A Village Boy's Urban Legend

The protagonist, Li Mingsheng, grew up in Luoyun Village, a remote mountain village shrouded in mist. His parents left to find work when he was young and never returned, leaving him to depend on his elderly grandparents. Dutiful and hardworking, he often goes up the mountain to gather firewood and herbs to help support the family. He is resilient, but his limited horizons leave him both curious and timid about the world beyond the mountains.

The story depicts the village’s isolation and simple way of life, showing Li Ming caring for his grandparents and working in the mountains. It highlights his devotion to them and his quiet endurance when other children in the village mock him for having no parents and being poor, laying the groundwork for his later desire to “leave the mountains.”

Danger in the Deep Mountains, a Strange Book in a Cave: One afternoon before a rainstorm, Li Ming ventures deep into the back mountains to gather firewood for his grandfather’s medicine. He accidentally startles a gigantic golden snake and, panicking, stumbles into a hidden cave to escape...