Chapter 6
Sang Luo, who had silently observed everything, thought to herself with admiration: "They're really sensible."
But they also carry too much burden, it must be hard for them.
In her previous life, she spent her early years in an orphanage, focused on studying and earning money during college, worked hard in her first year of employment to save for a house, and then, after falling ill, lived alone in the mountains for five years. The last part of her life was spent in a hospital.
So, she really hadn't had many days of true peace.
Looking at Shen An now, Sang Luo saw a reflection of her own younger self.
Not wanting to see the children so burdened, Sang Luo smiled and stood up, picking up two empty baskets from the corner, "I promised to find us some food, and I feel a bit stronger now. Let's go for a walk and see what we can find."
…
Qiyang County is mountainous, and Shili Village is a small village nestled in the mountains.
The main part of the village, where most people live, is located to the east, also surrounded by mountains but not as close to the larger ones. Sang Luo's home, where she lived with Shen An and Shen Ning, was a bit further from this central area, requiring crossing three hills to reach the nearest household in the village.
Naturally, many hills close to the village are owned by villagers who often go there for firewood. The hill where Sang Luo and the children lived was one of the two hills allocated to their family when they settled here, making these nearer hills frequently traversed with established paths and relatively safer.
To the west, however, lie vast, deep mountains with no end in sight. In the original owner's memory, few from Shili Village ventured deep into these mountains.
Part of the reason is that the village is now mostly populated by the elderly, women, and children, as many able-bodied men have been conscripted to the front lines. Some have been gone for years, still serving in the army, alive but not home; others, less fortunate like Shen Lie, went to battle and never returned.
Conscription has been a norm in this era, especially in the Daqian Dynasty, and has intensified in recent years since the new emperor ascended to the throne. Almost every family has someone conscripted, like the extensive drafting two years ago, which was neither the first nor the last of its kind.
With such a demographic of mostly vulnerable individuals, no one in the village dares venture deep into the mountains.
Now, Shen An and Shen Ning each carried an empty basket, following hesitantly beside Sang Luo.
Shen Ning, with hesitation, advised, "Big sister, you're still not well. Rest at home for a few more days? We can save the grain to last a bit longer, and my brother and I can go find wild vegetables."
Sang Luo's previous condition had frightened them.
Shen An, looking towards the west, where Sang Luo was headed, expressed his confusion, "Big sister, didn't you forbid us from going into the mountains before? Our elder brother also never allowed us to go."
Sang Luo, of course, didn't dare venture deep into the mountains, especially considering the children's short pants, barely covering their legs. She couldn't risk leading them into areas where snakes or insects could easily bite their exposed skin. A non-venomous bite was manageable, but a venomous one could be disastrous.
"We won't go deep, just around the outskirts," she reassured.
Shen An's shoulders slumped visibly, "There's not much left on the outskirts. Haven't we been searching there every day?"
He regretted his earlier trust in Sang Luo's assurances. If she really had a solution, why hadn't she used it before they nearly starved?
Shen An felt foolish, convinced it was the aroma of the morning's white rice porridge that had clouded his judgment.
Annoyed yet relieved he had saved some rice and half of his porridge for Shen Ning.
Saving the porridge had been the right choice. Although Sang Luo was kind to him and his sister, she wasn't very reliable, especially after waking up from her illness – seemingly even less so.
Previously, at least she was careful with their food supply. Now her use of their provisions was making him anxious. How many days would Mrs. Chen's borrowed grain last at Sang Luo's current consumption rate? And who could they borrow from once it ran out?
Just a few steps outside their hut, Shen An was already consumed with worry.
He wondered why they needed two baskets just to look around nearby. He didn't want to damage Sang Luo's morale, especially after her recent illness and bold promises, so he kept quiet. The baskets were not heavy, after all.
Yet, he resolved that night they couldn't follow Sang Luo's plan for dinner.
Let Sang Luo eat well alone if she must, but they couldn't afford such thick porridge anymore. They would prepare her portion separately, using fewer wild vegetables to sustain her for a few days.
He and his sister would stick to their usual meals, foraging for more wild vegetables and perhaps pleading with their uncle again. They could endure.
They couldn't afford to prepare thick white rice porridge like this morning again. Such wastefulness would make not only winter but even autumn difficult to endure.
Shen Ning looked at her brother, and a glance was enough to share their mutual concern, their faces mirroring the same worried expression.
Unaware that she had been categorized as unreliable by the young siblings, Sang Luo smiled confidently, "We'll see if there's anything, just follow me around."
She regretted that they only had a couple of empty baskets – more would have been better. Their household possessions were indeed too few.
With differing thoughts in their minds, the trio, armed with sticks and bamboo branches, headed towards a small mountain path nearby.
…
As promised, Sang Luo didn't lead them deep into the forest, but to a stream near the western hill of their home.
Shen An, seeing the small fish swimming in the clear stream, realized Sang Luo's plan, "Big sister, these fish are agile and hard to catch. Ning and I have tried before, and we couldn't catch even one in half a day."
