“Hm?”
Shen Yueliang instinctively did as she was told.
The ginseng was placed in her palm. The root was more than half the length of her hand, with the fibrous roots dangling outside.
She blinked, somewhat confused.
Ji Yanchuan remained crouched on the ground, using the small hoe to refill the hole with the dirt he had dug out earlier.
So… was he just letting her hold it for now?
Shen Yueliang figured that must be it and silently cradled the ginseng.
She knew prices were low in this era, but she had no idea how much a ginseng root like this was worth. More importantly, she had no connections for selling it. The black market she knew was only small-scale trading.
After all, how many ordinary families these days could casually pull out hundreds of yuan to buy ginseng?
Thinking about it that way, her excitement faded somewhat.
She had thought she had discovered a treasure, but turning that treasure into actual money might not be so easy.
After putting away the small hoe, Ji Yanchuan stood up and glanced at her.
His gaze swept over the drooping little “vegetable.”
Just a few minutes ago, her eyes had been sparkling while staring at the ginseng. Now she looked helpless and dispirited.
His gaze quietly settled on the ginseng root again.
“Let’s go.”
Hearing that, Shen Yueliang instinctively wanted to hand him the ginseng.
However, he didn’t seem to have any intention of taking it.
She figured that made sense. She valued the ginseng because she wanted to exchange it for money to buy the things she wanted. Perhaps he didn’t care much about it.
The two of them walked out of the forest together.
Soon they left the woods entirely and headed toward the military base.
Only when they were nearing the base did Shen Yueliang finally ask,
“Where are we going?”
Ji Yanchuan looked at the ginseng resting in her pale palm.
“Didn’t you say we’d split it fifty-fifty?”
She had indeed said that.
So naturally, she had to honor her own words.
Shen Yueliang followed him all the way back to the base.
This time, they went straight to the family housing compound.
Ji Yanchuan told her to wait there for a moment while he returned to his dormitory.
The family housing area, as the name suggested, was for military families. Unmarried officers and soldiers, regardless of rank, were not allowed to live there.
Wait, then.
Shen Yueliang had no watch and didn’t know the exact time, but judging by the sun’s position, it was still some time before sunset.
She didn’t see Sister Qiuyun or the others either. They were probably still up in the mountains.
Not long afterward, Ji Yanchuan returned.
He seemed to have changed clothes. He was still wearing a military-green shirt, though the trousers had become a darker shade of green.
“Here.”
He handed her a thick stack of money.
The thickness far exceeded Shen Yueliang’s expectations.
Even if every bill were ten yuan, there had to be over thirty notes there.
“Isn’t this too much? I don’t know much about ginseng prices, but is that root really worth this much? Even split in half, we’d each get several hundred yuan?”
She had thought two hundred yuan would already be the upper limit.
Ji Yanchuan’s expression remained calm.
“More or less. The extra is my apology.”
For the inappropriate things he had said earlier.
Shen Yueliang was the type of person who could fiercely fight back when others were harsh with her.
But when someone softened their attitude, she found it difficult to stay angry.
Her earlier anger had been genuine.
But her current embarrassment was genuine too.
“Forget it. No matter what, you did save me.”
“Take it,” Ji Yanchuan said.
Shen Yueliang still hesitated.
Could that ginseng really be worth this much?
Then Ji Yanchuan casually added,
“If there’s any extra, make some spicy chicken chili sauce.”
Shen Yueliang found that strange.
Didn’t he dislike spicy food?
Perhaps he meant for her to make it for Sister Ding, Sister Qiuyun, and the others.
The group seemed very close.
Understanding his meaning, she nodded.
“Alright. Then I’ll accept it.”
The stack of money was impressively thick.
Holding it made her inexplicably excited.
She desperately wanted to count how much was there, but with the man still standing in front of her, counting money immediately would be far too rude.
“It’s getting late, so I’ll head back first. If Sister Qiuyun asks about me, please tell her I’ve already gone home.”
Ji Yanchuan gave a slight nod.
