Those pheasants had suddenly vanished from her sight!
How strange!
She had clearly just touched the pheasant's tail feathers moments ago—how could they have disappeared so abruptly?
Xia Tian stood up and searched the area several times, but still couldn't find any trace of the pheasants. It was as if they had vanished into thin air.
Vanished into thin air?
A miraculous idea suddenly occurred to her. After cautiously checking that no one was around, she slipped behind a large tree and entered her Space.
Indeed!
The pheasants lay quietly inside the Space, completely motionless.
Xia Tian approached and poked one with her finger.
They weren't dead—they must have fainted immediately upon entering.
Recalling the earlier situation carefully, she concluded that as long as she could physically touch something, she could store it in the Space just by thinking about it.
Xia Tian picked up one pheasant, silently thought "exit," and instantly found herself back behind the large tree.
The moment the pheasant left the Space, it began flapping wildly, just as lively as before entering. It seemed her analysis was correct.
This Space could store living creatures besides herself, but they would lose consciousness inside. However, upon leaving the Space, they showed no ill effects whatsoever.
She felt delighted. If she encountered a wild boar again, as long as she timed it right and touched it while it charged at her, she could store it in the Space. Wouldn't that mean she could eat meat whenever she wanted from now on?
Hahaha!
Today was indeed a lucky day. She decided to take two pheasants out, tying them up with straw ropes.
She placed the mushrooms from her back basket into a bag, then arranged the pheasants at the bottom of the basket. Covering them with clean leaves, she added the pheasant eggs before heading down the mountain carrying the bag.
When Xia Tian arrived home and set down the back basket, she didn't see Shen Nian in the yard. The bamboo sieve he'd been weaving under the apricot tree was only half finished, so she assumed he'd grown tired and returned to his room to rest.
She didn't think much of it. These days, thanks to the Spiritual Spring Water, Shen Nian rarely coughed anymore, so she wasn't worried about his condition flaring up again.
Moreover, she had noticed that the Spiritual Spring Water's effects on Shen Nian weren't as pronounced as they were on herself. Drinking it didn't instantly cure him, but he was gradually recovering.
Xia Tian took the pheasant eggs and pheasants from the back basket and began heating water to scald the feathers.
After preparing both chickens, she placed one in an earthenware pot to make soup.
She planned to cook spicy diced chicken with the other one for dinner—perfect, since Sister-in-law Yao had given her a handful of dried chili peppers last time.
Judging by the sky, it was still a bit early to start dinner. Xia Tian first poured out the half bag of mushrooms she'd gathered and began sorting through them.
Fresh mushrooms needed to have all the grass blades and debris picked off, and any extras had to be spread out to dry, or they would spoil quickly from being piled up.
She set aside the slightly crushed mushrooms to add to the chicken soup later.
The intact mushrooms were spread evenly on the bamboo sieve and placed in the yard to sun-dry.
She also washed the wild vegetables picked that morning to stir-fry for the meal.
By the time she finished all these tasks, the sky was growing dark. She hurried to fetch two loads of water.
Xia Tian went in and out several times, yet Shen Nian still didn't emerge.
Strange?
Normally, he would wake at the slightest sound. What was going on today?
Wait—could something have happened again?
Xia Tian startled herself with the thought and hurried to the main room at a jog.
Pushing aside the door curtain, she saw Shen Nian sitting dazedly on the kang.
"Brother Shen? What's wrong?" she asked cautiously as she approached.
Seeing Shen Nian still unresponsive, Xia Tian waved her hand in front of his eyes. "Brother Shen?"
"Xia Tian?" Shen Nian finally responded.
"Yes, it's me. What's wrong with you?" Xia Tian sounded somewhat worried.
"Nothing!" Shen Nian's lips moved for a long time, but he only uttered these two words.
Xia Tian patted her chest. "Brother Shen, you scared me to death! I thought something had happened to you—you didn't respond no matter how many times I called."
"Xia Tian!" Shen Nian called her name in this formal tone for the first time.
What on earth is going on? Xia Tian placed her hand over her chest, her heart lifting with anxiety.
"Have… have you finished cooking?" After a long wait, Shen Nian finally spoke.
Xia Tian felt a breath stuck in her throat, neither rising nor falling, nearly suffocating her.
What kind of person is he? Waiting all this time just to ask if the meal is ready?
Screw his grandmother!
This infuriates me to death!
Xia Tian turned around angrily and headed to the kitchen. She was certain that what Shen Nian had intended to ask earlier was definitely not this.
If he doesn't want to say it, then so be it—she doesn't even care to know!
In the kitchen, Xia Tian banged pots, pans, and utensils noisily, venting her frustration.
After a while, she found herself laughing at the absurdity!
Isn't it a good thing that Shen Nian is fine?
What is she even fussing about?
At most, their relationship now is just that of harmonious living partners—they might not even qualify as ordinary friends.
You're in danger, Xia Tian!
She warned herself inwardly.
Xia Tian pushed aside her unnecessary thoughts and began preparing dinner.
During the meal, Shen Nian noticed that Xia Tian had returned to her usual self and breathed a sigh of relief.
He had always known she was clever—his earlier words couldn't possibly have fooled her—but she had tactfully refrained from pressing further.
Shen Nian could clearly feel that he had improved significantly over the past few days, but he was afraid it might just be his imagination, lacking even the courage to investigate.
That afternoon, while weaving something in the yard, he felt tired and went back to his room for a drink of water.
Soon after, he felt a slight warmth in his Dantian—a sensation he hadn't experienced since the onset of his poisoning.
Thinking it might be an illusion, Shen Nian immediately sat cross-legged on the kang and began meditating to circulate his energy.
He was right—his feeling was correct.
A faint stream of energy was slowly gathering from all over his body toward his Dantian.
Though the energy flow was almost negligible, it was undeniably present.
Shen Nian understood that only one scenario could explain this: the poison in his body was gradually being neutralized.
But how could this be happening?
Even the divine physician had said the poison had penetrated his internal organs and was beyond cure!
Shen Nian slowly recalled that his last episode was when Xia Tian had helped him, and after that episode, his recovery had been faster than usual.
The water!
It was after she had given him water twice that he suddenly felt much better.
Afterward, Xia Tian had reminded him to drink water every day and had been very attentive about whether he finished the water in the teapot.
But how could an ordinary village girl like her possess an antidote for his poison?
Who exactly is she?
Yet he also knew that Xia Tian was definitely not a spy sent by that person.
That person only wanted him dead—why would they provide an antidote?
Moreover, this girl was kind-hearted and straightforward, utterly incapable of hiding her thoughts.
So, when Xia Tian called out to him earlier, he had initially wanted to ask her directly.
But the words lingered on the tip of his tongue, and in the end, he couldn't bring himself to ask.
In truth, what he had wanted to say to her today was, "Thank you!"
For the first time in three years, she had given him hope to live on.
But judging from her actions these past few days, this girl probably didn’t want him to know.
Then he would just pretend not to know!
There were still many days ahead, weren’t there?
Xia Tian had no idea her secret had already been exposed.
Looking at Shen Nian’s expressionless face, as if nothing had just happened, she angrily shoveled down two large bowls of rice with the chicken soup.