Back home, it was already midday. Liu Yifeng dumped the wild mushrooms from the sack onto the living room floor.
The weather was too hot; if not kept in a cool place, they would quickly lose moisture.
"Daddy, you picked so many wild mushrooms?" Tongtong asked, looking at the mushrooms on the ground, like a little shadow.
Liu Yifeng smiled slightly, radiating pride. "Aren't Daddy amazing!"
Tongtong nodded vigorously. "Mmm, Daddy is the most amazing!"
"Always flattering Daddy, but Daddy loves it." Liu Yifeng's smile bloomed like a flower.
At this moment, Da Bai, drawn by the scent, also trotted over. Its pink nose sniffed around the wild mushrooms.
At its age, it was full of curiosity about everything. It was about to take a bite out of a mushroom.
Liu Yifeng picked it up. "You little rascal, behave yourself. These wild mushrooms aren't for you to eat."
After speaking, he turned to Tongtong. "Tongtong, Daddy has a mission for you. Watch Da Bai and don't let it eat the wild mushrooms."
Tongtong immediately saluted. "Mission guaranteed to be completed!"
"Then take this little fellow and go play. Daddy's going to help in the kitchen!" From a distance, he could smell a delicious aroma. He wondered what his dad was cooking.
He then went into the kitchen and saw his dad stir-frying. "Dad, what are you cooking? It smells so good!" Liu Yifeng asked.
Seeing his son return, Liu Chunsheng's focused expression while cooking finally softened with a smile. "You're back. This is the last dish. Go wash your hands quickly, we'll be eating soon."
Liu Yifeng approached the stove and looked at the braised taro with pork belly already cooked. He picked up a piece of meat with his fingers, popped it into his mouth, and immediately gave a thumbs-up. "In this world, only Dad's cooking is the best. Even a five-star chef can't compare."
"You little brat, mimicking children now, and even stealing food. Stop your silly talk. Wash your hands quickly and bring the dishes to the table. Oh, did you get any wild mushrooms?" Liu Chunsheng asked.
"If I go out, can I not get them? The sack is full. If I had something to carry them in, I could have brought two large bags," Liu Yifeng replied.
Liu Chunsheng chuckled. "You, you, your tongue is getting more and more nimble lately."
"When do you plan to send over these wild mushrooms? They'll dry out if left too long, and won't look fresh," Liu Chunsheng asked while eating in the living room.
"Tomorrow morning. Who visits in the afternoon!" Liu Yifeng stirred the rice in his bowl.
Liu Chunsheng nodded. "That's true. Sending gifts in the afternoon is considered unlucky. It's not like we're in a hurry for half a day or so. Then we'll send them tomorrow. Put them all in the refrigerator's fresh-keeping compartment tonight!"
"Okay. Oh, Dad, there's something I think I should tell you!" Liu Yifeng remembered what had just happened, and he had a bad feeling.
Liu Chunsheng saw his son's serious expression and urged him to speak quickly. He hated seeing a change in expression, as it usually meant something bad had happened or was about to happen, definitely not a happy occasion.
"Actually, last time, when I took Tongtong to the deep mountains to find medicinal herbs, we encountered wolves..."
"What, encountered wolves? Why didn't you tell me? You dare to go again today? Aren't you afraid of dying?" Liu Chunsheng interrupted Liu Yifeng immediately, his expression a mix of extreme nervousness and anger.
Liu Yifeng quickly soothed him. "Dad, don't be angry. Aren't I fine? With the medicinal liquid Tongtong developed, the wolves didn't dare to come near us. They were all scared away. Otherwise, I wouldn't have been so bold as to go!"
"You still shouldn't go. Wolves are wild beasts. If they get hungry, they won't care what liquid you spray. They'll charge at you and eat you up. Sigh, such a big thing, and you kept it from me. Otherwise, I wouldn't have let you go!" Liu Chunsheng felt a chill just thinking about it.
Then, he looked at the scar on Liu Yifeng's wrist from the stitches. "Tell me honestly, was this injury caused by the wolves?"
Liu Yifeng quickly shook his head. "Dad, it really wasn't. I just accidentally scratched myself on a branch while picking herbs. The wolves didn't dare to come near us at all!"
Seeing that his son didn't seem to be lying, Liu Chunsheng still huffed with displeasure. "You truly are unbelievably reckless. You encountered wolves and still dared to go pick wild mushrooms? This is like gambling with your own life. From now on, no matter what your reason, you are forbidden to go again. Otherwise, I won't have a son like you. Do you hear me?"
Liu Yifeng dared not disobey his father and obediently nodded. "I understand, Dad!"
"I really didn't expect there to be wolves in a place like ours. If the wolves can't find food in the mountains and come to our village, won't the villagers be in grave danger?" Liu Chunsheng worried deeply.
Compared to his father's concerns, Liu Yifeng had something else weighing on his mind. "Dad, when I came down the mountain, I ran into Liu Qingyun and a few others. They also saw the wild mushrooms I picked in the back mountain and wanted to go pick some too. I warned them about the wolves in the mountains and told them not to go. They agreed verbally, but I'm not sure if they really took it to heart."
"That's a bit troublesome. Wild mushrooms are very valuable. The amount you picked is enough for them to work outside for several months. They haven't seen any real wolves, so they might think you're trying to trick them. What if they sneak off to go? If they encounter wolves and don't have the medicinal liquid to protect themselves, the consequences will be dire," Liu Chunsheng also fell into worry.
"Then what should we do? I warned them, but they didn't listen, and I don't have the right to stop others," Liu Yifeng said with some annoyance and a sense of powerlessness.
Liu Chunsheng thought for a moment and said, "How about this, I'll go to Liu Qingyun's house after dinner. If he doesn't listen, his father definitely will. After all, he only has that one son; who would dare to take such a risk?"
Liu Yifeng had the same thought. His words as a junior might not carry much weight, but his father was different. His father was honest and trustworthy, and most people would believe what he said.
After eating, Liu Chunsheng skipped his nap and rushed to Liu Qingyun's house. They were also eating. Liu Qingyun's father, Liu Qiushun, was surprised to see him. "Chunsheng, why are you here? Have you eaten? Do you want to sit down and eat something?"
Liu Chunsheng shook his head. "I've eaten. I came to speak with Qingyun for a moment."
Then, he turned his gaze to Liu Qingyun. "Qingyun, Uncle wants to say that what Yifeng saw about the wolves in the back mountain is true. I'm worried something might happen to you if you go, so I came over to remind you. You must listen carefully."
Liu Qingyun scoffed upon hearing this. "Uncle Chunsheng, you and your son have gone to great lengths to stop us from picking wild mushrooms. The son couldn't persuade us, so the father came!"
"What's going on?" Liu Qiushun asked, confused.
"Not long ago, I met Liu Yifeng on the road. I saw him picking a lot of wild mushrooms in the deep mountains, worth thousands of yuan. Ya Dong and I were tempted and wanted to go get some to improve our living standards. Who knew Liu Yifeng, to stop us, would trick us by saying there were wolves in the mountains! Dad, you've lived here for most of your life, have you ever seen wolves?"
Liu Qiushun shook his head. "Never seen them, nor have I ever heard anyone mention wolves!"