Lu Jing said apologetically, "I shouldn't have brought you here. I thought about how you loved finding termite mushrooms when you were little. With the rain, quite a few must have popped up. I originally wanted to take you up the mountain to find them."
Lu Jing was a soldier, so such a muddy road meant nothing to him.
While guarding the border, he had walked through snow half his height, waded through bone-chilling rivers, and traversed paths overgrown with thorns and teeming with leeches.
But Xia Xi was a delicate female comrade.
He had forgotten.
He chuckled with some annoyance, "Xia Xi, I... I didn't consider it thoroughly. I'll carry you."
Xia Xi's eyes sparkled, "Okay, perfect. I can't walk anymore."
She reached out without hesitation.
Her appearance was charming and cute.
Lu Jing's heart felt like it was about to leap out of his throat.
Her pouting pink lips glistened, and he really wanted to take a bite.
Lu Jing half-crouched down, and Xia Xi immediately leaped onto his back.
Lu Jing felt a soft weight press against his back, her faint, sweet scent assaulting his nostrils, and her soft body pressed tightly against his.
It made his entire body tense up.
Lu Jing instinctively took a deep breath.
Xia Xi, resting on Lu Jing's broad back, had a slight smile on her lips.
A sense of complete security.
A few matters after marriage reappeared in her mind.
That day, it was also a muddy road like this, and he had taken her to visit his comrade's mother.
His comrade had sacrificed his life.
The comrade had left behind a widowed mother.
They, as comrades, took turns delivering supplies and visiting her.
That aunt lived in the village, and it was also a country road, full of mud, making progress difficult.
Especially for her.
Lu Jing, heartlessly, walked very quickly, urging her along.
Xia Xi was angry that he didn't help her and kept rushing her.
At the same time, she was also angry that he hadn't informed her in advance that it would be such a muddy road, causing her to come out in her small leather shoes.
Her favorite small leather shoes were covered in mud, and mud had even gotten inside her shoes.
She had been complaining the whole way.
He didn't like listening to her complaints, so he left her behind.
Later, she fell.
He didn't catch her in time or pull her up.
She was so angry she cried.
He even called her spoiled and pretentious.
Xia Xi, furious, started hitting him.
As a result, he was completely fine, but her hands became red and sore.
Xia Xi, sobbing, told him to get lost.
He actually left.
He truly left her there in a sorry state.
Xia Xi squatted on the spot, crying buckets.
She regretted marrying him.
She cried for a long time.
Lu Jing returned, bringing a pair of water boots.
He coaxed her to put on the water boots, then cleaned her small leather shoes and carried her to the aunt's house.
Xia Xi felt a little better, but she still didn't give him a pleasant look.
Thinking back now, those events became very clear, as if they happened yesterday.
In this life, she didn't want to express her thoughts indirectly anymore; she would directly act cute and tell him.
And then change him from the beginning.
Xia Xi thought Lu Jing would just carry her back, but instead, he carried her up the mountain.
Xia Xi gently patted his shoulder, "Those mushrooms aren't essential to pick. It's so heavy carrying them."
"It's not heavy. If we don't pick them, others will get them. Do you remember when you were little, someone picked your secret stash of mushrooms, and you cried on the mountain for half an hour? I tried to coax you with wild sweet potatoes, but you weren't happy.
You even said all the termite mushrooms on Phoenix Mountain belonged to you."
Those past events were very clear.
Xia Xi had been exceptionally beautiful since childhood, a bit delicate and a bit willful, but she had her own sense of measure.
This little girl occupied his entire childhood.
She became his pillar during his most difficult times.
Thinking of her was like gaining strength.
Having her was equivalent to having the whole world.
Xia Xi had never imagined that he remembered all the things related to her.
Even such small things, he kept them in his heart.
Her heart felt delighted.
Xia Xi leaned close to Lu Jing's ear and whispered, "Big Brother Lu, thank you."
Her tender cheek brushed against his earlobe.
