Chapter 46

“Ah… I found a lot of tea trees up ahead. Let’s pick some tea leaves and bring them back!”

Jiang Tiantian ran back, laughing and shouting excitedly.

The village wives, however, remained calm.

“Tiantian, so you like drinking tea? We’ll help you pick some later.”

Jiang Tiantian was dumbfounded. “Aren’t you all excited?”

“Excited about what?” The women looked at her with puzzled expressions.

Jiang Tiantian turned and pointed at the forest. “Those are ancient tea trees!”

“We know.”

“The village elders tell us to pick some every year to make tea.”

“To be honest, these tea leaves quench thirst pretty well when brewed.”

“It’s not like they’re anything rare. What’s there to be excited about?”

Well… they had no idea that those trees were like golden hens, capable of continuously laying golden eggs.

Even if she tried explaining now, they probably wouldn’t understand. It was better to go back and discuss it with Tea Daddy and the others.

Jiang Tiantian forced herself to calm down and focused on picking tea leaves.

During the process, she noticed one of the aunts picking a strange parasitic herb growing on the tea tree trunks.

It was no bigger than a palm, resembling coral—just stems without leaves, segmented like little sticks.

The fourth Aunt “Auntie Si, what is that you’re picking?”

“This? We call it ‘crab legs’ here. See how it looks like crab legs, all segmented?”

“Oh, and what do you use it for?”

“This is good stuff! Third Uncle says it’s a great medicinal herb. It clears heat, detoxifies, aids digestion, and even helps treat illnesses caused by cold and dampness.”

“In summer, it helps cool the body when brewed into tea. Sometimes, we even add a little when stewing chicken. That’s why we always pick some whenever we come here.”

“You should take some back and try it too. Once dried, it makes a fragrant tea. It’s even better when mixed with tea leaves.”

“Oh, really?”

Jiang Loves to Learn Tiantian instantly locked onto this new piece of knowledge.

She picked a sprig of “crab legs” and sniffed it. It had a rich and unique fragrance—very pleasant.

Since it was something good, she gladly accepted it.

Her hands were busy, working swiftly on both sides, plucking at lightning speed~

One of the aunts chuckled. “Tiantian, I didn’t expect you to be such a hardworking girl.”

“Didn’t you all notice how much stamina she has? I was panting climbing the mountain today, but she was perfectly fine!”

“Exactly! Tiantian, you really don’t seem like a city girl. You look delicate, but you’re incredibly efficient!”

“You don’t know, but when you first arrived, the whole village was secretly gossiping about you.”

“But wow, you surprised everyone! Totally changed our minds!”

“Hahaha, yeah! Someone even bet you wouldn’t last here, but look at you—you’re happier than us!”

“I remember when we first married into the village, it took us a long time to adjust. But you? Like a wild monkey, climbing and jumping around since day one!”

“You’re now the most famous city girl among all the village wives!”

“… “

Indeed, when three women gathered, they were like a flock of chattering ducks.

The ancient tea tree forest was filled with lively chatter.

Jiang Tiantian laughed as they teased her. This experience was… quite special.

The women returned with baskets full.

—-

Jiang Tiantian reminded them to come to her house later—she’d demonstrate how to make fruit jam.

When she stepped into the house, she saw that Cha Jiuzhang, along with Sanya’s two older brothers, Dazhu and Erzhu, had already finished constructing the main structure of the bread kiln. Only some final touches remained, and after drying for a while, they would refine it further.

The three of them were washing off mud from their hands and feet by the well.

Seeing Jiang Tiantian, Dazhu nodded calmly and greeted, “Sister-in-law.”

Erzhu, being more lively, ran over grinning, peeking into her basket. “Sister-in-law, you’re back! What delicious things did you pick today?”

Jiang Tiantian cheerfully greeted them. “You all worked hard! Here, have some fruit.”

She picked out a bunch of wild fruits from her basket, washed them, and handed them over.

Then, she ran to the backyard, circling the bread kiln before nodding in satisfaction.

She noticed there were still plenty of leftover stones and sand nearby. Tapping her chin thoughtfully, her eyes twinkled as she grabbed Cha Jiuzhang’s arm and coquettishly pleaded, “Can you build a few small stoves in the front yard for me?”

Her voice was sweet, dripping with honey…

Xiao Qi: This baby voice is on point—truly capturing my essence!

Cha Jiuzhang: Tsk~

His hands itched—he really wanted to ruffle her hair again!

But seriously… he was about to give in. One bread kiln wasn’t enough, and now she wanted more stoves?

Wasn’t the existing stove at home enough for her experiments?

Was her little head filled entirely with food all day long?

Yet, despite his thoughts, his mouth was honest. “Sure, what kind of stoves do you need, and what for?”

“I want them for making fruit jam. The kitchen stove and pots are too big—it’s inconvenient.”

She gestured with her hands. “Smaller ones, like the clay stove Grandpa uses for brewing medicine. But it’d be best if I could place several clay pots side by side so I can make multiple batches at once…”

Understanding her idea, Cha Jiuzhang nodded, sighed internally, and went to find Dazhu and Erzhu.

The three of them walked around the courtyard, picked a suitable spot, and started planning.

At this moment, the designer in Cha Jiuzhang kicked in. Even if it was just a small stove, he refused to make it ugly.

While Dazhu and Erzhu moved stones and mixed mud, he took out paper and pen, quickly sketching a blueprint.

Once done, he pinned it onto a wooden board on the wall for them to follow.

Erzhu grinned teasingly. “Brother, if we’re talking about spoiling wives, you’re number one in the village. Whatever Sister-in-law wants, you make it happen. So obedient!”

Cha Jiuzhang squinted at him with his peach blossom eyes, speaking cryptically, “You’re too young to understand.”

“I’m making an early investment. Think about it—who will ultimately benefit?”

“When she uses these stoves to cook, isn’t the food going into my stomach?”

Erzhu paused, then exclaimed, “Damn, Brother! That actually makes so much sense!”

Dazhu snorted from the side and muttered, “Idiot.”

Being wrapped around your wife’s finger wasn’t shameful.

Whatever Jiuzhang said, Erzhu believed. In the future, he’d probably be just as easy to handle.

Small stoves were simple to build, and the three of them worked quickly.

Soon, they finished constructing a tiered structure: four stove holes arranged in steps from low to high. Firewood was placed at the lower left, while a chimney was installed at the top right. This way, all four stoves could be heated simultaneously.

Jiang Tiantian was very satisfied. She invited the brothers to have dinner at her house, promising to cook for them as thanks.

Since Erzhu mentioned liking all kinds of fruit, she packed a variety for him to take home.

Erzhu smugly raised his eyebrows at Cha Jiuzhang. Dazhu, unable to watch any longer, pulled his foolish younger brother away.