Chapter 57: The Exchange

Jing Xi asked, “What kind of medicinal herb?”

Jin Fu continued explaining, “This place has ample sunlight and moderate rainfall. The growing season is long, making it highly suitable for cultivating shashen (glehnia root). After assessing multiple locations, we found this to be the best-suited area for its growth.”

Jing Xi was familiar with shashen—a medicinal herb beneficial for the lungs. However, it was typically cultivated in eastern Inner Mongolia due to the dry climate and lower rainfall.

“So, if I agree to plant it, you’ll help me find the person I’m looking for?”

Xiao Jie nodded. “We hope you’ll plant it, but it’s not a strict requirement. If you’re unwilling, we won’t force you.”

Jing Xi pouted slightly.

If I refuse, you definitely won’t help me find the person.

“Fine, but I only have two acres of land. I was planning to grow some grains and vegetables. How much land do you need?”

Xiao Jie and Jin Fu exchanged glances before Jin Fu responded, “Let’s start with just one acre. This is our first experimental planting. If the harvest isn’t good or there are other issues, we won’t plant it again next year.”

“What do I need to do?”

“You don’t have to do anything. We’ll lease the acre from you through a formal agreement. You can choose to receive goods, cash, or make other requests in exchange.”

“So, does that mean finding the person I’m looking for will be my only request?”

Xiao Jie looked at her, his youthful face full of serious determination. “Not necessarily. Just one request seems too little. You can also ask for money, grain, or other favors. Finding the person will be a bonus.”

Jing Xi thought for a moment. “Alright then, I’ll take money. How about 500 yuan per year for that acre?”

Xiao Jie raised an eyebrow. “You sure know how to ask for a lot.”

Jing Xi shrugged. “Fine, forget it. If it’s too much, I’ll find the person myself. Asking around isn’t that difficult.”

Xiao Jie sighed. “Alright, 500 it is.”

For the Long family, this shashen was crucial. If they successfully cultivated it, it would save them significant manpower and resources in the future.

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The Long family moved quickly, almost as if they were afraid Jing Xi would change her mind. From plowing and watering to planting, they completed everything within a week.

The shashen seeds never passed through Jing Xi’s hands, and she wasn’t involved in the farming process at all. She simply tended to her own vegetable garden nearby while watching the Long family’s workers toil away.

Once the planting was done, the Long family even assigned a specialist to stay in the village and oversee the shashen field.

Jing Xi found it all quite curious. It was just a medicinal herb—was it really that important?

Motivated by their diligence, she sped up her own work as well.

She went to town to buy seeds, consulted Zhang Rui on vegetable farming, and within a week, she had plowed and planted her crops.

At night, when no one was watching, she secretly watered her plants with the spring water from her spatial dimension.

In her heart, she silently wished: Grow well! I want to enjoy a harvest of purely organic, homegrown vegetables this year!

When Qingming Festival arrived, Jing Xi visited Yuzhu’s grave.

She brought plenty of spirit money and fresh fruits.

Standing before the small mound on the hill, the body she now inhabited was flooded with emotions.

Although the original owner of this body had passed away, the physiological reactions remained.

She carefully arranged the offerings and spoke softly, “Auntie, rest in peace. Don’t worry about me. My life is much better now—I have money to spend, and I get along well with the villagers. And strangely enough, the Long family is even helping me out for no reason.”

“Auntie, if you can hear me, could you visit me in a dream and tell me what really happened with your land? You were always such a meticulous person—how could you forget to tell me something so important?”

“Auntie, I never knew you suffered so much at such a young age. Why didn’t you tell me? I wasn’t really withdrawn—I just didn’t like talking much. The two of us living well together would have been better than anything else.”

“Auntie…”

Jing Xi whispered to the grave for a long time.

Only when the last of the spirit money had turned to ashes and the black smoke had completely dissipated into the sky did she stop.

When a person dies, their light is extinguished—turning from a bright flame into fading smoke, all within an instant.

Thinking of this, she suddenly started to miss her parents.

Were they doing well?

Before leaving, Jing Xi took out her clean handkerchief and carefully wiped Yuzhu’s tombstone.

She remembered that this tombstone had been erected with the help of Zhao Qin and Zhou Ming.

Even though the couple hadn’t kept in touch with her much after Yuzhu passed away, the connection Zhao Qin had with Yuzhu was more than enough.

After descending the mountain, Jing Xi combed through all her memories of Yuzhu.

After Yuzhu’s passing, Zhao Qin had actually tried to take care of her for a while, but she eventually declined their help.

There was also a former neighbor who used to live with Yuzhu—someone with the surname Guan—who had also taken care of her, teaching her how to raise chickens and ducks and how to work, providing her with all kinds of survival skills.

But later, that family moved away as well.

Beyond that, her memories were filled with her constantly doing odd jobs for other families to earn money and grain, until Yuzhu’s old house collapsed, forcing her to move up to the dam, into a simple earthen house.

And then… everything that had happened since last year.

She was so deep in thought that she completely failed to notice that someone had been following her all along.

It wasn’t until she was about to pass through a small forest at the foot of the mountain that she heard the sound of rustling footsteps behind her.

She snapped out of her thoughts just in time to see a figure dart in front of her and grab her in one swift motion.

Before she could react, the person twisted her arm behind her back, restraining her completely.

She was forced against a body that reeked of tobacco.

Zhou Shu!

Zhou Shu clamped a hand around her throat, and Jing Xi felt herself struggling to breathe.

“Let me go!” She tried to struggle, but she couldn’t break free.

Zhou Shu sneered lewdly. “Finally caught you alone!”

Jing Xi’s heart pounded violently as his grip on her throat tightened. “What… what do you want?”

“What do I want?” He spat on the ground.

“Obviously, I’m gonna take care of you, you little bitch. Think you can act all high and mighty? Damn it, today you’re not going anywhere! You’ve been strutting around like you’re something special—hell, you even dared to mess with my mother!”

Jing Xi gasped for air. “Let’s talk this out… don’t—don’t do this! I… I can give you money!”

Zhou Shu scoffed. “I don’t want money.”

He was strong. Jing Xi couldn’t break free at all.

She wasn’t some naive little girl who didn’t understand what was happening—she knew exactly what this meant!

The situation was extremely dangerous!

“I didn’t bully—didn’t bully your mother! She was the one who came to my door looking for trouble!”

“If my mom picks a fight with you, you just have to take it! Who the hell do you think you are?!” Zhou Shu growled. “Enough talk—no point wasting my breath on you. I’ll deal with you right now!”

He shoved her to the ground with one hand, pressing her down. Her face scraped against the dirt.

Not only that, but her neck was also cut in the process, leaving behind a thin trail of blood.

It stung sharply.

Afraid she might resist, Zhou Shu pulled a rope out of his pocket and tied her hands together.

“Damn, got a tattoo on your wrist too? Make sure to moan real nice for me later. Grandpa likes it that way!”