Yu Jin was the first to speak up. “You sold all the sweet potatoes. What are we supposed to eat?”
Yu Yangyang lowered her eyes, looking meek and obedient, but her answer nearly made Yu Jin furious.
“Don’t we still have rice?”
Yu Jin glared at her. “There are six of us, and it’ll be nearly ten days before we reach the next county. How much rice do you think we have? Is it enough for anyone?”
His eyes were full of displeasure. “You’re being too short-sighted. All you think about is money. What good is money on the road during a famine? If it were Rongrong, she would never do something so foolish!”
Yu Yangyang: “…”
So she wasn’t actually a completely emotionless pushover after all.
Being constantly compared to someone else was beginning to irritate Yu Yangyang. She couldn’t be bothered to argue with Yu Jin and simply said softly, “There will be more later. I won’t let you starve to death.”
With that, Yu Yangyang closed her eyes and rested. The arguing was giving her a headache.
Yu Jin jumped up angrily and looked at Bai Lan. “Mother, look at her attitude! Does she even know I’m her second older brother?”
She didn’t show him the slightest bit of respect!
Yu Yan frowned. “You’re noisy.”
Yu Jin glanced at him, only to hear Yu Yan say, “She found them herself. She can decide what to do with them.”
Bai Lan nodded. “Your eldest brother is right.”
Yu Shanghua naturally sided with his wife and daughter. Yu Lan couldn’t bear to give up the sweet potatoes either, but he followed everyone else’s lead.
Yu Jin gritted his teeth. “Fine!”
They were all spoiling Yu Yangyang. Sooner or later, this whole family would be killed because of her!
Yu Yangyang really did have a headache. Her head was buzzing, and she wearily closed her eyes.
“System, settle the quest.”
The system’s cold voice rang out.
【Congratulations, host. You have successfully earned an income and completed the main quest. You have received one quest gift pack, which has been stored in the system space.】
The notification stopped.
Yu Yangyang raised an eyebrow. “That’s it?”
She rubbed her temples. “I roasted the sweet potatoes just now. I personally roasted them, and everyone loved them.”
“So shouldn’t you settle the side quest too?”
System: “?”
Do you even hear yourself?
“You don’t qualify for that.”
Yu Yangyang’s voice remained soft. “How does it not count? Didn’t I roast the sweet potatoes? Aren’t roasted sweet potatoes a kind of food? Didn’t everyone praise them?”
She paused, then added, “Are you just being petty?”
System: “…”
After a long silence, the system’s cold notification sounded again.
【Congratulations, host. You have successfully prepared a dish. The side quest has been completed. You have received one side-quest gift pack, which has been stored in the system space.】
【The current quests have been refreshed. Please check them.】
And just like that, Yu Yangyang had successfully taken from the system and used it to complete another system quest.
She secretly rubbed her little hands together in anticipation and opened the gift packs.
【Quest gift pack successfully opened. Obtained: rice ×10, millet ×10, corn ×10, Fengshui pears ×3, apples ×3, points ×100. All items have been stored in the system space.】
【Side-quest gift pack successfully opened. Obtained: rice ×20, millet ×20, corn ×20, chicken ×1, water ×1 cubic meter, spiritual spring water ×3, complete seasoning pack ×1, Basic Traditional Chinese Medicine Theory (Unique) ×1, points ×1,000. All items have been stored in the system space.】
【Current inventory: points ×1,305; rice ×30; millet ×60; corn ×30; chicken ×1; water ×1.97 cubic meters; spiritual spring water ×3; complete seasoning pack ×1; Fengshui pears ×6; apples ×3; bread ×3; chocolate ×4; total space: 10 square meters.】
【Knowledge available for learning: Basic Traditional Chinese Medicine Theory (Unique). Would you like to learn it?】
Yu Yangyang naturally chose yes.
