The Banyan Tree's Scheme

The three children are all of school age soon, but they are still very close to Tao Qiu. They listen to his stories before bed and even if it's hot, they want to sleep next to him.

The next day, before returning to the base, they prepared to catch a prey, the one they had promised to bring to Lou Yu the day before.

In the past two years, the base's planting area has achieved high grain yields, and the livestock have enough to eat, growing fat and strong. Meat prices have dropped significantly, making meat more affordable for more people.

However, due to its uniqueness, mutated monster meat still has a good market. But since Tao Qiu and his group are not short of money now, and are also lazy, they only occasionally kill one for their own consumption, and almost never catch a lot at once to sell like they did when they caught the goats last time.

Tao Qiu told the children he wanted to eat some kind of prey from the Green Python's territory, thus giving him a plausible excuse to go find the Green Python.

Upon arriving at the destination and explaining their purpose, the Green Python sensed that Tao Qiu had something to say to her, so it sent the Little Snake and its three cubs to hunt prey.

As soon as the kids left, Tao Qiu asked the question that had been bothering her.

He hadn't yet shared his guess, Green Python, unsure why he was asking, answered truthfully anyway.

She said that when she first got the crops, she fed them all to the Little Snake. After the little snake recovered, it realized that the crops were good for it and persuaded the Green Python to eat them too.

The Green Python refused, so the Little Snake threw a tantrum, rolling on the ground and crying. She even went hunting on her own, saying she would use the prey to exchange for crops for her mother. But the Little Snake was still too weak at that time, and if the Green Python hadn't arrived in time, she would have almost been killed by her prey.

The Green Python didn't want the Little Snake to keep bothering it, so it agreed to eat the crops.

It started as a little bit, then increased more and more, and eventually became almost evenly split.

The Little Snake was proud and didn't want the bird chicks to know about its embarrassing history of being beaten up by its prey after a failed hunt. So it tearfully begged the Green Python not to mention these things to Tao Qiu. That's why Tao Qiu and the others didn't know that the Green Python had also eaten a lot of crops in recent years.

But so much time had passed, and since Green Python needed Tao Qiu's help, and he had asked, Green Python felt he should explain things clearly. So, to apologize to his daughter, he honestly recounted everything.

After listening to the Green Python's story, Tao Qiu's feelings were extremely complicated. She was moved by the deep bond between the Green Python and her cub, and also thrilled that her guess might be correct.

His eyes shone brightly as he laughed and chattered at the Green Python.

--You really raised a good daughter!

Chapter 109 The Banyan Tree's Scheme

The Green Python was startled upon hearing Tao Qiu's words, not understanding what he meant.

It wasn't until Tao Qiu voiced her guess that things changed.

Tao Qiu's tone was very excited, and she kept chirping.

In human terms, this is cause and effect. Because you love the Little Snake, you risk your life to get crops for her, and she loves you in return, thinking the crops are good things. Even though they seem useless to you at the time, she still tries her best to get you to eat them too.

--If the Little Snake hadn't insisted you eat crops, you might have already fallen ill, or perhaps even died.

The Green Python gave the Little Snake life and saved her from the brink of death, while the Little Snake unintentionally saved her own mother.

This is the power of family love.

Tears welled up in the Green Python's eyes.

It turns out that when the Little Snake was weak and on the verge of death, she, unaware of this, was also hovering on the brink of life and death. By saving the Little Snake, she was also saving herself.

Otherwise? She never eats vegetarian food, and even if she is attracted by the aroma of crops, she will not risk her life to fight Snow Bird just to gain the opportunity to exchange for crops.

Unable to access crops, she might not even realize what she missed until she fell ill and died.

Looking at the deeply moved Green Python, Tao Qiu suddenly seemed to remember something, and her previously joyful expression dimmed slightly.

His voice was strained and hesitant.

--Eating more crops can prolong your lifespan, but it doesn't seem to prevent you from getting sick or reduce the pain when you do. This means you will live a very painful life, and in the later stages, you will most likely become weak and sickly like the old chieftain of the Fox Clan, and you will need your mutated monsters to stop you when you have an attack.

The crops suppressed this strange disease to some extent, causing Green Python to only fall ill this year. However, according to Green Python, she still experiences unbearable pain when the disease flares up.

Just like how a strong person is generally more resilient than a weak one, the crops strengthened the Green Python's physique, making her more able to withstand the ravages of disease, and even if she got sick, she could live longer.

But there's a saying, "Life is worse than death." When living becomes torture, death is actually the best relief.

Like the old patriarch of the Fox Clan, with his proud personality and deep love for the Fox Clan, when he discovered that he had harmed his closest kin when he fell ill, his first reaction was to end his own life.

However, the foxes didn't want it to die and were actively searching for a cure. For the sake of the Fox Clan, the old chieftain could only struggle on, and in the end, he passed away in a rather disheveled state.

The relationship between the Green Python and the Little Snake is remarkably similar to that between the old patriarch and the Fox Clan.

