Chapter 113 - 111 — The Strawberry Patch and the Goat’s Big Secret

Chapter 113: Chapter 111 — The Strawberry Patch and the Goat’s Big Secret

The next morning, Shen Rui discovered that he had acquired an assistant.

Unfortunately, the assistant was a goat.

A very persistent goat.

And it had absolutely no understanding of personal space.

"Move."

Pepper did not move.

Shen Rui shifted one step to the left.

Pepper followed.

He shifted one step to the right.

Pepper followed again.

Shen Rui looked down.

Pepper looked up.

They stared at each other.

"Good morning," Lin Yue said cheerfully from the doorway.

Shen Rui turned toward her.

"Your goat is following me."

"My goat?"

"You were the one who praised him yesterday."

"I said he was an enthusiastic inspector."

"He has promoted himself."

Lin Yue approached and scratched Pepper behind the ears.

"Perhaps he likes you."

Pepper immediately leaned against Shen Rui’s leg.

Shen Rui sighed.

"I would prefer admiration from a distance."

Lin Yue laughed.

"You are being rather unfriendly to your new assistant."

"I did not hire him."

Pepper bleated.

"Apparently, he disagrees."

The mysterious strawberry patch had become the most exciting topic in the courtyard.

By breakfast, Jun had already told three different versions of the discovery.

In the first version, Pepper had bravely fought through a forest of thorny bushes.

In the second, he had followed a mysterious golden butterfly.

In the third, he had discovered the strawberries after sensing an ancient treasure beneath the earth.

His younger sister listened patiently until he finished.

"Pepper was looking for something to eat."

Jun frowned.

"You always make my stories less interesting."

"Someone has to make them believable."

Mei placed her notebook on the table.

"I recorded the location yesterday. The patch is beyond the old eastern orchard, near the stone boundary."

Lin Yue nodded.

"Good. We should examine it properly before picking anything else."

Jun raised his hand.

"Can we eat the strawberries?"

"After we identify them and make sure they are safe."

Jun lowered his hand.

"How long will that take?"

"Long enough for you to stop thinking about eating them."

His sister giggled.

Lumi appeared from behind the kitchen door, attracted by the word strawberries.

"Did someone say strawberries?"

Aster materialised beside him.

"You are supposed to be preparing today’s bakery orders."

"I can prepare strawberries too."

"You ate the sample ingredients yesterday."

"They were quality-control samples."

"You ate seventeen."

Lumi lifted his chin.

"A thorough inspection requires dedication."

Lin Yue shook her head.

"Lumi, you may come along, but you are not allowed to eat anything before I identify it."

The little dragon looked personally wounded.

"Why does everyone distrust my professional judgment?"

Shen Rui picked up the small basket.

"Because your professional judgment once declared a burnt cake delicious."

"It was delicious!"

"It was charcoal."

"Charcoal has flavour!"

Lin Yue laughed so hard that she nearly spilled her tea.

The old eastern orchard was quieter than the main garden.

A narrow path wound between pear trees and old peach trees, their branches stretching over the grass. Fallen leaves covered the ground, and sunlight filtered through the canopy in golden patches.

Pepper led the way.

He walked with the confidence of an animal who believed the entire orchard belonged to him.

Jun followed closely.

"Look! He’s taking us to the secret place!"

His sister pointed ahead.

"He is taking us to the grass."

Pepper stopped.

Then he turned left.

Then right.

Then walked directly into a bush.

A moment later, his head emerged with a leaf stuck between his horns.

Lin Yue covered her mouth.

Shen Rui removed the leaf.

"Your leadership skills are impressive."

Pepper bleated.

"Thank you," Lin Yue said solemnly on his behalf.

Shen Rui gave her a look.

"You are encouraging him."

"I am supporting his confidence."

"Then I shall have to support his removal from my work team."

She smiled and slipped her hand into his.

"Don’t be jealous. He is only your assistant."

"I am not jealous."

"Of course not."

"I simply believe an assistant should know how to carry tools."

Pepper immediately tried to eat the strap of Shen Rui’s basket.

Lin Yue laughed.

"I think he is learning."

They soon reached the strawberry patch.

It was larger than Lin Yue had expected.

Small green plants spread beneath the trees, their delicate leaves covering the soil. Tiny red berries peeked out from beneath the foliage, while several white flowers suggested that more fruit would appear soon.

The children gasped.

"So many!"

"Are they all strawberries?"

"Can we pick them?"

Lin Yue crouched beside the plants.

"Carefully. We should leave some for the plants to produce more fruit, and we must avoid stepping on the young runners."

Mei opened her notebook.

"Should I record how many plants there are?"

"Yes. Also note where they grow best. We can observe whether they prefer the shaded areas or the places receiving more morning sunlight."

Jun looked at the berries.

"Can we call this Strawberry Kingdom?"

His sister sighed.

"Everything is a kingdom to you."

"Because kingdoms are wonderful."

