Anyway She Wanted
The following morning after breakfast, everyone got down to their own business.
Shao Yunduan told his mother that he was going to take Qiao Xuan for a walk in the mountains.
Ms. Fang was very happy. She nodded and said, showing an affable smile, “Alright, alright, just go and take a walk, but don’t go deep into the steep mountains. Take good care of her, so she won’t trip or something.”
His mother looked gratified and satisfied. She even looked as if she understood everything. That made Shao Yunduan feel a bit speechless.
He would like to give an explanation but did not know how to make himself look less suspicious. So he gave it up eventually.
Anyway she wanted…
As long as she was happy!
With a bamboo basket in hand, Qiao Xuan was very happy on the way. She hopped around and smiled, looking around and showing admiration as she observed the surroundings with a pair of beautiful eyes.
It was the best time of the year, flourishing and full of plants. The landscape in the mountain was really attractive and beautiful.
They had walked for more than half an hour, when they came to a forest filled with bamboo and trees. The valleys were large and broad, with gentle hills and trees, flowers blooming around.
There was a clear river flowing at the feet of the mountain, with water gurgling and birds chirping from the tree branches.
Among the flourishing forest, Qiao Xuan suddenly felt a sense of vibrant life, which made her feel rather joyful.
“It is so beautiful here!”
Shao Yunduan thought that she made such a sound because she, who was born in a noble family, had never seen such a forest before. Maybe she found it exciting, it being her first time. He found a dry rock and sat down, answering her casually with a single ‘yes’.
As Qiao Xuan was looking around in admiration, she again smiled. “There must be many mushrooms at this time of the year. They are always so fresh and tasty, I want to take some home.”
Shao Yunduan threw a look at her, thinking that she had never been to the mountains and knew nothing about what was going on in the woods. So he said patiently, “I suggest we do not do that. There are many mushrooms that are poisonous, what if we eat some of them, we will die!”
Qiao Xuan smiled. “But I know which kinds we can pick. They should be fresh and safe!”
She had just made an attempt and with her superpower, she was able to tell which mushrooms were poisonous, and which were not, including those types that they did not know about.
Shao Yunduan did not believe her. He said seriously, “I am not joking with you. We shouldn’t do that.”
Qiao Xuan pursed her lips. “Why not? Let me tell you, I was born to be sensitive towards different plants, I…. My father has many books about geography and everything, and one of them talked about mushrooms. I remember the contents well. I am not going to joke with my life.”
Shao Yunduan could not think of any way to counter her.
He even showed a look of admiration. The study of the County Magistrate’s home? That sounded really nice!
Qiao Xuan showed him a smile. He must be very jealous of her for knowing so much about mushrooms!
“Let’s go, I can teach you something about them!” Qiao Xuan was very generous, as she tugged his sleeves and pulled him forward.
She was not going to hide anything!
Shao Yunduan looked down at the hand that tugged his sleeves, saying nothing more.
Anyway, they might as well do that!
There were many mushrooms in the mountains, but it was not very easy to get them. If luck went against them, she might lose interest after a while.
But…
What he did not know was that Qiao Xuan always intended to get mushrooms for herself!
She placed her hand casually on one leaf of a small tree, concentrated inwardly and looked over with her superpower angle.