It was a warm and sunny morning in the countryside. The sky was bright blue, and the birds were already chirping merrily in the trees. Bibi, a curious and lively little girl with a heart full of adventure, slipped on her straw hat, tied the ribbons beneath her chin, and stepped into the garden behind her house. Today wasn’t just any day—Bibi had a special plan. She was going to explore every corner of the garden and find the delicious wild lychees she had heard about from Uncle Phong.
Uncle Phong, her cheerful and gentle uncle, loved lychees more than anything. He used to tell Bibi stories about climbing trees in his childhood to pick them and eating them under the shade of the leaves. But recently, Uncle Phong had been busy helping a neighbor fix a roof and hadn’t had a chance to enjoy his favorite fruit. That’s why Bibi decided to surprise him. She would explore the garden, pick the sweetest wild lychees, and bring them back for him.
As Bibi wandered into the garden, the smell of damp earth and blooming flowers filled her nose. She took a deep breath and smiled. The garden was full of surprises—there were butterflies dancing from petal to petal, dragonflies gliding over puddles, and tiny lizards darting behind rocks. But Bibi had one mission: to find those hidden lychee trees.
She walked past the vegetable beds and the fragrant herbs, beyond the old well, until she reached the less-tamed part of the garden—the wild grove. It was here that the wild trees grew freely, their branches tangled, their roots exposed. It was also where the lychees were rumored to grow.
Bibi brushed past tall grass and climbed over a fallen log. Suddenly, she stopped in her tracks. There it was—a tall, slightly crooked tree with shiny dark green leaves and clusters of reddish fruit hanging from the branches. Lychees! Her eyes widened with excitement.
The fruit was small, round, and bumpy on the outside, but Bibi knew what treasure was hidden within. She reached up, stood on her tiptoes, and tugged gently at one of the ripe clusters. It came off easily. She plucked another, and another, placing them carefully in her basket lined with banana leaves.
But before she could pick more, she decided to taste one. Peeling away the rough skin, she revealed the juicy, translucent flesh inside. She took a bite, and the flavor burst in her mouth—sweet, floral, and slightly tangy. “Mmm,” she whispered with a smile. “These are perfect for Uncle Phong.”
Bibi spent the next hour carefully harvesting lychees from the lower branches, humming as she worked. She even climbed a few thick branches—just like Uncle Phong used to do—to reach the fruit that hung higher. Her basket was soon filled with fresh lychees, some still with their leaves attached, looking like a wild bouquet.
As she was about to turn back, something rustled nearby. Bibi froze, her eyes darting to the bushes. Out popped a squirrel, its tiny paws clutching a half-peeled lychee. The two stared at each other for a moment, then both giggled—Bibi out loud, the squirrel with a twitch of its nose.
On her way back through the garden, Bibi stopped by the stream to rinse the sticky juice from her hands and took a few more bites of the lychees. She imagined Uncle Phong sitting on the porch, telling her another one of his funny stories, his fingers sticky with lychee juice.
By the time she reached the house, the sun was high overhead, and the garden was shimmering in the noon light. Bibi ran up the steps of the porch where Uncle Phong sat reading a book. His eyes lit up the moment he saw her.
“What have you got there, little explorer?” he asked, setting down the book.
“I went to the wild grove,” she said proudly, holding out the basket, “and picked these just for you!”
Uncle Phong leaned in, inhaling the sweet scent of the lychees. “Wild lychees!” he exclaimed. “These are the best kind! You really found them?”
Bibi nodded eagerly. “I climbed trees like you did when you were little! And I even saw a squirrel eating one!”
Uncle Phong chuckled and ruffled her hair. “You are a true adventurer, Bibi. Thank you for this. Let’s enjoy them together.”
They sat on the porch with the basket between them, peeling and eating the juicy fruits. Bibi listened to Uncle Phong tell her about the wild gardens of his youth, about chasing monkeys away from lychee trees, and about how he once ate so many he got a tummy ache.
“I won’t eat too many,” Bibi said, giggling as she reached for another.
As the day wore on, and the shadows grew longer, Bibi felt happy and proud. Not only had she explored the wildest corner of the garden, but she had also brought joy to someone she loved. The taste of lychees lingered on her tongue, and the warmth of the sun lingered in her heart.
Later that evening, Uncle Phong placed the remaining lychees in a woven bowl on the kitchen table. “We’ll save these for tomorrow,” he said, “and maybe I’ll help you explore the garden next time.”
Bibi smiled. “Yes! But next time, let’s look for the jackfruit tree!”
And with that promise of more adventures ahead, Bibi and Uncle Phong closed the door behind them, their hearts full of love, laughter, and the sweet memory of wild lychees in the garden.
