Lu Wenyuan was already handsome, but now wearing the moon-white outfit, he seemed to have gained a gentle, jade-like elegance. The clothes were simple and flowing, his long hair half-down, every gesture exuding a natural grace, giving off a refined, untainted aura.
Seeing Lin Xiyue’s astonished gaze, the corner of his lips lifted slightly.
This woman, who had claimed she wasn’t interested in him, was clearly being coy.
Lin Xiyue felt the one and a half taels of silver she had spent were well worth it. Is this what it feels like to spend money on “display models”? Too bad she could only look, not touch.
“Not bad. Since you’re cooperating, I’ll make money for you to improve your skin in the future,” Lin Xiyue teased, and without warning, reached out to touch his face.
Lu Wenyuan didn’t expect her sudden touch and was momentarily caught off guard. By the time he wanted to scold her, Lin Xiyue had already slipped back into the house.
“Take your time with your writing. I’m going to exercise,” she said, then quietly left.
Lu Wenyuan took a deep breath, changed into the outfit, and continued copying books.
Once outside, Lin Xiyue found a secluded spot and entered her space to plant the ginseng seeds she had bought. She had figured out how the black soil worked: it accelerated plant growth. Anything planted here grew thirty times faster than outside. A crop that would normally take years could be harvested in days.
If she planted ginseng here, one year could equate to thirty years. In three years, she could grow a century-old ginseng.
Lin Xiyue was thrilled—but the ginseng seeds were limited. She planted only half a plot, reserving the rest for vegetables.
All her vegetables in the space were maintained as mature plants to produce seeds, so she no longer needed to buy any. Over half a month, the crops in her space had become more than enough to eat. Luckily, time in the space was frozen, so nothing would spoil.
The most amazing part: she could control everything inside the space with her mind, harvesting and planting without touching anything, saving her a great deal of effort.
Now, when she occasionally spotted rare herbs on the mountain, she could transplant them directly into the space. Watching over the mountains, she never had to worry about lacking medicinal varieties.
After a short workout, she went up the mountain to cut bamboo, intending to craft crossbow arrows. The arrows required strong mulberry wood for the shaft.
“Xiaoyue, what are you cutting bamboo for?” Lu Yanqiu asked, coming upon her dragging a pole and a thick piece of mulberry wood.
“My big brother’s bow broke. We can’t go hunting without weapons, so I thought I’d make one myself,” she replied.
For now, she would have to stay in this village. Hunting and gathering herbs were her only sources of income.
You might wonder why a traditional medicine practitioner didn’t just treat people for money. Well, given her current appearance, people would probably mistake her for a beggar. At seventeen, no one would dare let her treat them without pay.
Her best option was to quietly develop her skills: hunting and herb gathering to save money, then eventually opening a pharmacy in town, later expanding to the city, and finally having branches across the entire Da Sheng Dynasty. She would then have endless silver and live freely.
“You can make weapons? Crossbows?” Lu Yanqiu’s eyes lit up with curiosity.
Lin Xiyue replied impatiently, “Something like a bow and arrow, but a crossbow arrow. Smaller, longer range, and stronger penetration.”
“Really? I’ll help you. Can you make one for me too?” Lu Yanqiu’s eyes gleamed.
Lin Xiyue smiled and nodded. “Fine. You help me sharpen the arrows.”
The two busily worked in the courtyard. Lu Jinghuai, hearing the commotion, wanted to go out and see. He could already feel his body gradually improving; his legs were slowly regaining sensation.
Using his arms, he pushed himself up and moved his wheelchair over. Though paralyzed from the waist down, years of martial training had strengthened his arms, making it possible—though taxing—for him to maneuver himself.
Liu Ruyun was inside sewing, unaware that Lu Jinghuai had gotten himself out.
By the time he seated himself in the wheelchair, sweat was already on his forehead. This simple action was far from easy for him. The wheelchair was heavy, and most people without strength couldn’t maneuver it alone. But for him, it was manageable.
Seeing him wheel himself out, Lu Yanqiu was astonished.
“B…Big Brother? You can get into the wheelchair yourself?”
“Yes. I heard your lively chatter and wanted to see what you were doing.”
Since discovering his body could still recover, Lu Jinghuai’s spirits had improved significantly, and his smile appeared more and more often.
“Big Brother, Xiaoyue said she’s making crossbow arrows—stronger than regular bows,” Lu Yanqiu’s eyes sparkled as he explained.
“Do you need my help? I can do some carpentry too,” Lu Jinghuai volunteered. Multiple hands helping Lin Xiyue was always welcome.
“All right. Wait a moment. I’ll sketch the design first,” Lin Xiyue said, heading to Lu Wenyuan’s room.
Lu Wenyuan was copying books when Lin Xiyue suddenly ran in.
“Lu Wenyuan, lend me your brush and paper,” she said, taking his brush and a sheet of Xuan paper.
Having practiced calligraphy with her grandfather in a previous life, Lin Xiyue handled the brush expertly. Sketching a simple diagram was effortless.
Seeing her about to waste a sheet of Xuan paper, Lu Wenyuan frowned. What was she drawing?
After a bit of scribbling, a delicate, miniature crossbow appeared on the paper. Just from the strokes, Lu Wenyuan could tell she was literate.
But in a family that would sell a granddaughter for two taels, how could she have been allowed to study? Moreover, there were no schools for girls in Da Sheng; wealthy families hired tutors, while ordinary girls rarely learned to read. Yet she not only wrote with a brush but did so with steadiness—a result of years of practice.
Lu Wenyuan’s mind was full of questions, but before he could ask, Lin Xiyue had already left with the drawing.
From outside, Lu Jinghuai praised her, marveling at her design and the precision of the crossbow.
Lin Xiyue’s identity became even more mysterious, but as long as she didn’t harm his family, he didn’t mind.