Side Story 1 (continued)

As soon as he got home, Jian Mo's cheeks were flushed, and his delicate skin had several red marks from rubbing against his skin.

Jian Mo put down her things and said to Wu Jiong, "Let's go swimming and have a picnic outside. I don't want to cook."

Wu Jiong: "Okay, I'll go prepare the ingredients."

Jian Mo: "Let's have a cold salad. Mix the Pearl Algae with the wild vegetables we picked today, add some meat, and some sour fruit."

Wu Jiong wasn't very good at making cold dishes, so he stepped aside. "Why don't you do it? I'll go pick some fruit from the back hill."

In recent years, they have transplanted many fruit trees to the village, all of which were planted on the back mountain.

The planted fruit trees, thanks to their careful pruning and fertilization, grow much better than wild fruit trees. The fruit, once ripe, is exceptionally sweet and plump, making it an excellent dessert.

If it weren't for the tribe's little ones and the children who came to class frequently patrolling the back mountain to chase away birds and insects, they might not have been able to eat such delicious fruit—there were just too many small animals eyeing their fruit.

Jian Mo said, "Sure, pick the fruit from the top of the tree where the sun shines; those are the sweetest."

Wu Jiong: "I understand. Should I go to the ice cellar to get some ice while I'm at it?"

In winter, they now mine ice blocks, put them in caves, and then cover them with dry grass.

Ice blocks can be preserved for a long time in the caves, and they rely on these ice blocks for their summer needs.

Jian Mo sometimes uses these ice cubes to make ice cream—not directly, but by placing the ice cubes outside a metal container and slowly stirring the milk and jam inside, like making yogurt.

Ice cream made this way is incredibly delicious and can be considered a summer cooling wonder.

Wu Jiong's words only made things worse, and Jian Mo's mouth watered. She immediately agreed, "Sure, take more. We'll make a large ice cream and take Jiujiu and Ying'ao out later."

Wu Jiong: "Then I'll go."

Wu Jiong quickly went out to pick fruit and get ice.

Jian Mo, on the other hand, makes cold dishes at home.

Over the years, not only have they successfully fermented their fish sauce, but they have also produced genuine soy sauce.

These are all brewed in large earthenware jars, authentic farmhouse soy sauce. Apart from salt, there are no additives. It's much tastier than the soy sauce Jian Mo used to buy, and it's excellent for cooking.

The cold dish was topped with soy sauce, chili, clam powder, and sour fruit, and the flavor immediately improved. Jian Mo threw a piece of meat into her mouth, thinking that it would be even more flavorful if she let it sit a little longer until after swimming.

Jian Mo packed three large metal boxes. He and Wu Jiong would eat one box, Jiujiu would eat one box, and Ying'ao would eat one box—just right.

Both Jian Mo and Wu Jiong are the kind of people who are very efficient at their work.

Before long, they were ready and rode the two chicks to swim at White Sandbar.

White Sandbar is quite far from both their tribe and the Yigu Tribe.

There was no one else besides them.

As night fell, the sunset was magnificent, and the lake reflected the mountain scenery and the sunset, making it look absolutely stunning.

As soon as Jian Mo got off Jiujiu, she took off her clothes and shoes and eagerly jumped into the clear lake water. "So refreshing! Summer is definitely the best time to soak in the lake."

Wu Jiong took the food he had brought and put it aside, then jumped into the water and swam with Jian Mo.

Jiujiu looked at the food on the ground, then at the two people swimming, then back at the food, then back at the two people, repeating this several times. Its furry face was full of hesitation, wondering whether to steal the food first or swim first.

Ying'ao was already preparing to rush into the water when he looked back at Jiujiu and let out a "heh!" He took a running start and rushed back, knocking Jiujiu into the water as well.

Jiujiu: "Chirp--Gurgle gurgle--"

Jiujiu rolled around in the water several times before floating to the surface, glaring angrily at Ying'ao.

Ying'ao calmly spread its wings and swam slowly in the water.

Jiujiu glared at it for a while, then when Ying'ao looked over, it timidly looked away and swam away angrily to the other side.

Jian Mo watched the two chicks interact and laughed, "Jiujiu, why are you afraid of Ying'ao? You're bigger than it!"

Wu Jiong: "Jiujiu is fat, Ying'ao is all muscle, he can't beat him."

Jiujiu: "Jeh!!!"

Jian Mo waded through the water, cupped her hands to her mouth like a megaphone, and shouted to Jiujiu, "Jiujiu, I support you! Go up and show Wu Jiong!"

Jiujiu looked at Wu Jiong, then at Ying'ao, and finally turned around and pounced on Jian Mo.

Its massive body stirred up huge waves, submerging Jian Mo completely to the bottom of the lake.

Jian Mo struggled a few times before popping her head out, wiping the lake water from her face. "Jiujiu, you little devil, you've learned to pick on the weak, haven't you?"

Jiujiu chirp!

In summer, it gets dark late. After swimming in the White Sandbar, having dinner, fruit, and ice cream chilled on ice, and taking a bath, Jian Mo others returned to the tribe, and it was still not completely dark.

Perhaps because of the hot weather, Jiujiu's no need to brush their fur, so it takes less time.

When they returned to the tribe, the little ones ran over and rushed into the yard.

Jian Mo was getting off Jiujiu, patting Jiujiu, and telling Jiujiu to go play.

Turning back, he looked at the little ones. "What's wrong? Want to play with Jiujiu?"

The little ones. "No, Jian Mo, we've come to find you."

Little ones:

"Jian Mo, another Jiujiu just came in outside."

"It's not Jiujiu, it's a little cub that looks a lot like Jiujiu."

"There's a little kid who looks just like Jiujiu, and he's looking for you."

Jian Mo listened patiently for a while, then asked with a smile, "Where are the guests?"

Jiang Xing: "We told them you weren't here, so the guests said they'd come back tomorrow."

Jian Mo surprised. "Didn't Qing Kuo and the others offer their guests a place to stay?"

Jiang Xing: "It's too late, the guests left too quickly."

Jian Mo asked casually, and since the guest wasn't there, he didn't dwell on it. "Then see you tomorrow."