“Again with the childhood stories!”

“It’s true,” said Old Man Lu, suddenly full of spirit at the memory.

“I wasn’t the kind of person who just listened to gossip or judged based on appearances. In fact, your mother once met the Crown Prince. One time she took you out, and when she came back, you said a handsome young man stopped her to talk for a long time—and you even said you wanted him to be your husband.”

Uh…

Lu Qingqing thought: figures—original host wasn’t exactly a sweet little girl.

“Your mother told me later that the young man was the Crown Prince himself. He was wise and kind—a good heir to the throne.”

“People in the countryside all praise the Crown Prince. I never believed he would rebel. Maybe, like your mother, he was framed…”

Old Man Lu looked sad.

Why is it always the good ones who suffer?

But this topic passed quickly.

After all, imperial matters weren’t something small folk like them should worry about.

What they needed to care about was survival—and the next meal.

..

Back when they helped kill that wild boar, someone had given them a pork leg.

And after Lu Qingqing saved Lin Zhuang, the family of the boy who stabbed him sent them 20 jin of flour and 10 jin of pork.

For two days in a row, they’d had stewed meat.

The leftovers were half cured, and half were turned into meat sauce with soybeans and chili peppers.

Today, the jar of meat sauce was ready to open.

It had a spicy kick and was amazing with rice.

They’d also cooked up the wild pheasant they’d traded earlier, stewed with potatoes.

Another hearty meal.

Lu Feng and Lu Yun had wanted to save some food, but now?

They were eating more than ever—the meat sauce was too addictive.

Old Man Lu was sneakily searching for his special rice bowl.

Lu Qingqing pulled it out: “Dad, looking for this?”

Inside the bowl: half full of old, mushy rice mixed with bran and husks.

“Heh heh, white rice is too soft. No chew to it,” Old Man Lu said guiltily.

With a cold face, Lu Qingqing flipped the bowl over—and dumped it into the slop bucket.

“If I catch you eating this crap again, I’ll tear the roof off this house!”

Old Man Lu hunched his shoulders and lowered his head. “Wouldn’t dare, wouldn’t dare… I won’t eat it again.”

He really was like a hamster, just like Mom used to say.

Lu Feng had buried his head in his bowl and gobbled down the mushy rice he’d hidden underneath in three bites.

Lu Qingqing shot him a glance and snorted.

Don’t think she didn’t know about that leftover pot of garbage rice hidden at the bottom of the rice cooker.

Just see if they dare eat it again!

..

As the sky darkened, someone knocked at the door.

Lu Yun went to open it.

“Xixi? I thought you weren’t coming today. What took so long?”

“Sorry, Uncle… I went a little too far without realizing it,” Xixi said with a shiver in his voice, like he was cold.

The whole Lu family came out when they heard.

“Child, come in quickly,” said Old Man Lu, pulling him inside.

“N-no, my grandma is still waiting for me at home.”

Xixi looked at Lu Qingqing. “Please check them. I managed to gather a full basket.”

In the dim light, Lu Qingqing’s expression was serious. Xixi looked anxious.

“Did you get hurt?” she asked.

“…No.”

“You wait here.”

She didn’t even glance at the basket of herbs.

She went inside, fetched a large pottery bowl, filled it with three big bowls of rice, and added a few pieces of wild chicken.

Then she brought it out and handed it to him. “Hurry home. Your grandma’s probably very worried.”

The smell of meat drifted up.

Xixi stared at the huge bowl of white rice.

He swallowed hard—but didn’t take it.

“I… I didn’t earn this. Especially not the meat.”

“Hurry and check the herbs,” he said. “I need to go.”

His thin little face strained to stay composed.

There were several scratches on it.

“They don’t need checking. That’s not important.”

“Xixi, we’re in the healing profession. Life comes first.”

“Remember: even if you’re carrying a whole basket of ginseng, even if it’s full of gold—if you’re in danger, drop it without hesitation.”

“You only get one life. Once it’s gone, there’s no medicine that can bring it back.”

“Next time you gather herbs, don’t go so far. When the sun starts to set, you must head back down.”

“If the basket’s not full, that’s fine.”

…

Xixi covered the bowl with his clothes and walked home as fast as he could.

His cheeks stung—from tears.

There was medicine powder in his pocket.

Lu Qingqing had given it to him.

But honestly, he didn’t need it.

Those little scratches wouldn’t even bleed.

By the next day, they’d scab over.

He didn’t need it.

He really didn’t need it.

Xiao Xixi wiped his eyes with his sleeve.

Since his mother died, he hadn’t cried again.

Not when he was pinned down and beaten.

Not when he was so hungry his vision blurred. Not even earlier, when he heard wolves howling in the mountains.

So why now?

..

“Xixi’er… Xixi’er…”

“Grandma—!”

Xixi ran over.

“Why so late today? Grandma was so worried, I was about to go over to Grandpa Lu’s house to find you.”

“I—it’s because they made me eat with them. I said no, but they insisted. They even shoved a whole bowl into my arms.”

“Aiyo, that’s a lot! T-this much… Well then, you’d better work hard for them in return!”

“I will! Grandma, guess what herb I gathered today? Guess what it’s for?” Xixi took out a bunch of herbs from his pocket.

“What’s it for?”

“This is called wild nettle. It cures stomach aches, dysentery, and diarrhea. If I get a stomachache again, you don’t have to buy medicine anymore!”

“Good boy—my grandson can treat his own illness now!”

..

Back at the Lu house, the door was locked, and Li Da hadn’t come by with any food or supplies.

Lu Yun was fuming. “It must be that narrow-minded mother of his stirring up trouble again. And Li Da—after all that explaining I did, he’s still listening to her. Fine! Let him suffer!”

Lu Qingqing wasn’t surprised.

Fate helps those with karmic ties. Medicine can’t save the truly hopeless.

It’s all about destiny.

Nothing worth getting angry about.

Better to just wash up and sleep.

..

The next morning, at dawn, Lu Qingqing and Lu Yun took a donkey cart driven by Cui Shitou into town.

With Lu Qingqing’s skill, a ginseng root that the clinics tried to underprice at 20 taels was finally sold for 40 taels.

But it wasn’t to a clinic.

It was to a wealthy woman.

Here’s how it happened:

They went to three clinics.

The first two offered 20 taels, then raised it to 25 after some bargaining.

The third was better—they started at 25. So Lu Yun and Lu Qingqing aimed to push it to 35.

Just then, a young married woman with a maid walked in.

Lu Qingqing listened to her conversation with the doctor—vague and roundabout, but she understood.

The woman’s husband had issues, which was why she couldn’t get pregnant.

Lu Qingqing immediately spoke up, pitching the ginseng to the medicine shopkeeper:

“Shopkeeper, not all 30-year ginsengs are the same. Some grow in places full of spiritual energy. Others grow in regular fertile soil.”

“This ginseng—do you know how I found it?”

The shopkeeper sat up straighter, eyes gleaming. “How? Didn’t you find it in the mountains?”

“In the mountains, yes—but you won’t believe it. In the middle of that deep forest… I heard children laughing and playing—”