Chapter 19: Discovering the Eggs

Jiang Shoujia was only forty-five, which in the modern era counted as middle-aged.

But in ancient times, he had already reached the age to enjoy his twilight years. After all, the average life expectancy here was less than fifty.

Even if he was healthy, with a straight back…

Hearing his grandson’s concern warmed his heart.

He sat back down and nodded at his grandson.
“Alright, you go water them. Don’t overdo it—the sprouts just came out, and too much water could kill them.”

“Got it, Grandpa,” Jiang Tongshui replied.

Then he rushed to the backyard.

At this moment, Jiang Fubao was crouched alone in the house.

The space had refreshed, and she had to quickly put the pots back into it, otherwise someone cleaning the house might discover the secret under the bed.

Half a minute later, she emerged from the room with a fleeting expression.

“Old man, you stay in the yard and watch the house. I’m taking the daughters-in-law up the mountain to pick wild vegetables. Fubao, come along, let’s go—if we leave early, we can come back early too.”

Holding her grandmother’s hand, Jiang Fubao walked toward the foot of the mountain.

Coincidentally, they ran into Ma Chunxia again.

“Sis-in-law, going up the mountain to dig wild vegetables? And why bring Fubao? This kid loves running up the hills so much. Fubao, are you learning from your grandmother how to pick wild vegetables so you can help her when you grow up?”

Ma Chunxia was fond of Jiang Fubao.

She was cute, well-behaved, chubby and fair-skinned—nothing like a typical peasant child.

If dressed in silk and satin, no one would suspect she was anything other than a rich girl sneaking out.

“Yes, I want to help Grandma work. Good morning, Granny Xia~” Jiang Fubao replied, following Ma Chunxia’s lead, making sure to greet her.

“So obedient! Good morning, Fubao. Unfortunately, Granny Xia didn’t bring any snacks today. In a couple of days, I’ll sell the eggs we saved at home, buy some meat, and you can come over with your bowl. I’ll give you a big piece then.”

Ma Chunxia’s family was poor too.

But she never withheld food from her family.

Whenever she sold eggs in town, she’d buy a bit of meat to stir-fry with wild vegetables—cut into thin slices so that each person got two or three pieces.

The meat was so fine that you could see a reflection in it; without good knife skills, you couldn’t cut it like that.

“Thanks, Granny Xia, but we have meat at home. You eat yours, have more yourself,” Jiang Fubao said casually.

Meat was precious.

If she went over asking for food, Ma Chunxia might never give her a kind face again.

“Yes, Fubao is like a little fairy who found those pigeon eggs and sold them for so many copper coins, surely she bought meat with them. Sis-in-law, I really envy you. If my granddaughter could have even half of Fubao’s luck, my ancestors’ graves would smoke with incense.”

Thinking of the pigeon eggs she saw the other day, Ma Chunxia was full of envy.

One pigeon egg could be exchanged for ten chicken eggs.

Eight pigeon eggs could get eighty chicken eggs—more than enough for her family for a long time.

No wonder she smelled the meat at yesterday’s meal—it came from the Jiang family.

“Alright, I won’t follow you anymore. I’ll take my two granddaughters to pick vegetables elsewhere. We’ll chat later.”

Ma Chunxia was smart. Last time she had taken advantage of Zhang Jinlan and picked many tender sprouts. If she shamelessly followed this time, their harmony might be broken.

“Okay.”

Zhang Jinlan smiled faintly. They exchanged a glance, each understanding the other perfectly.

After parting ways, Zhang Jinlan headed to the spot she remembered from yesterday.

“Mom, this is the inner area… you’re not really going in, are you?”

Outside the forest, Sun Pingmei looked at her mother-in-law in surprise.

“Artemisia is valuable. If it grows in the outer area, do you think we could reach it? Let’s go, it’s safe inside.”

Having been there once, Zhang Jinlan was no longer afraid.

She stepped into the inner area first.

Zhang Yanzi carried Jiang Fubao and followed, then Zhu Yingqiu, and finally the timid Sun Pingmei.

“My heavens, this is huge! Enough to last ten days! What a treasure of a place! Fubao is so lucky, pointing randomly and finding such a good spot. Come give Uncle’s wife a sniff.”

Zhu Yingqiu kissed Jiang Fubao’s cheek before starting to pick wild vegetables.

Apart from occasional murmurs from surrounding plants, Jiang Fubao heard nothing.

She felt bored.

Having caught a wild pheasant before, Grandma kept looking around, leaving Jiang Fubao to daydream.

“Grandma, I want to play over there,” she said after fifteen minutes, making up an excuse.

“Alright, don’t go too far,” Zhang Jinlan agreed without hesitation.

Perhaps her granddaughter’s luck was coming.

Jiang Fubao relaxed and headed toward where she had caught the wild pheasant before.

She stopped once she couldn’t see her family and found a soft grassy patch, clearing away weeds.

She pulled out the eggs from her space.

She had bought 130 eggs before crossing over.

She ate ten, leaving 120 in the fridge on the day of her travel.

Adding the 120 she took out last night and the freshly refreshed space, she now had 240 eggs in total.

Eggs took up space—unlike tiny quail eggs.

Jiang Fubao decided to start consuming them first.

She piled the 240 eggs on the grass and covered them with slightly long grass, forming a nest-like shape.

She had thought about putting out some apples, but the season was wrong—it would look fake.

She gave up.

In the fridge remained nine apples, a whole watermelon, two cantaloupes, twenty oranges, a bunch of bananas, and thirty kiwis.

She’d save them for summer.

“Grandma, there are eggs here!!” she shouted toward the direction her grandmother was picking vegetables.

“What? Eggs again?” Zhang Jinlan, who had just grabbed a handful of Artemisia, froze.

She thought she was imagining it—she had been hoping her granddaughter might have another stroke of luck, finding a lame wild pheasant or a bird egg.

When Jiang Fubao shouted again, she knew she wasn’t mistaken.

“Coming, coming! Grandma’s here, Fubao, stand still.”

Zhang Jinlan tossed the Artemisia into the basket and ran toward her granddaughter.

Zhu Yingqiu and the others followed quickly.

“Where are the eggs?”

Seeing her granddaughter, she asked anxiously.

“Here, the eggs are here,” Jiang Fubao said, pointing to the grass.

“Oh my, chicken eggs? Who hid so many eggs here? Aren’t they afraid of being stolen?” Zhang Jinlan peered through the grass and immediately recognized the eggs.

She squatted and pulled the grass off the eggs, her face full of astonishment.