Chapter 57: Fingers Swollen

Pear Blossom had a good night’s sleep and woke up feeling refreshed. After having some egg noodles made by Mrs. Xiong, she set off.

When she arrived at the Dart Bureau, she immediately asked Murong Jin for leave.

Murong Jin asked her the reason, and Pear Blossom truthfully explained about saving Xia Xunyan. Having been with the Murong family for nearly a month, their treatment of her had been nothing but kind. Given that Murong Jin had a strong sense of justice and despised evil, Pear Blossom naturally trusted her.

Upon hearing this, Murong Jin was so enraged that she took her whip and struck the ground several times, stirring up a cloud of dust.

Over the years, she had earned the title of the “Wind-Chasing Woman” due to her involvement in righting wrongs. Now, hearing of such a heinous act, how could she not be furious?

Moreover, the people Pear Blossom mentioned were involved with mountain bandits. Her father would say they could operate in both the underworld and legitimate circles, but it wasn’t feasible to individually subdue all the surrounding mountain bandits and gangs. Smaller ones could be intimidated with force, but the bigger ones required money to bribe. Half of the money the Longwei Dart Bureau earned every year ended up in the pockets of bureaucrats and bandits. Therefore, hearing all this made her so angry she nearly ground her teeth.

Although Murong Jin was spoiled, she was certainly not a fool. She wouldn’t immediately rush to take action without a well-thought-out plan. After venting her anger, she finally asked, “How did you deal with those two thieves that day? Show me a replay of what happened.”

During this period, Pear Blossom’s close combat abilities had greatly improved, thanks to the teachings and guidance of the Murong father and daughter. She naturally didn’t hold back and, with her eyes closed, recalled the events of that day, then mimicked the moves.

Murong Jin watched and smiled, saying, “When you took down the first man, you used his arrogance and the cover of the carriage curtain to strike him when he least expected it, killing him in one blow. For the second man, you used his cautious nature against him, making the opposite move. I have to say, Pear Blossom, you may look a bit clueless at times, but your mind is even sharper than your skills.”

Pear Blossom felt a surge of happiness upon hearing praise from her half-master.

“The more I talk about it, the more I realize you’re different from others,” Murong Jin said thoughtfully. “Your ability to predict seems sharper than most. For instance, how did you manage to quickly find a way to escape the mountain while that girl was surrounded by others? And every time you go hunting, you can always accurately catch your prey, even better than those seasoned hunters. I think you—”

When Pear Blossom heard her say that, she suddenly became a little nervous, because all of this could only be achieved with the help of the system, and she was afraid the other person might have noticed something.

But then Murong Jin gave a light snort and said, “I think you’re just pretending to be naive, trying to confuse the enemy and make them underestimate you, you’re just pretending to be a pig to eat a tiger!”

Pear Blossom let out a sigh of relief.

The system, however, advised her, “Host, you might as well just tell her that you’re good with your sixth sense, so she won’t doubt you later.”

Pear Blossom silently asked, “What sixth sense?”

“Vision, hearing, taste, smell, and touch are the five senses. The sixth sense is your intuition and inner perception.”

Pear Blossom thought for a moment and then said to Murong Jin, “Actually, I just have a good sense of intuition…”

When Murong Jin heard this, her eyes lit up. “Intuition! That sounds mysterious. Is your intuition very strong?”

Pear Blossom shook her head. “Sometimes it’s accurate, sometimes it’s not.”

Murong Jin then laughed, “Intuition and inner perception are inherently mysterious, but if you can guess right half the time, that’s pretty impressive. Next time I go out to beat someone up, I’ll definitely bring you along.”

As she spoke, she noticed Pear Blossom’s fingers wrapped in cloth, and asked, “What happened to your hand?”

Pear Blossom, feeling embarrassed, didn’t want to mention what happened the previous night. She hesitated before saying, “I accidentally got my hand caught in the door.”

