Chapter 9: Shopping

Song Jinxiu hurriedly returned to the inpatient ward in the backyard and instructed her younger sister to decoct the medicine.

Although the herbs were not of the best quality, they still had medicinal effects. Naturally, they had to be prepared and used. After all, they needed to cover up the treatment with the space medicine for her. Perhaps by combining both methods, Brother’s swollen leg would quickly reduce.

Using the excuse of going to the outhouse, Song Jinxiu entered the space.

Inside the space, there were quite a few traditional Chinese medicines, all forcefully given to her by the senior brother from a family of traditional Chinese medicine practitioners.

She found Hongtouweng, a remedy for bruises, sprains, inflammation, and swelling, and also took two boxes of anti-inflammatory Western medicine.

She broke apart the Hongtouweng and mixed it into the anti-inflammatory medicinal paste that the senior brother had made herself.

This was something the senior brother had made her do before when he was conscripting strong men.

Looking at the only two bottles of medicinal paste left, Song Jinxiu felt a little sad.

Once they were used up, there would be no more. She didn’t even know if she could still prepare it herself according to the recipe the senior brother had left behind.

But no matter how precious the medicine was, it had to be used. Brother’s leg had to be preserved as much as possible.

This child was such a good brother. With him around, her life in this ancient time would be much easier.

After leaving the space, she ran into the medicine boy carrying a ceramic jar, asking her younger sister which room Brother was staying in.

Song Jinxiu glanced at the contents of the jar and asked, “Is this medicinal paste supposed to be applied directly to the injury?”

“Yes,” the medicine boy said as he headed toward Song Chunsheng’s hospital room.

Song Jinxiu quickly stopped him. “Um, little brother, give it to me. We’ll apply it ourselves.”

The medicine boy looked at her puzzled, then let out a disdainful snort.

Well, this family couldn’t afford nursing fees—didn’t they see that all the medicine was prepared by themselves?

He sneered, “Do you know how to do it? Want me to give you a demonstration?” Then he added, “Demonstrations are free of charge.”

Song Jinxiu was speechless.

But she really couldn’t let this medicine boy demonstrate, because she needed to mix in the medicinal paste from the space. With him following, how could she make any adjustments?

“I know,” she said. “The key is to spread the paste evenly. My Brother’s leg skin isn’t broken, so there’s no need to worry about treating any wounds.”

The medicine boy saw that she really understood, so he handed her the mashed medicinal paste and took out a clean, old white cloth. “Once you’ve applied the paste, gently wrap it with this cloth. Don’t get the bed dirty.”

The hospital room was small. Song Chunsheng gently patted Xiaodi, who had fallen asleep from crying, and looked at his leg with a troubled expression.

If this leg had to be amputated, what else could he do?

Although he used to limp awkwardly, he was still able to find food for his younger sister and little brother.

But if it was cut off, wouldn’t he become a burden?

Just now, he had been too simple-minded, unable to bear leaving his sister and little brother behind. In a moment of rashness, he had agreed to the amputation.

Twenty taels…

If they could save those twenty taels, it would be enough to buy two acres of land for Xiaodi. That way, after the sisters married off, Xiaodi could still live independently.

Then, if the physician insisted on amputation after two days, they would just have to accept it.

What Song Jinxiu didn’t know was that Brother had already mentally prepared for the worst.

She carried the ceramic jar inside and saw Brother lost in thought. Before he could snap back, she shoved the anti-inflammatory medicine into his mouth.

She picked up a bowl of water from the side. “Drink this, swallow it.”

Song Chunsheng instinctively drank the water, swallowed the medicine, then asked, “What is this?”

Song Jinxiu kept a straight face. “Oh, medicine the physician prescribed.”

Song Chunsheng trusted her and took two more sips.

Song Jinxiu brought over a small stool and told him to rest his injured leg on it, making it easier to apply the medicine later.