Shen Ning confirmed, "They swim too fast and are slippery."
Sang Luo smiled, "Catching them by hand is indeed difficult. But we won't use our hands; we'll set a trap and let them swim into it."
Taking Shen An's basket, she gathered some grass and leaves by the stream, added a few pebbles, placed a fist-sized stone, and, removing her shoes and socks, waded into the stream with the basket.
The stream, fed by a natural spring, was exceptionally clear and shallow, with the deepest part barely reaching Sang Luo's knees. She positioned the basket in the deepest part, adding a few moss-covered stones from the riverbed before returning to the bank.
Shen An and Shen Ning watched in amazement.
"Can we really catch fish like this?"
Sang Luo nodded, "It would be better with bait, but we don't have any right now. Still, there are plenty of fish in this stream. Let's give it a try and see. If there are few, we can try different spots and set more traps."
Saying this, she prepared to use Shen Ning's basket to set another trap.
Shen An was getting excited.
"Big sister, let me try this!" he offered eagerly.
"Sure," Sang Luo agreed, knowing kids love to play, especially since the water was shallow. She quickly taught them the technique and let the siblings take over, simply watching from the side.
Shen Ning was like her brother's shadow, happily following him, helping to gather pebbles and retrieve stones from the water.
The siblings discussed and chose another spot, replicating Sang Luo's method, then excitedly climbed back to the shore. Shen An's eyes sparkled as he looked up at Sang Luo, "Big sister, when can we check the basket?"
They finally seemed like children again.
Sang Luo smiled, "We'll check in the evening. Now, let's set up some traps for catching shrimp."
Ideally, such traps should be checked the next day for a better catch, but they needed food sooner, so they had to shorten the wait.
The mention of catching shrimp immediately captivated the children: "How do we catch shrimp?"
Setting shrimp traps was quite simple. Sang Luo showed the children how to bend branches with leaves and secure them under water with stones, placing them a little farther from the fish traps.
Intrigued by this novel method, the children enthusiastically set seven shrimp traps along different parts of the stream before feeling satisfied.
Back on the shore, they were still eager, "Big sister, what now? What do we do?"
"Do we also wait until evening for the shrimp?"
They asked, one after the other, their bright eyes fixed on Sang Luo.
Even though they hadn't seen the results of their traps yet, Sang Luo's reliability in the children's eyes had noticeably increased.
Observing the children, much happier and more spirited today compared to their fearful and despondent state the previous night, Sang Luo smiled, "We have to wait. Let's go find something else in the meantime."
She called to the two little ones, ready to leave.
Shen An hesitated, glancing back at the spot where they left the basket in the creek: "Big sister, are we just going to leave like this? What if someone takes our basket away?"
The joy of playing faded, and his responsible nature resurfaced. At this moment, the fish was a secondary concern; their basket was one of only two they owned. In fact, everything they had at home was precious due to their scarcity.
If they didn't catch any fish and lost one of their few possessions, Shen An would be left with nowhere even to cry.
Shen Ning, who had just started moving, also stopped, turning to look at Sang Luo.
Sang Luo, however, wasn't as worried, smilingly reassuring them: "It's okay. Take a look for yourselves. The place where we put the basket is barely visible from the shore unless you're really paying attention."
The siblings glanced over to where the basket was placed, and indeed, it wasn't very noticeable. Reassured, they let go of the idea of staying to guard it.
Sang Luo patted Shen Ning's head affectionately: "Let's go. I'll take you to get some other food."
Hearing there were other options for food, both siblings' eyes lit up instantly!
"What is it?"
Author's Note:
I need to clarify something about the place names in this story. This is a work of fiction, so please don't equate it with reality. I named the county "Qiyang" because I searched dozens of names on Baidu and found that all of them exist in reality, either with the same pronunciation or characters. I eventually had to settle for what was available. Future names of states in the story might also be historical, but I advise readers not to link these fictional locations too closely with real places. Remember, this is a fantasy setting, with its own rules and creations, like the vast mountain behind Shili Village that doesn't correspond to any real-world location.
Chapter 7
Sang Luo led the two children over two hills until they finally found their target for the day – the Six-Path Winged Wood.
This plant also goes by other names, such as "Immortal Tree" and "Guanyin Wood."
Before setting out, while Shen An was cooking the porridge, Sang Luo had been contemplating what food they should forage for.
After recovering slightly from her illness and hunger, Sang Luo was cautious not to overexert herself. To conserve energy, she knew it was crucial to have a plan for everything they did.
She had searched through the original owner's memories and vaguely recalled this plant, but the memory was fuzzy and fleeting. It was not easy to locate this specific memory, and Sang Luo wasn't sure exactly where nearby she had seen it. All she could do was lead Shen An and Shen Ning around the neighboring hills, searching along the mountain paths.
Fortunately, their persistence paid off, and just when she was about to collapse from exhaustion, they finally found it.
Sang Luo was pleased but too weak to harvest it herself, so she instructed the children to pick the branches with vibrant green and relatively thick leaves.
Shen An and Shen Ning were taken aback, unsure of what to do.
