Fairy Gourd Farm

Chapter 9

This is the first time Zhao Lei went to the mountains to collect herbs after he got the purple gold gourd. It feels very different from before.In Zhao Lei's eyes, the rough and difficult mountain paths are as easy to walk as the main roads.The precipitous terrain that he couldn't cross before, now he can cross it with ease, not to mention walking on flat ground.In a word, after taking three drops of fairy dew, it is no longer a chore for Zhao Lei to go up the mountain to collect herbs.

It is also because of this that Zhao Lei can go to many places that other people can't go to find the medicinal materials he needs.This brought him a huge advantage. In just half a day, he dug up dozens of Dendrobium candidum, as well as some medicinal materials such as Gastrodia elata and Polygonum multiflorum.

What makes Zhao Lei even more happy is that these herbs are all of good quality because they grow in inaccessible and dangerous areas.Gastrodia elata and fleece-flower root have been grown for at least ten years, and they are considered to be herbal medicines for some years now.

And Zhao Lei's main target, Dendrobium officinale, made him even more satisfied.These Dendrobium officinale are thick and have short stems, the surface of the old stems is rusty reddish brown, and the leaves are small and thick, which are the standards of the best wild Dendrobium officinale.Zhao Lei believes that these dendrobium candidum can be sold at a very good price if sent to the purchase point in the county.

Of course, Zhao Lei would not sell these Dendrobium officinale, but put them all in the gourd space for storage, and then plant them after returning home.As for the value of other herbs that are far less than Dendrobium candidum, there is no need to plant them in the gourd space, and just go to the county town to sell them when there is a chance.

Zhao Lei, who has gained a lot, is full of energy. Seeing that it is only noon, he plans to go for a walk in the deep mountains, and there will definitely be even bigger surprises.

However, just as Zhao Lei was about to set off, there was rumbling thunder in the sky, and it seemed that it was going to rain soon on the mountain.This is the case in the mountains in summer, the weather changes very quickly.

Although Zhao Lei is much stronger than ordinary people, he is still no match for the power of nature.It is also very dangerous to stay on the mountain when it is raining heavily.So Zhao Lei had no choice but to change his plan and go down the mountain to avoid the rain as soon as possible.

Zhao Lei quickly crossed a mountain pass, as long as he turned over the top of the mountain in front, he was not far from the village.Just when Zhao Lei was trying to rush to the village, he unexpectedly met Li Qian, a girl from the same village.

This girl is a few years younger than Zhao Lei. When she was young, she loved to play with him and Zhou Jun and always called him "Brother Zhao Lei".But later Li Qian grew up, and she was not as close to Zhao Lei as she was when she was a child, but the relationship between the two is still very good.

Li Qian was carrying a large bamboo basket, which was in stark contrast to the girl's slender body.The heavy weight of the bamboo basket made Li Qian unable to stand upright, forcing her to bend over and climb up the mountain with all her strength, without noticing Zhao Lei nearby.

When meeting people from the same village, it is natural to say hello, so Zhao Lei said loudly, "Li Qian, you go up the mountain too."

Li Qian was taken aback. She was relieved when she saw that the person calling her was Zhao Lei. A smile appeared on her sweaty pretty face, and she said in a soft voice, "So it's brother Zhao Lei. I bought some wild vegetables and will go to the market to sell them tomorrow morning."

Seeing the girl struggling, Zhao Lei couldn't help asking: "Why do you want to go up the mountain to do such a thing, where is your father?"

Li Qian's expression darkened, she lowered her head and said in a low voice, "He has relapsed from his old problems these past few days, and he can't get out of bed."

Zhao Lei couldn't help shaking his head secretly when he heard this. Li Qian's father suffered a work-related injury while working outside. Since then, his health has been poor and he can't do any heavy work at all.

