CHAPTER 223: CHAPTER 215: THE ANCIENT BRONZE HOE AND THE RED MUSHROOMS

Half an hour later, Han Qiwu stretched with a big yawn.

Teaching birds is really exhausting.

He glanced outside. The sky had cleared, the rain stopped, and the air had turned fresh.

Perfect timing, he planned to visit Grandpa Chen to fetch a hoe. Once he returned, he could plant the melon seeds.

"Xiao Dian, be good and stay in the courtyard. Don’t wander off. When I come back, I’ll build you a bird’s nest." Han Qiwu patted Xiao Dian on the head as he spoke.

Xiao Dian obediently nodded.

Stay still, stay still.

The pair of leather shoes in the corner had left a lasting psychological shadow on it.

Hopping onto his bike, Han Qiwu casually strolled toward the blacksmith’s shop.

"Thunderfish is really delicious. It’s a pity I can’t share it with Mr. Tang," Han Qiwu thought to himself as he biked along. He wasn’t sure about Mr. Tang’s physical condition, so he didn’t dare feed it to him recklessly.

"If Thunderfish is off the menu, maybe mushrooms are okay to eat." Suddenly, Han Qiwu remembered the mushrooms he was cultivating in the cave. Judging by the days, the drumstick mushrooms and oyster mushrooms should both be ready today.

He’d check on them once he got back.

As he biked into the town, the green slate roads on both sides had been thoroughly cleansed by the rain. Pedestrians walked in twos and threes—some carrying oil-paper umbrellas, others holding folding umbrellas, while a few were even barefoot, heading in various directions.

At that moment, a familiar voice called out from a nearby alley.

"Xiao Han? Come over here, I’ve got something good for you to try."

Following the voice, Han Qiwu saw Aunt Hong Mei, wearing a floral jacket, waving at him with a basket in her hand.

Han Qiwu quickly retrieved about a dozen eggs from his storage compartment and stuffed them into his pocket. When he walked over, he immediately placed the eggs into Aunt Hong Mei’s basket.

This was to prevent her from refusing to accept them.

Aunt Hong Mei was too honest like that.

Surprisingly, Aunt Hong Mei didn’t stop him this time. After Han Qiwu placed the eggs down, she handed him a small cloth pouch.

"Thank you, Xiao Han. Your hens are something else. Their eggs are so smooth and round." Aunt Hong Mei beamed as she spoke.

Han Qiwu scratched his head and grinned. "Haha, it’s not me—it’s the hens working hard. So, what’s the good stuff in the pouch?"

"Mushrooms. Take a look."

Curious, Han Qiwu opened the pouch and saw six neatly arranged red mushrooms inside.

The red mushrooms were vibrantly colored, about the size of a palm, perfectly intact with no signs of damage around the edges.

"Red mushrooms?" Han Qiwu exclaimed in surprise, though he didn’t question whether they were edible.

If Aunt Hong Mei was giving them to him, they definitely were.

Seeing Han Qiwu’s expression, Aunt Hong Mei chuckled.

She had been waiting for this reaction.

"Don’t worry, these red mushrooms aren’t poisonous. They’re called Scarlet Russulas, and this is just their natural color. They only grow under Fagaceae trees. A few years ago, I discovered an old mushroom pit, so I’ve been harvesting plenty every year."

Han Qiwu nodded. He had heard of Scarlet Russulas before—they were expensive, rare, and couldn’t be artificially cultivated.

This gift felt a bit weighty.

No wonder Aunt Hong Mei brought them in a small cloth pouch.

She must have worried he’d refuse upon seeing them.

Before Han Qiwu could say anything, Aunt Hong Mei preemptively shut him up with her words. "Xiao Han, I already planned to give these to you. Now that you’ve accepted them, don’t even think about returning them to me!"

"This... feels like too much." Han Qiwu felt a bit helpless.

His cows hadn’t even started producing milk yet, so he wasn’t sure what he could offer in return.

How about sending over a couple of fish later?

Seeing Han Qiwu’s face shift expressions like the changing weather in June, Aunt Hong Mei chuckled. "Alright now, if you feel bad about taking these from me, do you have time tomorrow? Come with me to the mountains to harvest some yourself. Help me carry a basket while you’re at it. Don’t just stay cooped up in your house studying all day—you need to connect with nature more."

"Alright! I’m free all day tomorrow, and the day after too." Han Qiwu’s eyes lit up as he quickly agreed.

Even without this invitation, he would’ve wanted to head to the mountains with Aunt Hong Mei to forage for wild plants.

Aunt Hong Mei seemed just as pleased. "It’s settled then. Tomorrow morning at six, I’ll call for you at your courtyard. Once we’re in the mountains, I’ll teach you how to find mushrooms."

"Sure! No need to bring dry food—I’ll make some rice balls for us to eat along the way." Han Qiwu offered to handle lunch preparations.

"Alright then, you get back to your business. I’m heading home." Aunt Hong Mei, knowing Han Qiwu had things to do, waved and turned to leave.

After taking a couple of steps, she turned back to remind him, "Oh, by the way, while Scarlet Russulas aren’t poisonous, they might come into contact with venom from snakes or insects in the mountains. When you cook them, sprinkle some rice grains into the pot. If the grains turn blue, don’t eat them."

"Got it." Han Qiwu nodded. He had heard about this trick from friends before.

It might be an old method, but it was effective.

When he arrived at the blacksmith’s shop, Han Qiwu finally pulled out the red mushrooms to check their attributes.

[Red Mushroom]

[Stamina +40]

[Health +0]

[Note: The flavor of red mushrooms is extraordinarily delicious]

All six red mushrooms were non-toxic.

Aunt Hong Mei was so thoughtful.

With these mushrooms, Han Qiwu could try his hand at making secret mushroom dishes.

Storing the items away, Han Qiwu looked up and saw a hoe propped at the entrance of the blacksmith’s shop, along with a piece of paper.

He walked over and picked up both the hoe and the paper.

The paper read: Take it yourself.

Han Qiwu couldn’t help laughing. It seemed the old blacksmith was truly worn out.

Better not disturb him, then. Take the win and leave.

Time to scram!

"Crack!"

Spring rains were fickle—as soon as they started, the sky filled with rumbling thunder again.

Even so, Han Qiwu, now back on his bike, couldn’t resist glancing at the hoe’s attributes.

[Tool: Ancient Bronze Hoe]

[Usage: Charge to till 2×2 plots of land simultaneously. Charged action consumes double stamina.]

[Special Effect: While tilling, there’s a chance to uncover ancient artifacts or rare ancient seeds.]

[Note: Bronze contains the power of history.]

So satisfying!

Since the hoe and axe were both made of ancient bronze, their special effects were similar, even down to the notes.

"The upgraded hoe works like the Bronze Watering Can—it can till multiple plots at once with charge." Han Qiwu was delighted with the feature and even more satisfied with the special effect.

Thanks to the Jade Pixiu’s bonuses, his chances of triggering special events had improved significantly.

If only the Jade Pixiu could level up too...

Or maybe he could persuade Mr. Tang to give him something that boosts luck.

Four-leaf clovers, lucky stars—he’d reluctantly accept anything like that.

Speaking of which, since tomorrow was a trip to the mountains and also a day off, should he ask Mr. Tang if he wanted to come along?

Han Qiwu biked home, mulling over this question the entire way.

By the time he was home, he’d already thought of a strategy.

Lure him with food.

Wait a second. This tactic felt oddly familiar...

Where had he used it before?