Chapter 219
Harper and Haxi: "Chirp!"
Xie Juanhan: "Okay, let's have a picnic. Today, let's prepare the ingredients first and marinate everything that needs to be marinated."
Because we were so well prepared, the furry little creatures came to knock on the door early the next morning, carrying baskets full of food and running ahead of us with great enthusiasm.
Xie Juanhan carried a basket on his back and walked slowly behind with Telingewei.
In early autumn, the Magic Forest becomes colorful again, with not only the leaves displaying various colors, but even the water turning an exceptionally blue.
They walked along the worn path, watching the quietly flowing river, and felt quite happy.
The furry creatures and Pixie are familiar with most of the resources in the Magic Forest.
They soon arrived at the first forest with nut trees.
Wild nuts are plump and heavy, but relatively small in size and have thicker shells.
Xie Juanhan climbed up the tree to pick them. They picked a handful and threw them into their baskets. The hard-shelled nuts clattered together, making a clicking sound.
Some Pixie couldn't wait any longer, raising their little magic wands to tap the hard nuts and casting a spell.
The shell cracks open, revealing the bitter, oily kernel inside.
The Pixie didn't mind at all, holding the nuts in both hands and happily munching on the first bitter nut of autumn.
Seeing them like this, Xie Juanhan thought the nuts wouldn't be bitter this year, but when he broke one open and threw it into his mouth, it was still so bitter that he shuddered.
"It's so bitter." Xie Juanhan spat out the nut in his mouth, incredulous. "Don't you guys find the nuts bitter?"
The Pixie said the nuts were bitter but delicious, and they had the feel of autumn. "Chirp chirp!"
Xie Juanhan guessed that the Pixie's sense of taste might be a little different from that of other creatures.
That's why they eat these bitter nuts to stay alert.
They definitely can't eat these nuts. Even if they're sweetened with sugar after being picked, they have to be soaked in running water.
Only after soaking away most of the bitter substances can they be taken back, baked, ground, and then mixed with a large amount of powdered sugar to make a sauce.
Xie Juanhan found it quite interesting.
They all appear to be magical creatures from the Magic Forest, but in reality, they each have their own aesthetic preferences and food cultures.
While most aesthetic preferences and food cultures may overlap, each race has an additional aspect of its culture that is unique to each other.
As Xie Juanhan picked the Pixie, who were already quite full and hanging from the trees, he glanced at them.
The Pixie wore long skirts and pointed hats. When they were dizzy, their chests pressed against tree branches, and their armpits were stuck in branches.
They just hung there, like tiny teru teru bozu (Japanese teru bozu dolls) placed on the treetops.
Xie Juanhan guessed that when they lie back, they might press down on their small wings, and coupled with their relatively light weight, their resting posture is different from that of other species.
Telingewei noticed his gaze and gently touched his hand.
Xie Juanhan looked up and smiled, indicating that everything was alright.
Telingewei noticed that the curiosity in Xie Juanhan's eyes had returned.
When he first arrived in the Magic Forest, his eyes often held this curiosity.
Later, as he became familiar with the local things, his curiosity gradually faded.
Now that he was going back, curiosity rekindled in his eyes.
He seemed to be on a trip that was about to end, and before it ended, the traveler's mood returned; he wanted to see more of his surroundings so he could reminisce about it later.
Telingewei lowered his eyes, feeling a pang of sadness.
Just then, Telingewei's hand felt warm.
He looked up and saw Xie Juanhan looking over at him, who then grabbed his hand and shook it.
What are you thinking about?
Xie Juanhan asked using mouth movements.
Telingewei shook his head.
He stopped halfway through the rocking, and confessed under Xie Juanhan's gaze: he was a little scared.
Xie Juanhan, as expected of his partner, caught up with his thoughts almost instantly.
Xie Juanhan didn't say anything, but leaned down and kissed him, using the branches as cover.
The Pixie hung on the tree like teru teru bozu (solar-weather dolls).
The furry creatures busily gathered the ripest nuts from the tree.
Only the two dragons, sheltered by the branches and leaves, expressed their feelings to each other through a kiss.
Regardless of what they did in the Magic Forest, they still had a pleasant day, gathering many nuts and enjoying a delicious picnic in the forest.
As evening fell, the furry creatures carried the Pixie on their backs, baskets in their mouths, and ran back along the path.
Pixie began to sing in an ancient, monosyllabic Elf language, repeating the same tune over and over again.
Xie Juanhan had heard similar religious songs when he was in his hometown.
He knew that although it was the same incantation and the same tune, the content sung by the singers was different.
It was a broad, beautiful, and devout blessing.
He took out his flute and, as the Pixie began to sing again, responded with melodious Pixie music.
They sang and danced all the way home.
