Following the memories of the original body, she ran for two days and a night before reaching the capital. After inquiring from many people, she finally found the Changping Marquis Mansion. However, she couldn't even get through the gate. Fortunately, she encountered a butler-like figure who gave her a wild ginseng and two silver ingots, instructing her not to go to the capital again or to the Changping Marquis Mansion.
After receiving this outcome, the original body's wish was fulfilled, and her consciousness completely dissipated.
So be it. Her arrival here was fate. In her previous life, she was alone until death, with no attachments. In this life, having family by her side seemed quite good. She would live well for the sake of the original body's loved ones.
The house at the foot of the mountain stood alone. It was mealtime, yet no smoke rose from the chimney. Compared to the village houses in the distance with their curling smoke, it was exceptionally desolate.
Qi Zhenzhen pushed open the fence gate and walked in quickly.
The person lying on the kang had a pale gray complexion and a weak breath. Beside her, a small figure was curled up on her.
It was the original body's seriously ill mother and her seven-year-old brother. Looking at the small figure, clearly the size of a four or five-year-old child, it was evident that the original body's family was truly struggling.
Unpacking her bundle, Qi Zhenzhen first placed the cloth bag on a nearby table. Then, she took out the oil-paper package, which had long since cooled, containing four baked flatbreads.
"Yi'er, wake up," Qi Zhenzhen gently patted Qi Yi's shoulder. "Big Sister is back."
Perhaps still groggy from sleep, Qi Yi opened his large eyes and stared at Qi Zhenzhen for a while before his eyes gained focus. Tears welled up in the little fellow's big eyes, and he threw himself into Qi Zhenzhen's arms. "Big Sister, where did you go? Where did you go..."
The muffled sobs inexplicably tugged at Qi Zhenzhen's heart.
She gently patted the little person in her arms and said in a soft, gentle voice, "Yi'er, don't cry. Don't you remember? Big Sister went into the mountains to find medicine for Mother."
The little person in her arms looked up with hope, "Did Big Sister find the wild ginseng Uncle Mo mentioned?"
Qi Zhenzhen nodded, "I did."
Qi Yi happily got up from Qi Zhenzhen's embrace. "I'll go call Uncle Mo now."
With that, he slid off the kang, put on his shoes, and ran out.
Qi Zhenzhen smiled and shook her head. She bent down to check on the condition of the original body's mother, Yun Shi. She was melancholic and sad, and malnourished, her body extremely weak. She had also caught a severe cold. Fortunately, there was no fatal illness. With the wild ginseng and the doctor Mo's herbal decoctions, with good care, she would recover.
Tucking in Yun Shi's quilt, Qi Zhenzhen took the baked flatbreads into the kitchen.
The rice jar was empty. From memory, when the original body left, there was still some rice in the house. The original body went into the mountains for a day, and she traveled to the capital and back for three days. In these four days, this mother and son ate just over half a pound of rice. They must have been eating thin gruel every meal, she guessed.
Even the cleverest housewife cannot cook without rice.
At this moment, Qi Zhenzhen could not go out to prepare food. Fortunately, she had bought four baked flatbreads on her way back. She would heat them up, boil some hot water, and fill their stomachs first.
As steam rose from the pot, Qi Yi returned with Doctor Mo.
Qi Zhenzhen added a few more long-burning logs to the stove, then went out to greet them.
Doctor Mo saw Qi Zhenzhen and was somewhat excited. "You girl, you're finally back."
The mountains were perilous, and besides hunters, few ventured deep into the mountains. That girl, after hearing him say, "If only there were wild ginseng," actually decided to go into the mountains alone. No matter how much he tried to dissuade her, she wouldn't be swayed. Now that she was standing before him in one piece, how could Doctor Mo not be excited?
"I've made Uncle Mo worry. It's my fault," Qi Zhenzhen said obediently. "But if I had to do it again, Zhenzhen would still go into the mountains."
Doctor Mo opened his mouth, unsure how to respond. Qi Zhenzhen handed him the wild ginseng. "Uncle Mo, please see if this is wild ginseng."
Doctor Mo's attention was immediately diverted. His eyes shone as he stared at the wild ginseng in Qi Zhenzhen's hand. "Yes, yes, yes."
