Chapter 39

The door of the Shen family's house might have closed, but the sounds inside couldn't be contained. Now not only Shen Jin and Shen Tian were crying, but Shen Yin and Shen Tie, who had been dragged inside, were also in tears.

With the Chen family’s house as the center, on one side was the lively discussion of the villagers during their meal, and on the other was the sobbing quartet of Shen family's children amidst Mrs. Li's scolding.

After cutting trees in the mountains all morning, Old Man Chen and his group had entered their yard. The four Shen children remained outside, unable to move as they listened to the wailing inside the Shen house.

Mrs. Li, possibly feeling humiliated, scolded in a low voice, trying to stop the crying. But once children start crying intensely, it's not easy to make them stop.

Shen An and the others outside heard Mrs. Li's escalating scolding and worried for Shen Jin. Fortunately, Shen San, hearing the commotion, intervened to prevent further embarrassment. He told Mrs. Li to stop and ordered the children to return to the main house for their meal.

Shen Tian was carried in by Mrs. Li, but Shen Yin and Shen Tie went to check on Shen Jin.

"Shen Jin felt the most wronged today, utterly clueless as to why he had been beaten so abruptly."

"Being publicly reprimanded and dragged by the ear by his mother, crying in front of so many people, was entirely different from his usual pretentious crying to get what he wanted. It was utterly humiliating."

"He truly felt aggrieved today, crying uncontrollably in heaving sobs, unable to stop."

"Shen Yin and Shen Tie went to see him, but he paid them no heed, just continued sobbing."

"One child crying was certainly quieter than four, so Shen San left him be and called Shen Yin and Shen Tie to hurry inside."

"As the two younger brothers tried to pull Shen Jin along, he wrenched his hand away from their grasp, continuing to stand in the yard and wipe his tears."

"Shen An and a few other kids quietly peered through the crack in the gate of his third uncle's house, witnessing this scene."

"When Chen Erlang patted their shoulders to signal it was time to head home for dinner, the kids backed away. Once they were a bit further, the little girl quietly asked, 'Sister Ning, why did your third aunt hit Shen Jin?'"

"Shen Ning was also confused, having no idea how the situation had unfolded."

"She shook her head: 'I don't know, but my third aunt's spankings really hurt.'"

Chen Xiaoya, recalling how Sister Aning used to be beaten, shuddered, "My mother never hits me or my older brother."

"Aunt Shen San is really fierce."

Shen An guessed a bit of the situation and pressed his lips together without speaking.

……

Old Lady Chen, busy in the kitchen, suddenly heard the sound of children crying outside, followed by Mrs. Li's scolding and Shen Jin's wailing, pausing her cooking.

Just then, her husband and son came in with Shi Er Lang and the Lu brothers. She quickly refocused, leaned to the window with a smile, and greeted, "Back already? Wash your hands first, have some water and rest. Dinner will be ready soon."

Shi Er Lang and the Lu brothers smiled shyly and responded in unison.

The youngest of the Lu family, who had just come of age and was unmarried, peeked into the kitchen and asked, "Aunt Chen, did you make braised pork belly with preserved mustard greens today? I smelled it from far away."

Old Lady Chen laughed, "Yes, A’lie’s wife specially sent money over yesterday, saying that building a house is hard work and asked me to prepare a good meal for you all."

Then she inquired, "What's happening outside? Why do I hear Shen Jin and Shen Tian crying so much?"

Lu Sanlang awkwardly explained, "Shen Jin was craving meat. I guess he saw Shen An and ran over. Many people in the village came out after smelling the meat. I think Mrs. Shen San is probably embarrassed…"

He chuckled at this point, choosing not to continue.

The affairs of the two branches of the Shen family were well-known throughout the village, including the recent house construction of the eldest branch with the Chen family taking the lead. This topic had often been discussed when their own family gathered.

Poor Shen Jin just had bad luck and caught in the crossfire, an innocent victim of the situation. The scolding he received was truly undeserved.

Old Lady Chen, having nothing more to add, smiled, "Go ahead, wash your hands and rest a bit. We'll be eating soon."

Chen You Tian had already put down his axe and went to fetch water for everyone to wash their hands.

Lu Sanlang and the others went to wash their hands. Old Lady Chen glanced outside the gate, and after a while, she saw her grandson leading Shen An and the other kids in, feeling a bit relieved.

