Xiaobai’s small eyes secretly observed the two people, and it came to a conclusion: these two were fools.
They couldn't say a word, just looked at each other and grinned foolishly.
Xiaobai stared with its small eyes, unable to understand why these two were so happy just climbing a mountain.
“Sister Fu, look over there.”
Fu Xinci followed Qi He’s direction and saw the mountain ridge. She chuckled again, recalling their first time following Xiaobai here to dig for ginseng.
Xiaobai: Still grinning like an idiot, sigh, it was worried for the two of them.
Hey, why was this place so familiar? It seemed… it seemed like it had been here before.
Xiaobai looked around and then remembered that it used to come here often, just less so in the past year or two.
Qi He also remembered things from their childhood, one by one, and now it felt like it was just yesterday.
“Do you want to go over there and take a look?”
“No, even if new ginseng grows there, it won’t be very big. Let’s go up and look instead.”
“Okay.” Beside Sister Fu, Qi He was as easygoing as ever. As long as Sister Fu suggested it, he was willing to do it.
As they spoke, the two continued to walk upwards, hand in hand. Even as the mountain became steeper, they didn’t feel tired.
Occasionally, they spotted traces of wild animals, and Qi He was inclined to investigate. But seeing that Sister Fu had no such intention, he retracted his steps and continued walking up the mountain with her.
Xiaobai lay in Qi He’s basket, its small eyes occasionally glancing at their clasped hands.
It had already chuckled slyly several times. This affection would surely make many peers envious.
Xiaobai didn’t realize that its current appearance also made it look like a fool.
The path towards the summit became increasingly rugged. The steep mountain walls were not a challenge for the two. While not as easy as walking on flat ground, it was not far from it.
“Sister Fu.” Qi He bent down and picked a nameless wild flower, smiling as he tucked it into his beloved’s hair.
A delicate head and graceful brows, a charming smile… these were Qi He’s appraisals of his beloved.
Alas, in moments of eloquence, he regretted why, despite studying with Grandpa Meng, his knowledge was so far behind Yu’er’s.
Yu’er could speak eloquently, while for the same scenery, he seemed to need a moment to ponder.
Alas, was this what his father often referred to as those three words: inherent nature.
His father often said he wasn’t suited for studying, and as his only son, he had been criticized with these words for several years.
The rare praise he received was always related to Sister Fu. Alas, it was so difficult for him.
Fu Xinci was also thinking a lot. Perhaps it was her optimistic nature that made her see the good in everything.
She had a little secret hidden deep in her heart, which she had never told anyone. It was that no matter what difficulties she encountered, as long as she kept thinking positively and working hard, things would eventually turn out for the best.
Even for major events like the upgrading of the space, despite the hardships, she believed that if she and her companions persisted, there would surely be a good outcome.
Fu Xinci became happier as she thought about it, seemingly forgetting their purpose for climbing the mountain today, and simply walked upwards.
Qi He also noticed Sister Fu’s unusual behavior but did not stop her. As long as Sister Fu liked it, he would accompany her wherever she went.
At this point, their posture had changed to Fu Xinci pulling Qi He forward.
Only when the path ahead disappeared did Fu Daniu realize that her actions had deviated from their original intention.
“Hehe.” She gave a dry chuckle, quickly adjusted her mindset, and then consulted Xiaobai in Qi He’s basket.
“Xiaobai, which direction should we go?”
“Squeak squeak squeak.” Weren’t you walking just fine a moment ago? Why are you asking me?
“Of course, I have to ask you. You are the king of the forest.” Fu Xinci was not hesitant in coaxing Xiaobai.
Was it a king? Xiaobai asked itself.
It seemed so, and yet, it didn’t.
There were no tigers in this part of the forest. As for the remaining foxes, wolves, and wild boars, they were no match for it.
They were mere youngsters. They ran quite fast, but their weakness was that they couldn't climb trees. Hehe, in such situations, it was completely victorious.
Fu Xinci saw Xiaobai’s delighted expression and knew she had guessed correctly.
Qi He saw that Xiaobai was once again flustered by Sister Fu’s coaxing, and he remained silent, watching from the side.
“Squeak squeak squeak.” Let’s go.
“Alright, Xiaobai, you’re the best.”
“Squeak squeak squeak.” Humans only know how to trick me, Xiaobai.
Fu Xinci: “And you willingly enjoy it, don’t you?”
“Squeak.”
Qi He watched the interaction between the person and the sable, as he was accustomed to it. He quite liked the way Sister Fu and Xiaobai interacted, like two old friends who had known each other for many years, exuding harmony and trust.
“Squeak squeak squeak.” Keep up, no need to flatter me, Xiaobai.
“Xiaobai, you said it wrong. It’s no need to flatter the sable.”
Xiaobai: Humans always leave it speechless.
Qi He looked at the righteous Fu Xinci and held back his laughter.
Xiaobai blinked its small eyes, appearing to be magnanimous and not bothering to argue with humans. In a flash, it leaped onto a tree branch and headed in a certain direction.
Watching Xiaobai’s agile little body leap through the branches and leaves, its fluffy tail like a compass, they couldn’t help but follow.
“Sister Fu, should we follow?”
“Not yet. We’ll wait here. If Xiaobai finds anything useful, it will call us.”
“Okay.” Qi He always listened to Sister Fu.
The waiting time was a bit long, but Fu Xinci and Qi He didn’t stand idle.
They didn’t overlook the wild vegetables and mushrooms in the forest clearing, and they neatly collected them into the basket.
“These wild vegetables would have been old by now if they were down the mountain.”
“Yes.” Thinking back to their first two years here, they, as half-grown children, would roam the mountains and wilderness in teams, just to find edible wild vegetables and fruits.
They were fine, though. Sister Fu could always find good things unexpectedly, allowing them to return with a full harvest.
Even the half-grown children from Wujia Village later liked to act with them.
Thinking about those times, who would have thought that in just a few short years, Mengjia Town would have achieved its current prosperity and wealth?
Even the families who were exiled here in the early years often spoke of the past. They would never have dreamed of living a life of abundance.
His father also often said that since Grandpa Meng and the others came here, the soldiers at the garrison finally had a better life.
For example, the ten veteran soldiers assigned by General Liu; if it were in the past, his father would certainly not have accepted them.
For no other reason than fear of them starving to death.