Lian Fang Zhou continued to cut down the trees with Lian Ze.
"So you’re saying, people in our village don’t pick wild mushrooms?" Lian Fang Zhou asked.
"Of course," Lian Ze nodded. "Everyone just picks shiitake mushrooms [1], Jelly ear [2], pinewood king bolete [3] that are under the pine trees and russula [4] that grow on the maple trees. For the others, nobody else seems to dare pick them."
Lian Fang Zhou’s heart could not help but be moved and said, "Well then, there must be a lot of wild mushrooms in the forest? We need to pick a lot and, besides being used for us to eat, we also could sell them for a lot of money!"
This is the ancient era ah, the forest is vast, with lush vegetation; it is a paradise for the growth of a variety of wild mushroom. And it’s not like she couldn’t recognize the good stuff, how could she know that there is a treasure on the mountain and not look for it? What kind of logic is that?
Lian Ze’s eyes also brightened and blurted out, " talking about mushrooms, there are a lot in Mount Xian Teng!"
Lian Fang Zhou eyes also lit up, flashing a smile; "in that case, let’s go to Mount Xian Teng!"
"No, we can’t!" Lian Ze looked annoyed as if he said something that should not be said. He quickly said, "Mount Xian Teng is the biggest forest in this area, it is more than 20 miles from the village. I heard that the trees are really really tall and the whole sky is covered. In those woods, there’s a variety of beasts that come and go. no one wants to go there!"
Lian Fang Zhou was already moved by what he said, so how could she so easily give up? She then smiled, "do not try to coax me anymore! You’re not someone who would lie! And also, if no one one goes, how would you know so much about it?"
Lian Ze didn’t stop and could only honestly say, "at the village’s edge, hunter Sun Zhang Xing, Uncle Sun would go. According to him he only wanders around the edge of the forest and hunts a number of small animals like hares, pheasants, roe deer and mountain goats. He doesn’t dare to go deep into the forest. Also, his family are foreigners and their household is from outside, they are not from the village. So, there are no fields to farm, in order to make a living he has no choice but to go."
Lian Fang Zhou nodded, "so it’s like that! Since it’s the edge of the forest, there’s no problem if we go? Wait until we go back then we will find him. We will ask him to let us go with him the next time he goes hunting."
"Sister ….." Lian Ze was extremely regretful; he really shouldn’t be so fast to speak impulsively.
Lian Fang Zhou faintly smiled. "Don’t be like that. Let’s go and see first. if it is really dangerous, next time we won’t go, alright?"
There’s such a place, not going to take a look around at least once, how could she feel at ease?
Lian Ze knew he couldn’t persuade her, so he could only agree.
After being busy working for a long time, finally the things that needed to be chopped were done and ready. The four siblings were all exhausted and sat on the grass to rest.
Fortunately, it wasn’t far from the village here. But they are still small and don’t have much strength. To carry all these things back home, they might have to spend half a day.
Lian Fang Qing and Lian Che have already picked a large number of ash-bag mushrooms. Lian Fang Qing had already removed her own floral coat she wears when outside and used it to wrap and collect the ash-bag mushrooms. Like offering a treasure, she let Lian Fang Zhou see.
Lian Fang Zhou saw it and praised her several times. Making her extremely happy.
After resting for a while, the siblings prepared to go home.
Lian Fang Zhou and Lian Ze each carried 10-11 kg bundles of tied tree pieces. Lian Fang Qing held the mushrooms wrapped in her jacket; while Lian Che insisted he needed to help, so he carried 4kg of tree pieces.
The four siblings went back to their home.
When reaching the edge of the village, someone rather abruptly called out "Fang Zhou!"
Due to a moment of unawareness, Lian Fang Zhou was startled. She was already exhausted to the point of feeling comfortable, the shock caused her foot slip on a stone. She staggered a few steps forward, those long pieces of wood immediately started to become imbalanced and shake, making Lian Fang Zhou involuntarily wobble.
"Sister!"
"Ah, Sister!"
"Be careful!"
A few voices sounded at the same time. Lian Fang Zhou felt that someone firmly
held the tree pieces behind her and said, "Fang Zhou, let me!"
Lian Fang Zhou turned her head and saw who it was, she could not help but freeze. It was no stranger, it was actually her former fiance Yang Huai Shan.
