Chapter Fifty-Four: Flower Basket

  "Hmm, nothing... nothing." Xue'er hesitated, wanting to say something but holding back. Something's not right, there must be something on her mind? I walked over to an orange tree and counted how many oranges were growing on it, the oranges were still green and hard, they would ripen after a while.

  "Hey, Yun, do you have anything going on this afternoon?" She finally couldn't help herself. I secretly smiled to myself, but kept a straight face, really admiring my own acting skills - I could totally go be a movie star now. "Oh, maybe something, maybe nothing." I intentionally spoke vaguely.

  "Hey, is there something going on or not?" Qiao Wei's delicate face flushed slightly. "If you say there's something, then there's something." I chuckled: "Go ahead, what's with the hesitation? What's going on?" She hesitated for a moment: "I promised someone I wouldn't tell you." "Oh, that's how it is? Alright then! I don't want to make you an untrustworthy person. Sorry about that."

  "But..." She hesitated. I looked at her helplessly: "My aunt, don't do this, okay? Isn't this torturing me? Alright, if you won't say it, just nod if it's related to me, can you?" She nodded vigorously.

  I thought for a moment, since she wouldn't say, I'd use my divine skill to check it out! I stroked my hair card and silently recited: "Understand the clever Xiao Mei's heart." "If I guess correctly, you'll have to take me there, okay?" In the blink of an eye, I understood. It turned out that Xiao Yang was going up the mountain to cut bamboo strips to make a flower basket for me, celebrating the opening of my small shop. I didn't expect Xiao Yang to be so thoughtful, coming up with the idea of making a flower basket. However, I'm a bit curious, can he do it?

  I made a guessing face: "I guess this has something to do with Xiao Yang, right?" Cui Hui nodded in surprise. "Is he trying to give me a gift to celebrate the opening of my small store?" She was even more surprised, nodding repeatedly. "And did he make this gift himself?" Cui Hui exclaimed: "Yun'er, you're too amazing! I didn't say a word! How did you know all that?!" I smiled slyly: "I can read minds! I know what you're thinking. So shouldn't you take me there now?"

  Where are the bamboos on the mountain? It's been many years since I last went up the mountain, and I don't know what's on the back of our village's Da Wang Mountain anymore. Qiao Hui seemed to have guessed my thoughts, excitedly saying: "Are you thinking of going up the mountain? Me too! Why don't we go take a look?" After talking for half a day, it turned out that I was indeed thinking of going up the mountain. "Okay, let's go play on the mountain." I pulled Qiao Hui along, "Come on, let's tell them at home!" When we arrived at the door, I shouted towards the house: "Mom, Hui sister and I are going to play for a bit!" After saying that, I didn't wait for a response and turned around to leave. From behind me came my mom's loud voice: "Don't go too far! Come back early!" "Got it!" I replied in a crisp tone.

  The two of us ran away in a flash. From home to the mountain, there is a distance that is neither far nor near, because the village is relatively large, and my home is at the entrance of the village, so we have to go through the whole village to approach the mountain. At the foot of the mountain are layers of terraced fields, blocks of mountain land, and the autumn wind blows through those rice fields, stirring up layer upon layer of golden waves, and it's almost harvest time. Walking on such a rural mountain road, my mood suddenly became extremely comfortable. I started humming the song "The Legend of the Phoenix" out loud:

  The sky blue and the fragrance of autumn grass is paradise in my heart

  Who turned thoughts into a pair of wings

  Open your chest and find the legendary wish

  The most beautiful and moving melody drifts outside the clouds

  The sky is blue, the autumn grass is yellow, accompanied by clouds and water flowing long.

  Who is gazing at distant thoughts

  The warm sunshine makes me indulge in daydreams.

  Beyond the nine heavens is the most dazzling light

  Let me become a beautiful thoroughbred horse

  Ride with you in the distant horizon, together guarding the eternal myth and legend that never fades.

