Chapter 27 Mountain Home Hearth 27

Chapter 27: Mountain Family Hearth and Smoke 27

After getting off the cart, Liu Guyu and his group ignored Zhou Qiaozhi and Qiao Huilan, heading straight into the town.

This prompted Zhou Qiaozhi to stare after them and curse a few more times, while Qiao Huilan naturally played the good guy, tearfully trying to calm Zhou Qiaozhi.

The cart driver, Second Uncle Zhang, curled his lip and muttered under his breath, "So theatrical."

Liu Guyu and the others went together to Qianjin Clinic, where the same Doctor Li was still seeing patients.

Doctor Li had a good memory and remembered Cui Lanfang. Stroking his beard, he smiled at her and said, "You've returned. Here for a follow-up?"

Liu Guyu smiled at the old doctor, then helped Cui Lanfang into the chair and placed her hand on the pulse rest before saying to Doctor Li, "That's right. My mother has been taking the medicine you prescribed and is feeling much better, so we came back for another check-up."

Cui Lanfang, sitting to the side, nodded along.

As a doctor with a benevolent heart, Doctor Li was pleased to hear his patient was improving. Smiling, he nodded and reached out to feel Cui Lanfang’s pulse, examining it carefully.

After a moment, his smile widened, and he nodded approvingly. "She really is much better."

This illness was also a matter of the mind/heart; recovering so quickly was due to a change in the patient’s frame of mind.

Doctor Li thought to himself as he spoke: "Good, good, she’s healing well. With a bit more rest, she’ll be even better. Continue with the previous prescription—get another month’s supply of medicine and keep taking it. Come back in a month for another check-up, and I’ll see if the prescription needs adjusting."

The old doctor didn’t mind the trouble, explaining everything carefully as he picked up his pen to write the prescription.

"Although she’s recovering, she still shouldn’t overexert herself. Light chores like cooking and sweeping are fine—they can help keep the joints limber. But strenuous work like field work, carrying water, or gathering firewood must be avoided."

After finishing the prescription and placing it on the table, Qin Banban, who had been curious about medicine since she was little, tilted her head to peek at the paper, the pale green ribbons on her braids swaying.

Doctor Li glanced at her and chuckled. "Little girl, do you read?"

Hearing the doctor address her, Qin Banban shrunk back, instinctively hiding behind Qin Rongshi before nodding slightly.

Doctor Li continued smiling and asked, "Can you understand what’s written?"

He was just making small talk, but to his surprise, Qin Banban actually replied, "Aster root moistens the lungs and relieves coughs, and licorice root nourishes the lungs while also strengthening the spleen and boosting qi."

Doctor Li was taken aback for a moment before suddenly remembering something. Pointing at Banban, he exclaimed, "Oh! I remember now! Last time, this young man and boy came to sell Gastrodia elata, and they said the herbs were gathered by their younger sister—that was you, wasn’t it?"

At Doctor Li’s words, the little girl’s cheeks flushed slightly, but she nodded.

Doctor Li stroked his beard and laughed heartily, praising her, "Good, what a bright girl... If you were a boy, I’d definitely take you on as my apprentice! What a shame—I’m just not that lucky."

Qin Banban tilted her head but didn’t respond.

Seeing that there were other patients waiting, Cui Lanfang quickly stood up to give up the chair and went to the apprentice to get the medicine.

Finally, she picked up the packets of medicine and called everyone out of the clinic.

Once out on the street, Qin Banban looked up at Liu Guyu and asked, "Brother Liu, can only boys learn medicine?"

Liu Guyu was startled and immediately retorted, "Says who?"

Qin Banban lifted her little face and answered slowly, "Everyone says so."

In truth, Qin Banban knew well that she had never heard of girls learning medicine, but she felt she might get a different answer from Liu Guyu.

Sure enough, Liu Guyu took Banban’s hand, knelt to her level, and said, "Just because everyone says it doesn’t mean it’s true. They also say women and boys shouldn’t show their faces doing business, but look—Aunt Lin and I are still running stalls and making money out in public, aren’t we? And we’re even better than those men—we earn just as much!"

"If men can learn medicine, why can’t women? Learning depends on your mind, and men and women have the same minds. If men can learn, so can women. Banban, if you want to, I’ll find a way for you to study medicine."

