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墨書 Inktalez
Early in the morning, she nervously touched her mouth and was relieved to find the swelling had gone down; otherwise, she would have been too embarrassed to face anyone.
She pushed open the window, and a light rain was falling outside. The fresh, moist air rushed in, mixed with a distinct smell of chicken manure, which was quite characteristic of rural life.
Yezhi mischievously pulled Zhang Ling over, saying, "Sister, take a deep breath quickly!" Not understanding what was going on, Zhang Ling obediently complied.
"Doesn't it feel like the world is beautiful and the air is fresh?"
Having fallen for the trick, Zhang Ling retorted angrily, "Sister Ye, you're so mean! I'm going to tell Brother Lin that you bullied me!"
Yezhi waved her hand dismissively, "Go ahead and tell! I'm not afraid!"
"What are you afraid of?" As the saying goes, if you talk about someone behind their back, they'll find out. Zhang Ling eagerly ran over to Lin Haitao to complain about Yezhi. While listening, Lin Haitao gazed at Yezhi with warm eyes.
Yezhi felt a mix of joy and shyness, along with an indescribable fluttering in her heart.
...
The rain continued to fall, completely disrupting her sightseeing plans. Stuck at home, she had no choice but to play cards to pass the time. Zhou Village Head came over in the rain and said, "Playing cards? Let's go eat at my house!"
Eating at the village head's house felt almost like eating at home. Yezhi pulled the shy Zhang Ling along and said, "We must eat this meal at Uncle's house! It represents Zhoujiatun's welcome for you; if we don't eat it, it means we don't give face!"
Zhang Ling and Xiaobinzi were warmly hosted by the village head's family. By the end of the meal, Yezhi and Xiaobinzi became the center of attention, teased and pressured into marriage while being poured plenty of drinks. They returned home feeling tipsy when they heard One Egg's loud voice; it turned out One Gun Brother invited them over for dinner that night.
After a confused nap, it was already evening. Xiaofan and Wolf Child had run off to One Egg's house to play. As Yezhi and her group reached the door, they were greeted by a strong aroma of meat.
One Gun Brother had prepared a table full of wild game. Just as Xiaobinzi woke up from his drunken stupor and didn't have time to savor anything, One Gun Brother started serving him bowl after bowl.
Yezhi had a particular fondness for duck beak stewed tofu; perhaps it was rare for her to eat tofu, and duck beak was a seasonal wild vegetable that paired perfectly together—delicious and refreshing. She polished off nearly half a basin by herself.
One Egg carefully picked out the fish bones and handed the prepared fish meat to Wolf Child, who smiled brightly at him. He was so happy that he revealed his two big front teeth and went all out to pick out more fish bones. Yezhi watched One Egg, who was enchanted by the "beauty trap," and felt an urge to hit him on the head and make him run around in confusion. (Yezhi really had a strong sense of jealousy.)
Red Sister and Aunt Zhou, worried about neglecting their guest, kept serving dishes to Zhang Ling. Zhang Ling ate with her mouth full, unable to stop, puzzled as to why the deer meat and wild boar meat, both stewed, tasted better than anywhere else, even better than in restaurants.
Seeing her enjoy the meal, Red Sister quickly packed a bag of game for her to take home, ensuring that Xiaobinzi also had his share.
Yezhi was even more outrageous; before leaving, she had to take along some Black Treasure, which was food for Big Wolf. One Gun Brother carried the drunken Xiaobinzi on his back, walking through the mountains without breaking a sweat. Light rain continued to fall as Yezhi held up a broken umbrella to shield Xiaobinzi from the rain.
Once home, she barely had time to catch her breath before being pushed inside by Aunt Zhou to take care of Xiaobinzi, who had everything prepared for him, including a basin and towel.
Yezhi grabbed the towel and vigorously waved it at Xiaobinzi. He opened his eyes slightly and gave her a faint smile.
"What are you smiling at? Did you drink too much?" Yezhi poked at Xiaobinzi's flushed cheeks while mumbling.
"Yezhi, don't move!" Lin Haitao suddenly held her face. She was about to struggle when he added, "Don't move! Let me take a good look... I really miss you!" After saying that, he leaned in and kissed Yezhi, their lips meeting as the faint scent of alcohol lingered between them. The once shy Lin Haitao now exuded confidence, leaving Yezhi feeling dizzy from the kiss.
