Yu Yao quickened her steps and walked through the overgrown courtyard to the main hall.
From the inner room came the faint crying of a little boy.
“…Grandpa, Grandpa, wake up…”
Yu Yao immediately felt a bad premonition—something was wrong. Was Yu Hongyuan dying?
She kicked open the door to the main hall and rushed inside.
“Uncle Grandpa!”
Xiao Yong heard the voice, looked up, and saw Yu Yao pushing through the curtain into the inner room. As if seeing a savior, he wiped his tears and stood up.
“Cousin sister…”
Yu Yao entered the room and saw an old man lying on the bed. His hair and beard were white, his face slightly greenish, breathing in more than out.
Although thin and frail, his frame was large—like an aging lion.
Even in his weakened state, one could still sense his former majesty.
Yu Yao called out several times, “Uncle Grandpa,” but got no response.
She turned to Xiao Yong, who was still wiping tears. “How long has he been unconscious?”
“Grandpa hasn’t eaten since last night. He wouldn’t drink water just now either, and he doesn’t respond when we call him…” Xiao Yong was at a loss, relieved that his cousin sister had arrived.
Yu Yao checked his breathing and carotid pulse.
It was extremely weak, but not stopped.
She pressed his philtrum hard, but there was still no response.
Hearing Liang Hui’s footsteps, she turned and said, “Come help me.”
Under Yu Yao’s guidance, Liang Hui performed CPR.
One press, two presses, three presses…
“Cough… cough cough…”
Yu Hongyuan suddenly coughed violently and spat out a thick, sticky mucus.
Xiao Yong quickly reacted, picking up the spittoon by the bed and catching it in time.
Yu Hongyuan slowly opened his eyes. Seeing his niece’s granddaughter so close, he thought he was dreaming.
“Yao… Yao? Is it you?”
“Uncle Grandpa, it’s me! I’m Yu Yao!”
Seeing him wake up, Yu Yao finally let out a breath of relief.
They arrived just in time.
Yu Hongyuan’s thin, aged hand tightly grasped Yu Yao’s, tears streaming down his face.
“I heard that beast Ge Lihua sold you…”
“Uncle Grandpa, look—this is your granddaughter’s husband!”
Yu Yao pulled Liang Hui forward.
Yu Hongyuan raised his head.
Even though he was seriously ill, the eyes of a lifelong hunter were still sharp like an eagle’s.
He looked at Liang Hui and paused, then turned to Yu Yao.
“This… is the man your father found for you?”
Such a handsome young man—tall, strong, clearly a capable hunter.
He didn’t look like someone who needed to “buy” a wife at all.
Yu Yao blinked. “Uncle Grandpa, your grandson-in-law and I are destined. Yes, my father tricked some money out of us, but I’ve married well. Don’t waste your anger on that unworthy man.”
Hearing her affirm him as “good husband” and “destined marriage,” Liang Hui felt unexpectedly warm.
He slightly curved his lips. “Uncle Grandpa, I paid bride price to marry Yu Yao. I didn’t buy her.”
Yu Hongyuan’s worries vanished instantly.
“Good! Good!”
He struggled to sit up and reached under his pillow.
“I prepared a dowry for Yao Yao…”
But he coughed violently again due to the effort.
Yu Yao took out the malted milk she brought and shook it in front of him.
“Uncle Grandpa, your grandson-in-law bought you this nutritional supplement. I’ll make you a cup.”
..
Xiao Yong was very diligent; there was always hot water in the thermos.
Yu Yao prepared a porcelain enamel cup, scooped several spoonfuls of malted milk, and secretly added half a bowl of spatial spring water.
She personally handed it to Yu Hongyuan.
He had not eaten since last night and could not even drink water, but strangely, the smell of the malted milk made him feel hungry.
After drinking a few big mouthfuls, he praised it.
“Your grandson-in-law’s malted milk has a special sweetness.”
Liang Hui thought it was just polite praise and didn’t mind.
After finishing the drink, Yu Yao fed him a couple of milk biscuits.
Xiao Yong was delighted. “Grandpa can eat now!”
Yu Hongyuan felt strength returning to his body; even his breathing became smoother.
He believed it was simply “joy brings vitality.”
So that’s why people say weddings can cure illness.
“I prepared a dowry for Yao Yao. Since you’re both here today, take it with you,” he said, reaching under his pillow again.
There was quite a lot hidden inside: stacks of cash, various banknotes, grain coupons, and colorful stones.
Yu Yao helped count it—over 4,700 yuan, more than 80 jin of grain coupons, and over a dozen gemstones.
“Wow, Uncle Grandpa is almost a ‘ten-thousand-yuan household’!”
Yu Hongyuan smiled with satisfaction.
“At least I can personally hand it to you. I can die without regrets.”
Yu Yao took out ten large banknotes, picked some grain coupons and a few stones, and returned the rest to the pillow.
“Uncle Grandpa, you’re old, and Xiao Yong is still young. You need money for both your old age and his upbringing. I’ll take 100 yuan and all the grain coupons as my dowry. You keep the rest for me.”
Yu Hongyuan understood her intention and nodded.
“Alright. I’ll keep it for you.”
He thought to himself: this girl has become more sensible—more thoughtful than even him.
Yu Yao went to the kitchen and started cooking.
As a veteran hunter, Yu Hongyuan always had cured meat. She also found salted fish and a small bag of coarse rice.
She cooked cured meat rice over a clay stove.
In the courtyard, there were summer vegetables—peppers, leeks, eggplants, cucumbers—somewhat overrun by weeds but still growing well.
She picked cucumbers, eggplants, chilies, scallions, garlic, and chives, and even gathered all the eggs from the chicken coop.
By the time Yu Hongyuan finished questioning Liang Hui about his family background, the meal was ready.
Fragrant cured meat rice, salted fish with chili and eggplant, scrambled eggs with chives, and garlic cucumber salad.
The aroma filled the room.
Yu Yao first served Yu Hongyuan, then told Liang Hui and Xiao Yong to eat.
Liang Hui took the food and said, “I’ll feed Uncle Grandpa. You eat first.”
Yu Hongyuan insisted, “I can eat myself.”
And so he happily began eating.
The same strange sweetness filled his mouth again, making everything taste better than ever.
“When did Yao Yao learn to cook so well?” he wondered.
Yu Yao knew the taste was enhanced by the spatial spring water.
Her space produced about 100 ml per day. She had used half in breakfast, and now added more while cooking.
That was why everything tasted exceptionally delicious.