However, Li Qian's mother disliked her husband because of this, and went out to work for several years and never came back.Relying on Li Qian's thin shoulders to carry the burden of the family, and at the same time she has to finish her studies, it is really not easy to say.Although it's summer vacation, Li Qian can't rest like other students, and has to go to the mountains to dig wild vegetables to subsidize the family, which is really very hard.

Thinking of this, Zhao Lei felt more sympathy for this handsome girl, and stretched out his hand to her, "Give me the bamboo basket, and I'll help you carry it down the mountain."

Li Qian shook her head quickly: "This is too much trouble for you, I should do it myself."

"It's going to rain soon, so don't be polite to me." Zhao Lei took the bamboo basket from Li Qian's shoulder without any explanation and said, "This rain doesn't seem to be small, let's go down the mountain quickly."

While talking, Zhao Lei carried Li Qian's big bamboo basket on his back, and walked ahead of him.

Looking at Zhao Lei's tall and straight back, the girl's pretty face was full of gratitude, and she hurriedly stepped up to follow.

Without having to carry a heavy bamboo basket, Li Qian's steps are much faster.As for Zhao Lei, let alone, even though he carried two bamboo baskets on his back, he still walked like flying, and even deliberately slowed down to wait for Li Qian.

However, although the speed of the two of them was faster, it was still not as good as the sudden heavy rain.They had just turned over the hill in front of them, when the big raindrops fell down.

In an instant, a rain curtain was hung between the sky and the earth, and it was impossible to see anything more than a dozen steps away.Small streams soon appeared on the hillside, rushing down the mountain quickly.The ground also became muddy and slippery. Li Qian had slipped and fell several times, and her palms were cut by branches.

Even if Zhao Lei had taken Xianlu, he couldn't fight against the power of nature. Seeing that he couldn't go any further, he could only say loudly to Li Qian, "Find a place to shelter from the rain first, and then go down the mountain when the rain stops."

In fact, the girl couldn't hold on anymore, she nodded in agreement.

Zhao Lei looked around, and told Li Qian in a deep voice: "I'm going to find a place to shelter from the rain, you wait here for me, don't wander around!"

After saying this, Zhao Lei walked into the rain curtain and disappeared quickly.

Li Qian waited alone in the heavy rain, Zhao Lei didn't come back after a long time, the girl couldn't help worrying about him.After all, in such weather, it is very dangerous to still walk on the mountain.

Just when Li Qian was secretly regretting, Zhao Lei had strode back, picked up the bamboo basket and said, "I found a place to shelter from the rain, come with me!"

Seeing that Zhao Lei came back safely, the girl secretly breathed a sigh of relief, and hastened to follow.

It was very difficult to move on the mountain under heavy rain. Li Qian stumbled along the way. Several times, if Zhao Lei hadn't caught her in time, she would have rolled down the hillside, and the consequences would have been disastrous.

With the help of Zhao Lei, Li Qian finally came to the shelter from the rain.This is a depression under the cliff. Although the area is not large, it is just big enough for two people to fit in. However, it is very lucky to find such a place on the mountain where it is raining heavily.

The two huddled in a small depression, Zhao Lei looked up at the sky and said, "It seems that the rain will take a while, we have to wait for a while."

Li Qian whispered: "I don't know what happened to my dad at home, he must be worried to death."

Zhao Lei could hear that Li Qian was very worried and was planning to comfort her.However, when his eyes fell on the young girl, he immediately froze involuntarily.

Although it is midsummer right now, it is still a bit chilly when it rains on the mountain.Not to mention that both of their clothes were wet from the rain, and a gust of mountain wind mixed with raindrops blew past, making Li Qian shiver with cold.

But even so, Li Qian still carefully kept a certain distance from Zhao Lei, not daring to get too close to him.

At first, Zhao Lei didn't think too much, and asked Li Qian to get closer to him.However, the girl did not come close, which made Zhao Lei realize that Li Qian is no longer the little girl she was back then.

(End of this chapter)