Koi Fubao: Being loved by everyone on the road to escape from famine

Xiao Tingrui was already starving, and when he heard the word rabbit meat, his throat moved slightly.

Just as Xiao Zhixue was happily holding the rabbit and preparing to continue exploring the way, the rustling sound was heard from the grass again, this time more dense and rapid.

She looked carefully with vigilance and saw a colorful snake as thick as her wrist slithering towards her.

When Xiao Tingrui saw this, his face suddenly changed color with fright, and his pale face was particularly eye-catching in the sunlight.

He instinctively pulled Xiao Zhixue behind him. Even though he was the older brother, his legs and feet were weak and he was terrified.

He was well aware of the toxicity of the flower snake, and the consequences would be disastrous if bitten.

When Xiao Zhixue saw her brother like this, a barely perceptible smile flashed across her lips, and her eyes flashed with confidence and courage.

She bent down and picked up a stone, weighing it carefully in her hand. The stone glowed coldly in the sunlight.

He watched the colorful snake leap into the air from the grass, with its fangs and claws bared, and pounce straight at Xiao Tingrui's neck.

He was even prepared to endure severe pain, but he never expected what would happen next.

Just when the flower snake was about to bite Xiao Tingrui, the stone hit the snake's vital point accurately like an arrow.

The flower snake let out a wail, and instantly lost its ability to attack. It fell heavily to the ground, curled up on the ground, and did not move.

Xiao Tingrui did not feel the pain of the snake's bite. He opened his eyes in confusion, only to see Xiao Zhixue had stepped forward and stood in front of him. Her petite figure now seemed incomparably tall.

She gently shook off the dirt on her hands and looked at the unconscious flower snake with a sharp gaze.

Then she turned to look at her brother, her eyes full of concern and pride.

Xiao Tingrui was about to step forward to stop it, but he saw Xiao Zhixue's face was as calm as usual, her slender hands tightly grasping the snake's body like iron clamps, veins on her wrists slightly visible, ready to strike.

Her eyes were determined and she did not flinch at all because of the poisonous snake in front of her.

"Crack!" With a crisp and creepy breaking sound, the flower snake's head was instantly twisted off in Xiao Zhixue's hand, and the bloody red snake blood gushed out like an arrow.

When Xiao Tingrui saw this scene, his heart trembled and cold sweat broke out on his back.

He knew very well that Xiao Zhixue in front of him was no longer the naive girl she used to be. However, the ruthlessness and determination she displayed at this moment still far exceeded his expectations.

Xiao Zhixue casually threw the still twitching dead snake to Xiao Tingrui. Her tone was calm, as if what she had just done was just an ordinary thing: "Brother, take this snake."

After she finished speaking, she turned around and continued walking, leaving Xiao Tingrui alone to face the bloody snake.

Xiao Tingrui caught the snake's body stiffly, only to feel its coldness and slipperiness in his hands, which made him shudder with fear.

When he thought of the expectant eyes of his family at home and the delicious rabbit meat and snake soup he would be able to enjoy when he got home, his fear gradually melted away like ice and snow in the heat.

After a long and difficult trek up the mountain, they finally reached the foot of the mountain.

A winding path appeared ahead. Judging from the freshness of the footprints, it was obvious that the villagers of Keqiao Village had just come down the mountain from here not long ago.

The two looked at each other, a hint of joy flashed in their eyes, and then they turned around without hesitation and hurried back along the path.

Along the way, they not only found a way down the mountain, but were also lucky enough to capture two fat rabbits and a big snake. It was a fruitful harvest.

The two of them walked so fast that it seemed as if there was wind under their feet.

Seeing them return safely, the three people's hearts finally settled down.

However, when their eyes fell on the bloodstained spotted snake in Xiao Tingrui's hand and the other tightly tied hare, their emotions, which had just calmed down, tensed up again, almost to the point of reaching their throats.

Zhou Shuqiong looked worried. He hurried over to Xiao Zhixue and asked with concern, "Third girl, how did you bring back rabbits and snakes? Did you encounter any danger on the way?"

Xiao Zhixue did not answer, but silently pulled out a sharp dagger from the package, squatted down, and began to skillfully handle the prey in her hand.

When skinning the snake, she carefully took out the snake gall, and when no one was paying attention, she quickly hid it in the small cloth bag she carried with her.

Snake gall plays a vital role in treating Xiao Tingrui's old illness and is an indispensable medicine.

Xiao Tingrui also squatted aside, helping his sister to clean up the game while telling her about their adventures in the mountains.

As Xiao Wei listened to his son's story, his mood fluctuated, sometimes nervous, sometimes relieved.

He thought to himself that his third daughter was so brave and careful that she was not afraid of even poisonous snakes.

Zhou Shuqiong looked frightened, but fortunately the two children returned safely in the end.

She couldn't help but imagine that if they were accidentally bitten by a snake in the mountains, the consequences would be disastrous.

At this time, Xiao Tingxuan was busy. He found a big pot, picked up a bundle of dead branches, and prepared to make a fire to cook the prey.

By the time Xiao Zhixue and Xiao Tingrui had finished dealing with the situation, Xiao Tingxuan had already lit the fire. The jumping flames illuminated the dim corners, bringing a hint of warmth.

Xiao Zhixue poured the clear mountain spring water into the pot and added a spoonful of precious spiritual spring water.

Fortunately, they were prepared before leaving and brought some seasonings with them. Unlike the other brothers of the Xiao family, they only had eyes for the flashy chickens, ducks, fish, meat, gold and silver treasures, and ignored the seemingly insignificant seasonings.

Xiao Zhixue put the cleaned rabbit meat and snake meat into the boiling pot, and waited patiently for them to slowly stew in the hot soup.

When the heat was just right, she gently sprinkled the seasoning she had prepared in advance, and an enticing aroma instantly spread.

Zhou Shuqiong was originally planning in her mind that when the children returned from outside, the family would simply drink some cold water and each eat a few pieces of coarse whole-grain cakes to fill their stomachs.

Since there is meat to eat, let's save those hard multi-grain cakes for later.

At this point, the meat in the pot has been stewed until it is soft and tasty, with an attractive color, alternating fat and lean parts, and full of juice.

Xiao Zhixue skillfully served the stewed meat into bowls and handed them to her family.

The whole family sat around the pot, taking big bites of the meat.

Looking back on the days in their hometown, such a delicacy was simply a luxury for them.

Most of the time, the old lady did not have much affection for their family. If the family was lucky enough to stew a pot of meat, it would definitely be given to the second room first.

If they dared to cross the line and stretched out their chopsticks to try to pick up a piece of meat, the old lady would most likely mercilessly hit the back of their hands with the chopsticks as a warning.

Over time, they also learned to read people's expressions and only picked some vegetarian dishes on the table to fill their stomachs, and they could only hide their desire for meat deep in their hearts.

Xiao Wei would occasionally pick up a few pieces of meat for the children to satisfy their cravings, but that was only when the old lady was merciful and in a good mood, and only then would they be able to get such a small piece.