Liu Guyu’s words stunned both Qin Banban and Cui Lanfang, especially Cui Lanfang, who had lived a traditional life and never heard such "radical" ideas before.

Unorthodox, yet alluring.

The calmest one present was Qin Rongshi.

He had heard Liu Guyu talk about wanting to send Qin Banban to study medicine before, so he wasn't too surprised, but he couldn’t help staring at Liu Guyu, his eyes nearly glued to his face.

Qin Banban’s eyes lit up, but she pouted and said, "But... it’s never happened before."

Liu Guyu tapped her forehead and laughed. "Just because it hasn’t happened before doesn’t mean it never will. Long ago, no one knew that herbs growing deep in the mountains could cure illnesses—someone had to be the first to taste and test them, right?"

"Things are always changing. Maybe thousands of years from now, girls and boys won’t just study medicine—they might even hold office."

This was even more shocking than the idea of female doctors. Qin Banban’s eyes widened into circles, and her mouth dropped open.

She exclaimed, "Really?! Women can become officials too?"

Liu Guyu laughed and said one last thing, "Maybe! People should have dreams. Maybe one day, people will even fly in the sky."

With that, he took Qin Banban’s hand and continued walking.

Cui Lanfang was so shocked her jaw dropped. After a long pause, she exclaimed, "Humans flying in the sky??? That really is a 'dream'... Only in dreams would anyone dare think such a thing!"

Liu Guyu didn’t know how to explain airplanes or gliders to people from ancient times, so he half-jokingly said with a grin, "I’m just kidding."

Cui Lanfang showed an "I knew it" expression and laughed along with Liu Guyu.

Qin Rongshi, however, frowned at Liu Guyu, his youthful face showing a depth beyond his years.

The four of them went to buy some household supplies, strolled through the market to pick up vegetables not grown in their garden, and then went to the meat market to buy two racks of ribs before happily leaving the town.

This time, the cart was free of annoying people and much quieter.

Liu Guyu leaned against the haystack and said cheerfully, "The lotus root we bought today is fresh. I’ll make Osmanthus Lotus Root for you when we get back."

Sugar?

Qin Rongshi’s ears perked up, and he instinctively glanced toward Liu Guyu, only to meet his bright, crescent-shaped smiling eyes.

He knew this kid had a sweet tooth!

Liu Guyu snorted inwardly.

Even Qin Banban clapped her hands in excitement, looking forward to the "Osmanthus Lotus Root" Liu Guyu had mentioned.

Cui Lanfang shook her head helplessly, her eyes full of indulgence and tenderness.

The ox cart made its way to Shanghe Village, where Second Uncle Zhang reined it to a stop. Liu Guyu hoisted the basket onto his back and called for the others to get off.

He carried the basket on his back, while the two younger ones also carried plenty of items. Only Cui Lanfang had empty hands—she had offered to help but was refused.

Two village aunts who were also getting off the cart greeted them warmly—they were from friendly families.

"Qin family, oh my, what good fortune! Your children and son-in-law are so filial to you!"

"I see you bought meat too. Your family’s life is improving—you’ll enjoy happiness from now on!"

Cui Lanfang nodded with delight, her smile never left her face.

After bidding farewell to the two aunties, the group headed home.

Seeing the position of the sun, it was time to prepare supper. Liu Guyu went to the water jar, scooped water, and washed the meat and vegetables twice before finally placing them in a colander to bring into the kitchen.

Qin Rongshi didn’t say a word but had already taken a seat in front of the stove, holding dry cypress twigs in his hands, ready to start the fire.

Banban poked her head through the doorway and called inside, "Brother! Brother Liu! Mom and I are going to the ancestral hall to mill the grain!"

Liu Guyu glanced outside, nodded, and replied, "Go ahead, go ahead."

Even Qin Rongshi looked out and said, "Mom shouldn’t exert herself too much. We have a cart at home—use the cart."

"Okay!"

Qin Banban’s voice was clear and crisp as she answered brightly.

The mother and daughter pushed the cart away together, leaving only Liu Guyu and Qin Rongshi in the kitchen.

After washing the vegetables, Liu Guyu boiled water to parboil the ribs. As he scooped the ribs out of the pot, he said to Qin Rongshi, "Erlang, please wash the pot from the stove for me. I need to start making the soup."

