In the main room, Madam Bai stared in shock as Shen Qiyue pulled item after item out of the basket.
“Qiyue… you…”
“Mother, you have no idea how popular that mashed potato was.” Huzi gestured excitedly. “People were even asking us to come back at the next market day.”
“Mother, this is window paper for your and Little Brother’s room. It’s been letting drafts through all the time—not a bit of warmth in there. I’ll paste it up for you in a bit.”
“And this—a pound of pork. We’ll stir-fry the lean parts and render the fat for oil.”
Taotao kept swallowing her saliva. “Second Sister, I’d forgotten what pork even tastes like.”
Shen Qiyue laughed softly, pulled the girl over to her side, handed her a packet of candy, then drew two red hair ribbons and two hairpins shaped like red velvet bunnies from her bosom.
“Taotao, pretty, aren’t they? Once we dress our Taotao up, she’ll be a little beauty too.”
Taotao took them in delighted surprise, stroking the hairpins over and over. “Second Sister, they’re so pretty.”
Madam Bai scolded her with a pained heart: “Qiyue, why did you waste money on this? You and Huzi are still wearing thin shoes—why didn’t you buy yourselves a pair of cotton-padded ones?”
Shen Qiyue brought out some oil, salt, and sugar, and told Taotao to put them in the kitchen.
“Mother, tomorrow is Little New Year. Let’s make it a bit festive. I’ll go up the mountain again tomorrow morning, and hit the market a few more times before the New Year to earn more money and buy more meat, so we can have a proper fat New Year.”
Huzi, with a candy in his mouth, heard Shen Qiyue say they’d buy more meat, and a glistening thread of drool trickled down the corner of his mouth, making Madam Bai and Shen Qiyue unable to hold back their laughter.
After a spell of laughing and joking, Shen Qiyue stuffed a handful of candy into each of Huzi’s and Taotao’s pockets and sent them off to play with the village children.
She went back into her room, shut the door tightly, sat cross-legged on the kang, and closed her eyes in meditation.
After a slight tremor, Shen Qiyue opened her eyes—she was back inside that modest Spirit Spring Space.
Outside it was freezing cold, but this little space was as warm as spring.
She rolled her eyes. Since no one was around and it was so warm in here, why not…
She closed her eyes, emptied her mind, and when she opened them again, she was back in the shabby, cold room of reality.
She hurried out to fetch a bucket and a basin, then re-entered the space.
That’s right—she was going to take a bath!
In the few days since she’d arrived, to save firewood, she’d washed her face with ice-cold groundwater straight from the well pump, let alone enjoyed a proper bath.
She’d assumed the Spirit Spring Water would be somewhat chilly, but when she drew it up, she found it wasn’t cold at all—it carried a pleasant, comfortable warmth.
The heavens really were kind! Poor or not, compared to those transmigrators who started off in a living hell, she was already more than content.
Shen Qiyue quickly stripped off her clothes and enjoyed a thorough, refreshing bath with the Spirit Spring Water.
Guessing that the two little sprouts, Huzi and Taotao, would be back soon, she hurriedly dried herself, dressed, drew a full bucket of Spirit Spring Water, and left the space.
No sooner had she finished than she heard the courtyard gate creak, and Taotao’s sweet, soft voice reached her ears: “Second Sister, we’re back.”
“Huzi, go play with Mother for a bit. Taotao, Second Sister has hot water ready for you—come in and take a bath.”
Shen Qiyue stared in shock at the “spoils” on Taotao’s body. She hadn’t even scrubbed yet, and it was already this alarming?
Though “Shen Qiyue’s” body wasn’t exactly clean either, she was still stunned by Taotao. “Taotao, how long has it been since you last had a bath?”
Taotao looked at Shen Qiyue sheepishly. “Second Sister, have you forgotten? You never let me go bathe in the river.”
Shen Qiyue was no stranger to rural life. In some poor, backward villages, it was true that the whole village bathed in the river in summer—and since the river water was mostly rainwater, it wasn’t dirty.
So that meant Taotao had never bathed?!
