Chapter 57 Chapter 57 The Best You You are the best Brother Sun...
Sun Dalang lowered his head, and the scattered hair at his temples hid the regret in his eyes.
It was all because of his insistence on going forward in the heavy fog, which caused Shunzi to faint due to suffocation and almost lost his life.
If it weren't for my rash decision, Shunzi wouldn't have suffered like this. I am so derelict in my duty as a team leader!
Looking at the wound on Shunzi's head, Sun Dalang clenched his fists tightly and fell into deep self-blame.
"I'm sorry, everyone. It's all my fault. I didn't lead the team well..." Sun Dalang said dejectedly, "I..."
He wanted to say something else, but was interrupted before he could finish.
"Brother Sun! Why are you saying sorry to us?" Shunzi's tone was a little anxious and a little angry. "You haven't said anything sorry to us! You are the best Brother Sun!"
He climbed up from the ground awkwardly. "Yesterday, while walking down the street, I ran out of water in my water bag, and you gave me yours. I wasn't paying attention and drank it all. I thought you'd scold me, but you didn't say anything. Your lips cracked from not drinking any water that day."
Although Shunzi is not very smart, it does not mean that he is really stupid. He knows very well whether others are good to him or not.
As soon as he started talking, everyone started talking at once.
"Last night, during my turn on duty, I accidentally overslept. Xiao Sun didn't even call me," a sturdy man said, rubbing his head. "By the time I woke up, he'd already been on duty for an extra hour."
"I forgot to bring a warm coat for night, and it was my little Sun who gave his to me. Otherwise, how could my old bones withstand the cold?" said an aunt.
Although it's midsummer, the forest still feels chilly at night. Another woman chimed in, "No wonder the child looked freezing cold when I woke up this morning. Little Sun, please take care of yourself."
"That's right."
They are all from the same village, and Sun Dalang is a child they have watched grow up. Although he is sometimes impatient and stubborn, he is not a bad person by nature. Compared with the experienced Uncle Cao, he is a little green, but his sense of responsibility is no less than Uncle Cao's, otherwise no one would be confident in giving him the position of team leader.
"Everyone..." Sun Dalang's throat was choked and he couldn't speak.
Suddenly, he felt a weight on his shoulders.
Sun Dalang turned his head and saw Uncle Cao’s broad and powerful hand landing heavily on his shoulder.
"You've done a great job. As a team leader, you've taken good care of everyone."
Although Uncle Cao was at the end of the team, he was always observing silently.
He found that because Sun Dalang still lacked some experience in leading a team, the pace was a bit chaotic yesterday morning, which caused everyone to be physically exhausted. However, Sun Dalang paid attention to this when he led the team in the afternoon, and everyone walked more easily in the second half of the journey.
Although his decision to brave the fog that morning was a bit hasty, Sun Dalang always walked in front of the most dangerous ones, taking every step carefully and reminding everyone to pay attention to the road. For his age, he was able to do this well. Cao Shu thought that even if he were Sun Dalang's age, he might not be able to do as well as him.
Even Uncle Cao affirmed him like this. Sun Dalang's eyes suddenly turned red. He turned his head away and wiped his eyes fiercely.
"The fog has dissipated." Yan Zhuo's voice, as cold and heavy as snowy fir wood, came.
Zhao Mingsheng looked up in surprise, only to see the thick fog covering the mountain had quietly dissipated without him noticing, completely clearing away as if it had never existed. The sun was high in the sky, filtering through the trees, casting dappled shadows on everyone.
"No, I'm not doing well enough." Sun Dalang sincerely asked Uncle Cao for advice, "I'd like to trouble Uncle Cao to keep a closer eye on me. If I do something wrong, please feel free to point it out."
"Okay!" Uncle Cao smiled and nodded. He was actually very optimistic about this kid. He was indeed old, and maybe in a few years he wouldn't be able to go up the mountain anymore. Then it would be up to the young people in the village to continue this tradition!
"Shunzi, how do you feel?" After getting Uncle Cao's nod, Sun Dalang breathed a sigh of relief and turned to ask Shunzi beside him.
Shunzi's face looked healthy and rosy, even better than before his injury. He grinned and said, "I feel great. I have endless energy."
He didn't lie at all. Apart from the slight pain in his forehead, the rest of his body felt extremely comfortable.
Shunzi's lively appearance was all thanks to Zhao Mingsheng's treatment. People around him couldn't help but exclaim, "She's worthy of being Doctor Zhao's daughter. She's really capable!"
