CHAPTER 398: CHAPTER 388: MINT ALOE AND WORMWOOD (TWO IN ONE)_2

After applying the aloe, Han Qiwu felt a cool sensation on his face, incredibly comfortable, as if tiny drops of water were soaking into his skin.

Overall, it felt great.

Once done, Han Qiwu didn’t say a word, simply gesturing for them to continue forward.

Aunt Hong Mei noticed he had a straw hat to shield him from the sun, so didn’t object. She pulled Aunt Guo, who was still picking aloe leaves, and headed toward Dog Head Mountain together.

"This aloe gel needs to stay on for half an hour. Let’s go gather some mugwort first, and we’ll visit Buffalo River later to help you find mint."

Han Qiwu nodded in agreement.

Twenty minutes later, the trio arrived at Dog Head Mountain.

Dog Head Mountain lived up to its name — from afar, it looked just like the head of a yellow dog, with even its open mouth and teeth having identifiable references. Up close, the slope was dotted with many locals out foraging for spring greens.

"Oh, you’re here too."

"Picked so much? Fresh as can be! Looks great!"

"Xiao Zhang, are you sure that mushroom is edible? Ask your old man when you get home. If it’s safe to eat, don’t forget to keep your ID in your pocket — let’s not trouble the doctor."

Once Aunt Guo arrived, she cheerfully exchanged greetings with the other locals before turning and speaking quietly, "There are too many people here. Let’s hurry over — the mugwort over there is tender and fresh. We’d better grab it before anyone else does."

Han Qiwu and Aunt Hong Mei nodded quickly and picked up their pace.

They moved along the mountainside to the shaded area, and a few minutes later, Aunt Guo breathed a sigh of relief, "Luckily it’s hidden well — no one saw it. Let’s hurry up and start picking."

"Aunt Hong Mei, Aunt Guo, you start picking. I’m going to go wash the aloe off my face." Han Qiwu squatted by the creek nearby, splashing water onto his face to clean it.

After glancing at his phone, Han Qiwu nodded in satisfaction.

His skin in the mirror had just about fully recovered. It looked even a bit whiter than before, with a hydrated glow thanks to the aloe’s moisturizing effect.

No wonder Aunt Hong Mei kept this wild aloe a secret — it was truly a treasure!

Just as he was about to stand up, Han Qiwu noticed two glowing system markers in his field of vision. Looking closer, he discovered a little patch of healthy shepherd’s purse growing nearby.

Shepherd’s purse is highly nutritious, grows easily, and is abundant. With over 11 types of amino acids in it, you can find patches of it with little effort during spring.

"Aunt Guo, there’s shepherd’s purse here too!" Han Qiwu shouted while reaching for the two glowing plants and picked them.

[Shepherd’s Purse] ×4

[Usage: Food]

[Stamina +20]

[Health +15]

[Note: On the third day of the third lunar month, shepherd’s purse is a magical remedy.]

"That’s great — pick them all! Let’s make shepherd’s purse buns when we get back!" Aunt Guo’s voice echoed from afar.

"Got it!"

In no time, Han Qiwu had nearly half a basket of shepherd’s purse.

Once the shepherd’s purse was picked clean, Han Qiwu joined the others to help with the mugwort.

The environment here seemed ideal for mugwort, and he immediately spotted two varieties of it.

The nearest mugwort had thick, almost stemless leaves; it was also called "Emperor’s Green."

Beside it was another cluster of slender, long-stemmed green leaves: small-leaf garland chrysanthemum, known for its use in hot pots.

"Xiao Han, pick extra. After you clean it, pack some up to take home. Eating garland chrysanthemum in spring helps boost immunity!" Aunt Guo said enthusiastically.

"Got it!" Han Qiwu replied, hastening his movements. He quickly filled up the remaining half of the basket.

"Whew."

Aunt Guo straightened up to wipe her sweat and laughed, "If it weren’t for Xiao Han teaching me Eight Pieces of Brocade exercises, my back would’ve been broken by now!"

"No need for extra words — just make Xiao Han some delicious food for lunch." Aunt Hong Mei teased with a laugh. "It’s getting late. Let’s head back — we’ll grab some silver-crowned grass for Xiao Han along the way."

"Sure, that will add extra flavor when we mix it into the mugwort later!" Aunt Guo agreed with a nod.