It was good they returned. At this moment, whether it was people from the Shen family's eldest branch or their own Chen family, staying outside could provoke Mrs. Li. Poor Shen Jin was just in the wrong place at the wrong time.

The boy Shen Jin might be a handful, but what bad intentions could a child have? Clearly, he was an innocent dragged into trouble and his pitiful cries sounded rather heart-rending.

……

Old Lady Chen was efficient in her work, timing everything perfectly. Just as Shi Er Lang and the others could hardly hide their salivating at the sight of food, Chen You Tian brought the rice container from the kitchen to the main hall, with Chen Er Lang arranging bowls and chopsticks, ready for the meal.

As the lid of the rice container was lifted, the aroma of rice, meat, and preserved mustard greens mixed with the steam burst into the room.

The scent was much richer than before when it was still covered, making the men, who were initially conscious of their image as guests, lose all semblance of composure, tempted by the delicious food.

"Glug~"

"Gulp~"

"Whose crazed swallowing is that?"

"Oh, it's me."

"Shift the gaze slightly, no worries, everyone in the room, young and old, are all the same. Nobody can laugh at anyone else."

"Chen You Tian's hands are rough, not even needing a towel, as he directly serves a steaming bowl of braised pork with preserved mustard greens onto the table with his bare hands."

"Chen Lao Han eagerly invites everyone to the table. As they approach and see the generous portion of the dish, Shi Er Lang swallows hard: 'Uncle, this dish is too generous, must have cost you.'"

"Chen Lao Han inevitably has to bring out Sang Luo, the main host, for some praises."

"Old Lady Chen, leading Chen Er Lang and Chen You Tian, who had just returned to the kitchen, brings in four plates of vegetarian dishes and a pot of egg soup. Hearing this, she chuckles, 'Ah Lie's wife is a person of great integrity. Despite her young age, she handles affairs effectively and always ensures fairness. With your help this time, our mothers, daughters-in-law, aunts, and sisters-in-law will surely see her worth, and you'll know my words are true.'"

"Shi Er Lang and Lu Da Lang nod continuously."

"The fact that the Chen family is helping in such a manner clearly shows that Sang Luo has truly won their affection."

"Both men resolve to share this with their families upon returning, suggesting they should be more cordial towards Sang Luo from now on. Starting with this help, it's like forging a new connection."

"With the dishes served and the cutlery set, it's time for everyone to start the meal."

"On the first day of construction, Old Lady Chen spared no expense. Although big cuts of meat weren't necessary for building a house, with the generous sum Sang Luo provided, along with the sixteen pieces of 'magical tofu' that she gave Old Lady Chen to sell, earning an extra eight coins, Old Lady Chen was more than happy to prepare a lavish meal for Sang Luo."

"So, from the eighteen coins she earned yesterday, she spent sixteen on meat and one on a bone."

"She chose the best fifteen-coin-per-pound pork belly, a neatly cut, prime piece from the early morning market."

"Most of the meat went into making the signature dish, Mei Cai Kou Rou (pork belly with preserved mustard greens). The rest was saved to add to the evening's vegetarian dishes. With this high-quality first meal, everyone would put in more effort in building the house, ensuring the walls were solid and durable."

"As for the vegetarian dishes and eggs, they were all from her own garden, so she didn't charge for them. The extra coin would be used for the next day."

"Now, with the dishes served, Old Lady Chen watched the reactions of Shi Er Lang and the Lu brothers, satisfied that she had achieved her goal, and warmly invited everyone to start eating."

"The men, respecting age and status, took their seats. In this household, women and children usually didn't join the table when guests were present. However, as Old Lady Chen was a senior, and considering Shen An and Shen Ning were technically guests, and Sang Luo was footing the bill, they were invited to the table, not treated as ordinary children."

"But the siblings politely refused and served themselves, joining Chen Er Lang and Xiao Ya in the courtyard to eat."

"The breakfast was devoured rapidly and satisfyingly, given how substantial it was. Not wanting to overstay, Shi Er Lang and others left for the mountains shortly after eating."

"Shen An and his group were also heading back to continue their clearing work. Passing by Shen Jin's house, no crying was heard. Shen An peered inside but didn't see Shen Jin."

