Chapter 3: Digging Ginseng

Page 1/3

Gu Wenran didn’t have to work that day, so she got up early to prepare breakfast for everyone. When Hu Ailian woke and saw breakfast laid out on the table, she thought her daughter had already risen. But stepping into the kitchen, she found Gu Wenran tending the fire.

“Am I still half asleep, or am I seeing things?” she murmured.

“Mother, you’re up. I’ve made breakfast. Have a bite. I’ll head up the mountain soon to see if there’s any wild game left,” Gu Wenran said, handing her a cup of water she had just drawn.

“Oh, be careful. There are many wild beasts in the mountains.”

Zhou Xiyu and Zhou Siyue, who had risen early, saw their sister-in-law and thought they must be mistaken. She never got up before noon in the past, yet here she was making breakfast for them.

“Mother, take this water with you. I boiled it especially; don’t always drink cold water in summer,” Gu Wenran said.

Hu Ailian dazedly took the water, preparing to bring along her little grandson.

“Mother, I’m watching Yubao. You can rest easy,” Gu Wenran reassured.

“No need. We’ll take him to the field. Yubao is well-behaved and will just play in the shade,” Hu Ailian replied cautiously, unwilling to leave Yubao with her after almost losing him once.

“All right then.”

After Hu Ailian and the others left, Gu Wenran filled a pot with spring water and took her sickle to the mountain.

Along the way, she met the same group of women from yesterday, sitting and chatting together.

“Why does the Zhou family’s daughter-in-law keep going up the mountain? Could it be...”

“Impossible. With her broad shoulders and stout waist, who could beat her?”

“Seriously, there aren’t many in our village who can take her on.”

“No wonder the Gu family is famous for spoiling their daughter. They must love her dearly.”

“Exactly. Look at her—so well-fed. Families usually focus on their sons.”

“Let’s get back to work. The team leader will be here soon.”

Gu Wenran ignored their gossip. She admitted she was at fault before, but now she was making an effort to change.

Reaching the mountain, she collected medicinal herbs, placing them carefully in her basket.

“This province is vast and rich in resources. These herbs are everywhere, but the villagers don’t recognize their value. That’s to my advantage.”

After filling a basket with herbs and picking some mushrooms along the way, she thought, “No wild chickens today, but a mushroom soup will do.”

Surveying the collected herbs, she prepared to venture deeper. Shortly after entering, she spotted a plant.

“Ginseng, of all things.”

Counting the leaves, she estimated it to be at least fifty years old.

“I’ve struck gold.”

Page 2/3

Gu Wenran carefully began digging up the ginseng, taking two full hours to extract it intact.

Holding the root in her hand, she thought, “Thankfully, my ginseng harvesting skills are still sharp. With it this whole, it should fetch a good price.”

She took a sip of water and prepared to continue deeper into the mountain. Just as she was about to leave, a wild rabbit hopped over to nibble where she had spilled some spring water.

“So, they’re attracted by the spring water. That makes things easier.”

She picked up her sickle and threw it with a swift, lethal strike.

“Quite agile. Those zombies weren’t killed in vain.”

Looking at the rabbit, she checked the sky.

“Time to head home and cook.”

Back home, Gu Wenran skinned the rabbit and chopped it into small pieces, preparing to make a spicy rabbit stew.

She picked some chili peppers and a few cucumbers from the garden to make smashed cucumbers as a refreshing side dish.

A generous spoonful of animal fat went into the pot, nearly emptying the jar.

“I’ll need to go to town tomorrow to buy some pork fat and more seasonings. The dishes won’t taste right without them.”

She fried the rabbit pieces until fragrant, added the spring water, and let it simmer.

Seeing a small bag of rice in the kitchen from the previous day, she decided to serve the spicy rabbit stew with steamed rice—a truly tempting meal.

When the four men returned from work, the aroma of meat greeted them.

“Could it be that sister-in-law caught another wild chicken?” Zhou Siyue eagerly said, wanting to rush home and see.

“You greedy monkey! Your sister-in-law can’t catch wild chickens every day.”

Zhou Xiyu licked her lips, remembering how delicious the chicken from yesterday was—the best stew she’d ever tasted.

“Let’s hurry home. I wonder if sister-in-law is back yet. She said she was going to the mountain.”

“I know.”

At the doorstep, Zhou Siyue pushed the door open, and the scent of meat wafted out.

“Told you it’s our home.”

“Zhou sister-in-law sure lives well—has meat to eat,” said Aunt Wang from next door, enviously eyeing their kitchen. The meat aroma from yesterday had made several children cry out of hunger.

“She caught the wild chicken while gathering mushrooms on the mountain yesterday. Now she’s cooking it. Otherwise, how could we have meat?”

Hu Ailian looked down on their neighbors for being petty and talkative.

Page 3/3

“That’s really lucky, unlike our family—so many mouths to feed and barely any meat all year. Even when the eldest daughter-in-law had a child, there wasn’t a single egg to eat,” she said, glancing toward the kitchen as if her desire for meat was written all over her face.

“Well, too bad. The meat’s finished, only some broth remains. The eldest daughter-in-law cooked some greens, and we’re off to eat. We still have work this afternoon.”

After Hu Ailian left, Mrs. Wang shot a glare.

“Pfft, showing off over a little meat. That lazy woman’s bound to get herself in trouble.”

Gu Wenran had heard everything but didn’t respond. She just wanted to be a quiet, good daughter-in-law.

“Mother, I’m back. Wash up and come eat. I caught a rabbit today.”

“A rabbit!” Zhou Siyue, excited at the prospect of more meat, rushed off to wash.

“Sister-in-law, you’re amazing—catching wild chickens and rabbits both.”

“Hurry and wash up. I also cooked steamed rice.”

Hu Ailian’s heart ached at the mention of the rice—it was reserved for her eldest son.

“Eldest daughter-in-law, we’re fine with coarse grains. Save the rice for Siyue.”

“Mother, I found a ginseng root today. It’ll sell for a lot. We won’t have to worry about rice anymore. Let’s eat quickly.”

On the table lay a large bowl of steamed rice and a bowl of spicy rabbit stew.

“Yubao, the rabbit is spicy, so I steamed you some egg custard and saved a chicken leg from yesterday.”

“Thank you, Mother.”

Yubao ate the chicken leg greedily, his mouth greasy. Watching his antics, everyone happily ate several more bowls of rice.

“Sigh, every family is waiting for the year-end grain distribution. Eldest daughter-in-law, let’s save some food. I wonder how Siyue is doing in the army. Maybe we should write him a letter?”

Gu Wenran felt distant from her husband. Even on their wedding day, she had forced herself upon him, and he left the next day.

“Mother, Siyue is busy. Let’s not disturb him now. I’ll write again later.”

“All right.” Hu Ailian, thinking of Zhou Siyue who hadn’t come home in five years, felt deeply uneasy.

Gu Wenran knew Zhou Siyue was avoiding her and felt embarrassed. She thought perhaps when he returned, they should divorce so she wouldn’t hold him back.

Returning to her room, she checked the time. It was still early, so she entered her space, saw the grain had ripened, and stored it in the granary. She planned to visit the black market tomorrow to see if she could exchange it for money.

Earlier, she had found medical books in the villa and spent two hours on the sofa studying them before going to bed.