Chapter 15: Two Little Things Repaying Kindness

Chapter 15: Two Little Creatures Who Repay Kindness

During dinner, the family gathered happily around a pot of chicken porridge. They couldn't bear to eat the wild rabbit and decided to save it for tomorrow. Wen Jiarui cleaned it and salted it; since the weather was cooling down, they didn't have to worry about it spoiling.

Mrs. Wang brought up the matter of the laundry work, noting that they wouldn't have to do that anymore, and then took the opportunity to mention the possibility of making silver by selling river snails.

Their family had no land, no house, and even their meals were inconsistent. They also needed to bring back Wenrou, who was being kept as a child bride, and Wenxin, the dishwasher. They desperately needed to earn money!

The family was incensed upon hearing about Granny Qian's actions. If she wouldn't do it, they wouldn't do it!

Wen Jiarui thought it over and felt that selling stir-fried snails during the busy farming season was feasible. He had once been a scholar and had gained broad knowledge while working away from home, making him more open to new ideas. If they could make the snails delicious, they could use them to earn more money, eventually bring their two daughters home, and buy the fertile land they were currently living on. After all, the longer they waited, the more trouble could arise.

So, he said, "I think this method is worth a try. It just so happens that the work in town is finished. I originally planned to help with the harvest during the busy season, but now let's sell snails instead! Tomorrow, Chun'er, Hou'er, and I will go down to the river to gather snails."

The family then agreed on how to divide the labor for gathering snails the next day and went to sleep.

Wen Jiarui and Mrs. Wu did not sleep. By the light of the fire and the moon, they worked in the courtyard, shaving bamboo to make a fence, staying up until midnight before finally turning in.

It was the night the children slept most soundly. Because they were full, and because they felt the warmth of their bodies, discovered the fertile land, and found a way to earn money, they all felt that the future was bright.

The next day, the family rose at the crack of dawn. Wen Jiarui even got up before daybreak to refill the water vat. Then, using the fence they had made the night before, they enclosed the vegetable garden. The two brothers and Mrs. Wu all helped with the fencing.

Wenran was responsible for watering the vegetables. After one night, the vegetables had all grown large and were ready to eat!

This discovery made everyone even happier!

Wenran and Mrs. Wang were responsible for cleaning the snails and making breakfast.

Cleaning snails was quite a chore; one had to scrub the mud off the shells and trim the snail's tails.

By the time Wenran finished stir-frying the snails and simmering the white porridge, the others had also finished their tasks.

Wenran placed a large plate of exceptionally fragrant and spicy stir-fried snails on the table. Because the snails were stir-fried with green and red chilies, scallions, and perilla, the family watched the enticing luster reflecting off the red, green, and purple colors. The snails, looking like dark green gems, made their mouths water.

Wenhou couldn't help but sniff the air and said, "It smells so good! It looks delicious."

"Then eat quickly!"

Breakfast consisted of a pot of milky white porridge paired with spicy stir-fried snails and sweet, crisp bok choy picked from the courtyard. The family ate until their bellies were round and full.

Wenluo rubbed his round belly and said, "It's too delicious! I want more even after eating! People will definitely buy these spicy stir-fried snails!"

"Today's bok choy is especially sweet, crisp, and refreshing. This land really is a treasure trove." Mrs. Wang felt an even greater urgency to buy the land.

They currently had two taels of silver and 300 wen, which was enough to buy two acres of wasteland.

However, she was worried about Wenran's health; since they might need the money suddenly, she decided to wait until they sold the snails to see how much they earned before making the purchase.

Wenhou said, "The vegetables are delicious, and the snails are delicious too! I've decided, I'm definitely going to catch more snails later to earn money. It's too good! It'll be a huge hit!"

Wen Jiarui glanced at him. "Who is 'I'?"

Wenhou immediately sat up straight. "I am not 'I,' Father is!"

The whole family laughed. After laughing, they set off to gather snails, leaving only Wenran at home to guard the door, as her weak constitution made her unsuitable for going into the river.

Wenran didn't want to go gather snails either; she wanted to go up the mountain to see if there was anything else she could find to earn money.

As the saying goes, one lives off the mountains if they live by the mountains, and off the water if they live by the water.

