Chapter 46 - Spring Colors in the Deep Mountains

However, Chen Yang had hardly had time to react.

The young woman seemed to have heard Chen Yang entering the cave, so she turned around.

When the young woman turned around, Chen Yang’s first reaction was to glance at the scenery below her neck before he looked at her face…

But when he saw the young woman’s face, they almost simultaneously exclaimed in surprise!

“Sister-in-law Xiaoe!”

“Yang Zi!”

The undressed young woman in the cave was the village widow, Li Xiaoe…

Although it was already the second time they had “openly met” like this, Li Xiaoe was still quite startled.

Upon seeing Chen Yang, she instinctively turned away and immediately dressed herself in the wet clothes that were placed on the rocks.

“Cough cough,” While Li Xiaoe was getting dressed, Chen Yang coughed dryly twice, quickly turned away, and spoke while stifling the awkwardness, “Sister-in-law Xiaoe, what are you doing here?”

“I…

I was picking mushrooms on the mountain, and then suddenly it started to rain.

I saw there was a cave here, so I came over to take shelter from the rain, not expecting you to be here too,” Li Xiaoe replied with a blushing face, while putting on her clothes.

“I see…

I was doing the same, originally collecting herbs nearby and took shelter from the rain,” Chen Yang said.

Li Xiaoe had finished dressing, and Chen Yang also turned around.

Their awkward gazes met for a moment, Chen Yang was just a bit embarrassed, but for some reason, Li Xiaoe looked a bit shy.

So her entire face turned red…

Having such encounters with Chen Yang twice had somehow stirred an inexplicable emotion in her heart.

Seeing the blush on Li Xiaoe’s face, Chen Yang didn’t think much of it.

He just assumed it was because of their “open meeting.”

To avoid continuing the awkwardness, Chen Yang started to initiate conversation, “Sister-in-law Xiaoe, how’s everything in your paddy field?

Has Fu Deyou cleaned up everything for you?”

“I checked the field this morning, and it’s all cleaned up.

Speaking of which, I really need to thank you.

If it weren’t for you, Fu Deyou would have probably succeeded,” Li Xiaoe thanked Chen Yang again.

“That’s good, we’re all from the same village, sister, you shouldn’t be overly formal,” Chen Yang said with a smile.

“Mhm,” Li Xiaoe nodded then sat on a rock inside the cave, starting to chat about domestic matters with Chen Yang.

“Yang Zi, you’ve graduated from university two years ago, have you found a girlfriend yet?

With conditions as good as yours, there must be a lot of girls chasing you,” Li Xiaoe suddenly asked with a smile.

In Li Xiaoe’s eyes, Chen Yang was a promising university graduate, handsome, and of good character.

Such a Chen Yang was simply perfect.

But what she didn’t know was that Chen Yang had never had a girlfriend during university.

Not because he wasn’t sociable, or anything like that.

But simply because, at that time, Chen Yang was a poor student who couldn’t afford a girlfriend.

So faced with such a question, Chen Yang could only awkwardly shake his head, “Hehe, back in school, I was all focused on studying; had no time for relationships, always been single.”

“Ah?

Always been single?” Upon hearing this, a faint smile appeared on Li Xiaoe’s face.

After a brief silence, Li Xiaoe suddenly spoke with a smile, “Then what do you think about Niezi, my daughter?

How about I help set you two up?”

As soon as Li Xiaoe spoke these words, Chen Yang was instantly stunned.

Unexpectedly, Li Xiaoe brought up this topic to introduce him to her daughter.

“Hehe, sister, matters of the heart should happen naturally, they can’t be forced by matchmaking,” Chen Yang replied.

“I understand that, but you still have to give it a try, right?

What if it works out?” Seeing that Chen Yang was not very resistant, Li Xiaoe quickly said, “The summer vacation is coming up soon, and Niezi will be back.

I’ll ask her to help out at your clinic!”

Li Xiaoe spoke very earnestly, with not a trace of jest.

“Hehe, sure.”

Seeing how enthusiastic Li Xiaoe was, Chen Yang found it hard to refuse and could only smile and nod in agreement.

Although he didn’t feel much for Li Xiaoe’s daughter, it had to be said, she was a beauty.

