Chapter 11
For most of the afternoon, Sang Luo stripped hemp while Shen An and Shen Ning gathered Fairy Tree leaves to make their new dish.
Making Fairy Tofu was simple, and Sang Luo didn't hide the process from the siblings. Shen Ning showed a special talent in this, following Sang Luo's morning instructions to process the leaves.
With Sang Luo occasionally pointing out key techniques, Shen Ning managed to complete the process without Sang Luo's help. By the end, Shen Ning was thrilled: "Sister-in-law, is it done now?"
Sang Luo teased: "It's done. Just wait for it to set, and our Ning will be a skilled little lady."
Shen Ning smiled shyly: "It's because sister-in-law was willing to teach me."
The kids cleaned and tidied up the used pots and pans. Sang Luo glanced at the sky, immersed the stripped hemp in a makeshift pool in the downstream part of the mountain spring, and said, "Let's go collect the fish traps. Whether we have extra dishes tonight depends on our luck and the traps' bounty."
This statement instantly excited the young siblings.
Arriving at the stream where they had set the fish traps, Sang Luo put her index finger to her lips.
The unfamiliar gesture was miraculously understood by Shen An and Shen Ning, who both suppressed their excitement and fell silent in unison.
Sang Luo quietly removed her shoes, making her movements as subtle as possible as she entered the water, slowly approaching the trap she had set.
The siblings didn't dare join her in the water to collect the fish; their harvest depended on it. Standing shoulder to shoulder on the bank, they watched Sang Luo intently, holding their breath as she reached the trap and gently slid her hand into the water, their excitement palpable.
Sang Luo was equally focused, touching the basket and then swiftly lifting it halfway out of the water.
It was heavy!
Of course, a basket full of stones would be heavy!
Carrying the hefty basket ashore, the children on the bank jumped excitedly, remaining silent due to the proximity of the other trap, their silent exhilaration evident.
As the basket hit the shore and the water drained, the distinctive sound of something flapping against the stones grew louder.
Shen An exclaimed with subdued excitement, "Sister-in-law, there are fish!"
His voice was low, but his excitement was clear.
Seeing the kids reaching for the stones, Sang Luo quickly intervened: "Don't touch, let me do it."
It wasn't that she wanted to dampen their spirits, but she was cautious they might accidentally uncover a water snake amidst their excitement.
Although Shen An didn't quite grasp his sister-in-law's concern, his admiration for her was undeniable, especially with the continuous splashing sounds from the basket.
She's so capable!
Sang Luo carefully lifted each stone and gently placed it on the ground. After removing seven or eight stones, the fish became visible.
"Fish!" Shen Ning exclaimed, thrilled: "Sister-in-law, there are three!"
"Four, five now!"
The siblings were eager to lend a hand.
With only a thin layer of stones left at the bottom of the basket, revealing the bottom and ensuring no hidden dangers, Sang Luo smiled and whispered, "You can pick them up now!"
Given the green light, the two joyfully dove in, almost bumping heads as they eagerly rummaged through the basket, growing more excited with each find.
"So many fish, and even shrimp!"
"Look, tadpoles too!"
"And crabs!"
Peering in, Sang Luo couldn't help but marvel at the abundance of ancient times. The bottom of the basket was alive with movement, with at least fifteen or sixteen fish, the smallest no longer than a finger, and the largest as big as her palm. There were plenty of shrimp and crabs too.
This was a great haul. In her previous life in the modern era, despite living in the mountains, a basket usually yielded only five or six fish, and on unlucky days, just one or two.
Allowing the children to carefully remove the stones, Sang Luo went back into the water to retrieve the basket set by Shen An and Shen Ning. Lifting it carefully after removing the larger stones and ensuring no frightening creatures were inside, she passed the task to the eager siblings.
Watching from the side, she was impressed to see about thirty or forty fish in total!
Sang Luo carefully selected and returned five or six smaller fish back to the stream.
Shen An looked confused, "Big sister, why are you letting them go?"
"They're too small, barely any meat on them. Better to let them grow," she replied.
Shen An swallowed hard, looking wistfully at the stream.
"Big sister, a little bit of meat is still meat," he murmured.
Sang Luo, seeing his expression, couldn't help but laugh. She playfully tugged his hair, still with damp hands, and said, "Alright, there are plenty of streams like this in the mountains. If you put in the effort and time, you won't lack for fish. Let the little ones grow. That way, you'll always have fish to catch."
Shen An blinked, seeming to understand her logic.
Shen Ning added from the side, "Big brother used to catch fish for us, but he never kept the small ones."
Shen An nodded, "Got it, big sister. How about the shrimp we caught? Do we just pick them up?"
"They'll all scatter if we try to pick them up at the shore."
"We should use the basket," Sang Luo said, transferring the cleaned fish and crabs from one basket to another. Once finished, she carried the basket towards where they set the shrimp traps.
Sang Luo carefully lifted the trap and shook it vigorously into the empty basket, raising her eyebrows at the abundance of shrimp: "That's quite a lot!"