The wild ginseng, the size of an adult man's palm, with intact rootlets and a slightly yellow hue, was extremely well-preserved. But this was dried wild ginseng, not fresh. How could it possibly have been dug up in the mountains?
Qi Zhenzhen did not miss the doubt on Doctor Mo's face and proactively said, "I did find a wild ginseng in the mountains. It was very large. I thought of what Uncle Mo told me about the size of hundred-year-old wild ginseng and guessed that this ginseng was more than a hundred years old. So, I took it to a pharmacy in the capital and exchanged it for some silver and this piece of wild ginseng."
The original body's family had always lived a hard life. With this explanation, it also accounted for the origin of the money she had. The mountain village where the three of them lived was not large, and any events there were usually known to all. This way, even if someone became suspicious, they could ask Doctor Mo to explain.
Doctor Mo lamented not being able to see wild ginseng older than a hundred-year-old one, while also marveling at Qi Zhenzhen's cleverness. Given Yun Shi's condition, a hundred-year-old wild ginseng was most suitable. Older ginseng, while more precious, might not necessarily be suitable for Yun Shi.
Taking out his tools from his medicine chest, Doctor Mo first cut off the rootlets and wrapped them, then evenly sliced the ginseng into thin pieces, about sixty in total. He took two slices from these, mixed them with other herbs, and then instructed, "Add three bowls of water to soak it. After half an hour, bring it to a boil over high heat, then simmer over low heat. Take one bowl of the medicinal liquid. Then add two more bowls of water and boil, also taking one bowl of medicinal liquid. Mix the two portions of medicinal liquid evenly and give them to your mother in two doses, once in the morning and once in the evening."
Qi Zhenzhen listened carefully and nodded, saying, "I've got it, Uncle Mo."
"Also, be more meticulous with food. People cannot go hungry all the time; it will harm them," Doctor Mo sighed. This mother and son appeared in the village three years ago. They bought the house at the foot of the mountain from the village head and settled down. In the beginning, they lived comfortably, buying food from the villagers. However, as their savings dwindled and with no support or other means of livelihood, their lives became increasingly difficult. There were several families in the village willing to help them, but they were hoping to marry Yun Shi.
Yun Shi insisted on refusing, and her life grew worse day by day until she fell ill.
"I understand, Uncle Mo. By the way, could you calculate how much consultation and medicine fees I still owe you?" Qi Zhenzhen asked. From memory, the family had called for a doctor several times, and no fees were charged. Now that she had money, she couldn't possibly still owe them.
Doctor Mo waved his hand. "Although you've exchanged some silver, your family's life is difficult. After your mother recovers this time, she'll need a period of recuperation, and you have no land to live on or any business to earn money. We can discuss the medicine and consultation fees later."
Qi Zhenzhen was grateful for Doctor Mo's kindness, but he also had a family to support. She couldn't keep owing him, could she? Moreover, Aunt Mo's temperament was truly difficult to compliment.
"Uncle Mo, I will find a way to earn money in the future. What you are owed, I cannot renege on," Qi Zhenzhen said with great insistence.
Doctor Mo, unable to refuse, said, "Your mother won't need so much wild ginseng. How about giving me a few rootlets as payment for consultation and medicine fees?"
Qi Zhenzhen nodded without hesitation, "Alright."
Doctor Mo took four rootlets, wrapped them, and put them into his medicine chest. "This way, we are settled."
After seeing Doctor Mo off, Qi Zhenzhen steeped the medicine and brought out the heated baked flatbreads, calling Qi Yi over to eat.
Qi Yi held the warm baked flatbreads, his big eyes blinking with joy. "White flour flatbreads."
"Eat them with hot water, and chew them slowly," Qi Zhenzhen instructed after patting his head. Then, she picked up another flatbread, carefully broke it into pieces, and put it into the bowl of hot water. Once the flatbread softened, she carried the bowl and sat on the edge of the kang, placing the bowl on the kang table, and vigorously shook Yun Shi awake.
Yun Shi's eyes were unfocused, and it took a while for them to focus on Qi Zhenzhen.
The extremely weak Yun Shi suddenly grabbed Qi Zhenzhen's wrist with such force that Qi Zhenzhen gasped—