Soaking Feet Together
Back at home, Yang Lan went next door to find Uncle Li, proposing they go up the mountain together and offering ten coins a day for his help.
Li Jiang was initially reluctant to accept the money, but Yang Lan’s insistence eventually persuaded him. He pocketed the coins and promised with a hearty pat on his chest that he would ensure Yang Lan’s safety.
After expressing his thanks, Yang Lan took his leave.
Upon hearing this, Lin Qiao hesitated before speaking, “I want to go with you, Husband.”
Yang Lan was taken aback. He had initially planned to bring Lin Qiao along to teach him about herbs, but after what happened on the mountain last time, he hesitated, fearing it might trigger Lin Qiao’s fears.
Unexpectedly, Lin Qiao brought it up himself.
Yang Lan ruffled Lin Qiao’s hair gently, asking softly, “Tell me honestly, do you want to go for yourself or because of me?”
Lin Qiao lowered his eyes and fell silent.
Yang Lan sighed, understanding perfectly well.
Despite his fear and knowing the dangers of the mountain, Lin Qiao had still forced himself to say those words.
“Silly boy,” Yang Lan said, tousling his hair even more until it was a tangled mess.
Lin Qiao, having been malnourished since childhood, had hair that was somewhat dry and yellow. After Yang Lan’s playful assault, it looked like a large bird’s nest atop his head, his bewildered expression both pitiful and amusing.
Yang Lan smiled and said, “Don’t force yourself to do things you don’t like because of me. We’re family, and we should care for and understand each other.”
Lin Qiao looked at him, his eyes quietly reddening, unable to find the words.
“Be good, stay home tomorrow and help take care of Father, alright?” Yang Lan asked gently.
Lin Qiao nodded vigorously, “Don’t worry, Husband, I’ll take good care of Father!”
“Yes, and most importantly, don’t let him take on any more work,” Yang Lan added, seeing through Lin Qiao’s thoughts. “And you can’t do it for him either. Both of you need to take care of your health.”
Lin Qiao felt warmth in his heart and nodded with a wide grin.
The next day, Lin Qiao woke up especially early. Since Yang Lan had arranged to go up the mountain with Uncle Li at dawn, Lin Qiao got up before the first light.
When Yang Lan finished washing up and entered the kitchen, a rich aroma greeted him.
“What delicious thing has Lin Qiao made?”
Lin Qiao pointed to the table, “Scallion meat pancakes. There are some ready over there. Husband, go eat, and take the rest as provisions for the mountain.”
Yang Lan walked over to the table and saw five or six neatly stacked pancakes in a small bamboo basket. He picked one up and took a bite, unable to help but exclaim, “This is delicious.”
It wasn’t just flattery; Lin Qiao truly had a gift for cooking. Each bite was filled with the aroma of scallions and meat, perfectly balanced, neither too greasy nor too dry.
“These are better than the ones sold in town. Lin Qiao, you’re amazing,” Yang Lan praised without reservation.
Lin Qiao’s face slowly turned a rosy hue. It was just a simple pancake, not as extraordinary as Husband made it sound. But he was genuinely happy!
The pancakes were large, and after eating two, Yang Lan was full. He drank a bowl of mung bean porridge and then headed out with his basket.
Just as he reached Li Jiang’s door, Li Jiang came out.
Yang Lan greeted him with a fist salute, “Uncle Li, have you had breakfast? My husband made some provisions.”
“I’ve eaten,” Li Jiang replied with a hearty laugh, glancing at the sky. “We should head up the mountain quickly. Once the sun is up, the snakes and insects will come out, and it won’t be safe.”
Yang Lan nodded, “Alright.”
Li Jiang, familiar with the mountain paths, led Yang Lan through several safe and easy shortcuts, reaching the forest two quarters of an hour faster than last time.
“Lan Xiaozi, I’ll go set traps up ahead. You stay around here and don’t wander too far. If you encounter any danger, just shout for me.”
Yang Lan agreed to everything.
Watching Li Jiang’s figure disappear into the dense forest, Yang Lan took a deep breath and walked in the opposite direction.
Thanks to the storage system, Yang Lan easily found the spot where he had left Wang Mazi last time. The man was gone.
