CHAPTER 44: CHAPTER 44: PICKING RED BERRIES

The other day, Gu Nian had taken those peaches out of her hidden space. Today, with so many people going, she definitely wouldn’t be able to cheat under the adults’ watchful eyes. Where on earth was she supposed to find a tree bearing such large peaches now!

No matter what Gu Nian thought in her heart, besides Erhu, who was injured and had to stay home, and Mrs. Jiang, who was doing housework, Lin Sanshui took all four siblings up the mountain.

Since there were adults with them this time, they could go a bit deeper.

Lin Sanshui asked, "Sanhu, where did you pick the peaches last time?"

"It was about here," Sanhu scratched the back of his head and said, "By the time I came, Little Hu had already picked them with my sister. I only know where the red fruits are."

Little Hu chimed in as well, "My sister picked them. I was gathering mushrooms, then turned around and saw her with peaches..."

Gu Nian instantly became nervous.

These two little brats had easily given her away.

What to do? Would she be exposed?

Just when Gu Nian was feeling tense, Lin Sanshui kindly asked her, "Niannian, do you remember where the peach tree is?"

"I... I don’t know," Gu Nian lowered her head, shook with trepidation, and didn’t dare to look at anyone. "I was just walking around and saw a tree with big peaches. Later when I tried to find it again, I couldn’t."

Lin Sanshui thought Gu Nian’s nervous demeanor was because she feared being scolded, so he quickly comforted her, "It’s okay, if we can’t find the peaches, it’s no big deal. We can look for something else. There are tender wild vegetables in the mountains. Digging up some to go back can fill our stomachs, and Niannian is still young, it’s normal to forget the way."

Gu Nian was always a well-behaved girl and wasn’t used to lying, so she felt guilty and feared being exposed.

At this moment, seeing that no one suspected anything, she finally breathed a sigh of relief.

"Then let’s quickly look for something else. By the way, the mushrooms we found last time haven’t all been gathered yet," Gu Nian urged.

As for the strawberries, she didn’t mention them at all.

Those strawberries were all things she pulled out from her space and randomly buried in a pit. She didn’t even water them. With the blazing sun over two days, it was impossible for them to survive.

Even though she didn’t mention it, Little Hu was drooling, "Alright, let’s go pick the red fruits quickly, I want to eat them."

Even though Gu Nian called them strawberries, he was determinedly fond of the term "red fruits".

Last time, some were shared with their uncles’ families, and the rest were finished yesterday.

Now, just thinking of that sweet and sour taste made Little Hu swallow his saliva uncontrollably.

To Gu Nian’s surprise.

By the time they reached the area, she thought the strawberries they picked should have long been withered by the scorching sun.

But to their eyes were lush green seedlings, growing robustly. Some had even bloomed again, though it seemed something had trampled on them, leaving them in disarray.

Little Hu ran over, twisted off a barely-pink one, and put it into his mouth.

Lin Sanshui, annoyed, went up and gave him a flick on the forehead, "You little brat, is the family lacking food that you get so greedy? Aren’t you embarrassed!"

Little Hu held his head and begged for mercy, "I won’t dare next time, please don’t hit me."

Lin Sanshui laughed wryly and instructed Dahu, "Alright, Dahu, you take Little Hu and Niannian and look around here to see if there are more red fruits. I’ll go with Sanhu to gather mushrooms."

"I also want to stay and pick red fruits," Sanhu pouted, rarely showing his little temper.

Lin Sanshui, feeling helpless, relented, "Alright, alright, then you all stay here. Don’t wander off. Once you’re done picking, come find me."