"Master... a patient has arrived," Qing He's voice came from inside the shop.
Jin Shanyao to comfort her, "Tomorrow is today's hope. As long as one is alive, anything is possible."
The blind woman gave a bitter smile. She dared not hope for tomorrow; she was grateful that she could get through this.
Jin Shanyao hurriedly led Meng Anzhi back to the shop to continue treating patients. The first day of each month was the busiest time, and the amount of medicinal herbs used was also the greatest.
Zhou Xiaosi is already a waiter. This child is smart and can memorize most of the medicinal herbs in just one day. He is currently learning to read with Qing Yang.
Time flew by and night fell. Jin Shanyao looked out the window at the other side of the street and saw only the blind woman and the girl begging; the boy was nowhere to be found.
Meng Anci, however, came running in happily, carrying half a piece of pork. "Auntie, Auntie, look what this is???"
Jin Shanyao met his bright, sparkling eyes and exclaimed in feigned surprise, "Could this be the legendary pork???"
Meng Anci stood up straight, arrogantly holding the pork in mid-air. "Yes, this is the pork the men of the Meng Household earned. Where's my sister? Tell her to come out and see me?"
Jin Shanyao couldn't help but chuckle, "You're behind you."
Startled, Meng Anci turned around abruptly and saw Meng Anzhi standing behind him. He suppressed his astonishment, tried to adjust his expression, raised his head proudly, and handed the pork to her.
"Take this and have Qing He make a stir-fried fern with pork."
Meng Anzhi quickly bent down and took the pork with both hands, shouting loudly, "Alright... I'll give the order right away."
The siblings looked at each other and couldn't help but burst into laughter.
Master Cen would reward students who did well in exams with treats, sometimes pastries, sometimes dried fruit, but this was the first time he had ever rewarded them with pork.
Meng Anci dared not order his sister to do any work, so he carried the pork himself and quickly took it into the kitchen, then went inside to read.
Since Zhao Zhiyuan and Zhao Yushan joined forces, they've become quite difficult to kill!
The following day, Meng Anci his leave, and Jin Shanyao led them to Hat Mountain to check the growth of the herbs and set a harvest date.
As she left the shop, Jin Shanyao saw the boy from yesterday, bent over on the ground writing for someone, happily pocketing the three copper coins he had earned.
Seeing this, Jin Shanyao withdrew her gaze. The three of them first went to the market and bought dates, steamed buns, roast chicken, and other kinds of food before arriving at Hat Mountain.
At the mountaintop, the sika deer lined up, each with its head bowed, waiting for Xie Chao to cut their antlers. Xie Chao placed the cut antlers aside, swept his Spiritual Power over the deer's head, and the wounds healed instantly.
" Uncle Xie..." Meng Anzhi's clear voice rang out. Xie Chao said to the other deer, "You all go back first, and come back tomorrow morning."
After he finished speaking, the deer herd dispersed, and Meng Anzhi greeted him happily. The old ox had two large baskets hanging on its back, presumably filled with food.
Uncle Xie, have you missed us?
Xie Chao's eyes held a smile, "I don't want to..."
Meng Anzhi was slightly taken aback, unsure of how to respond.
Seeing her sister being bullied, Meng Anci said with displeasure, "If you didn't expect this, why are you smirking?"
Xie Chao glared at him, his expression one of same-sex rejection... It was clear this little guy wasn't friendly to him.
Xie Chao stood up, shook his clothes, and taking advantage of Meng Anci's inattention, suddenly grabbed him under the armpits and tossed him into the air.
"Ahhh... "Meng Anci screamed in terror as his feet suddenly left the ground. Just when he thought he was about to fall to his death, a whip wrapped around his waist, and he fell into a warm embrace.
Xie Chao Meng Anci finally reveal his childlike side, Xie Chao's eyes lit up with a smile, "Little one, was that toss exciting enough?"
Meng Anci's heart pounded. He was about to explode in anger when he suddenly realized something was wrong. How could he not dodge Xie Chao's attack with his speed?
Unless Xie Chao was hiding his true strength and far surpassed his own, Meng Anci's eyes darted around, and his eyes instantly reddened.