Shen Rui examined the surrounding ground.

"There is a small stream nearby. That may explain why the soil remains moist."

Lin Yue nodded.

"Exactly. The trees provide partial shade, and the stream keeps the area from drying out too quickly."

She gently moved aside a few leaves.

Then she noticed something unusual.

The silver-green seedling from yesterday was growing near a cluster of strawberry plants.

Its leaves were narrow and delicate, with faint silvery veins. Unlike the strawberries, it had no visible flowers or fruit.

Lin Yue leaned closer.

"This is the plant Mei brought back yesterday."

Aster appeared beside her.

"Confirmed. The leaf pattern matches the previous specimen."

"Can you identify it now?"

"Not conclusively. However, I have detected traces of an unusual mineral composition in the surrounding soil."

Lin Yue frowned thoughtfully.

"Could it be related to the old irrigation channel?"

Shen Rui crouched beside her.

"There is an abandoned stone channel running behind this part of the orchard. I noticed it when we repaired the eastern path."

Lin Yue looked up.

"Could you show me?"

"Of course."

He offered his hand and helped her stand.

Then, noticing a patch of slippery mud, he moved in front of her.

"Careful."

"I can walk through mud."

"I know."

"Then why are you looking at the ground as if it personally offended you?"

"Because it is trying to steal my wife’s shoes."

Lin Yue laughed.

"Your wife has survived considerably worse than muddy shoes."

"And I would prefer not to spend our afternoon cleaning them."

She gave his arm a playful pinch.

"You are impossible."

"Only when it concerns you."

The abandoned irrigation channel was almost hidden beneath fallen branches and creeping vines.

Shen Rui pulled away the branches while Lin Yue examined the stonework.

The channel was old, but surprisingly well constructed. Small grooves had been carved along its inner surface, guiding water toward the orchard.

A section had collapsed, leaving a shallow pool where rainwater collected.

Lin Yue knelt and examined the surrounding soil.

"Interesting."

Shen Rui stood beside her.

"What have you found?"

"The soil near this channel is slightly different from the surrounding area. It contains more fine sediment."

"Was that why the strawberries grew here?"

"Possibly. The water may have carried nutrients down from the upper slope."

She looked toward the silver-leaf seedling.

"And perhaps this plant prefers the same conditions."

Aster projected a small diagram.

"The old channel appears to connect to a spring farther uphill."

Mei’s eyes widened.

"A spring?"

Jun immediately raised his shovel.

"Should we dig?"

"No," Lin Yue and Shen Rui said together.

Jun lowered it.

His sister giggled.

Lin Yue smiled.

"We should first locate the spring and understand where the water comes from. We do not want to damage the channel."

Shen Rui examined the stones.

"I can clear the blocked section. If the structure is still sound, we may be able to restore part of it."

Lin Yue nodded.

"That would help the orchard."

A small bleat interrupted them.

Everyone turned.

Pepper had found a narrow opening beneath the fallen branches.

His head disappeared into it.

Then his shoulders.

Then the rest of him.

"Pepper!" Jun shouted.

A moment later, the goat emerged from the other side carrying something in his mouth.

A little wooden object.

It looked like an old garden marker.

Mei hurried forward.

"Where did you find that?"

Pepper dropped it.

Lin Yue picked it up and brushed away the dirt.

Three faded characters were carved into the wood.

Moon Spring.

The children gathered around her.

"Moon Spring?" Jun repeated.

Shen Rui examined the marker.

"It may be the name of the old spring."

Lin Yue looked toward the upper slope.

"Then I think we have found our next little adventure."

Pepper bleated proudly.

Shen Rui looked at him.

"Do not become too pleased with yourself."

They did not climb the hill that afternoon.

The path was overgrown, and Lin Yue wanted to return with proper tools and enough daylight.

Instead, they collected a small number of strawberries, marked the location of the silver-leaf plant, and carefully recorded the old irrigation channel.

Lumi was given three strawberries.

He ate them in one bite.

Then he looked at the basket.

"Can I have another?"

"No," Lin Yue said.

"Why?"

"Because you were given three."

"But they were very small."

"They were normal-sized strawberries."

"For a dragon, they were practically crumbs."

Aster appeared beside him.

"Your previous snack consisted of four peach cakes."

Lumi looked away.

"That information is irrelevant."

Shen Rui handed Lin Yue the basket.

"I think we should bring the strawberries home before our dragon assistant begins another inspection."

Lumi gasped.

"Why does everyone keep calling me an assistant?"

"Because you are not the owner," Aster replied.

"I am the future owner!"

"Your bakery has been operating for three days."

"And it has already become famous!"

Mei quietly raised her hand.

"Lumi, you still owe two customers their change."

The little dragon froze.

Then he turned around.

"I suddenly remembered something important."

He disappeared in a puff of golden sparks.

Lin Yue laughed.

"Some things never change."

Back at the courtyard, Lin Yue decided to make a small strawberry tart.

