Chapter 10

When Sang Luo arrived, she carried a bowl; when she left, she was holding a wooden bucket used for fetching water. Inside the bucket were her own bowl and the hemp-stripping tool borrowed from Old Chen, while Shen An and Shen Ning each carried a large earthenware basin.

Old Madam Chen saw that Sang Luo had pulled herself together and sincerely hoped that she could help Shen An and Shen Ning raise their lives, so she was very willing to assist. She carefully rearranged things at home, tightening her belts, and managed to gather enough supplies for Sang Luo to conduct business at the market.

This trip to Chen’s house meant that all the tools needed for the next market sale were now complete, and Sang Luo’s mood was simply overjoyed!

No sooner had the three of them stepped out of the Chen household than Shen Jin peeked out from the neighboring Shen family courtyard. “Shen An, what are you doing at Chen’s? What are you holding?”

Shen An glanced at his cousin. “Borrowed some things.”

He didn’t even slow his pace.

Seeing this, Shen Jin’s curiosity only grew. He dashed out of his yard with quick steps, coming close to the three and peered at the two siblings. Noticing the basins were empty, his interest waned. Recalling a glimpse he had caught earlier, he asked, “What did you bring to Chen’s just now? I saw something in that bowl, bright green.”

Shen An’s lips instinctively pressed together, a flicker of caution in his eyes, but his voice remained normal, calm. “Wild vegetable dumplings.”

Although Shen Jin doubted it, he was too far away to see clearly. Considering that Shen An had to come to their house just to eat, it was unlikely he had anything good. He sneered and then asked, “Why didn’t you come for breakfast this morning? My mother said you knocked on our door late last night. Weren’t you starving?”

The word “begging” made Sang Luo frown.

But Shen An’s focus was elsewhere. He fixed his gaze on Shen Jin. “So Uncle and Aunt heard it last night?”

Even though he had expected as much, hearing it from Shen Jin made Shen An clench the basin tighter, his knuckles turning white.

If not for Old Chen and Old Madam Chen bringing sugar and grain yesterday, who knows what state his sister-in-law would be in now—certainly not walking and laughing, able to lead him and Ning around to find food.

Shen Jin didn’t see the difference. “Yeah, they heard. My mother said someone came borrowing grain in the middle of the night. My father specially told her this morning to save a few bites for you. Why didn’t you come?”

Before Shen An could reply, usually soft-spoken Shen Ning stepped in front of their second uncle and retorted, “Old Madam Chen lent us grain last night. By today, my sister-in-law almost lost her life. We are not beggars.”

The little girl wasn’t good at arguing; though fiercely angry, her words came out soft and weak, and her eyes reddened as she spoke.

Sang Luo saw her trembling body and red eyes and thought, This child might have a tear-prone constitution.

She quickly comforted Shen Ning with a gentle rub on the head but said nothing. Instead, she turned to Shen Jin and asked, “Little Jin, you’re eight years old now, right?”

Shen Jin looked puzzled. “Yeah, why?”

Sang Luo smiled faintly, but the smile was cold. “Eight is not an age without understanding. ‘Begging’ means being a pauper. Shen An is your cousin. That remark just now—you’d better go ask your parents if it’s appropriate.”

She had no interest in disciplining other people’s unruly children. Having said that, she didn’t wait for Shen Jin’s stunned reaction, patted Shen Ning’s shoulder, and said, “Alright. Sister-in-law will find a way to make sure you all eat your fill. You won’t have to keep borrowing grain. Let’s go home.”

The three left, and Shen Jin stood there dumbfounded for a while before realizing—did sister-in-law just call him ill-mannered? Probably, right? Definitely!

Shen Jin was angry. He had asked kindly why they didn’t come to eat, and he got scolded instead? Gritting his teeth, he turned and dashed back home, determined to mimic his mother and make sure his father heard it too!

---

Mr. and Mrs. Shen were about to take a midday nap when their eldest son came running in, breathlessly complaining.

Mrs. Li laughed with a knowing smile. “Hey, they said it themselves. If they don’t come, all the better for me.”

She looked at Mr. Shen. “See? I’m not their blood relative, so they don’t take me seriously. But you are their real uncle. It’s just a few wild vegetable dumplings—they have nothing to do with you. Don’t bother worrying about it.”

She sneered. “A few wild vegetable dumplings—who cares?”

...

What Mrs. Li didn’t care for, the Chen family highly prized.

Normally, farmers only ate two meals a day and wouldn’t eat outside meal times. But the novelty of what Sang Luo had brought was irresistible. No one in the Chen family had ever seen such a thing. The youngest granddaughter, Xiao Ya’er, had heard from Shen An and Shen Ning that it was especially delicious. As soon as Sang Luo left, she pestered her grandmother to try a piece first.