He watched her leave through the gates of the family compound before turning and heading toward the infirmary.
Qin Zhihang rushed back from the mountains impatiently.
He was bursting with things he wanted to say and felt like he might explode if he kept them bottled up.
If Ding Shuhui hadn’t stopped him, he would have returned much earlier.
He didn’t find Ji Yanchuan in the family housing area.
Then he ran back to the barracks and still couldn’t find him.
Finally, one of the soldiers under his command informed him that Battalion Commander Ji had gone to the infirmary.
With his impatient temper, Qin Zhihang immediately sprinted over.
Inside the infirmary, Ji Yanchuan sat on the edge of a bed.
One leg rested on a stool.
The right pant leg had been rolled up to his knee, exposing a muscular bronze-colored calf.
Along the outer side of his calf was a wound nearly twenty centimeters long, with torn flesh visible around the edges.
To them, such injuries were hardly unusual.
They had seen far worse.
This wasn’t much at all.
But today’s situation was different.
Qin Zhihang clicked his tongue twice.
Draping an arm over Ji Yanchuan’s shoulder, he was about to speak when he suddenly noticed who was treating the wound.
It was Meng Yao.
Remembering her background, Qin Zhihang immediately wore the expression of someone desperately holding in a bowel movement.
Ji Yanchuan, meanwhile, didn’t notice.
For once, he even allowed Qin Zhihang’s arm to remain on his shoulder.
“Did you catch the wild chickens?”
Qin Zhihang nearly rolled his eyes.
Of all times, this guy was still thinking about chickens?
Was now really the time to discuss chickens?
“At a time like this, you’re asking about chickens? Do you think I’m in the mood to catch chickens right now?”
This time Ji Yanchuan genuinely rolled his eyes.
He grabbed Qin Zhihang’s arm and shoved it away.
“Move aside. What use are you?”
Couldn’t even catch a wild chicken.
Qin Zhihang was utterly baffled by the contempt.
He opened his mouth to ask questions, but remembering the sensitive circumstances involving the person in the infirmary, he could only keep holding it in.
“The wound has been treated. Don’t let it get wet when you return.”
Meng Yao tossed the used cotton balls into the trash.
As she withdrew her gaze, her eyes naturally swept across Ji Yanchuan’s face.
She had been at the military base for some time now and had heard many things.
For example, among the young officers here, the two most promising were Qin Zhihang and Ji Yanchuan.
And between the two, Ji Yanchuan stood out even more.
Outstanding people naturally attracted attention.
So Meng Yao couldn’t help sneaking a few extra glances at him.
Ji Yanchuan lowered his eyes and looked at the wound.
It wasn’t serious.
He simply hadn’t had any disinfectant on hand.
With the weather being so hot, infection and festering were concerns.
Now that it had been treated, there was nothing more to worry about.
“Thank you.”
Meng Yao shook her head.
“No need. Come back the day after tomorrow to change the dressing.”
Ji Yanchuan frowned immediately.
The idea sounded troublesome.
“Just give me a bottle of disinfectant.”
Qin Zhihang watched the entire exchange from beginning to end.
He was speechless.
Soon, Ji Yanchuan left the infirmary carrying a bottle of disinfectant.
Naturally, Qin Zhihang followed close behind.
After they had walked some distance away, he squeezed up beside Ji Yanchuan.
“I say, Ji Yanchuan, you’re truly hopeless when it comes to women. First you scolded someone in the mountains, and now you’re acting completely indifferent toward Doctor Meng. Two beautiful girls and you don’t like either one of them. What, are you planning to marry a fairy from the heavens?”
Ji Yanchuan looked toward the distant mountains.
No one knew what he was thinking.
After a moment, he withdrew his gaze and slapped a hand against Qin Zhihang’s chest.
“Got any money? Lend me some.”
Qin Zhihang looked as if he had swallowed an entire duck egg.
“What happened to all your money? Didn’t we just get our allowances this month?”
Ji Yanchuan narrowed his eyes.
“Why so many questions?”