Chapter 210: Nothing But Bullying With Backing!
Liu Dahui was naturally not a fool.
He pulled Zhou Shanshan aside and said in a low voice: “Shanshan, Qiao Ge said that for your sake. You shouldn’t have mentioned Zhang Qiaozhi in front of Zhang Lixue to begin with. The more you say, the more trouble and mess you make. Besides, Zhang Lixue wouldn’t dare do anything to me; he’s just venting.”
Lu Qiaoge glanced at the two of them— they really were a perfect match.
The atmosphere at this moment was somewhat strange.
Looking at everyone’s expressions, there was no change, but it just felt off.
Zhou Shanshan knew when to stop and said to Lu Qiaoge with some effort: “Thank you, Qiao Ge.”
But in her heart, she was cursing nonstop.
What was so great about her? She knew this person and that person, even knew a Hong Kong businessman, and even got an instant noodle production line. In the end, wasn’t it all just benefits from dating Qin Hengzhi?
Otherwise, who would know who Lu Qiaoge was?
She was just relying on others’ influence!
Lu Qiaoge could tell from her expression that she was cursing her in her heart.
Lu Qiaoge grinned and smiled silently, then said slowly: “You’re welcome!”
Although such an interlude happened, it didn’t affect everyone’s mood.
Chen Feng continued fishing.
He sat on the shore where the water was deeper, waiting for the fish to bite.
Zhou Shanshan squatted down to continue peeling potatoes, with Liu Dahui beside her speaking to her softly.
The next second, Wang Zhiguo kicked Liu Dahui: “Go clean the wild chicken and rabbit. Clean them all. Salt and preserve what we can’t eat.”
Liu Dahui went to the riverside to clean the wild chicken and wild rabbit.
Li Xiuying said to Zhou Shanshan again: “Don’t peel the potatoes anymore. Let Qiao Ge do it. You go help your Liu Dahui clean the rabbit.”
If she kept peeling, the potatoes would be gone— these were the ones she bought yesterday at the food store.
Over there, Li Xiuying shouted: “Someone go into the forest to see if there are mushrooms to pick.”
She meant the birch forest.
Lu Qiaoge said: “I’ll go. I know mushrooms.”
She wanted to go into the forest to check on that Hua Dian Old Squirrel and see under which big tree things were buried.
Logically speaking, such a mountain forest shouldn’t have things buried, unless…
Lu Qiaoge was not very pleased.
But knowing it, she couldn’t pretend not to know.
She turned to Qin Hengzhi and said: “You go catch some small fish for Hua Hua. The net bag is in the trunk.”
Qin Hengzhi, who had wanted to follow, stopped in his tracks. He glanced at the birch forest— earlier Wang Zhiguo had wanted to come here, but he hadn’t let him in, and then he had gone to the opposite shore across the river.
He smiled and nodded, obediently going to get the net bag and carry the iron bucket to the riverside.
Zhou Shanshan’s gaze always fell on Qin Hengzhi and Lu Qiaoge, now openly, now covertly.
Seeing such an obedient Qin Hengzhi now, she widened her eyes in shock.
The aloof and indifferent Qin Hengzhi had this side too?
She gritted her teeth and lowered her head, then looked at the wild chicken and wild rabbit with disgust, saying: “Brother Hui, I don’t know how to clean them either. How about I go pick mushrooms too?”
Liu Dahui thought for a moment, then nodded and said: “Alright, go keep Qiao Ge company. It can help ease your relationship too. Shanshan, you’re older than Qiao Ge, so you should act like an older sister, just like Sister-in-law Xiuying and Dong Xiangqin…”
Zhou Shanshan stood up, nodded perfunctorily, glanced at Qin Hengzhi who stood tall not far away, then sadly withdrew her gaze and chased after Lu Qiaoge, saying: “Qiao Ge, wait for me. I’ll pick mushrooms with you.”
Lu Qiaoge stopped and said straightforwardly: “Sister Zhou, it’s really inconvenient to wear a dress into the forest. What if you encounter snakes or insects?”
