The Sweet Little Fulang

 Lu Gu carried a bamboo basket with a puppy in it, barking twice from time to time, the cart was bumpy, and sometimes went uphill and downhill, afraid that the puppy wouldn’t be able to move around on the cart, such a small puppy with short legs couldn’t catch up with them with many mountain roads, so he still worried about carrying him on his back.     

After the two walked and rested to the mountain, they were cooking and unloading the cart, and then fed the chickens and ducks, no different from the previous ones. A rack was added to the pot, and a few steamed buns were placed in it to heat them up. As soon as Lu Gu lit the fire, Shen Xuanqing came in from the outside. He squatted in front of the stove and subconsciously looked up.

    After a slight pause, Shen Xuanqing said, "I'll cook the pot, and you chop the vegetables."

    He looked more natural than Lu Gu, and it was not like he didn't help Lu Gu to light the fire before, but after yesterday, there was something different between the two of them. Yes, even Lu Gu noticed it.

    "Yeah." Lu Gu nodded, got up and stepped aside, and went to the chopping board to chop the vegetables.

    The firewood crackled softly, and he buried his head to chop the vegetables, seemingly concentrating on it, but actually felt an inexplicable feeling in his heart, like joy or anxiety, he couldn't figure it out whether he was happy or unhappy, his delicate eyebrows frowned slightly, a little depressed, didn't know what's wrong with himself.

   Autumn leaves turned red and yellow, and the mountains and forests were dyed with beautiful colors, like clouds in the evening sky. In autumn, various fruits were gradually ripening, and the days on the mountains were busy. Too much thought to think about those.

    Withered and yellow leaves fell from the branches, Lu Gu walked to the small slope of the pine forest with a wooden stick, stepping on a layer of fallen leaves.

    A long-tailed tit fell on a tree not far away, and some of its feathers were blue. He saw it, but his eyes were focused on the ground. He came out to pick mushrooms today, and found many, he picked and put them in the bamboo basket on the back.

    He left the pup in the yard, and he couldn't take him with him everywhere. Now the pup was almost three months old. When he bought him outside, he had to grow up a bit so he wouldn't keep barking to people.

    In a few months, the pup would be half-grown, and he could take him with him when he went out, otherwise the mountain road was far away, and the taller grass would block the pup.

    At the foot of the pine tree, a nest of yellowish mushrooms was fat and big. There were several flowers. Lu Gu squatted down and brushed away the broken branches and weeds on it with his hands.

    There were many white mushrooms in the basket, they were white and full, and the mushrooms had a skirt that looked like a fishing net. It was the bamboo fungus he picked in the depths of the bamboo forest. The sticky black mushrooms head had been removed, he would dry and sell them in the town. They were also valuable and a rare treasure.

    When Lu Gu was young, he went to the mountain with his mother to collect mushrooms, and remembered a lot of edible ones. The appearance of bamboo mushroom was different from other mushrooms, so it was easier to distinguish. Just picked up the white ones and didn’t pick the kind that can't be eaten.

    Before picking the bamboo basket, he took a look. There were bamboo mushrooms and other miscellaneous mushrooms. He had already picked up half the basket, which was quite a lot. He walked around for a long time, and he walked a little far. Today, Dahui and Shen Xuanqing  went to hunt, so he went back alone.

    The mountain forest was dyed in autumn colors, and it was more beautiful than before. Lu Gu walked back with a wooden stick, and the bamboo basket on his back was lighter than usual, so he walked more briskly.

    The autumn wind was refreshing, and with the beautiful scenery in front of him, Lu Gu was in a good mood. On the way, he came across a mountain persimmon tree with fruits hanging on the branches, some of which were red. He tiptoed to pull down the branches and picked the ripe fruits.

    The wild persimmons in the mountains were eaten by birds, especially the ones on the top of the branches, which turn red early. When Lu Gu saw a few pecked ones at the bottom, he didn’t pick them. He wondered how the birds knew the persimmons were ripe. Yes, maybe like the Dahui, they could smell it.

    Persimmons could be soaked in wine and vinegar. Before going up the mountain, he heard from Wei Lanxiang that he would make persimmon vinegar this year. Before he went down the mountain next time, he would pick more mountain persimmons and bring them back. You only needed to make some so you wouln't have so much to eat, and you had to save the sun-dried persimmons for winter.

    There were already mushrooms and persimmons. Lu Gu saw a beautiful mountain flower next to him, so he picked two, and played with it in his hands as he walked. Thinking of this, his brows and eyes were stained with a slight smile.

    He was busy picking in the mountains every day, and even Lu Gu didn't realize it. He hadn't thought of the fear when he first came to the mountains for a long time, and gradually got used to such days. In addition, you could find a little fun for yourself in your busy schedule.

    And when he saw Shen Xuanqing in the evening, he would feel more at ease. Sometimes Shen Xuanqing looked at him and smiled, and he would be happy in his heart, but he didn't know how to express it, so he lowered his head in embarrassment, and just said to Shen Xuanqing that the meal was ready, or he politely gave Shen Xuanqing a pile of the fruits he picked during the day to eat.

    As he was walking, he heard a mountain stream flowing, so Lu Gu went over to wash his hands, sat on a rock by the stream, and took a mountain persimmon from a bamboo basket.

    The ripe persimmons were soft. Gently peeled off the outer skin to reveal the sweet and soft flesh inside. There was a layer of slightly astringent skin outside the flesh, but it was quite delicious and not astringent.

    After tasting the soft and sweet persimmon fruit, Lu Gu felt relieved, picked up the bamboo basket again and walked back, picked a lot, and brought it to Shen Xuanqing when he came back, if he couldn't finish it, he could mix it into the noodles hen he made persimmon pancakes, the pancakes were sweet and delicious, otherwise it would be a pity if the persimmon fruits rotted.