069. Only for You, Pigskin Arch

Upon hearing this, Gao Shen's eyes sparkled, the curve of his lips grew even more pronounced, and a gentle warmth radiated from him like sunlight. He could sense the clear warning in her words, but what stood out even more was her possessiveness! In this era where the boundaries between men and women are strictly observed and reputation is everything, Jing Qingxin’s words would certainly shock everyone or stir up gossip. If a man had said such things, no one would bat an eye, but coming from a woman, they were far less easily accepted.

“Yes, every joy, anger, sorrow, and happiness I feel belongs to you alone,” Gao Shen replied softly, his face tender.

Only when he was with her could he truly be himself. Her words didn't make him feel unhappy at all—on the contrary, he was delighted. The fact that she could say such things proved just how much she cared for him.

“Hmph, it’s good you know your place! Remember that,” Jing Qingxin said, cradling Gao Shen’s face in her hands, arching her brows and widening her eyes as she gave her admonition. Yet, her heart blossomed with sweetness at his words.

With a playful “mwah,” Jing Qingxin pulled Gao Shen’s handsome face down and pressed her delicate lips lightly against his.

Afterward, she withdrew her hands, sat on a wooden bench, and raised her cup with a bright smile, drinking water from the spring in her magical space.

Gao Shen took his seat as well, sipping from his cup, a smile still lingering on his face. In this moment, the sky seemed impossibly blue, the water in his mouth incomparably sweet, and everything around them was filled with beauty.

For this instant, the whole world contained only the two of them. Gao Shen felt he was the happiest man alive, his heart leaping with joy, unable to calm for a long time.

After resting for a while, the two went to the kitchen and, in perfect harmony, began to prepare lunch. With no meat on hand, Jing Qingxin could only make do with the available ingredients and served each of them a bowl of egg noodles.

She was somewhat annoyed with herself for having focused only on daily necessities and grains while shopping, forgetting to stock up on meat.

After their simple lunch, Jing Qingxin planned out her afternoon: she would go pick wild vegetables. There were no homegrown vegetables to be found, and though they had enough grain, they needed something to go with it. They couldn't live on plain rice congee and steamed rice alone!

Growing vegetables had become an urgent matter. Since Gao Shen wasn't yet fit to appear openly, tending the courtyard’s land would have to be his task. In truth, Jing Qingxin was far more interested in venturing into the mountains for some wild game—who knew what other treasures she might find? The great mountains were full of bounty, and she had long yearned to explore the hills behind the village.

But the moment she voiced this idea, Gao Shen strongly and sternly objected.

“Qingxin, the deep mountains are too dangerous. How can I rest easy letting a young woman like you go in there alone? Be good, just pick wild greens on the lower slopes,” he said gently, trying to soothe her. He knew she was bold and had some magical aids, but he still couldn’t set his mind at ease. He would not allow even the slightest risk.

Seeing the seriousness in Gao Shen’s expression, Jing Qingxin knew he was truly worried for her. Once he slipped into his “old cadre” mode, she knew there was no persuading him otherwise, and in the end, she could only surrender.

Gao Shen saw her pouting reluctantly and felt his heart soften. He lowered his voice and said, “If you really want to go into the back hills, I’ll take you tomorrow. Tonight, let’s get everything ready.”

“Really?” Jing Qingxin’s disappointed face immediately brightened.

“Yes. One mustn’t act rashly in all things. If we’re going into the back hills, we need to be well prepared first. And from now on, don’t ever act on your own without telling me what you want to do. Promise me, all right?” Gao Shen cautioned her earnestly.

He wasn’t completely against her going into the mountains—he just couldn’t let her go alone. He knew that if he stopped her entirely, she would keep thinking about it, and being too strict might have the opposite effect. She might even sneak off one day without his knowledge.

“Okay, I’ll listen to you. I’m going to find Xiaomei now,” Jing Qingxin replied happily, slinging her bamboo basket over her arm as she left.

Gao Shen looked at her with deep affection. As long as she could keep smiling so happily, it was all worth it to him.

Now that his leg had nearly healed, he only needed some time to rebuild his strength. He had plenty of experience venturing into the mountains—back in the army, he and his squad would sometimes head into the hills to hunt wild game for a feast.

“Xiaomei, are you home?” Jing Qingxin called out from the wall of the Li family’s courtyard.

“I’m here!” came the reply from inside, and, moments later, Li Xiaomei hurried out to greet her.

“Sister Jing, you’re back?” Li Xiaomei was visibly excited, her previous worries vanishing in an instant. She had been afraid that Sister Jing wouldn’t return, and then she’d be left without a friend.

“Yes, I got back last night. I want to go pick some wild greens. Do you want to come?” Jing Qingxin asked with a smile.

Li Xiaomei nodded enthusiastically. “Yes! Wait for me, Sister Jing, I’ll get a basket.”

Soon, the two were walking side by side toward the hillside at the edge of the village. April was the season when wild greens flourished, and no household in the village lacked vegetables to eat.

Jing Qingxin picked for a while on the slope, then moved higher to see if she could find other varieties. Thanks to Li Xiaomei’s explanations, she now recognized several kinds of wild vegetables.

As she picked, Jing Qingxin moved along the slope until she suddenly discovered a patch of “zheergen,” also known as fish mint, among the weeds. She was overjoyed.

She immediately bent down to gather them, her mouth watering at the thought of a cool, refreshing salad made with zheergen—a dish she’d always enjoyed for its crisp texture and sweet fragrance.

“Huh? Sister Jing, why are you picking that pigskin tuber? It doesn’t taste good,” Li Xiaomei asked, frowning as she saw Jing Qingxin fill half her basket with what she called “pigskin tuber.”

“Oh? You call this ‘pigskin tuber’? That’s an interesting name. How do you usually eat it?” Jing Qingxin had never heard this nickname before, though she knew that many vegetables had local names in different regions.

“Well, what else would we call it? We just boil it and eat it, but honestly, it tastes awful—bitter and astringent,” Li Xiaomei replied, a wry expression on her face as she recalled the taste.

“In medicinal terms, it’s called ‘fish mint’ or ‘zheergen.’ It can clear heat and detoxify, aid digestion, and strengthen the stomach,” Jing Qingxin explained simply.

“Is it really that good? But it tastes so bad,” Li Xiaomei said in surprise.

Jing Qingxin understood—of course, zheergen would taste bitter and unpalatable if simply boiled. In this era, most people cooked things in the simplest way possible: just boiling.

“It really is good, and it tastes wonderful if you know how to prepare it! Tonight, I’ll make some and bring a bowl over for you to try. Then you’ll see,” Jing Qingxin said with a smile. Words alone couldn’t compare to letting her taste it herself.

“All right, I’ll help you pick more,” Li Xiaomei replied happily. Since Sister Jing said so, she was sure the wild vegetable would become delicious.

—End of chapter—