Chapter 25: Wild Pear Blossom

Chapter 25: Wild Pear Blossom

It was Tao Hua's first time dining in the wild. Perhaps it was the irresistible flavor of the roasted fish, the novelty of catching and eating on the spot, or the thought of Wei Dahu effortlessly catching fish from the pond that gave her a sense of contentment, as if she were feasting on a "larder." Hunger seemed no longer a concern.

She had seldom indulged in such succulent, plump fish even during her time at the Qian family. Although Apricot Flower Village wasn't situated by a river like Dahe Village, skilled villagers could still catch fish and shrimp in the waterways. However, the village had its own fishpond, and during harvest season, the villagers would collectively empty it. All the men in the village would participate in catching fish, with the village chief then distributing the catch among the households.

The Qian family always received a generous portion, but Tao Hua herself rarely enjoyed much fish meat; most of the time, she only sipped on the fish soup. In her mind, creamy white fish broth was the epitome of deliciousness. Living under someone else's roof, she dared not ask for more.

Now, holding an entire roasted fish to herself, Tao Hua experienced a level of satisfaction unparalleled in her short life. Other than the wealthy families, she had never heard of any villager living so luxuriously. This whole fish brought her an unprecedented sense of fulfillment.

Feeling somewhat guilty about enjoying the food alone, Tao Hua looked at Wei Dahu and suggested, "How about we catch two more fish later and cook them into soup for Father when we get back home?"

"Father doesn't like fish soup; it tastes bland to him. Let's make a stew instead, with the fish cooked until tender and soaked in the broth. It'll be delicious with rice," replied Wei Dahu with a serious expression, as if he had no selfish intentions. "That's how Father likes it; he prefers stronger flavors."

Tao Hua glanced at him, amused. "I know you have the same taste as Father and enjoy that kind of food, but you're still trying to pretend!"

"Ha ha," Wei Dahu chuckled, not bothered by being exposed.

The couple shared a look and burst into laughter together.

At that moment, Tao Hua had selectively forgotten the difficulty of the mountain path and the loneliness of being in the vast forest, as well as the fear she felt whenever she heard the roars of wild beasts. Her focus was solely on the fish swimming in the deep pool ahead and the succulent roasted fish in her hand. The satisfaction from food had taken precedence over everything else, even the unknown fears.

After their lunch, Wei Dahu skillfully extinguished the fire, ensuring not a single spark remained.

Observing his actions, Tao Hua secretly tried to learn from him.

Noticing her, Wei Dahu softly said, "We live off the land and water; they are more precious than life itself. If we don't put out every ember, a gust of wind could ignite a forest fire, causing destruction and loss of life for all creatures living within..."

He frowned, visibly recoiling at the thought. "If that were to happen, we'd surely end up in the lowest level of hell after death!"

Tao Hua hastily scooped up a handful of water and splashed it onto the extinguished fire, repeating this several times until the ground was thoroughly damp and safe from any potential danger. Only then did she feel relieved.

Before leaving, she intended to dig a hole to bury the fish bones. Wei Dahu stopped her, saying, "Small animals come to the river for water. Let's leave them as food."

"Alright," Tao Hua responded, gathering the fish bones into a pile to make it easier for the creatures to eat.

Seeing her thoughtful action, Wei Dahu grinned widely. His wife had such a kind heart, worried that the animals might struggle to find the bones, so she gathered them together for their convenience.

After she finished, Wei Dahu led her back up the mountain.

From the stream to the waterfall above, if it were just Wei Dahu, he would typically choose to climb the steep cliff adjacent to the waterfall with sheer strength – a straightforward route. But with Tao Hua in tow, scaling the cliff was out of the question. They had to take another mountain path.

Unaware of this "shortcut," Tao Hua followed closely behind Wei Dahu, her face flushed red from the arduous climb. Beads of sweat rolled down her cheeks, trickling into her neck and disappearing into her rough linen clothes. Her garments were soaked through; if she stopped to wring them out, she might have squeezed out a puddle.

With numb feet, Tao Hua could only keep pace with Wei Dahu, listening to his instructions to avoid certain areas underfoot and watch out for branches overhead. Even though they were now deep in the woods, she had long ceased being afraid, too exhausted to feel anything else.