Then she added: “Of course, if you’re not afraid, come along.”
Dong Xiangqin helplessly shouted: “Who goes into the woods in a skirt? Don’t go.”
Then she shouted to Lu Qiaoge: “Just pick some nearby. If there are any, great; if not, forget it. I’m tired of that stuff anyway.”
Fair enough. Living in the north urban area of Jiangcheng, not far from Yuanbao Mountain, they really didn’t lack mountain delicacies.
Especially now, mushrooms and wood ear mushrooms weren’t valuable because they were too plain— people preferred pork the most.
Zhou Shanshan had no choice but to stop. Although she had changed into ugly rubber shoes, she hadn’t brought pants. Wearing a dress into the mountain forest…
She turned and went back to the riverside.
Lu Qiaoge ignored Zhou Shanshan and casually agreed as she walked into the birch forest.
The trunks of the birch trees were snow-white, but the leaves at the treetops were brilliantly green, like jade soaked in oil, layer upon layer blocking the blazing sun, only letting spots of light through the gaps.
Those light spots were alive too, jumping around with the wind— now climbing to the tips of fern leaves, now rolling onto last year’s dead branches.
The forest was filled with the unique fresh scent of grass and trees, and the breeze blowing through seemed even cooler than at the riverside.
A strange inner voice came: 【Hey, she’s your little fairy? Can she really understand us?】
Lu Qiaoge had already approached by now.
It was a large birch tree, with the bark at the base turned grayish-white and a section missing in the middle, exposing the reddish-brown trunk, just like the nearby ones— clearly peeled off for kindling.
And on the tall trunk sat a circle of small things.
One unfamiliar one was a squirrel, tensely clutching its two little paws, squatting on a branch, shaking its fluffy big tail, with plum blossom spots even on its forehead, looking very clever and cute.
Lu Qiaoge smiled brightly: “Yes, I can understand you. Hello, little squirrel!”
The squirrel over there let out a shriek of fright, then got its mouth covered by Hua Hua.
Hua Hua said: 【Quickly tell my little master what good things are buried under this big tree.】
Lu Qiaoge sensed around— besides the little squirrel, there were no other special voices, including from the riverside.
It seemed the intelligent little things were very good at avoiding humans.
This one hadn’t left, so probably had its den nearby.
Thus, Lu Qiaoge learned what was buried under the tree.
It turned out to be five full boxes of gold. What Lu Qiaoge hadn’t expected was that there was an old gold mine upstream in the stream. Back then, it had been occupied by the Japanese invaders. They didn’t use locals but their own soldier subordinates to mine gold— similar in nature to our current gold military units.
There was even a base of theirs in the city of Jiangcheng, a very pretty little Western-style building.
At the time, a Japanese couple managed it.
It was said they came from some major Japanese family clan, the kind with a lot of influence.
They had gold mines further north too, all obtained by bribing big shots at the time.
Later, they didn’t need to give benefits anymore because they directly occupied them.
Then later, they were defeated and fled, naturally wanting to take the gold with them.
They did take most of it, but what they really couldn’t transport in time, they had no choice but to bury under this big tree.
At the time, this area fell within the scope of the Great Northern Wilderness— truly uninhabited.
Lu Qiaoge guessed that the gold and silver jewelry at the bottom of Hongxing Lake were probably from the same batch and the same group.
Because back then, Hongxing Lake had a dock that could reach Songhe City, and from there, one could go directly to Donghai City.
If their descendants were still alive, they might come here treasure-hunting once things opened up.
And this five-year-old squirrel knew because it had been passed down orally in their line of sentient squirrels.
Lu Qiaoge felt reassured. She stroked the little squirrel and praised its good memory— it had remembered so many complicated things.
As for the rest, Lu Qiaoge didn’t exhort it.
Because she planned to dig it up in the next few days!
End of the month— begging for monthly passes. Vote some monthly passes, love you all~
