Chapter 160

Ming Chunxi doesn't eat much of the fruit that's just been picked from the branches and hasn't been washed yet, but she doesn't object to them eating it. On the contrary, she even picks some for the little ones.

The little ones opened their mouths wide to catch the mulberries thrown down, catching them one by one.

Normally, the Dharma Protector are the most aggressive in scrambling for food, but today, for some reason, Dharma Protector 've fallen behind.

Qing Mengzhu looked at it for a while and felt something was wrong. She grabbed the back of the Dharma Protector's neck and examined it carefully. She then discovered that its nose had been stung at some point and was now swollen.

Stared at by Qing Mengzhu, the Dharma Protector awkwardly stuck out his tongue and licked his nose, avoiding Qing Mengzhu's eyes, pretending to be oblivious.

Qing Mengzhu was puzzled and squatted down in front of the Dharma Protector to look at Ming Chunxi: "When was it stung?"

Ming Chunxi only just realized it had been stung, but after working backward, she deduced. "It must have been stung when it was licking the honey from the barrel wall; there might be a bee's stinger on the honey."

Qing Mengzhu also remembered, and, both amused and annoyed, tapped the Dharma Protector on the forehead. "I told you not to be in such a hurry, what happened? Now you know what pain is, right?"

The Dharma Protector made two soft "whimpering" sounds through his nose, looking dejected and pitiful.

Qing Mengzhu didn't want to scold it anymore, "Apply some medicine when you get back, it should be fine in a couple of days."

Mulberries picked fresh from the tree are really delicious; they're both tasty and thirst-quenching.

Qing Mengzhu was a little nauseous from the honey, but after eating the mulberries, she's full of energy again.

They picked and ate as they went, filling a basket. Then, they took their picnic mats and found a scenic spot in the orchard, spread out their food, and enjoyed the sun and breeze while having lunch.

Ming Chunxi also brought a portable gas stove. He took out the stove, set out the kettle, filled it with well water, and started boiling the water.

It's a bit chilly outside for a picnic, so we need to boil some water and make some tea.

Qing Mengzhu wasn't so particular and was too lazy to move, so she lazily lay on the picnic mat, holding the dog in her left arm and petting the fox with her right, waiting for Ming Chunxi to boil water for tea.

They had just finished their tiring work and were now quite exhausted, quickly becoming drowsy.

Ming Chunxi brewed the tea, looked at Qing Mengzhu sleeping in the spring breeze, and a faint smile appeared on his face.

I came out today to relax.

Qing Mengzhu didn't force herself and slept until after 3 p. m. before getting up to eat and enjoy the scenery.

Sipping the still-warm tea, Qing Mengzhu said to Ming Chunxi, "Let's go up the mountain later. I reckon the orange blossoms there should be blooming beautifully. We can see if we should put a couple of beehives up there too."

Ming Chunxi: "I think it's a good idea. Even without orange blossoms, there are other flowers, and the bees on the mountain shouldn't have to worry about nectar sources."

Qing Mengzhu: "Yes, we still have so many medicinal herbs on our mountain. It would be great to make some wildflower honey."

Chapter 160

Around 4 p. m., before sunset, Qing Mengzhu and Ming Chunxi drove home with their families.

The four little guys fell asleep in the back seat of the car. When they got home, they found a spot in the yard, lay down, and continued sleeping, showing no sign of waking up.

Qing Mengzhu reached into the fur on the back of their necks and felt it. It wasn't hot, and they didn't seem to be uncomfortable, so she let them go.

He and Ming Chunxi then prepared to go up the mountain to check on the orange trees.

As soon as they went out, Feng Ningxiang, who had finished working in the fields, helped them herd the geese back.

Qing Mengzhu has been quite busy lately, so he has also handed over the task of taking care of the poultry to the company. Zhao Hexi has arranged for people to drive his ducks and geese out to graze every day and bring them back in the evening.

Anyway, the company has a lot of fields, and the ducks and geese play and forage in the fields, which is considered semi-free-range. If the ducks and geese damage the vegetables, people who see them can just shoo them away.

When we finish get off work in the evening, whichever group has time will help them rush back; it's not troublesome at all.

Feng Ningxiang stopped in her tracks. "Mengzhu, why are you going up the mountain so late?"

