When Baby Dumpling heard that Lu Shu could be her mount, she was overjoyed at first but soon a bit disappointed: "Lu Shu, you're too big. I'm so little now I can't get on you at all."
Lu Shu said, "That's easy to fix, I'll just get a little smaller." After a flash of white light he promptly shrank down several sizes, and a saddle magically appeared on his back.
Seeing the now pony-sized Lu Shu, Jiang Yuqing was so surprised her mouth fell open. After a long pause she said, "Lu Shu, you're so amazing!"
"Of course," miniaturized Lu Shu was absolutely adorable, the kind that could slay you with cuteness. Jiang Yuqing immediately started petting him, utterly delighted.
"Master, please give me a name! I don't have one yet!"
Jiang Yuqing asked curiously, "Isn't Lu Shu your name?"
Lu Shu shook his head, "Of course not. Lu Shu is the name for our entire tribe, we Lu Shu are an ancient primordial beast clan."
"I see," Baby Dumpling smiled awkwardly. These spirit beasts were too clever, hard to handle. What to do? Please advise, it's rather urgent.
Lu Shu could also see that the realm master of this place wasn't too reliable.
Besides, the name Bai Xiaoshi, while not exactly elegant, was still quite cute. After thinking it over he reluctantly accepted it.
Doctor Qiu didn't expect that in the short time he went to fetch water, his apprentice would return with a beautiful deer beside her.
Doctor Qiu walked around the strange beast twice, it was a deer right? It should be, horses don't have antlers.
But this deer was also too beautiful, its antlers looked like mutton-fat jade, he wondered what medicinal effects they might have...
It had a long mane around its neck, and faint golden markings on its body.
Deer blood and venison were health tonics, and there was deer whip... Oh, this one looked female, so no whip.
Bai Xiaoshi suddenly felt a chill run through his body. He turned his head to see the lecherous old man ogling the area between his hind legs, seemingly regretful.
That roving gaze, looking him up and down, it was like he wanted to take him apart!
Angrily Bai Xiaoshi let out a loud "Yo-yo" at him.
But his voice was too melodious, the old man didn't feel threatened at all, in fact he looked even more delighted, "Oh-ho, quite the temper on this little thing!"
Bai Xiaoshi spat at him. The world instantly fell silent.
Bai Xiaoshi held his head high triumphantly. Let's see, let's see! If I don't put you in your place, you really will take advantage of me.
Jiang Yuqing hurriedly handed her master a handkerchief, then sternly admonished Bai Xiaoshi, "Bai Xiaoshi, don't be so rude. He's my master. He's family, don't treat him like that!"
Bai Xiaoshi refused to back down, "Who told him to look at me with such lecherous eyes, like he wanted to take me apart!"
Jiang Yuqing also knew her master's bad habit. She smiled wryly and placated him, "Master has been a doctor all his life, he's a good person, just has some... occupational afflictions. Don't take offense, I promise you he won't do it again."
Bai Xiaoshi harrumphed, which counted as agreeing.
Baby Dumpling also didn't know how to explain Bai Xiaoshi's background to her master. Besides, she would be studying medicine under him for a long time, it was hard to keep many things hidden.
Moreover, Doctor Qiu treated her like his own family, he was an elder who could be trusted. She didn't plan on deceiving him either.
So, Baby Dumpling was very candid, "Master, he's my friend, Bai Xiaoshi. Don't bully him in the future."
Doctor Qiu nodded to show he understood, "Did you just find him on the mountain?"
Jiang Yuqing shook her head, "No, he was with me when I was born."
"Hm?" Doctor Qiu thought his ears were malfunctioning. What did she mean "he was with me when I was born"?
Then, Doctor Qiu witnessed a worldview-shattering scene. A flash of white light and the deer vanished. Another flash and the deer reappeared.
"Master, Master!" Jiang Yuqing called out twice before she could pull Doctor Qiu back from his stunned state.
Doctor Qiu stammered, "So he's, he's not a monster!"
Jiang Yuqing shook her head again, "No, Master. He won't harm anyone."
Doctor Qiu quickly looked around to make sure no one else had seen. Only then did he breathe a long sigh of relief.
"That's good!" He glanced at Bai Xiaoshi, "Do your parents know about this?"
Jiang Yuqing said, "The elders at home know I'm a bit strange, but they haven't seen Bai Xiaoshi before.
Because Bai Xiaoshi was dormant until just now when he woke up. I'll tell them when I get home!"
