Chapter 4: Are Sand Flies Really Toxic?

Jiang Xia stared at the Sarsaparilla as if it were some kind of lethal poison.

Zhou Chenglei chuckled, "Don't worry, it's not poisonous. This way, the fever medicine won't taste so bitter."

Jiang Xia took the Sarsaparilla bottle with skepticism. Her beautiful eyes didn't even blink as she looked at him suspiciously: "Have you ever drunk it?"

Zhou Chenglei denied it flatly: "No. Wenguang and the others drink it this way whenever they have a fever; my mom taught me."

Jiang Xia looked at his reddening earlobes and asked doubtfully: "Why are you blushing? Could it be that you're afraid of the bitterness and invented this way of drinking it yourself?"

Zhou Chenglei: "..."

He turned his head away to look elsewhere and urged: "Drink it quickly. We have to return the bottle; the shop is about to close."

Jiang Xia felt she had hit the truth—he was the one afraid of the bitterness.

However, Jiang Xia looked at the glass bottle in her hand: "We have to return the bottle?"

"Yes, these glass bottles are reusable and can be sold for money."

Hearing this, Jiang Xia didn't dare to delay. She gritted her teeth, looked at the now-calm Sarsaparilla with a "death-defying" expression, put the bottle to her lips, and gulped it down in one go.

It was quite the spirit of a warrior cutting off his own arm, never to return.

If I die, I die. Maybe if I die, I'll transmigrate back.

The corners of Zhou Chenglei’s mouth lifted slightly before he forced them back down.

After finishing, Jiang Xia handed him the bottle: "Here, *hiccup~~~*"

Jiang Xia let out a long hiccup.

A puff of Sarsaparilla-scented gas sprayed out!

Jiang Xia: (ΩДΩ)

"I'm going to return the bottle." Zhou Chenglei pressed his lips together, trying his best to keep his face expressionless as he took the bottle and walked away quickly.

Just as he turned around,

"*Hiccup~~~*"

Jiang Xia let out another loud hiccup.

Completely uncontrollable!

And!

Louder!

Brighter!

Longer!

The air was filled with Sarsaparilla-scented carbon dioxide!

Jiang Xia covered her mouth: (⊙o⊙)…

Is that Sarsaparilla poisonous?

Is it poisonous?!!!

She turned her head to look at his tall, straight figure.

He must be trying to poison her to death so he can marry the female lead!

Zhou Chenglei involuntarily quickened his pace, and this time, no matter how hard he tried to press his mouth down, he couldn't stop the corners from curling up.

*

By the time they returned to the village, it was already six o'clock. The sun had completely set, but since it was August, it wasn't dark yet.

The tractor belonged to the village production team. On the way back, they happened to pass by the team office, so Jiang Xia accompanied Zhou Chenglei to return the tractor before they walked home together.

The Zhou family was waiting for them to eat.

Tian Caihua couldn't help but say when she saw them return: "You're finally back! I was about to starve to death!"

Then, Tian Caihua saw the malted milk powder and condensed milk in Zhou Chenglei's hands, and her expression changed instantly: "Guangzong, Yaozu, your uncle bought you malted milk powder."

She had given birth to four sons, named Zhou Wenguang, Zhou Wenzong, Zhou Wenyao, and Zhou Wenzu.

The brothers ran over as soon as they heard: "Fourth Uncle, you're the best!"

When Zhou Chenglei went back to return the Sarsaparilla bottle, he had bought a tin of malted milk powder and two tins of condensed milk, thinking that since Jiang Xia got dizzy so easily, he should get her something to nourish her body.

So, Zhou Chenglei avoided his nephews' reaching hands and only gave one tin of condensed milk to the eldest nephew, Zhou Wenguang: "The doctor said your Fourth Aunt is weak and needs nourishment. The supply and marketing cooperative only had one tin of malted milk powder left, so I'm keeping that for her. I bought you all a tin of condensed milk."

Jiang Xia hadn't expected it was for her, and the doctor hadn't said she was weak! He only told her to drink more water.

"Remember to share it with your little sister," Zhou Chenglei said, glancing at the little niece sitting quietly by the dining table.

