MTLNOVEL Chapter 354: 354. Meeting
The Qin family is eating wild vegetable soup, looking satisfied.
Thanks to arriving at Hua Village, the wild vegetables here are abundant, and no one competes with them. They can finally eat three meals a day; although all three meals are wild vegetable porridge, compared to the hunger of the past two years, now it's almost like living a fairy's life. Their stomachs no longer hurt from hunger.
Not only that, but they can pick a large quantity of wild vegetables and mushrooms every day, and the mountain herbs enrich them further—they've stored quite a lot. The crops in the fields are also growing well. Since coming to Hua Village, the Qin family feels that life finally has some promise.
"Big brother, later in the afternoon I want to go with you to the mountain to dig out the rest of the arrowroots," Qin Lu says, drinking his bowl of arrowroot and wild vegetable porridge with a satisfied look.
"Sure," Qin Shu has no objections; that was his plan as well.
He just visited their field yesterday, so he didn't go today. Unable to sit still, he took his younger brother up the mountain.
They were quite lucky; while digging up a lot of wild vegetables, they also found a patch of arrowroot, thanks to a wild chicken. Otherwise, how could they find them amidst the dense shrubbery?
It's a large patch; despite digging for a long time, they only managed to dig up less than thirty percent. What they have is enough for the family to eat for a few days. Of course, the most important protagonist, the wild chicken, didn't escape; it's still alive, and they're keeping it in the bamboo basket to see if they can get eggs from it. If so, its life might be spared temporarily.
"Is there still a lot left?" The head of the family, Qin Dagen, looks at his son curiously.
"There's still quite a bit left," Qin Shu smiles.
"Then I should go with you," digging into his own hands truly brings peace of mind.
"Alright," Qin Shu nods.
"Son, digging them all out won't make them spoil, will it?" Li asks with some worry.
If it wasn't for her son saying they're edible, they wouldn't know this tree-like root is arrowroot, a medicinal herb, and can also be eaten.
Li really doesn't know how to preserve them; if they're all dug up and spoil, it would be a waste of such a food resource.
Qin Shu replies, "Rest assured, mom, they won't spoil. When the time comes, we'll dry them and make them into arrowroot powder. We can eat them for a long time."
"Yes, yes, yes," Qin Dagen thinks the same.
Even elm bark can be dried and eaten as powder, let alone arrowroot, which is inherently medicinal. What's most surprising is that the taste isn't as bad as they imagined; instead, it's quite decent, with a hint of sweetness and a soft texture.
"Really?" After all, those are herbs, not real grains, Li is still somewhat worried.
"Of course, rest assured. I've seen all this in books; there won't be any issues."
Upon hearing that it's from books, Li immediately relaxes; to her, anything from books surely is correct.
Indeed, it's all from books, not from a college but from books copied while at the bookshop.
"Alright, you all go; I'll stay home to keep watch."
Now that the house and courtyard walls have been built, Li staying alone at home isn't as worrying as before, so the men can afford to leave for a longer time.
Qin Dagen nods, drinks the leftover broth from his bowl, and smiles contentedly.
As long as the family can be together, he feels satisfied wherever they are.
"Knock, knock, knock..."
Just as Li is about to clean up the dishes, there's a knock on the door.
The family suddenly stands up as if facing an enemy, looking at the door.
In Hua Village, they're the only family; who would come knocking at this time? Thinking about the epidemic, the family looks at the door even more nervously.
The Qin family's reaction is observed clearly by Hua Jin outside the door.
Isn't it a bit too tense?
Suspiciously, Hua Jin's suspicion grows further; something must have happened; otherwise, why would the usually trouble-averse Qin Shu bring his family to relocate to Hua Village?
"Dad..." the two younger ones instinctively look at their father, eyes filled with tension.
Li also grabs her husband's sleeve involuntarily, her eyes flashing with unease.
They've come so far to avoid the plague; the person outside... should not have...
The more Li thinks, the more uneasy she becomes; her grip tightens until Qin Dagen gently holds her hand and pats it twice, restoring Li's strength.
"You stay here; I'll go look," Qin Dagen says.
"Dad, let me go," Qin Shu attempts to stop his father.
"No."
"No."
The unanimous voices, male and female, are from Qin Dagen and Li.
Li solemnly looks at her son, "No, you can't go..."
"Yes, stay here with your mother," Qin Dagen says just as seriously, then takes the unused cloth and covers his face, walking toward the door without saying more.
Outside, Hua Jin's eyes fixed on the cloth covering Qin Shu's father's mouth and nose, pondering.
"Who is it?"
His tone reveals clear vigilance; Hua Jin doesn't rush to answer but quickly dons her mask.
"Shouldn't I ask you who you are? Why are you at my home?" Hua Jin feigns ignorance, raising her brows slightly.
After all, officially, she doesn't yet know who's living in the courtyard.
She must maintain the pretense.
Hua Jin's words make Qin Dagen, who has already picked up a wooden stick, hesitate, then he quickly heads to the door. But faster than him is another person: his eldest son, Qin Shu.
Qin Shu's face lights up with unmistakable joy, his eyes even brighter than usual. Upon hearing the familiar voice, his body reacts faster than his mind, arriving at the door, opening it, and seeing Hua Jin dressed as a young man with a short outfit at the door. Even though her mouth and nose are tightly covered, Qin Shu recognizes her instantly and couldn't help but smile.
"Hua Jin girl..."
Overjoyed, he didn't expect Hua Yunao's younger sister to come down the mountain.
Yet, as he steps aside, suddenly realizing their location, he can't help but feel embarrassed. After all, living in someone's house without permission is inherently improper.
"Hua Jin girl, I'm sorry for not..."
"Qin Shu brother, so it's you all?" Hua Jin says happily, her slightly adorned small face showing surprise, then joy, followed by a sigh of relief upon seeing them, smiling afterward.
Her expressions are so rich that the Qin family members who follow Qin Shu are taken aback but not displeased; she doesn't seem to be angry...
"Who is this..."
Li listens to their familiar tone and looks at her eldest son.
"Hello, auntie, I'm Hua Jin," Hua Jin reveals a mouthful of big white teeth, chuckling.
"Hua Jin..."
In Li's impression, someone named Hua Jin is the sister of her son's classmate who helped him before. Li has seen Hua Jin and starts scrutinizing the young person in front of her.
Indeed, with a closer look, she appears quite familiar; although she's grown, her facial changes aren't significant, still bearing traces of a former little girl.
"... You're the Hua family's girl," Li joyfully looks at the young person at the door; no, she should say young lady.
"Yes," Hua Jin smiles.
"Come in, quick, quick," Qin Dagen, having regained his composure, rubs his hands invitingly, his eyes showing embarrassment. After all, this is someone else's house; he's a bit like a cuckoo occupying a magpie's nest.
"Uncle Qin," Hua Jin continues to greet. Regardless of the past or now, she always thought well of Qin Shu's family; she happily continues to warm up to them.