She gathered all the branches set up in various places and headed back to shore.
Removing the branches, they found they had caught about half a bowl of shrimp, along with three crabs.
"We've got a great haul! We're in for a treat tonight!"
The siblings couldn't contain their excitement and cheered aloud.
Shen An, quick to react, suggested, "Big sister, let's set the traps again for tomorrow morning!"
Sang Luo agreed, "Sure, but let's move a bit further up."
It wasn't that she feared exhausting the spot in two or three tries, but since they had set several traps here already, the next catch would likely be smaller.
Shen An and Shen Ning, one carrying an empty basket and the other holding several bundles of branches, happily ran ahead, with Sang Luo following, carrying the basket full of fish.
This time, the children didn't need Sang Luo's guidance and could manage on their own.
After setting several traps, Shen An looked at the fish-filled basket in Sang Luo's hands with a hint of regret, "We should have brought our clay pot. We could have set more traps."
Sang Luo, who hadn't thought of this before leaving, responded, "Remember that for next time. Let's head back and prepare a delicious meal!"
Shen An glanced at the basket in Sang Luo's hands and, feeling content, reached out to take it: "Big sister, let me carry this."
Shen Ning also chimed in: "I want to help too!"
Sang Luo, knowing the children were just too excited, let them help: "You two can carry it together. Watch out for the crabs. Hold a stick in your hand, and if they climb up, just push them back down. Don't get pinched."
A crab pinch can be quite painful.
"Okay!"
Shen An looked around and snapped a branch from a tree by the stream, stripped it of leaves, split it in two, kept one for himself and handed the other to Shen Ning. Then, the siblings happily carried the basket and started their journey home.
Sang Luo led the way but didn't rush, her eyes constantly scouring the ground around them.
Noticing this, Shen Ning curiously asked, "Big sister, what are you looking for?"
"Wild ginger. Fish has a fishy smell, and adding ginger helps remove it. It makes the dish taste much better."
Shen Ning looked confused.
Indeed, ginger existed in this era but was not widely used. At the time, ginger was more commonly found in wealthy households as a seasoning and more often as a medicinal herb in pharmacies. Dry ginger was sold, but fresh ginger as a spice was quite expensive.
For rural families, even oil and salt were considered luxuries, let alone spending a significant amount of money on ginger for seasoning.
In Sang Luo's original era, ginger was also a luxury. The 'Historical Records: Treatise on Money Making' mentions, 'A thousand plots of ginger and leeks, the owner equals a thousand-household official.'
In this era, similar to Shen An and Shen Ning, most people hadn't heard of ginger. Sang Luo knew about ginger in this time period and its approximate price because the original person she replaced was born into a common family where ginger was used in cooking meat and often in brewing ginger soup to ward off colds.
She explained, "Ginger is not only useful in cooking but also as a medicinal herb. For colds and flu, drinking water boiled with ginger is beneficial. However, it's quite expensive in the market. You could look for wild ginger, which has leaves resembling bamboo leaves and yellow, knobby rhizomes. It usually grows under trees or on shady hillsides, possibly even in bamboo forests. Keep an eye out for it; it's valuable. In winter, it can be kept as a medicine, or you can try planting some."
In fact, Sang Luo wasn't sure if wild ginger existed at this time; it wasn't part of her predecessor's memories. She was mainly looking for it now because of the fish dish she wanted to prepare, hoping to get lucky.
Hearing it was a valuable medicinal herb, the siblings exchanged glances and nodded in agreement: "Okay, we'll pay more attention from now on. If we see anything like it, we'll bring it back for you to see, big sister!"
Shen Ning was admiring Sang Luo at the moment, thinking as they walked, "Big sister, you know so much! About fishing, making fairy tofu, recognizing wild ginger, and even treating colds."
Shen An, who had been alert for plants resembling bamboo leaves that might be wild ginger, paused suddenly upon hearing this.
Chapter 12
Since Shen An had stopped, Shen Ning, who was carrying the basket with him, also halted and turned around in confusion, "Brother, why did we stop?"
Shen An lowered his eyes, hiding the doubt within, and suppressed the strange thought that had just crossed his mind: "I'm looking for wild ginger."
"I'll help look too," said Shen Ning, unaware of her brother's thoughts. Hearing him mention wild ginger, she also started looking around, asking Sang Luo, "Big sister, how tall is wild ginger usually?"
"Between one to three feet?" Sang Luo wasn't sure if ginger in this era looked the same as in her original time since her predecessor's memories only included ginger that was brought to the table. She had never seen it growing in the ground.
Besides, species evolve over time, and this era's timeline was different.
Both were focused on searching for wild ginger, and neither noticed Shen An, who had also claimed to be looking for it. His gaze was not on the ground but occasionally on Sang Luo, mixed with surprise, scrutiny, and disbelief, reflecting the turmoil in his eyes.
…
Shen An was acting out of sorts.
Sang Luo noticed it while preparing dinner.
The lively boy from the daytime had become unusually quiet, occasionally casting glances her way.
