Chapter 10

After a while, Mr. Zhu could no longer bear to watch. In his simple mind, boys should not be fussing over flowers and plants; they should either study to pass the imperial exams or work diligently at home on the farm.

"Alright, today’s harvest is pretty good. Let’s go down the mountain," Mr. Zhu stopped his two sons, who were bent over picking flowers, to prevent them from straying onto the wrong path. "We need to get down the mountain before the sun sets. It’s not easy or safe to walk in the mountains after dark."

Seeing his small basket filled with honeysuckle, Zhu Ping'an gently pressed the flowers, realizing it was full to the brim. Reluctantly, he patted his hands and followed his father down the mountain.

On the way back, Mr. Zhu took the two to the place where they had set traps to catch rabbits before.

The first trap was empty, with no harvest. Zhu Ping'an was a bit disappointed.

However, he soon became excited again because the next two traps each had a fat, live rabbit.

Mr. Zhu tied the rabbits' legs with wild grass and let Zhu Ping'an pet them before putting them in the basket.

This was Zhu Ping'an’s first trip into the mountains, and he was filled with anticipation for future trips, even though his legs ached terribly.

"Ah, Second Brother is back."

As soon as Zhu Ping'an and his family entered the door, Auntie Zhao, the fourth sister-in-law, rushed over like a hungry wolf, her eyes glowing green.

Even Chen, who had been waiting at the door for her husband and children for a long time, was taken aback. Auntie Zhao had already rushed to grab the basket on Zhu Shouyi’s back.

If you didn’t know better, you’d think Auntie Zhao was waiting for her husband and children.

Zhu Ping'an stared in shock at the unusually enthusiastic Auntie Zhao.

"Ah, Second Brother caught two fat rabbits and two wild chickens, and so many fish, Mother, Mother, come quickly..."

At this moment, Auntie Zhao transformed into an airport security officer, rummaging through the basket and shouting about each item she found, as if she wanted everyone to know.

Mr. Zhu looked awkwardly at Chen, not knowing where to put his hands amidst Auntie Zhao’s fuss.

Chen looked at Auntie Zhao with disdain!

Really, do you think everyone is like you and Fourth Brother, hiding things and being so stingy!

Auntie Zhao shouted, and Grandmother also came over quickly, without even asking if her son and grandson had faced any difficulties or dangers in the mountains. Instead, she asked, "Is that all you got? Did you leave anything behind elsewhere?"

Huh?

Suspecting they were hiding something?

"No, Mother, that’s all we got. With their help, we collected more mushrooms, mountain herbs, bamboo shoots, and honeysuckle than the last time I went into the mountains," Zhu Shouyi answered honestly, as if he hadn’t noticed the hidden meaning in Grandmother’s words, and even praised his sons.

Grandmother knew her second son was honest and wouldn’t hide anything unless it went through his wife’s hands. Besides, Fourth Sister-in-law was watching, so she was reassured.

However, when she noticed the small basket Zhu Ping'an was carrying, Grandmother rubbed her eyes. Why did it look like her grandson was carrying wildflowers?

Grandmother reached into Zhu Ping'an’s small basket and found it was indeed full of wildflowers.

"You silly child, why are you carrying so many flowers?" Grandmother wondered if her grandson’s mind was not right. It was one thing for a girl, but why would a boy carry so many flowers!

"To sell for money!" Zhu Ping'an answered straightforwardly.

The setting sun cast a golden glow on Zhu Ping'an, making his white teeth shine like gold, a perfect picture of a money-obsessed little boy.

Ha ha ha...

Auntie Zhao couldn’t stop laughing, coughing repeatedly, "Hehehe, what Little Zhu said is so funny. Wildflowers can be sold for money? Hehehe, Second Sister-in-law, did you tell him that?"

Grandmother looked at Chen with her eyes.

Chen wished she could slap Auntie Zhao’s smiling face! Stirring up trouble and causing problems. This Fourth Family can’t be left alone for a moment!

"It wasn’t Mother who said it, it was me who thought they could be sold for money," Zhu Ping'an quickly said before Chen could get angry.

With Grandmother right there, a fight between his mother and Auntie Zhao would not end well.

"Hehehe, did Little Zhu get tired and go crazy on the mountain? Thinking wildflowers can be sold for money? If that were true, everyone in our village would be rich. You’d have to see the sun rise in the west for that to happen."

Auntie Zhao’s words were anything but kind, full of malice and double-dealing, smiling on the surface but tripping you up behind your back, seeming warm but secretly stabbing you.

"How can you talk like that? Can’t you speak properly? You’re the one who’s tired and gone crazy!"

Chen couldn’t stand it. Her precious son, she could scold him, but no one else could! Even though she also thought it was strange for her youngest son to collect a basket of wildflowers, she couldn’t stand others saying it!

"Alright, stop arguing. You all go help Second Brother put everything away." Grandmother, who only cared about the things, waved her hand for Chen and Auntie Zhao to help Zhu Shouyi put everything away. As for the wildflowers in Zhu Ping'an’s basket, she didn’t care at all. Wildflowers were useless, not even pigs would eat them. "Little Zhu can keep the wildflowers for himself to play with."

It seemed no one in the village could recognize the value of honeysuckle, which would be a good thing for him.

Honeysuckle is one of the easiest herbs to process. The flower buds can be spread out to dry on reed mats, stone sheds, or in the open air for 1-2 days. When drying, avoid moving the flowers.

Reed mats were out of the question; Grandmother wouldn’t give them. So, he had to find a place to dry them. The yard was not an option, as the chickens might destroy them. Yes, he would put them on the small shed in the pigpen.

Zhu Ping'an, with his short legs, used a small stool to successfully dry the honeysuckle on the pigpen’s roof.

Looking at the spread-out honeysuckle, Zhu Ping'an saw coins running towards him.

This was hope!

It was Mother Chen’s turn to cook dinner, and Zhu Ping'an eagerly followed to help with the fire, which Chen couldn’t get rid of. He had heard Grandmother ask for fish soup for dinner. Although they had eaten fish on the mountain at noon, the seasoning and cooking were rough, and the fish’s true flavor wasn’t brought out.

Chen cleaned the carp, removed the scales, guts, and gills, and cut it into pieces. She then cleaned the fresh bamboo shoots, peeled off the shells, and sliced them, adding them to the pot with the fish and water. After boiling for half an hour, the soup was as white as milk, the meat tender and smooth, and the kitchen filled with the delicious aroma of the fish soup.

Seeing her second son eagerly watching the pot, Chen couldn’t help but smile. "Look at you, you greedy thing. Come, taste the soup and see if it’s salty enough." She picked up a piece of fish, placed it in a bowl, and carefully removed the bones.

Saying he was tasting the saltiness was just an excuse to give Zhu Ping'an a special treat.

"Okay, I’ll taste it." Zhu Ping'an washed his hands in the water basin, waved his chubby hands as if it was a great effort, but his drooling face made Chen laugh.

The soup was fresh and delicious, and Mother’s cooking was a hundred times better than Father’s at noon. It was so good that he wanted to cry.