From Sneers to Cheers: Anthea’s Ascent ( Anthea )
Chapter 317

Anthea had only ever seen a raspberry once when she was a child. After that, they seemed to have vanished off the face of the Earth. Forget wild raspberries; even getting your hands on a strawberry was considered a luxury. People's daily meals were replaced by tasteless nutrient solutions.

So, when Anthea spotted a bush of wild raspberries, her eyes lit up like fireworks on the Fourth of July. "Sherman, hold up here for a sec," she called out. Sherman, puzzled but compliant, nodded slightly and waited as Anthea instructed.

Quickly, Anthea fashioned a makeshift pouch out of large leaves and began filling it with raspberries until it was brimming with juicy red fruit. Holding the pouch, Anthea felt a wave of accomplishment wash over her. She popped a raspberry into her mouth and was pleasantly surprised. It was sweeter and more tangy than she remembered like a burst of nostalgia.

"Sherman, wanna give it a try?" she offered, extending the pouch towards him. Sherman hesitated. His penchant for cleanliness made him wary of the unwashed, oddly shaped fruit. What if a snake had slithered over them? But he couldn't resist Anthea's offer. With a graceful motion, he picked a raspberry, momentarily setting aside his concerns about cleanliness, and tasted it. It was swiftly swallowed after a few chews.

"If you like them, you can have them all," Anthea said, noticing how quickly Sherman ate. She handed over the leaf pouch filled with raspberries to him. Sherman was taken aback, "Aren't you having any?"

"I saw what looks like a wild tea bush ahead. I'll go check it out; maybe there are tea berries," Anthea replied, as her adventurous spirit took over once again. Holding the heavy pouch of wild raspberries, Sherman asked, "What are tea berries?"

"You don't know about tea berries?" Anthea was genuinely surprised. Sherman shook his head. This was all new to him. In the wild tea bush, tea berries were abundant. "Sherman, come check this out. This is a tea berry," Anthea called out, pointing to a peculiar-looking fruit.

Tea berries looked strange, like oversized, rosy-hued almonds. Sherman frowned subtly, questioning their edibility and cleanliness. "They're edible," Anthea assured, plucking one and taking a bite. They were crunchy, sweet, with a hint of tea flavor. "Try it?" she suggested, handing one to Sherman.

Despite his reluctance, Sherman's hand automatically reached out, and he tasted the berry. "Not bad," he admitted, appreciating the subtle tea flavor that matched his taste. After their foraging, they continued their descent down the mountain. Sherman followed behind Anthea, who danced through the forest, gathering wildflowers and looking every bit the woodland fairy. The gentle breeze carried the scent of flowers, enveloping Sherman in its fragrant embrace.

Sherman, known in the business world as Mr. Christensen, had never been seen in such a light. At eighteen, he had built his own empire, backed by a mysterious force. To everyone, he was Mr. Christensen, a figure of immense power and respect, always surrounded by men, never seen with a woman. Yet here he was, following a young woman through the forest, entirely at her mercy. This would surely shock anyone who knew him as the formidable Mr. Christensen, for never in thirty-one years had he shown such a soft side.