Without realizing it, Yangyang—no, Sophie, as she preferred to be called—had already reached the middle of the forest. As she walked, Sophie faintly heard the sound of water and quickened her pace. She rarely came across rivers, so naturally, she wanted to go for a swim—even though she hadn't brought a swimsuit.
Unfortunately, the current was too strong for swimming. Staring at the rushing river, Sophie sighed, "If only I had a boat to drift downstream! That way, I wouldn't have to walk so much and could enjoy the view along the shore. Come on, heavens, send me a boat!"
"Maybe I can find some bamboo and make a raft?" Sophie mused, scanning the area for any bamboo groves.
"Ah! A boat!" Suddenly spotting something suspicious about 200 meters downstream, Sophie dashed toward it with excitement.
"It really is a boat! Fantastic! Looks like praying does work after all!" Sophie exclaimed. A thick vine connected a large tree to a sturdy wooden raft made of nine logs. Without hesitation, Sophie untied the vine, hopped onto the raft, grabbed a long stick lying on it, and declared, "Happy Raft, let's go!" Little did she know, her actions would drive someone crazy for three whole days and delay their return by an entire month, inadvertently fulfilling one of Sophie's perfect plans—but that's another story.
Back to the present! Drifting downstream, Sophie sat cross-legged on the raft, happily admiring the scenery on both sides of the river. Occasionally, she startled some unknown beasts drinking water by the bank. Since leaving the sealed area, the forest had come alive with chirping insects and singing birds—it must've been morning, and they were waking up too. The occasional small animals popping out were irresistibly cute, though they looked quite different from Earth's creatures.
"Something feels off ahead," Xiao Bai whispered softly from atop Sophie's head. "Hey, Sophie, stand up and take a look. Why does the water look like it's broken?"
"Huh? How's that possible?" Sophie craned her neck but didn't see anything unusual. Slowly standing up, she squinted and gasped, "Oh no, it's a waterfall!"
With no time to think, Sophie quickly grabbed Xiao Bai from her head and stuffed him into her shirt just as the raft reached the edge of the falls.
"Ahhh… glug!" Her scream was cut short by the roaring water.
After struggling ashore, Sophie turned back to see her once-sturdy raft now in pieces. She silently thanked the heavens that none of the debris had hit her.
Catching her breath, Sophie suddenly remembered Xiao Bai tucked inside her shirt. Pulling him out, she noticed his usually fluffy fur was now plastered against his tiny body, making him look even smaller. Thankfully, he was still breathing, though clearly exhausted. "What are those two blue streaks under your nose?" Sophie asked curiously, poking the weakened Xiao Bai.
"It's nothing!" Xiao Bai quickly wiped away the blue liquid and turned his back to Sophie, utterly frustrated. "I'm bleeding from my nose? My dignity is ruined! I'll definitely make Sophie take responsibility for this!"
"Look! Such a beautiful tree! And so many fruits! Let's hurry over—they look delicious!" Sophie's attention shifted instantly at the sight of the fruit-laden tree.
From the riverbank, the tree seemed close enough to reach with just a few steps. But reality proved otherwise. Despite her exhaustion, Sophie pressed on, driven by hunger and the allure of the giant fruits.
The tree stood on a small hill covered in lush greenery—trees, grass, flowers, all thriving in vibrant harmony. Its massive size created an optical illusion, making Sophie think it was closer than it actually was.
Finally reaching the base of the tree, Sophie was awestruck. It was enormous! The sprawling canopy was bigger than Tiananmen Square, and Sophie felt as insignificant as an ant on a cabbage leaf. The fruits were pear-shaped, each the size of a car, in shades of deep green, light green, yellow, white, and nearly transparent. They looked absolutely mouthwatering.
"How many meals could one of these feed?" Sophie marveled.
Starving after her exertions, Sophie decided climbing the tree was her only option since no fruits had fallen naturally. With no stones or tools around, she began scaling the massive trunk. After what felt like five stories of climbing, she finally reached a promising branch holding a crystal-clear, nearly translucent fruit.
Reaching it, Sophie tugged at the stem with all her might, but it refused to budge. Exhausted, she gave up and settled for eating a snack instead, sharing a bite with Xiao Bai while brainstorming a new plan.
"Why not use a knife? Didn't you grab a few from Kalena?" Xiao Bai suggested.
Sophie's eyes lit up. "You're brilliant!" She planted a kiss on Xiao Bai's tiny forehead before stuffing him back into her shirt. "It's safer in here anyway! Stay put, and I'll treat you to a fruit feast later!"
Pulling out a sharp dagger from her Phoenix Bag, Sophie started hacking away at the stem. Half an hour passed, then an hour, then two. Finally, her arms ached, and her back throbbed. Stretching and massaging her sore muscles, Sophie accidentally sliced her arm. Blood gushed out, flowing like water.
Panicking, she tore a strip of cloth from her shirt and carefully bandaged the wound. "There goes a good shirt," she muttered. "Forget it, I'll leave this pear alone for today."
Just as Sophie prepared to climb back to the main trunk, the pear suddenly emitted a blinding light and began falling to the ground.
"What? Did it ripen just now? Looks like I'm in luck!" Energized by the prospect of food, Sophie slid down the tree faster than a monkey. Hunger truly was a powerful motivator!
Circling the massive pear, Sophie nodded in satisfaction. Raising her knife to cut into it, the tip barely touched the skin when—*crack!*—the pear split open on its own.
Will Sophie discover what lies inside? Or will this mysterious fruit bring unexpected danger?