CHAPTER 367: 367. RIVERSIDE ONE DAY

Three cars, Lianshan’s whole family plus Old Yang, Feng Ju, a total of eleven people.

The trunk is packed with a gas cylinder, a gas stove, and a wok, a soup pot is well-prepared. With the strong suggestion from Lian Xi and Xinqing, they even brought a barbecue grill, charcoal, and a large pile of prepped ingredients sealed in storage boxes.

Admire the distant mountains and nearby waters, enjoy the fragrance of lotuses wafting through the air.

Swimming, fishing, or renting a small boat to enjoy the scenery on the water and have a close encounter with lotus flowers.

Or, under the guidance of the staff, pick some water caltrops, pluck some lotus flowers to make porridge, prepare beggar’s chicken, and save some for mom to make lotus leaf tea.

Even if you do nothing, just standing by the shore, feeling the gentle breeze, looking at the vast expanse of the river gives a particularly soothing and pleasant feeling.

As someone who won a wife from the big river, Lianshan has a knack for swimming.

With his teaching, Lian En, Chenchen, and Lian Xi are also quite adept in the water.

However, Xinzhi, Xinyue, and Xinqing have forgotten almost all they learned due to lack of practice.

But with the help of swim rings, mom and the kids, along with three-year-old Lian Li, can play in the shallow waters by the shore safely and without a hitch.

After entering the water at around nine o’clock, they played for over an hour, and little Yanzi Lian Li fell in love with playing in the water.

Crying and fussing, refusing to come up no matter what.

No matter if it’s about fishing, eating, or picking lotus flowers, the little one simply blocks it out with a "Don’t listen, don’t listen, I won’t listen" attitude.

Anyone who dares try to pull me out of the water, I’ll give them a magical ear-piercing cry, making them surrender repeatedly.

Of course, if you can’t stand it and put me back in the water, I’ll shut up in a second.

After going through this cycle a few times, even mom and the kids gave in.

Finally, Chenchen rented a small boat, and mom and the kids rowed around to pick some water caltrops, lotus leaves, and a few lotus flowers.

This was enough to distract the little one from playing in the water and simultaneously gather ingredients for lotus leaf porridge for lunch and beggar’s chicken for dinner.

As for those few lotus flowers, be they budding or slightly blooming, or in full bloom, they were specially chosen by the sisters to take home and arrange in a vase.

As one of the main attractions and sources of income in West River, whether water caltrops, lotus leaves, or lotus flowers, they are all quite pricey. Even the fish caught in the fishing zone are much more expensive than elsewhere.

However, as developers and providers of high-quality lotus breeding stock suitable for Northern growth, flowering, and harvest of lotus seeds and roots,

Shuzhen and her partner have always enjoyed free access, but this special treatment makes Shuzhen and Lianshan too embarrassed to visit often.

It wasn’t until Lian En mumbled about Chenchen and Xinzhi, the two students preparing for college entrance exams, being too tense and stressed that it would be good to find a suitable place to relax, that Shuzhen had the idea to come to West River’s Riverside Paradise.

After a day of fun, Feng Ju created a "Joyful Riverside Outing" painting.

Lian En, at Xinqing’s request, painted the endless green of lotus leaves touching the sky.

He even inscribed it with words like "Family Outing of a Certain Year for Little Sister" and seriously signed and stamped it, promising to frame it nicely for the little girl.

Moreover, under her repeated requests, he promised never to paint lotus diagrams in the future.

No choice, he lost a game of rock-paper-scissors, after all.

It was agreed that the loser must fulfill a small request from the winner, and Xinqing didn’t care if her big brother had let her win!

Seeing the little one’s treasure-like demeanor, everyone couldn’t help but laugh.

Xinqing, secretly delighted, thought: Laugh all you want, wait until the day when my big brother becomes internationally renowned, this painting will undoubtedly appreciate in value, beyond a hundred times. Such a significant, his one and only lotus painting, is simply priceless! Haha, with this painting, I won’t worry about anything, everyone will be envious of me!

Of course, when that day truly comes, no matter how much money is offered, Xinqing wouldn’t bear to sell the painting.

After all, as the only lotus painting by the great artist Lian En, it’s not just precious. It also symbolizes her brother’s affection and trust, truly an heirloom beyond value!

The group set up several large parasols by the river, got out the gas cylinder and stove, and cooked fragrant lotus leaf porridge and river fish.

After eating and drinking, they napped by the river, waiting to continue the afternoon with more swimming, boating, and fishing activities.

After a day of joyful activities, they finally ate barbecue and steamed beggar’s chicken, heading home satisfied.

However, this satisfaction doesn’t include Chenchen and Xinzhi.

As students heading to take their exams tomorrow, seductive but heat-intensive and easy-to-upset-stomach foods like barbecue are strictly prohibited for the siblings.

Although the steamed fish and poached chicken were delicious,

Can you imagine drinking lotus leaf porridge, eating steamed fish and chicken, feeling like it tastes bland enough to make you feel like a bird? While uncles, parents, brothers, and sisters feast on roast meats, grilled fish, and beggar’s chicken nearby, the delicious aroma intensely contrasting?

For the first time in nineteen years, Chenchen and Zhixin truly understood the feeling of drooling with craving.

Both siblings felt this was the only major failing of the trip.

Walking home under the hazy moonlight, they realized that by the time they got home, the clock was already pointing to eight.

You’d think they’d be tossing and turning tonight, facing one of life’s most significant milestones tomorrow, anxious and excited to the point of sleeplessness, but they both surprisingly fell into a deep sleep until the alarm rang.

They quickly got dressed and washed up, with food already prepared.

Waiting for Chenchen was his master, Old Yang, with an apologetic expression: "Ahem, well, I heard Feng Ju specially made breakfast for your brother during his college entrance exams, hoping for a good omen and wishing him success. I can’t cook well, so I won’t pretend to know.

I found two nice jade gourds from my collection, here, one for each of you, Chenchen and Xinzhi.

Jade for safety, gourd for good fortune, wear it for good luck!"

These thumb-sized jade gourds, exquisitely carved and of pure quality, were evidently valuable.

Though she knew she was just an afterthought, wholly benefiting from Chenchen’s reputation, Xinzhi hesitated to accept.

Chenchen, however, showed no such reservations, promptly hanging it around his neck and handed Xinzhi hers: "I did have a tiny worry, afraid Xinzhi might falter at a crucial moment and drag me down. With this talisman from our master, offering safety and fortune, I’m reassured. We will definitely try our best, ensuring this gift doesn’t turn into a consolation prize!

You, along with my parents and big brother, wait for our good news."