“Let me see,” Murong Jin said, pulling her hand over and unwrapping the cloth. Seeing the red and swollen fingers, which looked like two big sausages, she couldn’t help but laugh. After laughing, she squeezed them, causing Pear Blossom to grimace in pain. She then said, “It’s nothing serious. It was just a hard pinch, no bones are broken. It’ll be fine in a couple of days.”

“You’re not a doctor, what you say doesn’t count,” Pear Blossom expressed her distrust.

Murong Jin squinted at her, pointed to her own nose, and said, “I, Murong Jin, started practicing martial arts when I was three, went with my father on escort missions at eight, and I’ve killed more people than you’ve eaten meat. I know exactly how many bones are in a human body and what each one looks like, and you dare doubt my judgment!”

Pear Blossom replied, “Even if you’re right, but Sister Dong told me to see a doctor, I can’t go back on my word.”

Murong Jin was immediately choked. “Sister Dong, Sister Dong, you keep mentioning her all day long. If I hadn’t passed by your house last time and glanced at her, I would have thought she was a man, the way you keep thinking about her, even treating her words like a royal decree.”

Pear Blossom responded, “Her words are royal decrees to me.”

Murong Jin was speechless. She reached out and touched Pear Blossom’s forehead. “Friend, are you sure you’re not sick?”

Pear Blossom tilted her head. “She saved my life. If it weren’t for her, I wouldn’t even know where I’d have been sold to. Of course, her words are effective.”

Murong Jin suddenly understood. “Oh, she saved your life, no wonder. It’s a shame she’s not a man, or else you could repay her life-saving grace by offering yourself.”

Pear Blossom remained silent.

Murong Jin continued speaking nonsense, but her mind flashed with untimely thoughts. She clicked her tongue. “These two injured fingers of yours, they’re quite intriguing.”

Pear Blossom looked confused. “Injured fingers are intriguing?”

Murong Jin glanced around, leaned close to her ear, and whispered, “These two hands of yours, if someone were to grind mirrors with you, wouldn’t it be incredibly satisfying?”

Pear Blossom looked at her with confusion, and Murong Jin, seeing the clear black and white of her eyes, suddenly felt a bit guilty. She coughed lightly, “Haven’t you ever read a romance book?”

Then she remembered that Pear Blossom couldn’t read and said, “Oh, you don’t know how to read, you’ve missed out on a lot.”

Pear Blossom then asked, “What’s grinding mirrors?”

Murong Jin felt like she was corrupting something very sacred, and she didn’t really want to explain but couldn’t resist her curiosity. She lowered her voice and said, “Grinding mirrors means two women are in love. When they are intimate, it’s like grinding a mirror.”

Pear Blossom was shocked, and just that single sentence made her process an overwhelming amount of new information.

So there are women who like each other in this world, and they can be intimate with each other.

“How does that relate to my two swollen fingers?”

Murong Jin looked at the curious Pear Blossom and couldn’t help but play the role of a teacher, patiently explaining, “When doing that, not only can you grind, but you can also use your hands as substitutes.”

As she spoke, she secretly made a gesture with her hands.

Pear Blossom, like a startled rabbit, jumped up and her ears quickly turned red. When she thought back to what she accidentally saw in the village, she finally understood what was going on.

She stammered, “You… how do you know so much?”

“I’ve already told you, romance books, picture books. Do you think those noble young ladies are really as prim and proper as they seem? Sisters and younger sisters must have some private conversations. And besides, I’ve been traveling with my father all over the country, I’ve seen way more than you can imagine. But your Sister Dong is married. Otherwise, with the way you like her, you could try it with her.”

Pear Blossom was shaken, stammering, “Don’t say nonsense—”

But in her mind, she replayed the scene from last night when she was holding Dong Yun, which, wasn’t it similar to what Murong Jin just mentioned about grinding… something… Her heart raced, and her face turned hot.

Murong Jin, seeing her flustered state, teasingly said, “Oh no, it’s clear now. Our Pear Blossom—her mind isn’t so pure anymore!”

Pear Blossom jumped up like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, chasing after Murong Jin, but Murong Jin, sensing something was off, already laughed and ran off.

