Chapter 38 – A Path to Wealth

Xia Daohua held her sore cheek, slapped by Lihua, and couldn’t help but laugh and cry at the same time. Yet she still had to comfort the big sister who was now crying uncontrollably.

“Jie, you really hit hard! Why were you so worked up? I’m fine.”

“You fainted and still say you’re fine? I saw you pass out!”

“I was just hungry! That cornbread this morning was way too hard—I couldn’t bite into it, so I didn’t eat enough…”

Xia Daohua casually came up with an excuse, her voice trailing lower and lower as she spoke.

At that moment, her stomach cooperatively let out a loud “grumble-grumble.”

Lihua immediately believed her and burst into laughter through her tears.

“You silly girl, you nearly scared me to death!”

She smiled so brightly, her eyes curved like crescents, and a few crystalline tears still clung to her soft white cheeks.

To Xia Daohua, Lihua looked especially beautiful at that moment—more beautiful than a goddess.

Lihua quickly wiped her tears, then pulled out an oil-paper-wrapped package from her chest pocket. She carefully unwrapped it and spread it out on her palm:

“Fifth Aunt brought some sesame flatbreads the other day—they smelled so good and were so soft. Hurry and eat this one for me!”

Three days ago, Cheng-shi had brought a basket of sesame flatbreads back from her maternal home and shared them with each household. Fourth branch had received the largest share.

Xia Daohua had eaten one at the time and thought it was indeed delicious.

Lihua had only torn off a small piece to split with Wulang, barely enough for a taste.

And the rest of that flatbread—she’d saved it all this time?

Xia Daohua was both touched and amused.

She didn’t reject Lihua’s kindness. She picked up the flatbread, gently bit off a small piece, and chewed it slowly, her manners elegant and refined.

Lihua swallowed hard, stared at the flatbread for a couple of seconds, then quickly turned away and continued digging for wild vegetables.

Xia Daohua only took one bite before she found she couldn’t eat any more.

Though the flatbread was still tasty, it had been sitting for three days, and having been kept close to Lihua’s body, the texture had suffered. But it was something Lihua herself had refused to eat and saved just for her…

Xia Daohua hesitated briefly, then made up her mind.

…

By the time they descended the mountain, Xia Daohua’s basket was stuffed to the brim.

At the bottom were three fat marmots, above them two plump rabbits and a tightly bound wild pheasant, and on top of it all, some dry branches and a layer of fresh green vegetables as camouflage.

Lihua cheerfully followed behind Xia Daohua. She was convinced her sister was a little lucky star. Ever since she started bringing Daohua out with her, they had never once come back empty-handed!

Lihua’s own basket was full as well. In addition to two wild pheasants and three rabbits, she had gathered some wild mushrooms and greens.

Both girls were beaming with joy. Though drenched in sweat, their rosy little faces glowed. Despite carrying heavy loads, they moved with quick and eager steps.

After all, they were still just kids—Lihua had only turned thirteen after the New Year, and Xia Daohua was just nine.

By the time they reached home, the two girls were drenched in sweat.

Jiang-shi saw their state and immediately worried they’d catch a chill from the wind. She rushed to heat water so they could bathe and change into clean clothes.

Lihua and Xia Daohua dropped their baskets and eagerly followed Jiang-shi to reveal the secrets hidden within. When Jiang-shi heard, her feelings were mixed—both amused and touched.

Children so sensible—it made a mother both proud and heartbroken.

She told the girls to rest while she personally took out the contents of their baskets.

The marmots, rabbits, and pheasants were all alive, just a bit sluggish and listless.

Jiang-shi was overjoyed. If kept for their own meals, they could treat the children to some delicacies. If sold in town, they’d fetch a good amount of silver!

Just recently, that drunkard Old Lu from the tavern wandered into the deep forest, picked up half a deer left behind by a bear, and after his wife cleaned and prepared the meat, they sold it for one tael and two coins of silver!

Though marmots, rabbits, and pheasants weren’t as rare as deer, they were still prized delicacies favored by wealthy families.

Spending a day to let Xia Youtian run a trip to town would definitely be worthwhile.

As Jiang-shi made plans in her head, she fetched a large wooden basin, scooped hot water from the stove, tested the temperature by hand, added some cold water, tested again, and then called Wulang to shut the door.

She had Wulang take Linghua to the inner room to play, and then personally helped undress the two girls, removing their sweat-soaked inner clothes. Ignoring Lihua’s shyness and Xia Daohua’s protests, she picked up both girls and placed them into the basin.

Holding a worn cotton towel, she gave them a thorough bath.

Xia Daohua and Lihua squeezed into the basin like two pale little lambs. Jiang-shi moved quickly and efficiently, scrubbing them from head to toe until they were spotless.

After washing and drying them, and putting on fresh, warm clothes, Xia Daohua—despite feeling like a pet pig forcibly scrubbed clean by its owner—couldn’t deny the rare comfort and refreshment she now felt.

Since transmigrating, she hadn’t enjoyed a proper bath.

Let alone a full scrub-down!

In terms of personal hygiene, she had basically been living in “wilderness survival mode.”

On ordinary days she could wash her hands, feet, and face, and maybe do a quick wipe down. But overall, it was quite inconvenient.

Occasionally, she would sneak into the space supermarket’s staff dorm to use the hot water heater for a quick rinse—but only at night, after the Xia family was asleep.

She didn’t dare shower for too long or use any scented shampoo or body wash, fearing it might raise suspicions.

This time, even though she had to share the bath with Lihua, and even though Jiang-shi only used simple things like wood ash and pig-fat soap, it was still a proper bath and a good scrubbing. Afterwards, she felt completely renewed.

It was truly a strange and wonderful thing—

A hot bath and clean clothes could bring such a deep, inexplicable sense of happiness. Even the patches sewn onto her clothes couldn’t ruin that lightly sweet mood.

Xia Daohua allowed herself to indulge in the comfort for a while.

But she hadn’t enjoyed it for long when her mind—always prone to drifting—suddenly lit up with a brilliant idea:

She had discovered a money-making opportunity.

It was a path that many transmigrators before her had taken—

Selling soap.

Pure white and fragrant moisturizing soap, super stain-fighting laundry soap, colorful handmade soaps, translucent essential oil soaps… Compared to bath beans, wood ash, or pig-fat soap, these would surely be more competitive, right?

And her space supermarket refreshed its shelves every 24 hours.

This meant—as long as she had enough “supermarket points”—her supply would be endless and inexhaustible.

(End of Chapter 38)