Just as everyone had left and Wenran was about to head up the mountain, an eagle flew down from the sky.

The eagle held a mountain chicken in one claw.

It placed the chicken in front of Wenran, circled her once, and then landed on the ground.

Wenran pointed at the two mountain chickens on the ground. "For me?"

Xiao Hei nodded.

Wenran couldn't help but squat down to pet its head. "You really are a grateful eagle!"

The eagle looked blissful, then turned its head to glance at the courtyard gate: *There's more!*

Wenran thought of something and ran to open the gate. Sure enough, she saw the Gray Wolf!

The Gray Wolf had a mountain chicken in its mouth and a goat slumped on its back. It wagged its tail, its eyes full of placating intent. It took two steps forward, gesturing for Wenran to move aside so it could enter.

Another one had come to repay the kindness!

Wenran quickly stepped aside to let it in. *These two little spirits actually know how to repay kindness!*

The Gray Wolf bypassed Wenran, entered the courtyard, and set down the mountain chicken from its mouth and the goat from its back.

Wenran stroked the fur on the Gray Wolf's head; it was soft and pleasant to touch. "Thank you, you two little things! At least you have a conscience!"

*After selling me to its master, it still knows to share some meat for me to eat!!*

The Gray Wolf was dissatisfied. It glanced at the eagle: *Xiao Hei is small, but I am not small at all. I am strong, healthy, tall, and mighty!*

Wenran felt she understood its gaze and smiled. "Thank you, Big Thing!"

Gray Wolf Mother: "..."

*What do you mean 'Big Thing'? I am not a 'thing,' I am a wolf!*

It looked at Wenran with a face full of grievance.

Wenran burst out laughing!

At that moment, a scent wafted into the Gray Wolf's nose. The Gray Wolf no longer cared whether it was a "thing" or not!

It sniffed the air and headed toward the kitchen.

In the kitchen, there was still a large bowl of leftover snails from breakfast, and in the stove, there was a pot of wild rabbit meat prepared for lunch that she had just extinguished.

The Gray Wolf stood motionless in front of the stove.

Xiao Hei also flew in, opening its beak wide, drooling.

Wenran followed them. Seeing them like this, she took out the leftover snails from the pot, used bamboo skewers to pick out the meat, and fed them.

Soon, the large bowl of snails was finished. The two little creatures turned their heads and looked expectantly at the chipped earthenware pot in the stove.

Watching their greedy expressions, Wenran chuckled. She patted their heads. "That isn't ready yet; it needs to simmer longer to be delicious. Come back at noon to eat! Since you brought so much prey, I'll make medicinal chicken and mutton for you at noon. Now, Gray Wolf, can you take me up the mountain to look for medicinal herbs?"

The Gray Wolf's eyes lit up, and it nodded.

Upon hearing there would be medicinal chicken, Xiao Hei flew a happy circle around Wenran to show its joy, then soared into the blue sky toward the mountains to catch a chicken.

It liked eating medicine, and it liked eating chicken!

The Gray Wolf gestured for Wenran to climb onto its back to take her up the mountain, completely forgetting that its master had told it to go down the mountain to bring Wenran to him to treat his hand.

"Wait, I need to lock the gate."

So, Wenran took a bamboo pole and a small sickle, put on her basket, locked the gate, and then the Gray Wolf led her up the mountain.

The Gray Wolf was very fast, quickly bringing Wenran into the deep mountains.

The outer mountains had no more medicinal herbs; they were only found in the deep mountains.

The Gray Wolf brought Wenran to the place where Feng Nianchen frequently gathered herbs.

The vegetation here was more lush than in the outer mountains, with a thick layer of fallen leaves covering the ground.

A squirrel was gnawing on a pine nut; seeing the newcomers, it jumped in fright and scurried up a tree.

As Wenran climbed down from the Gray Wolf's back, she happened to spot a Sichuan pepper plant. She picked all the peppers from the tree; adding these to dishes made them fragrant and numbing.

Sichuan pepper is the leader of the "Thirteen Spices," possessing a rich aroma and pure numbing quality, making it useful for both seasoning and medicinal purposes.

The Gray Wolf bit the hem of Wenran's trousers and tugged, signaling her to follow it.

Wenran followed it a few steps and arrived in front of a plant that was about to bloom.

This was...