Chapter 4: We Can’t Let Her Go

In the end, only Lin Yulan said, “I don’t think Tangtang is the kind of muddleheaded person who can’t even tell mushrooms apart. Tangtang, Auntie thanks you for your kindness!” She took the mushrooms home.

It was said that the next morning, a strong, rich mushroom aroma drifted out of Lin Yulan’s house, making several neighbor children cry with hunger. When they learned that the fragrance came from the mushrooms Tangtang had given, and that Lin Yulan’s whole family had eaten them with no problems afterward, everyone began to hold a grudge against Ji Tingting.

Of course, that’s a matter for later.

After Ji Tingting left, Ji Tangtang spoke to her family about inviting a matchmaker to the Gu family to propose marriage, with the idea of having Gu Shiyu come to the Ji family as a live-in son-in-law.

Ji Changming and Xu Guifen were both utterly shocked when they heard this. Xu Guifen cried out, “Tangtang, why would you think of bringing Gu family’s eldest, that cripple, to marry in? I know you like Gu family’s second son, but he’s already betrothed to your cousin, and the Gu family doesn’t look kindly on you. Why keep tangling yourself in this? If you keep clinging, it won’t end well. Tangtang, you mustn’t be foolish again!”

Ji Tangtang immediately realized she had misunderstood, and explained, “I want Gu Shiyu to marry into our family, not because of Gu Hongwen, but because I’ve thought it over carefully. Don’t worry, his legs are only temporarily injured; they won’t drag us down.”

Xu Guifen, still reeling from the first shock, was stunned again by this. She reached out to feel Tangtang’s forehead and said, “Tangtang, what nonsense are you talking? Gu family’s eldest son’s legs couldn’t even be cured in the army—how could they possibly be temporary? Did you go into the mountains and catch some unclean thing?”

“No! Nothing unclean, I’m fine.” Ji Tangtang grasped her mother’s hand and said seriously, “Just believe me. His legs will definitely recover. Once they do, it won’t be so easy to have him agree to marry into our family. Mom, listen to me—tomorrow at dawn, find a matchmaker and go propose at the Gu family.”

Xu Guifen thought about Gu Shiyu’s circumstances, and had to admit her daughter made sense. Just as she said, if Gu Shiyu’s legs really recovered, he would never agree to marry into another family. After all, the status of a live-in son-in-law was easily gossiped about and looked down on; most men were unwilling to take that role. Their family conditions weren’t good either… But his legs hadn’t been cured even in the army, and the Gu family treated him as though he was already ruined—why was her daughter so certain his legs could be healed?

Out of habit, she turned to her husband for help.

Ji Changming sighed and voiced the question in her heart: “Tangtang, who told you Gu Shiyu’s legs can be cured?”

Ji Tangtang bit into a fruit and said casually, “No one. I can cure them myself.”

Her words were like thunder, shocking both husband and wife to the core. They stared at her in disbelief.

Tangtang, looking mysterious, pointed toward the sky and said, “Father, Mother, your daughter has had a great encounter. But some things mustn’t be spoken of outside. Just trust me. As long as you believe in me, our family will never go hungry again, and we’ll live good days from now on.”

Both their expressions shifted repeatedly. They couldn’t help but think of the food Tangtang had brought home that day. Could it really be connected to her so-called encounter?

They considered how Tangtang, a frail girl who had never gone hunting before, had returned today with two plump rabbits, along with so many fruits and mushrooms. They began to believe her words. After all, without some stroke of fortune, how could she have brought back so much?

“So, tomorrow I’ll find a matchmaker to go to the Gu family?” Xu Guifen hesitated for a long time before looking toward her bedridden husband. “Is that all right?”

Ji Changming forced down the storm in his heart, thought deeply, then said, “We’ll follow our daughter’s word. At first light tomorrow, you’ll find someone to propose at the Gu family.”

Though still uneasy, Xu Guifen could only follow her husband’s decision, as she always did.

“Taste some fruit first,” Ji Tangtang said, handing them a few pieces before rising. “I’ll go prepare the rabbits for soup.”

The Ji family was suffering from severe malnutrition and needed good food to replenish themselves.

In her past life, she had been a peach blossom spirit, most mindful of cause and effect. She didn’t know why she had failed her tribulation and ended up, poisoned by the Yin-Yang Lily Pill, inside this body. But since she had inherited it, she had a duty to care for the girl’s family. Not to mention—she herself was hungry. Though she had eaten fruit in the secret realm, the body had been long starved, and a few fruits were far from enough.

She swiftly skinned the two rabbits.

Her younger sister Ji Xiaohui watched, almost drooling. Tangtang glanced at her swallowing hard and smiled. “Go start the fire.”

