Chapter 79: Is My Life Not Worth Anything?

Returning to the Ji family’s home, Auntie Ji started two stoves.

Auntie Ji was busy washing rice and cooking it, while Hu Zhaodi focused on cleaning and boiling big bones for soup.

Once the bones were clean and boiling, Hu Zhaodi began preparing the other dishes.

Since the food was meant to be sent to the fields, the meal was simple but substantial. It consisted of a large pot of bone broth with radish, stir-fried pig liver, and stir-fried greens.

There was enough meat left on the bones, so Hu Zhaodi didn’t need to cook more meat, saving that for the evening.

As the meat on the bones neared cooking, Hu Zhaodi added some radish to the pot.

Once everything was cooked, they used a large soup pot with a handle and lid to pack the bone-radish stew. The other two dishes were packed into two vegetable-washing basins, separated by a square wooden board, and placed in a bamboo basket.

Auntie Ji placed a steaming pot of rice into another basket, surrounding it with bowls and chopsticks.

Hu Zhaodi, holding the pot of bone broth with radish in one hand and a ladle in the other, and Auntie Ji, carrying the bamboo basket, made their way to the fields.

The pot of soup was heavy, and Hu Zhaodi found it a bit difficult to carry, so she secretly used a little internal strength to help.

They arrived at the fields after nearly an incense stick’s worth of time.

Seeing that Hu Zhaodi was struggling with the weight, Auntie Ji called out to Ji Chunhua, “Chunhua, come help Zhaodi!”

After a few calls, Ji Chunhua heard and was about to put down her sickle to help, but Ji Wuge was faster.

He rushed over to Hu Zhaodi and easily took the pot from her, walking off to the rice fields with it on his own.

Hu Zhaodi shook out her arms and called, “It’s time for lunch!”

The Ji family put down their sickles to wash their hands. Hu Zhaodi and Auntie Ji set the food out and began serving the meal.

When the pot lid was removed, a rich and inviting aroma spread through the air.

Uncle Ji smiled, “Wow! Bone broth with radish, it smells so good!”

Hu Zhaodi smiled in return, “Eat up! Have a bowl of soup after the meal, and you’ll have the energy to work harder.”

Ji Sange said, “With a meal this hearty, if I’m not motivated, it’d be a shame to waste the soup Zhaodi made.”

Ji Chunhua leaned in and asked, “Zhaodi, did the Hu family go back without any problems?”

Hu Zhaodi shook her head. “I don’t know. I saved Hu Yaozu just to make sure he didn’t affect the position of the village head. I didn’t want him delaying us from harvesting our rice. What happens after they go back is none of my business.”

Uncle Ji said, “Zhaodi, you’ve thought this through. If anything happens to Hu Yaozu, my father, as the village chief, would have to intervene, and that would delay the harvest.”

“Let’s eat. If Hu Yaozu is alive when he gets back, whether he gets sick or dies, it’s no longer our concern.”

Everyone at the table nodded in agreement.

After eating and resting briefly, they drank some water and got back to work.

The Ji family’s three brothers had already started bundling the rice, while Auntie Ji went to feed the horses and cows.

The entire field was full of villagers harvesting rice, except for the Hu family’s field, which was empty.

Hu Zhaodi’s rice cutting speed had improved again compared to the morning.

With so many people working together, by midday, Auntie Ji’s rice had all been harvested, and the next to be harvested was Uncle Ji’s.

Auntie Ji and the three brothers were busy loading the rice onto carts.

By the time the ox and horse carts were loaded, it was already the late afternoon.

Hu Zhaodi said, “Aunt, I’ll go with Uncle Ji to send the rice back. When he comes back with the empty cart, I’ll stay home to cook.”

“Can you cook by yourself?”

“No problem, don’t worry!”

“Alright then, take Xiaoying with you. She can help you out.”

“No need, it’s just a few people to feed. I can handle it by myself.”

After saying that, Hu Zhaodi turned and walked toward the road.

Uncle Ji drove the ox cart, and Hu Zhaodi led the horse. Together, they returned to the Ji family’s home.

Back at the Ji family courtyard, they unloaded the rice from the cart.

After stacking it under the eaves, Uncle Ji tied the reins of the horse to the cart and drove it back to the fields.

Hu Zhaodi, meanwhile, went straight into the kitchen to start the fire and cook.

Though Hu Zhaodi hadn’t been able to cook rice over an open flame before, she had learned by watching Auntie Ji cook a few times. She put the rice in the pot and boiled it until it was half-cooked, then drained the water before steaming it in a special steamer.

For dinner, Hu Zhaodi made a more elaborate meal. She kept the bone-radish soup from lunch, but also added stir-fried pork with chili, braised eggplant, stir-fried wild eggs with chives, and a vegetable stir-fry with cabbage.

Around the evening, the Ji family members returned home.

Although everyone was exhausted, they all had smiles on their faces.

After dinner, everyone felt itchy from harvesting rice, and it was hard to fall asleep without a bath.

Just as Hu Zhaodi was about to start heating water for a bath, Hu Dashan rushed in urgently.

“Zhaodi, help! Please save Yaozu and his mother!”

“What happened now?” Hu Zhaodi said, her face full of disbelief.

Hu Dashan looked desperate. “Yaozu and Zhang started having a fever an hour ago, and now it’s even worse. Yaozu’s having convulsions too.”

Hu Zhaodi twitched her mouth in annoyance. “You just got back from the fields, and they’ve been sick for an hour, and now you come to find me? What are you trying to pull?”

Hu Dashan begged, “It’s my mother. She said to let Yaozu and his mother cover up with blankets and sweat it out. Zhaodi, please, save them!”

“But didn’t your mother say that? Just let them sweat it out. Why come to me? Are you trying to scam money from me again?”

Hu Dashan, looking guilty, shook his head. “No, really, no. I didn’t know it would get so bad. Zhaodi, please, save them!”

Hu Zhaodi extended her hand. “I can help, but the consultation fee is one tael of silver, and medicine is extra, depending on what medicine they need.”

“How much do you want?”

“One tael of silver for the consultation and diagnosis. The medicine is separate, depending on what they’ve been given.”

Hu Dashan choked on his words, hesitating. “I—I don’t have any money. Zhaodi, please, for the eleven years we’ve known each other, save them!”

“If you don’t have money, then wait at home and watch them die. I have no relationship with your Hu family, only hatred.”

“Zhaodi, I’m begging you, please. Those are two lives!”

Hu Zhaodi sneered. “What about two lives? Isn’t my life worth anything?

When you and your family used to beat me, did you ever think I was a human too?

Hu Dashan, don’t think that your little tricks can’t be seen. You’re trying to scam me, but that’s not going to happen.

Let me tell you the truth, even if I see to Zhang’s mother and son, I won’t give you any medicine. I’ll only write a prescription for you to get the medicine yourself.

At this point, you’re better off taking them to the county’s clinic. The more time you waste, the less time your wife and child have.”

Hu Dashan’s eyes turned red as he yelled, “Hu Zhaodi, I never expected you to be so cruel after leaving the Hu family.

Yaozu was your brother for eight years, and Zhang was your mother for eleven years. How can you be so heartless and ungrateful, not remembering the past?”