Qing Mengzhu: "Let's go up the mountain and take a look. Auntie Feng, you should go back too."

Feng Ningxiang: "We'll head back once we've driven the geese away. Oh, by the way, the geese have started laying eggs again. We just collected two eggs in the field today and put them in the vegetable basket by your pond. Remember to collect them tomorrow."

Qing Mengzhu in surprise, "They've started laying eggs again?"

Feng Ningxiang nodded and smiled, "I guess with good weather and plenty of sunlight, they'll start reproducing."

Qing Mengzhu: "I'll keep an eye on them tomorrow and see if I can guide them to lay their eggs in a fixed spot, so I don't have to search for them every day."

Feng Ningxiang: "Okay, if they lay their eggs elsewhere, we'll let you know if we see them."

As they said goodbye to Feng Ningxiang and headed up the mountain, Qing Mengzhu said to Ming Chunxi, "I didn't expect the geese to start laying eggs again. I wonder if these eggs are fertilized? If they are, should we collect them and incubate them? I feel that geese we incubate ourselves will be of better quality than those from outside."

Ming Chunxi: "The hatching process is quite troublesome, as geese are more fragile than other poultry."

Qing Mengzhu was optimistic. "It's alright. There are so many people in the company. If we're too busy, we can just assign someone to help out."

As the sun sets, the sunlight feels warm and pleasant on my back, not too hot, but rather a unique kind of comfort.

The two slowly climbed the mountain.

The wildflowers on both sides of the road have already bloomed, especially wild roses and raspberries, many of which have a unique fragrance that can be smelled from a distance.

In the fields, some people planted loquats, and the loquats are ripe, golden yellow, attracting many wild birds.

As soon as they approached, the wild birds fluttered towards the power lines, showing a strong sense of vigilance.

Qing Mengzhu looked at the wildflowers by the roadside. "I don't know if it's just my imagination, but it seems like there are more wildflowers and wild fruits this year than last year?"

Ming Chunxi casually plucked a leaf. "It shouldn't be my imagination. The environment has improved now. Even the ridges of the fields aren't as bare as before, and you can't see pesticide bottles by the river anymore."

Qing Mengzhu rarely paid attention to these details, but hearing him say that, she laughed and nudged him, "Did you notice these pesticide bottles when you first came here last year?"

Ming Chunxi hummed in agreement. "I have a very deep impression of it. There were many pesticide bottles blocked by the weeds along the riverbank, and people were washing vegetables on the other side."

After a pause, Ming Chunxi said, "I was worried they might be poisoned, but then I thought, there's no need to talk about toxicity without considering dosage. With such a high water flow, all the pesticides would be washed away."

Qing Mengzhu patted his back. "It's good that you didn't run away, otherwise I wouldn't have a boyfriend."

The two went up the mountain. A gentle evening breeze blew, and the bamboo stalks were bent neatly and beautifully in the direction of the wind.

Qing Mengzhu looked at the bamboo grove and said, "The bamboo grows so fast. It's only been a few days, and some bamboo has already sprouted again."

Ming Chunxi: "Bamboo grows quickly, which makes delivery convenient."

Qing Mengzhu: "It's alright. There's enough bamboo now, so we don't need to save the bamboo shoots. I'll arrange for someone to come and dig them up tomorrow, and we'll sell a batch to the Interstellar Mall to meet this month's sales target."

Ming Chunxi did a quick mental calculation. "No rush."

Qing Mengzhu: "It's not urgent. Bamboo shoots, peppers, tomatoes, and lotus root shoots are almost ready to sell, and summer vegetables are gradually coming to market. There's no way we won't meet our sales targets. It's just that I'm feeling uneasy because I have something on my mind."

They walked up the mountain path and, after a while, reached the edge of the plum grove.

The plums ripened too quickly. A while ago, their plums turned yellow and soft, making them unsuitable for making side dishes, so they picked a batch and dried them raw. Now they have no plums left.

The orange trees nearby are growing well, and the mulberry and blueberry bushes have turned into small shrubs; they should bear fruit in a year or two.

They came up here today mainly to see the orange trees.

Qing Mengzhu walked around the woods for a while, then suddenly said, "The quality of the orange trees has improved; they've gone from 'Fine Grade' to 'Fine Grade+'."