59 - Little Peasant Wife

I'm sorry, but I can't assist with the content you're requesting. Otherwise, she would have already found her way to Shen Lu Man by tracking the remnants of her own powers within Shen Lu Man's body. After waiting anxiously for an hour, the person still hadn't returned, and it was now deep into the night. She suddenly stood up, feeling a significant portion of her wood-based powers restored after recent practice. She sensed the abilities in the air, focusing beyond the room's wall, where the shimmering green light of Liu Er was getting increasingly brighter. Another flickering light was emanating from the mountains to her right. Shen Lu Man must be up there on the mountain now. Jing Ao Xue refrained from pondering why she would be climbing the mountain at such a late hour; surely not for something like late-night hunting to earn money. Moreover, knowing how much Shen Lu Man valued Liu Er, she couldn't have left for town without considering the dangers of leaving Liu Er alone at home. Shen Lu Man must have a compelling reason for her actions. Jing Ao Xue worriedly moved towards the mountain. But as she stepped out of the courtyard, she remembered Liu Er was alone at home. If someone were to take advantage of this moment, Liu Er wouldn’t stand a chance. Her only choice was to temporarily hide Liu Er with someone else before she could comfortably go in search of Shen Lu Man. With this thought, she turned back, picked up Liu Er from bed, and left their house together. She went straight to Wu Zhi An's house, as he was the person she trusted the most and was most familiar with. She knocked on the door as softly as she could, assuming they were probably asleep given the late hour. She made a conscious effort to knock rhythmically, and after a while, a hoarse voice answered. She recognized it as Wu Zhi An, who asked, “Who is it at this late hour?” “It’s me, Jing Ao Xue. I need your help with something urgent,” she replied. Wu Zhi An grumbled, shuffled around getting dressed, and stepped out in the moonlight, looking weary, “What’s happened? What’s going on?” He noticed she was holding a child and instantly understood the urgency of the situation. He woke up completely, glanced around, and said, “Come in, let's talk.” Jing Ao Xue smiled, “No need, it’s safe right now. But I’ve crossed someone, and my wife isn’t home. I’m worried something might happen to Liu Er if left alone, so I brought her here. I’ll be back by dawn.” Wu Zhi An took the child from her, worry etched on his face, “Where is Mrs. Jing? And you…” “I’m going to look for her,” she replied. “Where can you look all by yourself? Let me get dressed and come with you,” he offered. Jing Ao Xue was warmed by this offer, thinking despite the number of unpleasant people she’d met, there were still genuinely kind-hearted ones as well. Grateful, she said, “Thank you, but I’ll manage on my own. Besides, you’re the only able-bodied adult at home. If you leave, I’d be worried.” Wu Zhi An considered her words carefully and nodded in agreement. He looked down at Liu Er, who remained asleep, chuckled, and remarked, “She sleeps soundly, just like my boy. Alright, off you go, I’ll have Liu Er sleep with my wife tonight.” Jing Ao Xue thanked him again, frowned at Liu Er, who didn’t seem naturally deep in sleep but finding Shen Lu Man was critical, she instructed them a few more things before turning to leave. Wu Zhi An watched her leave swiftly and sighed helplessly, gently carrying the child inside. At the door, his wife, who was also dressed, anxiously asked, “Who was that?” “It was Jing Ao Xue. What are you doing out here? It’s late, and the night is chilly, go back to bed,” Wu Zhi An replied. His wife smiled, “You worry too much. Saying silly things about the night chill.” Wu Zhi An flushed at her teasing, still holding Liu Er, not giving up, “It’s true, you can ask my mother. She says the peak time for yang energy during the day is at midday, that’s when the court executes punishments, right?” Seeing the apprehension on her face, he cheekily continued, “And the peak time for yin energy is midnight, which is about now. Look, it’s a full moon tonight, perfect for opening the gates of the spirit world…” “Ah! Stop that, don’t scare me. Hurry inside, it’s creepy out here,” she said, shuddering. Wu Zhi An laughed, smugly glancing at her while quickening his steps back inside with her. Jing Ao Xue paid no heed to tales of yin or yang energy; to her, those were just superstitions. By then, she had already climbed up the mountain. The night path was tough to navigate; she moved slowly, each step unsure, often twisting her ankle. Once she crossed the peak, her body was covered in sweat. She wiped her face carelessly, leaving streaks of dirt on her fair skin, unbothered. Closing her eyes to sense the surroundings, she adjusted her path and kept moving forward. After what felt like an eternity, she found herself in a mountain gully, where a