[GL]Whose Wife Is Always Acting Pitiful? Oh, It Turns Out It’s Mine 93

Chapter 93: Resting and Recuperating

Traveling all the way south from Hanfeng Town, the autumn wind swept across the mountains, fields, and valley waters. In the early morning, clouds and mist shrouded the ancient mountain paths. Horse hooves stepped on the wet and soft soil, making dull sounds. Xue Mu gently pulled the reins, looked up ahead, and said loudly, “Yuan’er, Miaofu, we seem to have reached a valley.”

There were several farmhouses around the fields outside the valley. The outlines of the houses were faintly visible in the mist, and a few wisps of cooking smoke rose slowly. The aroma of baked cakes seemed to drift in the wind. Xue Mu took a deep breath and said to Diwu Miaofu, who was dozing off in the carriage, “I’ll go over there and have a look. If there is food, I’ll buy some.”

Hearing “food,” Diwu Miaofu woke up with a start. “Food? Food? Give me food quickly!”

Xue Mu smiled. They had been rushing for six or seven days. Dugu Yuan’an initially wanted to ride a horse to admire the scenery, but after two or three days, she went back to sleep in the carriage. Xue Mu had to lead one horse and ride another to scout ahead. On the way, they also stopped in towns, listening to old men on rattan chairs telling stories of the Jianghu, seeing scholars pursuing chivalrous women, and even participating in upholding justice a few times. Diwu Miaofu was always the first to rush up, fighting cheerfully, and was even treated to a few meals of wine by chivalrous warriors.

After passing this valley, they would reach Cloud Appreciation Mountain. Xue Mu had only heard people in taverns talk about how every disciple of the Cloud Appreciation Mountain Sect was like a fairy. She didn’t know if they were close to Huangding Mountain or if they had set off. If they hadn’t, she really wanted to catch a glimpse of their beauty.

Xue Mu arrived at a farmhouse. The cries of chickens, ducks, and geese inside the fence mixed together, making her squint slightly from the noise. An old man with a white beard was chopping wood, his sleeves rolled up high, his figure looking tall and sturdy. Seeing Xue Mu outside the fence, he looked up at her.

Xue Mu dismounted and politely explained her purpose. The old man looked her up and down a few times, went inside the house, and brought out some baked cakes. Xue Mu smelled the aroma of preserved vegetables, wondering if Yuan’er had eaten them before, and planned to bring them to her to taste right away.

The old man also took a few freshly boiled sausages, wrapped them in oil paper, and handed them to Xue Mu. Xue Mu was overjoyed, thanking him repeatedly. She took out an ingot of silver and handed it to the old man, but the old man didn’t accept it. He just waved his hand and turned back into the house. Xue Mu waited outside for quite a while before realizing the old man didn’t intend to come out again. So she left the silver on the firewood and said loudly, “Thank you, Uncle!” Then she mounted her horse and rushed back.

After a moment’s delay, the mist in the mountains dispersed a little. The horses were lowering their heads to graze. Dugu Yuan’an lifted the small window curtain and watched Xue Mu riding over. Xue Mu took out the food wrapped in oil paper. Seeing the sausages, Diwu Miaofu’s eyes lit up. Just as she was about to reach for them, Xue Mu dodged her and put the oil paper on the board, saying, “It’s very hot. Don’t hurt yourself.”

Diwu Miaofu grinned. “Sister-in-law, time to eat!”

Wrapped in the oil paper were preserved vegetable meat cakes and sweet baked cakes. Xue Mu tasted a bite of the preserved vegetable meat cake, blew on it, and handed it to Dugu Yuan’an. “Careful, it’s hot.”

As Dugu Yuan’an’s fingertips touched the preserved vegetable meat cake, Xue Mu felt a trace of cold air. The cake was originally hot, but in the next instant, it became warm. She grinned. “Yuan’er, you have a way to cool down these hot foods, so Miaofu won’t be afraid of getting burned.”

Eating the cake, Dugu Yuan’an looked straight at the high mountain wall ahead and said, “We’ve reached the valley.”

