CHAPTER 145: CHAPTER 140: THE FEMALE SUPPORTING CHARACTER OF THE SPIRITUAL SPRING SPACE

"The scenery here is really nice!" Summer vacation had quickly passed the halfway mark when Liu Qingqing and Cao Lu arranged to meet and Ye Qiu drove from home to pick them up at the airport.

"I’ll take you guys out for more fun tomorrow."

"How come Ye Xiaodi didn’t come along!" Liu Qingqing asked regrettably, ignoring the jealous look from her boyfriend beside her.

"You just keep your mind on that matter," Cao Lu teased her.

"You’re just jealous."

"I’d be jealous of you, immortal," Cao Lu retorted sarcastically.

"We’ve arrived." The two looked like an elegant lady and a cute doll respectively, but oddly enough, they bickered like children every day. Luckily, the trip wasn’t far, or Ye Qiu would have been driven mad by them.

"Qiu Ye Yuzhou? Ye Zi, is this named after you and your brother?" Cao Lu asked with interest as she looked at the quaint signboard.

"Yes, it is."

"Uncle and auntie chose such a great name."

"Just followed the book, nothing special. Can’t compare to you college students. Welcome, it’s really hot outside, please come in quickly." Madam Shen hurried out to greet them as soon as she heard the car, her daughter rarely had friends come to stay, so she naturally welcomed them with open arms.

"Auntie, you’re being too modest. This guesthouse is beautifully designed." Cao Lu’s father was a professor of architecture, and she understood a bit in this area. The guesthouse was not only beautiful on the outside but, unlike some old buildings, it was not dark inside; it was spacious and bright, making people feel comfortable staying there.

"Auntie, how do you take care of yourself so well? Your skin is amazing!" Liu Qingqing exclaimed admiringly as she circled around Madam Shen, "I wouldn’t believe it if you said you were thirty, you look like a sister to Ye Zi."

"You’re exaggerating too much." Madam Shen blushed with embarrassment from the praise, "We are old and never used any skincare products; it’s probably just because we live in a good environment and keep a positive attitude, so our complexions are a bit more rosy."

"Just a bit more rosy? If you didn’t smile, we couldn’t even see any wrinkles!" Liu Qingqing sincerely admired, "Your family must have good genes. Ye Zi’s skin is just like yours, smooth and delicate, with neither spots nor wrinkles. How come my family doesn’t have these genes?"

"Chilled sweet watermelon from the well, are you sure you want to stand in the sun and chat instead of coming to eat?" Ye Qiu called them over.

"Eating, coming right away!"

"Mmm, so sweet!" On a hot summer’s day, indeed nothing beats air conditioning and chilled watermelon; Liu Qingqing and company ate contentedly.

After indulging in two more slices, Cao Lu remarked, "These naturally grown watermelons are really different. They don’t even look as red as those sold in big cities, but they sure are sweet."

"Exactly, just look at the flowers in the yard. Despite the hot summer, they bloom prettier than those in flower shops in the city, all vibrant and full of life."

"Living like immortals!"

"You’ve only been here a short while, and you already know the charms of this place," Ye Qiu chuckled, watching her lazily postured friends.

"We didn’t even need to experience it firsthand; we noticed it on the way here. Everyone’s face here has a smile. If life wasn’t good, how could they be so leisurely?" Cao Lu explained.

"Where’s Ye Xiaodi, why hasn’t he come out yet?" Even with her boyfriend right beside her, Liu Qingqing couldn’t stop thinking about Ye Zhou. Seeing Madam Shen’s appearance, she was more convinced of her guess that Ye Xiaodi was a handsome guy.

"He and my dad went to the back mountain to fish and catch shrimp."

"Is it far?" Liu Qingqing showed interest.

"Just over there, that mountain. My family leases it, and there’s a stream behind it with lots of small fish and shrimp. Do you want to go and take a look?"

"Yes!"

It wasn’t just Liu Qingqing; Cao Lu and Jiang Tianfu were also interested. They were all city kids and rarely had the chance to experience life in such a primitive place. Besides, Qinghe Town is part of the local natural scenic area, and the surrounding hills, whether leased by people or cleared by the government, were very suitable for these beginners to explore.

"Ye Qiu, take good care of your classmate," Madam Shen instructed.

"Yeah, got it."

"Is this bamboo forest also planted by you?"

"Yes, later we can also dig some bamboo shoots to take back and eat. They may not be as tender as winter shoots, but if prepared correctly, they’re not far off."

"I want to dig, I want to dig," Liu Qingqing said excitedly.

"Are there any mushrooms in there?"

"Yes, but it’s been dry these past few days, so they’re a bit hard to find. It’s easier to find them in the forest over there."

"Take us there tomorrow, I want to pick them myself. When I was little, I was so fond of the song ’The Little Girl Picking Mushrooms.’ I always dreamed of going into the deep mountains to pick mushrooms, and now I finally have the chance," Cao Lu said happily.

"Pfft, just like a little girl who hasn’t grown up," Liu Qingqing scoffed as usual.

"Hey, if you look down on it, then don’t go tomorrow," Cao Lu retorted.

"I didn’t say I wouldn’t go, I’m laughing at your taste in music."

"I already said it was from when I was little."

"You two, if you don’t bicker for a day, do you feel unhappy?" Ye Qiu looked at them with resignation, "We’re here, shall we also catch shrimp?"

"Catch."

"Is that uncle and your little brother?"

"Yes, let’s go over."

"The water is really clear."

The stream was about four or five meters wide, with the deepest parts reaching thigh-high. The riverbed was all stones, crystal clear to the bottom, and if you looked closely, you could occasionally see finger-length small fish swimming back and forth.

"Dad, Zhouzhou, did you catch any fish?"

"Your classmate came! No big fish today, but your brother caught quite a lot of river shrimp and small fish. Tonight, ask your Mom to pan-fry them in oil, it’ll be just as delicious," Ye Fu greeted everyone with a smile. After drinking Spiritual Spring Water for a month, Ye Fu’s hair had turned completely black, and the wrinkles on his face had significantly reduced, transforming the once simple man into a handsome and charming uncle.

Liu Qingqing’s eyes nearly popped out, internally exclaiming that this trip was worth it! She had been looking forward to the shockingly handsome Ye Xiaodi, yet now she was unable to move due to the smile of the handsome uncle Ye Fu, but still retained enough sense to remember this was her friend’s father, and restrained any inappropriate thoughts.

Jiang Tianfu looked on jealously from the side, but what could he do? His girlfriend was a fan of good looks, and he was just average-looking. However, he knew Liu Qingqing only innocently appreciated those with good looks; her heart was still with him. Otherwise, he would have long been overwhelmed by jealousy.

"Sizzle, if Xiaodi goes to our school, probably only Lin Jiayan would be a match for him," Liu Qingqing, having admirably restrained herself after appreciating the handsome uncle, now unabashedly praised Ye Xiaodi, "Such tender skin, he’ll be chased to death by those starving girls in the future. It’s just that he’s a bit young now, who knows which junior will score big in the future!"

"What, you’d be tempted if he was age-appropriate!" Cao Lu shot her a glance, speechless.

"I’m just expressing my feelings," Liu Qingqing said with regret.

"You young people have fun here, I’m going over there to see if there are any bigger fish," Ye Fu chuckled. As he got older, he couldn’t understand what young people were thinking these days, but it was good for his reserved daughter to have such friends.

"Sure, Uncle, please be careful too."

"No worries, I know the area well, just enjoy yourselves."