“I’ll help you, Sister-in-law!”
Little Xiaoyu puffed out her chest proudly.
She wasn’t just the family’s lucky little treasure—she could help her sister-in-law work too!
“All right.”
Jinxiu gave her an encouraging thumbs-up.
Morel mushrooms were a real treasure.
They were packed with vitamins, protein, and minerals.
Back in her previous life, top-quality morels could sell for well over 1,000 yuan per jin (about half a kilogram).
After picking the last morel, they found several patches of pine mushrooms beneath nearby pine trees.
The two of them squatted down and enthusiastically harvested every single one into their bamboo baskets.
Standing up, Jinxiu dusted off her hands with satisfaction.
“Sister-in-law, over there! Follow me!”
Like a tiny adult, Xiaoyu tugged her hand toward another part of the mountain.
They walked until they reached a mountain stream.
Crystal-clear water flowed like a silver ribbon.
Sunlight sparkled across its surface.
Wildflowers bloomed abundantly along both banks—white, yellow, and red blossoms painted a beautiful picture.
The moment Xiaoyu saw the stream, she squealed happily and crouched beside it to play.
“Careful. The water’s still cold. Don’t stay in it too long.”
Spring water at this time of year was icy.
Getting sick would only make things worse.
The stream was shallow and the current gentle.
After making sure Xiaoyu was safe, Jinxiu found a flat boulder nearby, sat cross-legged, and carefully sorted through their harvest.
Morels:
Pine mushrooms:
Xiaoyu had a rough idea of how much they’d gathered.
As long as Jinxiu only exchanged a portion, there was no danger of exposing the system in front of the child.
Total: 35 points.
She had already figured out the exchange rate.
One point was roughly equivalent to 10 yuan in purchasing power.
Thirty-five points…
That was about 350 yuan.
I could buy so many eggs with that!
Just as she was happily doing the math, a bouquet of fresh flowers suddenly appeared before her.
“Sister-in-law! Aren’t they pretty?”
“They’re beautiful.”
Jinxiu picked a tiny yellow flower from the bouquet and tucked it into Xiaoyu’s hair.
The little girl’s already adorable face became even cuter.
Unable to resist, Jinxiu hugged her tightly and showered her with kisses.
“Oh my! Whose precious little darling is this? You’re so adorable!”
Xiaoyu burst into giggles.
She pulled out a tiny red flower and carefully tucked it into Jinxiu’s hair.
“Sister-in-law is pretty too!”
“No…”
“You’re the prettiest! The prettiest! The prettiest!”
She emphasized it three whole times.
Jinxiu laughed.
What a little angel.
This body had suffered through years of famine.
At the Li household, she’d worked endlessly.
Her skin was rough.
Her body was painfully thin.
“Pretty” was hardly a word anyone would use to describe her.
Once I earn some money…
I’ll take proper care of myself.
An hour had passed since they entered the mountains.
Judging by the time, Xie Eryong should be finishing up soon.
The two headed back.
Just as they neared the spot where they’d found the monstera plants earlier, they spotted him.
“Ery—”
Jinxiu stopped herself.
Xie Eryong had his back to them.
Only then did she notice a girl standing in front of him.
She looked about fourteen or fifteen.
Her gray clothes were covered in patches.
She was pretty enough, though just as thin as every other girl during these famine years.
Her lips moved as she quietly spoke to him.
Xiaoyu shaded her eyes with one hand and looked over.
“Oh…”
“It’s Second Brother and Sister Qinglian.”
Jinxiu’s curiosity flared instantly.
“Who’s Sister Qinglian?”
Xiaoyu tilted her head, trying to think of how to explain.
Instead, Jinxiu quietly led her closer.
Two enormous lacquer trees standing side by side hid them from view.
“Eryong…”
The girl’s voice was calm.
“I think… we should stop seeing each other. I’m afraid Brother Dawei will misunderstand.”
Xie Eryong’s whole body stiffened.
“…You’re saying…”
“Your family arranged a marriage for you?”
“Brother Dawei… is your fiancé?”
“He’s the village head’s son.”
“And… you agreed?”
“What choice do I have?”
She lowered her eyes.
“When it comes to marriage… don’t daughters all obey their parents?”
Xie Eryong stepped forward anxiously.
