A vermilion lacquered wooden chest featured a bronze handle shaped like Winter Honeysuckle Intertwined Branches, a base with copper-reinforced corners, and double cabinet doors in the center. The left and right doors were carved with “Peace and Prosperity” and “Crane Delivering Ganoderma” respectively, while a pair of gleaming golden bronze bat handles adorned the center. Below the doors lay three exposed drawers.
The chest rotated slowly 360 degrees within the backpack. Even without backlighting, its countless layers of lacquer emitted a subtle glow, exuding understated luxury that made the country bumpkin Yu Hongdou drool with desire.
If not for the rule stating “once removed, it cannot be stored again,” she would have eagerly taken the chest out to caress it.
“Wonder what’s inside and what medicines it holds.” After being captivated by the chest’s exterior, immense curiosity once again filled Yu Hongdou’s small mind. Though the craftsmanship of ancestral artifacts was unparalleled, coming from an era of traditional medicine’s decline, she couldn’t help but harbor doubts about the medicines.
The moment her intention to look brushed past the chest, the system interface intuitively transformed. The medicine chest enlarged on the screen, its double doors swinging open automatically to reveal the interior. The awestruck country girl Yu Hongdou, already stunned once, found herself gaping again.
The central area of the cabinet actually housed an octagonal rotating drawer frame, with ten small drawers on each of its eight sides. Flanking this rotating frame were two fixed columns of ten drawers each…
How many medicines could this hold? As if the system deemed its stimulation of Yu Hongdou insufficient, the drawers beside the octagonal frame slowly slid open under her gaze, revealing three-tiered compartments. These held variously shaped porcelain bottles and pale yellow wax-pellet-like medicines, each meticulously labeled with their names.
Even with limited knowledge of traditional medicine, she recognized many household names: Baiyao, Jinchuang Ointment, Liuwei Dihuang Pills, Jianpi Pills, Renshen Yangrong Pills, Rendan, and others. Some medicines appeared particularly formidable, such as Five Venoms Divine Paste and Golden Dragon Life-Snatching Pill…
The system considerately zoomed in on the medicines Yu Hongdou’s eyes fell upon, even providing dosage and efficacy notes, leaving her utterly amazed.
Collecting herself, Yu Hongdou concluded this was a worthwhile gain. With these medicines, she could survive a bit longer in this feudal, remote mountain village. If she recovered her health in the future, she might even sell some for money.
After the successful sign-in, the location marker turned from green to pale yellow, with corresponding changes in the positioning icon and text.
【Sign-in Location: Medicine Apprentice Yu Panshi’s Pharmacy (Cooling Down)】
Hmm, cooldown period—Yu Hongdou understood that. She just didn’t know how long it lasted or if repeated sign-ins would yield the same items.
If signing in at the pharmacy entrance granted a chest full of medicines, then by the same logic, wouldn’t signing in at a bank—no, a money house—reward her with a chest of silver or gold?
Her imagination running wild, Yu Hongdou grew instantly exhilarated. If true, this Sign-in System would be far more convenient than farm dimensions or similar setups!
At the very least, the items obtained would suit the current era and could be used directly without risky reselling!
Fueled by this thought, Yu Hongdou bustled around the courtyard and discovered sign-in markers behind the silo and inside the chicken coop. Yet, she refrained from signing in immediately.
The sign-in spots were hard to come by. Since there were several sign-in spots in the courtyard, there must be even more outside. She needed to save her points to check other places.
Without a timekeeping tool, Yu Hongdou had no idea how long she had been wandering in the courtyard. It wasn’t until she heard noise at the gate that she realized something was wrong. However, with her short legs and three-heads-tall stature, coupled with her illness, she couldn’t run fast enough. Before she could return to her room, the main gate was pushed open.
“Hongdou, why are you out here? You’re still sick! Go inside~” Xu Shi was startled to see her daughter in the courtyard. Reacting quickly, she hurried over, took her daughter’s hand, and felt her forehead.
“Mother, I’m all better. How come you’re back so soon?” Yu Hongdou looked at the sweat beading on Xu Shi’s face and felt both heartache and pity. The word “mother” was uttered with genuine affection and willingness.
“Your saying you’re better doesn’t count—I’m the one who decides that. Your father and brother are back, and your uncle and aunt are here too.” Xu Shi chided her daughter lightly but still answered her question.
“Your father and brother were furious. They originally wanted to come back to check on you first, but your uncle suggested handling the matter first. Otherwise, the commotion would disturb your rest. So, your brother, father, and uncle brought you lots of food and toys and asked me to bring them back first.” Xu Shi led her daughter toward the house, showing her the bundle hanging from her arm.
“Father, brother, uncle, and aunt are so kind. Mother, then… what will happen to sister-in-law?” Though she didn’t know what was in the bundle, Yu Hongdou was deeply touched. Still, she was more curious about the fate of that malicious and detestable Liu Shi.