And when she caught him looking, he would quickly avert his gaze, thinking he was being discreet.
Indeed, it would be discreet if he were dealing with a child.
But was Sang Luo a child?
A woman's age should not be mentioned, but in her previous life, she was already twenty-eight. Could she not discern that a nine-year-old boy was emotionally off?
Sang Luo was puzzled, then suddenly tense, realizing something.
It wasn't paranoia; after all, she had traversed through time. Although she had traveled here, the original body's owner had likely passed away before her arrival. Occupying someone else's body was like resurrecting in another's form... Sang Luo couldn't help feeling uneasy inside.
Had it not been for the immediate threat of starvation upon arrival, she would have pretended to be ill, stayed in bed, and avoided anything that might give her away.
But could she really afford to do that? Relying on the two liters of rice Shen An had begged from the Chen family, how could they survive, especially considering her predecessor had died of illness and hunger?
She dared not.
So, had the little boy sensed something?
Sang Luo's mind raced, but she carefully hid her thoughts, not even allowing a frown to show.
She quickly reviewed when Shen An's behavior changed, rewinding her memories bit by bit.
And then she remembered Shen Ning's long list of compliments...
"Big sister, you really know a lot! Fishing, making fairy tofu, recognizing wild ginger, and even how to treat a cold!"
"Big brother, why aren't you walking?"
Well, the case is solved.
This child is really sharp and quite cunning.
He's only nominally nine years old, equivalent to a seven or eight-year-old in the modern world, a first-grader.
Kids that age, well-protected by their parents, are still adorably naive.
But look at Shen An... Not only sharp but also able to keep his composure upon sensing something amiss. His excuse about searching for wild ginger was clever - it didn't alarm Shen Ning or startle her, the 'snake' in this scenario.
While adding some salt to the clay pot and gently stirring with a spoon, Sang Luo wondered, what did she represent in Shen An's mind now? A demon or a ghost?
Hmm, according to the original's memories, people in this era were quite superstitious, firmly believing in the existence of deities, demons, ghosts, and all sorts of creatures. Just thinking about this made Sang Luo click her tongue in wonder.
And to covertly observe her for so long, this child was indeed bold.
She decided to act as if she was unaware, simultaneously contemplating a coherent logic and excuses while observing how long Shen An could hold out.
She wasn't scared; she believed in facing challenges head-on.
However, she did reflect seriously. Being too casual due to having the original's memories and being around only children, she realized she had been too careless. She needed to be more careful in the future, ensuring her actions were logically sound.
Otherwise, she might end up being branded a mountain spirit or wandering ghost and find herself at the mercy of a torch.
Sang Luo didn't want to experience such a terrifying and painful death just after getting a second chance at life. And if she died again, would fate grant her another reincarnation?
Cherish life and keep a low profile.
Fortunately, after moving to Shili Village, the original occupant of this body rarely ventured outside and was quiet and reserved. Apart from these two siblings, even Shen San and his wife Li, who lived with her for half a month, didn't really know her.
People's characters often change after experiencing great upheavals and brushes with death. It's perfectly normal, so she didn't need to go out of her way to mimic the original's behavior.
…
Shen An's heart was far from the calm Sang Luo imagined.
Just as Sang Luo thought, he indeed started contemplating supernatural explanations. The only difference was, aside from initially thinking of mountain spirits and wandering ghosts, he also considered deities and immortals.
This was because of the food Sang Luo made from leaves today, which she named using terms related to divinity - 'Immortal Tree' and 'Fairy Tofu'.
From his initial suspicion, Shen An's thoughts gradually shifted towards the idea of redemption, considering that a benevolent immortal might have come to help him and his sister in their suffering.
However, even this thought didn't settle firmly.
The tales circulated among the village children, often told by adults, included stories of demons and spirits luring people with benefits as traps.
So, is this really his sister-in-law? If not, is this being here to help him and his sister, or to harm them?
Torn with countless thoughts, yet afraid to show any sign, he wanted to test but dared not; not testing, he feared it might really be some demon or spirit, and once the sun sets and darkness falls, what might happen...?
He couldn't bear to continue the thought, feeling like his heart was being cooked over a slow flame, utterly tormented.
…
Shen An and Sang Luo had their separate thoughts, while Shen Ning was purely joyful.
The little girl squatting by the stove, watching the gradually whitening fish soup in the pot, listening to the bubbling sound, smelling the fresh aroma, and swallowing saliva, all the while dreaming about how to prepare for the next day's market to earn money.
Her eyes, ears, nose, and mouth were all incredibly busy.
Sang Luo looked at Shen Ning and couldn't help but feel emotional, thinking this is how a child of seven or eight should be.
How come Shen An, born on the same day, seemed to have the worries of an adult with a thousand thoughts?
Seeing the soup nearly ready, she first added the pre-washed wild onion bulbs, waited a while, and then added the remaining wild onions, snapping them into pieces with her fingertips, into the pot.
