Chapter 35: The Treasure That Could Kill Him
It was particularly difficult to wash off the tree trunk sap that accidentally stained Xu Yu's clothes, but this somewhat troublesome stain made Sang Zhixia happy for half the night.
The next day, she picked up the pottery jar she had found and said to Xu Yu, "I want to go into the mountains with you today."
Xu Yu couldn't figure out the source of her excitement. After a pause, he said, "The roads in the mountains are difficult to walk on, and..."
"I can walk steadily."
Sang Zhixia said without hesitation: "Just lead the way, I won't cause any trouble for you."
She insisted on going, and Xu Yu had a headache for a moment.
But thinking of the surprise she showed yesterday, Xu Yu thought about it and decided to discuss it with the old man.
The old man couldn't bear to disappoint Sang Zhixia's rare interest, so he simply made some adjustments to today's arrangements.
Uncle Xu took over Xu Minghui's job of going into the mountains to chop firewood, and Xu Minghui replaced Sang Zhixia to stay at home and tend the charcoal pit and make charcoal.
Xu Minghui smiled and nodded, saying yes. But before Sang Zhixia left, he said softly, "The mountain road is difficult to travel on. Big brother, don't rush ahead like you did yesterday. You should go back and help your sister-in-law."
"Sister-in-law, please remember to be careful."
Sang Zhixia didn't say anything as he carried the tools prepared on his back.
Xu Yu glanced at him, half-smiling, and said quietly, "Thank you for the reminder, second brother. I'll pay attention to it."
He took the lead and walked ahead, but when he realized that Sang Zhixia seemed unable to keep up with him, he calmly slowed down his pace.
The way into the mountains was familiar after a while, and the group quickly determined the scope of today's journey based on the traces left yesterday, but Xu Yu still had no intention of stopping.
Uncle Xu San was tugging at an obstructing branch beside him and asked curiously, "Xu Yu, aren't the plants here growing well? Why do you want to go further in?"
Xu Yu looked at the pottery jars that Sang Zhixia was carrying and said, "It'll be fine here. It'll be convenient to send it out."
"It's rare for Zhizhi to come out, so I'll take her for a walk."
Uncle Xu looked at the dense shadows of the trees around him and asked curiously, "What's there to see in this deep forest?"
Are young people’s preferences so unique?
Although he grumbled a lot, he didn't dare to be careless with his hands.
This morning, under the watchful eyes of everyone, several shovels carefully dug up the charcoal pit that had been covered with mud overnight. The charcoal blocks dug out were burned to perfection, with no mistakes in shape or size.
The old man put out the borrowed large scale and weighed the sorted and bagged charcoal blocks. A sack weighed fifty pounds. Even if it was one cent per pound, he would still get fifty cents in total!
This is more profitable than moving bricks!
He gritted his teeth and wielded the axe with a grunt. Seeing Uncle Xu standing there expressionlessly, he sneered, "Brother, before we got here, Grandpa said that each person must produce at least three racks of firewood a day. Not a single piece less."
"Minghui already chopped off enough yesterday. Don't let yourself fall behind your own son."
Uncle Xu glanced at him with a dark face and said through gritted teeth, "There's no need for you to sneer at me. I'll do what I have to do."
"But then again, how could I not have realized that you, Third Brother, had such a great ability to change the tide all these years? From being the Third Master of the Marquisate to being a woodcutter now, it's all thanks to the eldest branch of the family. The fact that you're still wholeheartedly helping Xu Yu shows that you truly don't hold grudges."
Originally, the relationship between the second and third houses was closer, and along the way, the two elders and the people of the third house had always been resentful of Xu Yu and others.
But in just one month, those who had been in the same camp with him not long ago changed their sides one after another. Even his wife and son in his own room became hard-working oxen with their eyes closed, as if they had forgotten everything that happened before!
Have these people forgotten why they have fallen to this point?
Hearing the undisguised resentment in his words, Uncle Xu said inexplicably, "Does holding a grudge work?"
"I've told you everything the old lady needs to say. If you still can't see through it, then there's nothing I can do."
When it is difficult to survive, there is no point in holding grudges. Only by sticking together can we keep warm. It will be difficult for anyone to survive if they let go.
Given the Xu family's current situation, those who fail to see the reality and still want to cause trouble are truly foolish.
Having said all he wanted to say, he was too lazy to say anything more and simply took his hatchet and distanced himself from Uncle Xu, just to get some peace and quiet.
Uncle Xu took a deep breath to suppress his anger, and swung his axe with endless resentment.
Elsewhere, Xu Yu raised his chin towards the cut-marked tree trunk in front of him and said, "Here, this is the strange tree you pestered me to tell you about last night."
This tree is indeed strange.
When Xu Yu was in Kyoto, he often went in and out of hunting grounds with dense forests, and he had never seen a similar species before, but here they grew densely.
Looking at the tall and straight tree trunks in front of him, he felt a little regretful.
It looks so good for burning charcoal, but it's sticky and annoying.
Sang Zhixia didn't say what she was looking for on the way here, but Xu Yu seemed to have seen through what she was thinking and brought her here directly.
She heard the subtle disdain in Xu Yu's words, but the corners of her mouth rose uncontrollably. She looked at the tree in front of her with shining eyes and was about to walk over to take a closer look.
But she forgot to watch her step.
The ground was covered with a thick layer of dead leaves and wet mud. As soon as the soles of the shoes stepped on it, the person slipped uncontrollably to one side.
Sang Zhixia frantically tried to grab the nearest tree to steady herself, but she fell backwards into a scorching embrace.
Xu Yu almost failed to catch her.
He said with indescribable annoyance: "I've already said it..."
"Xu Yu..."
Xu Yu was somewhat bewildered by the joy in her words, which showed no fear at all. He tightened his jaw and said, "Zhizhi, you..."
"You may have performed a great deed."
Sang Zhixia's attention was all on the magical tree, and she didn't notice the strangeness in Xu Yu's eyes at all.
She quickly stood up and broke free from Xu Yu's arms, snatched the hatchet from his hand and chopped at the tree trunk.
Just like what Xu Yu encountered yesterday, the seemingly ordinary tree trunk began to ooze out sticky juice like a stream from under the scratched bark, which made Xu Yu feel a headache immediately.
This thing is really hard to wash.
He subconsciously pulled Sang Zhixia back, but Sang Zhixia quickly wiped her index finger on the tree trunk and stuffed it into his mouth before he could react.
Sang Zhixia looked at him expectantly and said, "Is it sweet?"
Xu Yu's hot tongue slid seamlessly across her cool fingertips. The instantaneous heat burned his throat so much that he spasmed and forgot everything.
He tried his best to remain calm and tilted his head. The tongue hidden behind his lips glimpsed the treasure but did not dare to have any ambition. He pressed it down in fear and panic.
What's that smell?
Those white and tender fingers almost made him lose his soul. How could he remember whether it was sweet or not?
Seeing his face flushed with color without a word, Sang Zhixia squinted suspiciously: "Isn't it sweet?"
"You don't taste it?"
Xu Yu was terrified, afraid that she would again break his fragile willpower. With a stone face, he gritted his teeth and squeezed out one word: "Sweet."
So sweet that it makes your heart sick!
Sang Zhixia finally got a satisfactory answer and raised her eyebrows in joy.
She pointed her troublesome finger at the tree trunk still dripping with sap and said mysteriously, "It's right to be sweet."
"I'm telling you, you found the treasure!"
Xu Yu's three souls were flying above his head and his six spirits were turning under his feet. Hearing her words, he bit his jaw and smiled vaguely.
Isn’t it just finding the treasure?
It's a treasure that can take his life.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
