Although Liu Family Village is on the outskirts of the capital, some households there—including Liu Shitou’s family—are still very poor. And even more so for the Chen family, who live far away in Meilin County of Nanzhou Prefecture.
“Hmm, it’s still around midday. Take Xiao Lin and Xiao Hua to the capital first to buy some food, then take a boat to your parents’ home. Stay there for a few days before coming back.”
Seeing how eager his wife was to return home, he knew she must have been worried about her parents.
He had originally wanted to go with her, but he still had to harvest red fruits and chestnuts every day. His mother alone would not be able to handle it all, so he couldn’t leave.
“Alright, husband,” Chen Shi replied.
After hearing they were going to their maternal grandparents’ home, Xiao Lin and Xiao Hua were overjoyed. The three of them soon set off toward the capital in an ox cart.
Two hours later, they finally arrived at Chen Family Village in Meilin County.
The village was remote and quiet. From afar, they could see farmers working in the fields. Chen Shi carried several bundles and led the two children toward the thatched hut at the end of the village.
“Father, Mother, are you home?”
Old Madam Chen vaguely heard the voice and asked her daughter-in-law Zhang Chunmei, “I think I heard our daughter… I wonder how she is doing now.”
She thought she was just missing her daughter too much and hallucinating.
When she heard the voice again, Zhang Chunmei said happily, “Mother, it’s your daughter—she’s back!”
Old Madam Chen quickly ran to the doorway. Seeing her long-unseen daughter and grandchildren, she burst into tears.
“My daughter! Why are you back? How have things been? Xiao Lin, Xiao Hua, Grandma missed you so much!”
“Mother, I missed you and Father too. I’m unfilial for only coming to see you now.”
Seeing her aged mother, with weathered face and calloused hands, Chen Shi felt deeply guilty.
“Sister, why did you bring so many things? It would’ve been enough just to bring the children,” Zhang Chunmei said.
Chen Shi knew her own family was not well off, but she still brought meat, pastries, two bolts of cloth, and a jar of wine. It must have cost quite a bit.
She supported her mother as she walked inside and said, “It’s not much. Sister-in-law, hurry and bring them in.”
“Where are Father, Dazhu, and Erzhu?” she asked.
“Your father and Erzhu’s wife are weeding in the fields. Dazhu went to the county town to work as a laborer.”
Old Madam Chen sighed. After paying taxes this year, there was almost no money left. Even Dazhu had to go to the county to find work, exhausting himself for only 20 wen a day.
In the evening, the Chen family gathered in the courtyard.
“Mother, this meat is so delicious,” someone said.
The children hadn’t eaten meat in a long time, and they ate greedily, while the adults watched with sadness.
“Big sister, stay a few more days. It’s rare for Xiao Lin and Xiao Hua to come—let them play with Xiao Ming and Xiao Mi,” said younger brother Chen Dazhu, happily drinking wine.
Chen Shi looked at everyone and said, “Father, Mother, I came back this time to bring good news.”
“What good news? Are you pregnant again?” the second brother asked.
Everyone immediately turned to look at her.
Chen Shi was speechless. “I’m not pregnant. The good news is that the manor my family works for has recently started buying wild goods. Our family has been earning money by picking red fruits, chestnuts, and pine nuts—and also selling the potatoes we planted.”
“Even potatoes were sold? That’s good!” Old Chen said with relief.
He had previously worried no one would buy them once harvested.
“The good news is this: behind our village is a large pine forest. There are many pine cones, and the pine nuts inside are edible. The master is buying them at 100 wen per jin. Shitou asked me to tell you all—you can go pick them. They’ll take as many as you bring.”
Everyone was stunned.
What? Pine nuts could be sold for money? And at 100 wen per jin?!
The whole family was deeply grateful to Chen Shi for remembering them.
Old Chen immediately said, “Tomorrow morning, Dazhu, Erzhu, and I will go collect pine cones. The others will shell the nuts at home.”
Everyone agreed loudly.
Chen Shi added, “If you don’t collect them quickly and it rains, they’ll spoil. Father, you alone can’t finish picking them. You should let the villagers help and buy them at a lower price.”
Old Chen nodded. “Good idea. There are so many pine cones falling every day. If the villagers help, everyone can earn money, and no one will be jealous.”
Life in the village was difficult. Chen Family Village in Meilin County was one of the poorest areas.
The county magistrate, Su Qinghai, had long wanted to improve conditions in the poorest villages but had no clear solution. Unexpectedly, his niece Su Lele—without even meaning to—had helped solve Chen Family Village’s poverty problem.
New products—pine nuts and chestnuts—quickly became a hit in the capital.
Chestnuts were cheap and very popular. Pine nuts were more expensive, but their unique aroma attracted wealthy buyers, and demand far exceeded supply.
Soon, the amount of pine nuts and chestnuts delivered from the manor was still not enough.
Just then, Butler Chen came to report:
“Second Miss, someone has come asking if we are still buying pine nuts. They said their relatives in Liu Family Village heard that the manor is purchasing them and brought a cart full from Meilin County. They are waiting in the front courtyard.”
Su Lele smiled upon hearing this.
“I’ll go see the quality.”
Old Chen and his two sons stood anxiously in the courtyard, worried the manor might refuse their goods.
Su Lele quickly arrived.
“May I take a look at the pine nuts?”
“No problem,” Chen Dazhu said, quickly opening a sack.
Seeing the high-quality, plump pine nuts, Su Lele nodded.
“We’ll take them all. 100 wen per jin. In the future, we’ll buy as many as you bring.”
After weighing and settling payment, they received 10 taels and 200 wen. The father and sons were overjoyed.
“Father, Sister didn’t lie to us—pine nuts really can be sold for money!”
“Hurry back to the dock and return home,” the old man said.
The next day, Su Lele originally planned to make pastries, but instead was lying in bed, groaning.
For the first time since arriving in this world, she experienced menstruation—and it was unbearable. Unlike her previous life where she never had period pain, this time she was in so much pain she couldn’t get out of bed.
After hearing this, her family let her rest properly.
For several days, Su Lele lived comfortably—sleeping, reading books, and occasionally chatting with her younger sister and mother.