Chapter 16: “Sow Potent XX Powder”

The shopkeeper, a seasoned woman who had clearly seen it all, didn’t even blink at Lin Jianxue’s request. She simply gave a nonchalant “Oh,” then turned and rummaged under the counter.

When she stood back up, she held a small plastic packet in her hand. It was white, with a few bold red characters stamped across the front.

“One yuan and fifty cents. Just use a small spoonful each time. Don’t overdo it—it can cause problems,” the woman instructed as she placed the packet on the counter and gave Lin Jianxue a look.

Times were tough, and raising a pig wasn’t easy. If the dosage was too high and the pig died, the loss would be huge.

“Got it. Thank you!”

Lin Jianxue responded and handed over two yuan from her pocket. The woman swiftly gave her back fifty cents in change.

Lin glanced down at the small plastic packet in her hand. Printed boldly on the front were the characters: “Sow Potent Estrus Powder.”

Below it, smaller text read:

Function: Induces heat.
Indication: Lack of estrus.

Her pupils contracted in shock—did the name have to be this blunt?!

Her face flushed slightly, as if she were doing something shameful. She quickly stuffed the packet into her leather bag, afraid someone might see.

After buying the sow estrus powder, Lin Jianxue stopped by the provisions store on her way home.

She wanted to buy something nourishing for her mother, Shen Wu, who had just given birth and needed proper postpartum recovery.

The provisions store was packed. Many counters had long queues.

Lin Jianxue had a clear target and went straight to the meat counter. Her eyes immediately landed on a slab of streaky pork with just the right balance of fat and lean.

“How much is this pork belly?”

“Eighty cents per jin,” replied the woman behind the counter without looking up.

“I’ll take two jin.”

“Alright.”

The shopkeeper swiftly cut two jin of pork belly, wrapped it in rough paper, and handed it over.

Lin Jianxue then moved to the fish counter and picked out a lively crucian carp.

“How much for this one?”

“Sixty cents.”

“I’ll take it.”

Having bought pork belly and fish, Lin Jianxue boarded a bus and headed home.

The bus jolted along, scenery flying past the window. Gradually, Lin Jianxue’s mood calmed.

Back home, the aroma of food greeted her as she walked in.

She saw Tong Caihe in the kitchen, bent over the sink, washing vegetables.

In the living room, Shen Wu was sitting on the sofa, holding baby Hu in her arms and gently humming a lullaby.

“Mom, I’m back,” Lin Jianxue said with a smile, walking over to her mother and gently touching baby Hu’s chubby cheek.

Baby Hu seemed to feel her touch and opened his sleepy eyes. When he saw Lin Jianxue, he broke into a gummy smile.

“You’re back, Xue’er! Look at your little brother—hasn’t he gotten chubbier?” Shen Wu smiled up at her.

“He has! His little cheeks are all round now.” Lin Jianxue chuckled.

“Mom, I’ll take the meat and fish to Aunt Tong. She can make crucian carp soup for lunch—it’s great for recovery and boosts milk supply.”

With that, Lin Jianxue headed into the kitchen.

Tong Caihe turned around from washing vegetables, eyes lighting up at the sight of the meat and fish in Lin Jianxue’s hands.

“Oh wow, Jianxue, where’d you get such good stuff? This pork belly’s so fatty! And this crucian carp—still jumping! So fresh!” she said, reaching for the items.

“Bought them at the provisions store. I went early—meat hadn’t sold out yet. Aunt Tong, let’s make fish soup for lunch, and braised pork for dinner for the whole family.”

“Sure, sure! No problem!” Tong Caihe beamed.

But inside, her mind was working fast.

This pork and fish were great—perfect to bring over to Jiang Yuning to help her recover.

Jiang Yuning had a miscarriage with heavy bleeding; she needed to heal properly. If she ended up with lasting issues and couldn’t give birth to a grandson, that’d be a disaster.

