Chapter 414: Odd Smell
Chapter 414: Odd Smell
Zhou Chenglei had been by her side all along, and when Jiang Xia was startled, she jumped back.
He tossed aside the bucket in his hand and caught her.
As Zhou Chenglei pulled Jiang Xia into his embrace, she grabbed his arm and started running, shouting, "Snake!"
The thick and round creature struggled in her hands, and it even tried to bite her!
Zhou Chenglei knew she was terrified of snakes, so he immediately picked her up and then looked at the small puddle where a robust Mud Dragon was writhing in the mud.
"It's not a snake, it's a Mud Dragon," he said, supporting her with one hand and gently stroking her lower back, watching the Mud Dragon writhing in the mud pit.
Mud Dragon? What's a Mud Dragon? Jiang Xia looked over: the creature was covered in mud, and all she could see was a slightly pointed head, shaped like a snake, with a thick and long body.
She had touched it earlier, mistaking it for a snake.
It did look like a snake!
At that moment, Zhou Fu rushed over, asking, "What's wrong?"
Jiang Xia gestured for Zhou Chenglei to put her down.
Zhou Chenglei released her, setting her down and gripping her wrist, feeling her pulse still racing faster than usual, indicating she was still shaken.
He held her hand, their fingers intertwined, and said, "It's okay, Xia Xia caught a Mud Dragon, and my cock, and I thought it was a snake, so I got a scare."
"A Mud Dragon? You can find a Mud Dragon? This is a rare find! It's a treasure!" Zhou Fu crouched down and quickly grabbed the Mud Dragon that was trying to hide.
Zhou Fu held up the head of the Mud Dragon and presented it to both of them, saying with a smile, "This Mud Dragon is fat! It's valuable! It's a great tonic!"
"..."
Jiang Xia took a silent step back and asked Zhou Chenglei, "What are the benefits of a Mud Dragon?"
Zhou Fu smiled and explained, "Mud Dragons are great for strengthening muscles and bones, especially for the lower back. Drinking a bowl of Mud Dragon herbal soup is like a miracle for soothing and strengthening the body."
Mud Dragons belong to the Eel family, scientifically known as Mud Dragon Eel, with a conical head and a vermilion tail, they are known for their aggressive nature.
The locals believe that Mud Dragons can strengthen muscles and bones, and anyone with injuries or fractures would want to drink a bowl of Mud Dragon soup or wine infused with Mud Dragon.
Zhou Mu and Tian Caixia also approached.
Tian Caixia saw the robust Mud Dragon in Zhou Fu's hand, and her eyes widened, "This Mud Dragon is huge! It must be three or four pounds!"
Zhou Fu smiled, "Almost! Tonight, I'll make a herbal soup! Everyone can have a tonic."
Zhou Chenglei said, "Let's use it to infuse some wine."
After making the soup, his mother would definitely make him drink it, as it wasn't advisable for him to have tonics for his lower back recently.
Jiang Xia was pregnant and not suitable for such a nourishing soup.
Moreover, she had heard that many women suffer from lower back pain after childbirth, and his mother often complained about her own lower back pain.
After infusing the wine, his mother and Jiang Xia could drink it when they had lower back discomfort.
"Infusing wine is good. I'll go to town to buy some herbs to infuse the wine," Zhou Fu said happily.
Jiang Xia thought of Zhang Fuyan, who often suffered from muscle and bone injuries. She felt that once the wine was infused, she should bottle some for Zhang Fuyan to drink, hoping it would strengthen her muscles and bones. Tian Caixia moved her lips, thinking about her father's lower back pain, and how he always asked her to find a Mud Dragon for soup.
But she hadn't seen one for half a year. She had seen one caught at the pier, but someone else bought it first.
She examined this Mud Dragon, a good-sized one. Could she take half of it to her family?
Jiang Xia bent down and picked up a scallop from the ground, saying, "Let's go, keep looking for more Mud Dragons."
Zhou Chenglei asked, "Not afraid anymore?"