The two chased and played for a while. As Murong Jin ran, she laughed so much that her stomach ached, quickly gesturing to stop, saying, “Alright, alright, I can’t keep up with you. If we keep this up, we might both end up exhausted. Do you still want to solve the problem? Let’s get back to the point. We can’t just let those thieves go scot-free.”

Pear Blossom paused when she heard this, “What do you want to do?”

“Going head-to-head won’t work, but we can outsmart them, just like you did before. In the next few days, I’ll figure out their background and the forces behind them. When the time comes, we must teach them a lesson. If we let them continue controlling the roads, how will the people travel? And our escort agency’s goods won’t be able to get in or out.”

Pear Blossom felt relieved that Murong Jin was willing to take the lead and spent the whole morning practicing with her. Afterward, she went to the medical clinic to check on her fingers. The doctor said there was no issue, so she finally relaxed, feeling she had completed the task assigned by Sister Dong.

Just as she was about to leave, she saw someone carrying herbs and asking the doctor if they were buying.

A spark of inspiration hit her, she had a powerful item-finding system that could help identify valuable herbs in the mountains.

Unlike hunting prey, where traps and combat were needed, herbs could simply be found and dug up easily.

In the past, she always thought about hunting because people need food to survive. Back then, her only concern was filling her stomach, hunting was the only way to satisfy her appetite. Additionally, she didn’t know anything about herbs, so she never considered it.

So, she approached the doctor and asked what herbs they were buying. The doctor, seeing her young face, was reluctant to pay much attention to her. He casually mentioned a few kinds of herbs and sent her away. She didn’t mind, directly activating her system to scan the medicine boxes in the store.

She asked the system, “These herbs in the store have been processed. Can you recognize their original form?”

The system chuckled, “You really underestimate me. I have records of 90% of the medicinal plants on Earth, from seeds to sprouting, flowering, seeding, and drying, every stage is clear.”

Pear Blossom’s eyes lit up, “Scan the nearby pharmacies too, don’t miss any.”

So, on her way home, she followed the system’s directions, running through several mountain peaks and returning with dozens of herbs, both common and rare, with a fruitful haul.

The only downside was that the thieves were still there, brazenly blocking the road. Passersby nervously avoided them, and if caught, they were either robbed or severely beaten. Over the past few days, fewer and fewer people were seen on the roads.

When Pear Blossom got home, she handed all the herbs to Mrs. Xiong and hurried out to visit the Zeng family.

The yard gate was open during the day, so she walked straight in.

Inside, Dong Yun was making shoe soles. The tiny shoes were clearly for Fubao.

Fubao, holding a fabric tiger, ran around her mother, calling out “Wah-wah” while running. When she heard footsteps, she turned and saw Pear Blossom. She smiled and ran toward the door with open arms.

Pear Blossom picked her up and asked, “Miss me?”

“Yes!” Fubao nodded vigorously. “I didn’t even get to talk to you yesterday.”

“Today we can talk as much as you want.” Pear Blossom pinched her little cheek and walked into the living room. Seeing her still holding the fabric tiger, she asked, “Do you like it?”

“I do! It’s so pretty!” Fubao smiled brightly, “I like it even more because it’s from you.”

A little girl with such straightforward and passionate affection—it was impossible not to melt the heart. Pear Blossom cupped her little face and said, “Next time, I’ll get you some more toys.”

At that moment, Dong Yun suddenly said, “You just spoil her.”

Pear Blossom hadn’t spoken a word to Dong Yun since entering, but her mind had been occupied with this woman all the way back. After what happened last night and what Murong Jin had said this morning, she felt even more nervous and couldn’t look at her. Thank goodness Fubao was there, or she wouldn’t have known what to do.

When she heard Dong Yun speak to her, her heart skipped a beat, and she tried to stay calm, saying, “It’s not spoiling her. What child doesn’t have a toy or two?”