Qin Rongshi responded with an "Okay," stood up from the stove, took the pot outside to the drainage ditch, scooped water from the vat, and scrubbed it inside and out with a bamboo brush. By the time he returned, Liu Guyu had already cut the lotus root slices and ginger.

Placing the pot on the stove, Liu Guyu added the parboiled ribs and lotus root, pouring in water to simmer.

Finally, he took out the remaining two sections of lotus root to make Osmanthus-Sweetened Lotus Root.

Qin Rongshi brought a low stool and sat in front of the pot, watching the small flames. He didn’t look at Liu Guyu, just stared at the dancing flames.

After sitting for a while, he suddenly asked, "Do you want to keep the family’s land?"

Liu Guyu had just soaked the glutinous rice and was now washing it to cook.

White rice was expensive, so the family usually ate coarse grain rice mixed with corn. Occasionally, a few coarse steamed buns with side dishes were enough to fill their stomachs.

Hearing Qin Rongshi’s question, Liu Guyu didn’t stop what he was doing. He shook the water off his hands, poured the washed rice into the pot, and after a moment, nodded in response.

"I want to keep it and farm it myself. I know methods to enrich the soil—if done well, the yield could double! But I’ve only read about it, never tried it. I’m not sure if it will work."

Current fertilization methods were still basic, mostly involving carrying manure to water the vegetables or burning old stalks to ash and spreading it on the fields.

Liu Guyu knew many more advanced fertilization techniques, but he only had theoretical knowledge and had never tried them himself, so he didn’t know how effective they would be.

Qin Rongshi turned his head to look at him. The flickering firelight washed his face in warm light.

He suddenly chuckled and asked, "Did you read about this in Master Liu’s books again?"

Liu Guyu paused, surprised, and looked at Qin Rongshi, who was observing him with amused curiosity. His expression didn’t seem like that of a mere thirteen-year-old.

Feeling a bit guilty, Liu Guyu quickly averted his gaze and nodded hastily, saying, "Yes! I read it in a book!"

Qin Rongshi chuckled twice more before finally saying, "Then let’s try it. Didn’t you say that someone must be the ‘first to take the chance’?"

The boy’s voice was soft, but the kitchen was quiet, with only the crackling sound of burning firewood and sparks bursting in the stove like tiny fireworks.

Liu Guyu felt a spark, and he turned to look at Qin Rongshi again.

Qin Rongshi was also looking at him, his gaze serious.

After a moment’s thought, Liu Guyu asked, "Aren’t you afraid I’ll ruin your family’s land?"

Qin Rongshi glanced at him again, then silently looked away, breaking a thin stick of firewood and stuffing it into the stove.

Finally, he said softly, "It’s your family’s land too."

The lotus root and rib soup simmered for a good two hours, its aroma wafting from the pot. Liu Guyu had also finished cooking the glutinous rice lotus root, slicing it into pieces.

*

"Try it quickly!"

Liu Guyu excitedly waved Qin Rongshi over, holding a plate of neatly arranged Osmanthus-Sweetened Lotus Root. The glossy, reddish slices were coated in syrup and dotted with golden dried osmanthus flowers, the sweet fragrance mingling with the fresh scent of lotus root.

Qin Rongshi looked at the Osmanthus-Sweetened Lotus Root on the plate and after a long while, said stiffly, "No need. Let’s wait for Mom and Banban to come back and eat together."

Though he said this, his eyes remained fixed on the Osmanthus-Sweetened Lotus Root for a long time.

Liu Guyu urged him again, "Just try it! Mom and Banban won’t be back for a while. Be my taste-tester. Don’t you like sweets?"

These days were busy with the autumn harvest, and many people were lined up outside the ancestral hall to grind and pound grains, which would take some time.

Hearing the last sentence, Qin Rongshi jumped like a scalded cat, widening his eyes and exclaiming, "Who said I like sweets?!"

He seemed to think that only children liked sweets, and this small preference damaged his dignity.

This was the first time Liu Guyu had seen such an open expression on Qin Rongshi’s face, revealing a rare boyish energy.

Liu Guyu burst into laughter and, without asking further, picked up a slice of Osmanthus-Sweetened Lotus Root and popped it into Qin Rongshi’s mouth.

