freenovelworld Chapter 71 Picnic
Chapter 71 Picnic
The open space outside the city resembled a verdant jade carpet spread across the land, with lush green grass swaying in the breeze as if beckoning to visitors. Numerous tourists gathered here, enjoying the beautiful scenery. Looking around, some people, dressed in brightly colored jerseys, were happily playing football; others held colorful kites, running and flying them under the blue sky and white clouds; and still others were engaged in a spirited tug-of-war, with cheers and shouts rising and falling. Furthermore, groups of friends sat together, spreading out picnic blankets, setting out food, and enjoying a pleasant picnic and conversation. The whole scene was lively and cheerful, filled with endless joy and warmth.
"Wow, I never expected there to be a Cuju team here! This is truly an eye-opener!" The chubby girl exclaimed, her eyes wide with surprise, pointing at the crowd fiercely competing on the field. "Look, look! That goalkeeper is actually a regular customer of my shop! He often comes to my shop to work out!"
"Oh? Really? Let me see!" Chestnut Girl looked in the direction the chubby girl was pointing and couldn't help but exclaim, "Wow, that goalkeeper is indeed tall and strong, handsome and dashing. Standing in front of the goal, he's like an insurmountable mountain, so majestic!"
At this moment, the chubby girl turned around excitedly, looking at the chestnut girl with bright eyes. She rubbed her hands together, eager to try, and suggested, "Chestnut girl, do you know how to play Cuju (ancient Chinese football)? Why don't we go up and have a match with them?"
Upon hearing this, Chestnut Girl smiled slightly, shook her head gently, and waved her hand, saying, "Hehe, I'm not good at Cuju (ancient Chinese football). If you want to compete with me in dancing, I might have a chance. But when it comes to Cuju, I can only admit defeat."
Hearing Chestnut Girl say that, Fatty pouted in disappointment and replied helplessly, "Sigh, this is so boring. Never mind then. Let's go dig for wild vegetables instead!"
“Okay, okay, then I’ll go dig shepherd’s purse, and you can dig noodle greens.” Chestnut Girl nodded happily and the two walked hand in hand into the depths of the meadow.
Hidden in an inconspicuous corner of the vast, sand-swept northern desert lies a temple called Jingci'an. Here, tranquility reigns, and the environment is beautiful. Within the temple resides a dedicated abbot who chants scriptures and pays homage to Buddha daily; numerous tourists also come to pray for peace and good fortune, their heartfelt wishes expressed in devout prayer. Furthermore, small groups of like-minded practitioners gather, chanting ancient and mysterious scriptures in unison, their voices melodious and resonant, seemingly able to penetrate the very soul.
Ye Beichen rushed into the temple, his eyes searching frantically. However, he searched the entire temple but could not find Xiaodoukou anywhere.
At this moment, the abbot, who was meditating in the courtyard, noticed Ye Beichen's anxious and restless appearance, and secretly guessed that he must be looking for someone. So, the abbot slowly got up, walked lightly towards Ye Beichen, and asked softly, "Young master, you seem to be in a hurry, as if you are looking for someone? I wonder if I can be of any help?"
Upon hearing this, Ye Beichen felt as if he had grasped a lifeline and hurriedly nodded in agreement: "That's right! Master, may I ask if a new young lady has recently arrived at your temple? I have come here to find her, and I am her elder brother."
The abbot smiled slightly, put his hands together and said, "Amitabha, every day people come to my Jingci Temple to register for entry. I wonder who this young lady you mentioned is? I hope you can tell me her name and background so that I can find her for you."
Ye Beichen was slightly taken aback, a hint of embarrassment flashing across his face. He then scratched his head and said, "To my shame, in my haste, I completely forgot my little sister's name. But I do know that she is the third daughter of the Nangong family."
Upon hearing this, the abbot looked enlightened, smiled and nodded, then made an inviting gesture and said slowly, "In that case, please follow me, young master." With that, he led Ye Beichen to where Xiaodoukou was.
At this moment, Xiaodoukou was dressed in a blue Taoist robe, which fluttered gently in the breeze, as if carrying the weight of her sorrow. A hat covered most of her delicate face, but a deep sadness could still be seen on her features. She was completely different from the innocent, lively, and playful little girl of the past.
