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It's really cold.
Thinking of this, Jian Mo turned to look at the Flying-Winged Beast and waved to it.
The Flying-Winged Beast blinked, quickly understood, took two steps to the side, squatted down behind Jian Mo, and covered Jian Mo under its chest and abdomen.
Jian Mo's back pressed against the Flying-Winged Beast's soft, thick fur, and she finally warmed up, letting out a comfortable sigh.
Wu Jiong kept watching them.
Jian Mo thought Wu Jiong was also cold, so she moved to the side and waved to him, "Come and warm up together?"
Wu Jiong paused for a moment, then walked over and squeezed into the spot that Jian Mo had given up.
The Flying-Winged Beast glanced down at them and became even happier. "Jiujiu chirp chirp."
Jian Mo patted the Flying-Winged Beast with her backhand. "Jiujiu, don't chirp so loudly, it hurts my ears."
The Flying-Winged Beast lowered its voice and blinked its bright black eyes. "Jiujiu."
The food in the earthenware pot was cooked quickly. Jian Mo took it down and placed it on the grass-covered ground, then broke off four sticks to use as chopsticks.
They each held a pair of chopsticks and shared the food from the jar.
Jian Mo took a couple of bites, then picked out the meatball and handed it to the Flying-Winged Beast above her head.
The Flying-Winged Beast was even happier. "Jiujiu."
Jian Mo and her friends rarely eat lunch, and Jian Mo gets sleepy as soon as she finishes eating.
He simply snuggled up next to Wu Jiong, nestled in the Flying-Winged Beast's thick fur, and took a short nap.
After taking a nap, Jian Mo regained her energy, and they continued collecting Snow Pearl Fruit.
My luck seemed to be better in the afternoon than in the morning.
They had only walked a short distance when the giant wolf said, "There should be a patch down there."
Jian Mo's eyes lit up, and she ran over excitedly, "Let me see!"
The giant wolf had already dug away some of the snow, and sure enough, a patch of Snow Pearl Fruit had grown underneath.
These Snow Pearl Fruit, large and small, were crowded together; at a glance, there were at least dozens of them.
Jian Mo quickly helped to clear the snow further.
The Flying-Winged Beast also came to join in the fun.
After clearing away the snow, the Snow Pearl Fruit in front of them covered at least three square meters.
It looks as if someone has laid out a patch of Snow Pearl Fruit to dry here.
They'd been out for so long, and the Snow Pearl Fruit they'd found that morning were only a handful; this was the first time they'd found so many.
Jian Mo was like a cat that had fallen into a can of cat food, her whole body beaming with joy. "Quick, quick, pick it!"
There were so many Snow Pearl Fruit here that Wu Jiong transformed back into human form and joined him in picking them.
The Flying-Winged Beast didn't know how to pick them, so they would occasionally pluck some Snow Pearl Fruit to eat, Jiujiu happily as they ate one.
Jian Mo saw that it wasn't eating much and probably wouldn't get a sore throat, so she turned a blind eye and ignored it.
They picked for a whole morning, Snow Pearl Fruit they collected barely covered the bottom of their baskets. After picking this patch of Snow Pearl Fruit, the baskets were half full.
Jian Mo picked the last Snow Pearl Fruit, and, unwilling to give up, scanned the ground with her eyes. Once she was sure there were no more Snow Pearl Fruit left, she sighed regretfully.
Jian Mo: "I wish all the Snow Pearl Fruit we encounter next grow in such large patches."
Wu Jiong: "Keep looking."
Jian Mo straightened up. "Let's go."
Wu Jiong pulled his hand and lifted him up. Then he turned his back, took off his clothes and boots, transformed back into his beast form, and threw the clothes and boots onto his back.
Jian Mo then carried the half-full basket on her back.
The man, the wolf, and the beast continued their journey.
Jian Mo kept looking back. Even after walking several dozen meters, she could still see the spot where they had just picked Snow Pearl Fruit —everywhere else was covered in snow, but here a large patch of muddy ground was exposed.
After picking this patch of Snow Pearl Fruit, they'll likely never find another patch with so many Snow Pearl Fruit again.
Jian Mo was filled with melancholy.
After walking a few more meters, Jian Mo suddenly reached out and grabbed the giant wolf's front paw. "Wait! I'll go dig up the soil too!"
The giant wolf looked down at him.
Jian Mo explained, "I think Snow Pearl Fruit grow underground like mushrooms, so the soil might contain seeds. If we take the soil back, maybe Snow Pearl Fruit can grow where we are."
Jian Mo was a little worried that Wu Jiong would be unhappy. Usually, making such unreasonable requests to one's brothers would easily get one scolded.
Wu Jiong readily agreed, "That makes sense."
Jian Mo smiled, revealing a set of neat, white teeth. "Right?"
Jian Mo had two more stacked baskets under his own, worried that he wouldn't have enough to hold. But after working for so long, he only managed to pick half a basketful.
The two baskets we brought are now only good for holding mud.
They went back, scraped off a thin layer of soil from the patch where the Snow Pearl Fruit had grown, put it in their baskets, and tied it to the Flying-Winged Beast.
This place was indeed the peak of their harvest for the day.
They walked a long way again, but never encountered such a large Snow Pearl Fruit again. They were lucky if they could pick a dozen or so at a time.
As the sun slowly began to set, Jian Mo and Wu Jiong, seeing that it was almost time, rode their Flying-Winged Beast back to the tribe.
This place is too far from the tribe; if they set off late, they'll have to travel at night, which isn't very safe.
By the time we returned to the tribe, it was almost dark.
The two let the Flying-Winged Beast rest, while they poured out the soil and spread it evenly in a corner of the backyard.
Jian Mo didn't know if there were any seeds or anything in the soil, so in order to imitate the wild environment, he specially covered it with a layer of dry grass.
Snow Pearl Fruit are quite delicate; after being pressed for a day, they're no longer very fresh, with yellowed, oxidized spots on the fruit.
If it's not dealt with tonight, it'll most likely break by tomorrow.
Jian Mo was astonished; no wonder she had never seen anyone bring out Snow Pearl Fruit to exchange for them.
It breaks so easily, there's really no way to take it out.
They first selected the Snow Pearl Fruit, then washed them with clean water and laid them out in the yard to dry.
After dinner, Jian Mo checked again and found that most of the moisture had evaporated.