Her warm breath filled his eardrums.
Lu Jing felt like he was floating, as if he had drifted to the clouds, so unreal.
They arrived at the secret spot.
Indeed...
A cluster of termite mushrooms had sprouted, still in bud form, on the verge of blooming.
Xia Xi excitedly spread her arms, "Mine! All mine! Mushrooms, mushrooms, little mushrooms..."
She hummed happily.
Lu Jing watched her smile, watched her sing, his eyes full of adoration.
Xia Xi found a dry branch and carefully dug, unearthing the roots.
Long roots, beautiful buds, simply stunning!
Just as Xia Xi was wondering how to pack them, Lu Jing handed her a grass basket.
Xia Xi's eyes shone, "Big Brother Lu, how did you weave this? It's so well done."
"Wilderness survival is a required course for us."
Xia Xi put the mushrooms into the grass basket and praised sweetly, "Big Brother Lu, you're amazing!"
Lu Jing felt incredibly delighted.
Cluster after cluster.
The joy of picking mushrooms was something no one else could understand!
The two of them toiled until four in the Afternoon, when dark clouds gathered, signaling another potential rain, and they finally descended the mountain.
Lu Jing still carried Xia Xi on his back.
Xia Xi contentedly enjoyed his kindness towards her.
This scene happened to be witnessed by Xu Shanshan, who had come out to pick vegetables.
Xu Shanshan immediately went to the Male Educated Youth Dormitory.
Lin Xiangdong's fever had subsided, but he still had a strong odor. Xu Shanshan said from a distance, "Lin Xiangdong, Xia Xi doesn't want you anymore. She's taken a liking to that soldier."
Lin Xiangdong scoffed, "She's doing it deliberately to make me go and coax her."
Xu Shanshan listened and frowned, "Lin Xiangdong, wake up. Xia Xi really doesn't want you anymore. What are you going to do now?
The money is gone, and the university spot is gone too! Are you just going to give up like this?"
Lin Xiangdong looked at Xu Shanshan, "Why are you keeping your distance from me? Don't you want me anymore either?"
He said this and took a step forward.
Xu Shanshan glared at Lin Xiangdong, "I'm talking to you about Xia Xi, why are you bringing up all this nonsense?"
She instinctively stepped back.
He really did stink.
Lin Xiangdong pressed closer, "Xu Shanshan, answer me, do you also find me smelly?"
"I don't!"
Xu Shanshan retreated step by step.
They had agreed to meet in a large bamboo forest.
On a rainy day, there was no one outside.
Coupled with the fact that it was nearing five o'clock, dark clouds were gathering again, and it looked like a heavy rain was imminent.
Lin Xiangdong excitedly grabbed Xu Shanshan, "You don't dislike me, so why are you dodging?"
Xu Shanshan's foot slipped, and she rolled downwards.
Lin Xiangdong was pulled along by her and rolled into the corn stalks.
Xu Shanshan couldn't see anything; it was pitch black all around. She couldn't help but panic and clutched Lin Xiangdong, "Where is this? It's so dark, I'm so scared!"
Now she couldn't care less if Lin Xiangdong stank.
Lin Xiangdong took the opportunity to pull her into his embrace, "Don't be afraid, this is a sweet potato cellar."
There weren't many sweet potatoes left at this season, and the sweet potato seedlings had just been planted.
The cellar was empty, with only some corn stalks on the ground.
The two of them slowly adjusted to the darkness.
Xu Shanshan pushed Lin Xiangdong away, "Lin Xiangdong, stay away from me."
"You still dislike me?"
Lin Xiangdong, a proud son of heaven, had never been disdained like this before, and displeasure arose in his heart.
Xu Shanshan looked at him irritably, "Can we not talk about this? I'm talking about the money. I helped you borrow thirty yuan!
It has to be repaid! Why aren't you worried at all? Why aren't you going to get the money back from Xia Xi!"
Lin Xiangdong didn't speak.
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