Samuel was ecstatic, he was finally alone with Laquetta, well not entirely just the two, the group was in front of them and they were at the rear. They were walking through the streets that seemed muted today, although that was because Samuel was focused on Laquetta and not on anything else.
They walked past many small shops and little stalls that carried toys, foods and goods. Laquetta smiled at all of them, she looked to Feng Yue who was being carried by his brother on his back; hurrying up a tiny bit, she picked the little boy off his brother's shoulders and running off with the little boy, giving the older one a fright!
She held the boy tight whilst she ran and twirled through the streets, Feng Yue was having the time of his life! He was having so much fun and he felt so free with Sister Wang!
Although Feng Yue was just a child of 11 years, he was very perceptive, and he knew much more of his surroundings than he let on. He knew his brother wanted to be very good friends with Sister Wang!
(A/N: My precious child. *cackles like Satan*)
The group chased after Laquetta and Feng Yue before they reached the lake where they were supposed to sail down to go to the Qang'an Mountains. Laquetta, still holding Feng Yue, quickly jumped on one of the canoes that would be taking them up the lake.
"Sorry!" Laquetta profusely apologized after startling their guide who was a young boy in his teens.
"Where is the rest of your group, Miss?"
"Oh, they're coming now," Laquetta said as a series of hurried and rushed footsteps thumped along the wooden planks of the dock.
"So, you guys are heading to Qang'an Mountains?"
"Yep," answered Vincent, "Is there anything we should look out for?"
"I would say don't eat anything that looks edible, they're most likely poisonous and extremely toxic, most of the things, if consumed, will clog up one's meridians," informed their guide.
They all shrank back at the thought of losing their capabilities as a cultivator; especially, in a world full of schemes and people waiting to stab you in the back. No one would want to be vulnerable in these times because to lose one's capabilities as a cultivator, means to gather danger and unwanted attention to the family. Which could lead to unprecedented danger in the future.
They all looked at each other and thought one thing, to not eat the berries from the Qang'an Mountains.
"Anything that isn't a berry or berry-shaped should be edible, but still check before eating. You should always cleanse them first otherwise you'll run the risk of getting food poisoning. But I'm sure you already knew that" Wang Wei thought for a second, "Also, a good thing to do along the way is to note down what everyone eats, just in case one of you do end up getting poisoned."
Charlotte made a mental note of this and nodded her thanks, "You're very experienced. How do you know all this?" asking the question everyone wanted to know the answer to.
Wang Wei huffed a laugh, "Milady, I have grown up around these areas and my Uncle used to take me there all the time when I was a child to teach me about these things, so in case I ever run into trouble, I can hide there. Those mountains are basically a fortress, you have to be an expert to navigate the area. Which is why I am, your trusted guide!" he boasted proudly.
Charlotte and Wang Wei conversed enthusiastically about the ins and outs of the trip whilst everyone else was enjoying the view of the lake, many loti blooming on the water's surface and the green leaves were so vibrant, and ripple with the lake underneath. Everyone wished that they had a camera or their phone with them to take a picture of this scene and keep it with them forever. Alas, they couldn't so they did their best and embedded the scene into their hearts and their heads so that they could preserve this image.
"How long will the journey take, Young Master?" asked Feng Mian.
"A few shichen, but the weather is good today so we should get there roundabout late afternoon (12:00-18:00 normal time)."
"That's fine, thank you."
"No problem."
The canoe sailed down the lake slowly, almost dreamily, lulling most of its passengers to sleep from its gentle sway.
Time flowed on, and soon it was early afternoon.
Wang Wei was sat on the edge, his foot-dragging along the water's surface. The water was lukewarm from the sun, and he watched with great tenderness as the little fishes that occasionally followed the canoe, nipped at his toes. He smiled gently, it was so calming, he thought, he would never trade this life for anything different.
Guiding the canoe slowly down the lake, they were soon encircled by bright ever-green trees and the sound of birdsong in the air was soft and lilting, mixed with sounds of other animals created a lively song from Nature.
The song of Nature is something we as readers rarely hear now don't we, we're used to the buzzing of our phones, the sound of traffic and the hustle and bustle of life. We would never really hear this. Do we now?