He clutched his heart, tears welling up but not falling, staring pitifully at the Jin Shanyao, saying nothing and just watching.
Jin Shanyao said worriedly, "Tell your aunt if you feel unwell."
Meng Anci buried her face in the Jin Shanyao's neck, her voice muffled, "Auntie, the moment I was tossed into the air, I thought I was going to die and never see you again."
As he spoke, his gaze swept over Xie Chao, revealing a wicked smile that sent chills down Xie Chao's spine... A bad premonition immediately welled up in his heart.
The next moment, the little one was seen holding the Jin Shanyao his cheeks.
Their eyes met, tears welling up. "I know I shouldn't blame Uncle. It wasn't his fault. It was my own fault for being afraid of heights; I suffocated and couldn't breathe when I was thrown into the air."
Jin Shanyao her head, a hint of helplessness in her eyes. The little one probably didn't know that, under the guidance of Old Madam Su she used to be.
His little tricks...
Jin Shanyao wanted to clutch her chest, knowing he was faking it, but she couldn't help feeling heartache. What should she do?
She figured she'd failed miserably; she'd have to ask Old Madam Su what these symptoms were when she had time.
Seeing that Jin Shanyao her head for so long, Meng Anci thought for a moment, then, without wiping away his tears, hugged Jin Shanyao her neck, while also giving Xie Chao a fist bump.
Xie Chao suddenly laughed. He was vengeful, and he was growing to like this little guy more and more!
"Auntie, please don't blame Uncle... He just has a unique way of liking people, I'll get used to it."
After saying that, his eyes darted around. Something was wrong... Why hadn't his aunt reacted yet? Usually, she would have stood up for him at this point???
Just as he was completely baffled, someone grabbed his arm and pulled out Jin Shanyao embraced.
Meng Anci stared blankly at Meng Anzhi, wondering why she was undermining him.
Meng Anzhi, "Auntie, Uncle Xie probably likes playing the game of tossing things high in the air. He just doesn't have anyone to help him. Why don't you let him experience it for him?"
Meng Anci secretly pinched Meng Anzhi, "Can you really say that?" However, the next moment, Jin Shanyao his whip and wrapped it around Xie Chao's waist, throwing him directly into the air.
A loud "Aow!" rang out... Meng Anci laughed... It turned out that a simple, straightforward complaint was the most effective.
Jin Shanyao her whip, spinning it in the air as if to catch Xie Chao, but he dodged the whip and landed steadily.
He jumped three feet high and shouted, " Jin Shanyao, are you trying to hug me...?"
The Jin Shanyao... it feels like being parasitized by fungi, so uncomfortable... I want to break it to pieces.
She suppressed her discomfort, "The two children are different from you and me; don't make jokes like that again."
Xie Chao felt slightly uneasy thinking that Meng Anci was a human infant who couldn't withstand much hardship, so he conjured up a crystal-clear lotus flower.
Meng Anci stared wide-eyed in astonishment. " Uncle Xie, where did you come from?" He circled around Xie Chao in disbelief.
Xie Chao laughed, "Let me hug you, and I'll tell you."
Meng Anci's smile froze on her face. The lotus flower she held felt like a hot potato, giving her the feeling of being sold into servitude.
Xie Chao chuckled and pinched his cheek; the little guy was quite adorable!
Meng Anzhi spread a cloth on the ground, and laid out the food she had brought. She specially placed the whole chicken in front of Xie Chao.
" Uncle Xie, I've never seen you come down the mountain."
Xie Chao casually broke off a chicken leg and handed it to the two children, Meng Anzhi and Meng Anci both shook their heads.
Xie Chao took a bite of his chicken leg and mumbled, "What's so great about down the mountain? I prefer staying up here."
Jin Shanyao thought to herself, she also liked staying on the mountain.
Meng Anzhi, "Then where do you live???"
Xie Chao pointed to the crooked tree. Meng Anzhi's lips twitched slightly. Seeing that she couldn't get any information out of him, she simply stopped asking!
While Meng Anci was playing chess with Xie Chao, Jin Shanyao had already packed the deer antlers into a basket and hung it on the ox.
Old Niu never imagined that his life of plowing and turning the soil would one day turn him into a peddler.