The scent of the wild onions burst forth upon touching the hot soup, filling the entire room with its fragrance.
Shen Ning was utterly entranced by the aroma, taking a deep breath and smiling at the creamy white fish soup in the pot, unable to close her mouth: "The fish soup Sister-in-law made smells so good!"
Sang Luo slightly lowered the fire in the stove, reaching for a bowl to serve the fish, and paused for a moment when she heard Shen Ning's comment.
Fortunately, the original body had never cooked fish soup for these siblings.
Calmly picking up the bowl, she used a wooden spoon to scoop up the palm-sized fish from the bottom of the pot and handed it to Shen Ning: "The onions naturally make it fragrant. The soup is very hot, so start with the fish and purslane. You and your brother can share this fish."
Shen Ning's face lit up with joy: "Thank you, Sister-in-law!"
Sang Luo smiled, took another bowl for herself, and scooped up a slightly smaller fish into it, slowly picking at the flesh with chopsticks.
Shen An couldn't help but observe again.
Demons and spirits don't eat food like humans, do they?
…
Sang Luo was truly troubled.
This surreptitious glancing, again and again, would be better off just being asked outright.
She decided to face Shen An directly, meeting his gaze, and asked: "How is the fish? Do you like it?"
Shen An, secretly pondering over what kind of demon or ghost Sang Luo might be, was caught off guard by her question. Feeling a bit guilty, but also strangely emboldened to probe, he nodded in response to her question: "It's delicious. Why didn't you take us fishing before, Sister-in-law?"
"And why didn't you pick leaves to make that Fairy Tofu?"
"With these skills, how could you have ended up starving and sick to death?"
He carefully concealed his sharpness, even forcing a naive smile that a nine-year-old should have.
Chapter 13
But now that he asked, Sang Luo thought the boy might have held this question overnight.
Sang Luo knew it was time to test her acting skills.
She appeared startled at Shen An's words, then smiled.
Her smile was somewhat melancholic and sorrowful.
Shen An's question seemed casual, but his gaze was intensely fixed on Sang Luo's reaction, his hand gripping the chopsticks tightening subconsciously. Seeing her reaction, he was momentarily confused.
"Sister-in-law?"
This slightly worried call came from Shen Ning.
Sang Luo forced a smile: "Catching fish in the river and making food from tree leaves, this is actually my first attempt. The former is something I heard from children in my clan discussing catching fish in the creek, which I remembered. The latter, it's a recipe recorded in my mother's dowry books. My mother once made it for me when I was young, so I recognized it."
"Yes, I recognized it. Why didn't I make it before?"
Shen An kept his gaze fixed on Sang Luo.
Sang Luo pretended not to notice, giving a pained smile with her eyes downcast, taking a few moments before looking up at the siblings.
"I never shared my past with you, did I? I was born in a Shuzu (lesser gentry) family. The upbringing I received never involved going into the mountains or rivers... especially not wading into water barefoot to catch fish. Such thoughts were unthinkable in my past."
"As for the Fairy Tofu, it was something from my childhood. Yesterday, when I was so hungry that I felt I couldn't go on, I thought of my parents and my childhood. That's when I remembered this food."
The siblings were somewhat bewildered.
They had heard of Shuzu, a status completely different from the people in their village. They couldn't articulate what exactly it meant, but they knew that many of the quality fields in their village were rented out, and sixty percent of those were from the Wang family in their county, which was said to be a Shuzu family.
The siblings had seen the Wang family's residence when their older brother took them to the market. It was the largest house in the county. Village elders said the ladies of the Wang family seldom ventured out, with servants and maids attending to their needs. These ladies were accustomed to staying indoors and rarely stepping beyond the threshold.
In fact, if Sang Luo were to explain, there's a simple term for it: landlord.
The so-called Hanmen, Hanzu, and Shuzu evolved from the basis of the Shizu (gentry class), a result of the struggle for resources between the imperial power and the gentry.
In her original time, those who weren't quite of the Shizu class but were somewhat influential among the middle and small landlords were considered Shuzu, and it was similar in this time period.
Shen An and Shen Ning were confused. Was their sister-in-law actually from such a prestigious family?
Although they had relied on Sang Luo for survival in the past, they secretly felt she was somewhat ineffective. She dared not enter the mountains or rivers, her attempts at farming failed, and she initially struggled even with tasks like making fire and washing clothes.
They could only live on the meager food portioned out by their uncle. Frankly, her survival skills were not even as good as theirs.
"But if our sister-in-law was always the pampered daughter of a wealthy family, then all those things we thought were odd about her before make sense now when considering her background."
"The most convincing lies are always seventy percent truth and thirty percent fiction."
"Her original identity, knowledge, and upbringing are true. The only things concealed and blended in are her transmigration and the origins of those skills."
"Having walked the edge of life and death, I've had some realizations. Now that I have lost my parents and relatives, not to mention the family and strictures of etiquette, I understand that just being alive is an achievement. Why should I care about so much else?"
"No matter how vigilant Shen An is, he's still just a nine-year-old child, and that too, an approximate age."
