Ye Fan's Plan to Make Money

"Xiao Fan, come out and eat!" Early that morning, Mother Ye called for Ye Fan from the doorway.

"Coming!" Ye Fan had only just lain down in bed. He had spent the entire night cultivating the Water Spirit Art in his Inner World. Now he could use it at will, his hand moving with his thoughts; with a gentle wave, a surge of energy swept out. This was Ye Fan's first cultivation art, and he had been too excited to sleep all night.

Ever since the Inner World had begun nourishing him, however, Ye Fan had remained full of vigor at all times. He did not feel the least bit sleepy now.

"Mother, where's Father?" Ye Fan asked in puzzlement as he came out and saw that Mother Ye was alone at the simple dining table.

"The village is discussing going out to earn a little money to help support our families. The village has been built, but it'll be a while before the crops can be harvested. We can't just sit around and eat through our stores until the mountain is bare. Someone suggested going to Sunset City to see if they could find some temporary work. Everyone in the village came from the mountains, and they have plenty of strength. Your father went over early this morning, right after breakfast."

"I see. Then I'll go listen too, and see if there's anything I can do to help." Before Ye Fan had even finished speaking, he hurried out.

"Eat first! Xiao Fan, Xiao Fan~"

"I'll come back and eat later." His voice was already far away.

"That child~" Mother Ye said, helpless but gentle.

"Auntie, what did Brother Fan go off to do?" Mother Ye had just turned back into the house when Xiao Ke'er peeked in and asked.

"He's always rushing about. He just heard the villagers were discussing going out to make a living, and he hurried over without even eating."

"Have you eaten, Ke'er? Come and have something with me?" Mother Ye warmly invited Xiao Ke'er. After all, in her heart, Xiao Ke'er would make a wonderful daughter-in-law.

"Hehe, Auntie, I haven't made breakfast yet, so I won't eat here. I'd better hurry home and cook, then send my big brother out to make a living too. I'm going back now, Auntie."

The two families were neighbors, so visiting each other was especially convenient. Ke'er had heard Ye Fan's voice just now and only had to take a few steps to reach his door.

Outside the old village chief's house, there weren't enough stools, so several burly men stood by the door, discussing something, each putting in a word.

"Old village chief, if you ask me, we should go work as temporary laborers for a wealthy family in the city. We can put in some hard labor and earn at least a little to help with the village's expenses."

"There's no shortage of temporary workers in the city. I think we should weave some baskets and cages instead. City people have never seen anything like them, so they're sure to sell well if we take them there!"

"If that doesn't work, we could take Xiao Feng out to practice medicine. Going from street to street ought to bring in something too."

Ye Fan had just reached the old village chief's door when he heard the men all talking at once.

"Father, how's the discussion going?"

Father Ye turned to look at Xiao Fan and said quietly, "We're still discussing it. I don't expect we'll come to any decision today!"

With nothing else to do, Ye Fan stayed to one side and listened quietly.

Before long, Xiao Ke'er arrived with a bleary-eyed Xiao Feng.

"Uncles, I've brought my big brother. If there's anything you need him to do, just tell him," Xiao Ke'er said to the group, giving her brother a hard pinch.

Xiao Feng grimaced in pain and immediately woke up. He rubbed the spot his sister had just tormented before addressing the group. "Ke'er's right, uncles. If there's anything you need me for, just say the word!"

"Xiao Feng's here! You two don't need to worry. This is a major matter for the village's livelihood. Nobody in the village can sit it out; everyone has to lend a hand!" Uncle Chen said with a chuckle.

The siblings stepped aside and watched as the others continued their discussion.

"Brother Feng, did any of the medicinal herbs you brought from the mountains survive?" Ye Fan asked, moving over to Xiao Feng.

"Some did. Ke'er planted them in the wasteland behind the house a while ago. Do you want some?" Xiao Feng asked in puzzlement.

"Mm-hmm, I'd like to get one or two."

"Go ahead. Ask my sister for them. She has the final say over things at home now. I was sleeping soundly, and she just yanked me right out of bed. I've been working hard for months-has it been easy for me?" Xiao Feng glanced at his sister first, then spoke with a look of grievance.

"What are you two doing?" Xiao Ke'er seemed to sense something. Is my brother speaking ill of me? And to Brother Fan, at that.

"Uh, nothing. Xiao Fan's looking for you." With that, he hurried away. He could still get a little more sleep at this hour.

