The next morning, as Mike stepped out of the makeshift tent, he saw Gandalf, his hair disheveled, still leaning against the small hill, smoking his pipe, just as he had been the previous night.
The morning dew had dampened his robes and beard, making him look a bit forlorn.
Beside him, the two spirited steeds were searching for tender shoots to eat with their tongues.
"What's wrong, something on your mind?" Mike asked the old wizard after packing up his tent.
They could have entered Hobbiton the night before, but Gandalf probably hadn't decided whether to involve the kind Hobbit in danger, which was why they spent the night in the wilderness.
It seemed that even after a night had passed, Gandalf still hadn't made up his mind.
"Hmm…" Hearing the question, Gandalf was startled from his contemplation and looked up at Mike.
At the same time, the bright morning sun shone directly into the old wizard's eyes, making them gradually brighten.
He then turned to look at the beautiful scenery of the Shire, and Gandalf, as if having made a decision, put away his pipe and said, "Let's go. Today is the day the adventure party gathers. Before that, I still need to meet a special person. Perhaps he will become the 'key' in our team…"
Many Hobbit lived in the Shire. These industrious and simple miniature people were generally about one meter tall but had exaggeratedly broad and thick feet, making them very suitable for running and moving around in the fields.
When Mike and Gandalf rode into the Shire, many Hobbit were already working in the fields, greeting the morning sun.
Seeing outsiders arrive, these naturally optimistic Hobbit were not shy at all. They stopped their work and nodded to Mike and Gandalf in welcome.
Some bolder children even came closer, playing and frolicking behind the horses.
Gandalf loved this atmosphere. He would stop from time to time to hand out candies and small gifts he had brought from outside to these Hobbit children, eliciting continuous laughter from them.
From the Shire to Hobbiton and then to Bag End, a journey of several kilometers, it took them half a day to travel on horseback.
Bag End was located deep within Hobbiton, far from most of the Hobbit settlements. It was clear that the person who chose to live here was definitely a Hobbit who loved peace and quiet.
"The person we are looking for is right here…" Looking at the cozy semi-hillside cottage before him, Gandalf revealed a reminiscent smile.
Then he stepped over the low fence and went directly to the outside of the cottage to knock on the door.
"Just a moment, just a moment… I'll be right there…"
Amidst the clattering of pots, pans, and dishes, and the scraping sound of furniture being moved, a Hobbit holding a small spatula appeared at the door not long after.
Perhaps he was in too much of a hurry; this young Hobbit almost tripped over the threshold after opening the door.
Until a pair of large hands helped him up…
"Tha…" Bilbo Baggins was about to say thank you, but as he looked up, he realized something was amiss.
He strained his neck to see clearly that before him was an exceptionally tall, long-bearded old man.
Proportionally speaking, Bilbo was considered quite tall among Hobbit, exceeding 1.1 meters in height.
But in front of the old wizard, who was over 2.1 meters tall, he appeared exceptionally miniature at that moment.
"Who… who are you looking for?" Bilbo was startled by the "giant" in front of him. He took two steps back before realizing that beside the long-bearded giant stood another young and handsome "giant."
"We're looking for a Hobbit named Bilbo Baggins…" Gandalf said with a smile, "I am friends with his grandfather, Old Took. I even held him when he was a child."
At the same time, the old wizard was also observing the Hobbit in front of him, his gaze finally resting on the other's exceptionally broad feet.
In Gandalf's plan, an adventure party consisting of thirteen Dwarves members was clearly not enough to deal with the evil dragon on the Lonely Mountain.
Therefore, the initial task of the adventure party was actually to help Thorin, the descendant of the Dwarves royal family, retrieve the arkenstone, which symbolized the power of the Dwarf Clan, from within the Lonely Mountain.
Then, Thorin, holding the arkenstone, would gather the strength of the Seven Clans of the Dwarf Clan to jointly fight the evil dragon and ultimately reclaim the Lonely Mountain.
In this series of plans, it was especially important who would secretly "steal" the arkenstone from the evil dragon's side without anyone knowing.
Therefore, the team needed a thief.
A Hobbit with broad feet and silent walking was very suitable for this role.
At this moment, Bilbo didn't know what Gandalf was thinking, but he keenly sensed that the long-bearded old man opposite him seemed to be observing his large feet.
So he shyly retracted his feet and said, "I am Bilbo Baggins, but I don't remember seeing you when I was little…"
Although Bilbo looked very young, he was actually over fifty years old. After so many years, it was normal not to remember things from childhood.
"It's alright, Bilbo, you'll remember one day…" Gandalf, after confirming that Bilbo had the talent to be a thief, said with a smile, "Now, won't you invite us in for a seat?"
"Oh, please come in!" Compared to other Hobbit, Bilbo, though a bit lazy, also had a warm and hospitable side.
Before, he had only been too surprised, which was why he had been impolite enough to leave guests waiting at the door.
Of course, it might also have something to do with Gandalf's "offending" gaze.
"Is your dish burnt?" Upon entering the cave-like cottage, Mike smelled a burnt odor.
"Oh no, my fried fish…" Hobbit enjoyed good food and also cherished it. Remembering the fish still frying in the pan, Bilbo rushed to the back kitchen with his spatula, shouting as he ran, "Make yourselves at home… I'll be right back…"
Bilbo's little house at Bag End was actually quite spacious inside, and it was an open-plan house, with the living room, hallway, study, and dining room all connected.
After he went to the back kitchen, Gandalf bent down and went through the doorway to the study, where many books were stored.
Looking at these travelogue books brought from outside, the old wizard's face unconsciously broke into a smile again.
Mike, behind him, bored, began to admire the wooden carvings in the small house and the exquisite hangings on the doorways.
It was clear that Hobbits really knew how to enjoy life.
"I thought you might also want to try my cooking, even though it's past breakfast time now." Not long after, Bilbo, who had gone to the back kitchen, came out with three servings of breakfast.
Three servings of fried fish with mashed potatoes, and a bowl of vegetable soup for each person.
It didn't look particularly appealing, but it smelled quite good.
The only downside was that one side of the fried fish on Bilbo's plate was charred black.
"No, thank you for your hospitality. We haven't had breakfast yet either." Gandalf helped the Hobbit alleviate the awkwardness.
It was truly a bit too leisurely for Bilbo, this Hobbit, to be just starting breakfast now, compared to his kin who had been working outdoors for a long time.
"That's good, I thought I was the only one who couldn't get up in the morning…" As if he had found a kindred spirit, Bilbo's face broke into a happy smile, and even the burnt fried fish in front of him became delicious.
Although the food here wasn't as fresh as Tom's, the breakfast, full of homey warmth, unexpectedly suited Mike's taste.
"Gandalf, can you tell me stories about my grandfather?" A breakfast brought the three closer. Bilbo asked while eating his fried fish, "Oh, and I still don't know why you're looking for me?"