"If we were rushing to a market, just a few villages over, or heading into the township, it wouldn't be far," Grandma Ying explained to her granddaughter. "But at our township, there’s only one barefoot doctor.

Your mother said they wouldn't be able to figure out what’s wrong." This was because Yingzi’s headache required a trip to the county seat.

Otherwise, the villagers wouldn’t venture to the county even once in a year or two unless it was a major emergency.

Listening to this, Yingzi felt her calves grow weak.

She suspected that before the road improvement, she would have been forced into being a homebody.

Cheng Ying, unsure if the original young girl had ever been to the township, cautiously asked her grandmother, "How far is it to the township?" Grandma Ying’s answer nearly made Cheng Ying spit blood: "Not far, just half a day’s walk!" What Cheng Ying sputtered out this time was streaks of spit—that’s not far? People in those days didn't seem to consider walking a big deal.

Chi Wu had already left with his biological father.

The old lady glanced outside, winked at Cheng Ying, and before Cheng Ying could figure out what was happening, she set her granddaughter down by the door.

Then she told her granddaughter, "Keep watch." Cheng Ying understood; this was a lookout duty.

Cheng Ying watched outside, keeping an eye on her own mother busy at the stove, and her grandmother sewing something onto a padded jacket.

Cheng Ying kept glancing over.

Her grandmother wasn't just sewing in cloth bundles inside the jacket.

This was certainly cautious enough.

If a thief came, they wouldn't be able to steal everything at once.

The old lady had certainly held something back.

When Grandma finished sewing, Cheng Ying crept over. "Grandma, take more ration coupons, please.

Who knows what they have in the city? If we see something we like, we can't possibly go home to get coupons then, can we?" Grandma Ying scolded her, "You child who doesn't know how to manage life! Always bringing nice things home, you spendthrift!" Cheng Ying endured the scolding but persisted in persuading her grandmother, "Grandma, take more.

Isn't there an old saying, 'Poor home, rich road'?" Grandma Ying looked at her granddaughter. "Silly girl, you need grain coupons and cloth coupons, but you also need money.

What good are just coupons? Don't think the money I brought back yesterday is a lot.

That has to last us for a whole year; we can't spend it recklessly.

Yingzi, life is earned, not thrown away, understand?" Cheng Ying nodded.

Everything her grandmother said was golden advice.

Every family’s life was built through effort.

But our current situation is special, Cheng Ying thought.

It was a pity she couldn't explain it clearly to her grandmother; Cheng Ying herself wasn't entirely clear yet.

She just agreed with her, "Grandma, we won't spend carelessly." The old lady nodded, then leaned in conspiratorially toward her granddaughter. "Even if you don't say anything, I’m taking everything.

We have no one home; what if we attract thieves?" Cheng Ying looked at her grandmother and thought, You’re afraid of a house thief.

You’re probably guarding against Chi Wu.

But taking it along was better.

It would be so inconvenient to go out and then have to return just to retrieve money.

Plus, she herself had money—over a hundred yuan given by her step-father.

Cheng Ying kept it tucked in her sock at all times.

Cheng Ying still hadn't found a truly secure place to hide it.

Her private spatial dimension couldn't even hold money, what kind of nonsense was that? But she didn't need to guess—money was worldly; her space was reserved for the refined.

Cheng Ying dared not curse the heavens again, but she certainly felt put out.

Just wait until you starve, then see how refined you can be.

Also, watching her grandmother’s actions, Cheng Ying realized she could sew her own money into the inner lining of her padded jacket, just like Grandma did.

Grandma’s wisdom was truly abundant. "Grandma, you think things through so thoroughly.

Can you sew an inner pocket into my jacket too?" The old lady looked at her granddaughter. "What do you need that for? It'll be uncomfortable to wear." Cheng Ying replied, "Didn't you promise me two yuan? I’m afraid the city is crowded and I might get robbed." The old lady nodded, recognizing her granddaughter’s cleverness. "Mm, our Yingzi knows what’s what." Saying that, she lifted Cheng Ying’s jacket lapel and, in a few swift motions, stitched a sturdy inner pocket.

It was discreet, and Grandma’s skill meant it was practically unnoticeable.

Cheng Ying was satisfied.

Looking at the size, it could easily hold two hundred yuan.

Mother and daughter fussed in the room for quite a while.

In Cheng Ying's estimation, her grandmother had secured all her movable assets on her person.

Only then did they settle down.

Cheng Ying was knitting socks nearby.

After finishing her organizing, Grandma glanced at her granddaughter. "Yingzi takes after me; both of us are nimble-fingered." Cheng Ying nodded. "Yes, both of us only need a glance to learn things; we have clever hands." The mother and daughter smiled, and Cheng Ying could see the gaps where her grandmother was missing teeth.

Yang Zhi lifted the door curtain, and Cheng Ying quickly tucked away her knitting.

Yang Zhi was truly easygoing; she didn't spare a thought for her own daughter's feet. "Mom, the dry rations are ready.

I wrapped up some flatbreads for you to eat on the road, but we don't have any preserved vegetables." The old lady looked at her daughter-in-law, annoyed.

Did this require asking? "When you're traveling, what preserved vegetables do you need? Tomorrow morning, I'll boil a kettle of water and fill the thermos.

You think you're going to the city for a vacation?" The old lady was judging her daughter-in-law for not being calculating enough in her provisions.

Cheng Ying completely agreed.

Yang Zhi had a good temperament, and she could pretty much ignore her mother-in-law’s attitude.

After hearing her mother-in-law's instructions, Yang Zhi agreed readily. "Alright, Mom, get some sleep early.

