“Big Brother, Second Brother and Sister Qinglian, she—mmph! Mmph!”
“Xiaoyu! Don’t talk nonsense!”
Xie Eryong panicked.
The village physician was still bandaging his hand, so he couldn’t move much.
Stretching out one leg, he hooked the little chatterbox toward him, then covered her mouth with his free hand.
Being embarrassed himself was one thing.
What he feared most was word getting out and ruining Qinglian’s reputation.
No.
I have to warn this little troublemaker before she blurts everything out.
Forcing a laugh, Eryong looked at his elder brother.
“Um… Big Brother… maybe you and Sister-in-law should head home first?”
Xie Jinnan merely raised an eyebrow before turning to the physician.
“How much for the consultation and medicine?”
The physician replied,
“I’ll waive the consultation fee. Medicine and bandaging together come to thirty-five copper coins.”
Watching Xie Jinnan count out the money, Eryong felt both guilty and heartbroken.
The family desperately needed every coin.
Yet he’d gone and gotten himself injured.
“…Did you know about Eryong and He Qinglian before this?”
Jinxiu carried the hatchet while Xie Jinnan shouldered the bamboo basket as they walked home together.
She hadn’t expected there to be such a story behind Eryong’s injury.
Without taking his eyes off the road, Xie Jinnan shook his head.
“I’d only seen her twice.”
“I only knew she was around Eryong’s age.”
After a pause, he added,
“He Qinglian is the cousin of my cousin-in-law.”
Jinxiu blinked.
Xie Jinnan explained.
His uncle Xie Fusheng and aunt Zhang Yuying had two daughters and a son.
Their youngest son, Xie Dahai, was actually two years older than Jinnan.
Both daughters had already married.
The eldest, Xie Chunhua, had married into He Village.
Her husband’s name was He Qiang.
Qinglian’s father happened to be He Qiang’s cousin.
“Ohhh…”
Jinxiu finally understood.
“You should find a chance to comfort Eryong.”
After all…
Romantic matters were difficult for outsiders to meddle in.
But as an older brother, caring about his younger brother was only natural.
Granny Tian had been waiting anxiously in the courtyard.
The moment she saw them, she hurried over.
“How’s Eryong’s hand? Is it serious?”
Xie Jinnan repeated the physician’s diagnosis.
“It isn’t serious.”
“The medicine cost thirty-five copper coins.”
Then he handed five coins back.
“Grandma, here’s the remaining five.”
Granny Tian accepted them with relief.
“As long as there’s no lasting injury.”
Jinxiu smiled.
“Grandma, we picked lots of mushrooms today.”
“Let’s cook them tonight!”
The bamboo basket sat beneath the eaves.
She brought out a woven bamboo tray and began sorting their harvest.
First came:
Then she tipped the rest of the basket upside down.
Out rolled fresh bamboo shoots…
And several green monstera fruits.
It had been quite a fruitful trip.
Granny Tian picked up a large morel.
“What a fine mushroom.”
“Well… there has been plenty of rain lately.”
Then she noticed the strange green fruits on the ground.
Her eyes widened.
“Aren’t these fruits from the wire vine?”
(That was what people here called the monstera plant.)
“Why did you bring these back?”
Jinxiu answered honestly.
“Xiaoyu found them.”
“I’m going to let them ripen before eating them.”
Granny Tian’s face immediately darkened.
She knew exactly what the old woman was thinking.
Smiling, Jinxiu quickly explained,
“They’re edible.”
“But only after they’re completely ripe.”
“I’ve eaten them before, so I know.”
“And they’re delicious.”
“Sweet and fragrant.”
“They taste better than many wild fruits.”
“I’m really not lying!”
At first, Granny Tian remained skeptical.
But after hearing Jinxiu describe them so vividly—
Especially when the girl unconsciously smacked her lips as if remembering the taste—
She couldn’t help laughing.
“Look at you.”
“So greedy.”
“Fine.”
“We’ll keep them until they’re fully ripe.”
She carried the tray of mushrooms back into the kitchen and sprinkled them with water to keep them fresh until dinner.
Lunch was just as plain as before.
Dried wild vegetable pancakes.
A pot of coarse-grain porridge…
So watery that the thin surface could practically reflect your face.
While sipping her porridge, Jinxiu quietly pondered a serious problem.
How can I introduce the supplies from the system without arousing suspicion?
If things simply appeared out of thin air…
People might mistake her for a demon.
