Supporting the Family

What the heck, a hang?

Chen Sanshi didn't react for a moment.

Originally, even if he had a bow and arrows, he wouldn't have had much confidence in hitting prey.

After all, hunting is a skill.

If it were that easy, everyone would have been eating meat long ago.

But now, with the System Panel, the situation was vastly different!

"What are you spacing out for? Are the arrows faulty?"

Old Xu waved his hand in front of the stunned youth.

Chen Sanshi snapped back to reality and quickly found an excuse: "It's nothing, I just remembered my dad."

"Ah~ your dad was a good man, what a shame!"

Mentioning the original body's father, Old Xu also sighed endlessly.

Chen Sanshi didn't say anything more. After paying the copper coins and taking his goods, he left immediately.

He carried his bow and arrows, walking and stopping, and headed straight for the foot of Tiger Head Mountain, about ten miles away.

The mountain was the closest place in Poyang County with prey, and it was also the livelihood for many hunters.

Chen Sanshi had just recovered from a serious illness, and after walking such a long distance, he was so tired he was panting. He sat on a rock and rested for a long while before recovering.

He carefully examined the bow and arrows left by his father.

Judging by its construction, it was a typical recurve bow.

The bow body was made of bamboo, the bow limbs of willow wood, the grip of hardwood, and the string of sinew. The draw weight was about forty jin, still considered a soft bow.

Chen Sanshi raised the bow, and the System Panel from before reappeared in his mind.

[Skill: Archery (Uninitiated)]
[Progress: (20/100)]
[Effect: None]

This time, with no one to disturb him, he was able to calm down and figure out the system's function.

Simply put, it was about grinding!

As long as he continuously and diligently performed an action, he would gain progress. Once the progress was complete, he would definitely break through.

"If that's the case, as long as I practice hard, won't I have a chance to become the most formidable Master Archer in all of Poyang County in the future?"

Chen Sanshi's heart was instantly filled with hope. Recalling the insights his father had taught him in his childhood, he slowly raised the bow and arrow.

"Is a forty-jin bow this heavy?"

He struggled greatly to draw the bow, almost gritting his teeth to draw it fully. He couldn't imagine what kind of people those legendary figures who could draw stone bows were like.

"Body upright, force steady, nocking correctly, drawing smoothly, pushing forward and moving back, bow drawn, stance complete."

Muttering the incantation in his mind, Chen Sanshi stood up straight, drew the bow, and nocked an arrow. He faced a tree trunk about as thick as a person's embrace, forty meters away. His left hand pushed the bow body forward, and his right hand pulled the bowstring with three fingers. The arrowhead was aimed slightly downward. He released the arrow.

"Whoosh—"

The arrow flew out, missing the target and hitting another tree.

Chen Sanshi wasn't discouraged. He immediately took another arrow from his quiver, aimed at the target, and shot again.

This time, the arrow landed directly in the grass.

"Again!"

Chen Sanshi shot five times in a row and finally hit the tree trunk.

He walked forward and carefully pulled the arrow out of the tree trunk, repeating the previous action.

After several repetitions, he summarized the rules for improving his archery progress.

As long as he shot an arrow with his full attention, regardless of whether it hit the target or not, he would gain proficiency.

If he wasn't focused enough, it wouldn't work.

Furthermore, successfully hitting the target yielded more progress.

After shooting more than sixty arrows, Chen Sanshi's muscles began to cramp.

His body was already weak, and coupled with malnutrition, being able to shoot so many times consecutively was already quite difficult.

Fortunately, with each arrow shot, his proficiency increased. And the further he went, the higher his accuracy became; he rarely missed at a distance of twenty paces anymore.

[Skill: Archery (Uninitiated)]
[Progress: (70/100)]
[Effect: None]

He was not far from becoming initiated, but Chen Sanshi had very little strength left.

After resting for a while, he began to walk through the forest with his bow and arrows, wanting to see if he could use his remaining strength to hunt some meat to eat.

Unfortunately, this area was too close to the town, and the easily catchable prey had basically all been taken.

He wandered until evening before finding a few wild pigeons, but they were too far away for him to hit.

"Last life, I always went home empty-handed when fishing. Now, I'm going home empty-handed from hunting too?"

Fortunately, it wasn't a complete bust.

Before heading down the mountain, Chen Sanshi found a patch of wild shepherd's purse and quickly dug it up with his bare hands, tucking it into his embrace before descending the mountain to go home.

On the way, he passed through the market and learned that food prices had risen again.

Due to consecutive years of poor harvests, the price of rice in Poyang County had already skyrocketed to a hundred copper coins per dou. Meat prices were even more outrageously expensive, with a jin of pork costing a staggering seventeen copper coins. Add to that oil, salt, soy sauce, vinegar, cloth, firewood, charcoal, candles, and various other exorbitant taxes and levies...

Chen Sanshi couldn't imagine how many common folk wouldn't survive this winter.

He estimated that grain prices would rise further, so he decided to use all the remaining copper coins in his possession to buy rice and mixed grains, along with a few salted duck eggs.

"One dou of rice and half a dou of mixed flour is only enough for two people for three to five days. If I replaced it all with millet mixed with chaff, it could last a few more days."

But Chen Sanshi had no choice.

Since he intended to be a hunter from now on, he absolutely couldn't eat nutrient-poor chaff anymore. He needed to maintain sufficient physical strength at all times, otherwise, if he encountered any danger on the mountain, he wouldn't even have the strength to run.

He was already starving. Clutching his provisions, he quickened his pace, eager to get home, start a fire, and cook.

"Yo, Little Stone!"

Just as he was nearing his doorstep, someone suddenly called his name from behind.

Chen Sanshi turned his head and saw a tall, rugged man standing before him.

Qin Xiong.