Squirrels darted through the forest, and upon spotting the two humans, a few climbed up tree trunks, chattering away as they hurled hazelnuts at them. After their playful barrage, they retreated, rustling leaves as they vanished in an instant.

Tao Hua gazed in wonder at the squirrel darting up and down the tree trunk.

Along the way, she had witnessed a wild pheasant with long tail feathers swiftly flying across the grass, watched startled rabbits scurrying about, and even encountered a snake hanging from a branch while passing through a small thicket. Before she could scream, Wei Dahu had skillfully hooked it with a stick, swiftly pinning it down and crushing its seven-inch vital spot.

That snake was his first "trophy" of the day. Snake bile was considered a valuable item, something that some people enjoyed.

However, Tao Hua couldn't tolerate putting such a creature in the basket meant for wild fruits; she was terrified to the point of goosebumps covering her body.

Wei Dahu had no choice but to discard the snake, tossing it far away. He comforted her, "Don't be scared, wife. I'll get rid of it. It won't go in the basket."

Tao Hua still trembled, staring at his palm. "Y-You should rub some wild grass on your hand." She couldn't bear the thought of his snake-grasping hand.

Wei Dahu bent down, grabbed a handful of grass, and vigorously scrubbed his hands until they were stained green. Only then did Tao Hua let him be.

He glanced at the vanished silver, heaving a deep sigh in his heart. He swore silently that he would never let his wife discover his penchant for "digging holes." If he stumbled upon such creatures again, he vowed not to bring them home.

He genuinely feared that his wife might be frightened enough to run away.

After walking for roughly two hours, Tao Hua felt as if her legs were about to give out. She was solely relying on sheer willpower to keep going. Just when she was on the verge of collapsing, Wei Dahu finally announced, "We're here."

The frustration in her heart immediately dissipated, and Tao Hua's legs gave way, causing her to collapse on the ground.

Looking up, she had expected to see a towering tree brimming with wild fruits...

That was how Wei Dahu had described it – the wild fruit tree was tall and large, its branches laden with sweet fruits that were even more delightful than the red sugar sold in town. Birds and small creatures perched on its branches all day long, feasting on the bounty.

But what about it? What about it?

Where was the fruit tree?

Tao Hua was on the verge of collapsing. Instead of the anticipated tree, she saw a dilapidated yellow mud hut with overgrown weeds in the courtyard, a desolate scene that seemed untouched by human presence for a long time.

Wei Dahu turned his head and looked at her. Tao Hua was genuinely exhausted; without seeing the promised fruit tree, disappointment mixed with profound weariness led her to snap, barely holding back her frustration, "Where is this?"

Her aggrieved tone sounded to Wei Dahu like a meowing cat. Stretching out his long arm, he lifted her from the ground, supporting her waist. Tao Hua leaned against him and followed him into the weed-infested courtyard.

Pushing open the decaying door, Wei Dahu entered the dimly-lit main room with a leaky roof. From somewhere, he produced a stool and helped Tao Hua sit down, saying, "Sit and rest for a while."

After a brief respite, the anger in Tao Hua's heart quietly dissipated.

Wei Dahu confidently pushed open the door to the side room. His movements inside made quite a ruckus, and Tao Hua, listening from outside, was unsure what he was up to. Seeing him so at ease, as if he were in his own home, an epiphany struck her: "Big Hu, is this our home in the mountains?"

She recalled that twenty years ago, the Wei family had been mountain hunters. As hunters, they must have had some sort of dwelling in the mountains, right?

"Uh-huh," replied Wei Dahu, emerging from the room with a large bow in hand.

So their family truly did "live alongside beasts"? This thatched cottage was almost identical to theirs, and Tao Hua had always worried about wild animals descending from the mountain while living at the foot of it. She dared not imagine what it would be like to reside here. Having married at the beginning of the month, would she even survive until the end?

This house might not withstand a single charge from a wild boar.

Her father and her late grandfather must have been incredibly brave.