"He hesitated, feeling strange that a place that used to be his home now felt inaccessible."

"After lingering outside for a short while, hearing only Shen Tian's indistinct chatter inside and not the voices of Shen Jin, Shen Yin, or Shen Tie, he decided to leave."

"Ultimately, he turned around and, with Shen Ning and Xiao Ya waiting, headed back to the mountains."

"The person they couldn't find in Shen's yard was unexpectedly found at their own home behind the grass hut."

"Shen Jin, along with Shen Yin and Shen Tie, were back at work behind their house, clearing the land they hadn't finished in the morning. This time, Shen Jin wasn't using a hoe but a stone hoe previously used by Shen An and Shen Ning."

"Hearing footsteps, he turned and saw Shen An and two others approaching. Normally a brash kid, Shen Jin turned away, presenting his back and the back of his head to them."

"Shen Ning, who usually loved to banter with him, was unusually quiet today, and even Chen Xiao Ya was silent, occasionally glancing at him cautiously."

"Feeling uncomfortable, Shen Jin was called over by Shen An: 'Come here a minute.'"

"Now face to face, there was no hiding his swollen, red eyes. Resigned, Shen Jin confronted Shen An, 'What do you want?' his voice nasal from crying."

"His speech was thick with a stuffy nose."

"'Just come here,' Shen An said."

"Seeing the miserable state of Shen Jin post-crying, Shen An's voice softened more than usual."

"The brothers walked to the front of the grass hut, stopping under the eaves. Shen An stopped, reached into his pocket, and pulled out a bundle of green vegetable leaves, handing them to Shen Jin."

"Shen Jin was puzzled.?"

"He had skipped breakfast in a huff, but why give him vegetable leaves?"

"Shen An, about to hand him the bundle, noticed Shen Jin's dirty hands and frowned, 'Go wash your hands first, then come back.'"

"Shen Jin blinked in surprise."

"Shen An had a habit of always insisting on clean hands before eating."

"Food?"

"Grabbing the bundle of leaves from Shen An's hand, Shen Jin immediately realized it wasn't just leaves—the texture was different."

"Unwrapping the bundle, he discovered a fragrant piece of braised pork tucked inside the light green leaves."

"Hmm, it appeared someone had taken a small bite, but most of it was still intact."

"Shen Jin felt a sudden sting in his eyes; just when he had stopped crying, tears welled up again."

"He wiped his face with the back of his dirty hand, smearing tears and dirt across his cheeks, creating a mess."

"Shen An: '...'"

"Oblivious to his smeared face, Shen Jin sniffled, switching hands, and smeared his right eye and cheek as well."

"'Shen An, you're the best, saving meat for me to eat.'"

"While sniffing, he stuffed the meat into his mouth, eating and crying at the same time, promising, 'I'll be good to you too from now on.'"

"Crying, touched, and savoring the delicious pork."

"Shen An: '...I wasn't being nice; I just felt sorry for you getting beaten.'"

"Shen Jin: '???'"

"Getting meat for being beaten?"

"He hiccuped through his tears, staring at Shen An, pondering if another beating might earn him more meat."

"Shen An, guessing his thoughts from his blinking eyes and slightly exasperated, said as Shen Jin was about to take another bite: 'Aren't you going to save a bit for little Yin and Tie to try?'"

"Shen Jin froze mid-sniffle, staring at Shen An, then looking down at the half-eaten piece of braised pork in his hand, dumbfounded."

"Seeing Shen Jin like this, Shen An rarely cracked a smile. Watching Shen Jin’s struggle with the meat losing its appeal, he finally stopped teasing, 'Eat up. Aren’t you supposed to be the big brother if Ning brought some for both of you?'"

"Each sibling had received a piece today, probably because they felt sorry for Shen Jin being punished so harshly earlier. With a tacit understanding, they each only tasted a bit and asked the little girl to get two clean vegetable leaves from the kitchen. They neatly wrapped the remaining meat to bring out."

"Shen An thought it was because his sister-in-law had been trying her best to feed them well these days that he and his sister could even consider giving up their meat. A few days earlier, he wouldn’t have spared a single grain of rice."

"Shen Jin, unaware of Shen An’s thoughts and hearing that his younger brothers had meat, immediately brightened up: 'That’s what being a big brother means.'"