  Pluck a beautiful sunset

  Let it bloom at the horizon

  My heart melts and dreams will arrive

  The sky blue and the fragrance of autumn grass is paradise in my heart

  Who turns thoughts into wings is the longing on the edge of heaven

  Warm sunshine

  The most dazzling light is the sound of a horse piano outside the nine heavens

  "Yun'er, your song sounds so good!" Xue Hui listened as if she was drunk, "Why do you know how to sing so many songs that we don't?" "Because you don't like listening to the radio!" I had no choice but to make an excuse, "I also occasionally hear and remember them. No way, my memory is too good." I shrugged. Feng Huang Chuan Qi isn't as old as me yet, right? They should be in their hometown attending elementary school! Grassland girl Ling Hua might be singing loudly on the grasslands! I like their songs, I like the feeling of freedom and wildness in those songs.

  "Hey, where do you think Xiao Yang will be?" I asked while walking up the mountain. "Where else could he be? He must be in the bamboo forest!" Qiao Hui replied mysteriously. "You don't know about the bamboo forest?" "Hehe, how would I know? I have no idea what he's going to do, so how would I know it's in the bamboo forest?" I suddenly remembered that Qiao Hui never said what Xiao Yang was going to do, so of course I wouldn't know anything. "Ah, really, I thought you knew everything." Qiao Hui came to her senses and quickly covered her mouth. "Hmph, you've already said too much, fine, I won't tell him. Let's hurry up!" I really had no idea where the bamboo forest was, so I could only urge Qiao Hui to lead the way in front of me.

  The bamboo forest has arrived, and it was in a mountain valley. I didn't notice it when I climbed the mountain before. Saw Xiao Yang's figure busy in the bamboo forest.

  As I walked closer, he was indeed weaving a flower basket. His hands moved back and forth, the bamboo strips under his hands becoming obedient soft whips, doing as they were told. "Wow, Xiao Shuai-ge, your hands are so skilled!" I exclaimed involuntarily. Xiao Yang's hand jerked, and he stared at Qiao Hui: "How did you guys come here?" Qiao Hui hastily raised her hand: "I really didn't say anything, Yun'er guessed it herself." "That's right, she didn't say anything, I guessed it," I said, looking at Xiao Yang's hands and studying them seriously: "You can actually do this! It's amazing!" "It's nothing, really! In our mountain village, there are a lot of bamboo trees, so from a young age, we followed the adults to learn how to weave things. Since there is also bamboo here, I thought of weaving a flower basket." Xiao Yang's face showed a proud expression. "Thank you, Xiao Yang!" I said sincerely. His handsome face turned red, and he muttered: "Oh, it's nothing...it didn't cost any money, just some effort." I was really touched, Xiao Yang, he really treated me like a neighbor's younger brother, pampering me and protecting me. "It's great to have an older brother like you!" I whispered softly. He heard this and his body stiffened, his expression stunned, and the movement of his hands slowed down.

  "Yun'er, let's go pick some flowers. I see a lot of wildflowers over there." Cui Hua called out from the side, "Just in time, our flower basket needs some flowers to match!" My eyes lit up: "Great, let's go pick some flowers!

  Xiao Yang saw us coming, saw the flowers in our hands, and was very happy. He hurriedly said: "Wait for me to dig some mud to insert the flowers." I put the flowers on the ground, took over the flower basket, and hummed, the shape is quite special, a bit like a golden ingot. Qiao Hui smiled and said: "Hey, didn't expect a boy would do such a thing? So beautiful!"

  Xiao Yang brought over the mud, carefully loading it into a flower basket. The bottom of the basket was very dense and had a thin membrane lining it, so we didn't have to worry about the mud falling out. We started arranging the flowers, and Xiao Yang said, "This first flower is for Xiaoyu!" I nodded: "Great, then I'll be rude and take the biggest one!" I chose the largest red flower, symbolizing that my business would flourish. Then Xiao Yang and Qiaohui also got to work, and before long, a beautiful flower basket appeared before our eyes.

  Xiao Yang held up the flower basket, smiling and said: "I made this yuanbao flower basket to congratulate Xiaoyu's store on its thriving business and rolling wealth!" Qiaohui also smiled and said: "Congratulations to Yun'er's clothing store for being as red-hot as these flowers!" "Thank you!" I solemnly accepted the flower basket, accepting two heavy blessings.