However, Lu Qingyuan didn’t dwell too much on this matter.

After washing up at home, she went straight to bed.

She slept soundly through the night without a single dream.

When she woke up in the morning, her cheeks were rosy, a clear sign of a good night’s rest.

Outside, a light drizzle was still falling. Second Uncle Lu and Third Uncle Lu came by to visit Grandma Lu. After chatting with her for a while, they moved to the main hall to discuss the Guangfu Production Team’s land reclamation plans with Father Lu.

“The soil in Erdaogou is poor. Last year, the old secretary suggested planting bamboo there so that in a few years, it would enrich the soil. Then, we could cut the bamboo and plant corn. But now, why has the plan suddenly changed?”

Second Uncle Lu, a stern-looking man with a square face, furrowed his brows, making him look even more serious. The younger family members feared their second uncle the most and never got too close to him.

“The old secretary has retired. Do his words still count? Of course, it’s whatever the new secretary says now,” Third Uncle Lu scoffed, his tone filled with dissatisfaction.

“Clearing the land now to plant corn won’t yield much. We might work ourselves to death, and come autumn, we could end up with nothing to show for it.”

“Exactly. Even the team leader isn’t speaking up. He just blindly follows whatever the new secretary says.”

The two complained for a while before noticing that Father Lu was silently smoking his pipe. They turned to ask for his opinion.

“What do I think? We do what we’re told. As long as we work, we earn work points. Whether the harvest is good or not is the higher-ups’ concern. Our job is just to do the work.”

Father Lu tapped his pipe against the edge of the table, his deep voice carrying a warning.

“Whatever was said here stays within our Lu family. Don’t go running your mouths outside. The new secretary is just waiting for someone to become a target.”

Second Uncle Lu and Third Uncle Lu fell silent for a moment before nodding in agreement.

“Qingyuan’s partner is coming over tomorrow for a visit. Make sure to come home early and have lunch here,” Mother Lu said with a smile, smoothly shifting the conversation.

“Alright, I’ll take a look and see if this kid is worthy of our Qingyuan.”

“Yes, we should take a good look.”

When it came to Lu Qingyuan’s partner, her two uncles were quite serious.

Among the three brothers, only the eldest had a daughter, while the rest all had sons. Naturally, Lu Qingyuan was cherished and treasured.

Since the rain kept pouring, no one went to work after lunch.

Second Uncle Lu and Third Uncle Lu brought their families over to Lu Qingyuan’s house.

Second Aunt Lu, Third Aunt Lu, and Lu Qingyuan’s mother went into Grandma Lu’s room to chat with the elderly woman.

Meanwhile, Father Lu and his brothers sat together, casually chatting.

As for Lu Qingming and Lu Qingtian, they were in their rooms with their wives, doing who-knows-what.

Second Uncle Lu’s sons, Lu Qingguo and Lu Qingguang, along with Third Uncle Lu’s son, Lu Qingjun, surrounded Lu Qingyuan.

“…What are you all doing?”

Lu Qingyuan looked at her cousins in confusion as they crowded around her.

“Qingyuan, let’s go out for a walk,” Lu Qingguo suggested.

“Yeah, since we can’t work in the rain anyway, let’s go find some fiddlehead ferns. I found a lot yesterday, so I know where they grow!” Lu Qingjun whispered excitedly.

“My brother and I dug a trap in the back mountain two days ago,” Lu Qingguang grinned. “This rainy weather is perfect—more animals might have fallen in.”

“Let’s go!”

Lu Qingyuan immediately got up, put on a straw raincoat and a hat, and followed her cousins, who had also put on their rain gear, out the door.

Jiasheng and Lusheng watched them longingly, wanting to tag along.

“Be good. It’s raining today, and you don’t have raincoats. We’ll take you next time when it’s not raining,” Lu Qingjun, who often took the little ones out to play, reassured them with a smile, ruffling their hair.

“Okay!”

Jiasheng and Lusheng obediently agreed, waving at them as they left.

As they walked past Fifth Aunt’s house, they spotted Lu Yanyan holding an umbrella, heading towards the commune.

Since she was already a bit far away, they didn’t call out to greet her.

After just a glance, they quickened their pace and continued on.

Lu Qingyuan walked in the middle, wearing rain boots and stepping lightly. Lu Qingguo led in front, while Lu Qingguang and Lu Qingjun followed behind.

They occasionally exchanged a few words as they made their way towards the trap that Lu Qingguo and his brother had set up.

It took twenty minutes to walk from the Lu family compound to the foot of the back mountain.

Climbing halfway up took another half an hour, and since the rain had made the paths muddy and slippery, it took even longer than usual.

Luckily, when they reached the trap, they found a pleasant surprise, making their eyes light up with excitement.

“They’re still alive!”