That one taste was unstoppable. The bright green, jelly-like delicacy—where would farm children in ancient times have ever tasted such a thing?

Xiao Ya’er’s eyes sparkled as she scooped a piece with her spoon and offered it to her grandmother’s mouth.

“Especially delicious! Grandma, you try some too!”

When Old Madam Chen took a bite, she was surprised to find it sweet, with a truly pleasant texture.

In the end, what was meant as a first taste for Xiao Ya’er became a family affair; everyone tried a bit of the new delicacy.

The old lady brought the bowl, which Shen Ning called “immortal tofu,” to the main room for the family to sample. She sighed, “Last night we sent over two small pieces of malt sugar, and half of it must have been dissolved by Sang Luo into a syrup to mix into this immortal tofu.”

They had just a bit of sugar but were generous enough to add it.

Old Madam Chen felt a warmth in her heart, grateful that Sang Luo’s softhearted gesture and the generous one-liter of rice she gave yesterday hadn’t been wasted.

Chen Youtian and Qin Fangniang each tasted a piece, recognized its quality, but refused to eat more, leaving it all to the elders and children. Qin Fangniang, watching her daughter enjoy the treat, felt her morning worries—when she heard that Old Madam Chen had sent two liters of rice to the Shen family’s main household in the mountains—fade away. She praised, “Sang Luo’s hands are truly skillful. I wonder what mountain ingredient she used and what method made it look so good.”

Old Madam Chen glanced at her. “About skills, if it’s not something we should ask, don’t ask. Otherwise, it could offend people.”

Chen’s daughter-in-law blinked, “Mother, I didn’t mean that.”

Old Madam Chen smiled. “I know. Just a reminder: That child will probably rely on this skill to make a living. The fact she can bring things here means she trusts us. Don’t talk about it outside.”

She looked at her grandchildren. “You two, don’t talk about sister-in-law making this food outside, understand?”

Qin Fangniang and the children nodded repeatedly.

---

Meanwhile, Shen An and Shen Ning silently followed Sang Luo back. After a short walk, Shen Ning couldn’t help but ask, “Sister-in-law, can we really rely on ourselves to eat our fill from now on?”

Today, sister-in-law had turned mountain leaves into food—beautiful and delicious food—but Shen Ning still felt uncertain.

Shen An was happy to see his sister protecting him and couldn’t bear to see her sad or scared. Before Sang Luo could speak, he comforted her, “What’s there to be afraid of? We lived on wild vegetables every day before. Now sister-in-law can make immortal tofu. When we have no grain, we can eat immortal tofu every day. Immortal tofu is so delicious!”

It was definitely better than boiled wild greens.

“And sister-in-law said we can make this and sell it for money. With money, we can buy grain.”

Sang Luo smiled, listening to this ancient version of a protective older brother soothing his sister, and confirmed in time, “Xiao An is right. Immortal tofu is a good thing. But it can’t replace meals. Still, selling it to buy grain is true.”

With both sister-in-law and second brother saying so, Shen Ning’s expression relaxed, her future suddenly seeming brighter, and life more hopeful.

The three chatted and laughed as they walked home. Along the way, they spotted wild onions and purslane, casually plucking some to take with them. When they went to check the fish basket in the evening, they would also look for purslane. Together, it would make a dish for dinner.

Back home, Shen Ning’s face was free of worry. She put down the tools and helped Sang Luo strip hemp.

Shen An, however, kept glancing toward the mountains. After a few looks, he suggested to Sang Luo, “Sister-in-law, I’ll go pick some more immortal tree leaves. We can make some more for dinner.”

He hadn’t really eaten enough at noon.

Shen An and Shen Ning had grown up with their uncle and aunt. Back then, Shen Lie was only a youth, barely able to care for his younger siblings, secretly adding snacks caught from hunting birds, eggs, fish, or crabs. But they had never had treats like this before.

For the two kids, immortal tofu really was a top-notch delicacy. How could they not crave more? The single bowl shared by three was far from enough.

Hearing her brother, Shen Ning looked at Sang Luo, clearly tempted.

Sang Luo smiled. “Alright, just look around here. Don’t go too deep.”

Shen An nodded repeatedly. “No need to go deep. There are plenty of these nearby.”

Shen Ning couldn’t stay still either. Sang Luo waved her off, “If you want to come along, then come. I can strip the hemp myself.”

Shen Ning’s eyes shone brightly. “Then I’ll come, and I’ll look for some purslane too.”

The two happy children ran off. As they walked, Shen An quietly instructed his sister, “Don’t break the branches. Pick only the good leaves sister-in-law said. Spread out the picking so we don’t ruin the whole patch. Otherwise, if there’s nothing in the next few days and the villagers find out we’re selling this at the market, they might get suspicious.”

Shen Ning nodded firmly. “Second brother, I remember.”