Turning toward the slope, Wang Guifen steadied Su Yi as she approached. “Yi Yi, what are you doing out here? The path isn’t exactly smooth.”
Su Yi glanced at the people ahead and smiled. “Mom, I’m not made of clay. If I stay indoors all day, I’d go crazy.” The two walked home together.
“I thought you’d come back in the afternoon. Didn’t expect you to be back so soon—luckily, the meal is ready.”
Wang Guifen smiled. “Perfect timing. You can have a warm bite.”
Su Yi looked at Wang Guifen’s backpack. “Mom, has that family’s puppy already been delivered? Didn’t you go see the puppy? Why isn’t it here?”
Wang Guifen shook her head, taking Su Yi’s hand. “Come on, my girl, we’ll talk inside.”
Su Yi nodded and closed the courtyard gate behind them as they entered.
Wang Guifen lifted the curtain, carried the small basket inside, and set it down.
She retrieved the wild chicken, the mushrooms wrapped in leaves, and carefully set aside the wrinkled Gastrodia elata herb that Shen Wangchun had collected.
Su Yi looked at the wild chicken and mushrooms on the floor, her eyes wide in shock.
She squatted and picked up the mushrooms, examining them. “Mom, where did these come from?”
The forest mushrooms were fresh, and if there was enough, they could make a warm dish.
But the area near the village had already been foraged.
How could her mother-in-law have found such good mushrooms, plus a fat wild chicken?
Wang Guifen, noticing her daughter-in-law’s sparkling eyes, said, “There’s another good thing.”
She handed over a plump wild ginseng root.
“This… this is ginseng?” Su Yi immediately covered her mouth, stood up, glanced outside the gate to make sure no one was watching, then squatted down again, whispering, “Mom, where did this come from?”
Even in her old household, ginseng was rare.
Judging by the segments on the root, this one must be about thirty years old.
Such ginseng could be exchanged for a large amount of grain coupons.
Wang Guifen spoke softly, “I had to cross a mountain ridge to go to the Zhu family’s brigade. On the way, I heard someone calling for help in the forest. I thought it must be someone from our brigade, so I went to check. It turned out to be a young educated youth who had just arrived at our brigade. His leg was cut by bamboo and he couldn’t get out. If I hadn’t helped, the wolf might have gotten him. I couldn’t bear it, so I carried him out. The other things I found on the way, and the wild chicken—I killed it with my iron arrow, it’s healthy.”
Su Yi nodded in stunned silence.
Her mother-in-law had incredible luck.
She caught seven fish in one go, rescued someone from the forest, and even found wild ginseng.
“Mom, you said you came down the mountain with Shen. What about him?”
Wang Guifen understood her question. “Don’t worry, my girl. Shen doesn’t know about the ginseng. I only told him I went to pick mushrooms for soup.”
Su Yi nodded. “Even though everyone is simple-hearted, ginseng is valuable and attracts attention. You never know what people might do. Best to keep it hidden.”
“Yes, Mom thought the same. Precious things must be safeguarded.”
“Mom, will you sell the ginseng or trade it?”
Selling it could bring around 60 yuan; trading it for grain could yield 300 jin. Either way, it was a good gain.
Wang Guifen smiled. “This ginseng isn’t for money or grain. I heard only officials or wealthy city folks eat it. It’s nourishing—save it for you.”
The doctor had said Su Yi’s body was weak and needed nourishing.
Nothing could be better than wild ginseng. Wang Guifen had already planned to use it to strengthen her daughter-in-law.
Su Yi held the ginseng. “Mom, my body’s fine. I eat plenty of meat and eggs. I don’t need such a precious ginseng.”
She knew their family situation. Her mother-in-law had been frugal but generous, careful with spending, and now it was extreme.
Besides, Zhi Jun wasn’t an officer, and their income was limited—they couldn’t add extra burden.
“Yi Yi, listen to me. No matter how precious something is, it doesn’t compare to a person’s health. As long as you and the baby are well, even if this ginseng were a thousand-year-old lingzhi, I’d still give it to you.” Wang Guifen coaxed gently.
She had a feeling there were more treasures in the mountains.
The brigade hadn’t sent anyone to patrol near the water source due to the wolf, so this task would fall to her—an official reason to go into the mountains.
If the brigade chief was generous, she might even earn more work points.
Su Yi finally nodded. Since marrying into Tanghe Village, she’d been focused on saving, often neglecting herself. Her mother-in-law was right—people are more valuable than things.
“Mom, I’ll listen to you.” She got up. “I’ll serve the rice.”
“Hide the ginseng first. I’ll put the wild chicken somewhere cool so it won’t spoil,” Wang Guifen said, taking the chicken outside.
Su Yi placed the ginseng in a ventilated box in her room to dry. She washed her hands and brought the rice and the last steamed fish—after today, there’d be no fish left.
Wang Guifen came in, wiping her hands. “Smells so good, my girl—just like your mom’s cooking.”
The two sat on the kang, eating, when a knock came at the courtyard door.
“Knock, knock, knock.”
Wang Guifen put on her shoes. “Yi Yi, you keep eating. I’ll see who it is.” She lifted the curtain and saw Shen Wangchun outside.
“Auntie, you left too quickly, and we forgot to swap back our baskets. I’ve already cleaned them.”
Wang Guifen opened the door. “Wangchun, have you eaten?”
Shen Wangchun smiled. “Not yet. I’m waiting to share some meat.”
Wang Guifen took the basket from him. “Wait here. I’ll get it for you.” She placed the basket at the door, went inside, and came out holding two boiled sweet potatoes and an egg.
“Here, take it. You’ll need this first—when dividing meat, we have to be fair. You can’t have more, I less. Might take a while.”
Shen Wangchun was startled. “No, no, auntie, I can’t take this. Today you saved my life—it’s me who should repay you, not the other way around!”
Wang Guifen insisted, handing it to him. “Take it. We’re destined, I like you, and I even want to make you my godson. Hurry and take it.”