“Uncle Lu.” Feng Jiu glanced at him and smiled. Her eyes narrowed as she opened her mouth and called out, not the least uncomfortable or awkward.
Lu Jiming who was beside them watched on in wonder as his father and the youth chatted heartily. He was only a young boy and he couldn’t see anything outstanding about him. He didn’t understand why his father could talk to him.
Because of the addition of Feng Jiu who traveled with them, there were two strong men leading the way in front and there were a few more people behind. Feng Jiu, Old Patriarch Lu and Lu Jiming walked in the middle. Along the way, Lu Jiming could only watch them as he realised that whatever his father talked about, this inconspicuous boy was always able to carry on the conversation.
However, he did discover one thing. This youth seemed to only possess knowledge, but he didn’t seem to know much about the layout of the east, west, south and north, and he also seemed entirely ignorant about the situation in the various places.
“Young Brother Feng, you rarely go down the mountain, am I right? Why have you come to this mountain to gather medicine?” Old Patriarch Lu was a little curious. This youth was clearly very knowledgeable, but yet he knew nothing about the situation and geography of the various places, it was as if he had been living in the mountains.
“Ah? How did you know?” Feng Jiu’s eyes widened with curiosity on her face. Her simple and honest appearance deceived people and they were none the wiser that she was actually a little devious fox.
Upon hearing Feng Jiu’s words, everyone’s lips twitched. They had been listening to the conversation between the two of them along the way. If he didn’t even know this then he really was a fool.
The youth looked a little dumb to begin with anyway, but now that he had asked this question, he looked even more dumb. Did he think that everyone was just like him, that they had stayed in the mountains for so long they became dumb?
“Hahaha…”
Old Patriarch Lu laughed cheerfully. Maybe it was Feng Jiu’s expression that made him laugh, or maybe it was her naive words that had made him laugh. His deep laughter spread through the mountains and forest with pleasure.
“Young Brother Feng, it’s such a pleasure chatting to you.” Old Patriarch Lu said. His body felt much more relaxed.
“Hehe.” Feng Jiu smiled but didn’t answer.
What was unexpected was that they hadn’t told Feng Jiu how long it took to get down the mountain. She didn’t ask for more details and just continued walking with them. By the time evening arrived, the sky had gotten dark, so they lit a fire in the forest and stopped to rest. Upon asking, she found out that they hadn’t even reached one third of the distance.
“Young Brother Feng, didn’t you say you weren’t in a rush? Don’t worry, after a few days’ walk we will reach the bottom of the mountain.” Old Patriarch Lu said with a smile. He sat down by the fire and beckoned for Feng Jiu to join him: “Come come, sit here, it’s warmer.”
“Alright.” She replied and stepped forward. Just then, a shocking sound came from the medicine basket on her back.
“Cluck cluck cluck!”
Everyone was taken aback and their eyes fell onto the medicine basket.
When she saw everyone’s stunned expressions, Feng Jiu smiled: “I caught a couple of pheasants earlier. I ate one and kept one alive. It was knocked unconscious by me earlier, that’s probably why it didn’t make any noise along the way.”
While she talked, she untied the medicine basket from her back and showed everyone the wrapped up half-eaten roasted pheasant: “Uncle Lu, will you help me hold this please? This is the leftovers from my meal this morning.”
Old Patriarch Lu was stunned as he stretched out his hand to take the pheasant. He looked at the bundle wrapped up in his hand a little dumbfoundedly. Roast pheasant?