Jiang Xia followed his gaze to the little girl sitting obediently in the room.

The little girl should be Zhou Zhou, the daughter of his third brother, Zhou Chengyan. The book stated that Zhou Chengyan had been lost at sea while fishing two years ago, and his wife had remarried shortly after, leaving behind a daughter who was over five years old.

The little girl was now eight. She sat obediently by the table waiting for dinner, looking over without fighting or grabbing.

Jiang Xia thought of her past life—losing her parents at three, growing up with her grandmother, being too scared to cry or make a fuss, and not daring to speak up when bullied at school for fear of causing trouble for her grandmother.

A five-year-old child, just starting to have memories, was at a very sensitive age.

Zhou Wenguang took the condensed milk with a smile, and the boys said happily: "Thank you, Fourth Uncle."

Even though there was no malted milk powder, condensed milk was also delicious!

Usually, their mother couldn't bear to buy it for them; they only got it when Fourth Uncle came back from the military camp.

Seeing that her sons only got one tin of condensed milk, Tian Caihua’s face lengthened immediately. She glared at Jiang Xia, snatched the condensed milk from her son's hand to prevent the children from fighting over it and dropping it.

Her brother-in-law really had too much money to spend. They were about to get a divorce, yet he still bought so many good things to nourish her—wasn't that a waste of money?

She took the condensed milk and hid it in her room.

Mother Zhou came out of the kitchen with a plate of vegetables. She also glanced at the malted milk powder and condensed milk in Zhou Chenglei's hands and asked Jiang Xia: "Did you see the doctor? What did he say?"

Jiang Xia: "The doctor said it's nothing serious. He prescribed some fever medicine. I feel much better now, I'm fine."

Mother Zhou nodded: "That's good. Drink plenty of water when you have a fever. Let's eat first; taking medicine after the meal won't hurt your stomach."

When sending someone back, you couldn't arrive empty-handed. Since the malted milk and condensed milk were already bought, a few dollars spent was worth it.

Mother Zhou just wanted her to get well quickly so she could be sent away; otherwise, there would be no peace in the house.

"Alright, I'll go wash my hands first," Jiang Xia replied.

Mother Zhou didn't say anything else and carried the vegetables into the hall.

Zhou Chenglei had intended to take the malted milk and condensed milk to Jiang Xia's room, but seeing her go to wash her hands, he took them there himself.

The Zhou family had a water well and had installed a hand-cranked pump.

Jiang Xia had never used one, but when Zhou Chenglei carried her out of the courtyard to see the doctor earlier, she had seen Mother Zhou pressing that long handle, and water had come out.

Jiang Xia grabbed the pump handle and, imitating Mother Zhou, shook it up and down.

The pump made a strange, thirsty sound, but no water came out.

She looked at the pump, at a loss: How do you use it? That period novel didn't teach her this!

Zhou Chenglei walked out and saw her pumping air.

He walked over, scooped a little water from the bucket nearby, and poured it into the pump. "Try pumping it now."

So it needed priming!

Jiang Xia hurriedly shook it up and down, but all the water flowed back into the well, and still, no water came out.

She looked at Zhou Chenglei blankly; she felt like she had become illiterate since coming here.

Zhou Chenglei: "Let me do it, you watch."

Jiang Xia quickly stepped aside.

Zhou Chenglei added water to the pump with one hand while rapidly moving the handle up and down with the other. Suddenly, water surged up, gushing out from the pump's spout.

"You have to pump it a bit faster. Once the friction is fast enough, the pump creates suction, and the water gets pulled up. You'll get the hang of it after trying a few more times."

Jiang Xia nodded, then reached into the flowing water to wash her hands clean.

After she finished, Zhou Chenglei used the remaining water to wash his own hands.

Jiang Xia stood by waiting for him to finish, then walked into the house with him to eat.

As Jiang Xia followed Zhou Chenglei across the threshold, he glanced at her sideways.

The family saw Jiang Xia walk in and looked at her with surprise.

Mother Zhou quickly moved the plate of shrimp in front of the empty seat to her grandson and moved a plate of salted vegetables in front of herself instead.

(End of chapter)