"Hm? Brother Fan, were you looking for me?" Xiao Ke'er asked softly, paying no further attention to her fleeing brother.

"Mm. I'd like a few medicinal herbs, the kind that are still alive," Ye Fan said, looking at Ke'er, a little awkwardly.

"Yes, there are some in the wasteland behind the house. I specifically asked Uncle to set aside a plot just for growing medicinal herbs." Though she didn't know what Brother Fan wanted them for, Ke'er answered earnestly.

"Do you need them now, Brother Fan? If you do, I'll take you to dig a few up!" Ke'er asked, tilting her head, eagerly looking forward to it.

"Then let's go!" Ye Fan didn't stand on ceremony.

After saying goodbye to the uncles, Ke'er led Ye Fan to the herb garden. It wasn't far from the house, and they arrived in no time.

The herb garden wasn't very large. The thoughtful Ke'er had even built a fence around it to separate it from the grain fields.

"Ke'er, you brought all these medicinal herbs from the mountains?" Ye Fan asked in surprise as he looked at the garden full of herbs.

"Mm-hmm, Brother Fan. Father dug them all up from the backyard. It would have been such a shame to leave them behind, so we brought them here and planted them," Ke'er said, resting her hands on the fence as she looked at the herbs filling the garden.

"What medicinal herbs do you want, Brother Fan? I'll pick them for you."

"Ke'er, which medicinal herbs can fetch a good price?" Ye Fan scratched his head and stammered.

"Are you short of money, Brother Fan? If you are, I still have a little on me."

"It's not that I'm short of money, it's just..." Ye Fan didn't know how to explain. Was he supposed to say he was taking them into his Inner World to speed their growth, then selling them for money?

"Ke'er, believe me, I really don't need money. I just have a use for them," Ye Fan said at last.

"All right, Brother Fan, of course I believe you! Wait a moment, I'll pick them for you!"

"No need, Ke'er. Just tell me which ones they are, and I'll pick them." As he spoke, Ye Fan climbed over the fence and jumped into the herb garden.

"Brother Fan, the one right by your foot is called Numbing Thorn Grass. It's generally used when treating serious wounds. It has an anesthetic effect, so the patient won't feel any pain. Father said it could fetch a good price. There just isn't much of it."

"That's all right, Ke'er. It doesn't matter if there isn't much. But can it be divided into new plants?"

"Mm-hmm, it can, but it doesn't grow very well here. It would grow much better if it were planted in the mountains!"

"And that one, Brother Fan-the little fruits it bears are called Mountain Bodhi. They can nourish Qi and blood. They're especially good for women."

"Can it be divided into new plants?"

"No, but its fruits can be planted."

"All right." Ye Fan dug up another plant.

"Brother Fan, there's also this one, this one. It's called Qian Ginseng. Its effects are amazing! Eating a single bite can prolong your life."

"The roots can be divided into new plants," Ke'er added before Ye Fan could open his mouth.

The third plant was in hand.

"That's enough, Ke'er. These will do," Ye Fan said to her, holding the three medicinal herbs in his hands.

"Mm-hmm. If you need any more in the future, Brother Fan, just come find me!" Although Ke'er didn't know what the three herbs could do, she kept the question to herself. Perhaps Brother Fan had his own use for them.

"Let's go, Ke'er. It looks like the village won't come to a decision today anyway. Let's go out for a stroll later."

"Mm-hmm, all right, Brother Fan! Take the herbs home first. I'll wait for you!" Xiao Ke'er said, fiddling with the hem of her clothes.

When Ye Fan returned home, he saw Xiao Feng sitting there eating, a bowl in one hand and his chopsticks moving nonstop. He was like a reincarnated turtle that had starved to death.

Seeing Ye Fan come in, Xiao Feng gave him a brief glance~

"Where's my sister? She dragged me out of bed so early, but she didn't even make breakfast. Good thing Auntie made plenty. I just took a bowl of porridge to my father. Xiao Fan, do you want some?" Xiao Feng asked Ye Fan as he shoveled food into his mouth.

"Xiao Fan, hurry and eat something. Where's Ke'er? Call her over to eat with us," Mother Ye said gently, seeing that Ye Fan had come back alone.

"No, Ke'er's herb garden needs weeding today, so I'm going over to help. You two eat. We'll be back in a little while." With that, he went into his room, secretly tossed the herbs into his Inner World, grabbed a hoe, and headed out.

"Come back early, and don't let Ke'er tire herself out," Mother Ye called after him.