“Big Sister, are these two rabbits really for us to eat?” Ji Xiaohui could hardly believe it. She felt her sister was a completely different person. Before, whenever she had something good, she always sent it to Gu Hongwen. And now, after catching two fat rabbits, her sister wasn’t sneaking them away to him?

Seeing Xiaohui’s expression, Tangtang knew what she was thinking. She said, “Of course they’re for us. Why? You don’t want to eat?”

“I do! I’ll start the fire right now.” Ji Xiaohui threw aside the basin she was holding, not caring about the leaky house anymore, and ran to the kitchen to light the stove.

Xu Guifen quickly set down her fruit as well, wanting to fumble her way to help chop up the rabbit meat.

Ji Tangtang knew her mother’s eyesight was poor at night, so she didn’t let her help.
“Mom, you and Dad sit and eat fruit. This small matter, Little Sister and I can handle.”

As she spoke, Tangtang swiftly chopped the rabbit into pieces, then took out the mushrooms she had picked up in the secret realm, washed them clean, and stewed them together with the rabbit. She added no seasonings, cooking them in the simplest way. Yet, because both the rabbit and mushrooms came from the secret realm, each infused with spiritual energy, even the simplest cooking made them extraordinarily delicious.

The family sat by the stove, lit by firelight, eating to their hearts’ content.

Unlike the warm, harmonious atmosphere in Ji Tangtang’s home, Ji Tingting was tossing and turning on her bed, cursing. She had put in so much effort to ruin Ji Tangtang’s reputation, but it had failed! Wouldn’t that vixen cling to Brother Hongwen even more in the future? Although Gu Hongwen often acted disdainful toward Ji Tangtang, Tangtang was beautiful, and his eyes always seemed to stray to her against his will. Over time, would that vixen steal his heart? It wasn’t impossible.

And besides, her hostility toward Ji Tangtang wasn’t for that reason alone. Her hand touched her own cheek unconsciously, and she swore silently: no, she absolutely could not let Ji Tangtang off.

At the same time, Shen Meifang was also sleepless. Like Ji Tingting, she couldn’t figure out why Ji Tangtang hadn’t fallen into their trap in Gu Shiyu’s room. They had planned it out so carefully, even lured so many villagers over. Originally, she had arranged everything—once the villagers saw her eldest son and Ji Tangtang tangled together, she would force them to marry, then split them off to live separately. From then on, she wouldn’t have to bother with that cripple anymore…

Ji Tangtang and her family, of course, had no idea how angry and frustrated the two women were at their failed schemes. After eating their fill, they felt refreshed, lay down, and slept soundly. The rabbit and mushrooms, infused with spiritual energy, nourished their bodies. That night, the whole Ji family slept deeply and peacefully.

The next morning, Xu Guifen, energized, went to the village to find Zhu Dongmei and asked her to go to the Gu family to propose marriage.

When Zhu Dongmei heard her request, she was baffled.
“Xu-sister, are you out of your mind? Your Tangtang is such a beautiful young girl. She could marry into the city and eat state rations easily. Why would you think of marrying her to that cripple from the Gu family?”

Thinking of the gossip she’d heard the night before, suspicion flickered in her eyes.

Xu Guifen pulled a bitter face. “We’re from the same village, don’t you know my family’s situation? If we don’t bring in a son-in-law, won’t my family be devoured alive by Second Brother’s household?”

Thinking of the favoritism of the Ji family elders, Zhu Dongmei’s expression softened with sympathy, and she squeezed Xu Guifen’s hand in comfort.

Xu Guifen’s face grew even more sorrowful. “With our family’s condition, what decent household would ever agree to marry their son in? I thought maybe since Gu family’s eldest is crippled, he might be willing. So I’m asking you to put in a good word. If he’s unwilling, then forget it. It’s just my Ji family’s fate.”

Hearing this, Zhu Dongmei no longer doubted her. She immediately agreed.

Seeing her agree, Xu Guifen pulled out a bundle she had hidden in her arms and pushed it into her hands.
“My family is poor, we don’t have anything good. These are wild fruits and mushrooms my eldest daughter picked in the mountains last night. Try them—they taste wonderful. That child was starving and went into the deep mountains alone. Thank goodness she came back safely, otherwise her father and I would have cried ourselves to death.”

After a bit of polite refusal, Zhu Dongmei finally accepted with a smile. If she had had any doubts before, they vanished when she saw the bundle of mushrooms and fruit.

The fruit was a bright red, something she had never seen before, surely from deep in the mountains. And the mushrooms… In these hungry times, the areas near the village had long been picked clean. Where else could such plump, fresh mushrooms be found?

It was certain that Ji Tangtang had gone into the mountains last night to forage for food.