Sun Dalang looked at Shunzi's expression carefully and made a decision only after confirming that there was nothing wrong.
"Now that the sun is out, let's keep going."
This time, no one objected. As soon as the sun rose, the fog in the forest dissipated instantly. The sunlight, shining through the trees and onto our bodies, lifted much of the dampness. After this rest, everyone's strength had been restored. Seizing this opportunity, they rushed to the fruit picking area at noon.
The tree that produces green fruit is called the Qingguan. This Qingguan tree is so tall that you can't even see the top of it even if you crane your neck. Its leaves are double-lobed and broad, as wide as an adult's palm.
Its fruit grows where the branches and leaves meet. It has a green skin and is as big as a three-year-old child's fist.
Because the tree was so tall and the fruits were also at a very high position, everyone could only put a piece of clean old cotton cloth under the tree, and then rely on strong men to shake the trunk to shake the ripe green fruits down.
Zhao Mingsheng noticed that a lot of fruits had fallen under the green-crowned tree. They had ripened naturally and were scattered all over the ground.
She was about to pick some into the basket but was stopped by Uncle Cao.
"Girl, don't throw away those that fell on the ground."
Zhao Mingsheng was puzzled. "Is it because it's dirty? Can't I just take it home and wash it?"
"That's not the reason. Look at these fruits." Uncle Cao smiled and casually picked up a fruit from the ground and threw it to Zhao Mingsheng. "These fruits fell off naturally, and there are more or less bumps on the skin."
Zhao Mingsheng carefully examined the fruit in his hand, and sure enough, there was a small hole in an inconspicuous place.
These green crown trees are all very tall, and given the height of the fruits, they are bound to bump into each other when they fall to the ground. Some fruits even crack the moment they hit the ground.
Uncle Cao continued to explain, "Fruits like these that have been bumped will rot in two days. There's no point picking them up; they won't make wine."
Not only are bruised fruits unsuitable for winemaking, but even those shaken from the tree must be carefully selected: those with wormholes and those that are too small are rejected. Fruits with whitish hues instead of a completely green skin are also rejected, indicating they are not fully ripe.
After hearing what Uncle Cao said, Zhao Mingsheng gave up the idea of picking up the fruits. Although he felt a little sorry for the fruits, there was no use in picking them up.
She curved her lips and said, "Okay, then I'll go help shake the fruit."
She thought she was strong enough to shake the tree, but was stopped by Aunt Wang.
"There are so many men here, how can a little girl like you have a turn? I brought you here just to join in the fun."
Although she said this, Aunt Wang was actually thinking that once this little girl from the Zhao family took action, the strength of these men would be overwhelmed by her, so she should give them some face.
After being rejected repeatedly, Zhao Mingsheng simply gave up the idea of Qingguo and turned to observe the forest.
She had heard from Zhao's father that there were orange-footed flying squirrels in the area where they picked green fruits, but she didn't know where to find them.
Her investigative behavior attracted the attention of Yan Zhuo, who was also idle on the side.
"Looking for something?"
Zhao Mingsheng nodded and told him about her search for the orange-footed flying squirrel without hiding anything.
"So, are you looking for a flying mouse?" After hearing the name, Yan Zhuo pointed out its characteristics directly.
"You know?" Zhao Mingsheng said with surprise.
Yan Zhuo nodded and patiently explained to her, "I read in a book once that this orange-footed flying squirrel is also called a winter bug."
Zhao Mingsheng nodded quickly. It just so happened that she didn't know much about the cicada. It would be great if Yan Zhuo knew about it.
Seeing the girl nodding rapidly, with a light flickering in her beautiful eyes, Yan Zhuo couldn't help but curl his lips, and a hint of smile inadvertently revealed in his usually cold eyes, making his whole face three points gentler. Her already handsome face became even more beautiful now, making people dare not look directly at her.
The beauty in front of him made Zhao Mingsheng dazed for a moment, and his cheeks flushed involuntarily.
Yan Zhuo's cold voice brought her back to her senses. He continued, "The book says this orange-footed flying squirrel is about the same size as a squirrel and likes to eat broad leaves and green fruits, which is exactly what we like here."
As he was speaking, a scream suddenly came from the front.
"Ahhh!!! A flying mouse jumped on my head!"
mouse?
Still a flying mouse
It can’t really be such a coincidence, right?
Yan Zhuo and Zhao Mingsheng looked at each other, and understood each other's thoughts with just one glance. Without saying a word, they immediately hurried over there.
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