Chapter 35 Early Summer

As the rainy season passes.

The sun gradually warmed up.

The cicadas began to sing, signaling that summer was approaching.

Looking at the clear stream and the dazzling sunlight, Su Yun began to wonder if it was crayfish season.

Early summer is crayfish season, and the crayfish in the river should be quite plump by now. We haven't used the traps since Wanwan destroyed them last time.

Su Yun thought, it's time to show my true skills!

So she picked up the fish trap and the leftover chicken leg bones and ran excitedly towards the river.

She just took the chicken bones out and put them on the ground; she'll put them in the trap as bait after she sets up the trap.

Unexpectedly, a head popped up in the water. Wanwan naturally walked towards the water's edge, picked up the chicken bone, and said disdainfully, "You have the nerve to bring such a small chicken bone here..."

Although his tone was disgusted, his body language betrayed him; after expressing his disdain, he still happily stuffed the chicken bone into his mouth.

Su Yun's forehead creased with three black lines as she quickly snatched back the chicken bone.

Seeing the chicken bone she had just gotten her hands on fly away, Wanwan was furious and shouted angrily, "Hey, hey, hey, you won't even let me gnaw on a bone, you stingy little thing!"

"This isn't for you to eat, it's for catching lobsters. Don't mess around, go catch your own fish!" Su Yun said irritably.

"Hmph, what's so good about crayfish? Not much meat, and it's all hard and tough. So boring. Why don't you give me the chicken instead?" Saying this, her eyes darted around, trying to snatch the chicken bone again…

Su Yun reacted quickly, tossing it into the fish trap. "Hey, don't mess around! It's really for catching crayfish..."

Actually, Wanwan doesn't really like chicken; fresh and tender fish is her staple food. It's just that she can't eat it often, so she's very curious and enthusiastic about everything that can't be eaten in the water, and she wants to try everything.

But for the sake of the crayfish, she couldn't let her cause trouble, so Su Yun said seriously, "This is bait to lure the crayfish. If you want chicken, I'll catch some for you next time. This won't do."

"Hmph, you stingy little thing!" Wanwan was naturally very dissatisfied. She angrily flicked her tail and flipped into the water.

A splash occurred on the calm water, sending water flying all over Su Yun...

"Oh, you... never mind..."

Sigh, Su Yun didn't have time to coax the willful little mermaid. She had to hurry and pack the chicken bones before the sun rose so she could throw them into the stream and wait for the plump crayfish to walk right into her trap...

These past few days, while watering her vegetables, she's seen quite a few crayfish in the river. Watching them swim freely and happily in the water, Su Yun dreams every night whether spicy or garlicky is better.

Ah, I absolutely cannot let Wanwan ruin her plans!

Su Yun quickly set up the fish trap, and watching the trap filled with chicken bones slowly sink into the water, she clapped her hands in satisfaction.

Now it's just a matter of waiting.

While it was still early, Su Yun decided to go to the mountain behind the house. There were many pine trees there, and she had collected a lot of plastic bottles over the past few days, planning to find a way to get some pine resin, because it was really inconvenient to go out at night without a light.

Whether one can see or not depends entirely on the weather. When the weather is bad and there are clouds, the room is pitch black, so dark that you can't see your hand in front of your face. When there are no clouds, it's better, and you can see clearly by the moonlight. But you can't always rely on the weather to see things, so Su Yun decided to collect some pine resin and make some pine resin candles.

About two hundred meters behind their house was a small, slightly protruding cliff with many pine trees on it.

"How do we get up here?" Su Yun was slightly troubled as he looked at the small cliff. The bushes and grasses were very dense, and Su Yun couldn't find a way up.

Night Wind walked ahead with ease. "Follow me, there's a path here." He picked up a machete and walked ahead, hacking and slashing, easily clearing a path. Su Yun then remembered that Night Wind had taken this route when he ran away from home to hunt wild boars; no wonder he had found this place.

However, the vegetation here is a bit too dense... Su Yun looked at the excessively smooth stone wall and felt a little puzzled. "I have a feeling there's something here." She muttered to herself, but didn't pay any more attention to it.

Our primary task today is to find a way to collect pine resin.

Sure enough, following the path led smoothly up the mountain. This area was almost entirely pine forest, with lush, verdant pines growing vigorously. Thick pine needles covered the ground, making a rustling sound when stepped on.