You leave in the middle of the night, and it’ll take two days of travel.

I'll fill the thermos tonight, and then I’ll go to your eldest brother’s house to fill another one." With that, she dropped the curtain and turned to leave.

Having been given a clear objective by the old lady, Yang Zhi instantly regained her energy.

Her own mother showed no sign of feeling criticized by her grandmother; not a hint of awkwardness crossed her face.

She didn't seem uncomfortable at all after being lectured, leaving enthusiastically instead.

This was a masochistic constitution.

Cheng Ying reaffirmed that her own mother was definitely the type who enjoyed being put down.

Cheng Ying looked at the dropped curtain with a frown.

The old lady looked at her granddaughter. "With your mother like this, if I don't keep an eye on things, she’d get sold and still help them count the money.

Forget the villagers, even your Second Aunt could chew her out over nothing." Cheng Ying nodded.

Too true.

But then again, besides the Second Aunt, who else would try to scheme against Cheng Ying’s mother? The people with vested interests were always family.

That was just how it was.

The old lady looked at her granddaughter, feeling that perhaps discussing this with her wasn't appropriate. "Our Yingzi doesn't need to worry about such things; our Yingzi is broad-minded, ha!" Cheng Ying nodded.

Arguing with her Second Aunt every day would certainly lead to constant petty squabbles, and that mindset would surely be restrictive.

The old lady possessed far-reaching vision. "It's kind of you to think so highly of me, Grandma.

Of course, we shouldn't stoop to the Second Aunt's level." Grandma Ying patted her granddaughter. "Yingzi is sensible." Cheng Ying wondered how that comment somehow connected back to her being sensible.

Grandma Ying continued, "Yingzi, you should sleep now, or you won't wake up in the night.

I need to make a trip to the village chief’s house." Yingzi looked out at the pitch-black sky. "Grandma, I’ll go with you; it’s dark." The old lady looked outside. "No need.

Yingzi, you sleep.

I walk this path often; I can do it with my eyes closed." Cheng Ying obediently sat on the heated brick bed. "Okay, I’ll warm your quilt for you." Grandma nodded happily. "When I cleaned the backyard today, I packed up your things.

Yingzi, for that fish, Grandma will use half." Cheng Ying looked at her grandmother.

What was half a fish used for? "Grandma, just take it all." Grandma Ying said, "Our Yingzi is so understanding.

When the team catches more fish later, Grandma will make it up to you.

But right now, our family doesn't have much presentable to offer; only fish is left." Cheng Ying realized the truth: Grandma wasn't just going out in the dark for no reason—she was going to offer a gift.

She was knowledgeable.

Cheng Ying got off the kang. "Don't take half; take it all." Cheng Ying worried that giving too little might be slighted.

Grandma Ying saw how perceptive her granddaughter was, far more teachable than her daughter-in-law.

Her finger, thin as a dry twig, poked Cheng Ying’s forehead. "I can only give half.

If you give the whole thing, people will know you were poaching fish on the ice." Cheng Ying thought, Isn't that right? This is stolen goods; it’s generous enough just to offer it. "Grandma, it’s fine." Grandma Ying explained, "It's fine.

Earlier, when we stewed fish at home, I already mentioned in the village that I was getting Yingzi a fish head for soup.

Doesn't that make the remaining half useful?" Cheng Ying admired her grandmother; she had already laid the groundwork so early.

In those days, even getting a fish was difficult.

Cheng Ying watched her grandmother leave, holding a needlework basket, likely containing that half-fish.

Cheng Ying didn't lock the door.

She continued knitting socks while waiting for Grandma, of course, sitting squarely on the warmed quilt, warming it for Grandma.

In the bitter cold of deep winter, her grandmother was running around like this all because of her.

Cheng Ying’s hands moved fast, and her socks knitted quickly.

She resolved in her heart to be extremely filial to her grandmother in the future.

Thinking of the future, Cheng Ying quickly shut the door and slipped into her spatial dimension.

Cheng Ying looked at the various specimens she had gathered from the mountain today.

First, she picked up a clod of earth.

Ginseng! Cheng Ying’s hands trembled slightly.

Cheng Ying had only ever seen real wild ginseng in television commercials.

She genuinely wanted to break open the dirt clump.

She trusted her spatial dimension somewhat.

If even a millet grain could sprout seedlings, then ginseng without soil should also be fine.

Cheng Ying took a deep breath and placed the ginseng into the pool of water that had soaked the wool.

In a few quick motions, she rinsed off the dirt.

Holding the piece in her hand, smaller than her pinky finger, Cheng Ying nearly cried.

No wonder her mother said it wasn't worth much—what kind of ginseng was this? Cheng Ying held it for a long time but couldn't appreciate anything about it.

It looked like a small piece of dried radish, completely lacking any fine root hairs.

She casually picked up a wooden stick—which turned out to be a branch from an old pear tree—dug a small hole, and buried the ginseng near the edge of the water pool.

She stuck the branch into the ground not far from the pool.

Live or die, I don't care.

Instead, she planted the honeysuckle vine her mother had mentioned near the pool that Cheng Ying thought might be edible.

Cheng Ying placed great hope in this vine.

Her space mainly produced flowers, and since her mother said honeysuckle was the best medicinal herb, Cheng Ying’s ambition had upgraded from buying radish seeds to becoming a medicinal merchant—a qualitative shift! There was hope, certainly.

Of course, Cheng Ying had grabbed many other things from the mountain haphazardly.

Without identifying them, Cheng Ying buried every single thing in the soil.

Grow if you want to.