Then, he emphasized each word, "You little rascal, do you have any idea how hard you’re trying to act?!"

You don’t like sweets?!

In the book, most of the descriptions of delicious food and sweets were in your storyline!

Qin Rongshi wanted to say something, but his mouth was already full of the sweet lotus.

The sweet brown sugar syrup, infused with osmanthus fragrance, melted in his mouth. The thoroughly cooked glutinous rice was soft, sticky, and sweet, instantly capturing Qin Rongshi’s attention.

Liu Guyu tilted his head, his bright eyes locked intently on Qin Rongshi, and asked seriously, "How is it? How is it? How is it?"

The person was so close, even lowering his head and tilting it to meet his gaze. His dark, bright eyes seemed to draw one in, making it hard to look away.

Qin Rongshi remained silent for a moment before, flustered, he looked away. Without even opening his mouth, he let out a soft "Mhm."

But soon, he felt this response wasn’t good enough and finally spoke up, answering earnestly, "It’s very good."

Only then did Liu Guyu chuckle with satisfaction. He noticed Qin Rongshi’s ears, half-hidden by his hair, gradually turning red. Liu Guyu didn’t find it strange, thinking the boy was just embarrassed about having his sweet tooth exposed.

He thought to himself, *After all, he’s only thirteen, still young. Not quite the same as the villain in the book.*

Liu Guyu smiled and returned to the kitchen, quick-boiling the washed foraged greens before scooping them out. He placed them in a large bowl, seasoning them with minced garlic, chili, scallions, and coriander, then adding soy, vinegar, and salt. The seasonings were simple, meant to highlight the "earthy freshness" of the vegetables.

With the meal fully prepared, a dog barked outside, followed by the sound of cart wheels turning.

Cui Lanfang and Qin Banban had returned. Liu Guyu took a large bowl from the cupboard to ladle the soup and, while busy, said to Qin Rongshi, "Go out and lend a hand. Mom shouldn’t exert herself, and Banban isn’t that strong either. I can handle things here."

Before Liu Guyu could finish, Qin Rongshi had already stood up, as if he had intended to help all along. He simply said "Okay" and hurried out of the kitchen without another word.

Liu Guyu gave a soft laugh, set up the small folding table himself, poured some pork rib soup and placed it on the table, then arranged the Osmanthus Lotus Root and the chilled wild herb salad before serving the rice.

With the meal, dishes, and chopsticks all ready, the others gradually trickled in. The mother and daughter had just washed their hands, water still dripping from their fingers. Liu Guyu handed over a towel and said, "You’re back just in time. Let’s eat."

The aroma of the large bowl of lotus root and rib soup on the table was incredibly inviting. Served in an earthenware bowl, the soup was topped with a few glistening golden oil streaks and a sprinkle of scallions, making everyone’s stomachs growl with hunger.

"Wow! It smells amazing!"

Banban’s eyes lit up, her face broke into a wide grin as she hurriedly sat down on the stool, eagerly picking up her bowl and chopsticks and immediately going for a rib from the soup bowl—but the first piece she picked up was for Cui Lanfang.

"Mom, you gotta taste this! It smells so good!"

The Qin family’s circumstances were no longer as tight as before, and they could occasionally afford white rice and meat dishes. But Cui Lanfang, perhaps used to being poor, always wanted to save the best for the children. Her first instinct was to pick up a piece of lotus root from the bowl.

A large, tender rib was placed in her bowl, and she grinned from ear to ear, nodding repeatedly. "Eat, everyone, eat!"

Halfway through the meal, Liu Guyu spoke up. "Mom, tomorrow I plan to take Erlang to Xiaoliu Mountain. The market day is in two days, and we need to get everything ready."

Liu Guyu was most concerned about making money from a stall, something the whole family cared deeply about.

Hearing this, Cui Lanfang ate more slowly, nodding in agreement. "We should indeed prepare for that."

The family happily continued their meal as the sky outside gradually darkened. Autumn had arrived, and the nights were much colder than the days, with the autumn wind whistling outside.

But inside, it was warm, especially with the embers still glowing beneath the pot. The family sat around the stove, eating together.

Hot soup and warm dishes comforted both body and soul.

