To prevent her from saying anything that would make him uncomfortable, Lu Chen straightened up and said, "It's done. Let's go."
"Oh," the two responded simultaneously.
Lu Chen carried one basket on his back and another in his arms in front of him.
Ye Zhiyu wanted to help him share the burden, but he waved his hand and refused.
Feeling deflated, he realized how useless he was, unable to do anything without spiritual power. Lu Chen had helped him so many times, yet he couldn't even afford to treat him to a meal.
Lu Chen naturally noticed that his mood suddenly became low, and he seemed at a loss, not knowing what he had done wrong.
Thinking this, he hadn't taken more than a few steps when three pheasants crashed into Ye Zhiyu's legs. Before Lu Chen could react, the pheasants were knocked unconscious.
Ye Zhiyu felt a sharp pain in her leg and sat down on the ground, completely stunned.
Lu Chen quickly squatted down to check, his tone filled with annoyance, "How are you? Are you hurt?"
Lu Yun also looked nervous.
Ye Zhiyu snapped out of her daze and shook her head: "I'm fine."
He immediately realized what was happening and said excitedly, "Lu Chen, I have something to repay you with. We're having roast chicken for lunch today. The three of us will eat two, and you can take one home with you."
Ye Zhiyu: Heaven is on my side! It's like my wish came true.
Lu Chen disagreed, saying in a deep voice, "We cannot accept this."
Ye Zhiyu was unhappy. "What do you mean? You helped me with the work and even saved my life before. It was just a pheasant. I didn't do anything. If you don't accept it, you're looking down on me. Besides, I can clean it up even if I keep it."
She became increasingly aggrieved as she spoke, looking at him with pleading eyes.
Lu Chen reluctantly agreed, and sent the pig feed back, telling Lu Yun to take a pheasant home.
The brigade leader's house.
Tian Hongfang peered out the door, wondering, "Why isn't Niu Niu back yet?"
Just as I finished speaking, a small figure ran over from the road.
Lu Jun ran over, her face beaming with joy, "Mother, I'm back."
Tian Hongfang deliberately put on a stern face, "Where have you been running around? You're only just getting back now. Look at you, all sweaty. Don't be like your second brother, never home. Go wash up."
She harbored deep resentment towards her second son, expressing her dissatisfaction, yet she still felt sorry for Lu Yun's sunburnt face.
Lu Jun didn't mind, still smiling, and handed the basket to Tian Hongfang, saying softly, "Mother, look."
Tian Hongfang frowned as she took it: "What is this?"
I looked into the basket and there were pheasants!
The voices softened. "Where did you get this?" Then, thinking that brat must have gone into the mountains today, "Did you run into your second brother?"
These days, everything belongs to the country and the collective, but everyone is short of food and clothing. Sometimes, if something is brought down from the mountain, people turn a blind eye. As long as it's not done blatantly, no one will say anything.
Lu Yun shook her head and then nodded, making Tian Hongfang anxious. "Why are you being so mysterious? Just tell me already!"
“I met my second brother, but this pheasant belonged to the pretty lady. She thanked my second brother for saving her and helping her with chores, and treated us to two pheasants. I took this one back.”
Tian Hongfang was stunned. She knew that Lu Chen had saved someone a couple of days ago, and that it was that educated youth Ye. At the time, she had cursed that old man Wang a few times at home. How shameless and disgraceful for a grown man to bully a girl who was far away from her parents and family.
But what was with this "helping with the work" thing? She was dumbfounded: "You mean Ye Zhiqing?"
Lu Jun nodded: "Yes, Mother, I'm not talking to you anymore. Don't cook for me and my second brother. I'm leaving now."
He ran off as he spoke.
Tian Hongfang stood there stunned for a long while, then slapped her thigh and exclaimed, "Oh dear, this second son, what a disaster!"
Lu Chen was unaware that his younger sister had revealed everything he had done in the past two days to his mother.
He's starting a fire to make beggar's chicken.
It was the same stream where Ye Zhiyu had encountered the snake before.
It was noon, and the children who had gathered pig feed had all gone home. The others were either in the fields or cooking at home. Even if someone were to deliver food, no one would pass by.
This will make it convenient for them to pick it up.
Lu Chen started a fire, while Ye Zhiyu gathered firewood not far away, always thinking three steps ahead before taking another, still haunted by the psychological trauma from last time.
I'm afraid a snake might jump out from some crack in the grass.
Ye Zhiyu's fear of snakes stems from her childhood. She slowly recalled how she used to sneak out to play, being a little kid who didn't understand anything and didn't know where she had gone.
Upon seeing an injured little bird, a feeling of pity arose within me, and I used my spiritual power to heal it. Just as I was about to pick up the bird and take it home to show off to my dad, I was surprised to find a black snake lying under the bird.
It immediately bit her, and Xiao Zhiyu cried loudly in pain. She ran a long way before the poison took effect and she fell to the ground.
She was taken home by her father, who came looking for her, and ever since then she has been terrified of snakes.
I wonder how that little bird is doing now; it looked quite pretty.
I snapped out of my thoughts and carried the firewood back.
Lu Chen had already started a fire and was wrapping the two cleaned chickens in several large leaves.
They covered it with mud and put it in the fire; what they were making today was beggar's chicken.
At midday, the sun was blazing, and Ye Zhiyu's head was still wrapped in gauze to prevent others from noticing that the wound had healed, and it was currently quite uncomfortable.
When you get to the stream, take off your shoes and put your feet in the water.
Ah! That feels so good!
Take the straw hat off your head and use it to fan yourself.
She turned back and patted the empty space beside her, beckoning Lu Chen, and said sweetly, "Lu Chen, come over here too. The fire won't go out anytime soon, so it's nice and cool here."
Her rosy cheeks and charming appearance warmed Lu Chen's heart.
He shook his head and said in a low voice, "No need."
Ye Zhiyu saw him staring at the fire without moving, even though some of his clothes were wet. He was such a stubborn mule.
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