"Oh, my dear daughter, it's noisy outside right now, you mustn't go out!"
Gu Shi hugged Xiao Xi Tian close, took out a handkerchief, and wiped the bubbles from her nose.
Xiao Xi Tian wriggled her little body, "Catch fishy!~"
"Mm, catch fishy. After they finish killing the earth dragon, Mom will take you to catch fish!~"
Gu Shi patted her little bottom and coaxed her with a smile.
Xiao Xi Tian didn't want to be cooped up at home; she wanted to see the excitement.
So, she hugged her mother's neck and planted a big kiss on her face.
"Mommy, catch fishy!"
Gu Shi was a bit hesitant.
The refugees outside were getting more and more agitated.
What if her precious daughter was snatched away?
Zhao Gui Hua was hanging clothes nearby. Seeing her sister-in-law's rosy cheeks and a somewhat unhappy expression,
She smiled and advised Gu Shi, "Sister-in-law, the refugees have all gone to Gou Gou Lake now, and there are very few people left in the village."
"Why don't you take her out for a bit!"
Children love to play; not many stay obediently at home.
Yun Jin Shan had run out to play without even eating lunch.
Xiao Xi Tian's face lit up, and she gave her sister-in-law a sweet smile.
Gu Shi had no choice but to go inside, find a thick padded jacket, and wrap Xiao Xi Tian up like a meat dumpling.
The late autumn wind was fierce and biting; she couldn't let her daughter catch a cold.
Gu Shi carried a large basket on her back, and Xiao Xi Tian carried a small one.
Mother and daughter held hands and set off.
It was said that Gou Gou Lake was surrounded by dandelions and water celery.
Gu Shi planned to dig some up to make dumplings for dinner.
"Oh, isn't this Sister-in-law Gu? Are you going to Gou Gou Lake to dig for wild vegetables?"
She met an acquaintance on the way.
Gu Shi smiled slightly, "Yes. Is it very lively over there?"
"More than lively! All the adults and children in the village have gone. They say the earth dragon is too scared to come out!"
"Sister-in-law Gu, it's the perfect time for you to go dig for wild vegetables now, there's no danger at all!"
A vast crowd of villagers was gathered on the shore of Gou Gou Lake.
They didn't look like they were there to kill an earth dragon; they looked more like they were there to fish and dig for vegetables.
"Okay, I'll go take a look!"
Gu Shi took Xiao Xi Tian to a less crowded part of the lake shore and put down her basket.
The terrain here was open and far from the reeds.
Even if an earth dragon rushed out, she would have time to react and escape with Xiao Xi Tian.
Three or five women were digging in the sand, catching quite a few river crabs.
"Oh my, it's been so many years since I've eaten these things."
"Steamed crabs, they are so delicious!"
"Huh? Sister-in-law Gu, are you also here to dig for river crabs?"
Gu Shi smiled and said, "I'm here to dig for some dandelions."
"Oh, I just saw a large patch over there, they looked so fresh and vibrant."
While they were talking, Xiao Xi Tian had already been squeezed several times.
As soon as these women saw her, they either claimed kinship or hugged her.
She was so annoyed!
Just then, a cold, childish voice came over, "Hmph, digging for vegetables in this place, aren't you little village brats afraid of being bitten to death?"
Xiao Xi Tian raised an eyebrow. This discordant voice sounded so familiar.
She turned her head and saw Xiao Jin Heng riding a big black dog, having followed them at some point.
Kong Xing Zhu stood beside him with a smile, winking at Xiao Xi Tian.
"Annoying!" Xiao Xi Tian rolled her eyes.
With her space, she had many ways to kill crocodiles and protect her mother.
She wasn't afraid at all!
Xiao Xi Tian took her mother's hand and pointed forward, "Go over there!~"
She didn't want to bother with this little brat.
Gu Shi found it amusing. After greeting Kong Xing Zhu, she took Xiao Xi Tian and walked forward.
"Daughter, where are you going?" Gu Shi asked her.
When did the little boy next door become at odds with her daughter?
She had no idea.
Just a glance, and Gu Shi felt that the boy had bright eyes and an extraordinary demeanor.
He would surely be extraordinary when he grew up!
Xiao Xi Tian looked back. Seeing that Xiao Jin Heng had left, she stopped.
"Wild vegetables!" she called out crisply.
On the empty lake shore, a large patch of lush green dandelions appeared.
Gu Shi was stunned for a moment, then smiled in understanding.
Logically, dandelions were rarely found on sandy ground like this.
"You play nearby, don't go into the reeds."
After reminding her, Gu Shi squatted down to dig for vegetables.
Xiao Xi Tian took her short legs and trotted off to chase a large river crab.
Suddenly, she tripped over something.
Her little body lost its balance and she lunged forward.
Ah!~
This baby doesn't want to be摔死!
"Splash..."
She rolled a few times on the ground, her head covered in dry sand.
To the left of her foot lay a piece of wood the size of her palm.
Xiao Xi Tian blinked, picked it up, and sniffed it.
"Wow, so fragrant..."
It was agarwood.
How could there be agarwood by this lake?
Xiao Xi Tian sat cross-legged on the sand, lost in thought.
The texture of this agarwood was even better than the last piece.
Its surface was smooth and round, as if it had been polished by someone.
"Daughter, what are you doing here?" Gu Shi walked over and asked.
"Oh dear, why is your hair all sandy!"
Gu Shi picked up her daughter and helped her brush the dry sand off her face and hair.
"Mommy, wood!~" Xiao Xi Tian handed the agarwood to her mother.
This time, before Gu Shi could say "keep it safe," Sweet Baby obediently handed over the treasure.
"Agarwood?" Gu Shi was quite shocked.
She quickly looked around. Seeing no one passing by, she lowered her head and asked Xiao Xi Tian.
"Daughter, where did you find this piece of wood?"
If her daughter's first encounter with agarwood was a coincidence, then the second time was not.
It meant... there were indeed agarwood trees growing around Da Shui Village.
"Mommy, it's here!~" Xiao Xi Tian pointed to the ground.
Gu Shi dug in the sand a few times, but found nothing.
She tucked the agarwood into the bottom of her basket, covering it with wild vegetables.
"Daughter, you must not tell anyone about this, understand?"
Not just outsiders, not even Liu Cui Rong.
If that blockhead knew that the family had such a valuable item, it would be a miracle if she didn't steal it.
Xiao Xi Tian opened her big round eyes and nodded heavily, "Baby... won't tell!"
"You truly are Mommy's good daughter. Come, let's go home!"
Gu Shi had no intention of keeping the agarwood for herself.
She would wait until her precious daughter got married to prepare her dowry.
The more generous the daughter's dowry, the more confidence she would have in her husband's family.
She had hidden every item of Xiao Xi Tian's.
Even though the family was struggling, she hadn't sold a single thing.
As the mother and daughter walked, they suddenly saw a foundation at the junction of the lake shore and the reeds.
It seemed someone had built a house here before.
However, due to wind and sun, and the accumulation of sand and soil, the traces of the foundation were almost worn away.
Gu Shi mused to herself, who would build a house here?
Weren't they afraid of being eaten by the earth dragon?
Xiao Xi Tian also tilted her little head, staring at the foundation for a moment.
So strange!
Gu Shi didn't have time to think further; she picked up her daughter and hurried home...