“If you don’t want this, then I—”
“Eryong!”
She raised her voice, cutting him off.
After a long pause, she sighed.
“Actually…”
“I do want this.”
He froze.
After what felt like forever, he forced out a bitter smile.
“Qinglian…”
“You once told me…”
“If you ever got married…”
“It would only be to me.”
She looked at him without emotion.
“That was just something I said.”
“It doesn’t count.”
“What matters is…”
“If I marry Brother Dawei…”
“I’ll never go hungry again.”
“My younger sister can finally get treatment for her illness.”
She glanced at him quietly.
“But your family’s situation…”
“I can’t see any future with you.”
Dappled sunlight filtered through the trees, casting shifting shadows across her face.
Her expression was impossible to read.
“Let’s leave it at that.”
“From now on…”
“We shouldn’t see each other anymore.”
“It’s better for both of us.”
Without another glance, she turned and walked away.
Xie Eryong felt as though his heart had shattered into pieces.
Like a man who’d lost his soul, he slowly turned around—
And came face-to-face with Jinxiu and Xiaoyu hiding behind the trees.
Caught eavesdropping…
And at a moment like this.
Jinxiu let out an awkward laugh.
“…If I said we didn’t hear anything…”
“Would you believe me?”
Xie Eryong lowered his head.
Without saying a word, he picked up his hatchet and walked over to a young pine tree.
Then he began chopping.
Again.
And again.
Xiaoyu scratched her head.
“Second Brother looks really sad.”
“He really does.”
Jinxiu nodded sympathetically.
After all…
The girl he liked had just rejected him.
How could he not be heartbroken?
She didn’t know He Qinglian very well.
People naturally wanted a better life.
If Qinglian wanted to marry into a wealthier family, and wasn’t stealing, cheating, or harming anyone…
Who could really say she was wrong?
Looking at the Xie family’s circumstances…
Many girls would have been frightened away.
Even Jinxiu herself had planned to run away if the family had turned out badly.
Besides…
There had never been any formal engagement.
Their private promises didn’t carry legal weight.
Nor had Qinglian strung Xie Eryong along.
She had clearly ended things and chosen to keep her distance.
No one could really fault her for that.
The only pitiful one…
Was Eryong.
His head hung low.
His eyes were red and wet.
He looked so devastated that even if money fell onto the ground before him…
He probably wouldn’t bother picking it up.
Thud!
Thud!
The hatchet slammed into the pine tree again and again.
Pine needles rained down as the branches shook violently.
Jinxiu thought it was probably good for him to vent his feelings.
She only hoped he wouldn’t hurt himself.
Unfortunately…
The very thing she feared happened.
A muffled grunt rang out.
Xie Eryong suddenly threw down the hatchet and grabbed his left hand.
Blood poured steadily from his palm.
Jinxiu’s expression changed immediately.
“Eryong!”
“Are you okay?”
“Let me see!”
The wound stretched from the web between his thumb and index finger all the way toward his wrist.
Fresh blood kept welling out.
“So much blood!”
Xiaoyu’s eyes instantly filled with tears.
“Second Brother… does it hurt?”
“It does…”
Eryong couldn’t help baring his teeth in pain.
But he still forced a smile.
“I’m a man.”
“It’s not that serious.”
“It just looks scary.”
Jinxiu immediately pulled a rough cloth from her sleeve and wrapped his hand.
“Whether it’s serious or not isn’t for you to decide.”
“Come on.”
“We’re going home.”
“Let’s have the physician take a look.”
She could only stop the bleeding temporarily.
If tendons had been cut…
His hand could be crippled for life.
Though petite and slender, Jinxiu carried surprising authority when she put on a stern face.
Eryong didn’t dare argue.
He bent down to retrieve the bloodstained hatchet.
“But… the firewood…”
“Oh, forget the firewood!”
Jinxiu waved him off.
“Do you still want your hand or not?”
“Leave it here.”
“We’ll come back for it later.”
Standing behind him, Xiaoyu puffed out her cheeks and pushed against his back with all her might.
“Go!”
Eryong glanced reluctantly at the pile of chopped wood.
Then he thought about it.
The mountains were full of firewood.
No one was likely to steal it.
Resigned, he allowed his little sister to push him down the mountain.