Chapter 18
She went into the kitchen and wanted to prepare dinner but remembered that there was no fire wood left. She decided to go brush her teeth with the willow sticks before going into the mountains. She could then prepare the food when she came back. The children were still fast asleep so she decided to make a quick trip into the mountains to get firewood.
Locking the front door and getting her basket she entered the mountains but this time a bit deeper than yesterday. The air was quiet and cool with no signs of life. The talk trees covered the smaller trees blocking off the sun but giving way to only a bit of light streaming through the gaps. As she walked she remained alert in case of any sudden attack.
Spotting some dead dry trees she looked around carefully, not spotting anyone she mentally got the axe out from her space and began chopping down the trees into wood. She chopped two dead trees which came out out in large bunch of firewood and then arranged them into the basket she came with. Panting in exhaustion she conjured some lake water into her hands and drank to moisten her throat.
She immediately felt a rush of energy into her body and her tiredness vanished quickly. Bending down she quietly collected the remaining branches sure that it would last till the next day when she spotted mushrooms. Delighted she quickly confirmed it was mushroom and that too the non poisonous. Happily she began plucking them all into basket.
The mushrooms were about ten growing their so she removed them all. She was going to use it to prepare the remaining pheasant chicken which would serve as breakfast and lunch for the kids. Gathering enough them she decided it was enough and prepare to start heading home when she spotted something that shocked her. At first she thought she was hallucinating but when she moved closer she was shocked. It was indeed a ginseng.
Ginseng were traditional herb which served as medicine. She had seen the ginseng in the greenhouse while helped her recognize it at glance. Ginseng was highly valuable especially when fresh and if high quality. It was sold for a lot of money which could be enough for a frugal family to spend for a year so encountering one was a surprise. Moving quickly she got the appropriate tool for digging it out from her tool room in the space.
Carefully and delicately extracting it, she finally got it undamaged. It was indeed ginseng and a high quality one too. She was rich, putting it into the space to preserve the freshness she happily started to head home. The harvest was unexpected but good, came to get firewood but went back with a ginseng just thinking about it made one excited. As she walked back the path she came she wondered whether the kids were awake and now hungry so she quickened her pace.
She could cook the pheasant chicken with mushrooms and some wild scallions for breakfast this morning. Just thinking about it made her stomach growl in hunger. As she reached the foot of the mountain she found the kids brushing their teeth in the courtyard with willow sticks while their eyes constantly darted towards the mountain probably looking forward to her return.
On seeing her, their eyes lit up in happiness and the brushed faster. Xiao Ming was the first to run to her side to greet her. Her brother was jealous after he woke up and told him how mother had hugged him and sang for him to fall asleep last night. Seeing his mother carrying baskets he wanted to help but he was too short.
Xiao Yu who was always pretending to be mature greeted her when she arrived and was also about to help her but discovered he was pitifully short. Su Ying laughed at them both and removed the basket herself placing it on the door she ruffled their hair and started asking,
"Babies you both brushed your teeth already. Mother had to go get firewood to cook for you as there were none. Guess what? Mother is going to cook pheasant chicken with mushrooms and eggs for you this morning. Are you happy?"
The children happily nodded. Anything their mother cooked was delicious to them. She called them babies, they felt so happy and shy as they blushed happily. But when they saw her bring out the mushroom they turned pale with fright. This were poisonous plant, was there mother planning to kill them since their father was not around. Was it why she treated them so good so they lose their guard and she killed them. At that thought they felt their heart and trust shatter once again at their thought so they stared at her in hostility.
Su Ying could acutely sense the hostility and guard in they kids eyes when she took out the mushroom. Their aura changed and they looked at her with hatred and pain leaving her stunned. What happened now. They were all good before she brought out the mushroom which meant that the mushroom was the problem. Then immediately she remembered how they people if this era feared the mushroom because of its poison. Did they think she wanted to kill them.
She felt her heart clench in pain at their thought. She had thought they were going somewhere after the happiness but looking at the hostility in their gaze she knew she was imagining things. How could only two days be able to rid their suspicion and get their full trust. She should have known it wouldn't be that easy, taking a huge breath she decided to explain everything to them.