"By now, his wariness has completely dissipated."
"Putting himself in his sister-in-law's shoes, a life that once was privileged, struck by disaster and loss of family, and herself reduced to exchanging half a bag of grain for survival..."
"All he feels now is sympathy and pity."
"He even secretly regrets his earlier suspicions about his sister-in-law."
"The children are suddenly overflowing with care and affection."
"Sister-in-law, eat more fish to regain your strength."
"Don't be sad, sister-in-law, you have me and Anning now."
"The effect is almost too good; not only has it alleviated Shen An's doubts, but the two kids are now incredibly caring towards Sang Luo."
…
"The dinner is consumed in a heartwarming atmosphere."
"After dinner, we were left with dozens of fish and a half bowl of shrimp to deal with."
"Indeed, being able to eat three meals a day and having fairy tofu, mixed Portulaca, and two of the biggest fish caught today for dinner was like a feast for the two children who had once struggled with uncertain meals."
"The remaining fish were wisely decided by the kids to be saved for later consumption."
"Sang Luo agreed, considering both daily nutrition and gradual health improvement. Compared to their earlier refugee-like existence, today's nutrition was substantial."
"Though the household lacked many things, the fish and shrimp were valuable. Drying them into fish and shrimp jerky could preserve them for a long time, providing winter reserves and daily nutrition, especially calcium, when there's no meat."
"By the time they returned home with the fish, it was already late, making sun-drying impossible. So after dinner, they boiled the prepared fish and shrimp and went outside to find a thin stone slab for drying them."
"Living far from the village had its benefits. The enticing aroma of roasting fish and shrimp wafted out for over an hour. If they lived in the village, the neighbors' kids would have been crying with envy."
"The few crabs became snacks for the children, and the dried fish and shrimp, once done, amounted to almost a pound."
"Shen An found an old, worn grain bag and stuffed all the fish and shrimp jerky into it."
"After half a month, the kids finally experienced the joy of having surplus food at home, and they were ecstatic."
"Shen An, like a responsible steward, circled the house with the bags of rice and dried fish, looking for a place to hide them, not just to keep them safe from mice but because the dried fish smelled so good."
"Eventually, he cleverly hid the food in the two large pottery basins borrowed from the Chen family, one upright and the other inverted, perfectly sealed to keep even a bug out."
"Pleased with his makeshift granary, Shen An and Shen Ning spent quite a while fiddling and admiring their work, reluctant to leave."
"Shen An, envisioning a future with more possessions, said, 'Sister-in-law, once we have money, we should get a big jar specifically for storing food. We can ask Uncle Youtian to make a lid for it, and then our food storage will be completely secure!'"
"Chen Youtian was skilled in basic carpentry, and the bamboo knife Shen An used was crafted by him."
"Though their home currently had little more than the borrowed grain and the newly acquired fish and shrimp jerky, young Shen An was already dreaming of days with a full pantry."
…
Unlike her fear of mice, Sang Luo was afraid of snakes.
Despite living in the mountains for several years and bravely fetching her fish basket, the thought of snakes crawling into her house while she slept soundly at night terrified her.
In her previous house, she had spared no expense in ensuring the windows were well-secured against such threats.
Now, looking at her current dilapidated grass hut... all Sang Luo could do was to tightly close the doors and windows before bed and thoroughly check the interior, especially around the corners where firewood was stored.
The first day in the ancient times ended amidst busyness, with Sang Luo, Shen An, and Shen Ning squeezing onto a makeshift bed fashioned from stools and planks, lulled to sleep by the chorus of frogs and crickets.
As she drifted off, Sang Luo thought about the priority of renovating the house and building a proper toilet once she had enough money.
Yes, a toilet.
Apart from the difficulty of bathing, the biggest challenge was indeed this aspect.
There used to be a toilet built on the mountain near the original Shen house, a short distance from the grass hut. As for its condition, Sang Luo preferred not to comment, but due to the severe deficiencies in her body, she hadn't needed to use the toilet all day.
"It was only in the evening before bed that she had to make the inevitable trip to the latrine, holding her nose as she entered and left, moving at the fastest speed she had ever mustered in both her lives."
"Sang Luo could only console herself with the thought that compared to picking up a second chance at life, all hardships were surmountable, and all discomforts were bearable for the time being."
"Consequently, her thoughts before falling asleep were consumed with one thing – making money, making money, making money!"
"Throughout the night, Sang Luo dreamed of a bustling first day selling Immortal Tofu at the market, coins clinking into her pocket one after another. Clutching a pocket full of coins, she even laughed joyously in her sleep."
"Chapter 14"
"Upon waking up in the morning, she found that the two children had risen even earlier than her and had already washed up outside."
"Shen Ning, returning to the room and seeing her sister-in-law awake, bounced to the bedside, both delighted and shyly sharing her dream of making money to buy grain. It was then that Sang Luo realized she wasn't the only one filled with joy."
"Instantly invigorated, she threw off the blanket and got out of bed."