If the Little Snake knew the Green Python was sick, it might do something similar to the foxes, and the Green Python, like the old chieftain, would choose to live on because it loves the Little Snake, even if the process is extremely painful.

Tao Qiu's expression was solemn. "Chirp, chirp."

--Whether you choose to continue eating crops or give up, I respect your decision.

Tao Qiu had thought the Green Python would at least think for a while, but to his surprise, as soon as he finished speaking, the Green Python immediately said in a serious tone, just like before when it asked him to take care of the Little Snake: "Hiss..."

--I choose to eat more crops, live longer, and spend more time with my children.

Even though she had guessed what Green Python would choose, Tao Qiu was still taken aback by her decisiveness and seriousness.

Tao Qiu understood that once the Green Python made a decision, it would never regret it.

"Chirp, chirp."

Okay, I'll provide you with more crops in the future.

"Hiss..."

--Thanks.

The two parents had agreed on their plan, and the baby Little Snake and birds returned, dragging their prey with them.

If the car hadn't been too small to fit everything, and if Tao Qiu hadn't said beforehand that catching just one would be enough, they probably could have caught half the prey in the forest.

Tao Qiu and his group said goodbye to the Green Python mother and cub and flew away for a distance. Then, Tao Qiu looked back at them.

The Green Python coiled itself around the Little Snake in the middle, and the two snakes affectionately pressed their heads together.

On the way back to the base, Tao Qiu drove while his three sons chattered excitedly, recounting the hunting process they had just witnessed.

Tao Qiu responded warmly and patiently, a smile always on her face.

Occasionally, Tao Qiu would think that if he were in the same situation as the Green Python, without a doubt, he would make the same choice.

The prey the kids caught wasn't big; it could fit in the trunk. Apart from the soldiers responsible for checking their vehicles, no one saw the prey inside.

When Lou Yu returned home from work in the evening, he saw the prey that Tao Qiu had prepared in the kitchen. He happily hugged Tao Qiu and spun her around twice, his eyes crinkling with laughter.

"Qiuqiu is so good to me, I love Qiuqiu the most."

Tao Qiu put her arm around his shoulder and smiled, "I love you very much too."

Dinner was prepared by Lou Yu's kitchen, and under Tao Qiu's guidance, the prey was cooked into several meat dishes.

After Tao Qiu told him that the prey was caught by the boys, Lou Yu filled their bowls with food.

"Is it a blessing that Dad has three children like you? Dad's good fortune from his past life?" Lou Yu said happily.

The kids happily ate their food, bowl in hand, and casually raved about it on their way back.

Eldest Cub: "Lou Yu's dad is a good dad, so we are good babies."

Second Cub: "Daddy Lou Yu likes us, and we like Daddy Lou Yu too."

Third Cub: "Meeting Lou Yu's father is... our good fortune!"

Lou Yu was so pleased with the praise that his smile practically reached the heavens.

After returning to her bedroom that evening, Tao Qiu told Lou Yu about the Green Python.

Countless humans have died in the mouths of Green Python over the decades. From a purely human perspective, Lou Yu should feel fortunate and gloating that she contracted this strange disease.

However, as a fellow parent who loves children, Lou Yu felt a certain amount of sympathy for her.

As for Tao Qiu treating the Green Python as a friend and being willing to exchange crops with her to prolong her life, Lou Yu made no comment.

Tao Qiu is both a human and a mutated monster. Humans accepted his help, so how can they stop him from helping another mutated monster who is also of the same kind?

"After that, I might stay in the valley a little longer; I want to grow more crops for the Green Python."

Lou Yu hugged him tightly and said softly, "Okay, whatever you want to do, I will support you."

Tao Qiu hugged Lou Yu tightly, her heart feeling warm and sweet, as if she were soaking in hot sugar water.

Lou Yu and his child are the people he loves most and is most reluctant to part with in this world.

After agreeing to the Green Python's request, Tao Qiu reclaimed new land at the bottom of the valley and planted another batch of crops.

When the crops ripened, aside from the Fox Clan who needed to eat almost the entire tribe, the Green Python received the most crops in exchange.

The Little Snake, unaware that the Green Python had contracted a strange illness, noticed its mother eating more crops lately and assumed she had developed a liking for their taste. Excitedly, it hissed at her.

"Mom, I told you Uncle Snow Bird's crops are especially delicious, now you understand me, right?"

--I heard Uncle Snow Bird say that being able to eat is a blessing. Mom likes to eat crops, so I'll catch lots of prey to trade with Uncle Snow Bird, and I'll make sure Mom has a full stomach.

--I'm all grown up now, I can take care of Mommy!

Looking at the Little Snake wriggling happily in front of him, the Green Python's eyes filled with laughter.

While Tao Qiu was working overtime to prolong the life of his friend, the Green Python, the Shen Family finally discovered the true source of the seed after two months of investigation.

Was what the Banyan Tree said true? That's right, the grain seeds weren't cultivated by the Lou Family themselves at all.