"Good, good!" Doctor Qiu solemnly admonished her, "Other than your parents, you absolutely can not tell anyone else. Remember, possessing a treasure invites disaster! Be careful in the future, your master will also do his best to cover for you, understand?"
"Yes, Master, I understand."
"Alright, from now on, pretend Bai Xiaoshi is a deer you just happened to find. Since he's ownerless, you can keep him and use him as a mount."
"Thank you, Master."
Doctor Qiu patted his dear apprentice's little head, signaling for her to keep gathering herbs.
In his travels all over as a roaming doctor gathering herbs, he had seen many eccentrics and bizarre events, but never expected his precious apprentice to have such an adventure.
In fact, after living with the Jiang family for so long, he hadn't missed the strange things about them.
Like how the vegetables in the back garden would be bare one day but growing crazily the next day. Or how the kitchen tub somehow had water even sweeter than the best mountain spring, and drinking it could strengthen the body and prolong life.
Plus the Jiang family's overt and covert protection of the little girl, everything indicated it was related to her.
Now that his apprentice had confided this secret to him, it must be because she considered him on the same level as her own parents.
He was extremely gratified, but also felt pressured. Could he really protect such an outstanding apprentice?
In any case, his apprentice was destined for great things.
Since ancient times, the greatly fated were accompanied by great fortune, having auspicious beasts follow them was nothing odd.
Like the little white tiger at home, and now this deer.
When Jiang Yuqing returned from gathering herbs, she had also brought back a beautiful white deer to use as a mount.
If this happened to someone else, it would be astonishing.
But happening to her, Jiang Wenyuan was not surprised.
Moreover, with this deer, his good daughter would no longer have to worry about wanting a donkey.
This deer was not only beautiful, but bold, with exceptionally high combat ability. With just one kick, it could defeat the white tiger Bai Xiaojiu who had tried to drive it away.
Able to defeat even a tiger, dealing with common thieves should be no problem.
There was now basic protection for his daughter's safety when she traveled, so Jiang Dad felt reassured.
Most importantly, the deer was beautiful, a fitting match for his precious daughter.
The little girl, little deer, plus the little tiger, three little cuties, simply heart-meltingly adorable.
It had to be said, the solemn and proper Jiang Wenyuan in front of others was a hidden cuteness-holic in private.
After her brothers went to sleep at night, Jiang Yuqing still decided to tell her parents about the deer's origins to keep them informed.
"Dad, Mom, Bai Xiaoshi is my spirit beast, and I'm the realm master of Hibiscus Spirit Realm."
"What's Hibiscus Spirit Realm, is it the immortal realm?" Jiang Wenyuan asked his daughter.
Jiang Yuqing also couldn't explain exactly, she thought for a bit then pointed at the lotus on her forehead, "It's in here!"
The couple was instantly startled. Jiang Wenyuan grabbed his daughter and anxiously asked, "You mean it's in your brain?"
Jiang Yuqing thought about it, then nodded and shook her head, "Yes, and no.
It's a world that belongs only to me, my heritage. Right now my body is still small, I can only enter with my consciousness. When I turn three my body will be able to enter too!"
"Is it harmful to your body?"
Jiang Yuqing shook his head: "No. Don't worry. Bai Xiaoshi is just a Lingjing artifact spirit, an ancient mythical beast Lu Shu deer. It is very powerful.
Because we planted sweet potatoes and gained merit, it was able to come out early and meet me."
Baby Dumpling turned his head to Bai Xiaoshi and said, "Bai Xiaoshi, they are my relatives. Say hi!"
Bai Xiaoshi let out a "Yo" sound, which served as a greeting.
It also told everyone that from today on, it would be part of this family.
The family welcomed the appearance of Bai Xiaoshi with great enthusiasm.
The children had longed for a mount they could rely on, and now they could rest assured.
It was the golden autumn eighth month. When the villagers began harvesting the rice in the fields, the rice in the Jiang family's thousands of acres of fields had also ripened.
The autumn wind blew, stirring up surging waves of rice, rolling pieces of gold, rising and falling one after another, very spectacular.
Gold is the color of joy, the color of auspice.
The stalks as tall as a grown man's waist were full of half-chi long ears, about three times as long as ordinary grains.
The grains on top were dense and plump, heavy and rare. It amazed people.
Many of Jiang's long-term workers were old farmers who had farmed all their lives. They had rarely seen such good grains. They loved it so much that they wished they could sleep in the fields.