“Yes, going south along the valley, we’ll reach Cloud Appreciation Mountain. Then going southeast along Cloud Appreciation Mountain, it’s only three or four days’ journey to Huangding Mountain.” Xue Mu said, “Fortunately, Huangding Mountain isn’t too far.”

Diwu Miaofu lowered her head to gnaw on the cake. Seeing her eyes darting around, Dugu Yuan’an didn’t ask, only saying, “If the terrain in the valley is steep, I’m afraid the carriage won’t be able to pass.”

“So what? If the carriage can’t pass, I’ll carry you out of the valley on my back.” Xue Mu laughed.

Dugu Yuan’an scolded lovingly, “Only you have so many little tricks. Miaofu, your Sister Xue always bullies me. You’ve seen it these days too, right?”

Diwu Miaofu finished a preserved vegetable meat cake in the blink of an eye and laughed loudly. “Sister-in-law, clearly you are always teasing Sister Xue, and Sister Xue is always teased by you until she blushes!”

Xue Mu raised her chin. “See, even Miaofu can see you bullying me.”

Dugu Yuan’an snorted and ate the cake in small bites. Xue Mu ate a sweet baked cake. It seemed to have honey added, tasting sweet and moist, with a soft texture.

After finishing the preserved vegetable meat cake, Diwu Miaofu felt very thirsty and wanted to drink water, so she said, “Sister Xue, Sister-in-law, I’ll go ahead to scout the path. Don’t know if there are beasts in that valley. If I see them, I’ll beat them to death, and we’ll roast them to eat tonight!”

Xue Mu said, “Alright then, you go scout the path first. Take a jar to fill with water.”

Diwu Miaofu nodded. “Okay!” With that, she grabbed a wine jar from the carriage, rode her horse towards the mountain path, and disappeared into the white mist alone.

Feeling the cool breeze, Dugu Yuan’an narrowed her eyes comfortably, but there was still some tiredness in her brows and eyes. Seeing this, Xue Mu’s heart ached, so she said gently, “When we arrive at the town near Cloud Appreciation Mountain, let’s rest well for a day before setting off for Huangding Mountain, okay?”

“Sure, we can make it.” Dugu Yuan’an smiled slightly. “I wonder if Father, Mother, Big Brother, and Second Sister have already arrived at Huangding Mountain by this time.” The roads they chose were not very bumpy mountain roads, nor river roads, so they detoured a bit. People like Hero Dugu naturally took shortcuts whenever possible. If they arrived late, the vicinity of Huangding Mountain would be full of heroes, and how could there be a place to stay?

Xue Mu smiled. “Regardless of whether others are fast or not, I only want you to be comfortable. We travel as much as we want every day.”

Dugu Yuan’an sighed. “You, always accommodating me.”

“Yes, I accommodate you, and you still bully me. Aren’t you bad?” Xue Mu said.

Dugu Yuan’an glanced at the sausages in the oil paper and said, “Are they spicy?”

“I’ll cut a piece for you to taste.” As she spoke, Xue Mu cut a little with a small knife and handed it to Dugu Yuan’an.

Dugu Yuan’an took a bite. Xue Mu could tell from her expression that it was delicious, and smiled. “That old man didn’t take my money. I left the silver there. It’s not easy for an old person to live alone.”

Dugu Yuan’an nodded. The two looked at each other silently, concentrating on eating. It wasn’t until Dugu Yuan’an felt thirsty and wanted to drink water that Xue Mu realized Diwu Miaofu had been gone for a long time and hadn’t returned. There should be a stream in the valley. Was Miaofu still looking for it?

She said, “Yuan’er, I’ll go find Miaofu. Don’t move here. If someone comes to rob or something, use your palm technique to beat them to death.”

Dugu Yuan’an laughed involuntarily. “Okay, I will. Go ahead.”

Xue Mu stood on tiptoe to kiss her, mounted a horse, and galloped into the mountain path.

Dugu Yuan’an wrapped the remaining food in oil paper, looked up at the mist on the high mountain wall, and waited for Xue Mu’s return with a tranquil expression.