"No need! I can do it myself!" Lian Fang Zhou’s face suddenly sank and shook her shoulders to indicate him to let go of her. She said, "also, I’m not so familiar with you. Do not call my name, call me Miss Lian!"
Yang Huai Shan face suddenly had a guilty and painful look. "Fang Zhou – Mi, Miss Lian, why must you be so unfeeling? I just want to help you."
"No need." Lian Fang Zhou shook her head.
"Ah! What are you doing?!" Yang Huai Shan’s mother, old woman Yang was jogging from behind to catch up. Slightly breathless, she pulled Yang Huai Shan behind her to shield him. Toward Lian Fang Zhou, she sneered, "don’t you have any shame? Haven’t we the Yang Family given you ten Liang for dissolving the engagement? Why do you still pester my son, not wanting to let go!"
She can’t walk away now, if this matter isn’t cleared, she won’t be able to live peacefully.
She wants to be in this village and to continue carrying on living this life; she is not willing to be isolated or even marginalized by people. She is not afraid of being looked down upon by others for having her engagement dissolved. But her reputation must not be compromised.
All of a sudden, Lian Fang Zhou put the bundles of tree pieces on her shoulders down. Lian Ze was also steaming with anger and was about to open his mouth, but someone was faster than him.
"Mother, you misunderstand! Fang Zhou – Miss Lian did not pester me. It was me, I wanted to help her a bit..." Yang Huai Shan quietly said.
"You shut up!" Old woman Yang did not expect her that her son would demolish her stance in front of her face like this.
"You hear that clearly?" Lian Ze stepped in front of Lian Fang Zhou. He was still not as tall as Lian Fang Zhou, but he raised his head and staring unrelentingly at old woman Yang. "Control your son, so he doesn’t hassle my sister!"
"Bad people! You all are bad people!" Lian Fang Qing and Lian Che also came up, glaring at them.
Old woman Yang was angered until she froze. "Huff" taking a deep breath sneered, "really, you have been raised by a mother, but wasn’t taught very well by a mother. These nest of bastards are rogue-like and are very tough goods!"
"What did you say! Try saying that again!" Lian Ze’s face changed and the veins on his forehead throbbed, his aura startled everyone.
Old woman Yang was scared by him, and she could not help but take a step back. Yang Huai Shan was also anxious, he hurried to shield the old woman Yang behind him. Softly he said, "let’s all talk nicely ..."
"There’s nothing to say to you!" Lian Fang Zhou was coldly staring at the mother and son. Toward Old Woman Yang she sneered, "I told you long ago, you better manage your son well and don’t come back to pester me! But right now how it seems, he has a mother to teach, she is not much better ah, shameless! Rascal! If you dare to pester me again, don’t blame this great one for being rude! Old Woman Yang, when you’re free, teach him some more!"
"You, you!" Old woman Yang was so angered that she want to hop up and down. "A good sharp-tongued stinky brat you are, thank god the engagement was dissolved, or else I really would be out of luck for eight lifetimes!"
Yang Huai Shan’s face also exposed a painful look and was depressed as he sighed, "Fang – Miss Lian, don’t speak like that OK… …"
Lian Fang Zhou did not pay attention to him, still facing the Old Woman Yang and sneered, "this is what I should say, God really has eyes, he rescued me out of the fire pit! Otherwise, ah, in the future, those days I really wouldn’t want to continue living in it! "
"Huai Shan, listen, listen, what kind of words are those!" Old Woman Yang angrily pulled Huai Shan aside to push him towards Lian Fang Zhou. "You let her bully your mother in front of you? And you’re still not teaching her a lesson for me?!"
"Mother ..." Yang Huai Shan was in a very difficult position.
Lian Fang Zhou "ha" as she laughed out, picking her eyebrows up. "It was you who was stirring trouble. Now you want to teach me a lesson. What a joke!"
"You listen! Huai Shan, listen!" Old Woman Yang was extremely furious. She glared at Yang Huai Shan, her eyes lit up with intimidation.
"Miss Lian, can you not say any words right now, I, I -" Yang Huai Shan saw that Old Woman Yang was so furious that was about to hop up and down. His heartfelt complicated and was in a difficult position.
This was, after all, his mother, ah.
Lian Fang Zhou sneered. "Did I say something wrong? Us siblings were just returning from working in the mountains. Did we provoke anyone? Who was it that wanted to stir up trouble?"