Even with Xinghua and Erniu, now that she had money, she would occasionally bring them gifts. But the one she doted on the most was, of course, little Fubao.

Dong Yun watched her teasing her daughter, still not turning to face her. Her reddened ears betrayed her feelings, and the corner of her mouth couldn’t help but curl up slightly.

Pear Blossom remembered what she had been told last night and timidly extended her right hand, saying, “…I went to see the doctor this morning. He said it’s fine, and it’ll be better in two days.”

Her obedience and flattery pleased Dong Yun, but she still spoke unkindly, “You’d better learn to be careful next time.”

Pear Blossom bit her lip, finally daring to glance at her. She couldn’t quite figure out what was different about her expressions and mannerisms now. Everything felt different, but she couldn’t pinpoint how.

But no matter what expression or tone it was, it made her heart flutter.

Meanwhile, little Fubao grew restless, raising Pear Blossom’s hand and staring at her two red and swollen fingers. She exclaimed, “They look like two big sausages!” and tried to bite them.

Pear Blossom quickly lifted her hand and laughed, “Looks like someone wants sausages, huh? When the New Year comes, let’s catch a pig and ask Mrs. Xiong to make big sausages for Fubao, okay?”

Fubao clapped her hands excitedly.

Dong Yun said, “With your hand like that, you shouldn’t go practicing today, right?”

Pear Blossom nodded: “I was just about to tell you, I took a few days off recently.”

She then shared with her the details of how she saved Xia Xunyan and the happenings involving the bandits coming and going near the village, saying, “I suspect these people might enter the village. I’ve dug a hole behind our house, close to the hillside. If they do come, you and Fubao can hide there.”

The bandits had become so bold that it was necessary to be on guard.

Dong Yun listened to this younger girl, who was speaking in a soft tone and giving careful instructions, her eyes flashing with emotion.

Since her Fifth Aunt’s passing, no one had cared for her like this, and now there was someone who put her first in everything. Dong Yun couldn’t help but feel a bit moved. Feeling moved made her want to indulge herself in showing more affection toward the other person.

But she also knew that a young heart couldn’t handle too much indulgence. Even the gentlest gaze could spark a wildfire. Once things went too far, there would be no turning back. With that thought, she calmed her restless heart and said softly, “Alright, thank you.”

Pear Blossom saw her lowering her head. Although she still wished she could hear more soft words, she didn’t dare to be too greedy. What she had now was already more than she had ever dreamed of. She reminded herself not to be too ambitious.

She would accept what was given, but if it wasn’t given, it was alright—she would stay by their side and protect them, mother and daughter.

With her mind made up, the disappointment on her face finally faded. After playing with Fubao for a while, she bade her goodbye and returned home.

…

At home, Mrs. Xiong had just finished cleaning and hanging the medicinal herbs Pear Blossom had collected. Seeing her return, she couldn’t help but ask, “Girl, these ginseng roots look like they have some age to them. How did you find them?”

Pear Blossom mischievously replied, “The mountain people have their own methods.”

Mrs. Xiong gave her a glare. “You’re always so mysterious. By the way, your Dong sister hurried back yesterday. Was everything alright?”

Pear Blossom paused for a moment and then replied, “Oh, it’s fine. Fubao had a stomach upset last night.”

Mrs. Xiong muttered to herself, “I knew it. That little girl usually doesn’t want to leave when she visits, but yesterday, she was in such a rush. This child, our house also has a toilet, but she insists on going home. Just like her mother, spoiled.”

Pear Blossom laughed sheepishly. “Kids, they can be like this sometimes, who knows.”

“No wonder her mother had such a cold expression, it’s all because of this child.”

Pear Blossom recalled Dong Yun’s expression from last night, her heart alternating between relief and tension. Dong Yun… seemed to have some feelings for her, otherwise, why would she have lost composure last night? But with her status, she couldn’t act solely on her emotions. Though she wasn’t constrained by her parents, her age was growing, and in two years, she would be pressured to settle down. If she didn’t plan ahead, she would be bound by those expectations.