Although they were poor, the surrounding mountains had plenty of wild vegetables, so surely they didn't have to resort to eating leaves, did they?
Shen Ning, with her gentle nature and closer bond to Sang Luo, voiced her doubts, "Big sister, can we really eat these leaves?"
Her question echoed what Shen An was thinking.
"Of course, they're edible. Not just that, we might even be able to trade these for some grain," Sang Luo assured them.
The plant Sang Luo referred to was known to the older generation as "Immortal Tofu." Sang Luo herself wouldn't have known about it if she hadn't spent several years in the mountains. It was similar to a more common plant known to most people as grass jelly or jelly grass.
Immortal Tofu, when prepared, looks quite similar to grass jelly, although it's made from different ingredients and has a slightly different color and texture.
Of course, Shen An and Shen Ning were unaware of this. They found it hard to believe that anyone would trade valuable grain for mere leaves.
Sang Luo didn't elaborate much. In her memories, tofu existed in this dynasty, but its production methods were closely guarded by a few privileged families. A girl from a commoner background like her had only heard of it and never tasted it, let alone the general populace.
Most ordinary people probably hadn't even heard of it.
Sang Luo couldn't help but reflect on the enduring nature of class privileges across different times.
The Daqian Dynasty, despite its relatively small population compared to the later expansive 'Flower Nation', had a unique administrative division. Each 'Li' consisted of a hundred households, and five 'Li' made up a 'Xiang', meaning a small village like Shili only had about twenty households, with several villages needed to form a single 'Li'.
The memory of the original owner revealed that the population density in her hometown was also low, indicating that the overall population of the dynasty couldn't have been very large.
The population had been steadily depleted by constant warfare, natural disasters, diseases, and labor conscription.
Yet, most of the fertile land in Shili Village wasn't owned by its twenty households but concentrated in the hands of a few wealthy families in the township. Apart from wasteland and mountains, there was little good land left for ordinary villagers, who were forced to tenant-farm lands owned by the more affluent families.
This monopolization extended beyond land to include books, technologies, and various heritages, all controlled by the upper class.
Therefore, the product Sang Luo planned to make was indeed novel in this area. Dreaming of striking it rich by selling the recipe was unrealistic, as there were no such wealthy buyers in the local market. Even if there were, it was unlikely they would stumble upon her or be interested in her invention.
Sang Luo thought it best to keep this recipe secret for the time being, ensuring no unwanted attention. Her immediate goal was to earn a few coins to buy rice and grain to sustain herself and the two children.
Although Shen An and Shen Ning were puzzled, they effortlessly gathered branches and leaves. Working together, they soon had two large bundles.
Back home, they washed the leaves and set the branches aside to dry outside. Dried Guanyin wood ashes were ideal for making Immortal Tofu.
Without dried Guanyin wood, however, other plant ashes would suffice, like the leftover ashes from their simple stove, which they used that morning for cooking porridge with stored rape stalks.
Sang Luo scooped a handful of ashes onto a plate, placed them in a bowl, and mixed them with cool boiled water from the jar, stirring and then letting it settle.
Shen An and Shen Ning just watched, no longer voicing any opinions.
Their big sister had started with picking leaves, claiming they were edible, and now she was fiddling with stove ashes... The siblings observed with a mix of skepticism and an inexplicable calm, even becoming curious about what Sang Luo would come up with next, unable to resist hovering around to watch.
Shen An thought the whole situation was absurd.
Yet, he couldn't shake off the feeling that something was off with his sister-in-law today.
Shen An couldn't quite pinpoint what was off about his sister-in-law, but after observing for a while, he attributed it to her recent illness, especially her prolonged unconsciousness the day before.
In fact, if it weren't for Sang Luo's seemingly knowledgeable approach to fishing earlier, Shen An might have even suspected that her illness had caused some brain damage.
Of course, this thought was just a fleeting one in his mind; it was too impolite to voice such a notion. He quickly dismissed and extinguished the thought.
While the ash water settled for future use, the challenge of dealing with the "Immortal Leaves" arose – there was no cheesecloth...
Sang Luo, despite her patience developed during her previous life's illness, couldn't help but inwardly sigh at their poverty.
Really, they lacked everything they needed.
After pondering, she cleaned the only handkerchief from her belongings and boiled it in the pot as a makeshift filter.
While sterilizing the makeshift filter, Sang Luo instructed Shen An and Shen Ning to wash the leaves they had gathered. The siblings then watched the entire process of Sang Luo turning the pile of leaves first into a boiled mush and then filtering them into two bowls of bright green leaf juice.
Indeed, two bowls were used - aside from the one with the ash water, the other two bowls contained the porridge that Shen An had saved and the malt sugar left by Old Lady Chen. The former was given to the siblings to share, while the latter had been moved to the stone platform during breakfast.
Poverty indeed – they only had one pot and three bowls...
As Shen An and Shen Ning reluctantly shared the meager amount of porridge, they couldn't help feeling wasteful. In those times, most families only ate twice a day, but here they were, having sugar water at midnight, thick porridge at dawn, and another meal mid-morning.
