Chapter 69: An Unusual Fragrance Wafts from the Cave

There is no exaggeration in saying that the depths of the mountains are filled with treasures. They hadn’t gone far before Lin Xiaodou stumbled upon another valuable find.

Not far away, on a hillside, stood a massive tree. The moment she saw its large, oval, flattened leaves, Lin Xiaodou’s eyes lit up. She dashed over and plucked a leaf. As she tore it apart, the silver threads inside confirmed her suspicion.

It was indeed a Eucommia tree.

The bark of this tree is highly prized, reputed to nourish the liver and kidneys, calm the fetus, and strengthen the bones and sinews. Some say soaking the bark in water can invigorate vitality—though whether that’s true is anyone’s guess. The only thing she didn’t know was how to peel the bark.

Lin Xiaodou mentally flipped through the medical books in her space and quickly found the answer. Still, compared to the trouble of peeling, it seemed much simpler just to transplant the whole tree into her space.

No sooner thought than done!

With a bit of force, Lin Xiaodou pulled the entire tree up by its roots and swiftly stowed it away. Fortunately, Zhou Qinglang couldn’t see what she was up to—otherwise, her actions might have frightened him half to death.

The little golden monkey watched with its usual obedient curiosity, rolling its eyes. It had already grown used to Lin Xiaodou occasionally producing fruits or other things from her mysterious space, so it wasn’t surprised this time either.

Nor did it tell its master about this—after all, it wouldn’t know how to explain, nor could it communicate across species.

It simply shrugged, as if to say, “What can you do?”

“Come on, little one, let’s go,” Lin Xiaodou said, scooping the small golden monkey into her arms and giving its fluffy head a good rub. This little fellow was so sensible and clever—she liked it immensely. If it didn’t already have a master, she would have liked to steal it away for herself.

The morning passed quickly. During that time, the golden monkey found a nest of bird eggs up in a tree, and Lin Xiaodou gathered a large bundle of fresh wild mushrooms, still dewy from the morning air.

“For lunch, let’s keep it simple. I brought some potatoes—how about a pot of mushroom and bird egg soup?” Lin Xiaodou suggested.

Before leaving home, she’d made sure to pack a few things in her basket.

Zhou Qinglang didn’t hesitate in the slightest. “Whatever you make, I’ll eat,” he replied.

No matter what Lin Xiaodou cooked, he enjoyed it.

While Lin Xiaodou set up a makeshift earthen stove, Zhou Qinglang went to gather some firewood nearby.

Once the stove was ready and the fire burning, Lin Xiaodou placed seven or eight large potatoes inside to roast.

Twenty minutes later, the potatoes were nearly cooked through.

Lin Xiaodou set a clay pot filled with mountain spring water on the stove. Within minutes, steam began to bubble and rise—the water was boiling. She added the cleaned wild mushrooms to cook for a couple of minutes, then cracked in the bird eggs and stirred.

Before long, a fragrant pot of mushroom and bird egg soup was ready.

She pulled the potatoes from the fire, wrapped them in thick, broad leaves, and handed one to Zhou Qinglang along with a bowl of soup.

“Eat up, but be careful—it’s hot.”

A bite of steaming potato, followed by a spoonful of savory egg soup, created a simple yet delightful flavor. Zhou Qinglang felt deeply satisfied.

This was the simplest meal he’d had in days, yet he enjoyed it more than any other. Perhaps it was because, unlike before, he was no longer eating alone in the cellar.

Now, she was here with him.

This realization surprised Zhou Qinglang. He had always been solitary and indifferent, never particularly interested in anything. This was the first time he genuinely wanted to draw close to someone.

He couldn’t quite grasp the meaning behind this change, so he simply followed his heart.

“I’ll wash the clay pot. You rest a while,” Zhou Qinglang offered, taking the pot and feeling his way toward the nearby stream.

With nothing to do, Lin Xiaodou took the golden monkey to search for more treasures nearby.

The little monkey truly was her lucky star—it found a massive patch of wild reddish-brown lingzhi mushrooms at the foot of a cliff!

The lingzhi were large and flawless, clearly aged and invaluable.

Delighted, Lin Xiaodou hurried to harvest them. The cliff was a bit treacherous, but she was unfazed. Soon, she had gathered all the wild lingzhi into her space.

She didn’t conceal her find from Zhou Qinglang.

“If your monkey hadn’t found them, I might have missed out. I’ll give you some,” Lin Xiaodou said.

“I don’t need them. Keep them all for yourself,” Zhou Qinglang replied.

This girl really did have a penchant for hoarding treasures.

Once his eyesight recovered, he’d give her something good in return.

After tidying up, they continued on their way.

Along the path, Lin Xiaodou collected more medicinal herbs for her space.

Anoectochilus—excellent for clearing heat and detoxifying, promoting urination and reducing swelling—into the collection!

Fo-ti—nourishes the liver and kidneys, darkens hair and beautifies the complexion, highly valuable—collected!

She also found other herbs: epimedium, bletilla, ophiopogon, lily, magnolia bark, uncaria, chrysanthemum, and more.

Lin Xiaodou dug as she walked, her hands never idle.

Zhou Qinglang couldn’t help much, so he directed the little monkey to assist, while he gathered firewood—Lin Xiaodou’s house would need plenty for burning, and with autumn here, winter was not far off. He’d best collect as much as possible.

Each busied themselves with their own tasks as dusk approached.

Lin Xiaodou found a dry mountain cave and set her basket inside. She’d already decided to spend the night in the forest—after all, it was a long hike back to the entrance, and the trip would waste half a day. Since the team leader had given everyone two days off, she could continue searching for treasures tomorrow, making the most of her time.

As darkness fell, she called Zhou Qinglang back from collecting firewood.

Having gained so much today, Lin Xiaodou decided to prepare a hearty dinner.

It just so happened that, earlier, the little golden monkey had caught a wild pheasant—perfect for a pot of chicken and mushroom stew!

She asked Zhou Qinglang to light the fire in the cave, then made an excuse to head outside and clean the pheasant.

Once in a secluded spot, Lin Xiaodou slipped into her space.

With a quick twist, she broke the pheasant’s neck, then summoned a fire gun to swiftly pluck the feathers.

When she was done, she returned to the cave carrying the cleaned bird and a clay pot full of water.

“You’re back,” Zhou Qinglang said with relief as he heard her footsteps. Though he knew Lin Xiaodou was capable, he doubted she could handle more than two or three people on her own. In the deep woods at night, if wild beasts appeared, she’d stand little chance.

He’d been worried, his ears straining to catch any sound from outside.

“I’m back,” Lin Xiaodou replied, briskly putting the pheasant into the clay pot and setting it over the fire. She added seasonings and wild mushrooms one by one.

Half an hour later, an irresistible aroma wafted through the cave.

Not far away, in a hollow of a large tree, a round figure slept soundly. Suddenly, it raised its head, sniffing the air, curiosity shining in its dark eyes.

After a few moments’ thought, it crawled out of its nest, climbing down the trunk, sniffing as it drooled.

Its plump little body waddled toward the cave...