No one in the Xie family sat around idle.
Xie Jinnan chopped firewood.
Despite his injured hand, Xie Eryong still wandered around the courtyard one-handed, sweeping here and there with a broom.
Jinxiu wanted to help Granny Tian feed the chickens, but the old woman waved her off.
“There are only a few chickens. Grandma can manage by herself.”
“Go play with Xiaoyu.”
So Jinxiu and Xiaoyu headed to the backyard, where Grandfather Xie was weaving bamboo baskets.
“Come, come. Don’t squat there.”
“Here, sit on these.”
He pulled out two small bamboo stools from behind him and handed them over.
Jinxiu gratefully accepted one and sat down.
Picking up a finished winnowing tray nearby, she admired it carefully.
The weaving was tight and sturdy.
It even featured decorative patterns.
“It’s beautiful, Grandpa.”
“You really make these well!”
Without stopping his work, Grandfather Xie smiled.
“Want to learn?”
“I’ll teach you.”
Jinxiu laughed awkwardly and shook her head.
“I think I’ll pass.”
The old man chuckled.
“That’s true.”
“This kind of work isn’t really suited for girls.”
“It’s hard on the hands.”
Actually…
That wasn’t her reason.
Basket weaving required both dexterity and patience.
Just splitting bamboo strips evenly was enough to make her lose confidence.
Instead, she simply helped hand him bamboo strips.
“These bamboo poles came from the grove behind the village, right?”
“Mm.”
“There are two bamboo groves in the village.”
“The other one’s behind the village head’s house.”
“I usually cut bamboo from the closer one.”
Xiaoyu rested her chin in her hands.
“Sister-in-law…”
“Are you going to look for bamboo shoots tomorrow?”
Thinking about the system points…
Jinxiu answered immediately.
“Yes.”
Xiaoyu instantly wrapped herself around Grandfather Xie’s arm.
“Grandpa…”
“Can you weave me a little bamboo basket too?”
The old man laughed heartily.
“Of course.”
“But not so fast.”
“It’ll take me a couple of days.”
Early the next morning, Grandfather Xie took his sickle and headed toward the bamboo grove.
Jinxiu followed with a bamboo basket hanging from her arm.
Xiaoyu stayed behind to play with the village children.
Warm sunshine shone overhead.
A gentle spring breeze drifted through the air.
The moment they stepped into the bamboo grove, everything became noticeably darker.
The grove was enormous.
Towering green bamboo stretched high into the sky.
Recent rains had encouraged fresh bamboo shoots to grow rapidly.
The dense canopy blocked almost all the sunlight.
Only scattered rays filtered through.
A thick carpet of fallen bamboo leaves cushioned every step.
The air was filled with their fresh fragrance.
Grandfather Xie stopped beside a suitable stalk and began chopping.
“Grandpa, I’ll look around over there.”
“When you’re done, just head home.”
“No need to wait for me.”
He nodded.
“Fine.”
“But don’t go up the mountain by yourself.”
“I won’t.”
Jinxiu turned and headed deeper into another part of the grove.
Her eyes swept carefully across the surroundings.
She hadn’t walked very far before luck smiled on her again.
Two mature monstera plants grew from a crack beside a huge flat boulder.
Each bore three ripe fruits.
The familiar voice echoed inside her mind.
【Ding! Five jin of monstera fruit detected. Exchange for 10 points?】
She selected Yes without hesitation.
Ding!
Points received.
Although happy, she didn’t linger.
Carrying her basket, she continued searching.
The cool, damp bamboo grove was full of wild plants.
If only the system accepted everything…
She immediately scolded herself.
Greedy.
Just then…
The mechanical voice sounded again.
【Ding! Wild Sargentodoxa herb detected. One jin worth 25 points.】
Jinxiu’s eyes widened.
This medicinal herb resembled plantain grass, but they were completely different species.
Its rhizomes were highly valued in traditional medicine.
The entire plant could be used to stop bleeding, clear internal heat, and detoxify the body.
Even in modern times, cultivated supplies were scarce.
Wild specimens had become especially valuable because overharvesting had made them increasingly rare.