"He wasn’t the least bit embarrassed, and even the resentment from the earlier scolding faded. No longer sobbing, he stood there contentedly eating meat, managing to smile despite his slightly swollen eyes."

……

"When Sang Luo returned in the afternoon, she and Qin Fangniang were immediately noticed by the villagers who were keeping an eye on the village entrance."

"Then came the onlookers, drawn by the conspicuous handcart, right?"

"Sang Luo was relieved she had carried the water buckets and pottery basins back through a side path, leaving only the baskets for selling wild vegetables and the new pair of baskets and a bag of grain on the handcart."

"The villagers were not very familiar with Sang Luo, so they all greeted Qin Fangniang instead."

"Fangniang, are wild vegetables selling that well? You even needed a cart?"

"Fangniang, what kinds of wild vegetables do you sell?"

Qin Fangniang, who was typically honest, now displayed some acting prowess, smiling innocently and modestly: "Oh, how could it be? Isn't it just because Ah Lie's wife is building a house? We needed to buy some grain and household items, so we just took the cart. It also gave us a chance to rest on it while traveling."

As for whether the wild vegetables sold well or how much they earned, she opted not to lie and simply glossed over the question.

Along the way, the two received many curious glances. It wasn't until they reached the Chen family's courtyard that they felt free from those scrutinizing eyes.

Chen's grandmother had specifically saved some of the morning's best dishes for them. Upon their return, she was ready to reheat and serve it.

But Sang Luo stopped her: "Grandma, it's quite hot today. Eating something cold would be nice."

After Sang Luo and Qin Fangniang washed their faces and hands with water, they sat down to enjoy a comfortable meal, with the grandmother sitting aside, tallying up the money earned from selling the fairy tofu at the market and the extra money left from grocery shopping.

Sang Luo didn't take the money, suggesting to keep it for the next day’s grocery shopping.

Only after discussing the important matters did the grandmother mention the morning's drama to Sang Luo.

Sang Luo was both surprised and unsurprised, having memories of her predecessor. She knew a bit about Li Shi's character and was indifferent to the reactions of Shen San and Li Shi, focusing on living her own life without interfering with theirs.

Why should I trouble myself over the thoughts of such disagreeable people? Wouldn't that make life unbearably stifling?

Having suffered enough illness and pain in her previous life, Sang Luo wasn't about to make life harder for herself.

Realizing Sang Luo's stance, Chen's grandmother felt relieved.

Not lingering, Sang Luo left after eating, carrying her newly purchased pair of winnowing fans home. Along the way, the villagers respectfully acknowledged her, but this time, many greeted her actively.

They warmly called her "Ah Lie's wife" with a friendly smile.

Sang Luo, not recognizing everyone who greeted her, returned their greetings with a smile, not wanting to offend anyone.

Approaching her straw hut, she could see four felled trees lying on the ground outside her home. The branches and leaves were likely removed in the forest. Sang Luo, unfamiliar with the type of trees, only noted their sufficient thickness.

Glancing at the back of the house, she saw seven kids busily working. Mindful of what Chen's grandmother had said, she took a closer look at Shen Jin, who showed no signs of recent tears and was energetically digging.

As usual, Shen An and Shen Ning rushed to help with the things. Sang Luo, back in the house, asked Shen An: “Should we tell your cousins to stop working here? No wall is without cracks, and if their mother finds out, they’re bound to be punished.”

Shen An responded with a resigned expression: "I told them this morning already, but they wouldn’t leave."

Shen An felt he might not have chosen the right moment, having just given them a large piece of braised pork. How could he expect them not to come after that?

Sang Luo chuckled: "Well, let them be then."

"After all, was she her own child? Despite being annoyed, would Li Shi really hit him hard?"

"She decided to let it go."

"Perhaps due to the frailty of her body, after working tirelessly from dawn until the afternoon, Sang Luo now felt exceedingly fatigued. Glancing at her home's basket, she saw it was full. Parting the wild vegetables on top revealed the densely packed, precious Shenji tree leaves beneath."

"Feeling relieved, Sang Luo handed the two new baskets she had bought to Shen An: 'We've cleared a small patch of land. Tomorrow, we can gather some leaf mold from nearby trees to prepare the planting soil. Let's start sowing seeds for season-appropriate vegetables.'"

