Chapter 18

Song Laowu greeted each of his sisters-in-law in turn. To Madam Zhu, he said, “Looks like you ladies have just come back from foraging. Perfect timing—I’ve been craving spring pancakes.”

Spring pancakes are pan-fried flatbreads made without oil. Even though they’re oil-free, they’re considered good only if they come out thin and soft. That was no challenge for Madam Zhu, who readily agreed to make some.

“Fourth Sister-in-law, congratulations! You’ve always wanted a daughter, and now you’ve finally got one. This little lucky star is a great blessing to our Song family.”

From the way Song Laowu spoke, Madam Liu could tell he had already heard about her little Sweet Treasure’s amazing luck, and that she could bring blessings.

“Yes,” she replied happily, “Sometimes I wonder what good deeds I must’ve done in a past life for Little Sweet Treasure Xiao Tianbao be born into my womb in this one.”

Listening to their praises, Little Sweet Treasure Xiao Tianbao also felt warm and proud. She truly had changed the fate of the Song family.

At the very least, they were no longer poor and starving. And when she grew up, they would enjoy even greater fortune—as long as they treated her well.

Inside the house, Madam Zou and Madam Zhang were sorting through the wild vegetables. It was no longer spring, so the greens weren’t as tender; they had to search carefully for the younger shoots. Still, the vegetables were clean and easy to pick through.

Madam Zhu was kneading dough. The Song family daughters-in-law all got along well—on days when it wasn’t their turn to cook, they still helped with things like tending the fire or prepping vegetables.

For spring pancakes, the pancake skin was crucial, but the fillings were just as important. Madam Zhu planned to make a dipping-style filling—an assortment of wild vegetables and green onions, stir-fried with minced meat as a substitute for fermented soybean paste.

She also stir-fried some shredded potatoes. There wasn’t time to braise meat for lunch, so she decided to make some for Laowu at dinner instead.

Just as the meal was ready, the Song patriarch walked into the courtyard carrying a bunch of sweet potato leaves. Seeing that Laowu had returned, he paused in surprise before quickly asking about his studies.

Old Madam Zhou, noticing the sweet potato leaves in his hands, asked, “Why on earth are you picking those?”

“Springlin’s cow ate a bit of sweet potato leaf today,” the old man explained. “The cow seemed to love it. I figured, if a cow can eat it, maybe people can too.”

The sweet potato vines were growing beautifully, but Song Patriarch had been careful not to pick too many leaves, fearing it might affect the harvest. So he only plucked a few tender leaves from each vine.

These weren’t the kind of sweet potato leaves grown specifically for consumption, which was why Sweet Treasure hadn’t said anything. But they were edible, and tasted pretty decent too.

Especially now, with summer just beginning and the garden vegetables not yet mature, these sweet potato leaves were actually a great option.

Old Madam Zhou worriedly said, “What do you mean the cow got into the field? How much did it eat? That’s not good!”

This was their first time planting sweet potatoes, and she didn’t know if stripping the leaves would hurt the yield.

The old man reassured her, “Don’t worry, it didn’t eat much. Springlin wasn’t paying attention and it just slipped in for a bit. It’s probably like potatoes—you take a few leaves off each plant, it’s fine.”

Old Madam Zhou finally relaxed. Since it wasn’t much, there was no point making a fuss with the neighbors.

Madam Zhu overheard the conversation and quickly came out to take the leaves. She examined them carefully.

“Mother, how do you cook this stuff? I’ve never eaten it before. Is it really edible?”

Old Madam Zhou wasn’t sure either, but said, “As long as it’s not bitter or toxic, it should be fine. Try stir-frying it, but go light on the oil and salt in case it’s not suitable to eat.”

Madam Zhu agreed, washed and chopped the leaves, added a bit of oil to the big wok, and lightly stir-fried a batch.

Soon, it was time to eat. Little Sweet Treasure Xiao Tianbao was a bit older now, so Liu held her and took her to the main house to join the family meal. Every time this happened, Little Sweet Treasure Xiao Tianbao found it hard to endure.

Though farmhouse meals were simple, they still looked mouth-watering—especially when everyone ate together. Sometimes she even drooled watching them.