Just like last time, a powerful squeezing sensation swept through her. Fine beads of sweat appeared on her forehead. After a while, a huge amount of theoretical knowledge appeared in her mind.
What was qi? What was fluid?
“When qi and blood are harmonized, when the nutritive and defensive energies circulate freely, when the five organs are fully formed, and when the spirit resides in the heart, the hun and po souls are complete. Thus, one becomes a human being.”
The fundamentals of traditional Chinese medicine were vast and profound.
Yu Yangyang had only learned a little of the basics, yet she already felt that she had benefited tremendously. Combined with the botanical knowledge she had learned before, she felt that she might even be able to prescribe some basic medicine and treat illnesses.
The more skills, the better.
Yu Yangyang secretly felt her own pulse.
Her expression immediately darkened.
She looked puzzled and checked her pulse again.
After a long moment, she dejectedly lowered her hand.
No. No. She wasn’t looking anymore.
A doctor couldn’t diagnose herself. Whatever she had felt must have been wrong. Definitely.
The system suddenly sneered. “You didn’t feel it wrong. You’re practically beyond saving.”
The system had just suffered a major loss, so its temper wasn’t particularly good, almost as if it were having its period.
Yu Yangyang wasn’t angered in the slightest.
She took out two bottles of spiritual spring water and gulped them down. Then she wiped the corner of her mouth and said in a soft, sweet voice, “Delicious.”
System: “…!”
Damn it.
Yu Yangyang repeatedly checked the “supplies” in her system space, and her heart finally settled completely.
She wouldn’t have to worry about food for quite some time.
Her gaze landed on the chicken in the space.
Her mouth began watering uncontrollably.
Meat…
She hadn’t eaten meat in so long!
As expected of a side quest said to offer generous rewards, Yu Yangyang was extremely satisfied with what had come from the gift pack.
She wiped away her drool and opened her eyes.
After drinking two bottles of spiritual spring water, her body felt warm, and even her annoying headache had been suppressed. Her spirits were much better, so she moved over to Bai Lan’s side.
The campfire burned brightly.
Yu Shanghua was sleeping while holding Yu Lan, while Yu Jin was lying off to one side.
There were many people around, and after what had happened earlier, the Yu family didn’t feel safe. So Yu Yan was keeping watch nearby.
Bai Lan repeatedly counted their remaining supplies.
There was less than one-third of the water left in the barrel.
At the rate they had used it today, they would run out of water by the day after tomorrow at the latest.
Yu Yangyang had originally given Bai Lan five jin of coarse rice, intending for them to ration it and make it last until they at least reunited with the main group from Tupo Village.
But after their extravagant meals over the past two days, less than half remained.
Bai Lan: “…”
She should have been more cautious.
She had been far too indulgent!
Whenever Yu Yangyang said something, Bai Lan couldn’t help but soften and agree.
Looking at the nearly empty grain bag, Bai Lan was close to tears.
“Mother?”
Bai Lan turned around.
At some point, Yu Yangyang had moved from across from her to her side, and she was holding a pear, chomping away happily.
Wait.
A pear?
Bai Lan’s eyes widened. She grabbed Yu Yangyang and pulled her closer, asking in a quiet, astonished voice, “Yangyang, where did you get that pear? Did that old immortal send it to you too?”
Yu Yangyang nodded.
Bai Lan hadn’t expected Yu Yangyang’s story to actually be true!
She had originally been skeptical, but now Bai Lan completely believed her.
And that old immortal was far too good to their Yangyang!
Bai Lan was genuinely happy for her.
It was a good thing. Even if Yangyang eventually left their family, at least she wouldn’t have to worry about surviving.
Just then, the little girl somehow produced another pear and held it out to Bai Lan.
“Mother, you have one too.”
Bai Lan’s expression softened.
Her eyes fell on the golden-yellow pear, still covered in tiny droplets of water. It looked as though one bite would release a burst of sweet juice.
In weather this hot, eating one would be more refreshing than anything in the world.