Xu Shi looked at her daughter, patted her tousled hair, and sighed. She was timid and indecisive by nature, and no matter how this matter was handled, her daughter would be wronged. But she knew her husband and both children were clever, so she decided not to hide it from her daughter and spoke directly.
“Originally, since she’s pregnant with a child, and the Liu family has many people in the village, plus your grandparents favor the eldest branch, this matter might have been dropped. But now your fourth uncle has returned. I heard he’s made some achievements outside and even been appointed to some official position. It’s hard to say how your grandparents will react now~” Xu Shi rarely mustered the courage to criticize her in-laws’ favoritism and snobbery.
Yu Hongdou didn’t respond. The male lead’s return wouldn’t help either. A younger brother who hadn’t been home for years had no right to meddle in the eldest brother’s household affairs. Besides, people in this era valued descendants. The reason this matter had become widely known was only because it was unclear whether the child in Liu Shi’s womb was a boy or a girl. Once she safely gave birth to the eldest grandson of the Yu family’s fourth generation, not only would the matter be forgotten, but the third branch would instead become the subject of gossip.
“Hongdou~ Why haven’t you drunk your medicine?” Xu Shi noticed the completely untouched medicine and felt utterly helpless. She had overlooked it—no matter how sensible a child was, they still disliked taking medicine.
“Mother~ I’m already better~ By the way, Mother, what rank is Fourth Uncle’s official position? Will Grandfather and Grandmother go with him to enjoy a life of luxury?” Yu Hongdou tugged at Xu Shi’s sleeve, pleading for mercy while changing the subject.
“Hmph, impossible. We haven’t divided the family yet.” Besides, Fourth Uncle was no fool—why would he willingly drag along a large family as deadweight? Xu Shi shook her head. Her brother-in-law had always been strong-willed since childhood. Who knew what he was thinking?
The male lead’s return indicated the plot had already begun. Presumably, the female lead Tian Manman had already transmigrated and was confronting the Tian family?
Yu Hongdou mentally reviewed the novel’s content, warning herself that this was no longer an era where transmigrated companions worked together to build a harmonious society. Even if Tian Manman were genuinely kind and bore no ill will toward her, it was better not to reveal her own identity.
After all, that was the female lead. As everyone knew, the destructive power of the female lead’s halo was catastrophic. It would be wiser for a mere side character like her to steer clear.
The Yu family didn’t return until afternoon. By then, Yu Hongdou had already taken a nap and been forced to drink the reheated bowl of medicine.
“Mother~ Little Sister~” Hearing the voices outside, Xu Shi stood up and hesitated at the door, ultimately deciding not to go out. Unexpectedly, her son Yu Song directly pushed the door open and entered.
“Mother, no need to go out. Fourth Uncle is treating the village chief and li zheng to dinner tonight. Grandma, aunts, uncles, and aunts-in-law are all staying behind. Only Yinxing Jie, Hutao Jie, Lizi Ge, and I came back to fetch tables, stools, bowls, and chopsticks.” Yu Song first reassured his startled mother standing by the door before looking toward the kang. Seeing his sister’s bright, blinking eyes, he couldn’t help but smile.
“You silly girl, you gave Father and me such a fright. Why didn’t you run when she pulled you?” He strode to the kang in three steps, felt his sister’s forehead, and checked her complexion before sighing in relief. Scooping her up still wrapped in the quilt, he chided her affectionately.
“I didn’t react in time~” Yu Hongdou blinked, gazing at the handsome face so close to hers, then at herself suspended three feet above the ground. A tender thought arose in her heart: So this is what it feels like to have an older brother.
“Little fool~ Mother, since Liu Shi is pregnant, the village chief couldn’t disregard basic humanity, but this matter isn’t completely settled either. The temporary arrangement is for Liu Shi to return to her maternal home to await childbirth. After Fourth Uncle gets married, our family will divide the household. If the eldest branch brings Liu Shi back then, they’ll compensate Little Sister with one-tenth of their share of the family property for her future dowry.” Yu Song knew his mother would be concerned about the outcome and directly explained it.
Liu Shi’s future with the Yu family likely depended on whether her child was male or female, and whether the eldest branch was willing to sacrifice their share of the family wealth.
“That’s good, that’s good. I was just afraid the eldest branch and the Liu family might cause more trouble.” Xu Shi patted her chest. She had known Liu Shi wouldn’t face severe punishment, but this outcome was better than she’d expected. Now she just worried the eldest branch and Liu family might retaliate out of resentment.
“Don’t worry, they wouldn’t dare, and they won’t have the chance. Mother, when Father took me to the city this time, he found work for himself too. After spring plowing, Father will bring all of you to the city. We’ll live in the city from now on.” Knowing his mother’s anxieties, Yu Song hurriedly shared their plans.
It was fortunate timing. If Father hadn’t returned this time to inform the family and handle travel passes and household registration matters, they wouldn’t have known Little Sister had nearly been harmed by that wretched Liu Shi.