Though the portion was pitifully small, it was no different from their usual meager meals over the past few months.
Most of the porridge ended up being fed to the sick Sang Luo by Shen Ning. But that's a different story.
Once the bowl was cleaned, Sang Luo filtered the remaining liquid into the second bowl, filling two large bowls about three-quarters full.
Shen Ning, looking at the pleasing green liquid, turned to Sang Luo and asked, "Are we just going to drink this?"
"Of course not," Sang Luo replied with a smile. In front of the astonished siblings, she began stirring the previously settled ash water into the leaf juice. She poured a generous amount and continued stirring in one direction until she felt a change in texture, then stopped and treated the other bowl in the same way.
Shen An and Shen Ning were dumbfounded. They had doubts about drinking the leaf juice, but now with the addition of ash water, they were certain it was undrinkable.
Amused by their expressions, Sang Luo said, "It's done. Take a look after an hour."
Seeing the siblings' worried faces, she added cheerfully, "Don't just stand there, let's do something else."
Their curiosity piqued, the siblings asked in unison, "Do what?"
Sang Luo picked up a small sickle from the wall, the only iron-containing tool among the meager farming equipment allotted to their household: "Let's go cut some wild hemp."
Chapter 8
Hearing they were going to cut hemp, the children's eyes lit up.
"I know where to find it, I'll lead the way!" exclaimed Shen An.
Shen Ning was also excited, "I'll grab a stick. I know how to beat the hemp too!"
For children, the most fun is in the activity itself.
Even without seeing any results yet, just following Sang Luo in various tasks had already started to bring a sense of safety and joy to the children.
They excitedly prepared, each one bustling on either side.
The wild hemp Sang Luo mentioned was actually the ramie commonly used for weaving fabric in those days.
At this time, many mulberry and hemp plants were cultivated by people, with each household owning several fields of them. The silk, cotton, and hemp cloth produced were partly contributed to the state and partly used for personal needs.
Items like silk and cotton were too valuable for farmers to use themselves. They were usually taken to the county to be exchanged for money, or even used directly as a form of currency in barter trade. The farmers, working hard throughout the year, could only afford to wear rough hemp clothes.
Since some mulberry and hemp plants were cultivated, there were also wild, ownerless ones. When the Shen family divided their property, the main house didn't receive any mulberry or hemp fields, not even a single rice paddy. Now, Sang Luo could only consider harvesting wild hemp.
In her previous life, during the five years Sang Luo lived in the mountains, when she wasn't suffering from her illness, she found various ways to entertain herself and was somewhat self-sufficient.
Thanks to her smartphone and the internet, as well as the elderly neighbors in the mountains, she learned many things. Sometimes she even uploaded videos of her new skills to a video-sharing website. Her small account was quite popular, keeping her connected with the outside world and providing entertainment, as well as some income.
Among the skills she learned was the old craft of weaving.
In fact, it's not just that she could weave; the original owner of her body knew how to weave as well.
Of course, taking the kids to harvest hemp now wasn't for weaving. Currently, Sang Luo lacked many things and had no capability to produce cloth. Every household in the village had a loom, but the women needed them for their own use, so she couldn't borrow one.
After harvesting the hemp, she could only process it roughly, making it into spun yarn. Sang Luo planned to take the spun yarn to the market and see if she could exchange it for one or two water basins.
"After all, she was planning to rely on selling miraculous tofu for some provisions. While the ingredients were abundant in the mountains and there was no shortage of plant ash, what could she make with just one clay pot and three bowls at home? It was hardly enough to fill their own stomachs."
"Given that she couldn't do any heavy labor for the next few days, processing hemp – a task she could do while sitting at home – seemed like the perfect activity. The two little ones could also lend a hand."
…
"The siblings knew the nearby mountains, relatively safe for the village, very well. They chatted about where to find ramie, guiding Sang Luo to each spot."
"Since they were heading towards the village, they occasionally encountered villagers who curiously looked at Sang Luo."
"Everyone in the village knew about the Shen family's separation, but before or after the split, Sang Luo seldom interacted with the villagers. Recently, there were rumors that Shen An and Shen Ning often begged for food at Shen San's house, clearly indicating they were out of provisions."
"Seeing Sang Luo out and about, those they met on the way treated it as a novelty. Those familiar with Shen An and Shen Ning would stop to chat, learning that they were off to cut hemp, then walk away with a tsk-tsk of interest."
"They can hardly fill their bellies, yet they bother with hemp cutting, engaging in such futile tasks."
Of course, Sang Luo didn't recognize these people, nor was she aware of their thoughts. Even if she knew, she wouldn't have cared.
They soon reached their first destination. Harvesting hemp wasn't a tiring task. Before their family split, the siblings had helped in their family's hemp fields, so they didn't need Sang Luo's guidance. In fact, they were more adept at this work than Sang Luo herself.