This scene made Aunt Zhou, who had been secretly watching from outside, blush. Oh my goodness~ today's youth are really passionate!
...
After a refreshing rain, the sky was as pure as if washed with water. Yezhi took Zhang Ling, Xiaobinzi, Xiao Fan, Wolf Child, Black Treasure, and Niu Niu to a valley near Zhoujiatun. Along the way, lush grass and vibrant flowers surrounded them.
Flowers in the park couldn't be picked, but this time Zhang Ling picked plenty. Xiao Fan and Wolf Child each made a makeshift flower crown and placed it on the heads of Black Treasure and Niu Niu. Black Treasure danced with joy, bouncing over to Yezhi, insisting she judge how pretty it looked!
The valley was filled with greenery and life. The leaves of the elm trees were still absent, but the Elm Seeds took center stage in spring. Clusters of pale yellow and tender green Elm Seeds, full of juice, clung tightly together, bending branches under their weight. The round Elm Seeds swayed in the sunlight. When there was no wind, they stood still like ladies; when the wind blew, they moved like mischievous children. Their fresh green color adorned the branches with both bulkiness and vitality.
Zhang Ling was enchanted by the faint fragrance of the Elm Seeds, while Xiaobinzi admired the tall stature of the elm trees. However, Yezhi, being quite ordinary in her thoughts, only wanted to pick tender Elm Seeds to make "Elm Money Rice," "Elm Seeds Buns," "Sugar Mixed Elm Seeds," "Elm Money Stir-Fried Eggs," and "Steamed Dishes with Elm Seeds," looking forward to a delicious meal.
"Wolf Child, climb the tree! Xiao Fan will pick up the Elm Seeds! Let's gather more so we can cook something delicious at home!" Upon hearing about food, both Wolf Child and Xiao Fan immediately began picking at the elm tree. Zhang Ling, delighted, joined in while Black Treasure, foolishly climbing up the tree, kept slapping at the branches with his chubby hands. Meanwhile, Lin Haitao agilely climbed up the tree, jumping and pulling branches down to gather some Elm Seeds, which he placed in Yezhi's hands. She smiled with squinted eyes, popped one into her mouth, then fed one to Xiaobinzi, feeling a subtle sweetness spread through her heart.
A pot of fragrant Millet Porridge was simmering on the stove. When the rice was nearly cooked, fresh green Elm Seeds were added. Once the aroma filled the air, the Elm Seeds porridge was ready.
Last night, everyone enjoyed their meal. In addition to the main dishes of Elm Money Rice, Elm Money Stir-Fried Eggs, and Elm Money Pancakes, they also had fish caught from the small river, simply fried in oil and sprinkled with a bit of salt, which was incredibly delicious. Zhang Ling ate the most; she particularly loved the refreshing taste of the Elm Seeds.
Seeing her enjoy it so much, Yezhi specially prepared Elm Seeds porridge for breakfast. Zhang Ling enthusiastically drank two bowls. Yezhi picked up a bowl of bright green Elm Seeds porridge and took a sip. The rich aroma of rice mixed with the essence of spring; the Elm Seeds were smooth and refreshing, with a light fragrance and subtle sweetness lingering on her tongue. This pure and simple combination surprised Yezhi with its deliciousness, and she too drank two bowls without hesitation.
Happy times always seem to pass quickly. After finishing breakfast, Zhang Ling and Xiaobinzi were about to leave.
On the surface, Yezhi appeared normal, but inside she felt reluctant to part ways. She walked slowly behind a group of farewell attendees. Lin Haitao kept looking back, but she ignored him; after all, she hated goodbyes and detested farewells.
Zhang Ling climbed onto the carriage with reluctance. Lin Haitao was still glancing around when someone behind her gave her a push, causing her to stumble forward.
"Be careful!" Lin Haitao steadied Yezhi.
"I'm leaving!" Yezhi nodded.
"I'll wait for you in the city!" Recently, there had been many things to handle: building the Oil Mill, gathering Dragon Eggs, planning for Dragon Ranch, and taking care of the Peach Tree on the barren slope—there was no time to go into town!
Lin Haitao left in disappointment without waiting for her response.
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