Seeing this, Han Qiwu put down his picking and walked over to grab Aunt Guo and Aunt Hong Mei’s baskets, carrying them in his arms. With his strength, taking two baskets of wild greens wasn’t a challenge at all.

"Xiao Han, you’re so strong! By the way, why hasn’t Xiao Tang been by lately? Did you two argue?" Aunt Hong Mei asked worriedly.

"No, no," Han Qiwu quickly explained, "She’s just been really busy with work lately."

"Makes sense. But listen, you should visit her in the city if you can. Chatting online isn’t the same — it doesn’t have the right feeling. Send her some spring greens too." Aunt Guo advised earnestly.

Han Qiwu nodded reluctantly but understandingly.

Aunts’ concerns always arrive out of nowhere.

At Buffalo River, Aunt Hong Mei led Han Qiwu to the northern bank and explained as they searched for mint, "The north bank is sunny, the south bank shady. Since the temperature isn’t too high right now, you’ll only find silver-crowned grass on the northern side."

Just as she finished speaking, Han Qiwu noticed a pale green cluster of mint swaying in the spring breeze.

"Auntie, there it is! I’ll go down to pick it." Han Qiwu said excitedly, descending the slope carefully and pinching off a sprig of mint.

[Mint Leaf]

[Usage: Medicinal/Edible]

[Stamina +6]

[Health +10]

[Special Effect - Coolness: Consuming provides flame resistance; effect and duration depend on intake amount.]

[Note: Mint brings you a refreshing summer.]

Finally found it!

Once today’s tasks were done, it’d be the perfect time to start preparing freeze potions.

Let’s hope the results are effective.

The lava mine layer’s difficulty level is just too high.

Han Qiwu managed to gather over twenty servings of mint leaves from the mint patch, only stopping once the glowing system markers disappeared.

He marked the location on his map for the next visit.

After climbing back up the bank, the trio decided to head to Aunt Hong Mei’s home to cook.

Half an hour later, Han Qiwu set down the baskets, stretched his arms, rinsed his hands, and joined the two aunts in food preparation.

Making shepherd’s purse buns wasn’t complicated — blanch the shepherd’s purse, season it, mix it with a little pork fat and minced meat, and encase it in proofed dough before steaming.

For mugwort, the preparation was straightforward too. Blanch it, chop it finely, mix it with blanched diced tofu and bamboo shoots, season with salt and a pinch of sugar, drizzle sesame oil over, and garnish with mint.

Finally, Aunt Hong Mei whipped up a spring soup using chrysanthemum greens, shrimp, and mushrooms.

At the table, the aroma of shepherd’s purse blended with mugwort, lingering under the roof beams, as if inviting springtime inside.

"Time to eat! Xiao Han, you must be starving." Aunt Hong Mei laughed, beckoning cheerfully.

Han Qiwu wasn’t shy, grabbing a shepherd’s purse bun, blowing on it, and taking a big bite.

The crust was soft, while the inside was crispy!

The minced shepherd’s purse was crisp and full of flavor, perfectly complemented by the pork filling — the taste was layered and rich, delivering the essence of spring.

After two bites of the shepherd’s purse bun, Han Qiwu grabbed a chopstick-full of tossed mugwort salad.

The mugwort’s distinct aroma was all-encompassing, elevated by the salt, sugar, and sesame oil, lingering in his mouth long after each bite.

Finishing that, a bowl of fragrant chrysanthemum soup washed away the day’s fatigue and brought vivid freshness that felt like spring itself.

So satisfying.

[Spring Foraging Participation: 95%. Reward Points: 95]

Feeling full, Han Qiwu glanced lazily at the system notification before taking another big sip of chrysanthemum soup.

Even though he was stuffed, it didn’t hurt to sip the soup for gaps, right?

After the meal, Aunt Hong Mei and Aunt Guo busied themselves again. The extra shepherd’s purse and mugwort would be pickled for a flavor twist, making them even tastier.

"Xiao Han, if you’ve got things to tend to, go take care of them. I’ll call you once the pickling’s done." Aunt Guo hurriedly shooed him away when he tried to help.

Seeing this, Han Qiwu didn’t insist. He thanked them and left Aunt Hong Mei’s cozy courtyard.

The gardenia hairpin is ready; time to head home and swap out the sedentary chair!