As she marveled, Tao Hua's eyes widened at the sight of the big bow in Wei Dahu's hand: "Wh-where did you get this bow?"

Wei Dahu pointed behind him with his hand: "Over there."

Tao Hua got up and walked to his side. She saw that the only bed in the room had been moved, revealing a deep pit beneath it.

Buried in the hole was a large wooden chest. As Tao Hua approached, she noticed several bows of different sizes, a menacingly sharp saber, a pile of arrows, and some iron objects she couldn't identify.

Tao Hua's hairs stood on end instantly, and she instinctively scanned her surroundings with a guarded expression.

They were deep in the mountains, surrounded by nothing but woods and wild beasts. The only living person in sight was Wei Dahu. Though she was an ignorant village woman, she was well aware of how strictly the government controlled iron products. The items in the box far exceeded what ordinary citizens were allowed to possess!

If anyone found out, their family would end up in jail!

No commoner didn't fear the authorities. Tao Hua had barely ventured into town, and when she did, she would lower her head and avoid the officials. She had never encountered such a scene before; she was terrified out of her wits.

That broadsword, even more daunting than the ones hanging at the hips of those officers!

"Big Hu, what... what's going on here..." She looked panic-stricken, turning her head to glance at Wei Dahu.

Wei Dahu stepped forward to cover the box, replacing the soil, and then pushed the bed back to its original position. Not until all signs of disturbance were concealed did he clap his hands and turn to reassure her, "There, now you can't tell."

Was this about not being able to see it??

Tao Hua was utterly stunned. That was a whole box filled with machetes and bows! Despite her lack of experience, she could still discern the difference. The large blades in the box were nothing like the kitchen knives and sickles used by villagers; their sharp edges shimmered with a deadly glint – these weren't for slaughtering pigs, they were meant for cutting people!

"How could our home have... have so many bows and... and machetes?" Tao Hua's throat went dry as she gazed at him imploringly.

"Don't worry, there are only four-legged creatures in the mountains. As long as they don't sense anything amiss, we'll be fine," Wei Dahu reassured her. Tao Hua followed him out of the house, her worries subsiding as they walked away with their baskets on their backs.

Throughout the journey, he never mentioned the origin of the box of blades and arrows. Tao Hua fretted the whole way, but as she gazed at his tall and steady figure, her anxiety gradually dissipated.

She recalled the earlier years when, whenever life became unbearable, her mother would often murmur, comparing their situation to the past. Her mother said that their current days were already much better. Four or five decades ago, wars raged across the land, and those were truly difficult times. Men from every household were conscripted into service, villages draped in white mourning banners, and wailing filled the air day and night. In large villages with a hundred households, only one or two families would remain unscathed.

But that wasn't the worst. The worst was having white banners hanging at home while the granaries stood empty, with numerous oppressive taxes weighing heavily upon them. Even with everyone tightening their belts, it was barely enough for survival. Those were the truly hard days; by comparison, their present circumstances were nothing.

It wasn't until the previous emperor, the father of the current ruler, quelled the unrest that life gradually settled down.

In the midst of the turmoil of previous years, perhaps that box of iron tools was something Grandfather had stealthily accumulated amidst the chaos. As she walked along, pondering this, whether it was right or not, Tao Hua comforted herself with this thought.

How could one be held accountable to current laws for what was amassed during times of chaos?

Having convinced herself, Tao Hua's face lit up with a smile. Her husband was right; in this deep, deserted forest, what was there to fear? It was better to have weapons, as they could protect them from beasts!

With this comforting realization, she heard Wei Dahu say, "Tao Hua, we're here."

Tao Hua halted and looked up. Under the blue sky and white clouds, a towering fruit tree stood not far ahead, its branches weighed down with heavy clusters of fruit.

When a gust of mountain wind blew, a wild pear tumbled from its branch and landed with a thud on the ground.

Her eyes immediately lit up. Could it be a wild pear?

"Author's Note"

Thank you, darlings, for the nutrient solutions (> <)

Tomorrow, the chapter will be in reverse order. If you've read the beginning, there's no need to reread it. But please continue supporting the official release for the upcoming chapters~ I'll finish it well, hehe, love you all TvT