From Liu’s arms, Little Sweet Treasure Xiao Tianbao saw Madam Zhang across the table pick up a soft pancake, add shredded scallions, tender wild greens, and meat paste, then roll it up and take a bite.

Little Sweet Treasure Xioa Tianbao’s eyes sparkled with hunger. She wished she could grow up faster, so she could eat whatever she wanted. Her tiny hands instinctively reached out toward the table.

To the adults, the gesture was utterly adorable, making Old Madam Zhou laugh.

“Our little Little Sweet Treasure Xiao Tianbao is in such a hurry—she wants to eat already. Hurry and grow some teeth, and Grandma will make you delicious food.”

The whole family smiled at the cuteness. The meal was hearty, the mood cheerful. The men drank and chatted, while the women played with Sweet Treasure.

Madam Zhou tried a bite of sweet potato leaves and frowned slightly as she tasted—then nodded.

“Not bad at all! It’s pretty tasty—fresh and not bitter.”

In the north, with colder climates, fresh vegetables were hard to come by for a long time after winter. So sweet potato leaves were actually a rare treat.

Everyone tried them and agreed—they made a great dish.

The old man cautioned, “Don’t eat too much for now, in case it causes trouble. If it’s fine, we can cook more later—there’s plenty of leaves.”

Everyone nodded in agreement. The meal ended with satisfied bellies and cheerful conversation.

The Song family’s harmony and unity were the envy of many. Their laughter rang out from the house, echoing far and wide…

“The earth steams with summer heat; the back is scorched by blazing sunlight. Yet they toil on, unaware of fatigue, cherishing the long summer days.”

The old patriarch and his sons diligently tended to their crops, never shirking work, no matter how hot it was.

This year was especially dry. Even the water in the small streams had dried up. Seawater couldn’t be used for irrigation, and many crops were withering. No one knew how the harvest would turn out.

Fortunately, sweet potatoes are drought-tolerant. They were still thriving, which made the old man happy.

What he didn’t know was that it was thanks to the mystical spring water’s effects. Sweet potatoes were naturally hardy, and the added blessing helped them flourish.

The long summer dragged on—without air conditioning, fans, or ice-cold watermelon, Little Sweet Treasure Xiao Tianbao felt uncomfortable.

Thankfully, during the hottest hours, she would fall asleep and enter her spatial dimension, where it was cool and refreshing.

Later, as her body and consciousness fully merged, entering or leaving the space would be simultaneous—unlike now, when she slept in the real world while her mind entered the space.

This was like a built-in beginner’s protection from the system—a thoughtful feature.

Before long, it was August. The sweet potatoes had been planted for five months and were ready for harvest.

Unlike grains, which wouldn’t be harvested until October in that region, sweet potatoes matured two months earlier.

“Based on the peddler’s advice, it should be about time. I’ll dig up a few and see if they’re ready.”

At dawn, the Song patriarch rose in the dark. He wanted to check the sweet potatoes. If they were mature, they’d start harvesting immediately.

Old Madam Zhou nodded. “Good—let’s see what the yield’s like. We’ve planted fifteen mu of sweet potatoes. Hopefully, with Sweet Treasure’s blessing, it’ll be a good harvest.”

The old man nodded, dressed, and called his eldest son. The two of them carried hoes to the field.

Old Madam Zhou couldn’t sleep either. As she moved about, the daughters-in-law heard her and got up as well.

It was Madam Zou’s turn to cook. Before she could ask what Old Madam Zhou wanted to eat, the old lady spoke first.

“Don’t make breakfast just yet. Your father and brother have gone to the fields to check on the sweet potatoes. They’ll probably bring some back. Let’s steam a few—we haven’t had any in a while, and I’ve been craving them.”

“Alright, I got it, Mother,” Zou replied, mixing some cornmeal to make almond porridge to go with the steamed sweet potatoes.

The old patriarch and his son stepped into the dew-covered fields. The sweet potato vines were lush and green, a stark contrast to the wilted crops nearby.

There had been a bit of a gamble in planting them. With a determined expression, the old man raised his hoe and started digging—ready to witness a miracle.