Three days later. Red Flag Brigade Threshing Ground.
Su Jianguo stood on the high platform, holding a tin-plated loudspeaker. Below the stage sat the entire village, men and women, young and old, packed densely together.
“Today’s meeting is about one thing only,” Su Jianguo’s voice boomed, carrying an unquestionable authority. “The atmosphere in the village these past few days has been foul and murky! Some people aren’t focusing their minds on earning work points or boosting production. Instead, they spend all day gossiping about other families’ private matters! You’ve all seen what happened to Zhao Dazhuang. That is the law of the state punishing him!”
The crowd below fell silent. Several women who usually loved to gossip lowered their heads to their chests.
“And another thing!” Su Jianguo’s gaze swept pointedly toward the area where the educated youth were seated. “Some of our comrades came from the city to support rural construction. They are educated. But education should be used for proper purposes. Don’t think that just because you stir up trouble from behind the scenes, no one will know. I, Su Jianguo, am putting this out there: anyone who dares to disrupt village unity or sow discord again—the Red Flag Brigade temple is small, it cannot accommodate such a grand Buddha. Wherever you came from, go back there!”
Chen Xiaoman sat among the educated youth, her face as pale as a sheet of paper. She hunched her shoulders, not even daring to breathe heavily. Su Jianguo’s words were practically pointing a finger right at her nose.
After the meeting ended, the atmosphere in the village noticeably changed. No one mentioned Su Nianqiu’s river-jumping incident anymore. Even when encountering Li Xiulan on the road, people greeted her politely and respectfully.
The Su family courtyard gate remained tightly shut. They closed their door and lived their own small life.
Su Nianqiu lay on the kang in the east wing room, her consciousness sinking into the Spatial Dimension.
Three days’ time. The black earth in the Spatial Dimension had transformed dramatically. The wild vegetable seeds she had planted earlier not only grew lush and verdant, with leaves so thick they seemed to drip with moisture, but they had already gone to seed.
This growth speed was even faster than the one-third rate recorded on the Silk Scroll. Su Nianqiu guessed it was probably because she had watered them directly with pure Spirit Spring Water.
She walked to the front of the bamboo building. From that half-bag of rice seeds, she had picked out a small handful and scattered them in a small, newly prepared paddy field. Now, lush green seedlings had sprouted, their growth promising.
The most crucial thing was the jar of ginseng rootlets in the secret compartment.
Su Nianqiu brought out the earthenware jar. Opening the lid, a rich ginseng fragrance wafted out.
The three originally withered, blackened rootlets had now absorbed their fill of Spirit Spring Water, becoming plump and smooth. Their skin took on a semi-transparent amber hue, and tiny new buds had even sprouted at the branching points of the roots.
Although Su Nianqiu was no experienced traditional Chinese medicine practitioner, her eye was extremely sharp. This appearance, this aroma. Forget thirty years; even if she claimed these were sixty-year-old wild mountain ginseng, people would believe it.
Success.
She carefully fished out the three ginseng rootlets and wrapped them in a clean piece of cotton cloth. These things couldn’t soak in the water for too long, otherwise the medicinal potency would become too strong and arouse suspicion instead.
Exiting the Spatial Dimension, Su Nianqiu pushed open her room door and walked into the courtyard.
Li Xiulan was busy in the kitchen. Su Jianguo was chopping firewood in the yard.
“Dad, Mom,” Su Nianqiu walked over.
“Qiu’er, why are you out? It’s windy outside,” Su Jianguo put down the axe.
“It’s fine, I’m much better,” Su Nianqiu looked at her parents. “Dad, I want to go to town tomorrow.”
Su Jianguo was taken aback, his brow furrowing. “Go to town for what? You’re in a delicate condition now, you shouldn’t run around.”
“I’m just going to the town clinic to get checked out.” Su Nianqiu found an impeccable excuse. “Even though Dr. Chen said I was fine after jumping into the river the other day, I still feel a bit uneasy. I want to go to the clinic to see a doctor. And while I’m at it, I’ll stop by the supply and marketing cooperative to buy some fine cotton cloth. I want to make two sets of clothes for the baby ahead of time.”
At the mention of the baby, Su Jianguo and Li Xiulan’s expressions immediately softened.
“That’s true. Chen Laonian’s medical skills can’t compare to the doctors in town.” Li Xiulan wiped her hands on her apron and stepped out. “I’ll go with you tomorrow.”
“No need, Mom.” Su Nianqiu quickly refused. “The harvest rush is about to start, and we can’t spare anyone from the fields. Dad is the brigade leader, and you’re the women’s team leader. If both of you leave, people will start gossiping. I can go by myself. I’ll have Grandpa Mute drive me in the ox cart, and I’ll be back quickly.”
Su Jianguo thought it over and nodded. “Alright. Let Old Mute drive the cart—he’s steady. I’ll give you two yuan.”
“No need, I have money,” Su Nianqiu said.
Dinnertime. On the Su family’s table, there was an extra bowl of cold mixed wild vegetables and a large bowl of dough drop soup.
Li Xiulan held her bowl, somewhat puzzled. “These wild vegetables were picked from the base of the backyard wall. How did they grow so plump? They taste even better than meat.”
Su Jianguo slurped down two large bowls of dough drop soup, a fine layer of sweat forming on his forehead. “Xiulan, what did you add when you mixed the dough for this soup today? After drinking it, I feel full of energy. My waist, which I strained chopping firewood yesterday, doesn’t ache at all now.”
Su Nianqiu lowered her head and took small sips of the soup, hiding the smile in the corners of her eyes.
Of course it tasted good—the wild vegetables were produced in the Spatial Dimension. And the water used to mix the dough was pure Spirit Spring Water.
“Maybe it’s because I’ve been in a good mood these past few days, so everything tastes better,” Su Nianqiu said lightly.
Li Xiulan nodded repeatedly. “That’s right! Now that that troublemaker has been arrested, the big stone in my heart has finally been lifted. Here, Qiu’er, eat more.”
Under the dim light of the oil lamp, the family of three enjoyed an unprecedentedly satisfying meal.