Chapter 19: Return to Her Mother’s Home (Part 1)

Wen Lan was so hungry her stomach was practically stuck to her spine, but after eavesdropping on that conversation between Meng Qiancheng and the scoundrel Sun Dafu, she no longer had any appetite.

She shoveled rice into her mouth and chewed it like a machine—she had become an emotionless eating robot.

Meanwhile, her mind was racing as it processed the new information.

First, the parts of Lin Furong’s memory related to Meng Qiancheng might not be accurate.

Second, Meng Qiancheng’s invitation to Lin Furong to elope that night might have been part of a trap.

Third, the stunt where the Meng family brought Lin Furong’s parents to the village entrance to “catch her in the act” might have been something they’d staged in advance.

But why would Meng Qiancheng do this? Could he really hold a grudge against Lin Furong, like Sun Dafu said?

Wen Lan was baffled. Maybe the memories left to her by Lin Furong were incomplete, and she’d forgotten some past conflict between the two?

Looks like before she figured out how to make money, she needed to help Lin Furong get to the bottom of this. Otherwise, if Lin Furong—who’d been so tormented by love that she took her own life—had really been wronged that deeply, it would be far too tragic.

Wen Lan made up her mind, and her eating pace accelerated even more.

She was eating so quickly that Qingfeng stared at her wide-eyed, silently wondering how long this village girl had been starving.

After the meal, Qingfeng paid the bill. Then, following Wen Lan’s guidance, he bought cooking tools and other household necessities.

As for the bed Wen Lan wanted—

The only furniture shop in town didn’t have any in stock; it would have to be custom made.

Wen Lan couldn’t wait that long. She spotted a wooden plank about 80 centimeters wide in the corner of the store and had Qingfeng buy it instead.

With a few stones and some other supports, it could still function as a bed.

And of course, with a bed came the need for bedding.

Item after item, they ended up buying a whole cartload. Qingfeng even had to hire two porters from town just to help carry everything up the mountain.

A small caravan climbing the mountain with so many goods naturally caught the attention of the cowherd boys at the foot of the hill.

That evening, the boys went back to the village and spread the news, and soon the entire Yushou Village knew—the hunter on the mountain was serious about marrying Lin Furong.

“I heard from the mountain kids that the new bedding is all made of top-quality silk, and there are pots and pans and even furniture. That hunter sure is generous.”

“Lin Furong’s luck turned around. She was down and out, and now she’s marrying into such a good household.”

“Exactly. If that hunter shows up with an eight-man bridal sedan, that Lin woman will be holding her head so high she might just float into the sky.” The same woman who was gossiping and rolling her eyes earlier now had a different tone entirely.

Another chimed in, “Hey, do you think that since we used to talk down to the Lin family so much, and now Lin Furong has found herself a good man, that Lin woman’s gonna come and start looking down on us every day?”

And so, as expected, the conversation got completely derailed by the village gossipmongers.

Back at the mountain home, Wen Lan first tidied up all the new purchases, then began preparing dinner.

Earlier that day at the market, she’d had Qingfeng buy rice and grains. Since the market had already begun closing when they arrived, she hadn’t been able to buy any fresh vegetables.

But that didn’t stump her.

She mixed the rice with various grains and added some of the hunter’s own cured meat, cooked it all together with water, and made a fragrant pot of waxed pork eight-treasure rice.

As Wen Lan brought the food to the table, Xuan Yue—who had only eaten some snacks earlier—was immediately drawn in by the mouthwatering aroma.

“What’s that?” he asked, breaking his usual silence and taking the initiative to speak to Wen Lan for the first time.

Wen Lan lifted the lid of the pot, dished him a bowl, and replied, “It’s cured meat eight-treasure rice. I didn’t have any vegetables, so you’ll have to make do.”

Xuan Yue accepted the bowl, picked up his chopsticks, and took a bite.

The soft rice, the sweetness of the red beans, and the rich flavor of the cured meat blended together—delicious beyond words.

He actually looked up and gave Wen Lan a serious glance, his gaze holding clear approval of her cooking skills.

Qingfeng, sitting on the side, noticed Xuan Yue’s expression and was thrilled. Seizing the opportunity to take credit, he asked, “Master, the cook I found for you isn’t bad, right?”

“…” Xuan Yue ignored him completely and focused on eating.

Wen Lan also served a bowl to Qingfeng, then held a tray and cautiously approached Xuan Yue. “Hunter brother, I have something to ask you.”

“What is it?”

“I want to go back to Yushou Village.”