“By the way, Liu family’s Laosi’s wife passed away this morning,” Mrs. Xiong said.

“Liu Laosi? Liu Youtie… no wonder I heard a lot of commotion when I passed by Liu’s house on my way back,” Pear Blossom replied. She didn’t have much of an impression of the Liu family. Before she knew they were related, the Liu family treated them like ants, and after the child-swap incident, they saw them as a curse. No matter who died, it didn’t really concern her.

“They say she died from tuberculosis. Only in her twenties, what a pity. She still had two young children to care for.”

Pear Blossom, not one to be overly sensitive, replied slowly, “They don’t lack money, and they have servants to take care of them. It’s not our concern. I just hope they never come near us.”

Mrs. Xiong chuckled. “People outside think we’d want to associate with the Liu family, but if they heard you say this, they’d be shocked.”

Pear Blossom smiled. “Our family has everything we need now, food, shelter, and we don’t want to mix with a family full of scheming people.”

After chatting for a while, Pear Blossom shouldered her hoe and headed toward the back mountain.

That evening, Dagen spoke to Mrs. Xiong about the Liu family. “Liu family thinks that since the Laosi’s wife died young, it’s unlucky. They’re afraid it’ll affect Liu Youtie’s chance to remarry, so they didn’t make a big deal of it. They just hurriedly handled it.”

Mrs. Xiong scoffed. “Wife just died, and they’re already thinking of remarrying, what kind of morals are those?”

“This isn’t strange. In the next village over, a man remarried just three months after his wife died.”

“You men can marry whenever you like, but when it comes to women, you build altars in their names, it’s laughable.”

Dagen quickly tried to smooth things over, “That’s just the way things are. I don’t get to decide, but I heard Liu Youtie has his eye on Fubao’s mother. He’s trying to find someone to speak on his behalf, and in three months, he plans to marry her.”

Mrs. Xiong suddenly sat up from the bed, exclaiming, “What? No!”

Dagen grabbed her arm. “Why are you so upset? Though I also don’t like Liu Youtie’s behavior, he’s only twenty-five, and Fubao’s mother is in her early twenties. It’s not that big of an age difference. The Liu family is big, and if Fubao’s mother marries him, at least she’ll be well-fed and have no worries. Plus, with such a large family, she won’t have to fear any outside threats. It’s a win-win situation. And Fubao’s mother is still young, does she really want to be a widow her whole life?”

“That’s what she said before, that she would never remarry. And so did Mrs. Zeng.”

“What she said before was before. It’s been two years, and we don’t know if she still feels the same. Being a widow is hard. Didn’t you just complain about how unfair it is to build altars for women? And what if Liu family offers a big bride price? You know Mrs. Zeng is money-driven—do you think she’ll say no?”

Mrs. Xiong kicked Dagen. “No, Fubao’s mother can remarry, but she absolutely should not marry anyone from the Liu family. Someone like Liu Youtie isn’t worthy of her. Pear Blossom won’t approve.”

“What’s that got to do with our daughter?”

“Pear Blossom doesn’t like the Liu family, and she especially dislikes Liu Laosi. She’s close with Dong Yun, do you think she’d agree?”

Dagen laughed: “This is an adult matter. She’s just a young girl, she can’t make decisions, so why is she meddling?”

Upon hearing this, Mrs. Xiong turned around and twisted his ear forcefully, saying, “You, Dagen, how can you say such a thing? Think about how our family and this house came about. Do you know how the meat you eat and the silver you spend came to be? Without our daughter, you’d have nothing now. Do you think she can’t make decisions?”

Dagen winced in pain and quickly begged for mercy. “Of course, I’m not saying our daughter is inexperienced. In our house, it’s absolutely her who has the final say. But whether the outside world listens to her, or if Fubao’s mother listens to her…”

“You don’t need to worry about that. If you’re out there and you hear someone linking Fubao’s mother with Liu Youtie and that shameless person, at least you should step in and stop it. Don’t ruin other people’s reputations.”

Dagen quickly agreed.