"Seeing Sang Luo up, Shen Ning turned to the stone where they kept the bowls, circled around it, and returned with a handful of grass roots, saying, 'Sister-in-law, here, these are what my brother and I gathered this morning!'"
"A primitive version of a toothbrush, these roots from a plant called 'white grass,' stripped of their bark, could be chewed on. Containing abundant cellulose, they were used by the poor, who were conscious about hygiene, for cleaning teeth and the mouth."
"Sang Luo had already tried using one the day before."
Now, seeing the siblings had prepared her share as well, she smiled and ruffled Shen Ning's hair in gratitude: "Thank you."
She took the white grass roots and went out to clean up.
Only upon stepping outside did she realize that the ramie she had soaked in the pond the night before had already been retrieved. Shen An, though young, was deftly processing the ramie with a tool borrowed from the Chen family, his actions showing surprising proficiency for his age.
"Sang Luo was somewhat surprised; this wasn't something one could learn just by watching."
"Thinking of Li Shi's character, she wasn't too surprised."
"Shen An's eyes lit up when he saw Sang Luo getting up: 'Big sister, can we go check the fish traps now?'"
"He had been thinking about it since he woke up in the morning."
"'Sure!' Sang Luo smiled: 'Just let me wash up and we can go.'"
"Shen An and Shen Ning were as happy as could be. While Sang Luo was still washing up, the siblings went to prepare."
"The children, now experienced, quickly tidied up the hemp stripping tools. One fetched the empty basket they had brought back the night before, and the other carried the old clay pot used for cooking, all to avoid occupying the basket so they could set more fish traps after collecting their catch."
"The traps set at night and collected in the early morning usually yielded a better catch, although this time the fish were not very big, with the largest being smaller than the size of a palm."
"Even so, the three of them were extremely content with their catch."
"Shen An and Shen Ning treasured the fish and shrimp, even carefully filling the clay pot with water to keep the fish alive longer. Sang Luo let them be."
"However, this was only feasible for the journey home. Once there, the clay pot needed cleaning for cooking, so the siblings couldn't keep the fish. And the borrowed bucket and pottery basin from the Chen family, used for fetching water and cooking, couldn't be left smelling of fish. Besides, they needed these for preparing food to sell in the next two days."
"Shen An, understanding this, asked Sang Luo how they should handle the fish and shrimp upon returning home."
"'Let's keep three or four fish for our lunch, and separate the rest into a bowl for later use. As for the shrimp, wash them and boil them in the clay pot, then dry them on last night's stone slab. Save the shrimp-boiling water too,' Sang Luo instructed."
"Though Shen An was curious about Sang Luo's plan for the half-bowl of fish, he followed her instructions without question."
"For breakfast, they boiled porridge again. Perhaps feeling more secure about food, Shen An watched Sang Luo measure rice without trying to save some like the day before, though his expression still betrayed his reluctance."
"Sang Luo, amused, took the opportunity to teach: 'Don't fret over using rice. You know the saying, 'Don't skimp in the morning, don't overeat at night.' A good breakfast is essential for a healthy body and energy throughout the day.'"
"Shen An bashfully responded, 'Sister-in-law, I didn't say anything.'"
"Sang Luo smiled and, using the hot water left from boiling shrimp, skimmed off the foam and added the washed rice, stirring occasionally."
"Once the rice bloomed in the pot, she sprinkled some salt and added finely chopped wild onions, releasing a fragrance that had the children's noses twitching in anticipation, barely holding back drooling."
"River delicacies truly lived up to their reputation."
"The freshness of the shrimp combined with the aroma of the onions resulted in a savory shrimp porridge."
"It was just unfortunate they had no ginger, which would have made the flavor even better. Yet for three people used to wild vegetables, this delicacy left nothing to be desired."
"With only two usable bowls left at home, Sang Luo cheerfully served half a bowl of porridge to each sibling. 'You two eat first, I'll make a quick visit to Old Lady Chen.'"
"Carrying half a bowl of fish, she left the house."
"Shen An and Shen Ning exchanged glances, neither questioning what the fish was for."
"It was Sang Luo's plan to catch the fish, so naturally, she could decide what to do with it. Moreover, giving it to Old Lady Chen was fine, as she and Old Man Chen had saved their sister-in-law's life."
…
"Sang Luo indeed went to give the fish to the elderly lady, but it wasn't out of mere gratitude or obligation, nor was it a gift."
"She was boldly hoping to exchange the half bowl of fish for a piece of malt sugar from Old Lady Chen."
"'Fresh food might not be appreciated if people don't know the taste. I thought of giving out samples at first, hence the idea of melting some sugar in water to take along,' she reasoned."
"It was a legitimate plan."
"After hearing her purpose, Old Lady Chen didn't take the bowl from Sang Luo but asked her to wait, disappearing inside the house. She soon returned, handing over two pieces of malt sugar, 'Hurry back, leave the bowl. The sugar will melt if it stays out too long.'"