Ye Beichen quickly walked up to Xiao Doukou and said with a face full of pity, "Silly girl, why did you do this? Why did you choose the path of becoming a nun? This is not a place for you! You were born a pampered young lady, and you should be living a comfortable life where everything is done for you. Why did you have to come here to suffer?" As he spoke, he reached out to wipe away the tears from the corners of Xiao Doukou's eyes.
However, Xiaodoukou abruptly turned her head away, refusing to let him touch her. Immediately afterward, tears streamed down her face like a burst dam, and she angrily retorted, "Hmph! You're already married, who else can I marry? Go away! We're destined to be apart, never to meet again!" With that, she turned and walked into the temple, leaving Ye Beichen with only a resolute and desolate silhouette.
However, Ye Beichen explained anxiously, "But how can I leave you here alone? Silly girl! Come back with me! The outside world is too dangerous. Only by returning to my side can I protect you!" His handsome face was flushed with anxiety, and fine beads of sweat even appeared on his forehead.
Faced with Ye Beichen's desperate pleas, Xiao Doukou remained resolute. She gritted her teeth and coldly said, "I'm sorry, it's all too late. Please leave, benefactor! I won't see you off!" With that, she ruthlessly pushed Ye Beichen out of the room, quickly closed the door, and then locked it from the inside with trembling hands. Immediately afterward, a heart-wrenching cry erupted from the room, as if releasing all the grievances and pain.
Standing frozen in place, Ye Beichen pressed his ear against the door, trying to hear Xiao Doukou's cries from inside. His heart ached as if a thousand ants were gnawing at it; regret and self-reproach intertwined, overwhelming him. Time ticked by, but Xiao Doukou never opened the door. Finally, filled with utter despair, he could only slowly leave.
Back home, Ye Beichen's heart grew heavier. He sat alone at the table, chugging down glass after glass of strong liquor, seemingly trying to numb his broken heart with alcohol. His eyes gradually became unfocused, and his consciousness began to blur, but his longing and guilt for Xiao Doukou grew stronger and stronger.
Just as Ye Beichen was about to lose his mind, the old lord arrived upon hearing the news. Seeing his son so dejected, the old lord was heartbroken and quickly stepped forward to persuade him, "Beichen, don't torture yourself like this anymore! Everything in this world has its destiny; what is meant to come will come, and what is meant to leave cannot be kept. Let's just let nature take its course!"
To everyone's surprise, Ye Beichen wouldn't listen to any advice at this moment. He suddenly raised his head and roared at the old lord, "Get out! I don't want to see anyone right now! Including you! Get out of here..." Although his voice was somewhat slurred due to drunkenness, the anger and despair in it were obvious.
The old lord was not angry at his son's rudeness; on the contrary, he was even more worried about Ye Beichen's condition. He silently walked to the table, began to tidy up the scattered wine bottles, then turned and went into the kitchen to personally cook a bowl of steaming hangover soup for his son.
When he returned to the room with the soup, he found Ye Beichen fast asleep, slumped over the table. The old lord gently shook his head, sighed, and carefully helped Ye Beichen sit up, feeding him the hangover soup spoonful by spoonful. Only when he saw Ye Beichen lying quietly on the bed, his breathing gradually becoming steady, did the old lord finally breathe a sigh of relief and leave the room with peace of mind.
Outside the city, a gentle breeze blew across the open fields, and the sunlight cast a warm glow. Chestnut Girl and Fatty Girl ran and played joyfully in this vast expanse, their kites soaring high, reflecting their carefree spirits. However, after a long period of chasing and playing, they gradually grew tired. Finally, panting, they stopped and decided to find a place to sit down and rest, and began to discuss what to do for lunch.
Chestnut Girl looked at Fatty and suggested with a smile, "Fatty, how about we make beggar's chicken and cold wild vegetable salad for lunch?" Fatty's eyes lit up immediately, and she nodded repeatedly, "That would be wonderful! My dad used to make beggar's chicken for me all the time, and it tasted absolutely delicious! Let's try to recreate that dish today!"