Inside the pit, two gray rabbits were struggling. Their legs were injured but not seriously. The depth of the trap had prevented them from escaping.

Lu Qingguo climbed in and grabbed the rabbits, handing them over to Lu Qingjun. Lu Qingjun swiftly tied their legs with a prepared rope and placed them in a bamboo basket.

“There’s more!”

Lu Qingguo reached down again and pulled out three bamboo partridges. Each was small, not even half a jin in weight.

But bamboo partridges were delicious, whether roasted or stewed.

Lu Qingyuan took one to inspect it and found that it had already stopped breathing—likely crushed to death by the rabbits that had fallen in afterward.

After placing the partridge carefully into the basket, she waited while Lu Qingguo and the others reset the trap. They also left some visible markers nearby so that the Guangfu Production Team members would know a trap was there.

Only then did they follow Lu Qingjun to the spot where he had found the fiddlehead ferns the day before.

“Look at this! There’s so much! Enough for our three families to eat for a long time!”

Lu Qingjun proudly pointed at the lush patch of fiddlehead ferns.

Lu Qingyuan and the others turned their heads and saw a large expanse of greenery.

Because of the rain, water droplets clung to the ferns, making them glisten beautifully.

Lu Qingyuan cheered, “Let’s start picking!”

“Pick the tips—the tips are the most tender!”

Lu Qingguang shouted.

“As if you needed to say that!”

Lu Qingguo chuckled and hurried forward, grabbing a fern and snapping off the tenderest part before moving on to the next.

For the next half an hour, the group happily worked together, gathering all the tender shoots.

“Since we’re already here, should we go look for wood ear mushrooms?”

Lu Qingguang turned to glance up the mountain. They were already halfway up—might as well go all the way.

“Qingyuan, do you want to go?”

Lu Qingguo asked his younger cousin.

“Yes!”

Lu Qingyuan was thrilled. Ever since Grandma fell ill, she hadn’t had the chance to go out with her brothers. This was a rare opportunity, and she didn’t want to miss it.

“Then let’s keep going up the mountain.”

With the eldest cousin making the decision, the group happily continued on.

However, as they climbed, Lu Qingjun muttered, “Qingguo, if we knew we were going up the mountain, we should have done this first and picked the ferns on the way back.”

“You’re already tired from carrying such a little load?”

Lu Qingguang snorted, patting his younger cousin on the shoulder. “You’re still just a kid.”

“You’re the kid! I’m already fifteen!”

Lu Qingjun immediately tried to hit him, but Lu Qingguang dodged nimbly.

Lu Qingyuan glanced back at them, amused, but just as she turned forward again, a familiar mechanical voice echoed in her mind.

[Today’s livestream has started. The host’s current number of followers: 96.]

What surprised Lu Qingyuan this time was that the red-text barrage of comments wasn’t just floating above her head—it was above all three of her cousins as well.

And, strangely, the words were exactly the same no matter whose head she looked at.

Lu Qingyuan remained calm, pretending not to notice anything as she climbed while keeping an eye on the text hovering over Lu Qingguo’s head.

【Wow, where are they going?】

【Didn’t you check the new livestream update? They’re heading up the mountain to find wood ear mushrooms!】

【Did you guys watch yesterday’s livestream update? Xiao Qingyuan’s blind date went home so happy! He worked like crazy, chopped a huge pile of firewood!】

Lu Qingyuan saw the comment, and a smile flickered in her almond-shaped eyes.

【I did, I did! That guy couldn’t sleep in the middle of the night, just lay there staring at the ceiling, thinking about Xiao Qingyuan. Later, he got up, lit an oil lamp, and carved a wooden doll. And let me tell you, his craftsmanship is pretty good. The doll looks at least eighty percent like Xiao Qingyuan!】

【Hehehe, and then he placed the wooden doll on his pillow and finally fell asleep.】

【Hahaha, what a fool!】

Lu Qingyuan almost burst out laughing but quickly lowered her head, afraid that the others watching the livestream might notice. Her straw hat covered most of her face, and with her head down, her expression was hidden.

Under the hat, her cheeks were flushed red, and her almond eyes glistened as she struggled to hold back her laughter.

After climbing the mountain, Lu Qingyuan started feeling a little hot. She walked under a banyan tree, took off her straw hat, and fanned her face, using the thick pine branches overhead for shade.

“Let’s rest for a bit,” Lu Qingguo said.

Lu Qingjun, the youngest and most energetic, had already started exploring the area.

After taking a short break, Lu Qingyuan was about to follow Lu Qingguo when she suddenly noticed golden text floating above his head.

Huh? When did it turn gold?

【Let me, a super VIP book fan, unfold the map of the back mountain. Xiao Qingyuan, walk straight ahead for ten minutes with your right hand forward—there are some decayed logs covered in wood ear mushrooms! Ahhh, hurry up and pick them!】