As she drank another mouthful, she secretly glanced sideways at Xie Jinnan.
He was a genuinely kind man.
But…
If he ever learned that the original Li Jinxiu had already died…
And that the soul inside this body belonged to a woman from another world…
Could he still remain calm?
If he accepted her, everything would become much easier.
He could even help cover for the items she exchanged through the system.
But…
She didn’t dare gamble on that possibility.
Meanwhile, Xie Jinnan noticed the little girl stealing glances at him.
Her expressions changed one after another.
Now she frowned deeply.
A moment later her eyes brightened.
Then they dimmed again.
He couldn’t help wondering…
What exactly is going through that little head of hers?
Jinxiu went into Li Xiuhong’s room.
Xie Changsheng was carefully massaging his wife’s limbs.
“I’ll help.”
Under his guidance, Jinxiu quickly learned the proper technique.
Her movements were gentle.
As she massaged Li Xiuhong’s stiff muscles, she asked softly,
“Mother, is this strength okay?”
“Does it feel better?”
Massage helped improve circulation.
It eased stiff joints and muscles, which could aid recovery.
Li Xiuhong struggled to speak.
“Com… fort…”
“I’m glad.”
“If you like it, I’ll come massage you and chat with you more often.”
“N-not… hard…”
“It isn’t troublesome.”
“This is what a daughter-in-law should do.”
Although Li Xiuhong’s speech remained slurred, Jinxiu could understand her well enough for simple conversations.
When Xie Jinnan returned after fetching water, this was the scene that greeted him.
Mother-in-law and daughter-in-law chatting happily together.
Xie Changsheng quietly walked over beside his son.
“Girls really are more gentle and attentive.”
“Look at your mother.”
“I haven’t seen her this relaxed in years.”
He knew perfectly well…
It wasn’t because Jinxiu’s massage technique was exceptional.
Li Xiuhong simply felt comforted.
She was happy that her son had married such a good wife.
Watching his son’s gentle gaze linger on the young woman…
Xie Changsheng chuckled inwardly.
Hah.
The boy’s finally starting to understand his own heart.
He knew Jinnan’s personality well.
Compared with Eryong, his eldest son was much more reserved.
Meanwhile, Jinxiu was cheerful, open, and expressive.
He had secretly worried that his taciturn son might end up being disliked by his wife.
Just as Jinxiu and Xie Jinnan stepped outside, Grandfather Xie returned home.
Swinging from his hand…
Was a strip of pork belly.
“Old woman!”
“Let’s add some meat to dinner for the children tonight!”
Granny Tian looked up from peeling bamboo shoots beneath the eaves.
Judging by the size…
There was about half a jin of pork.
She shot her husband a suspicious look.
“Where did you get the money to buy meat?”
You old rascal…
Don’t tell me you’ve been secretly hiding private savings.
Just you wait if that’s true.
Grandfather Xie grinned proudly.
“Butcher Song asked me to weave several large bamboo baskets for him.”
“He paid me in pork instead.”
“Pork’s expensive these days.”
“Thirty copper coins per jin.”
“If I’d sold two baskets in town, I’d only have earned eleven or twelve coins.”
“This is half a jin.”
“I made a killing!”
Made a killing? My foot!
Granny Tian wanted nothing more than to twist his ears.
Didn’t he know how tight things were at home?
Compared to eating meat…
Wouldn’t it have been better to ask for ten copper coins instead?
Meat disappeared after a single meal!
She’d rather carve a piece off his hide than waste money like this.
Obviously…
The old glutton simply wanted meat himself.
Using “the children” as an excuse.
At his age…
Still so greedy!
She was just about to explode…
Then another thought crossed her mind.
The family truly hadn’t eaten meat in a very long time.
And Eryong had just injured his hand.
He needed nourishing food.
“…Fine.”
She huffed and snatched the pork from his hands.
At that moment, Jinxiu remembered the mushrooms waiting in the kitchen.
Her eyes lit up.
She hurried over, affectionately looping an arm through Granny Tian’s.
“Grandma…”
“Let me be the chef tonight.”
“My cooking is really good.”
“You just sit back, enjoy the meal, and tell me what you think.”
Granny Tian laughed.
“What’s there to fuss over?”
“As long as it’s cooked and edible.”
“Oh no.”
Jinxiu shook her head seriously.
“With ingredients this good…”
“It would be a waste not to cook them properly.”
As she spoke, she pointed toward the basket of precious morel mushrooms.