Chapter 17: You Can Trust Third Uncle!

Yan Xiaoyue, feeling refreshed after a good sleep, sat up, stretched, and looked around the room. It was empty.

On the table was a note: “Going up the mountain for half a day today.”

She glanced at the distant mountain. Since childhood, whenever food was scarce, someone would always go to the mountain to try their luck.

Slightly annoyed, she wished she had prepared all the necessary herbs. Since Jin Chao wasn’t there, Yan Xiaoyue closed the door and entered her space.

She found the medical books on the bookshelf; one of them described methods for restoring meridians and leg injuries.

“Where is it?” She searched for a while before finally finding it. The required herbs were numerous.

She took out the letter paper Jin Chao had used yesterday. She felt it was different from hers; the paper in her space was whiter.

She listed all the herbs she needed; Jin Chao would check them anyway.

Also, she needed to verify if the things in this space were as miraculous as the books described.

Going to the backyard, she looked at the continuously flowing spring water. This was why she had chosen this location.

It was spring water, mountain spring water. Now that the mountain was gone, the spring water was still there.

The secret to her delicious cooking in her past life lay in this spring water. Initially, many fans visited her. Later, fearing her address would be exposed, she only kept in touch with a few close friends.

After all, in her past life, protecting herself was paramount.

“Third Aunt, are you there?”

Yan Xiaoyue wanted to check if any of her planted herbs were usable when she heard Jin Qingyang’s younger brother’s voice outside.

Yesterday, she heard the two elders call him Jin Jianshui. She had to say the Jin family had a knack for naming; they all sounded nice individually but not together.

She came out of her space, opened the door, and said with displeasure, “What do you want?”

She genuinely disliked Qi Lan’s son.

“Third Aunt, can you take me to Grandma’s house?”

Jin Jianshui looked distressed, as if in pain.

“What’s wrong?”

Yan Xiaoyue squatted down. Dislike aside, seeing a child in discomfort, she couldn’t help but care.

She couldn’t be as heartless as Qi Lan.

“I want to see my mother.”

Jin Jianshui cried. Although his face wasn’t very big, he was almost taller than her. Clinging to her like this felt strange.

She pushed him away. “If you want to see your mother, go yourself. I don’t have time to accompany you.”

Yan Xiaoyue directly refused, turning to the kitchen to test if the spring water made the food healthier or enhanced its flavor.

“Yan Xiaoyue, take me to Grandma’s house.”

Jin Jianshui’s eyes were filled with hatred, as if he wanted to kill her.

Yan Xiaoyue laughed. “Oh, why Grandma’s house? Do you want me to take you to Grandma’s so your mother can beat me up?”

She wasn’t wrong to think that. She’d just had a disagreement with Qi Lan yesterday, and now he was coming to her. It was suspicious.

“No, I just want to go to Grandma’s house.”

Jin Jianshui said again. Seeing the busy figure in the kitchen, he rubbed his stomach and stood up.

“Third Aunt, do you need me to light the fire?”

Jin Jianshui’s change of face was even more terrifying than Jin Qingyang’s.

“No, I’m afraid you’ll burn down the kitchen.”

After Yan Xiaoyue refused again, the little brat sat in front of the stove and started lighting the fire.

“Don’t you have a stomachache?”

A hint of mockery played on her lips. Don’t try to trick her kindness; she was raised in a world where you couldn’t even help old ladies cross the road.

She could calmly analyze even when someone was injured.

This little brat’s acting was terrible.

“I didn’t want to, Third Aunt, but my mother told me to take you there. She’s not giving up; she wants to beat you up to vent her anger. Even Grandma and Grandpa couldn’t persuade her.”

Jin Jianshui recounted today’s events while adding firewood to the stove.

Yan Xiaoyue realized Jin Jianshui had gone to Grandma’s house early this morning. Yesterday, Grandma and Grandpa had persuaded him to come back, but he refused. Now, Grandpa and Grandma Jin were too old to fetch him.

She was about to be a mother-in-law and fighting with a young person over this. It was embarrassing.

“Third Aunt, most importantly, they’re afraid of Third Uncle,” Jin Jianshui whispered.

“Everyone in this family is afraid of Third Uncle.”

Jin Jianshui didn’t elaborate. The fragrant aroma from the pot made people drool.

“Only your mother is waiting for me?”

Yan Xiaoyue knew Qi Lan wouldn’t let her go, but this was unexpected.

It wasn’t just her waiting.

“Yeah, and my little uncle.” Jin Jianshui glanced at her. “My mother said you definitely didn’t sleep with my Third Uncle.”

Jin Jianshui’s words made Yan Xiaoyue realize how terrifying Qi Lan was. She wanted to ruin her!

“Your mother is wrong. I’m pregnant with your Third Uncle’s child.”

Yan Xiaoyue opened the pot, served a bowl of egg custard, looked at Jin Jianshui, and thought, “Fine, considering his honest confession, I’ll share half with him.”

She took another small bowl and divided the egg custard.

“You have a conscience. Don’t believe your mother. You can trust Third Uncle.”

Jin Jianshui quickly whispered in her ear, then ran off, showing off his egg custard to the second family’s child.

When she saw the child holding a sweet potato, she remembered that eggs were rare in this era.

She regretted her extravagance, but her body was too weak. If she didn’t replenish her strength, she wouldn’t be able to handle the mental and physical demands ahead.

She lowered her head and finished the egg custard. She had to go to the town’s pharmacy. If she couldn’t buy the herbs, she’d have to find them in the mountains or ask at pharmacies in bigger cities.

She also liked collecting herbs; her cabinet should have many. She would check what she was missing to save money.

Or, she could just let Jin Chao buy them; she didn’t have much money.

After finishing the egg custard, she quickly washed the bowl, returned to her room, and wrote down the herbs and acupuncture needles needed.

The needles were for clearing meridians. His leg injury was healed on the surface, but not inside.

For complete healing, she needed manual intervention and herbal baths.

If the spring water was as effective as rumored, she could guarantee Jin Chao’s recovery. This life was too difficult. Once Jin Chao left, she could start her own business.

Yan Xiaoyue thought her family could make fried chicken, so she would open a skincare and luxury goods store.

Or a gift shop; leisurely and carefree.