"Ah! I should have come up and checked when it rained the other day. Pine forests are the easiest places for mushrooms to grow. If we were lucky, we might have even dug up some matsutake mushrooms," Su Yun said regretfully. At that time, she was busy farming and didn't have time to come up and look for mushrooms.

"Mushrooms? Matsutake? What are those?" Ye Feng asked, puzzled. Lately, his thirst for knowledge had been very strong because he had discovered that the two new mermaids in his house knew more than he did. Shepherd was educated, and Wanwan lived in the city.

So... I felt a strange threat...

"It's a kind of vegetable that grows on rainy days, called mushrooms. They look like umbrellas, are white and soft, and are very delicious."

"Oh!" Night Breeze seemed thoughtful, then, as if understanding but not quite, said, "I feel like I've seen this before..."

Su Yun: "It's okay, I'll come up with you to look for it next time it rains."

Night Breeze: "Mmm."

I've remembered the path up the mountain this time, so I can come up to find mushrooms after the next rain.

After climbing for a while, the pine trees gradually became denser. These pine trees had been planted for who knows how many years, and their trunks were all very thick.

Su Yun randomly selected a few of the thickest trees, used a machete to cut a V-shape about twenty centimeters long on the trunk, and then hammered the prepared bamboo strips into the bottom of the V-shape.

Injured pine trees will slowly secrete pine resin, which flows down and catches the bamboo strips below. The pine resin will then slowly flow down the V-shape onto the bamboo strips.

Finally, it falls back into the bottle.

This method allows for the most convenient and efficient collection of pine resin while keeping it clean. If you run the resin directly down the trunk, it is easy for it to get covered in bark or ash, causing the resin to turn black or gray.

Su Yun collects pine resin mainly to make candles. Candles with too many impurities tend to produce black smoke, so she collects as clean pine resin as possible to ensure better performance.

Su Yun picked up a few pine trees to collect pine resin, while Ye Feng helped chop firewood beside her. In the past few days or half a month, the number of people in the house has increased, and there is not enough old furniture to burn, so they need to collect firewood.

Under Su Yun's guidance, Ye Feng found several dead trees. "Look at this kind. The leaves are all yellow and the roots are rotten. It's obvious that it can't grow anymore. It's perfect to take it home and burn it!"

"Isn't this green one okay?"

"No, this place is too humid. We need to dry the wood after cutting it down, otherwise it won't burn. It's easier to pick some drier wood to start a fire. Anyway, there's plenty of dead wood here."

"Um."

Ye Feng was very clever and quick to learn. In addition, he was very strong. Under Su Yun's guidance and demonstration, he quickly mastered the key points of chopping wood.

Ye Feng's skill in using tools became increasingly proficient. He could skillfully use knives, scissors, and hoes to do almost any kind of work, except hunting.

Wielding a machete, a few strokes are enough to fell a tree, then small sections of branches are cut off along the trunk, which are then bundled together with roadside vines.

The thick trunk, cut into several sections, becomes another bundle.

Su Yun watched as Ye Feng swiftly and powerfully chopped down tree after tree.

I've said it again: what's so great about having a young, able-bodied person in the family?

The other party was strong and capable, and almost all the heavy and tiring work in the house was done by them.

Of course, she wasn't idle either. She secured the bottle for collecting pine resin and took out the prepared snakeskin bag to start filling it with pine needles. These pine needles were scattered everywhere, dry and easy to burn, so she picked up a few bags to take back as firewood.

Su Yun worked in the woods for most of the day, filling seven or eight large bags before finally stopping.

Then he looked back at Ye Feng, who was also frantically chopping wood.

They cut down about seven or eight pine trees, and in the blink of an eye, the grove of trees was much emptied.

Young people are just different!

It seems like they always have inexhaustible energy.

Su Yun looked at the firewood that could burn for at least several months and said, "That's enough, that's plenty of firewood. No need to chop any more."

Night Wind didn't stop, chopping away energetically. He was mainly responsible for tending the fire and knew the importance of the firewood, so he couldn't help but want to collect more.

She looked at the pile of firewood that was almost a small mountain. "That's enough. Anyway, it's not far. We can just come and get it when we need it. Let's go home for today!"

"Hmm!" Ye Feng agreed verbally, but his hands didn't stop. He sped up and chopped down another tree until he cut down the last one next to him.