She was cut from the same mold as Li Xiaoe.

Not only was she very pretty and attractive, but she also had what people online called a “devastating figure.”

Her entire body was very slender, but some particularly enticing key areas were exceptionally well-developed.

Having such a beauty work under him at the clinic was something Chen Yang couldn’t possibly refuse.

Seeing Chen Yang agree, Li Xiaoe’s face bloomed with a smile.

“Then it’s settled, Yang Zi.

When Ni Zi returns, she’ll come directly to your clinic to help out.”

“Okay, sister-in-law, let Ni Zi come.”

The two shared a smile, and then Chen Yang, mimicking Li Xiaoe, found a stone slab in the cave to sit on.

Just as Chen Yang sat down, Li Xiaoe casually glanced into Chen Yang’s basket and, seeing only three weeds, couldn’t help but ask, “Yang Zi, didn’t you come up the mountain to gather herbs?

Why are there only three weeds in your basket?”

Chen Yang was slightly startled by the question, then he took the basket off his back, and laughed, “Sister-in-law, these aren’t weeds.

They are medicinal herbs called Spiritual Yuan Grass!”

“Oh!

I see.

Is this herb very rare?” Li Xiaoe continued to ask.

“Well…

not exactly rare, but somehow, I just can’t find it in these mountains.

I wandered around all morning and only found three, which is quite frustrating,” Chen Yang sighed.

Watching Chen Yang sigh with frustration, Li Xiaoe appeared thoughtful.

“Yang Zi, can you let your sister-in-law have a look at this herb?

I roam around the mountain often when I pick mushrooms.

If I come across it, I can help you collect some,” Li Xiaoe suddenly said.

“Really?

Thank you so much, sister-in-law!” Chen Yang immediately lit up with joy and eagerly took out the Spiritual Yuan Grass from the basket and handed it to Li Xiaoe.

“No need to be so formal with your sister-in-law,” Li Xiaoe smiled slightly, taking the Spiritual Yuan Grass and examining it closely.

She scrutinized it for a while, frowning more as she looked.

She felt like she had seen this herb somewhere before, but possibly hadn’t paid much attention at the time, so she couldn’t remember exactly where.

After pondering for a good while without recall, Li Xiaoe stopped trying to remember.

Instead, she handed the Spiritual Yuan Grass back to Chen Yang.

“I’ll remember this herb.

If I come across it, I’ll gather some and bring it to you,” Li Xiaoe said with a smile.

“That would be great, thank you, sister-in-law,” Chen Yang quickly expressed his gratitude.

“Hey, no need for formalities with me,” Li Xiaoe waved her hand, then stood up from the stone and looked outside.

The summer storm had come quickly and left just as swiftly.

After the brief conversation, the rain had already stopped outside.

“Sister-in-law, since the rain has stopped, let’s head down the mountain together,” Chen Yang suggested.

“Yes, good, I was thinking the same,” Li Xiaoe nodded, and then the two of them left the cave and started descending the mountain.

The mountain paths were originally dirt tracks.

After the storm, they had become even muddier and more difficult to navigate, with every step posing a risk of falling.

So as they descended, Chen Yang was extraordinarily cautious.

While being cautious himself, Chen Yang turned to remind Li Xiaoe.

“Sister-in-law, be careful…”

“Ah!”

Crack…

Before Chen Yang could finish his warning, Li Xiaoe slipped and fell, her shin striking a rock at the roadside as she let out a painful cry.

“Sister-in-law!

Are you okay?”

Seeing this, Chen Yang quickly turned back to help, supporting Li Xiaoe, who had fallen to the ground.

“Ah!

My leg… Yang Zi, my leg hurts so much…” Li Xiaoe said in pain, sitting on the ground and pointing to her leg.

“Your leg?” Chen Yang turned and looked at Li Xiaoe’s leg upon hearing this.

He noticed a large swelling at her ankle.

Chen Yang touched it and then carefully rubbed it.

“Sister-in-law, how does it feel?” Chen Yang asked, looking up.

“It hurts… it’s very painful,” Li Xiaoe said with a pained expression.

Chen Yang inwardly cursed upon hearing this.

Considering the symptoms of the swelling and Li Xiaoe’s pain, it was very likely that it was a fracture…