Turning her back to shield the ceramic jar, she poured the medicinal paste she had mixed in the space directly into the jar. Then she picked up a bamboo spatula and began applying the paste onto her Brother’s leg.

Of course, she first spread the layer from the space, then covered it with the paste from the clinic.

After wrapping it with the old white cloth, she looked around the bed and saw there were no hanging ropes or anything to elevate the injured leg.

So she simply placed the stool on the bed and rested her Brother’s injured leg on it to elevate it.

Song Chunsheng asked, “What’s this for?”

Song Jinxiu explained, “Elevating the leg helps blood circulation and speeds up reducing the swelling.”

“I see,” Song Chunsheng thought she had heard this from the medicine boy.

“Mm, this does feel a lot better. The leg doesn’t feel so tight and swollen anymore, and there’s even a slight coolness. Looks like the medicine is working.”

Song Jinxiu smiled. Of course, this was much more comfortable than letting the leg hang down, and the cool sensation came from the camphor mixed into the medicinal paste that her senior Brother had prepared.

She gently pulled Xiaodi closer to the head of the bed to prevent him from bumping into their Brother’s leg while asleep.

“Brother, you and Xiaodi rest for a bit. I’ll go check on the medicine brewing.”

“All right, you go ahead.”

Watching his sister’s departing figure, Song Chunsheng felt deeply relieved.

His sister had become more sensible.

Back home, when she was wronged, she would always argue with the stepmother but rarely won. It usually ended with Father punishing her.

And at home, the younger sister would only fuss a little, but around strangers, she was very timid.

But today, she had dared to go into the pawnshop and even questioned the physician.

Watching her care for her younger siblings and for him, handling everything methodically like a mother, now able to make decisions on her own.

A person’s abilities are often forced out by circumstance.

He thought, if he died, perhaps his Sister would be compelled to hold the family together.

If that happened, then he could rest easy, right?

Song Jinxiu left the hospital room, gave her sister a few more instructions about decocting the medicine, then stepped out of the clinic.

None of the siblings had a change of clothes; they were still wearing their padded jackets.

The weather was getting hotter—they needed to buy two spring outfits to change into.

Arriving at the street, Song Jinxiu surveyed this ancient county town.

She wasn’t sure if it was because this street was rather bleak, but there weren’t many people around.

Unable to find a ready-made clothing shop, Song Jinxiu inquired and learned that this county town didn’t sell ready-made garments.

“Little girl, a girl can’t be so lazy. At your age, not knowing how to make clothes just won’t do. Listen to Auntie—when you have money, go to the fabric shop, buy some cloth, and make your own clothes at home,” a kindly middle-aged woman advised her.

From the woman, Song Jinxiu also learned that the fabric shop was on a neighboring street.

Grateful for the woman’s kindness, Song Jinxiu hurried over to the other street.

Sure enough, this street was livelier.

The fabric shop didn’t sell ready-made clothes either, but next door was a tailor’s shop that made clothes for customers.

Not knowing how much fabric would be needed for a set of clothes, Song Jinxiu first found the tailor shop owner and described the heights and builds of her siblings.

With the tailor’s help, she bought enough fabric for two sets of clothes each for the four of them, agreeing to return in three days to collect the finished garments.

She also purchased two bolts of white cloth to make sweat towels.

Since they had left their home with nothing, they didn’t even have a basin to wash their faces, let alone sweat towels.

So Song Jinxiu switched into full-on shopping mode.

Pots, basins, rice spoons, spatulas, kitchen knives—any shop she passed, she went in and bought whatever was needed.

She’d turn a corner, quickly toss things into the space when no one was looking, then continue shopping.

She bought rice and flour, then went to the market and got a chicken. It was afternoon, so there were no fresh vegetables, but she found some dried green beans and bought those too.

Since it was spring, the season of growth, she also bought seeds for grain and vegetables, along with a hoe and a machete.

As the space filled with more and more items, Song Jinxiu finally felt what it truly meant to start life anew.