She’d been careless—one basin of water wasn’t nearly enough. Helpless, she carried the empty bucket quietly to the kitchen, slipped into the space, and drew out another bucket of Spirit Spring Water.
By the time she’d finally gotten the little girl clean, Shen Qiyue was exhausted and collapsed onto the kang.
After resting a bit, to avoid arousing suspicion, she genuinely boiled a big pot of water and had Huzi wash up too.
The three siblings were instantly transformed, fresh and clean.
They had just tidied up the yard and the rooms when a commotion sounded at the front gate.
“Village Chief, please hurry—that girl Qiyue fed the whole family poisonous mushrooms!”
It was Shen Chang-‘s voice.
Shen Qiyue narrowed her eyes. This Shen Chang- had known since yesterday that she’d eaten the mushrooms, yet only now was he calling people over.
Clearly, he’d meant to bring people to collect the bodies.
She curled the corner of her mouth, pulled Taotao and Huzi into the room, and told them not to speak, wanting to see exactly what they intended to do.
Shen Chang- led the Village Chief into the Shen family’s small courtyard, with the inevitable crowd of curious villagers trailing behind.
“Shen Chang-, stop spouting nonsense. Your niece and nephew went to town with my wife just this morning—how could they have eaten poisonous mushrooms yesterday?”
A middle-aged man with yellowed teeth looked utterly unconvinced.
Shen Chang- grew flustered at once: “I saw it with my own eyes—a full bowl of poisonous mushrooms, and they were eating them right then. Have you forgotten how Zhuzi died from mushrooms in our village last year?”
Everyone in the yard felt a chill run down their spine. Indeed, even adults could make mistakes eating the wrong thing, let alone three children on the verge of starvation?
What’s more, the yard was eerily quiet—not even the sound of a child could be heard.
“My poor second brother’s family! The whole household is gone. Your elder brother is useless, unable to hold a proper funeral for them, but rest assured, I’ll take care of Xiao Bao for you.”
Shen Chang- wailed in a theatrical display of grief.
The Village Chief furrowed his brow and barked, “Nothing’s even happened yet, so why are you wailing like you’re mourning your own mother?”
With that, he gave a light cough and called out toward the main house, “Huzi? Qiyue?”
Hearing the commotion in the yard, Madam Bai quickly got up and opened the door.
“Village Chief, what brings you here?”
Seeing that she was unharmed, he let out a sigh of relief. “Did you not eat the mushrooms yesterday? Where are your three kids?”
Madam Bai was taken aback, unsure what had happened to Qiyue and the others. She walked over and knocked on the door. “Qiyue, Taotao, Huzi, Grandpa Village Chief is here. Come on out.”
Shen Chang- had been struck speechless with astonishment the moment he saw Madam Bai emerge, but on second thought, without that she-devil Shen Qiyue around, what did it matter if Madam Bai was still alive? She was no threat.
“Sister-in-law, Qiyue and the others… they’re probably gone by now.” He then wiped at his eyes with feigned sorrow.
Madam Bai felt as if she’d been struck by lightning. How could that be? They were perfectly fine just half an hour ago—how could something have happened so suddenly?!
In a panic, she rushed forward to push the door open.
Just then, the door suddenly swung open from the inside, and Shen Qiyue walked out with a yawn.
Huzi and Taotao followed behind her, mimicking her gesture of covering their mouths, barely suppressing the smiles tugging at their lips.
“Mother, Grandpa Village Chief, what’s going on?” Shen Qiyue looked at the crowd in the yard with confusion.
Shen Chang-‘s face had already turned pale. Impossible—he’d seen with his own eyes those three little brats eat the poisonous mushrooms. How could they be fine?
He rubbed his eyes vigorously and looked at Shen Qiyue again, only to see the little girl’s gaze sweep over him, a hint of mockery in her half-smile.
“You—didn’t you all eat the mushrooms? How, how could you…”
“Uncle, what’s wrong? Were the mushrooms not edible? Didn’t I ask you yesterday when you came if you wanted some? Why didn’t you say anything then?”
Shen Chang-‘s face froze instantly.