"Shen An, looking at the brand new bamboo baskets, was overjoyed. He eagerly responded, 'I'll get enough soil ready tomorrow to start on one section. I'll ask Aunt Chen about what to plant and how. Big sister, you’ve worked hard all day; you should rest now.'"

"Implying that Sang Luo shouldn't worry about these matters."

"Sang Luo smiled. Indeed, she needed a short nap, even if just for a quarter of an hour. A brief rest would alleviate much of her fatigue. She asked Shen An to wake her up after a while, stood up to aid digestion, then lay down on the bed and closed her eyes to sleep."

"Free from distracting thoughts, she fell asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow. When she awoke to Shen An’s call, most of her weariness had dissipated."

"Looking at the sky, she estimated it was around 2 PM. She took out the snake repellent powder given to her by the elderly lady yesterday, sprinkling some on her trouser legs and socks, then tightly tied them with cloth strips."

"She then packed the Shenji tree leaves into an empty barrel, freeing up a basket. Taking the only two useful tools they had at home – a sickle and a stone axe – she informed Shen An and left for the mountains."

"The ingredients for the miraculous tofu were seasonal, and she had at most a month left to sell them. She needed to find profitable mountain goods."

"Shen Jin, seeing Sang Luo leave, approached Shen An: 'Is big sister going to the mountains to find wild vegetables again? What kind of vegetables? I can help pick some too.'"

"His casual use of 'big sister' and his overfamiliar tone earned him a glance from Shen An, who coldly pushed away the head that had leaned too close, saying brusquely, 'Go do your own work.'"

Just giving food wasn’t enough, it seemed like he was trying to usurp his sister-in-law’s affection.

Shen Jin observed Shen An's sour expression and thought to himself, grumbling inwardly about Shen An’s pettiness. Why couldn't he call her sister-in-law? Every mention seemed to irk Shen An.

Yet, he only dared to grumble in his mind, remembering gratefully that Shen An had saved most of the delicious braised pork with preserved mustard greens for him earlier that day.

……

Unaware of the boys' subtle rivalries, Sang Luo, armed with the snake-repelling powder from Granny Chen, ventured beyond her usual nearby hills for the first time.

Snapping a bamboo branch, she stripped its twigs and leaves, leaving only the main stem, and ventured deeper into the mountains, bypassing the peripheral areas and heading into previously unexplored territory.

The paths here were evidently less traveled, starting with faint trails that soon gave way to dense undergrowth and thickets, making progress much harder than in the more frequented outer mountains.

Frequently, she startled creatures in the underbrush, sending leaves fluttering wildly; sometimes it was a two-legged snake, other times she couldn’t even identify the creature before it vanished.

Despite having the snake-repelling powder, Sang Luo remained cautious, slowing her pace and carefully inspecting the grass and leaves before proceeding.

While challenging, these less-traveled areas promised a richer bounty of natural resources, especially for someone like Sang Luo, who had spent years living in the mountains in her previous life and casually sharing her mountainous lifestyle and nature's gifts on a small streaming site to earn money.

Take, for instance, what she spotted now – something truly valuable.

Konjac!

Ever heard of Wei Long? Konjac snacks, vegetarian spicy beef tripe, and konjac jelly!

Sang Luo’s eyes lit up at the discovery!

She moved closer to inspect, and sure enough, despite being in a different time and space, these were indeed the same species. Looking around, she saw two large patches of them.

It was mid-August according to the lunar calendar, a suitable time for harvesting, but Sang Luo refrained. Firstly, there were too many prying eyes at home; secondly, she lacked the proper tools for harvesting and processing.

To preserve them for a long time, peeling, slicing, drying, and grinding into powder was the best method. Properly stored, they could last a year.

Sang Luo didn't believe her bamboo knife was up to the task. She planned to borrow a hoe and a kitchen knife from the Chen family tomorrow.

Finding the konjac lifted her spirits. As she ventured further, relaxed and cheerful, she thought she spotted something else valuable.

Clearing the undergrowth with her sickle and pushing aside branches, she approached to confirm her sighting: it was Southern sour dates.

These sour dates should be ripe by now. Drawing closer, Sang Luo's smile broadened upon seeing ripe fruits fallen on the ground.

Perfect, this was something she could take back home today!