“Twenty-five points…”
She stared at the patch growing before her.
There had to be at least two and a half jin here.
I’m rich!
She quickly pulled a small hoe from her basket.
Carefully loosening the soil around each plant…
She exposed the roots bit by bit before gently lifting them out.
The care she took looked almost like someone digging up priceless ginseng.
Fortunately, the roots weren’t buried very deeply.
Compared to ginseng, harvesting them was much easier.
As she worked…
She became faster and more skilled.
Less than half an hour later…
Every single plant had been collected.
【Ding! Two and a half jin of wild medicinal herb detected. Exchange for 62.5 points?】
“Yes!”
The system immediately updated.
Current Balance: 107.5 Points
Jinxiu nearly jumped with excitement.
Meanwhile, Xie Jinnan returned from town.
He handed the fifty copper coins he’d earned from copying books to Granny Tian.
The old woman weighed the warm coins in her palm.
Seeing money come into the household made her feel much more secure.
Looking up, she noticed her grandson glancing around.
Immediately understanding, she smiled knowingly.
“Jinxiu went to the bamboo grove with your grandfather.”
“They’re looking for bamboo shoots.”
In truth…
Once bamboo shoots emerged, the villagers usually dug them all up that very day.
Still…
There wasn’t much work at home anyway.
Finding some would be nice.
Not finding any wasn’t a big loss.
Yesterday’s harvest of bamboo shoots was already soaking and would last another two or three meals.
Just then, movement came from outside.
“Grandpa.”
“Didn’t Jinxiu come back with you?”
Xie Jinnan asked as he stepped into the courtyard.
Grandfather Xie shook his head while lowering another load of bamboo from his shoulder.
“I told her not to go farther up the mountain alone.”
“I’ve already made several trips back and forth.”
“She probably hasn’t finished searching for shoots yet.”
After wiping the sweat from his forehead with a towel, he sat down to rest.
Xie Jinnan headed straight to the bamboo grove.
He walked several hundred meters without seeing anyone.
Just as he prepared to search another direction…
A cheerful voice rang out.
“Husband!”
“Are you looking for me?”
Jinxiu suddenly darted out from another section of the grove.
Grinning from ear to ear, she proudly held up a rabbit in each hand.
“Look!”
“Rabbits!”
Xie Jinnan’s heart skipped a beat.
Not because of the rabbits…
But because of the way she had addressed him.
Recovering himself, he asked,
“Where did those rabbits come from?”
Jinxiu had already prepared her story.
“You won’t believe it.”
“I was digging bamboo shoots when I saw two rabbits hopping together.”
“So I chased them.”
“I caught the white one.”
“I thought the gray one had escaped…”
“But then…”
“It somehow ran straight into a rock and knocked itself unconscious!”
Xie Jinnan blinked in surprise.
“Something like that actually happened?”
Of course not.
They were meat rabbits she had secretly exchanged through the system.
Fifteen points for both.
Jinxiu looked unbearably pleased with herself.
“Husband…”
“Don’t you think my luck is amazing?”
Hearing her call him “husband” again…
And seeing the happiness shining on her face…
Xie Jinnan found himself smiling too.
A broad smile spread across his handsome face.
Showing a row of white teeth, he gently rubbed the top of her head.
His eyes softened.
“That’s because…”
“Our Jin’er is a little lucky star.”
Hey!
A head pat?
That’s cheating!
For once…
Jinxiu actually blushed.
Her cheeks turned faintly pink.
Still…
Her shameless personality quickly reappeared.
“Husband…”
“I like it when you call me Jin’er.”
The tips of Xie Jinnan’s ears immediately flushed red.
Truthfully…
He liked it too.
A nickname that belonged only to him.
Clearing his throat awkwardly, he took both rabbits from her hands.
“Let’s go home.”
“Oh!”
“Wait a second!”
“My basket’s still over there.”
Watching her skip happily away, Xie Jinnan couldn’t help laughing.
He glanced down at the two plump rabbits kicking wildly in his hands.
They’re both so fat…
No wonder the little girl was so delighted.
…Though her luck really was unbelievable.