A notorious local bully in town, he had a group of ruffians under his command. He made money by engaging in loan sharking and trading in respectable women, and many poor families in town were ruined by his schemes.

"Good heavens, a bow and arrows?!"

Qin Xiong's gaze fell on the bow and arrows behind Chen Sanshi, his surprise laced with mockery. "You, a 'Xiucai scholar,' are planning to learn how to hunt on the mountain?"

"It's out of necessity."

Chen Sanshi kept his distance, taking half a step back. "Brother Qin, are you looking for me for something?"

Qin Xiong smirked, hooking the corners of his mouth. "What about that matter last time? Have you given it any thought?"

Last time?

Chen Sanshi's heart skipped a beat, and unpleasant memories flooded his mind.

Six months ago, after his father passed away, the family had fallen into dire straits.

Just then, Qin Xiong had come knocking, and the original Chen Sanshi had entertained the idea of selling Gu Xinlan for money.

If it were him, he would naturally never do such a thing.

"Brother Qin."

Chen Sanshi refused. "I've thought it through. I won't need your money after all."

Hearing this, Qin Xiong's expression instantly darkened. "Are you sure you've thought it through?"

"I really don't need it, Brother Qin."

Chen Sanshi hugged his provisions tighter, took a detour home, feeling a sense of unease.

In his memory, Qin Xiong was not someone who easily let things go. This matter was likely far from over.

It truly was one misfortune after another.

Not only was there the issue of food, but he had also attracted the attention of a local bully.

Chen Sanshi touched the quiver at his waist.

A bow and five arrows were his greatest source of confidence for surviving in this chaotic world.

He wondered what changes the System Panel would bring once its proficiency reached the introductory level.

"I need to fill my stomach first before I have the energy to practice archery!"

Chen Sanshi pushed open the door to his home and found that Lan Jie'er hadn't returned yet.

She worked at a tailor shop every morning and washed clothes for wealthy families in the afternoon, a very busy and laborious schedule.

He took the initiative to chop wood, start the fire, and prepare the meal in advance.

Steaming white rice, served with salted duck eggs and a bowl of boiled wild vegetable soup.

For many families, this would already be a decent meal.

When Gu Xinlan returned from her work, it was the first time in her life she had seen a hot, ready-made meal. She couldn't help but be surprised. "Shi Ge'er, where did the white rice and salted duck eggs come from?"

"Eat up."

Chen Sanshi gestured for her to sit down, then grabbed his chopsticks and began to eat ravenously.

He had been starving for a long time.

"Shi Ge'er..."

"Hmm?"

After eating silently for a while, Chen Sanshi realized Gu Xinlan hadn't touched her chopsticks at all.

Her eyes had turned red at some point, glistening tears dangling precariously on her eyelashes. She choked out, "Can... can you not sell me?"

"Huh?"

Chen Sanshi froze, utterly bewildered.

"I heard someone say that Shi Ge'er made a deal with that Qin Xiong today..."

Gu Xinlan's voice trembled.

If it weren't for this, where would the family have gotten the silver to buy white rice, or even salted duck eggs?

Flustered, she took out a patched purse from her waist, emptied the few copper coins inside, and pleaded, "Shi Ge'er, I was wrong.

"I won't urge you to go out and work anymore. You just stay home and study. I can earn money, I can pay the taxes. Please, don't sell me."

Who in Poyang County didn't know Qin Xiong's reputation?

If she fell into his hands, she'd most likely be sold to a brothel.

Why had Gu Xinlan stayed devotedly with the Chen family all these years? Wasn't it because Chen Sanshi's father had bought her from a slave trader, preventing her from becoming a prostitute, and she felt indebted for that kindness?

Could it be that in the end, she still couldn't escape a fate worse than death?

"Lan Jie'er, you're overthinking things."

Chen Sanshi understood. He guessed someone had been spreading rumors.

He comforted her, "You're part of the Chen family. How could I possibly sell you?"

Arriving here, having someone as dear as an older sister was incredibly precious. He wouldn't hand her over under any circumstances; wouldn't that be too pathetic?

Gu Xinlan remained silent, sitting there and sobbing, clearly not believing him.

Helpless, Chen Sanshi took her reddened, swollen hand and led her to the inner room. "The grain was from selling my books, not from Qin Xiong."

Gu Xinlan saw the empty desk and the bow and arrows hanging on the wall, and she couldn't help but freeze. "Shi Ge'er, you sold all your writing tools and turned them into a bow and arrows?"

"Yes."

Chen Sanshi patiently explained, "From now on, I plan to follow in my father's footsteps, hunt to support the family. How can I let a woman like you work so hard until your hands are chapped and raw?"

"Support the family..."

Gu Xinlan never expected to hear Shi Ge'er say such a thing.

She realized her festering hand was still being held by him and, feeling self-conscious, tried to pull it away. Instead, he gently pulled her into a hug.

"Don't worry!"

Chen Sanshi understood her extreme lack of security and said gravely, "Father always said you were going to be my wife. There's no reason to give away one's wife, is there?"

Gu Xinlan was startled by the sudden embrace. Feeling the warmth, she looked up at him in disbelief. "Shi Ge'er, you... you don't despise me for my low social status anymore?"

"I don't despise you."

Chen Sanshi stated firmly, "I like you too much to do that."

"Shi Ge'er, you're the only family I have left in this world. Don't lie to me."

Gu Xinlan no longer tried to break free. After a few hesitant attempts, she finally rested her face against his chest, feeling this rare warmth.

"Lan Jie'er."

"Yes?"

"My body hurts a bit today. Let's get on the bed, and you can give me a massage?"

"Okay."

"Ah... Shi Ge'er, isn't this a massage?"

"I'll massage you."

"Mmm, mmm~"