While waiting for the siblings, Gu Jianing wandered around the snack stalls and started eating.

Meanwhile, Qin Tian and Qin Qing rushed home in a hurry. As soon as they entered, they headed straight to the room where they stored their herbs and began rummaging through them.

Grandma Qin, hearing the commotion, called out.

“Is that Tian and Qing? Are you back?” The elderly woman lay on the kang, her voice frail and weak, accompanied by a fit of coughing. On the stove beside her, a pot of traditional Chinese medicine was simmering.

Grandma Qin knew that today was one of the three monthly market days, which her grandchildren always looked forward to.

Just a couple of days ago, they had mentioned taking the cordyceps they had collected to sell. How could they be back so soon?

Had something happened?

Was it because no one wanted to buy the cordyceps, so they had returned?

Thinking about how young the children were, unable to attend school and barely having enough to eat, braving the cold and snow to gather herbs in the mountains just to sell them and buy food for her, Grandma Qin’s heart ached.

If it weren’t for her fear that the children would be bullied if she died now, she would have already ended her life with a rope.

As she thought about this, a wave of sorrow washed over her, and tears welled up in her eyes.

Just then, Qin Qing rushed in.

The little girl threw herself by the kang, her dusty face beaming with joy, her voice filled with excitement.

“Grandma, Grandma, my brother and I met a fairy sister. She’s such a kind person…”

Qin Qing, who was usually shy around strangers, became a chatterbox in front of Grandma Qin. Her words piqued Grandma Qin’s curiosity, and the tears that had been about to fall stopped.

“What happened? Who did you meet?”

Qin Qing quickly explained how they had met Gu Jianing, who had bought all their cordyceps.

“…She also wants other herbs. My brother and I have most of them here, so we came back to gather them and take them to her.”

“Grandma, you haven’t seen her. She’s so beautiful, like a fairy. She’s such a kind person.”

At that moment, Qin Tian, who had already found several bags of herbs, also ran in. His eyes were shining as he crouched by Grandma Qin’s kang. “Grandma, once we sell these herbs, we can buy food. I saw that there’s a lot of grain at the market today.”

“Good, good. You’ve met a kind person. Hurry and go. Don’t waste time, and make sure to thank her properly, understand?”

“We will, Grandma.”

Qin Tian poured the medicine from the stove and set it aside. “Grandma, remember to drink it once it cools down a bit.”

“My sister and I are going to deliver the herbs now.”

The siblings were still thinking about Gu Jianing waiting at the market, worried that she might leave if they took too long.

“Alright, go ahead. I’ll remember.”

Without further delay, Qin Tian and Qin Qing, each carrying two large bags of herbs bigger than themselves, left the house.

Grandma Qin watched their small figures disappear, tears finally streaming down her face.

But this time, there was a glimmer of hope in her heart, though she still felt sorry for the children.

Meanwhile, as Qin Tian and Qin Qing returned to the market with their bags of herbs, Gu Jianing was sitting at a lamb soup stall, enjoying a bowl.

The large bowl was filled with tender, stewed lamb. The middle-aged man running the stall had excellent cooking skills, and the lamb was not at all gamey.

On a cold winter day, a steaming bowl of nourishing lamb soup warmed her up.

The only downside was that it was expensive!

At the moment, Gu Jianing was the only one eating at the stall. Others passing by could smell the delicious aroma, which was rich and enticing—it was meat, after all!

But it was too pricey, and not many were willing to splurge.

Those who did buy only got a small portion, not daring to spend too much.

As Gu Jianing ate, she chatted with the stall owner and learned that the lamb had been hunted by his family in the mountains.

She also learned that in this area, the control over mountain resources wasn’t very strict. It wasn’t like everything in the mountains belonged to the state. If you could hunt or gather something in the mountains, it was yours.

Especially in winter, when resources were scarce, those who ventured into the mountains to find food were usually from poor families.

It wouldn’t be right to take away the little they managed to find during the harsh winter.

That would just lead to starvation.

So, the authorities turned a blind eye.

Gu Jianing learned that the market situation in the northwest was relatively relaxed.

She thought this was a good thing.

“Sister, we’ve brought the herbs you wanted.”

Just as Gu Jianing finished her last sip of lamb soup, a child’s voice rang out beside her.

Turning around, she saw two children carrying woven bags larger than themselves, their eyes shining as they looked at her.

They seemed to have run all the way back, still catching their breath.

“Did you run all the way there and back?” Gu Jianing was surprised they had returned so quickly.

Qin Tian put down the heavy bag and said cautiously, “We were afraid… afraid you’d wait too long.”

Gu Jianing’s heart softened. She took the bags and checked the herbs inside. They were well-dried and of good quality.

As she inspected them, she asked, “How much are you selling these for?”

Qin Tian and Qin Qing exchanged a glance, then cautiously quoted a price. It was slightly lower than what they usually charged at the market, as they were worried Gu Jianing might not buy them if the price was too high.

Gu Jianing knew the general market price and realized the siblings were offering a fair deal, especially considering the quality of the herbs.

“Alright, we’ll go with the price you suggested,” Gu Jianing agreed without haggling.

Qin Tian and Qin Qing exchanged another look, their lips curling into smiles. “Thank you, sister. Thank you. Don’t worry, we’ve prepared these herbs very carefully.”

“So, you’re the ones who prepared them…”

The atmosphere between the three of them was pleasant. After chatting for a while, Gu Jianing learned more about the siblings’ situation, which was as she had imagined.

They came from a poor family, with only a sick grandmother to rely on. The knowledge of gathering and preparing herbs had been passed down to them by their grandmother.

It was their means of survival.

“If you have more herbs in the future, gather them for about a week and then bring them to the Northwest Military Region for me. Just tell the guards at the gate that you’re looking for Battalion Commander Sheng’s wife.” Considering that she might need more herbs in the future and having formed a good impression of the siblings, Gu Jianing decided to establish a long-term partnership with them, which would also help support them.

“Really? That’s great! Sister, thank you so much!”