*

Early the next morning, Liu Guyu and Qin Rongshi set out. As he left the yard, Liu Guyu carried a basket, still thinking about the bamboo fungus he had discovered in the bamboo grove last time.

Qin Rongshi glanced back at him but said nothing, silently reaching out to take the basket from his hands and slinging it over his own shoulder.

Each carrying a machete, the two set off.

Liu Guyu bounced along the way, humming a little tune, seemingly in high spirits.

Qin Rongshi stayed quiet, following behind with the basket on his back, his eyes fixed on Liu Guyu ahead.

Perhaps because he could earn money again, Liu Guyu was in an especially good mood, greeting everyone with a smile. Even when passing a tabby cat, he tilted his head and asked, "Brother, are you heading to the market too?"

The cat didn’t understand, brushing past Liu Guyu’s feet and darting away too quickly for him to crouch down and pet it.

He sighed with regret.

Qin Rongshi asked, "Do you like cats?"

Liu Guyu grinned. "Well, I still like money better."

The blunt reply made Qin Rongshi laugh aloud. He glanced at Liu Guyu again and noticed he had closed his eyes, clasped his hands together, and was murmuring something.

Qin Rongshi leaned in to listen and heard him murmuring.

"Richer day by day, richer year by year. Money come, money come, money come…"

Qin Rongshi burst out laughing, instantly realizing that Liu Guyu’s "day by day" was "richer day by day." It was the first time he’d heard the phrase interpreted that way, and he found it amusing.

Just as he finished laughing, he suddenly reached out and grabbed Liu Guyu’s wrist, raising his voice. "Watch your step! There’s a stump ahead!"

Liu Guyu stumbled, swaying a couple of steps before steadying himself. When he opened his eyes, Qin Rongshi’s hand was still gripping his wrist.

The young man’s hand wasn’t particularly large, but it was just enough to encircle that slender wrist, radiating warmth beneath his palm.

Liu Guyu was momentarily stunned. After a pause, he pulled his hand back and mumbled, "You brat, your grip is pretty strong."

As the wrist slipped from his grasp, Qin Rongshi’s hand hung in the air for a moment before he withdrew it. He turned away expressionlessly and walked ahead, this time taking the lead.

Liu Guyu quickly caught up, walking beside Qin Rongshi and even reaching out to measure their heights.

"Erlang, have you grown taller? You’re already up to my ear!"

He excitedly gestured, placing his hand first on Qin Rongshi’s head, then on his own, as if calculating the height difference.

Qin Rongshi’s hair was slightly flattened by the touch, the warmth of the palm on his crown feeling warmer than the early morning sun.

The tips of Qin Rongshi’s ears began to heat up again. Afraid Liu Guyu would notice, he quickly stepped away and strode forward, muttering under his breath, "You talk too much."

Liu Guyu wasn’t offended, trotting to catch up and retorting, "You talk too little!"

Chatting and joking, the two made their way up Xiaoliu Mountain. Once they started working, they forgot about the earlier incident and began cutting bamboo.

The bamboo grew quickly, and with the recent rain, the grove was lush, serene, and filled with the fresh scent of bamboo.

After stacking more than ten bamboo poles at their feet, Liu Guyu estimated it was enough and called for Qin Rongshi to stop. The two sat on a large rock to catch their breath.

Liu Guyu couldn’t sit still for long. He muttered, "I’m going to see if there’s any bamboo fungus!"

With that, he darted off like a monkey, searching around the area where he had found bamboo fungus before.

But this time, luck wasn’t on his side. After searching for a while, Liu Guyu found neither bamboo fungus nor bamboo shoots.

Qin Rongshi didn’t help, simply watching as Liu Guyu wandered farther away, his slender figure crouching in the bamboo grove like a wilted little mushroom.

Qin Rongshi couldn’t help but smile, though he didn’t notice the curve of his own lips.

"Ouch!"

Qin Rongshi frowned and immediately stood up, calling out in the direction of the sound, "What happened?"

The next moment, Liu Guyu stood up laughing, holding a grayish-white mushroom triumphantly. "I found a little mushroom!"

Qin Rongshi: "..."

For a moment, Qin Rongshi didn’t know whether to laugh or scold him for being so dramatic. He could only watch helplessly as Liu Guyu hurried over, cradling the mushroom like a treasure.