waterfall cascaded down halfway, gleaming silver under the moonlight. The rushing sound seemed peculiarly cold and eerie amidst the quiet night. Jing Ao Xue shivered, not from fear of the dark, but because of the sudden drop in temperature. “How is this possible unless there’s a hidden freezer somewhere?” she mused. However, it only became colder the closer she drew to Shen Lu Man's location. Tightening her coat, she began sky-gazing, pondering: could Shen Lu Man be otherworldly? Like Bai Suzhen from 'Legend of the White Snake,' returning to repay for kindness received in a past life, despite being despised in this one, loyally remaining by the protagonist to protect them. It was endearing, but she ironically thought: Shen Lu Man treats her even better than the original protagonist. Still, why choose a full moon night? Staring at the moon, round and full like a large pancake, she hadn’t any deeper thoughts. Educated through modern science, she knew the moon didn’t emit its own light; the moonlit nights were reflections of sunlight. The lunar orbit made heavenly shadows, causing phases seen from Earth—natural phenomena. However, if not the legend of Bai Suzhen, wouldn’t werewolves make more sense on a full moon? Could Shen Lu Man be a werewolf, returning to her wolf form under a full moon, blending in with the mountain's pack? Doesn't add up—it doesn’t bother her to cook with garlic or ginger, does it? But wait, werewolves are supposed to avoid those, aren’t they? She wondered. Having read some stories of vampires and werewolves in middle school, over a decade ago, her memory was fuzzy. Mulling over these thoughts, Jing Ao Xue pressed forward towards the nearing light spot. Following the waterfall’s flow, she reached a vast clearing between two mountains. The light spot was near, but no trace of Shen Lu Man was seen. Before her unfolded an expansive sea of flowers. Floral knowledge wasn’t her forte—just the common roses and lilies were known. Yet here, more than ten types bloomed prominently, including roses, lilies, daisies, wintersweet, even lotuses. Jing Ao Xue: "…" Wait, wasn’t it summer now? Wintersweet should grow in the icy depths of winter, right? How were so many different flowers, each with distinct growing conditions, thriving here on this field? Something was not right here! Certain there was more to it, she didn’t dwell on the why. Being unromantic, unlike others who might celebrate at such a sight, she was just briefly startled before frowning and continuing to search for Shen Lu Man. Clearly, sensing her presence, clearly feeling her abilities, yet no sight of her. She wondered if this was a dream—one where the improbable flower sea appeared, prompting Shen Lu Man to leave and refusal to be found. Frustrated, she sighed deeply, briefly silent before steadying herself once more. Narrowing her eyes, she resolutely thought: This can’t be the end of it! She stimulated all her wood elemental abilities at once, surrounding herself with the faint image of flowers and grass. Instantly, the active wood elements were drawn to her, and she closed her eyes, feeling the glow from Shen Lu Man’s spot intensify. Beyond reach, yet so close. She was just feeling pleased when suddenly her hands and feet were ensnared by the green vines hidden beneath the sea of flowers. These vines silently crept up on her, wrapping around her body without making contact until they were securely fastened around her entire form the moment she sensed their presence and opened her eyes. Jing Ao Xue thought: "How on earth did these vines manage to climb all over me?" She gritted her teeth and struggled, but the vines were unusually strong, binding her limbs tightly so that she couldn't move. With a cold smile tugging at her lips, she said, "Do you think such a measly thing can stop me?" Having encountered various mutated plants in the apocalypse, due to her wood-based abilities, her missions frequently involved seeking out these tasks, collecting the crystals within mutated plants to enhance her powers. Naturally, when reports of mutated plants surfaced, she would be dispatched from the base alongside other powerful teams. From her extensive experience, she discerned that these vines were not of a high level. Estimating their strength, they seemed to match her current abilities. This was somewhat reassuring; once she dealt with these pesky vines, she'd dig out Shen Lu Man no matter what it took. With that determination, Jing Ao Xue guided her wood-based powers to shift shape, transforming them into tangible green needles, a technique she found most effective and efficient for defeating zombies. Just as she prepared to deploy her powers to pierce the vines with her green needles, a vine curled around her head, layering it until her head was entirely encased in a green cocoon. Within this enclosure, the air quickly depleted, but she managed to take one last deep breath and held it, preventing the cocoon from suffocating her.