It was a simple recipe, but the fresh berries made the filling bright and fragrant. She added a little honey and placed the finished tart on the table to cool.

Lumi appeared almost immediately.

His nose twitched.

"Is that for the bakery?"

"No."

"For me?"

"No."

"For the children?"

Lin Yue smiled.

"For everyone who helped with today’s discovery."

Lumi looked relieved.

"Excellent. I helped."

"You ate three strawberries."

"Exactly. I contributed through quality control."

Shen Rui entered carrying a small wooden box.

Inside were several pieces of cleaned wood and the old garden marker.

"I thought we should preserve this."

Lin Yue examined the marker again.

"Moon Spring."

"I can make a new sign for the orchard. Perhaps we can place it near the old channel once we know what is there."

She smiled.

"That would be lovely."

Shen Rui set the box down.

Then he noticed a little smear of strawberry filling on her cheek.

He reached over and wiped it away with his thumb.

"You have some here."

Lin Yue looked at his hand.

"Thank you."

He tasted the filling from his thumb.

"Not bad."

She narrowed her eyes.

"Are you stealing my quality-control privileges?"

"I am simply checking whether Lumi’s standards are justified."

Lumi gasped.

"THAT IS MY JOB!"

Lin Yue laughed.

"Both of you are terrible."

Shen Rui leaned closer.

"But you like us."

She pretended to think.

"One of you is considerably easier to manage."

Lumi looked offended.

"Who?"

Lin Yue kissed Shen Rui’s cheek.

Lumi stared.

Then he turned to Aster.

"I demand equal treatment."

Aster replied without hesitation.

"Please submit your request in writing."

That evening, the apprentices gathered beneath the peach tree to discuss the discovery.

Mei recorded the location of the Moon Spring marker.

Jun proposed that the children should organise an expedition.

His sister suggested that the expedition should include fewer shovels and more sensible footwear.

The youngest girl asked whether the spring might have fish.

Lin Yue promised they would investigate before making any assumptions.

Shen Rui agreed to repair the old irrigation channel if the structure proved safe.

It was decided that the children would help observe the strawberry patch, while Mei would keep a record of its growth.

Pepper was assigned a new responsibility.

He was to remain outside the strawberry beds.

The goat immediately attempted to eat his appointment notice.

Jun sighed.

"He doesn’t understand his responsibilities."

Shen Rui looked at Pepper.

"I understand him perfectly."

Lin Yue smiled.

"You have become quite familiar with your assistant."

"I have learned that he is unreliable, stubborn, and constantly hungry."

"Sounds familiar."

Shen Rui turned toward her.

"Are you comparing me to a goat?"

"Would you like me to?"

He laughed and wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

"No. I would rather be your husband."

She leaned comfortably against him.

"That position is already taken."

"Fortunately."

They stood together beneath the peach tree, watching the children argue about the future of Little Hands Garden.

Their little kingdom was growing again.

Not through grand plans or extraordinary magic, but through small discoveries, shared laughter, and people who were learning to care for the same patch of earth.

And somewhere beyond the orchard, an old spring was waiting to be found.

Later that night, after everyone had gone to bed, Lin Yue placed the silver-leaf seedling’s recorded observations beside her Golden Space journal.

She had not brought the plant back. It was better to leave it where it grew until they understood its needs.

Still, something about its delicate leaves had caught her attention.

She opened the Golden Space.

The familiar golden light spread across the garden.

The peach trees swayed gently, the vegetable beds flourished, and the little stream continued its quiet journey through the cultivated land.

Then a faint ripple appeared in the water.

Aster materialised beside her.

"Lin Yue."

"Yes?"

"I have finished comparing the old orchard marker with the records stored in the Golden Space."

She turned.

"Did you find something?"

Aster projected a small image.

It showed an old map of the estate.

Near the eastern boundary was a tiny symbol shaped like a crescent moon.

Beneath it were two words.

Moon Spring.

Lin Yue leaned closer.

"Was this place recorded in the old maps?"

"Yes. But the location was marked as abandoned."

"Why?"

Aster paused.

"According to the surviving notes, the spring was once used to supply water to a small medicinal garden."

Lin Yue’s eyes brightened.

"A medicinal garden?"

"Correct. The garden disappeared from the estate records several decades ago."

She looked at the image again.

"So the silver-leaf plant might be something that once grew there."

"Possibly."

Lin Yue smiled.

"Then tomorrow, we investigate."

Aster looked at her.

"Should I inform Shen Rui?"

Lin Yue considered this.

Then she smiled mischievously.

"Not yet."

Aster tilted its head.

"Why?"

"Because tomorrow is supposed to be another quiet day."

Aster remained silent.

From somewhere outside the Golden Space came a distant bleat.

Lin Yue sighed.

"Although I suspect Pepper has other plans."

And she was right.

Because the following morning, Shen Rui would discover that his assistant had not only escaped again—

Pepper had somehow managed to steal the key to the old eastern orchard gate.