When they reached the fence, the Magic Wand Tree frantically flung its branches and roots toward them, chirping, "Chirp, chirp, chirp chirp!"
The Magic Wand Tree's deep voice didn't match its panicked tone at all.
Xie Juanhan nimbly reached out and grasped a branch of the Magic Wand Tree, providing strong support. "Don't panic, what happened? Tell me slowly."
The Magic Wand Tree shook its branches several times before finally managing to utter a single sentence. "Chirp chirp chirp!"
The little Goblin are withering away!
Xie Juanhan immediately jumped over the fence into the yard. "Let me see!"
They had checked on the little Goblin that morning, and everything was fine then.
The little Goblin are now sheltered under the roots of the Magic Wand Tree has even used its roots to pull up a watering can from nearby and watered them. However, the Goblin 'Goblin leaves are turning a scorched yellow, almost withered.
As a magical plant, the Magic Wand Tree knew best what withered branches and leaves meant for magical plants, so it was extremely afraid, and its roots were trembling.
While Xie Juanhan was examining the little Goblin, its roots hung suspended in mid-air, like waves frozen in the sea.
Xie Juanhan checked it over, looked up and saw it holding the tree root in a completely physics-defying posture, and comforted it, "It's alright, put it down."
The Magic Wand Tree didn't believe it. "Chirp, chirp chirp?!"
"Yes, it's nothing," Xie Juanhan said with a smile. "The little Goblin have just matured."
The Magic Wand Tree, not understanding what "ripe" meant, chirped, "Chirp?"
Xie Juanhan: "They've grown big enough to be dug up."
The Magic Wand Tree was still not quite convinced, its branches turning towards Xie Juanhan, then facing the little Goblin below.
It circled around, turning several times, trying to determine whether the Goblin had truly matured or were sick.
The Pixie were watching from the sidelines. Seeing the Magic Wand Tree's worried expressions, the Pixie cheerfully comforted them, "Chirp chirp!"
-The little Goblin have grown up!
The Pixie sang that old monosyllabic song once more, blessing the little Goblin.
Xie Juanhan smiled and patted the Magic Wand Tree.
He was also surprised that on this crisp autumn day, the little Goblin had quietly ripened, just like potatoes in the ground.
Some of the little guys' leaves have turned yellow, indicating that they are ripe and can be dug up.
Xie Juanhan said to the furry creatures, "The little Goblin are ripe. Please invite the Goblin to come and see. Who will go and spread the word?"
All the furry creatures, including Moli, cried out in unison, "Awooo!"
Xie Juanhan: "Then you two go and act as messenger birds, tell the Goblin clan about this good news, and when you come back, don't let the Goblin run away, just carry them back on your back."
The furry creatures cried out again, "Aww!"
The Pixie nimbly flew onto the backs of the furry creatures, indicating that they wanted to go with them.
Xie Juanhan waved his hand. "Go, and come back quickly."
The furry creatures quickly ran away.
Xie Juanhan watched their figures disappear into the forest, then patted the trunk of the Magic Wand Tree: "Thank you for your hard work. We'll stay here and wait for the Goblin to return."
The Magic Wand Tree finally felt a sense that the little Goblin were nearing maturity, and carefully lowered all its roots to avoid crushing the little Goblin below. "Chirp chirp."
Xie Juanhan smiled and withdrew his gaze, took Telingewei's hand, squeezed it firmly, and waited by his side.
I must say, their Magic Wand Tree is so gentle.
==========Author's Note:=========
See you tomorrow
Chapter 219 [VIP]
"Squeak!"
As the sun set, a group of furry people came running out from the farmland.
Goblin that looked like little potatoes sat on their backs.
The Goblin straddled the furry creatures with their tiny feet, straightened up slightly, and raised their upper bodies to look down at the base of the Magic Wand Tree.
No, we can't call it "little potato" anymore.
After the Goblin arrived in the Magic Forest, their bodies generally grew larger.
Moli and Nibote's broad backs couldn't even carry that many Goblin.
The Companion Beast also shared some of the burden.
Even the most timid Hadi was carrying three Goblin on her back.
The furry creatures were very understanding of the Goblin's feelings and rushed over.
As soon as the little beast bus stopped under the Magic Wand Tree, the Goblin, without a second thought, slid down the furry creatures' legs to the ground. They quickly turned and bowed to the furry creatures, then to Xie Juanhan and Telingewei, before running off to check on the cubs under the Magic Wand Tree.
The furry creatures didn't mind at all.
They walked to the two dragons, carrying the Pixie still on their backs, and looked at the Goblin.
The Goblin are examining the leaves of their young with their tiny hands.
Soon, they started crying as they searched, tears streaming down their faces, crying much harder than when the Pixie cried from the spiciness of the spicy snack.