It had only been two days, yet the traces were still there.
He examined the green vine juice on the tree trunk, guessing it was from Wang Mazi struggling after waking up, but there wasn’t much blood on the ground.
Yang Lan looked around, frowning.
Though the chances of Wang Mazi surviving were slim, it wasn’t impossible.
Villains tend to live long, and if he really managed to escape, Yang Lan would have to find a way to silence him for good.
Yang Lan decided not to dwell on it for now, planning to gather information once he returned before making any decisions.
Back at the spot where he and Li Jiang had parted, Yang Lan set down his basket and began digging for herbs.
His luck today was average; he didn’t find any rare herbs, just common ones. However, he was now more skilled and faster at digging, so he should have more than last time.
Li Jiang had a good harvest, returning with two gray rabbits and three wild chickens, his face beaming with joy.
“Lan Xiaozi, it’s getting late. We should head down the mountain.”
Yang Lan nodded, “I’m about done here too.”
He shouldered his basket, the sudden weight bending his back, and he let out a hiss.
Li Jiang chuckled kindly, “Lan Xiaozi, you’re quite frail. You need to train more.”
Yang Lan replied with a wry smile.
Li Jiang helped him lift the basket, placing it securely on his back. Seeing the contents, he exclaimed, “So these are the herbs you were talking about?”
When Yang Lan had approached Li Jiang last night, he hadn’t hidden his purpose for going up the mountain.
Yang Lan turned his back, grimacing until his shoulders adjusted to the pain, then turned back and said, “Yes, this is all I managed to gather in a day, not as impressive as Uncle Li’s haul.”
“Ah, it’s all about luck. Sometimes I come back empty-handed. In the end, studying is the best path. Even if you don’t pass the exams, you can work as an accountant in town, which is easy and stable.”
Yang Lan smiled, “Uncle Li is right.”
With Li Jiang leading the way, there was no worry of getting lost. The two chatted idly and soon reached the foot of the mountain.
As they neared home, Yang Lan hesitantly asked, “Uncle Li, could I buy one of those wild chickens from you?”
He had wanted to buy one as soon as he saw Li Jiang’s catch, but he couldn’t carry it at the time, so he only mentioned it once they reached his doorstep.
Uncle Li, suspecting nothing, smiled, “Of course.”
He picked out the plumpest one, “This one’s over two pounds. I’ll charge you for two pounds, 15 coins per pound.”
Yang Lan had just the right amount of money with him and paid on the spot.
As he carried the wild chicken home, he felt it was a good deal. Wild chicken meat was much tastier than fatty pork, which cost 20 coins per pound.
Lin Qiao was already waiting at the door and rushed to greet him as soon as he saw him return.
“Husband! You’re back!”
Seeing Lin Qiao’s beaming smile, Yang Lan felt his fatigue melt away.
He smiled back, showing him the prize in his hand, “A big, fat chicken.”
Lin Qiao took it, eyes wide, “What a plump wild chicken! Where did you get it, Husband?”
“I bought it from Uncle Li,” Yang Lan replied. “From now on, I’ll buy one every few days. All three of us need to eat well.”
Lin Qiao was surprised and mumbled, “Who eats meat every few days?”
Yang Lan raised an eyebrow, “I’ll make sure you and Father eat meat every meal until you’re sick of it.”
Lin Qiao was overjoyed, though he said, “Who would get sick of eating meat? I wouldn’t, even if I ate it every meal.”
With such lighthearted banter, the two quickly made their way into the courtyard.
Yang Lan set his basket down in the corner and went to the main room to eat. He was nearly starving.
He had brought four meat pancakes, which he shared with Uncle Li at noon, but they barely filled him up, and he ended up drinking cold water to sate his hunger.
After a hearty meal, he carried the herbs to Doctor Xu’s house, knowing they would fetch a good price while still fresh.
“Thirty pounds in total, 300 coins for you,” Xu Xiangdong said, pulling out a money pouch.
Yang Lan accepted the payment, “Thank you, Doctor Xu.”
Xu Xiangdong nodded and began sorting the various herbs into large sieves in the pharmacy.
