Chapter 57: Immortal’s Protection

Heavens, lying was exhausting.

One lie required countless more to patch it up.

But thinking of the eggs stolen yesterday,
Jiang Fubao still forced herself to tell the story.

When she saw her family’s gradually believing expressions,
she finally let out a breath of relief.

“Mother, Fubao… could it be she encountered an Immortal?”

Sun Pingmei’s expression tightened.

Though the weather had already warmed,
she felt a chill blow through her body,
and her legs began trembling uncontrollably.

“When this child was just born, I went into the kitchen to heat water to wash Yanzi. But the moment I looked up, the sky was full of auspicious clouds. Surely Heaven was giving us a sign. Do you still remember? That day, Dahe said Fubao had no breath left—but a moment later, she suddenly revived. The dead cannot return to life—she must have been saved by an Immortal!”

Zhang Jinlan carefully pieced the events together in her mind.

Finally, she reached her conclusion.

The white-bearded old man her granddaughter encountered was none other than an Immortal.

Finishing her words, she placed Jiang Fubao on the ground and fell to her knees with a thud.

She paid no heed to the muddy, filthy courtyard beneath her.

“Thank you, Immortal, for saving my granddaughter’s life! Such immense kindness, this old woman will never forget. I only pray you protect her to grow up safe and well. Even if it costs me years of my own life, I would not regret it. May the Immortal bless her—thank you, thank you…”

Zhang Jinlan kowtowed repeatedly as she spoke.

The rest of the Jiang family quickly reacted.

They all knelt together.

Each bowed devoutly toward the heavens, banging their foreheads hard on the ground, thanking the Immortal for saving Jiang Fubao’s life.

Mud and chicken droppings stained their foreheads. Their skin was reddened, some places swollen.

But they seemed not to feel the pain.

Only after a full quarter hour did this ritual of thanks finally end.

They rose slowly to their feet.

“Fubao has survived great misfortune—surely she is destined for future blessings. Our family also shares in her fortune. From now on, you must treat her well, do you hear? Also—whatever happens in this family, you must never breathe a word outside.

Otherwise, Fubao’s life will be endangered. People will covet her luck. Your grandmother and I are already old, but Fubao is still small. When we pass away, you must protect her. Understand?”

Jiang Shoujia wiped the grime from his forehead with his sleeve as he spoke sternly.

Everyone nodded in unison.

Only Jiang Fubao’s eyes grew red.

At that moment, it felt as though a beam of light shone into her heart.

These people before her—
they were her family now.

“Grandma, Grandpa… does it hurt?”

Her tears fell hot to the ground.

Sniffling, she hugged her grandmother’s leg and asked hoarsely.

“Oh my, why is Fubao crying? Grandma doesn’t hurt. You are a blessed, precious child. As long as you are safe and healthy, Grandma would kneel and kowtow all over again if needed. Come now, let’s wash up. This morning, everyone in our family will each have two boiled eggs!”

Zhang Jinlan picked up her granddaughter. She smiled brightly—though the swelling on her forehead was obvious.

Fubao’s little chubby hands gently wiped at it, eyes full of heartache.

“Mother, how generous! Sister-in-law, let’s get the eggs ready and boil them. I’ve never even tasted what a boiled egg is like.”

Though Sun Pingmei had been clutching her sore forehead, grimacing with pain—

the moment she heard there would be eggs to eat,
she forgot all about it.

She rushed into the storage shed, grabbed a basket, squatted down, and began gathering eggs.

Counting aloud as she went:
“One, two, three, four…”

Her eyes sparkled with joy, impossible to hide.

“You greedy thing! Wash your face first!” Jiang Eryong shook his head helplessly.

Two quarters of an hour later—

Jiang Fubao sat on a little stool, one egg in each hand, savoring slowly.

The rest of the Jiang family also had their mouths stuffed,
egg shells scattered all over the ground.

The glutton Jiang Tongtu nearly choked to death from swallowing a whole egg in one bite.

His father, Jiang Eryong, panicked—quickly poured him water and slapped his back while scolding:

“You little brat—what, have you not eaten in eight lifetimes?”

After a long moment, Jiang Tongtu finally coughed the egg down.

Grinning sheepishly, he scratched his head:
“Heh… Father, I was just too hungry.”

“Dear, are you going to finish your egg? Give me half, won’t you?”

Before Jiang Eryong could scold further, Sun Pingmei had already set her sights on his egg.

When he’d rushed to pour water just now, he’d left his own egg unpeeled on the window ledge.

“Ahh! No wonder you two are mother and son—you’re both greedy gluttons. Fine, take it, eat it.”

Jiang Eryong sighed heavily, placing the egg in her hand before turning toward the backyard to chop firewood.

As if even looking at the pair annoyed him.

Watching the whole scene, Jiang Fubao nearly burst out laughing.

“Mother, Pingmei and I just counted—between the baskets and the coop, we gathered three hundred sixty eggs. Add in the ten left from yesterday, that’s three hundred seventy. This morning we ate thirty-two, so three hundred thirty-eight remain. Since we’re free today, why don’t we sell them before they spoil?”

After breakfast, Zhu Yingqiu suggested selling.

“Yes, they should be sold. Keep eight for tonight, sell three hundred thirty. Dahe alone can’t carry them all. Let Eryong and Sìyin go with him. We’ve got three baskets.

Remember to pad them with straw layer by layer, so they don’t crack on the way. Oh, Dahe—after selling, buy a big bone. Tonight I’ll make egg pancakes with bone soup.”

Zhang Jinlan gave her careful instructions.

After a short while, the three brothers shouldered their baskets and left.

There were many children in the family, some old enough to farm.

So Jiang Tongjin and Jiang Tongmu went to the fields with Grandpa.

The others split into two groups—

one to catch bugs and gather grass seed for the chickens,
the other to the mountain to dig wild vegetables.

Jiang Fubao went with the vegetable team.

Since the space’s produce had already been “explained” openly, there was no need to hide eggs in holes anymore.

Following her grandmothers to dig wild greens also meant she could go deeper into the mountain—maybe even get lucky again.

If she spotted another ginseng—
they could strike it rich once more.

The five-person vegetable squad walked into the mountain.

Knowing their granddaughter was under the Immortal’s protection, the women no longer feared the inner forest.

This time, they chose a new area.

They reached a hillside, and the sharp-eyed Sun Pingmei pointed to a patch of green, shouting:

“Mother, look—isn’t that shepherd’s purse (jiècài)?”

“Looks like it. Come on, let’s check.”

The group quickly changed direction toward the slope.

“It really is shepherd’s purse! Second sister-in-law, how are your eyes so sharp? You spotted it from so far away.”

Zhang Yanzi was truly impressed.

“Ha, you can’t compare to her. When there’s food, she runs faster than anyone. From a distance, I thought it was just weeds. But she picked it out right away. If she were sent to the border as a scout, she’d be a hero! Oh, but she only scouts for food, not enemies. Fine, best she become a kitchen hand, stoking the stove, hahaha!”

Zhu Yingqiu teased with laughter.