Jiang Xia replied, "It's not a snake, what's there to be afraid of?"
She was still a bit scared, but since she had caught it, she would handle it, though she wouldn't dare to touch it herself. But wasn't Zhou Chenglei there with her?
Tian Caixia, upon hearing this, also started searching in the small puddles.
The family continued their search, digging and moving forward.
With so many sea cucumbers, they're like money! Of course, they should be picked up vigorously, trying to gather as many as possible.
As the tide recedes, miles of beach are exposed, revealing countless treasures!
Jiang Xia bends down and picks up an oyster, a mussel, and a conch, placing them into the bucket.
Then, she spots a pair of crab eyes.
Using a hoe, she pulls up a crab about the size of Zhou Chenglei's palm—an orchid crab.
Zhou Chenglei presses down on its shell with a shovel and picks it up.
They continue picking, gathering, and digging! The sea cucumbers here are probably a year or two old, filling the bucket in no time.
Soon, one bucket is full, and then another.
The mussels, conchs, and cone shells are also large, but Zhou Chenglei doesn't pick up the smaller ones, only selecting the larger ones.
Half an hour later, Zhou Chenglei asks Jiang Xia, "Are you tired?"
"Not tired." With money to pick up, who would get tired so quickly? Jiang Xia feels she can continue for another half an hour.
"Let's pick for another fifteen minutes, then take a break." Zhou Chenglei glances at his watch.
"Okay."
Thirteen minutes later, Zhou Chenglei quickly heads back, carrying a bamboo chair and a wooden board.
He places the board on the beach and then puts the chair on top.
For the correct version, read on 69shu! 6=9+shu_bar. This novel is originally published on 69shu.
Jiang Xia sits on the chair, and its four legs don't sink into the sand, allowing her to sit more stably.
Jiang Xia picks up a sea cucumber and walks over to sit and rest.
Jiang Xia sits there, basking in the sun, watching them tirelessly picking up sea cucumbers.
Watching them, she feels like joining them again! Forget it, she decides not to watch anymore. Instead, she picks up a water bottle, drinking while gazing at the vast sea before her.
In the distance, red mangroves stand tall, and countless seagulls fly above, probably pecking at the fish and shrimp exposed on the beach.
The afternoon sun is intense, and the beach, under the sun's heat, emits a certain scent.
Especially after the recent low tide, the beach, still covered in seaweed mud, doesn't smell pleasant.
Jiang Xia doesn't mind for now, accustomed to the salty air from the sea, she doesn't find the beach's odor offensive.
But as she continues to smell, she senses a faint, peculiar scent wafting from nearby.
Lately, she's noticed her sense of smell has become more sensitive, detecting even faint odors.
Scents that Zhou Chenglei can't detect, she can.
It's somewhat woody, but Jiang Xia doesn't mind, assuming it's from the wood beneath the chair.
After a while, a breeze blows by, carrying a fragrant aroma.
This time, she's certain it's not from the wood under her feet.
Jiang Xia turns to glance at a large piece of wood not far away, covered in seaweed and a few strands of seaweed.
Jiang Xia suspects the smell comes from the seaweed and seaweed drying in the sun, but she doesn't mind. She continues to look at the sea, watching them dig up sea cucumbers with delight.
But that peculiar scent keeps floating over, impossible to ignore.
After smelling it for a while, she's unsure if it's good or bad.
Jiang Xia stands up, moves the chair, and drags the wooden board, finding a new spot to sit.
Zhou Chenglei has been paying attention to Jiang Xia.
Seeing her move the chair, he walks back to her side, "What's wrong?"
"Nothing, just a strange smell. I'll sit a bit further away."
Zhou Chenglei reaches out to take the bamboo chair and wooden board, moving them a bit further, and then sets them down.
Jiang Xia follows him and sits down.
Zhou Chenglei heads towards the tree branch, suspecting there might be dead fish or shrimp, which Jiang Xia might smell. He plans to cover them with sand.
Jiang Xia looks at the wood, feeling something is off!
(End of Chapter)
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