Transmigrated as Cannon Fodder — I Rise to Female Lead Through Hard Work-Chapter 52: Lingzhi

After staying on the small hill for half an hour, Yi Roujing went into the mountains. She could always avoid those from the brigade who were just there to watch the excitement.

Anmin and Xia Xingchen very loyally followed her up the mountain.

"How does the one living in the cattle shed herd cattle? They’re supposed to be cutting pigweed, right?"

"People prefer to exchange privately."

"That wife of Ding Ancheng seems to be getting better and better, no wonder the young couple’s relationship is so good now."

"Exactly, now you don’t hear any more swearing from their home, they’re doing well."

"Hey, the Hupozi family seems quite peaceful lately too, what’s going on?"

"Jianshe is coming back, a few days ago I heard Hupozi say that Ding Jianshe had been saving up his vacation days, so this time he’ll be back for quite a few days."

"Of course he has to come back, if he doesn’t, how will his wife have a child?"

"Hahaha."

...

Once one topic of gossip is gone, there are always new ones coming up. However, with the departure of Yi Roujing and the others, the lively atmosphere on the small hill quickly quieted down.

On the way up, Anmin kept humming a little tune, clearly in high spirits. Xia Xingchen knew her personality, understanding that she was happy about the good relationship between her brother and sister-in-law.

But Yi Roujing, the person involved, didn’t feel that way. With her ears buzzing continually reminding her of the foolish things she had done, she felt not only dissatisfied but also a bit of anxiety. Thinking about Ding Ancheng’s words this morning made her heartbeat inevitably skip a beat, not knowing why, but mostly feeling that he might be sick, and not lightly at that.

With a complicated mood, Yi Roujing released some pent-up frustration while cutting pigweed. She cut not only quickly but also forcefully.

"Take it easy, big brother has already left." Anmin quietly reminded from beside her.

"What does him leaving have to do with me cutting pigweed?" Yi Roujing retorted angrily.

"But if you get blisters on your hands again after resting for two days, there won’t be anyone to help you cut pigweed," Anmin replied honestly.

"Hmph, I can do it myself." Yi Roujing stood up and distanced herself from Anmin; she merely wanted some peace and quiet now.

They were cutting pigweed a bit higher today, but still not halfway up the mountain. After all, the mountain was too big, and going too high was dangerous.

But twenty meters away, a person in a blue Lenin suit with a basket on their back, was Song Yiluo. Wasn’t she a teacher? What was she doing on the mountain?

Lingzhi!

Yi Roujing’s eyes brightened, and she silently followed, thinking it would be foolish not to take advantage—especially since it was nature’s gift, not planted by Song Yiluo.

After walking for a quarter of an hour, Song Yiluo ahead had already stopped to drink water and rest. Yi Roujing waited behind out of boredom. Although her stamina was not as good as in her past life, it was still better than ordinary people.

Song Yiluo rested for about five minutes before continuing the climb. After another five minutes, Song Yiluo had not stopped yet, but Yi Roujing paused because there was someone ahead.

"Yiluo, you’re here." The person waving and yelling from below was the little son of the brigade leader, Ding Xingye, whom Yi Roujing had seen the other night quarreling with Song Yiluo over a water bucket.

However, the way he addressed her now... Yi Roujing found the rapid progression of their relationship unexpected. Just a few days ago, it was "Song Zhiqing", and now it’s already "Yiluo".

"Keep your voice down, it’s not good if others find out." Song Yiluo said, slightly frowning.

"Oh, oh, I’ll keep it down, keep it down." Ding Xingye immediately covered his mouth and complied.

"Yiluo, how’s your grandfather’s health? Did it get better after eating the lingzhi?" Ding Xingye asked excitedly, then slapped his own head, "Heh heh, look at my hasty nature, it hasn’t been long since you sent it, it might not have even reached Jing City yet."

"I found another spot yesterday with two lingzhi, Yiluo, they’re all for you." Ding Xingye said to Song Yiluo with a face full of delight.

"Thank you, Xingye." Song Yiluo softened her expression and thanked him, "Wild lingzhi are hard to come by, I thank you on behalf of my grandfather."

Yi Roujing’s lips curled slightly in disdain. The book described someone else as having a weak constitution, and although they were of the same generation as her grandfather, they weren’t actually related. But she didn’t expect Song Yiluo to use her grandfather as a pretext. However, those weren’t the important things; what mattered was that the lingzhi was sent to Jing City, and the situation of the Song family’s branch was about to open up, but all of this had nothing to do with her.

What surprised Yi Roujing was that the person who discovered the lingzhi was actually Ding Xingye. She sighed at his blindness in love, thinking how fragrant it would be to bring it home—it’s valuable if sold, or at least nutritious if consumed at home. But to give it away, all of it no less, was incredibly foolish.

If the brigade leader and his wife found out about this, Ding Xingye’s legs would probably be broken.

The higher and deeper they went, they finally reached their destination. The air carried a faint mushroom fragrance, but Yi Roujing knew it was wild lingzhi. They were not small; she saw from a distance lingzhi growing at the base of a broadleaf tree, each as large as an adult’s palm, with a smaller one about half the size.

Song Yiluo’s eyes visibly lit up and she impulsively hugged Ding Xingye, "Xingye, thank you so much."

Even though it was a fleeting embrace, Ding Xingye’s face flushed with excitement and nervousness, "Yiluo, as long as you like it, next time I see more, I’ll give them to you too."

They moved quickly, picking the lingzhi and heading back down the mountain.

After they left, Yi Roujing stepped out from behind a tree, walked to the broadleaf tree where the lingzhi had grown, and squatted down. They had pulled it out by the roots. If she hadn’t seen inaccurately, it was a Purple Ganoderma, and wild ones tend to be valuable if processed well.

Yi Roujing searched around but as expected, did not find any other lingzhi. If there had been, they must have been picked already. Ah, it’s hard to take advantage.

Yi Roujing decided to head down the mountain, but upon looking around, she realized she had wandered deeper into the mountain, where only speckles of sunlight dotted the ground. 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝚠𝚎𝚋𝗻𝗼𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝚘𝐦

"Hiss hiss"

Yi Roujing abruptly turned, facing the source of the sound. About ten meters away was a flat-headed cobra, as thick as an adult’s arm, its upper body upright, eyes fixed intently on her.

Yi Roujing furrowed her brows slightly, instinctively raising the sickle in her hand to her chest. If the cobra made any move, it would become the next soul under her sickle.

The cobra moved sideways a few steps. Yi Roujing’s eyes widened as she had overlooked what was behind the snake. Under the tree, large enough for two people to encircle, grew a cluster of three Purple Ganodermas, the largest about twenty centimeters in diameter. They were smaller as they went up, but the smallest was still the size of the one Song Yiluo had picked earlier.

Not only that, but the tree trunk had two Large Tree Mushrooms, both quite substantial, needing both her hands to hold. Fortune favored her, making Yi Roujing’s eyes redden with anticipation.

So this is what they mean by treasures guarded by snakes, she realized.

"Please let me have it." Yi Roujing tried negotiating with the cobra, although it couldn’t understand her and apparently saw through her intent. The snake suddenly lunged at her, attempting to bite.