As soon as she finished speaking, the chubby girl excitedly prepared to get to work. But when she looked down at the basket, she suddenly froze—it was full of fresh wild vegetables, but there wasn't a trace of chicken. The chubby girl looked helpless and asked the chestnut girl with a pained expression, "Oh dear! What are we going to do? We haven't even gathered all the ingredients yet. Are we two weak women going to have to go hunting ourselves?"
Just as the chubby girl was frowning in worry, the chestnut girl's eyes lit up, and an idea came to her. She patted her chest and said, "Don't worry, chubby girl, wait here for a moment. I'll go find some hunters nearby and see if I can buy some ready-made ingredients from them." With that, the chestnut girl turned and ran towards the distant village.
Not long after, Chestnut Girl returned excitedly, carrying a clean and prepared chicken. Fatty was overjoyed to see this and quickly took the chicken. She deftly wrapped it tightly in lotus leaves, then evenly coated it with a thick layer of mud before carefully placing it into the pre-dug fire pit to roast slowly.
Meanwhile, Chestnut Girl was also busy. She squatted by the crystal-clear stream, carefully washing the wild vegetables she had just picked. After washing them clean, she gently picked the tender green leaves and neatly laid them on the lotus leaves. Then, she skillfully sprinkled on some carefully prepared seasonings, and a delicious and visually appealing cold wild vegetable salad was ready.
The chubby girl was so surprised she could hardly close her mouth. "Chestnut Girl, where did you get these seasonings?"
Chestnut Girl responded with a smile, "I brought a bottle of seasoning from home before I left, and I hid it in my pocket, so it's normal that you didn't notice it."
"That's amazing! Better safe than sorry!" the chubby girl said, giving her a thumbs-up in praise.
Some were happy while others were sad. Even the usually optimistic Su Yuning encountered some troubles. The rich young master was coming to see her again, following her wherever she went. Su Yuning was very annoyed, but she was too embarrassed to upset him, so she could only ignore him and continue to do her own thing. After all, soap is a household item with a large monthly sales volume, so she busily bought various supplies in the city and then brought them back to the princess's mansion one cartload after another to make soap.
At this moment, the second brother voiced his objection, "Su Yuning, this isn't a vegetable market. You're using pig offal to make soap, and now my whole mansion smells terrible. You should go back to your hometown! Come back to see me after you've made the soap!"
Su Yuning pouted angrily, "Fine, I'll go! Humph!"
It's easier said than done. There are so many materials; how could she possibly handle them all by herself? At this moment, the rich young master offered his suggestion, "I happen to have a factory outside the city. You could make soap there. The factory is quite large, with both production and storage facilities."
Su Yuning replied embarrassedly, "Isn't that inappropriate? You must have other things to do at your own factory. Wouldn't it be a burden for you if I went there?"
The rich young man replied with a smile, "What's the trouble? My factory has been idle for over a year anyway, so I'll just rent it out to you."
Su Yuning rolled her eyes and replied irritably, "Hmph, where would I get so much money to rent a house? Let's just forget about it!" As she spoke, she waved her hand to indicate that she had absolutely no intention of doing so.
"Oh dear, don't refuse so quickly! We can talk this over properly. How about this, you can rent a place to live first, and we can postpone the rent payment until you earn some money." The rich young man quickly put on a smiling face and tried to persuade Su Yuning with kind words, attempting to change her mind.
After much pleading and cajoling, Su Yuning finally nodded slightly, agreeing. Upon seeing this, the wealthy young man's face immediately lit up with a delighted smile.
However, at that moment, Su Yuning turned around to move the goods. Taking advantage of this break, Su Muyang, who had been standing by and watching coldly, stepped forward and deliberately said to the rich young master, "What are you after? Helping people rent factory buildings and allowing late rent payments, aren't you afraid of losing money in the end?"
Upon hearing this, the wealthy young man simply smiled and replied softly, "None of that matters. You know, there's an old saying—'Those near the water get the moon first'! As long as I can be close to the one I admire, nothing else matters." After saying this, he didn't forget to give Su Yuning a deep, affectionate look in the direction she had left.
Looking at the infatuated rich young man before him, Su Muyang shook his head helplessly, a speechless expression on his face. Finally, he tossed out a "Good luck!" and turned to walk towards the gate of the princess's residence. With a muffled "bang," the gate slammed shut, leaving the rich young man outside.