no further attention. He looked up at the wooden frame and asked Li Long:
"Are you putting up a shelter? Will you cover it with grass or branches?"
"I'll cut some thin branches this afternoon and lay those down first, then put grass over them." Li Long scooped the vegetables out of the wok and set them on the worktable, then went to check the steamed buns in the steamer as he spoke:
"The real summer heat hasn't arrived yet. The sun will be fierce then, so I'm putting up a shelter before it gets too hot. It'll be more comfortable later."
"Good. We'll work on it together