"Young Student Scholar Qin, help me take a look! Is this mushroom edible?"

Liu Guyu, after all, was a modern person and couldn’t distinguish between edible wild mushrooms and poisonous ones.

Qin Rongshi shot him an exasperated look, swatting the mushroom out of his hand. "It’s poisonous."

Liu Guyu hissed softly, muttering to himself, "...A 'lie-down-board' mushroom."

Sighing, he headed off in another direction. "I’ll go check over there!"

Qin Rongshi watched him run off, darting up and down through the forest as if he had boundless energy.

Qin Rongshi pressed his lips together, withdrew his gaze, and sat back down on the rock. He looked down at the small grayish-white mushroom lying at his feet.

It was tiny, with a tender cap—almost cute.

He was staring blankly when Liu Guyu let out another cry from the other side.

This time, the sound was clearly strange, accompanied by the noise of someone falling.

Qin Rongshi’s expression tensed, and he immediately stood up and rushed over, calling out urgently:

"Liu Guyu!"

Qin Rongshi shouted in alarm, rushing frantically toward Liu Guyu.

When he reached him, he found Liu Guyu sitting on the grass covered with dry, yellow bamboo shoot husks, clutching his leg and grimacing in pain.

Hearing Qin Rongshi approach, Liu Guyu managed to look up, frowning as he said with a pained laugh: "You brat, no respect for your elders!"

Clearly, he was referring to Qin Rongshi calling him by his full name.

Qin Rongshi’s brows tightened, and he asked sharply, "What happened?"

Hearing the question, Liu Guyu frowned and complained, "I think I was bitten by a snake."

Qin Rongshi: "..."

*Think?*

Qin Rongshi’s frown deepened. He moved closer, crouched down, and looked at the ankle Liu Guyu was holding, asking again, "Think? Didn’t you see it?"

Liu Guyu really did shake his head, gesturing wildly as he spoke—so vividly that Qin Rongshi found it completely incomprehensible. He couldn’t understand how Liu Guyu could still be laughing at a time like this.

"Really didn’t get a clear look! I just heard rustling in the grass over there, then something brushed past my pant leg. I panicked and stomped hard—it felt slippery and soft. Then I felt a sharp pain in my foot. When I looked down, I saw it twist away and slip right through my legs to escape."

Qin Rongshi: "..."

Qin Rongshi fell silent for a moment, rubbing his temples before asking through gritted teeth, "...Didn’t you say you didn’t see it?"

As he spoke, he anxiously pushed up Liu Guyu’s pants leg to examine the wound.

If it was a non-venomous snake, they could just consider it bad luck and it would heal on its own. But if it was venomous... At that thought, Qin Rongshi’s brow furrowed even deeper. His pupils contracted, his cheek muscles twitched faintly, and his fingers trembled.

Liu Guyu, sitting on the ground, simply reached down and rolled up his loose pants leg, revealing a slender, pale lower leg. The wound on his ankle was still bleeding.

He muttered, "I really didn’t get a clear look. It slithered away under the dry grass and rotten leaves—I only saw a few bumps rise in the bamboo husks on the ground, and then whoosh—it vanished."

Although Liu Guyu hadn’t seen what kind of snake it was, he had already checked the wound by the time Qin Rongshi arrived.

Two rows of closely spaced, tiny tooth marks oozing bright red blood—clear signs of a non-venomous bite. This was also why Liu Guyu was still in the mood to joke.

Liu Guyu didn’t say anything, just quietly glanced down at Qin Rongshi.

He watched as the young man knelt before him, one hand lifting his pant leg while leaning in to carefully inspect the wound on his foot. After a long moment, Qin Rongshi finally exhaled in relief.

That sigh seemed to brush against Liu Guyu’s wound, sending a tingling numbness through half his body, making him stiffen.

Feeling slightly uncomfortable, Liu Guyu pulled his hand back and let his pants fall, saying, "Hey, it doesn’t hurt much. No need to blow on it."

Qin Rongshi almost laughed in frustration. He straightened up and snapped, "Who’s blowing on it?!"

Despite his words, Qin Rongshi reached out a hand to help Liu Guyu up.

Liu Guyu didn’t hesitate—he slapped his palm into Qin Rongshi’s and used the support to stand.