However, Sang Luo's physical condition was still poor, given that her original body had been gravely ill to the point of death. Although she had consumed salt-sugar water and some rice porridge, it was barely enough. After a morning's work of physically demanding hemp cutting, she gradually became weak, her hands starting to tremble.
Shen An, observant, took over the work, insisting Sang Luo rest. The siblings efficiently harvested a patch and gathered two bundles of hemp before heading home.
These two bundles were insufficient for much yield, but Shen An didn't ask Sang Luo to make a second trip. "These are the fields where the village kids often play. Shen Ning and I can handle it. You should rest at home."
Shen Ning glanced at Sang Luo's pale face, hesitating for a moment, "Maybe we should dissolve the other piece of malt sugar given by Granny Chen and drink it?"
Consuming two pieces of sugar in one day was an extravagant luxury, not even dared during the festive New Year. Yet, Shen Ning vividly remembered Sang Luo's frightening condition from the previous day, valuing her well-being over the luxury of sugar.
Sang Luo had no concerns about the siblings harvesting hemp near the village and nodded in agreement, "Alright, you two go and cut more hemp, and I'll strip it at home."
As for consuming the remaining piece of malt sugar, Sang Luo, aware of her own condition, felt it wasn't urgent, "No need to rush eating the sugar; it will be useful later. Let's eat it together after you bring back a few more bundles of hemp."
"Miraculous tofu with a bit of sugar water would be a real treat for these two kids."
"Shen Ning didn't catch the implied meaning in her words, only hearing her big sister talk about the three of them eating together."
"Recalling the slightly salty and sugary water she drank in the early morning, she swallowed instinctively, then, feeling embarrassed about her eagerness, quickly shook her head: 'I don't need it.'"
"She wasn't sick or in pain; how could she take her big sister's sugar water?"
"Sang Luo smiled, letting the two children go cut the hemp while she herself sat on a stone outside the house and began to strip the fibers."
"The promise of food after work was the best motivation there could be."
"The two youngsters hurriedly descended the mountain and, within about an hour, returned with two large bundles of hemp."
"When the siblings went out again to cut more hemp, Sang Luo put aside her work, fetched some spring water in a clay pot from the mountainside, lit a fire under it in the kitchen, and dissolved the piece of malt sugar given by Old Lady Chen."
This time, she didn't add salt to the sugar water, simply boiling it into a syrup before extinguishing the fire. She carefully carried the earthenware pot to the stone table on some thick leaves, waiting for the sugar water to cool down before checking the congealed state of the fairy leaf juice.
The proportion of wood ash water was just right, and the concoction had solidified nicely.
On Shen An and Shen Ning's third return, seeing the position of the sun, Sang Luo stopped them from going out again. Putting aside the hemp she was peeling, she called them over: "Go wash your hands and face, and then we can eat something delicious inside."
"Something delicious to eat."
To Shen An and Shen Ning, these words sounded like a fantasy.
Ever since their elder brother left home, they hadn't heard such phrases.
However, recalling what their sister-in-law had said about sharing malt sugar water, the siblings quickly went to wash their hands.
When the three of them re-entered the house, without needing Sang Luo to say anything, the younger siblings' gaze naturally fell on the stone slab serving as a table, especially at the two shimmering green bowls placed on it, leaving them momentarily stunned.
"What is this?"
The bowls were the same, and so was the color, but now, the contents appeared deeper in color, a lush, glossy green.
With wide eyes, Shen An and Shen Ning turned to Sang Luo, "Sister-in-law, this couldn't be the leaf juice from earlier, could it?"
Sang Luo smiled, "Exactly, I told you it was edible. Let me cut it and you can try."
Taking the bamboo strip previously used for the malt sugar, she skillfully began to slice the tofu-like substance in one of the bowls.
Indeed, this bamboo strip was fashioned into a makeshift knife by Shen An with some help, although it was rarely used since their diet mainly consisted of wild vegetable soup which could easily be torn by hand.
Sang Luo expertly cut one bowl of the fairy tofu into small 2-centimeter cubes, then ladled some of the cooled malt sugar water from the pot into the bowl, just enough for a couple of spoonfuls, gave it a gentle mix, and scooped up a piece to offer to Shen Ning, "Ah Ning, try this first."
The jade-like substance, soft, chewy, and bouncy, gently wobbled on the wooden spoon.
The young siblings had never seen anything so appetizing; just the sight of it made them swallow in anticipation.
Shen Ning, no longer concerned about whether it was edible, took the spoon from Sang Luo and tasted it, immediately sensing its delicate fragrance.
The sweetness, the aroma, the refreshing bounce and texture were astonishing: "!"
"Brother, this tastes even better than the meat we had during the New Year!"
Chapter 9
That day, Shen An and Shen Ning not only enjoyed lunch but also had a delicacy that Uncle Shen San, Aunt Shen San, and their cousins Shen Jin, Shen Yin, Shen Tie, and Shen Tian had never tasted before!
Who would have thought that leaves picked from the mountains combined with some plant ash could create something so delicious!
The siblings, who had been living in fear since the division of their family, were ecstatic.
This meant that they would never go hungry again!