Sigh, Su Yun initially wanted to stop it, but then she thought that since the tree was already dead, leaving it there would only block the light and take up space.

It's good that the night wind was cut down.

For a long time to come, we won't have to worry about firewood.

After finishing gathering the firewood, Su Yun couldn't wait to run over and check on her trap.

When she excitedly retrieved the fish trap from the river, she was still disappointed.

There were only a few small fish and shrimp in the cage, not even enough to fill a tooth gap.

So, where exactly did things go wrong?

Was it because the chicken leg she chose wasn't fragrant enough? Or was it because she didn't place it in a good spot?

Just as she was wondering whether she should move the cage to a different location.

Wanwan appeared again, looking at her meager harvest of traps, and gloated, mocking, "I told you long ago that this wouldn't work, but you didn't believe me."

Su Yun looked up at the sky at a 45-degree angle, secretly shedding colorful tears for her lobster feast that had flown away...

Wanwan is causing trouble again.

This guy started spouting nonsense the moment he appeared. When did she ever say that this wouldn't work? She didn't hear him. This guy was only eyeing the chicken bones she was using as bait. Looking at the chicken bones in the cage, which seemed to have shrunk a little, Su Yun found the suspect in front of her very suspicious.

Thinking of this, Su Yun said angrily, "Still gloating? I haven't even settled the score with you for the previous intentional injury. Let's have a proper talk. When are you going to pay me back the fish you owe me? If not, how about some crayfish to settle the debt? Don't just talk the talk, try it and see!"

Wanwan tossed her head back: "Hmph, I'll pay you back then, just you wait!"

With that, she flipped her tail, turned around, and swam away without looking back.

"Hey? Why don't you use a trap to catch them?" Su Yun "kindly" suggested.

Wanwan didn't even turn her head, "I don't need it!"

"Alright, since that's the case, I'll go find another spot to set the cages. I don't know if Wanwan is reliable or not. This trap may not yield much, but every little bit helps! If I catch a few more, I can make a midnight snack..." Su Yun muttered to himself as he carried the cages to another spot.

However, by the afternoon...

Su Yun was surprised when Wanwan brought back a whole bucket of crayfish. She looked at the crayfish crawling around in the cage.

Su Yun could hardly believe she was dreaming: "You...you did this?"

Judging by the numbers, did you just destroy their entire base?

"Hmph, it's none of your business." Wanwan remained arrogant, secretly pleased by the praise, though she didn't show it outwardly; her tail was practically wagging in the air. "Easy peasy. This isn't their nest. If you want to catch lobsters, you need to go down a bit. There's a big puddle over there with lots of lobsters. I'll just roar once, and they'll all be stunned. You can just pick them up..."

Su Yun: ...So mermaids catch fish entirely with sound waves?

This weapon of mass destruction... no wonder there have been fewer fish in the stream lately. It turns out it's because of this. Oh my god, it seems we still can't let this guy abuse weapons of mass destruction.

"Let's catch fewer next time," Su Yun said against his conscience, looking at the plump, shiny lobsters in the bucket.

"Hmph, give it back to me if you don't want it, I'll release it back into the wild."

"No, no..." Su Yun hurriedly picked up the bucket and stepped back, afraid that if she was a step too late, the shrimp she had just caught would escape.

When Wanwan saw Su Yun turn to run away, she quickly grabbed her foot and said, "Hey, I caught so many crayfish for you, shouldn't you take me to see Xue Po?"

Su Yun remained expressionless: Oh, as expected, no one comes here without a reason. So, it turns out they just wanted to stay overnight at their water basin again.

But looking at the old rascal in the water and then at the huge bucket of crayfish, Su Yun reluctantly agreed.

Shepard's condition has improved a lot now.

After a period of seawater treatment, along with the medicine brought back from the hospital.

Su Yun spent most of the day carefully preparing the potion...

Finally, we reaped the rewards.

Shepard's wound stopped bleeding, the scales stopped falling off, and her overall condition visibly improved.

Wanwan was brought home again and saw the lively-looking Shep in the pool.

Overjoyed, Su Yun, panting as she pulled the stroller, cried out, "Hey, hey, don't move! Wanwan, take it easy, or you'll tip it over again!"

The first time Su Yun transported Wanwan in a wheelbarrow, the guy wouldn't sit still; he insisted on reaching out to pick wildflowers by the roadside, saying he wanted to give them to Xuepo.