"Sang Luo gratefully accepted, 'Granny, would you like to take a bowl for the fish?'"
"Old Lady Chen had already given out four pieces of malt sugar in two days, feeling quite the pinch. She had seen the conditions at Shen's main house with her own eyes. The small amount of fish, likely caught from soaking all day in the stream, was hardly worth asking for from the children."
"She waved her hand dismissively, 'We have plenty to eat here. Take it back for yourselves.'"
"Sang Luo protested, '...But then wouldn't I be taking your sugar for nothing? What would that make me? We agreed on an exchange.'"
"Sang Luo went straight to the kitchen, confidently pulling Qin Fangniang along, 'Auntie You Tian, could you lend me a bowl to put this in?'"
"Qin Fangniang, hesitant to take something her mother-in-law had refused, peeked at Old Lady Chen for cues."
"Seeing the situation, Sang Luo didn't wait idly; she scanned the kitchen, quickly spotted the cupboard, briskly took out a bowl, and poured in the half bowl of fish."
"She then turned to Old Lady Chen with a chuckle, 'Granny, I have another favor to ask. Could I borrow a bucket for tomorrow's market? I'll pick it up tonight and ensure it won't inconvenience your family's use today. I'll return it right after the market.'"
"Old Lady Chen and her daughter-in-law were speechless…"
"She used to be so shy, but now, if given a tail, she'd be as cunning as a monkey, not needing any help to clamber up."
"Old Lady Chen felt she was being imposed upon and looked at Sang Luo sternly, 'Isn't one bucket enough for your sale? Do you think money rains down in the market? It's not that easy to earn.'"
"The local market mostly attracted farmers, and in these times, few families were willing to spend much on food."
"Sang Luo sheepishly replied, 'Well, it's just that carrying one bucket is hard, and it's a seven-mile walk to the market.'"
"Pinching her thin arm, she added, 'Look at me, with my frail body. Carrying a full bucket of tofu for seven miles would not just tire my arms, I'd be utterly exhausted.'"
"So, I thought of borrowing another bucket from you. Carrying two lighter buckets would be easier."
"With a charming smile, she added, 'And one carrying pole, if you don't mind.'"
"Her flattering demeanor…"
"Old Lady Chen, feeling somewhat helpless, nodded in agreement, 'Alright, alright, come and get it tonight.'"
"And so, Sang Luo, now a master of sweet talk, left with a pile of goodwill from Old Lady Chen."
"Old Lady Chen's mouth twitched with amusement as she tried to maintain a serious demeanor, waving Sang Luo off: 'Alright, you have a stall to run tomorrow, and plenty to do today. Better head back now.'"
"Sang Luo left the Chen family's courtyard feeling content, clutching the empty bowl and two pieces of malt sugar. She hadn't gone far when she heard an exaggerated, sarcastic 'Oh!' with a couple of twists in tone."
"Li Shi leaned against her own gate, chin slightly raised, eyeing the empty bowl in Sang Luo's hand with a smirk: 'Switched to begging at a new place now, have you? What's the matter, didn't get anything?'"
"Chapter 15"
"Sang Luo paused and scrutinized Li Shi. Now she understood where Shen Jin got his begging traits from."
"Such insolence was new to Sang Luo, erasing any bit of patience she had cultivated in her years of seclusion in the mountains."
"Before she could decide whether to retort, Shen Jin's face popped up beside Li Shi."
"Mother, she didn't want it for eating; she took half a bowl of fish to Granny Chen. I saw it!"
"Mother, I want to eat fish too."
A smug, mocking smile fixed on Mrs. Li's face. Her lips pursed, and her gaze gradually turned cold, spitting out a few words through clenched teeth.
"A thankless wretch, disloyal to this family."
Her words were slow, each one dripping with scorn.
Shen Jin, following alongside, stuck out his tongue and mimicked in a mocking tone: "The thankless wolf!"
Sang Luo's expression cooled, her gaze shifting over the faces of Mrs. Li and her son, finally meeting Mrs. Li's eyes.
"Aunt, it would be better to speak more politely. I've heard that Shen Lie replaced my uncle on the battlefield at the age of sixteen. When you say these things, just think, if it had been your husband who went then, it would be you in a dire situation now."
Sang Luo, appearing very serious, tapped her forehead: "Look at me, forgetting what I've heard about Shen Lie being a decent person. Surely, if Uncle had died in battle, Shen Lie wouldn't stoop to the low of kicking out his aunt and cousins, right, Aunt?"
"Li Shi's eyes narrowed into slits, her temples throbbing with rage as she glared at Sang Luo, 'Are you cursing someone to die? How disrespectful can you be? So all the food we've given over these months has just gone to the dogs, hasn't it?'"
"Sang Luo replied with a mocking smile, 'Just stating the facts, Auntie. Can't even handle a simple truth? What about our Shen An and Shen Ning? Their brother sacrificed his life, and you cast them out to fend for themselves. Who should they turn to?'"
"And look at how you speak, calling us beggars and ungrateful wretches. I'd like to respect you as an elder, but do you really act like one?'"