Looking at Sang Luo, their eyes were filled with admiration; their sister-in-law was incredible, truly wonderful!
Their once refugee-like faces now beamed with joy. Shen An, smiling as he ate, felt tears welling up in his eyes, reflecting the fear and anxiety they had endured before.
After sharing the bowl of fairy tofu mixed with sugar water, Shen An glanced at the remaining bowl and then at Sang Luo, tentatively asking, "Sister-in-law, could we give this other bowl to Uncle Chen and Auntie Chen?"
"Very considerate."
Sang Luo laughed, "Of course, but we must keep the recipe a secret. The day after tomorrow is market day, and we'll try selling it there. We need to earn some money to buy food. If the recipe gets out, it won't be worth much."
"Fairy tofu is good, but it can't replace meals. Money and food are still the priority for survival."
The siblings understood this very well, having seen how easily it was made. Shen An and Shen Ning nodded in unison, "Understood, we won't tell anyone!"
The thought of exchanging this dish for food brought wide smiles to their faces.
Seeing their understanding, Sang Luo smiled, cut the other bowl of tofu into pieces, poured sugar water over it, and led the way to the village with the dish in hand.
It was midday, and most families were either taking a nap or about to. The village streets were empty.
The Chen family's gate was ajar. Inside, two children were playing – a boy about eleven or twelve and a girl around five or six.
As the trio approached, the younger girl joyfully ran towards them, calling out for "Brother An" and "Sister Ning" in a childish voice.
The older boy called into the house, "Grandpa, Grandma, Big Sister Shen, An, and Ning are here."
The Chen family hadn't gone to sleep yet. Hearing their grandson, the elderly couple emerged from the main room, followed by their son Chen Youtian and daughter-in-law Qin Fangniang.
"What brings you here?" asked Granny Chen, stepping forward, then noticing the green jade-like dish in Sang Luo's hand, "What's this?"
"I made some food and thought to bring it over for you and your family to try."
How could someone who nearly starved to death the previous night, with Shen An begging for food at their doorstep, now be bringing them food to try?
Granny Chen and Old Man Chen were somewhat slow to react.
Granny Chen looked down at the shimmering green dish, wondering if it was made from the rice she had sent.
It didn't quite look like it, and with such a small amount of rice, shouldn't Sang Luo be conserving it for herself? Why would she send any to Granny Chen?
In just a moment's time, several thoughts crossed the old couple's minds. Granny Chen declined, "With your current situation, you should keep any food for yourselves. Wouldn't it be better for you, An, and Ning to have a few more bites? Why send it to us?"
Sang Luo smiled, sensing the kindness in Granny Chen's stern words. She handed the bowl to her, saying, "Thanks to your generosity with sugar and grain last night, I've recovered. This is made from things in the mountains, not using any grain. Please, you, Grandpa, Uncle Youtian, Aunt Qin, and the two little ones should also try my cooking. It's a small token of our gratitude."
Granny Chen's eyebrows rose in surprise.
Was this really the same Sang Luo who spoke so eloquently?
Granny Chen, who hadn't interacted much with Sang Luo, remembered her as shy and reticent, always smiling slightly and speaking little.
Granny Chen looked at the contents of the bowl, then at the excited Shen An and Shen Ning siblings, almost drooling over how delicious it was, and her granddaughter who seemed hooked on the dish...
"You're thoughtful. I won't be polite then. Come inside and sit, I'll make room for the bowl."
The Chen's little girl, seeing her grandmother accept the dish, was almost cheering. She restrained herself due to Sang Luo's presence, but her excitement was evident as she chattered with Shen An and Shen Ning.
Qin Fangniang brought out a stool to the front of the main room, inviting Sang Luo to sit.
Sang Luo thanked Aunt Qin and sat down, greeting Chen Youtian as Uncle, before asking Old Man Chen, "Grandpa, I was wondering if I could borrow your hemp processing tool if it's not in use. I'd like to borrow it in a couple of days."
In August, most families are busy weaving, so the demand for processing hemp is less.
Old Man Chen, with a weathered but amiable face, replied, "It's idle at the moment and not needed. You don't have to wait; I'll fetch it for you now, and you can take it with you when you leave."
Saying this, Old Man Chen went to find something for Sang Luo.
Granny Chen poured the contents into her own bowl, cleaned Sang Luo's bowl for her, and came out from the kitchen asking, "Are you preparing for autumn and winter clothing?"
While speaking, she glanced at Shen An and Shen Ning, noting their short and patched clothes, which were becoming ill-suited for the cooler weather, especially in the mountains.
Sang Luo shook her head, "That's a later plan. Without a loom, I can't weave cloth. I cut some wild hemp, thinking of spinning it into yarn to exchange for household utensils at the market. I won't hide from you that the dish I brought over is something I plan to sell at the market. But as you've seen today, we barely have any household items, not even proper containers to make things in."
Granny Chen's expression softened noticeably as Sang Luo spoke, especially considering the state of Sang Luo's home she had seen earlier. She praised, "It's good to have a plan. We need to build our household bit by bit; life will gradually improve."