Su Yun pushed the cart with difficulty all the way, wanting only to get the Buddha statue to her doorstep as quickly as possible, and naturally refused to do so.

In the heat of the argument, the two accidentally caused the car to overturn.

A man and a fish struggled in the muddy roadside for a long time, creating a chaotic scene.

In the end, Ye Feng arrived just in time to save the day.

Alas, the past is too painful to recall!

Sure enough, when Wanwan recalled the unbearable past, she withdrew her hand and stopped moving.

"Don't move yet. Let me move the wooden tub over first. If the cart tipps over again, I won't have time to help you take a bath." Su Yun had no choice but to move the wooden tub over instead of pulling the cart up the steps.

Wanwan recalled the unbearable memory of being covered in mud, like a dead fish, and being thrown into the well by Su Yun, where she was washed away. She turned her face away and finally stopped moving, concentrating on waiting for Su Yun to move the wooden basin over.

Su Yun finally managed to move the wooden basin over.

With a splash, Wanwan tumbled off the truck bed and landed right in the basin.

Looking at the wooden basin that weighed nearly 200 pounds, Su Yun was exhausted. "Sigh, let's just stay here. I can't do it anymore. I'll help you move it when Ye Feng comes back."

Su Yun was panting heavily. Ah, she couldn't understand how such a delicate little girl could be so heavy. Last time when the car accidentally overturned, Su Yun tried for a long time on the ground, but still couldn't get her back onto the car.

Looking at the basin overflowing with mermaids, Su Yun said with a pained expression, "You need to lose weight!"

What? Saying she's fat? Wanwan immediately exploded, saying, "Who...who's fat? That's slander!"

Su Yun made a face at her, "Hehehe, only the fattest know." Ignoring Wanwan's stomping, she dashed to the pool and looked at the white fairy in the water with concern: "Xuepo, how are you feeling?"

From the moment they entered, Shepard listened with a smile to their playful banter.

At first, she was worried that the two of them would start arguing or even fighting again...

It seems that the two of them get along "very well".

Then she smiled sweetly, "It doesn't hurt anymore, I feel better."

Su Yun was still a little worried and continued, "Don't push yourself too hard. If you feel unwell, remember to tell me."

"I feel fine, I'm all better now. Look..." To reassure Su Yun, she pointed to her tail, "Look, the scales are starting to grow back here!"

As she spoke, she pointed to the spot where her tail had first grown, her mermaid's soft belly. The wounds from where the scales had fallen off had now completely healed, and tiny, pinkish scales had appeared on her fair skin, soft and pink, looking especially adorable...

"So the scales were pink when they first grew out? How cute!"

Su Yun couldn't help but stare at the pink dress with hearts in her eyes. "It looks so soft, it feels really nice to the touch..."

Looking at those pink scales that emitted a soft light, Su Yun's heart began to stir again.

Seeing the heart-shaped look in Su Yun's eyes, Xue Po smiled and replied, "Yes, it's pink at first and feels soft, but it gets harder as it grows and doesn't feel as nice anymore. Do you want to touch it and try it?"

"Really? Really? Really?" Su Yun exclaimed in surprise, unable to believe her ears. "Can I really touch it?"

"It's okay, you can touch it. It feels soft..." Shepard generously assured everyone it was alright.

Wanwan on the other end became anxious, "Hey, hey, hey, what are you looking at? Where are you touching? Don't touch me, I absolutely won't allow it! No! Allow!

Su Yun ignored her.

Who could resist those tiny pink scales?

Faced with this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, she naturally chose to take a bite!

So she decisively reached out her eager hand, and when her fingertips touched that soft, pink scale, Su Yun's heart softened as well.

"Ah, it feels like the ocean! I've finally touched a mermaid!"

Wanwan was stuck by the door and couldn't see anything, only hear the two women talking, like they were going crazy, ahhhhh! Like a rooster crowing.

Su Yun had a good time touching it, and was walking triumphantly to the door when he raised his hand to show off.

But when he turned around, he was surprised to see Ye Feng standing at the gate, holding a bouquet of white wild roses, his face blank with shock and disbelief...

Seeing the fascinating expression on Ye Feng's face, Su Yun was also stunned.

It looked like a large-scale adultery scene, like someone being caught stealing a stray cat outside.

Ah, no, no, um... you've misunderstood.

Su Yun held up Er Kang's hand, wanting to explain.