“Look at the Xu family living it up. That sack of millet must be close to 100 kilograms!”
“No kidding.”
“And what’s that the Xu family’s daughter-in-law is carrying? Why do I smell sweet cakes?”
“That’s definitely sweet cake… Not just that, I see candied dates too. Damn!”
“Hey Yun Niang, did your ancestral tomb smoke blue mist or something? Did you pick up a gold ingot?”
“Look at how well they’re living—eating meat every day wasn’t enough, now they’re eating sweets too?”
“Xu Changnian really brought all that back from hunting?”
“Come on. With all that they’re carrying, that’s a ton of food.”
“Didn’t Old Xu Hei visit their place… Could the Xu family have sold all their fields to him?”
“Hah, that Old Xu Hei is no saint either. Bought up all the good farmland in the village, and lives like a king now. I saw him hanging around with Liu Ermazi just the other day.”
It was market day, and all the old men, women, and married girls of the village were gathered at the entrance. Whenever someone returned from the market, people couldn’t help but be envious—except when it was the Xu family.
They were loaded with bags, so much that it made everyone’s teeth ache with jealousy.
Yun Niang felt uneasy hearing all that. The last time they came back looking like this… had been a long time ago.
Back then, the Xu family was doing pretty well. Xu Tielin went hunting in the mountains, and Xu Changqing worked as a constable in town.
The two of them were highly regarded in the area around Qingshan Village.
But in just a year, the Xu family went from peak to pit. At least now, it looked like things were turning around again.
“Wow, Uncle, you really bought all this? Let me see what’s in here…”
“Sweet cakes, candied dates… and dried meat?”
Once home, Xiao Yue was overjoyed, hugging the pile of treats tightly and refusing to let go.
“Ran into your in-laws?”
Seeing all that food, Xu Tielin immediately guessed it must’ve been given by Zhou Zhiyuan.
He wasn’t wrong—they did run into Zhou Zhiyuan, and he did give some money.
But that little bit of money… couldn’t buy all of this!
“It was Xu Changnian. He picked up a hairpin for a handsome young noble at the market, and the guy gave him all that in return. His luck’s really something.”
Hearing Yun Niang’s explanation, Xu Tielin froze for a moment. That kind of thing could happen?
You pick up a hairpin, and someone gives you this much in return?
Who exactly did they run into?
“It’s not like it’s anything amazing. Once we have money later, we’ll eat at a proper restaurant in the county.” Xu Changnian bit into a sweet cake. The first bite was truly comforting—soft, sweet, and nostalgic. This chapter was taken from novelping . com without permission.
Chu Xiangxiang really was a noble; even the sweets she bought were top quality.
But after a few more bites, it started feeling too rich. The first bite was the best.
After all, back on Blue Star, he had eaten genuinely good food. His palate had standards.
The Shen sisters, though, were deeply moved by just one bite of sweetness.
Who would’ve thought—just days ago, they couldn’t even get a hot meal.
Now they had a home, meat to eat, and sweets too.
“Elder Sister, I paid close attention when that Granny Huang came today. The herbal poultice she gave us—it’s useless…” After a few bites, Shen Wei tugged her sister aside and whispered.
“Are you sure?”
Shen Yourong’s face tensed. This was exactly what she’d been worried about.
In a remote mountain village like this, what did a granny like that really know about treating injuries?
“Yeah.”
“I sniffed the herbs she gave us. They’re not much different from wild vegetables we eat—just mixed with… what smells like lime powder.”
Shen Wei twisted her hair around her finger, sounding unsure.
She had studied medicine for a few years, but had never practiced, so she wasn’t confident. Her theory was solid—but her experience? Zero.
She only dared say this to her sister.
That night, Shen Yourong called Yun Niang and Xu Changnian together to discuss it.
“You think Granny Huang really doesn’t know medicine? Or is she deliberately giving us useless herbs?” Xu Changnian raised the key question.
Shen Yourong glanced at him in surprise. Her husband… was this quick-witted?
Yun Niang was also taken aback. Her expression toward Xu Changnian grew more complicated.
This scoundrel… when did he start thinking this deeply?
If Granny Huang was just clueless and bluffing, then fine—they could just stop using her herbs. But if she was doing it on purpose…
Yun Niang thought hard but couldn’t recall any grudge between their families.
“No bad blood between us.”
“Yourong, since Wei’er has studied medicine, can she write a prescription?”
“We can’t keep dragging this out.”
Yun Niang was clearly frustrated.
In a remote village like this, there were no proper doctors. Everyone relied on old remedies.
There had been a clinic in Zhoujia Town, but it had moved to the county with the onset of winter.
Want to see a doctor? You had to travel 30 li to the county.
“According to Wei’er, the best thing is to eat well, rest, and take some medicine that improves blood circulation. If possible… we should go to the county and let a real doctor take a look. She’s not confident in her own diagnosis.” Shen Yourong said calmly.
“Go to the county? That’ll have to wait a few days.”
Leaning by the window, Xu Changnian looked up at the sky. It was gray and heavy—definitely not a good sign.
Most likely, it would snow heavily within the next day or two.
A round trip to the county would take two days, and with snow, they could get stuck there.
Not to mention, they had to pass through Wohu Ridge on the way—and there was still a tiger lurking there.
Xu Changnian didn’t want to be tiger food.
So after some discussion, they decided to let Xu Tielin rest and eat well for now. Once the heavy snow passed, they’d go to the county.
…
The next morning, Xu Changnian stepped outside. The sky was even darker than before—heavy snow would fall today or tomorrow for sure.
This might be the last time he could go into the mountains before it hit.
He also wanted to test something—was someone tailing him?
If so, then he’d use the snow to make a clean move.
Perfect timing. Once the snow fell, all traces would be covered.
“Retrieve intel!”
[Ding! New intel is being retrieved. Please wait… Current fortune: Blessings and calamities are intertwined.]
Huh?
His fortune changed?
While the system was still updating, Xu Changnian noticed that his fortune had shifted—from ‘Great fortune after hardship’ to ‘Blessings and calamities are intertwined.’
‘Great fortune after hardship’ meant the hardest times were passing, and life was improving.
That matched recent events—he’d been lucky: picking up rabbits at the mountain’s base, catching wild chickens easily, and getting gifted hares from Uncle Niu.
The household had gone from barely surviving to having enough food for winter.
But now with ‘blessings and calamities are intertwined’… Xu Changnian had to think more carefully.
That meant in the coming days, he would continue to have good fortune—but trouble would come with it.
Things had become more complicated.
[Schooling Fish: As the bitter cold approaches, fish in the mountain ponds are gathering to stay warm together.]
[Roaming Roe Deer: Three roe deer are wandering near the border between Black Wind Mountain and Xiaoyue Mountain. Beware of nearby danger.]
[Wild Boars vs. Wolves: In the depths of Xiaoyue Mountain, a battle continues between a boar herd and a wolf pack.]