Granny Chen offered, "If you need pots or basins for selling food, our house can spare one or two for you to borrow for a few days."
Considering the time needed to process and sell the hemp, Sang Luo was grateful for the immediate help.
Sang Luo had partly come to thank the Chens and also with the hope of borrowing something. Hearing Granny Chen's offer, she gratefully accepted: "That would be great, thank you."
Sang Luo's sweet smile made Granny Chen take a few more glances at her.
Granny Chen noticed the change in Sang Luo. Though still thin and not conventionally beautiful, her sweet, smiling demeanor and more decisive way of speaking made her more appealing, especially in these hard times.
Granny Chen pondered the noticeable change in Sang Luo, wondering if she had undergone a transformation after facing death.
Granny Chen speculated about Sang Luo's true nature, having had limited interaction with her before.
Chapter 10.
Sang Luo arrived with a bowl but left with a wooden bucket, her own bowl, and a hemp processing tool borrowed from Old Man Chen, along with Shen An and Shen Ning each carrying a large pottery basin.
Granny Chen, seeing Sang Luo's determination, willingly helped her, rearranging her household items to provide what was needed for Sang Luo's market venture.
Sang Luo's visit to the Chen's had equipped her with all the necessities for her market sale, leaving her in high spirits!
Just a few steps out of the Chen's house with the kids, Shen Jin peeked out from the neighboring Shen house: "Shen An, what were you doing at the Chen's? What are you carrying?"
Shen An glanced at his cousin and replied, "Borrowed some stuff."
He didn't slow down his pace.
Intrigued, Shen Jin hurried out from his yard to catch up. Upon seeing the empty pottery basins, he felt disappointed. Remembering the glimpse he had caught earlier, he asked, "What did you bring to the Chen's? I saw something green in the bowl."
Shen An pursed his lips, a hint of wariness in his eyes, but maintained a calm tone, "Wild vegetable dumplings."
Although Shen Jin doubted this, considering the distance earlier and knowing Shen An often begged for food at his house, he couldn't believe it was anything special. He frowned, then asked, "Why didn't you come for food this morning? My mom said you were pounding on our door last night. Weren't you starving?"
The term 'begging for food' made Sang Luo frown.
However, Shen An was focused on something else. He looked at Shen Jin steadily, "So, my uncle and aunt did hear us last night?"
Even though he had suspected it, hearing Shen Jin mention it made Shen An grip the pottery basin tighter, his knuckles turning white.
Thinking back, if it weren't for Old Man Chen and Granny Chen providing sugar and food last night, his sister-in-law might not be in her current state – able to walk and smile, and leading them to find food.
Shen Jin, unaware of the significance, said: "We heard it. My mom said someone came to borrow grain in the middle of the night. My dad specifically told my mom to leave some food for you. Why didn't you come today?"
Before Shen An could respond, the usually timid Shen Ning stepped in front of her brother and retorted, "Granny Chen lent us some grain last night. If we had waited until today, my sister-in-law might have died. And we are not begging for food."
The young girl wasn't used to arguing; though she was visibly upset, her voice lacked force, and her eyes reddened as she spoke.
Sang Luo, watching her tremble with reddened eyes, thought to herself, 'Is this child prone to crying easily?'
She comforted Shen Ning by rubbing her head and turned to Shen Jin, asking, "You're eight this year, right, Xiao Jin?"
Shen Jin, confused, replied: "Yes, why?"
Sang Luo smiled coldly, "At eight, you're old enough to understand things. Begging is what beggars do. Shen An is your cousin. Maybe you should go home and ask your parents if what you said was appropriate."
Not interested in disciplining someone else's unruly child, she dismissed Shen Jin's confused reaction, patted Shen Ning's shoulder, and said: "Don't worry, I'll find a way to ensure you both get enough to eat, so you won't have to borrow grain anymore. Let's go home."
Left standing there, Shen Jin took a while to process what had happened, wondering if he had just been scolded for being rude.
Feeling indignant, he decided to report this to his mother, thinking his father should also hear about it. 'If they won't eat, then they shouldn't expect a single grain of rice or a morsel of food from us ever again!'
Resolved, Shen Jin stomped off, determined to prevent any future help from his family.
Just as Shen San and his wife were about to take a nap, they saw their eldest son running in, bursting with complaints.
After hearing him out, Li Shi couldn't help but laugh: "Well, that's their choice. It's better if they don't come; saves me the trouble."
She then looked at Shen San, "See? I'm just their aunt, with no direct blood relation, so they don't value me. You're their real uncle, and even you don't get any respect for your few wild vegetable dumplings. Don't bother yourself with their affairs anymore."
She scornfully added, "Wild vegetable dumplings, as if they're something to covet."
…
The things Li Shi disdained were, however, greatly cherished by the Chen family. They were gathered together, marveling at the novelty.
Usually, farm families eat only twice a day, so why would they have anything outside regular meal times?
