The day after Lin He returned home, she took Chen'er and Xiao Jun with her eldest aunt to the hilltop again to pick some flowers. At this season, the peach blossoms were also blooming beautifully, delicate pink, with a fresh and elegant fragrance, which Lin He believed would be excellent for making ointments.

They gathered some magnolia flowers and some peach blossoms. Lin He searched further into the mountain woods and surprisingly discovered a few cherry blossom trees on the hill, and the cherry blossoms were also in full bloom at this time.

In her past life, many cosmetics and skincare products were refined from cherry blossoms; their effects were quite remarkable, and the price was slightly higher. Lin He took another bag and picked some cherry blossoms to take back. This time, they returned laden with treasures. Seeing the entire hilltop, Lin He felt even more reluctant to leave.

Last time, she had intended to ask her father to inquire about the ownership of this hill to see if it could be purchased. However, with so many matters at home, she had put it aside. Now that she had discovered such valuable resources, she was determined to discuss it with her father immediately upon returning.

Lin He asked her eldest aunt beside her, "Eldest Aunt, does this hill belong to our Lin Family Village? If I wanted to buy this hill, I wonder if the village would sell it."

Hong Yun's eyes widened upon hearing Lin He’s words, "He'er, buying this hill will require quite a sum of silver. This hill is not small; I fear it won't be bought for less than several hundred taels. This is different from land used for building houses. Everyone needs to build a house, so even buying land for that isn't overly expensive. This hill, I suspect, might even cost more than ordinary land."

Lin He was unaware of this perspective. She had assumed the price would be similar to that of ordinary sandy fields at most. The area was perhaps only ten to twenty mu, and she thought one hundred taels would suffice. If it were as her eldest aunt said, it might cost over two hundred taels. At that price, it seemed a bit too expensive.

Seeing Lin He hesitate, Hong Yun said, "He'er, this hill isn't owned by anyone anyway. We can just come up here to pick things whenever we need them. Why spend so much money to buy it? That’s a considerable sum."

Lin He knew her eldest aunt’s words held merit, but her own thoughts surely differed from her aunt's. Perhaps it was because she was accustomed to her previous life, where almost everything was privately owned, and even public property could not be misused carelessly.

Lin He decided to go back and think it over carefully. She was not very familiar with the concepts of ownership rights at this time and needed to understand the situation from all angles first. If it was truly as her aunt described, she probably wouldn't have enough silver to buy it anytime soon.

Lin He returned home and prepared to make the ointment. Since it was the eldest aunt’s first time helping, Lin He merely had her watch as a few of them worked, offering assistance where needed. Because Da Bao was absent, things felt a bit clumsy and hurried. By lunchtime, they had only managed to boil out one vat of ointment. Fortunately, Huang shi and Zhou shi were still using the outdoor stove in the yard to cook, so the main kitchen wasn't in use. Otherwise, with the ointment-making tools and materials cluttering the kitchen haphazardly, there would have been no space to move.

Lin He planned to ask her father to choose a good spot in the backyard to build a small house specifically as an ointment workshop once the field along the riverbank was prepared. That would be much more convenient. In the previous few times, making the ointment in their own kitchen meant that at mealtime, the whole family had to help move all the tools and ingredients out, which was too troublesome.

Building a separate workshop and purchasing all new tools required for the process would eliminate the need to make do in different spots. If it weren't for their family's lack of silver, Lin He would have already arranged for this.

When everyone returned for lunch, the courtyard was filled with a thick, rich fragrance. Da Sheng and Da Jiang smelled such a sweet aroma for the first time and asked what it was. Lin He didn't hide it from them but also didn't offer a detailed explanation, simply saying it was a type of ointment she was preparing, something for women to use.

Da Jiang and Da Sheng didn't press further. They understood that the money Er Niu's family had been earning lately must have its sources. Inquiring too much about the money-making methods that other families relied upon for survival was generally inappropriate.

In truth, Lin He and Er Niu hadn't intended to keep it secret from them. Firstly, they would frequently be helping out there in the future, and even if concealed now, they would eventually find out through constant coming and going. Secondly, they were family members, and both Da Sheng and Da Jiang were honest people who wouldn't gossip. Lastly, even if they knew, they still wouldn't be clear on the exact variety of raw materials involved.

Furthermore, Lin He had also told Zhou shi that she could come and help once the current rush subsided, and she had gifted her a box of the previously made orchid ointment, which Zhou shi adored. Coupled with the offer of a monthly wage of four hundred da qian for helping out, which would significantly improve the family's future life, Zhou shi was too grateful to Lin He's family to say much.

Because this batch of ointment included more varieties and a larger quantity, it took two days to complete, yielding one hundred boxes of each type, totaling three hundred boxes. Lin He planned to take Xiao Jun to the town the next day via Old Man Qin's ox cart to deliver the goods.

On the ox cart, Lin He realized that Xiao Jun was more sensible than the average child; he was quiet and spoke little. Unlike typical children who might jump and skip with excitement at the prospect of going to town, Lin He deliberately teased him, "Xiao Jun, Big Sister He is taking you to town, aren't you happy? Why are you so quiet?"

Xiao Jun pursed his lips and said, "Big Sister He, we aren't going to town to play. You are delivering goods to people. Grandpa told me not to talk too much, just to follow you and help with whatever you need. One shouldn't speak carelessly during business."

Old Man Qin smiled upon hearing his grandson's words. Lin He hadn't expected Old Man Qin to have such expectations for Xiao Jun. It seemed like too much pressure for a child. She smiled and said to Old Man Qin, "Grandpa Qin, although I am delivering goods to town, Uncle Wen and the others are familiar faces, and everything is settled. It’s nothing serious. Please don't set the standard too high for him; he is still young."

Old Man Qin laughed and replied, "He's not young anymore. He'er, how old are you now? Only two years older than Xiao Jun, yet look at everything you can do—that’s because you were encouraged from a young age. Xiao Jun is six this year; it’s not too late to start learning. Besides, he is a boy; he should learn more things sooner."

Lin He smiled. Of course, Old Man Qin didn't know that she, who was eight years old now, was actually a veteran of twenty-eight years. Comparing a six-year-old child to her was truly asking too much. "Old Man Qin, don't worry. Xiao Jun is so clever and sensible; he will surely amount to something when he grows up and will certainly accomplish great things."

"I don't hope for him to achieve anything grand or do great things. I just wish for him to grow up ordinarily, get married, have children, and live out his life peacefully," Old Man Qin said, naturally pleased by Lin He's praise of Xiao Jun.