He added, "This mountain brings us bad luck. We shouldn’t come back here again."

He was referring to the last time they came to cut bamboo, when Qin Rongshi had been cut by the hatchet.

Qin Rongshi shot him an annoyed look. "What kind of time is this to be joking?"

Liu Guyu shrugged casually. "What else can I do? Whether I live one more day or two, if the King of Hell wants me dead by the third watch..."

Qin Rongshi didn’t respond, just took a deep breath, clearly suppressing his irritation. But then Liu Guyu added:

"Then I’ll go down at the second watch. Maybe I can make a good impression on the King of Hell."

Qin Rongshi: "...Shut up!"

Liu Guyu: "Alright."

Obediently, Liu Guyu closed his mouth, even making a zipping motion across his lips.

Qin Rongshi sighed softly, feeling more exhausted now than after cutting bamboo.

After all that effort, they hadn’t found a single bamboo fungus, and now Liu Guyu had been bitten by a snake. Supported by Qin Rongshi, Liu Guyu limped back to where they’d been cutting bamboo earlier and stared gloomily at the pile on the ground.

Just then, a group of boys around ten years old ran past on the mountain path ahead, pretending to be generals in battle, waving little wooden swords and shouting excitedly.

Liu Guyu turned his head and called out loudly, "Hey! Great General, hold up!"

The "Great General" actually stopped, turning around with his little braid swinging at the back of his head, eyes sparkling—clearly delighted at being called "Great General."

Liu Guyu said, "Could you generals help me out? Help me drag this bamboo to my house, and I’ll give you some candy!"

At the word "candy," the "Great General’s" eyes lit up even more, and he immediately asked, "Really? You’re not lying?"

Villagers were frugal, buying candy for their children only during holidays as a special treat. Candy was a rare luxury, naturally making these "generals" salivate.

Liu Guyu thumped his chest confidently. "Of course it’s true!"

The "generals" cheered, running forward to grab the bamboo from both sides and dragging it down the mountain.

Liu Guyu raised an eyebrow at Qin Rongshi, flashing a proud expression that said, "See? I’ve got this."

Qin Rongshi felt both amused and exasperated. He stared at Liu Guyu for a long moment before asking, "Well? Can you walk?"

Liu Guyu nodded, then leaned on Qin Rongshi’s arm and limped forward, saying, "It's nothing, it's nothing."

The two followed the group of youngsters down the mountain. The children raced ahead excitedly, drawing the attention of several villagers who turned to look.

One woman stood with hands on her hips and shouted, "Dogwa! Are you coming back for dinner or not?!"

"Yes!"

General Dogwa, running at the front, answered extra loudly.

Gradually, Liu Guyu and Qin Rongshi, walking slowly behind, lost sight of them. But a few farmers working in the fields straightened up and looked at Liu Guyu, asking curiously, "Liu Geer? What happened to your leg? How'd you go up the mountain and come back limping?!"

Liu Guyu waved a hand and replied, "Got bitten by a snake."

The farmer said, "Oh no, you’ll have to be more careful next time!"

After exchanging a few words, the two arrived at their doorstep.

The children tossed the bamboo into the yard, their mouths stuffed with candied lotus seeds, sweet enough to make their eyes squint with delight.

Seeing the village kids dragging the bamboo back and learning from Dog Wa that Liu Guyu had promised them candy in return for their help, Cui Lanfang wasn't stingy. She went back to the main room, grabbed a handful of candied lotus seeds, and distributed them among the children.

The pure white lotus seeds coated in sugar were sweet enough to melt in your heart. Each child received a few, carefully licking them, reluctant to finish them all at once.

"Thank you, Aunt Qin and Sister Banban! We’ve brought the bamboo back. We’re heading home now!"

Dog Wa, clearly the leader of the group, stood in front of the other little turnips and spoke loudly.

Banban was the youngest in the family—even Luo Maier next door was older than her—so she rarely got called "sister." Unconsciously straightening her back, she pretended to be a mature adult and nodded, saying, "Go ahead, be careful on your way."

Cui Lanfang didn’t say anything, just smiled and nodded at the group of children.

"Alright!"

Dog Wa cheered loudly and dashed off with the others in tow.