But the curiosity and novelty of what Sang Luo had brought were irresistible. None in the Chen family had ever seen such a thing. Their youngest granddaughter, Xiao Ya, had heard Shen An and Shen Ning praising its taste, and as soon as Sang Luo left, she begged her grandmother to try a piece.
Once they started, they couldn't stop. The jelly-like texture and emerald green color were unlike anything these rural children had ever experienced.
Xiao Ya, her eyes shining with excitement, scooped up a piece with a spoon and eagerly offered it to her grandmother.
"It's so delicious, Granny, you must try it!"
With the delicacy right at her lips, Granny Chen couldn't resist. She tasted it and was surprised to find it sweet, and indeed, the texture was delightful.
In the end, what was initially meant as a taste test for little Xiao Ya turned into a family affair, with everyone eager to try the novelty.
The old lady brought the bowl of what Shen Ning called "Fairy Tofu" into the main room for the whole family to sample, remarking, "We sent a couple of small pieces of malt sugar over last night, and it seems Sang Shi used about half of it to sweeten this Fairy Tofu before sending it to us."
To think they just got a little food and were so eager to share, even sparing some sugar to mix in.
The old lady felt a heartwarming sense of satisfaction, appreciating their thoughtfulness. She was glad her extra measure of rice sent over the previous night wasn't in vain.
Chen You Tian and Qin Fang Nian also tried a piece each, recognizing it as something special, but they refrained from eating more, leaving it all for the elders and the children. Watching her daughter enjoy it, Qin Fang Nian's earlier worry about the rice sent to the mountain faded away. She praised, "Sang Shi is really skilled with her hands. I wonder what she used from the mountains and how she made it look so appealing."
Granny Chen glanced at her and cautioned, "Craftsmanship isn't our business to pry into. Best not to ask, lest we offend someone."
Qin Fang Nian was taken aback and hurriedly clarified, "Granny, I didn't mean anything by it."
Granny Chen smiled, "I know, just a reminder. That girl might rely on this skill for her livelihood in the future. She trusts us enough to send her creations here, so be careful not to talk too much about it outside."
She then advised her grandchildren, "You two as well, don't mention outside that your big sister Shen made this for you, understand?"
Qin Fang Nian and the two children nodded in agreement.
…
Meanwhile, Shen An and Shen Ning followed Sang Luo back home in silence. After walking for a while, Shen Ning couldn't help but ask.
"Big sister, can we really manage to feed ourselves from now on?"
Shen Ning was amazed at how her sister-in-law turned leaves from the mountain into food, food that was both appealing and delicious. Yet, she still felt unsure inside.
Shen An, happy to see his sister defending him and not wanting to see her upset or scared, reassured her before Sang Luo could speak, "What's there to worry about? We survived on wild vegetables every day before, and now sister-in-law can make Fairy Tofu. Even if we have no grains, we can eat Fairy Tofu every day, it's so tasty!"
It's much better than boiled wild vegetables.
"And sister-in-law said we can sell this to earn money, and with money, we can buy grains."
Sang Luo listened with a smile to this ancient version of a protective brother comforting his sister, affirming at the right moment, "Shen An is right. Fairy Tofu is a good thing. But we can't rely on it as a staple food. However, selling it to buy grains is definitely possible."
Hearing both her sister-in-law and brother say this, Shen Ning's expression relaxed, and the future suddenly seemed brighter, with hope in their days ahead.
The three of them chatted and laughed on their way back, picking wild chives and purslane along the path, planning to collect more purslane near the fish traps in the evening as part of their dinner.
Once back home, Shen Ning's worry had vanished. She put down her things and helped Sang Luo with stripping the hemp.
Shen An, however, kept glancing towards the mountains. After looking around a few times, he suggested to Sang Luo, "Sister-in-law, shall I go pick some more leaves of the Fairy Tree? We can make some more for tonight."
He hadn't had his fill at lunch.
Shen An and Shen Ning had lived with their uncle and aunt since they were young. At the time, their brother Shen Lie was just a teenager and could only occasionally take care of his younger siblings by hunting birds or catching fish and crabs to sneak them extra meals. But snacks and treats were something the two children had never experienced.
For them, Fairy Tofu was indeed a top-tier delicacy, an irresistible treat for kids tasting it for the first time. How could they not crave more when the three of them had to share just one bowl?
Hearing her brother's suggestion, Shen Ning also looked at Sang Luo, clearly tempted by the idea.
Sang Luo responded with a smile, "Sure, just look around nearby. Don't go too deep into the mountains."
Shen An nodded vigorously: "No need to go deep, there are plenty of these plants nearby."
Seeing Shen Ning restless, Sang Luo casually waved her off: "If you want to go, follow along. I can handle the hemp stripping myself."
Shen Ning's eyes sparkled with excitement: "Then I'll go and look for more purslane too."
The two children ran off joyfully, with Shen An quietly instructing his sister along the way: "Don't break the branches, just pick the leaves like sister-in-law said. We need to be discreet and spread out our picking. If the villagers find out we are selling this at the market, they might get suspicious."
Shen Ning nodded earnestly: "Got it, big brother."