“Jianxue, you’re so thoughtful, always thinking of your mom,” Tong Caihe said sweetly, her eyes gleaming. “Don’t worry, I’ll make sure this meat and fish taste amazing, so your mom gets a good tonic!”

“I’ll go gut the fish now,” she added, cheerfully heading to the kitchen sink.

After leaving the kitchen, Lin Jianxue went to her bedroom.

Standing at the doorway, her gaze swept across the room and landed on the iron canister on her rosewood desk—a tin of malted milk.

The tin had a chubby baby printed on it and the words “Malted Milk” in bold.

This was a monthly ration from her father’s factory—one tin per month.

After marrying Jiang Yubai, he often told her how he had never drunk malted milk growing up because his family was too poor. He could only watch other kids drink it with envy.

Lin Jianxue, heart aching at his words, told him he could have as much malted milk as he wanted at her house.

She walked to the desk, picked up the tin, and opened the lid.

A rich milky aroma wafted out, but her brow furrowed.

She remembered clearly: this tin was only just distributed at the beginning of the month. Yet now, it was almost empty.

It had only been a few days!

She didn’t need to think twice—Jiang Yubai had clearly been sneaking the malted milk to give to Jiang Yuning.

With a cold snort, Lin Jianxue reached into her leather bag and pulled out the “Sow Potent Estrus Powder” she’d bought earlier.

She tore open the plastic pouch. A pungent smell hit her nose, though it was quickly masked by the sweet scent of malted milk.

The pale yellow powder inside looked almost identical to the malted milk. Without close inspection, no one would notice the difference.

A slow, amused smile curled at the corners of Lin Jianxue’s lips.

She brought the packet to the mouth of the tin, tilted her wrist, and poured in half the powder.

The yellow powder fell into the can, blending seamlessly with the original malted milk and vanishing from sight.

She replaced the lid and shook the tin vigorously, letting the two substances mix thoroughly.

As the powder shifted inside, the clinking sound echoed faintly. Her gaze turned ice-cold.

---

Three days later.

Early in the morning, Tong Caihe left the house in high spirits.

She returned with a young woman following behind her.

The girl wore a bright red cotton jacket with an outdated cut. The sleeves and collar were frayed white, and a few tacky embroidered flowers adorned it.

Her hair was tied into two thick black braids that hung over her chest, secured with red ribbons.

Her face bore the typical shyness of a country girl. She carried a bulging bundle on her back—clearly someone from the countryside.

This girl was none other than Jiang Yuning.

The moment she stepped through the door, she warmly greeted the family.

“Uncle, Auntie, hello! I’m Yuning—Aunt Tong’s distant niece.”

Her Mandarin was heavily accented, and her face was full of exaggerated cheer.

She pulled out a cloth-wrapped basket from her bundle, revealing a heap of eggs inside.

“Uncle, Auntie, these are farm eggs from home—super fresh! Just right to help Auntie recover!”

She smiled and held the basket out to Shen Wu.

Shen Wu and Lin Yuefeng exchanged a glance. Shen Wu, wearing a polite smile, got up and said, “Oh, you didn’t have to bring anything! It’s enough that you came!”

Tong Caihe chimed in quickly, “Don’t be so formal! We’re all family here! Yuning is such a thoughtful girl. She saved up these eggs herself—such a precious gift! Shen laoshi, just accept them. These farm eggs are the best for postpartum recovery!”

Jiang Yuning nodded repeatedly, her expression sincere. “Yes, Auntie, please accept them! These eggs don’t cost much—just a little token of care. I heard from Aunt Tong that you just gave birth to the baby brother, and your body’s weak. These eggs will help boost your milk supply so the baby can grow big and strong!”

Lin Jianxue stood off to the side, coldly watching this little performance between the older and younger woman, inwardly sneering.

These so-called farm eggs? She was sure Jiang Yuning just bought them at the supply store and made up a whole story.

Such a bold-faced liar.