"Her voice was clear and articulate, drawing the attention of neighbors who began to peek out to see what the commotion was about."
"Li Shi, dumbstruck and unable to retort, her face flushed red as a liver, trembled and pointed at Sang Luo, then suddenly covered her face and wailed, 'What an ungrateful return for our kindness! We've taken care of the eldest family's three kids for years, and this is how they repay us?'"
"The commotion grew, drawing Shen San out of his house in a hurry. Seeing the gathering crowd, he clenched his fists to suppress his anger and barked, 'What's all this ruckus so early in the morning?'"
"Turning to Sang Luo, he scolded, 'Li Shi kindly took you in during the famine to provide you shelter, and you don't even show the basic respect and gratitude you owe?'"
"A master at pinning blame."
"Sang Luo, an orphan raised in harsh conditions, retorted sharply, 'Uncle Three, don't use that to press me. Everyone knows what Auntie Three intended by exchanging half a bag of grain for me as Shen Lie's wife. If her intention was truly benevolent, I would have been grateful beyond measure.'"
"'As for gratitude, had Auntie Three truly given me a lifeline during my escape, I would have been eternally thankful.'"
"But everyone in the village has seen what my life has been like since arriving in Shili Village, haven't they? Just the other night, I almost starved to death on the mountain. Shen An came begging for grain in the middle of the night, and you, Uncle and Aunt, just pretended not to hear. This isn't me blaming you; Shen Jin himself said so. If not for the kindness of Chen Grandpa and Grandma who brought food in the dead of night and saved my life, I, Sang Luo, would now be joining my deceased parents, brothers, and the husband I never met, underground."
"So, please don't wave the banner of obligation and gratitude in front of me from now on."
Shen San and Li Shi had never known Sang Luo to be so sharp-tongued and fiery, and they were left speechless.
Li Shi reacted first, spitting towards Sang Luo before saying, "Such a sharp tongue, we can't argue with you! But in any household, once a branch is split off, they must fend for themselves. It's your responsibility to stand on your own after separation. How can that be our fault? Are we owing you something?"
Sang Luo refused to take the blame, "Your words, Aunt, depend on how the separation was done. With no fields, no land, just an uncultivated mountain, it would take a miracle to feed three mouths. Look around the village, who else splits their family like this? A couple of small bags of grain, expecting me to feed Shen An and Shen Ning until we can afford to buy and cultivate our own land?"
"Yes, we are the younger generation. If you claim everything accumulated by the family, owing us nothing, except for the government-granted mountain that should have been ours, I wouldn't complain. But calling us beggars and ungrateful wretches is too much. I was nearly starving to death, and even if Shen An begged for food for his unworthy sister-in-law, did it even make you open your door?"
"If you can be so cold as to disregard the lives of the younger ones, then don't pretend to be the elders. Once a family splits into two, we may greet each other if we meet, but basic courtesy is still required. Isn't that right, everyone?" Sang Luo raised her voice with the last question, addressing the neighbors who were watching.
Her voice rang out loudly, addressing the neighbors directly at the end. Shen San and Li Shi looked around to see everyone at their doors, watching the drama unfold, gossiping and whispering among themselves.
Though Shen San couldn't hear clearly, he knew they were not saying anything flattering.
He felt a surge of anger, his ears buzzing, almost to the point of vomiting blood.
Chen Granny, hearing the commotion, came out and listened to the entire exchange. She had been tolerating these two for months, thinking it was someone else's family matter and kept silent.
"I just couldn't hold back anymore when I heard Li Shi calling you a beggar and a thankless wretch."
"Enough, Shen San. We both fled here together back in the day and became neighbors. Let me, an old woman, say something. Some things shouldn't be overdone. I won't mention other issues, but your elder brother died protecting your family's food and water. Little An's mother also couldn't bear the shock and followed him in death. You two survived thanks to your brother's protection. You acknowledge that, don't you?"
"Not to mention, you changed Ah Lie's name so he could go to war in your place. Everyone in the village knows this."
"So, from now on, when it comes to matters involving Little An, Ah Ning, and Ah Lie's wife, you and your wife should first examine your consciences. Ask yourselves if you can live with your actions and if you'd dare face your brother, sister-in-law, and nephew in the afterlife."
"Shen San and Li Shi's faces changed colors drastically – from red to black, black to white, white to blue, blue to purple... a truly colorful display."
"Shen San's face became a palette of colors, finally swelling to the color of liver."
"He could try to assert his authority over Sang Luo, but he had no ground to stand on against Chen Granny, who knew their family's history and had fled with them. In the end, he could only storm off, pulling his wife and son with him and slamming the courtyard door shut."
"Sang Luo just smirked, unaffected by their dramatic exit."
"Chen Granny, after watching Shen family's door slam shut, walked over to Sang Luo, pulled her towards her house, and gave her a disapproving look."
"Are you daft? No matter how dishonorable their actions, they have seniority over you. Arguing with them like this, do you not care about your reputation?"