Xu Qinghuan followed Jiang Xingye along a winding path upwards. After walking for about two hours, they rounded a cliff and saw a golden wheat field, spanning approximately ten acres.
Additionally, there was a fish pond, with various fruit trees planted on the banks. Towards the mountain top, several terraces had been carved out, where so dicinal herbs were being grown, including a type of wild ginseng.
The mountain mist drifted gently, and a few wild wolves, upon hearing the noise, erged from a cave. On seeing the two of them, they lazily shook their gray fur before lying back down.
A few brightly feathered birds flew through the clouds.
In that instant, Xu Qinghuan felt as if she had entered her own mysterious realm.
Staring in a daze, by the ti she snapped out of it, Jiang Xingye had already dragged a wild boar to the entrance of a cave. She quickly followed along the field’s ridge, incredulous, and asked, "Ay, Xingye, is this your place?"
She pointed to the fish pond and wheat field behind her.
The first ti she called him "Ay," his heart had been stirred, only he didn’t have ti to dwell on it then due to the urgent situation.
Hearing her call again now, Jiang Xingye, overco with excitent, reached out and pulled her into his arms, saying, "Call again, I love hearing it!"
He was covered in the scent of blood, belonging to the wild boar.
Xu Qinghuan exclaid "Ah!" as she broke free. Seeing she hadn’t gotten any pig blood on her, she breathed a sigh of relief and playfully threatened, "If you dare get pig blood on , I’ll hit you!"
She waved her small, fair fist, her face puffed up in mock anger, but her eyes were full of lighthearted laughter.
Jiang Xingye laughed, his laughter hearty and unrestrained.
The cave was warm in winter and cool in sumr. Xu Qinghuan walked around inside, noticing traces of man-made excavation. The place was quite vast, with a large central area surrounded by four smaller caves. Inside, there were many items stocked: grains, furs, pots and pans, and bedding.
Clearly, Jiang Xingye had lived here for a long ti.
Upon arriving, Qing Xiao returned to his wolf clan’s territory.
Xu Qinghuan erged from the cave to find Jiang Xingye gutting the wild boar. He was naked above the waist, with loose trousers hanging from his hips, barely clinging on and revealing defined abs and a sexy rmaid line.
Sweat covered his body like a layer of glaze.
Even though she had admired many male models and had many handso male escorts offering themselves in past lives, none of those gym bodies could compare to Jiang Xingye’s that brimd with wildness and explosive force.
"How do you plan to sell these wild boars?" Xu Qinghuan, noticing this scene, realized Jiang Xingye wasn’t one to play by the rules. She just didn’t know what role he played in the food chain of the black market.
Jiang Xingye paused, giving her a deep look, and pressed his lips but didn’t dare tell the truth.
He was afraid she would report him. In these tis, such opportunistic dealings could land him behind bars at best or face harsh consequences at worst, nothing to joke about.
"Are you planning to sell to the black market?" Xu Qinghuan lowered her voice, glancing around as if doing sothing shady.
Jiang Xingye shook his head, "No, soone will co to pick them up, I’ll just sell them to him."
Her sneaky deanor amused Jiang Xingye, who resisted the urge to pat her head. How could his partner be so endearing!
Xu Qinghuan hadn’t been to the legendary black market yet, and she was extrely curious, "You wouldn’t sell to a buying station, would you? They undercut prices, it’s not worth it."
Jiang Xingye said seriously, "I can’t go to the black market; that place is dangerous. If caught, it would be disastrous."
This was also a warning to Xu Qinghuan, as he sensed her interest in the black market.
Jiang Xingye called Qing Xiao over, handing him a bloodstained cloth, "Take it out!"
With quick hands, he slayed four boars, gutted them, and stacked the pork onto a raft, telling Xu Qinghuan to wait for him as he took clothes and went to a hot spring behind the mountain to wash himself and his clothes clean.
He ca back carrying a rabbit.
"Shall I roast rabbit for you?" Jiang Xingye looked at his partner eagerly.
"Mm, okay."
Nearby, Xu Qinghuan found a few stalks of Danshen that had borne seeds, carefully picking and storing them in her space.
This season was also suitable for planting belamcanda. Perhaps due to favorable climate and soil, a variety of herbs thrived here. Before long, Xu Qinghuan had filled a basket, collecting seeds from any plants she ca across.
Jiang Xingye’s herb garden was very limited in size, consisting only of a few valuable dicinal herbs – wild ginseng, Huangqi, and Polygala, with White Peony Bark already at its third year of growth.
Seeing Jiang Xingye wasn’t paying attention, Xu Qinghuan grabbed a handful of fertile soil from her space and scattered it in the wild ginseng plot, the change in soil quality visible to the naked eye, and the wild ginseng imdiately perked up.
Nearby herb plots were gradually affected, and White Peony Bark also began to mature.
Xu Qinghuan poked around the wild ginseng, noting the prevalence of three and four-leaf plants.
"Huanhuan, the roasted rabbit is ready." Jiang Xingye’s voice called out.
Xu Qinghuan ran towards Jiang Xingye along the ridge of the wheat field. A fire was set at the cave entrance, with a rabbit roasting on a skewer, golden brown and shiny with oil. In the distance, a few wolves whimpered gently, protesting the scent.
"Go wash your hands first!" Jiang Xingye placed a basin of water, catching Xu Qinghuan’s hand and pressing it into the basin.
His broad hands lifted water and sprinkled it over Xu Qinghuan’s slender, fair hands, like pampering a child, helping her wash thoroughly before taking a clean towel to dry her hands.
Finally tearing off a rabbit leg, he handed it to Xu Qinghuan, "Eat slowly, don’t burn yourself."
In this life and the previous one, Xu Qinghuan had never been treated with such tenderness, leaving her both touched and slightly unused to it.
The rabbit at had been marinated and brushed with honey, clearly showing Jiang Xingye’s skill in culinary delights. The rabbit at was fragrant and delicious, Xu Qinghuan ate greedily, nearly drooling.
Jiang Xingye only ate the rabbit’s head and spine, saving all four legs for Xu Qinghuan, worried she wouldn’t have enough to eat.
After eating two hind legs, Xu Qinghuan was full, offering the two forelegs to Jiang Xingye, "I’m full, can’t eat anymore!"
Even felt a bit stuffed.
Seeing her rubbing her belly, Jiang Xingye felt quite sorry, quickly finishing the remaining rabbit at in a few bites and hurriedly fetching water to wash Xu Qinghuan’s hands.
Xu Qinghuan was snug in his embrace, watching as he lathered her hands with soap, his large hands making bubbles on her palms and fingers, her heart softened in that instant.
She never had her guard up around him, nor did she feel distant.
With any other man, even her father from her past life, being this close would have made her uncomfortable, but with Jiang Xingye, she didn’t feel that way.
After washing her hands, Jiang Xingye stepped back.
Three people appeared over the ridge, with Luo Jinhao leading, carrying ropes and a wooden pole, among other tools.
Coming closer, one of them called out, "Xingye, we’re here. Was the haul good this ti?"
Seeing Xu Qinghuan, the three clearly froze for a mont, stumbling over their words, "Is this...sister-in-law?"
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