Chapter 4: Helping Out

Su Li gritted her teeth and exerted every ounce of strength she had.

Chen Xiang was somewhat surprised by Su Li's sudden appearance. Hadn't she left? Why was she suddenly back, and even being kind enough to help her?

"Where should I push the stone?"

Su Li glared at the dazed Chen Xiang. She was exhausted to death, yet Chen Xiang still had time to stand there blankly!

"Over there!" Chen Xiang pointed to a spot.

Su Li pushed the stone with all her might. As the stone rolled out of the pit, it slipped backward slightly, and Su Li silently moved her feet out of the way.

Chen Xiang followed behind Su Li, clutching her waist.

"Done!" Su Li clapped her hands.

"Thank you so much for today." Chen Xiang's voice was somewhat choked with emotion.

In the few years since she had married into this family, because her husband was a cripple, the villagers looked down on him, and by extension, they looked down on her and her children.

Never mind helping her—they wouldn't even say a kind word!

Su Li noticed that Chen Xiang's hand was constantly clutching her waist; she must have sprained it while pushing the stone just now.

"It looks like you've sprained your waist. Let me take a look for you."

"No, no need!" Chen Xiang dodged.

Su Li's expression hardened. "If you don't treat it in time, that waist will hurt for at least three months. If you can't work..."

"Then help me look at it!" Before Su Li could even finish her sentence, Chen Xiang hurriedly cut her off.

Su Li followed Chen Xiang into the house.

Embarrassed, Chen Xiang rolled up her clothes. Su Li took a look and gave it a squeeze; it was indeed a sprain, but fortunately, it wasn't too serious.

"Hiss—" Chen Xiang gasped in pain.

With an air of seasoned experience, Su Li said, "It's a sprain. Don't do any heavy labor for the next few days. I'll write you a prescription, and you'll be fine after drinking it for a few days."

If only she had silver needles, she could guarantee that a few punctures would cure the ailment instantly.

Chen Xiang's expression became strange, looking as if she wanted to say something but hesitated.

Su Li simply assumed she was too moved to think otherwise. She directly wrote a prescription for Chen Xiang and instructed her

"Remember to go get the medicine prepared."

Chen Xiang nodded. "Thank you!"

She had never heard of Su Li knowing medical skills. This prescription-writing felt like playing house; she just hoped the woman wouldn't poison her to death!

Regardless, she would deal with the situation in front of her first. Whether or not she actually went to get the medicine was none of Su Li's business!

After leaving Chen Xiang's house, Su Li headed straight toward the mountain. This time, she wasn't just going up the mountain to pick Spikenard; she also planned to dig up some wild vegetables to bring back. There was nothing to eat at home, and if she didn't dig up some wild greens, there would be nothing for dinner.

"Amaranth!"

Just as Su Li finished picking the Spikenard, she discovered a large patch of amaranth. This was a huge surprise.

The tender leaves and inflorescences of amaranth are edible, the whole plant and seeds can be used as medicine, and the seeds can also be used as a substitute for sesame in pastries. She had truly struck gold this time.

Su Li rolled up her sleeves and began cutting the amaranth with the broken sickle from her basket.

Su Li only stopped once her basket was full of amaranth.

Su Li looked up and wiped the sweat from her forehead. Now that her fever had just broken and she had broken into a sweat, she felt even more physically weak.

Just as she was about to turn and leave, a rustling sound came from behind her.

The hair on Su Li's neck stood on end.

It was getting dark; could there be some fierce beast coming down the mountain?

Su Li looked down at her chipped sickle, her heart thumping wildly.

Forget it, of the thirty-six stratagems, running away is the best!

Su Li exerted her primordial strength and bolted away in a flash, leaving nothing but a blur behind.

He Yufeng watched the retreating figure with an expressionless face and continued walking back, carrying the things on his shoulders.

Su Li finally made it to the foot of the mountain. She leaned against her knees, panting heavily. This body was truly too weak; she needed to nourish it properly.

"Brother, she's back."

He Erhu was standing at the courtyard gate. Seeing Su Li's figure, he immediately shouted toward the courtyard.

He Dahu stood up, pretending not to care, and glanced toward the gate.

"If she's back, she's back. How could someone as big as her get lost?"

As Su Li approached, she saw He Erhu standing at the gate and thought he was waiting for her. She flashed what she considered to be a very friendly smile, intending to greet him, but before she could speak, He Erhu had already vanished.

He Erhu's boisterous voice came from inside the courtyard.

"Brother, she just smiled at me! She looks so pretty when she smiles."

Recalling Su Li's smile just now, He Erhu couldn't help but let a silly grin spread across his face.

"Hehe." He laughed unconsciously.

He Dahu said seriously, "Don't be fooled by her appearance. Watch out, or she might take us to be sold again."

Su Li: "..."

In her memories, the original owner had actually done such a thing. Once, when He Dahu and He Erhu were being bullied outside, they cried all the way home, intending to complain to Su Li so she would stand up for them.

Who knew the original owner found their crying annoying? She had dragged them to town, intending to sell the two children. If He Yufeng hadn't arrived in time, these two might really have been sold by her!

Su Li couldn't help but press her forehead. Had the original owner's brain malfunctioned? To sell even her own biological sons!

Looking at the two filthy brothers, Su Li couldn't bear it any longer. She boiled a large pot of water, preparing to help them bathe.

"What are you doing?" He Dahu gripped the clothes on his chest tightly.

Su Li rolled up her sleeves. "Helping you bathe, of course. Look at how black you both are. Hurry up and take your clothes off for me."

He Dahu said righteously, "Daddy said that men and women should not touch intimately, so you cannot take off my clothes."

Su Li: "..."

A three-year-old brat was lecturing her on propriety!

Su Li's expression turned fierce as she brandished her fist. "Come here and bathe, or I'll beat you."

"O-Okay then!" He Erhu was the first to surrender.

He wouldn't tell anyone that he actually wanted Su Li to help him bathe. Ever since he had memories, Su Li had never been this good to him.

This was something he craved; only a fool would refuse.

He Dahu gave the spineless He Erhu a look, then also put on a face of hesitation and helplessness.

Watching the two boys soaking obediently in the water, Su Li thought to herself that reasoning was indeed useless; a hard fist was the only true way.

Su Li carefully helped the two brothers bathe. There was no soap here, so she could only use soap pods to scrub them.

In a short while, a layer of black grime floated to the surface of the water.

Su Li suppressed the urge to vomit, cursing He Yufeng and the original owner in her heart over and over again.

Before He Yufeng even entered the courtyard, he heard the sounds of laughter from inside the house. He stopped outside, somewhat uncertain if he had walked into the wrong place.

"Alright, the water is getting cold. Get up." Su Li's voice came from inside.

This was immediately followed by the obedient responses of He Dahu and He Erhu.

That woman was actually kind enough to bathe the children? That didn't sound like her!

He Dahu and He Erhu didn't have many decent clothes; every piece had several holes. Su Li picked out one set for them to wear first, intending to mend them later.

"Daddy's back!"

As He Erhu was spinning around in the room, he caught sight of He Yufeng out of the corner of his eye and rushed toward him excitedly.

(End of Chapter)