It was at this moment that Liu Guyu and Qin Rongshi returned. The shorter one was supporting the taller one, limping along slowly, with an empty bamboo basket slung over their shoulders. Aside from the bamboo, they had found nothing else.

"Heavens! What happened?!"

The smile on Cui Lanfang’s face froze the moment she saw Liu Guyu limping. She hurried over, took him from Qin Rongshi’s support, and called for Qin Banban to bring a small stool into the yard.

Liu Guyu was helped to sit down and casually waved his hand. "It’s nothing, really. I startled a snake and got bitten by accident."

Though he said it lightly, Cui Lanfang broke out in a cold sweat from fright. She immediately crouched down to check the wound on Liu Guyu’s foot.

But the woman, mindful of old-fashioned propriety, quickly remembered that Qin Rongshi, a young fellow, was still in the yard. She turned to him and said, "Erlang, go to Doctor Wan’s place and get some medicine!"

She didn’t know that Qin Rongshi had already rolled up Liu Guyu’s pants and examined his foot.

But Qin Rongshi didn’t mention it. Though he believed in adapting to the situation, Liu Guyu was, after all, his brother-in-law in name, and it wasn’t appropriate to speak of such things openly—not even to his own Mother.

He nodded silently, went inside to fetch his money pouch, and headed out.

Before long, Qin Rongshi returned. Entering the yard, he realized his Mother had already helped Liu Guyu into the house.

In his hands, he carried a dark clay bowl filled with a thick, dark green ointment that gave off a peculiar odor.

It didn't look like much, but snakebites were common in the village, and everyone went to Doctor Wan for medicine. As long as it wasn’t a venomous snake, this ointment was perfectly sufficient and worked quickly.

Qin Banban was waiting outside. Seeing Qin Rongshi return, she hurried over to take the medicine bowl. Without a word to her brother, she turned and entered Liu Guyu’s room, calling out, "Mother, the medicine is here!"

Qin Rongshi watched his sister’s back as she ran inside. Naturally, he couldn’t follow her inside, so he leaned against the door panel outside, head bowed, lost in thought.

Inside the room.

Liu Guyu was propped up halfway on the bed, his pants rolled up high to reveal the wound on his ankle.

The wound had stopped bleeding, but half-dried blood still clung to his skin. Cui Lanfang was using a wet cloth to wipe away the bloodstains around the injury.

Hearing Qin Banban’s voice, she turned to her daughter and said, "Quick, hand it over!"

She sighed and added, "There are too many insects and snakes in the mountains. You should avoid going up there from now on."

Liu Guyu also sighed. "That won’t do. Our business needs bamboo tubes, and the only place to get bamboo is Xiaoliu Mountain."

Cui Lanfang sighed again, and Liu Guyu mimicked her, letting out a long exhale. The two of them seemed like sighing champions, sighing back and forth.

Finally, Cui Lanfang chuckled at the last sigh. She reached out and lightly tapped Liu Guyu’s head, then put her foot down.

"Then we’ll pay people to gather them! We may be short on money now, but there’s no need to risk your life for this! I’ll go see the Village Head later and tell him our family is buying bamboo tubes and bamboo skewers."

Cui Lanfang was the most frugal person in the household, yet she was the one suggesting spending money on bamboo tubes. Liu Guyu chuckled twice, tilting his head to rub against her arm. "Mother, don’t forget bamboo spoons too."

Cui Lanfang patted his head and smiled. "I know!"

With that, she used a cleaned bamboo sliver to scoop up the ointment and spread it thickly over the wound on Liu Guyu’s ankle. Once applied, she wrapped it tightly with strips of coarse hemp cloth.

Liu Guyu muttered, "The market day is in two days. I already promised Aunt Lin we’d set up a stall together in the East Market."

Cui Lanfang patted his head and advised, "Let's wait until you're healed. There’s no rush these two days."

Qin Banban stood obediently to the side and nodded emphatically upon hearing this.

Knowing he couldn’t argue, Liu Guyu sank back against the pillow and nodded in agreement.

Outside the room, Qin Rongshi heard their conversation and finally felt relieved.

He reflexively glanced back but only saw the old, mold-speckled wooden door. Though he couldn’t see through it, Liu Guyu’s laughter still filtered out from inside.

For some inexplicable reason, even without seeing him, a smile tugged at Qin Rongshi's lips.

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