Yang Lan lent a hand, helping him carry them into the pharmacy, where the rich scent of herbs filled the air, making him feel refreshed. He couldn’t help but take a deep breath.
“This scent is something else. We don’t have to worry about mosquitoes in the summer,” Xu Xiangdong said with a smile.
Yang Lan’s mind sparked at his words. He hadn’t found anything about mosquito repellent in the original owner’s memories, so he asked, “Doctor Xu, why not try to create a potion specifically to repel mosquitoes and flies? It would make summer much more bearable.”
“Well…” Xu Xiangdong paused, then his eyes lit up, and he gave Yang Lan a pat on the back. “No wonder you’re a scholar, always so clever. I’ll discuss it with my father later.”
Yang Lan nodded, “I’ll look forward to your good news, Doctor Xu.”
Leaving the Xu family, Yang Lan searched through the storage system and found several traditional methods for making mosquito coils and repellent.
However, he didn’t plan to make them himself. Mixing potions required precision, and without any basic knowledge or precise scales and instruments, it would take him ages to figure it out.
Instead of giving himself a headache, he decided to leave the task to someone else.
Yang Lan chuckled to himself and headed home quickly.
By the time he returned, it was already dark. Zhang Shi had gone to bed, but Lin Qiao was still busy in the kitchen.
Yang Lan entered to find him kneading dough.
“Lin Qiao, what are you making so late?”
He asked as he sat by the large stove, helping to tend the fire.
Seeing his actions, Lin Qiao felt a warmth in his heart. Husband was always like this, silently supporting him, helping him complete whatever he was doing, even if he didn’t know what it was.
“I want to steam some buns. You can roast them on the mountain for a warm meal.”
Yang Lan was momentarily stunned, then broke into a smile, “I saw a pumpkin in the woodshed. I’ll wash it and make some pumpkin-filled ones!”
“Alright.”
Their stove was large, and so was the steamer, capable of steaming three layers at once, just enough for three different fillings in one go.
Yang Lan took a pumpkin-filled bun first, biting into the soft, sweet pumpkin mixed with the dough, sweet and fragrant, absolutely delicious.
“Pumpkin buns are delicious! Lin Qiao, try one,” Yang Lan said, handing him one.
Lin Qiao tried it and fell in love with the taste as well.
The two of them squatted by the kitchen door, finishing a bun the size of a fist.
They were already full from dinner, and one bun each made them feel stuffed.
The other two types were minced meat with green beans and cabbage with shredded radish, and they knew they would taste just as good without even trying them.
Lin Qiao was still in the kitchen washing pots, and Yang Lan had already prepared foot-soaking water for him. As soon as Lin Qiao came in, Yang Lan pressed him into a chair, and they sat side by side.
“Soaking your feet in hot water relieves fatigue. Tomorrow, I’ll buy some herbs from Doctor Xu to add to the water for even better effects.”
Lin Qiao nodded obediently, looking down at the two basins, his lips curling up, his whole body feeling warm.
For several days in a row, Yang Lan went up the mountain with Li Jiang. His ability to identify herbs improved significantly, and he no longer needed to compare them to pictures, recognizing most of them on his own.
Zhang Shi, after resting for three days, couldn’t sit still and insisted on finding work, but Yang Lan wouldn’t relent.
If it were light work, it would be fine, but Zhang Shi could only find laborious jobs, which were bad for his health.
After much persuasion, they reached a compromise.
Zhang Shi expanded the chicken coop by twice its size and bought ten roosters and ten hens, planning to hatch eggs himself. This way, Yang Lan wouldn’t have to buy wild chickens from Li Jiang anymore, saving him the heartache of spending twenty or thirty coins each time.
In addition, Zhang Shi bought two piglets, and Yang Lan reluctantly converted the dilapidated woodshed in the backyard into a pigsty.
With more animals at home, Zhang Shi and Lin Qiao stopped talking about finding work. Just cutting pig grass took up most of their day.
Seeing this, Yang Lan finally felt at ease.
However, not long after, a major event occurred in Willow Leaf Village. The mountain was temporarily closed, forcing him to put his herb-gathering endeavors on hold.